10-80: Line of Duty Series (4 page)

“Yeah, I’m in high school now!” He exclaimed as he looked up at her.

“Oh my, my big boy,” she said. “I came by to see you and find out how you were doing. Mama, could use a shower too and something to eat. Just get clean for a…”

“Told you before Mom. Don’t talk to him, you talk to me about that.”

She kept looking at Zee, and then slowly turned to me. “Right. How you doing, D’asia? Keeping everything afloat, like I knew you would.”

“We’re fine,” I replied.

“It’s been awhile.” She nodded her head while looking around. “Could really use a shower and some clean clothes.”

“I can give you some clothes, but you can’t come in.”

“Come on D’asia. She can take a shower.” Zee pleaded.

“You’re not in this.” I snapped.

He turned his head and she pulled him closer.

“It’s just a shower, Dee. I’ll be in and out, then I’ll leave.”

“No, Mom. This isn’t the place for you to have your pit stop and it definitely won’t be a habit. You don’t care about nothing that’s happening over here. You know your son was locked up today? Care about that? You know I’m in school? You know we are barely making it? No, you don’t know any of that because all you care about is what you want.” I started walking towards the door. “Zee get in there and heat up the food from yesterday. You eat and go to bed.”

“Dee…”

“Don’t do that, Mom. Don’t Dee, me. Like I’m the bad guy here. I don’t want to have to look over the little we have because you’re not at the place to get help. I can’t get it for you. You got to want it and you don’t. So, this is your life. Fuck us and do you, like ya been doing.”

“I’m sick, Dee.” She let go of Zee, as I was pointing and glaring at him to move.

“I know, Mom and I won’t enable your sickness. I can’t help you.”

Her features changed, then she said, “I didn’t raise you to be such a bitch.”

At that, Zee moved into the apartment because he knew it was about to get ugly.

“No, actually you did, Mom. Raised me to be this very bitch standing in front of you. Taught me everything I know. How to sleep on money. How to grow up faster than I was ready to. How to look a user in the eye, no matter if they are my mother or not and give them hard facts. How to fight your crackhead friends, when they tried to take advantage of me and you either put them up to it or were too high to care. You taught me all the bitch moves. Now go back where you were and stay there. We don’t need you.”

“Your father would be so proud,” she smirked.

“Right, that man you never told me about.” I sighed. “Mom, bye.”

“This is why I don’t come by here. You’re a disrespectful bitch to your own mother. I birthed you, fed you and took care of you. I fall on hard times and you treat me like the scum of the earth. You want to know why I don’t come.” She stood on her toes to get in my face. “This is why.”

“Maybe,” I leaned down, letting the door close and got back in her face. “You are forgetting about all the times I did let you in. Let you take a shower, let you spend the night and you took everything you could carry. Even the wig on my head. You are forgetting about all those, ‘just one times’, and it’ll only be for a minute. You forget. I don’t. Cause I got to replace the shit you steal. I have to explain to Zee, why we have to eat at Aunt Birdie’s. Why his own mother,” I hissed. “Is not allowed in the house. Why she won’t be at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Or his goddamn birthday. So get the fuck outta here with your sob stories, Mom. You are not the same one that birthed me, fed me and provided shelter. You,” I raised my hand up and down pointed to her, “are not that woman.”

Grabbing on to the door handle, I twisted and walked in, immediately turning all of the locks.

“Fuck you, you stupid bitch,” she yelled. “Open this goddamn door. This was my place.”

I slumped against the door and let the tears flow. She banged on it three more times, then I heard the neighbor’s door creak.

“What the fuck are you looking at?” I heard my mom snap.

The door slammed back. Once I looked up, I saw Zee staring at me. He came to me and said, “I’m sorry D’asia.”

“Me too.”

I
t was
Wednesday and I still had not heard from D’asia. My partner made it his duty to daily remind me that my crush on the beautiful woman was stupid. Not only was she living in the projects, but her brother was destined to be a future menace to society and we would be the ones locking his ass up. The sad part about the situation, he’d been on the force for ten years and this shit happened all the time. This was why you did not get involved with the people we served. It made our jobs harder. He made some comment about my mother disproving of the dark meat, but I let that slide. He was from a different era and that race shit meant something to him. I didn’t care one bit what color she was, the woman was under my skin. She could have been green for all I cared.

I found myself looking for her everywhere and now I knew she had a brother, I was on the lookout for him too. Most of us on the force did not want to take
The Trap’s
calls, but lately, I was all about having some sort of excuse to see her. My partner, Sal, was not having that shit. I was only on the job for five years and according to my mother, also known as, the police captain at another district, had sights on me making detective. I did not mind being a cop that patrolled, but the shit on the street could wear on you quickly. Some of them loved it while some hated every minute and took it out on anyone that got in their paths.

Captain McFadden, my mother, was a third generation cop. Just like my father, who died in the line of duty almost twenty years ago. I was very young but had various memories of the man. Many say I look like him, act like him and even walk like him. It’s uncanny, how I did not even know the man, but carry many of his traits, like the way he walks.

“What are we eating today?” Sal asked.

“Don’t matter to me just not that shit that we ate yesterday?”

“What? You’re crazy,” Sal said in his custom Long Island accent. “That shit was good.”

“When it goes down, sure. When it comes back out, it burns your ass.” I shuddered at the memory.

Sal burst into laughter, looking about ready to bust a gut. “That shit do hurt, but it’s worth it.”

“I’ll pass.”

He loved to get the Thai food, but that shit was hot. My palate was not that sensitive. However, that food needed a label on the level of heat.

“How about that place over near
The Trap
, maybe we can see your girl?” he huffed.

“She’s not my girl, man.” I tried to hide my semi-excitement at a chance of seeing her. “Plus, I’m not in the mood for soul food.”

“Ha! Coulda fooled me.” Sal smirked, as I turned the corner of 102nd. “That woman done turned you out already and she ain’t even let you taste that sweet berry of hers. That dark meat is addictive, boy. I’m trying to tell ya.”

“Stop with the dark meat, comments.” I snapped.

“Whoa, testy, huh.” I could see him nodding his head in my peripheral vision. “Jokes aside, your mom finds out about that shit, my comments will be the least of your worries. I looked her up. Mom’s strung out, the boy hasn’t been in trouble, but gangs are recruiting and you already know which ones tags the neighborhood. She’s on the straight, but the shit surrounding her ain’t. So, my last and final warning. Stay clear.”

Fuck me.

I hoped I could stay clear, but I didn’t want to.

Sal must have picked up on that because he said, “Too late, huh?”

I pulled in front of the hydrant, which was placed right in front of
Tiffany’s Soul Food
, then I looked at Sal. He smiled at me and said, “Well, enjoy the ride, while it lasts.”

Getting out of the car, I scoped the area and even looked up to the area where her floor might be. I wanted to see her. Had been craving her taste. That day in the grocery store refrigerator. I could not take it anymore. I wanted one taste and stole it too. Goddamn, that was a good day. She was better than I imagined. Sweet to the taste and goddammit if Sal wasn’t right. Fucking, addictive.

On some level, I knew she would not call me for coffee. She did not even want to thank me. It was evident, she was being smart and knew there would be no future between us. Why my heart and head, both of them would not let that go, beat the hell out of me. I wanted her, had to have her. It could have been chalked up to sexual frustration, but it was only with her. Sanchez, the officer who worked with my mom, kept throwing it at me. She was pretty and all, but I had no interest. She was also very popular within the force.

The week had gone by and Saturday was here. It was my day off, but I wanted to ensure that both Reginald, Jr. and Zeke both made it to the community cleaning. I stood outside of the precinct, just in case she showed up. Instead, they were dropped off in a late-modeled BMW and Reginald’s dad emerged from the vehicle out.

“Officer McFadden, what time should I pick the boys up?” he asked.

“Oh, I can drop them off.” I wanted to see D’asia.

“No offense, but it’s not a good look to see them getting out of a cops car.” He raised an eyebrow.

“True, I was going to drive my car.”

“Getting out of any white man’s car is not a good look either.”

He was right again.

“Boys, go over there.” Mr. Henry directed the boys to the stairs.

“You looking for something in particular, Officer McFadden,” He asked knowingly. “Before you lie, let me be clear in that I know the look you were giving to D’asia. I’ve had that same look with my wife before she was my wife.”

“What’s it to you?” I asked.

“It’s everything to me. She’s like family and you know as well as I do. That shit won’t work.”

“What the fuck is it with everyone telling me what won’t work and what will? If we make it work, it’ll work.”

“I’m not sure where you live, McFadden. Thinking you got some connection with Captain McFadden, but if you know like I know, you’d steer clear of D’asia Carey. However, if you were warned away like I was when it came to my Nita. You’ll tell me to fuck off and pursue what you believe is yours.” He laughed. “I know that look in your eyes. Know it well. First time I saw Nita walk to her seat when I was in the ring, I knew she was mine. Nobody could tell me different. That ended my career, cause she was the commissioner’s daughter, but that’s my Nita and always will be. So, this is what I’ll say knowing you are an officer of the law and shit. Are you serious about D’asia, fine? But keep her clear of that bullshit that’s going to come her way as a result. While, she may not get it from you, she’ll most definitely get it from her people and yours. She can handle her people, but yours are the ones I’m worried about, specifically - your mama.”

“My mother has nothing to do with this,” I hissed.

“Not now she doesn't. Move in on someone that she don’t approve of, you better believe those ugly shoes, she will.” He raised his hands like he was surrendering, “Just don’t say you weren’t warned.”

Mr. Henry raised his hand to his head, then saluted me and said, “I should be back around here, when?”

“Six,” I replied.

“Good.” He looked passed me and yelled, “Behave. See you later.”

Byes were issued back to him, as I watched him get in his car while his words whirled through my head. How was it that everybody had a thought about my non-relationship with a woman who would probably slap me silly and had not even called me? With all those warnings, I should probably leave it alone. I told myself that every night as I grabbed my cock and thought of her mouth sucking on my tongue, kissing my chest, taking me fully between her pouty lips. Undressing her to see every angle and curve of her gorgeous body.

There was no way I was going to leave that alone. She was raising her brother because her mother was strung out, trying to provide for a teenager and she was only twenty-three. So young, but taking on the responsibility of a mother and at such a young age. There was no way I was leaving that alone. Honestly, I don’t think I could stop even if I tried.

“
H
ey darling
,” Captain McFadden greeted me with a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey, Mom.” I kissed her back.

“Just in time, as always.” She led me back to the dining room.

Dinner was prepared as always and it was me, my cousin, Jesse, my mom, and uncles just like it was every Sunday. All of them in some way was employed by the police department. Either as an officer, clerk or school safety. My younger cousin, Jesse, was not sure what he wanted to do. It was a toss-up between a teacher, lawyer or an officer. He chose school safety to try it out and see if that would help his decision. While he did that, he also took criminal justice classes at BMCC.

“So, I had to fire one of the guys in my division,” my Mom said, completely off subject.

“What? Another
unlawful
shooting?” My uncle rolled his eyes. “These lowlifes have the nerve to say we are unlawful when they break the law for a living.”

“No, he was in a relationship with a perp.”

“He didn’t disclose it to the department?” My other uncle asked.

“No, he did not. Stupid bastard. Good cop, too. However, when it came out, it was too late. I had to let him go. The union will probably have him back, but the rest of the force will shame him enough to leave.” She shook her head.

“Ryan,” Jesse called to me.

“Yeah, what’s up?” I replied, glad to get out of the other conversation.

“I was wondering if you aren’t busy on Tuesday, can I go on a ride-along with you after my class?”

“What time does your class end?”

“Eight-o’clock.”

“Sure, my shift won’t end until eleven. That’s fine. Text me the address.”

“Great,” he beamed.

Jesse was as tall as I was, same build and everything. He just graduated from college and was still trying to figure life out. He was twenty-one and his dad, surprisingly, did not pressure him to join the force. My mom, on the other hand, always sent the pressure. Even had other cops in her division
encourage
him to join. Giving him special treatment and all of that. He didn’t want it and neither did I. Specifically, why I changed my district so I was not under her reign. The good captain did not like that, but I also did not care.

When Tuesday rolled around, Jesse had texted me the information to get him from class. He was outside waiting in front of Myers Hall. The streets were filled with people going to their designated homes and probably coming from class. The vibe of a college campus was always one that I enjoyed. It was like fresh air, a newness, and openness that hovered over all the possibilities that awaited each person that partook.

I missed that.

Jesse and Sal greeted, as he climbed into the back of the patrol car. Sal continued to eat his burger while I buckled up.

“Where we off to?” Jesse asked.

“Well, we are following up on a lead about a murder that happened a month ago.”

“No,” Sal interjected with a mouth full of beef. “Cowboy over here is doing that. The detectives are supposed to do this, but do Ryan listen? Nope. So, I warned him, but he don’t listen to me either.”

As I started to drive away, I saw a woman that looked like D’asia. Her hair was braided back, she had a messenger bag, tight jeans, white and navy Puma’s, and a small jacket. It was March, but it was still cold.

My mind was playing tricks on me. As of late, I thought I saw her everywhere.

“That’s D’asia,” Ryan must have seen me looking. “She’s in my criminal justice class.”

I hit the break, causing a loud screech. I turned to him and said, “You know her?”

Jesse’s eyes were wide with surprise, “Uh, no. She’s just in my class.”

I pressed the ‘woop’ button and hit the lights once to signal for her to stop. Then as I opened the door, I could hear Sal mutter, “Like I said, don’t listen to me.”

Marching over to her, she had panic in her eyes. Probably from the police car and not me, so I hoped.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she snapped.

Attitude
.

She had the nerve to give me attitude.

I grabbed her by the arm and moved her near a corner so we could talk in private without prying eyes.

“Did you forget something?” I asked.

“’No,” she jerked her arm from mine.

“Oh, you forgot something.” I stepped closer to her.

“Back up,” she warned.

“Not until you tell me what you forgot?” I leaned down.

She tried to turn her head and say, “I didn’t forget anything.”

“Oh, you did, sweetness.” I pulled her ponytail that was hanging over her shoulder.

She smacked my hand away, just in time for me to capture it and put it against the wall. Leaning further down so I could nip her ear, then I whispered, “Now what did you forget?”

My lips pressed against her smooth, warm neck. I kept pecking until I reached her ear again.

“Tell me,” I asked, “What did you forget?”

She sighed, then said, “To call.”

I pulled back, letting her go and begin to pat her down. Once I found my treasure, I pulled out her phone and unlocked it to plug my number in there. Holding it up to her, I said, “See, Ryan McFadden.”

Her lips were parted, displaying a peek of her white teeth and pink tongue. I pressed the call button so I would have the number, then hung up. She snatched the phone from me and put it in her pocket.

“What do you want?” Her lip was turned up.

“A chance.”

“That’ll never happen.”

I shook my head, then said, “No, it could. The grocery store refrigerator, you told me it could.”

“No, I didn’t!” She exclaimed.

“Oh, yes you did.” I got back in her space again, “Your mouth, that tongue, and those fingers told me everything I needed to know.”

She inhaled, “No.”

“Oh, sweetness. You did. Told you. One taste got me hooked.”

Her lips were still parted and her chest was rising and falling rapidly. She was as hot as I was. Damn, the consequences, I went in and took her mouth. She did not fight me at all. Instead, her hands went straight for my hair. My body pressed into hers as I rocked my hips into her. A moan escaped her mouth and I swallowed it, taking more of her. Grabbing her ass, I squeezed tighter, pressing her center into me. Her hips started to move against me and goddamn, I was getting hard.