“Hello?” Ms. Pat answered weakly.
“Hi, it's me. I was just wondering how you were feeling.”
“Oh, I'm doing fine.”
Tasha could hear from the tone of her voice that she wasn't doing fine. “I'm gonna get the money for your surgery,” Tasha said, trying to reassure Ms. Pat that she was going to be alright.
“Don't worry about me, sweetheart. I am going to be just fine. I have two girls that I love, and even though I didn't give birth to you, I still love you like you are my own.”
Tasha felt the tears build in her eyes. “I love you too, Ms. Pat,” she replied before hanging up the phone.
The next day, Keys was at her house early to pick her up. “You ready?” he asked as he opened the car door for her.
Tasha nodded her head yes, and waved to her friends, who were watching in the doorway.
The flight to Chicago wasn't long, but Tasha slept the entire way there. When they finally arrived, Keys checked them into a five-star hotel near downtown.
“You need anything?”
Tasha shook her head no.
Keys pulled off his shirt and walked over to the bed and lay down on his back.
Tasha stood near the door, feeling a bit awkward about being alone with him for so long. “So, what are we doing tonight?” she asked sweetly as she walked over and sat down next to him.
“Whatever you want to do.”
“I really just want to relax.”
Keys wanted to cater to her every need, so that night, he arranged for them to receive a spa treatment from the hotel facilities. He paid for her to have a massage, a mud bath, a facial, and a manicure. Tasha basically got a full makeover, and she loved every minute of it.
I could get used to this shit,
she thought to herself.
The days seemed to fly by as Keys courted her around the city of Chicago. He took her shopping, they ate out at five-star restaurants every night, and he treated her like his queen. Tasha enjoyed the treatment, but she was worried about Ms. Pat and couldn't wait to get the money for her surgery. She didn't want to steal from Keys, especially since he was treating her so well, but Ms. Pat was hanging on by a thread.
Some nights, Keys had business to tend to, so Tasha was left alone in the hotel. These nights were good nights, because she got time to call her friends and check on them. For some reason, spending time with Keys made her think of Joe. She loved Joe, but she didn't know how long he would wait for her. Tasha couldn't wait to get back to Flint.
The quicker I finish this, the quicker I can get to Joe.
On their last night in Chicago, Keys sat Tasha down and said, “I'm glad you came here with me.”
“Me too.” Tasha smiled. “I had fun with you.”
Keys grabbed Tasha's face and kissed her softly on the lips.
She had him right where she needed him to be.
When we get back to Flint, I'm gonna get this money. I hope it won't be too hard to find out the combo to his safe.
The night they flew back into Flint, Keys immediately took her to his lavish house in the suburbs. It was big as hell, and it definitely flaunted the amount of money he had. The house had seven bedrooms and was laced on the inside and out.
This nigga definitely got deep pockets.
Tasha observed all the high-priced shit that filled the living room.
Keys led her to his bedroom, and as soon as she stepped in, he pinned her against the wall and started kissing her on the neck. He was all over her as if he hadn't had a shot of pussy in years. Tasha hadn't fucked Keys while they were in Chicago, and he never pressured her. Keys wanted her to be comfortable with him first. Tasha was definitely not comfortable though. She didn't want to have sex with him, but she knew that if she refused him, he would not fuck with her.
Keys ripped off her shirt and began to suck on her nipples. Tasha frowned because he was sucking so hard. He was rough with her and she didn't like it, but she didn't let him know that.
“Yeah, girl, I'm 'bout to tear this shit up!” he whispered in a low, raspy tone as he followed her to the bed.
Tasha lay down on the bed and reluctantly spread her legs. Tears formed in her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away. Joe had been the only man that she had given herself to, and she didn't want to add Keys to the list.
Just get through this. Think about something else,
she told herself.
“I'm about to tear that shit up!” Keys screamed. He was like a pit bull. He kicked off his jeans and pulled off his boxers.
Tasha lifted her head and looked at his muscular body. He definitely had a good physique. His body was easy on the eyes. Her eyes started at his chest, and then made their way down to his washboard abs and perfectly chiseled arms. Her eyes slowly drifted down andâ
that's it?
Tasha couldn't believe his dick was so little
.
His balls didn't even hang; they were like two little bloated raisins.
Little, short, fat, breakfast-sausage-dick-having . . .
she had to stop herself from laughing.
Keys climbed on top of her and humped away. Tasha was practically still a virgin, and she still didn't feel a thing. Keys was enjoying himself though, and that's all that mattered.
“Yeah, girl, you like that?”
Tasha gave a fake performance, trying to make Keys think he was the best she'd ever had. She moaned like a porn star, hoping it would help him finish faster.
Keys finally climaxed, and Tasha turned around and pretended to go to sleep.
Please don't say anything to me,
she thought to herself, not wanting to talk to him. He kissed her on her cheek, and she cringed when his lips touched her skin.
The phone rang abruptly, and Keys reached over to the nightstand to answer it. “Yo.”
Tasha opened her eyes and listened attentively.
“Yeah, I got it. When you need it?” Keys listened. “I'll get that for you tomorrow. Make sure you have my money, nigga,” he stated harshly, before hanging up the phone.
She felt Keys get out of the bed, and heard him walk over to the wall. She turned around and saw him take a picture off the wall, revealing the safe behind it. Tasha strained her eyes to see the numbers Keys was opening his safe withâ
34 . . . 17 . . . 20.
He turned around, and Tasha quickly closed her eyes. She made a mental note of the numbers, and turned around and went to sleep with a huge smile on her face.
It's game time, baby!
Chapter Fourteen
“D
on't use yo' teeth, ma,” Keys said, frustrated, as Tasha kneeled in front of him. “Just go slow. You act like you never sucked dick before.”
Tasha thought to herself,
That's because I haven't.
She began blowing Keys as he held the back of her head and guided her every movement. She tried to stop herself from gagging, but she couldn't help it. She didn't want this nigga's dick in her mouth, and the disgust showed in her performance.
Keys threw his head back and looked down, watching his dick appear and then disappear over and over.
Tasha had never given anyone a blowjob before, and she really wasn't feeling it either. She thought to herself,
I have to get this money, and I will do whatever I got to do to get it. This will be over soon.
Just as Tasha completed her thought, Keys climaxed on her chest, and lay back on the sofa.
Disgusted with herself, Tasha got off her knees and walked into the bathroom. She ran hot water and practically scalded her mouth, trying to get the taste of him out of it. She wiped her face and looked in the mirror, contemplating. She was nervous as hell, and her hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Should I do this?I don't know if I can do this.
She had come too far to turn back now. She reached into her bra and pulled out the two pills Manolo had given her to put in Keys' drink. She looked at the pills and said in a low voice, “I hope this shit keeps you knocked out long enough.”
“You alright in there!” Keyes yelled loudly.
The sound of his voice startled her, causing her to drop the pills.
Oh shit!
She watched as one of the pills fell into the sink and went down the drain in slow motion. She reached down to try to grab it, but it was too late. “Fuck!” She tried to stick her finger down the small dark hole.
What the fuck am I supposed to do now? I only have one pill left.
Tasha placed the remaining pill back in her bra. She hoped it would be enough to get the job done.
Tasha walked out and saw Keys sitting on the sofa, zipping up his jeans. He looked at her. “I knew I felt something between me and you. The first time I saw you I was feeling you, Tasha.”
Tasha smiled and walked into his kitchen. “I hope you ain't done yet. I want to feel you inside of me.” Tasha needed him to want her. The more distracted he was, the better chance she had of slipping him a mickey.
Keys stood up and walked over to Tasha. He began to kiss her neck.
Tasha leaned back. “Slow down. Let's have a couple of drinks first. It'll loosen me up and get me in the mood.”
“Cool. I got some Henny in the cabinet and some champagne in the cellar.”
Tasha placed her finger on his lips and kissed him softly. “Let me take care of that. You just go and get ready,” she whispered seductively.
Keys started to walk backwards out of the kitchen, keeping eye contact with Tasha, and licking his lips. She could see his dick getting hard again as he thought about her, and it almost made her throw up.
As soon as he exited the kitchen, Tasha took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her stomach was in knots. She knew Keys would kill her if he thought she was trying to do something grimy.
She turned toward the cabinet, pulled out two wine-glasses, and walked toward the refrigerator. She poured two glasses of champagne and dropped the “roofie” into one of the glasses. She stuck her finger in the glass and stirred it up, and the pill quickly dissolved.
Tasha picked up the spiked glass with her right hand, so she wouldn't mix them up, and walked into Keys' bedroom, where he was stripped down to his boxers. When she walked in, he motioned for her to come over to the bed. She handed Keys the drink, and he quickly placed it on the nightstand.
“Come on, ma. Come get me right again.”
Tasha smiled and grabbed his drink and handed it to him. “Let's have a drink first. I need to get more relaxed.”
Keys sighed in frustration and picked up his glass.
Tasha unbuttoned her shirt and raised her wineglass. “To us!” she said. Keys touched glasses with her, and they both began to drink.
Tasha only took a sip of her champagne, wanting to have a clear head for what she was about to do. She eyed Keys as she impatiently waited for the drug to take its affect.
He doesn't even seem affected. It should have knocked his ass out by now.
She put down her drink as Keys finished his, stood up, and started to undress herself, waiting for the drug to take its course.
Come on, pass the fuck out!
Tasha thought as she danced for him, giving him a striptease.
Keys put his hands on her hips as she rolled her body in a teasing way. He attempted to stand up and instantly became woozy. “Damn, ma, I don't feel tooâ” He was out before he could finish the sentence.
“It's about damn time!” she said.
The drug had taken longer to start working than Tasha expected. Her heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest. She quickly put her clothes back on and ran to the front window to signal the girls. She opened and closed the blinds repeatedly to alert them. A couple minutes later, her friends were at the door.
Honey was the last to walk in. “Tasha, is he out?”
Tasha nodded. “We have to hurry up for real! I only gave him one of the pills. I dropped the other one down the sink.”
Honey stayed in the front room, while Amra and Tasha headed toward the safe in the bedroom. Tasha hurried over to the safe, and Amra stood by the door, keeping her eyes on Keys. “Tasha, hurry up!” Amra said.
“I know. I'm trying.” Tasha took the painting off the wall and began to think.
Thirty-four, seventeen, twenty . . . I think.
She began to try to open the safe.
Keys started to move.
Tasha looked back at him.
The pill is wearing off!
She began to shake nervously, messing up her concentration. She had to start over and put the combination in again. “Fuck!” Tasha shouted to herself.
“Hurry up, Tasha!” Amra whispered nervously. “He's waking up!”
Tasha's hands were sweaty, and she couldn't get the combination to save her life. “Come on!” she yelled to herself.
At that moment, Keys sat up, trying to focus his blurred vision on Tasha. “What the fuck is going on, bitch?” He yelled out loud. His body felt heavy as he tried to gather himself.
Tasha quickly turned around and was speechless.
“You trying to rob me, bitch!” He tried to stand up, but he could barely keep his eyes open, and his legs were weak. He could not keep himself up. He sloppily reached under his bed and pulled a gun.
Tasha was frozen in fear, and Amra did not move, realizing that Keys didn't know she was in the doorway.
Keys pointed the gun at Tasha and fired a shot. Tasha screamed in fear as the bullet flew by her shoulder blade. She grabbed her shoulder and realized she wasn't hit.
Keys, barely able to aim his gun, fired a second shot and missed Tasha by an inch. He aimlessly pointed the gun again, but before he could pull the trigger, Amra grabbed the brass lamp that sat on the dresser and hit him in the head from behind.
He immediately dropped the gun, and grabbed the back of his head and yelled out in pain, “Fuck!”
Amra hit him repeatedly, bringing the lamp up above her head and smashing it down forcefully over Keys' head. She dropped the lamp when she saw the blood begin to seep from the back of his head. “Hurry up! Hurry!” she said over and over again as Keys started to regain his composure as each second passed by.
Tasha was shaking. The more she tried, the harder it was for her to steady her hand enough for her to open the safe. “I can't!” Tasha screamed.
Keys got up from the floor. “You dirty-ass bitch!” He turned around and slapped Amra hard across the face, causing her to fall to the floor.
Tasha was frozen in place as Keys put his hands around Amra's neck. Tasha didn't know what to do, everything was happening so fast. Her first reaction was to pick up his gun from the floor, but instead, she went for the brass lamp.
“Get the fuck off of her!” Tasha brought the lamp above her head and brought it crashing down on Keys. She felt the impact of the hit; she heard something crack beneath his skull. She raised the lamp again and hit him a second time to make sure he wouldn't get up anytime soon. Keys' body collapsed on top of Amra, and large amounts of blood began to flow onto her.
“Amra, let's go! We have to get out of here!” Tasha helped her friend up. She looked down at Keys' body, and the sight of what she had done made her sick to her stomach.
I killed him!
Her stomach started to feel like jello, and her feet felt like they weighed a ton. She just stood there shaking and terrified, her mouth fixed wide open in a state of shock. So many different things raced through her head, and she didn't know what to do next. “Is he dead?” She looked at Amra, now still from disbelief.
Amra nodded her head up and down. “I don't know. I don't know. It all happened so fast.”
Tasha paced the room and yelled, “No, no, no! This shit was not supposed to happen.” She knelt against the wall and put her face into her head.
Honey ran into the room. She wanted to see what was taking so long. “What happened?” She saw the blood oozing from the back of Keys' head. “Oh God!” she yelled. “Get the money so we can get the fuck out of here!”
Tasha opened the safe, and it was full of cash. Actually, it was more than she thought. He had stashed all hundreds in the safe. She wasn't sure how much it was, but it had to be at least a hundred thousand dollars. Honey threw her a pillowcase, and she quickly started to fill it up.
Honey took a look at Keys and asked Tasha, “Is he dead?”
“I think so, but I didn't mean to kill him.”
Amra sat in the corner of the room, her knees tucked to her chest, staring at Keys' body. She had a blank expression on her face as she rocked back and forth.
Honey told Tasha, “Check to see if he's breathing.”
“Bitch, you check him.”
“Fuck it! Let's just go.”
Tasha could feel herself getting ready to panic.
“Okay, okay, um . . . wipe off everything you touched, and let's get the fuck out of here.”
Tasha got up and reached for the wineglass that she had earlier and quickly began to wipe it clean with one of Keys' T-shirts. She then hurried over to the safe and wiped the handle and combination knob down. Once she was finished, she helped Amra up off the floor, and they all headed for the door.
Mimi was in the car waiting for them, the car running and the lights shut off. The girls jumped in the car, and Honey yelled, “Go!”
Tasha pulled out her cell phone and tried to call Manolo. Her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't even dial the number straight.
Amra screamed from the back seat, “What the fuck just happened? This is not what we planned. That wasn't supposed to go down like that.” She began to cry.
Honey turned around and looked at her. “Yo, Amra, we're going to be okay. Just relax. I'm going to call Manolo. He'll know what to do.”
Tasha reached her hand out and grabbed Amra's face. “Everything is going to be okay. Just calm down, okay?” She wanted to believe what she had just told Amra, but she knew they had just gotten themselves into some shit.
Amra nodded her head up and down.
When the girls made it back to the house, Tammy was just leaving. “Hey, girls. I might not be home tonight,” she said as she exited the house with a male friend.
Honey and Tasha said, “Okay,” in unison, and they hurried into the house, pulling Amra along. The girls went into the living room and sat down.
“What next?” Amra looked at Tasha.
“We fucked up,” Tasha admitted.
Honey looked at each one of her friends. “If you didn't kill him, he would have killed Amra. You did what you had to do, plain and simple. Keys had too many enemies for this shit to fall back on us. Nobody saw us go in, and nobody saw us come out. We're straight.” Honey grabbed the sack of money and dumped the pillowcase out onto the center table. The room was quiet as they all looked at the money on the table.
Honey suddenly yelled, “
Wooohooo!
” and grabbed a fistful of money and began to count it.
It seemed as if everyone's mood changed when they saw the money. Mimi stood up, and a huge smile crossed her face. All the girls joined in and grabbed handfuls of money and threw them into the air, making money fall from the ceiling like confetti.
Tasha looked over at Amra, and noticed that she had the same look on her face that she had at Keys' house. Tasha grabbed some cash and waved it in her face. “Amra, it's all over now. We paid. We can take care of your mom's bills.”