She preferred dealing with tricks, although in her heart she despised them. She considered them weak. She loved the control that she had over men. The way they turned into putty in her hands, and the way they got all excited at the sight of her tight body. She had been walking all over men since she was thirteen years old. She had always been lucky . . . up until now. She had never been raped, beaten up, or robbed. Her mother had taught her well, and she had always been an excellent judge of character. She had never really given much thought to the reality of the danger of her profession. She had totally misjudged that crazy muthafucka tonight. He could've killed her. She wouldn't make that mistake again.
She had heard all the horror stories of streetwalkers being raped, robbed, and killed. She considered herself to be a notch above a “streetwalker.” She wasn't out there sucking dick in the back of cars for twenty-five dollars. She was definitely a whore, but she did have standards and principles.
“Yeah, okay.” Rome shook his head and let out a light chuckle.
Jewels rolled her eyes. They rode in silence, but Jewels was pissed. She didn't like to be judged, especially wrongly . . . somewhat. She felt that was exactly what Rome was doing. It took all her willpower not to explode on him. She believed her life depended on it.
Rome was not like the average man Jewels came in contact with. He was not a trick, and he sure as hell wasn't weak, either, so she could not control him or the situation. She analyzed men for a living and sized them up on a regular basis just for GP. Rome was like no other man she had ever encountered. The man exuded danger. He reminded her of her own father. It wasn't that he looked dangerous, like Ice did. She found him to be nice on the eyes even though looks weren't her thing. He was dark-skinned, with the most perfect set of white teeth that she had ever seen. She could tell he wasn't that much older than she was, but like her, he had seen some things at a young age that had made him mature for his age. She noticed his strong jawline and his deep dimples whenever he opened his mouth to talk with his baritone voice. He had a short, nappy Afro, but even that worked for him, she thought. His razor-sharp lines gave it sex appeal. He was of average height, above six feet. She estimated that he weighed about 190 pounds, even though he appeared bigger, because he was muscular. His chest protruded, and his shoulders were broad.
Jewels stole occasional glances at his massive chocolate arms. She could feel her inner thighs moisten.
What the fuck? Why is my pussy getting wet?
She couldn't believe she was getting turned on. That was something that rarely happened. She crossed her legs to keep from fidgeting in the seat. She stared out the passenger-side window to take her mind off her thoughts about Rome. She felt like a little girl, and she hadn't felt that way in a long time. The feeling caused her thoughts of Rome to switch to those of her father.
“Why you sitting over there looking all scared and shit?” Ice looked over at ten-year-old Jewels and grimaced. “I'm not going to hurt you,” he added.
Jewels sat in the passenger seat, with her hands folded in her lap. She turned to face her father. “I'm not scared of you,” she retorted.
And she wasn't. Their eyes met.
Ice let out a light chuckle. “Good. 'Cause I don't want you to be scared of no mu'fuckin' nigga, includin' me. You hear me?” Ice stated.
Jewels didn't respond. Instead, she turned and continued looking out at the streets.
“Did you hear what the fuck I said?” Ice's sudden harsh tone startled her. The bass of his voice vibrated through her young body.
“I heard you!” Jewels snapped back. She didn't bother to turn and face him this time.
“Act like it, then!” he shot back as he turned the corner.
Jewels snarled and mumbled under her breath. She hated Ice with a passion. She had actually had thoughts of killing him. She hated the way he treated her mother. She couldn't believe her mother had left her alone with him. It was the first time she had ever been anywhere with Ice by herself but her mother had insisted. Usually, Jewels would go out with Melody while she worked. Which was why the streets that Ice traveled down were all too familiar to her.
Jewels stared out of Ice's navy-colored Lexus. She recognized the faces of the young and older prostitutes, pimps and hustlers. These were the same faces she saw whenever the bus or taxi dropped her and her mother off. Jewels actually looked forward to visiting the area her mother worked. It was the only time she got to play with other kids. Most of the older hookers had sons and daughters her age or a little older. She normally stayed at one of their houses until her mother was ready to go home. She was glad something had come up and Ice had to take her to where she knew her mother would be. She couldn't wait to get out of the car and away from him. She wouldn't have to wait too much longer.
“I know that bitch ain't.” Ice's Lexus accelerated up the block.
His sudden outburst caused Jewels to jump.
Jewels was so used to hearing her father call or refer to her mother as a bitch that she immediately started looking around for Melody when he said it. Her mother was nowhere in sight though. Jewels peered over at Ice. His attention was focused on whatever had caused his mood to change. Jewels followed his eyes. Her eyes widened at the sight of the milk-white Cadillac that had pulled alongside the curb. She had seen the car many times and knew the person driving it. Her mother had introduced her to them. She also knew the woman who was leaning over into the passenger-side window. Her fishnet stockingâcovered legs were crossed sassily, and she clearly seemed to be enjoying the conversation. Ice's Lexus came to a screeching halt. Jewels head jerked back from the sudden stop. He threw his car in park.
“Stay here,” Ice ordered, his voice booming, as he reached under the driver's seat, retrieved his revolver, and grabbed hold of the door handle.
Before Jewels could respond, he was out of the car. She watched as her father made a beeline over to the woman, whom she knew as Lacy. She had seen the surprise on Lacy's face, and then her face was flooded with fear when she saw Ice get out of the Lexus that had pulled up behind the Cadillac. She was already sitting erect and had backed away from the Cadillac's window.
Jewels leaned over and turned the key in the ignition, then leaned back over to her side and cracked the passenger's window. It rolled down just enough for to hear what all was taking place outside of her father's Lexus.
“Ice? Daddy, is that you?” Lacy asked, her voice quivering with fear.
As he was coming toward the car, Ice pointed at her. “Bitch, no. It's Ronald McDonald. Bring your monkey ass over here!” Ice growled.
Jewels watched as Lacy climbed out of the Cadillac and scurried over to Ice. Ice grabbed her by the cheeks and squeezed hard. Jewels could literally see the veins in his hands from the death grip he had on Lacy's face from where she sat.
“Bitch, you got all this free time to be socializing? That means you got my bread all the way straight. So where it at?”
Jewels watched in awe as Lacy reached into her clutch, which was dangling from her shoulder. Seconds later, she revealed a monstrous knot of cash. Ice snatched the bankroll out of her hand.
“Now, get yo' funky ass back to work. I'll deal with you in a minute.” Ice shoved Lacy by the face. She nearly tripped and fell over her own feet. She recovered her balance just in time. Then she did as instructed and did it quickly. She wasted no time fading into the background and waited nervously for what would come next.
Jewels's eyes followed as Ice went to the driver's side of the car. He placed his right hand on top of the Caddy. “What you think this is?” he asked the man behind the wheel.
Jewels couldn't hear what the driver was saying, but her father's response gave her a good idea.
“Don't âWhat's up?' me, Slim. What the fuck you think you doin'?” Ice asked him.
Before Slim could open his mouth to answer, Ice answered the question for him. “Disrespectin' me. And you of all people should know that I don't like being disrespected. But apparently, you don't.”
Jewels couldn't believe her eyes. Ice drew his .38 revolver. He reached into the Caddy and grabbed the man known as Slim by the head and nearly snatched it off his shoulders. Everybody within range, including Jewels, watched as Ice brought his pistol down onto the side of Slim's face repeatedly.
“Let me catch you talking to one of mine again and you'll be tryin' your pimp game in hell, li'l nigga,” Ice thundered. He released Slim's head. As he walked away, he took his gun and put a bullet in a back tire of the Caddy. The sudden explosion of the shot caused everybody to take cover and Slim to pull off frantically. Just when Jewels thought Ice was done, she saw him turn in the direction of Lacy.
His eyes met those of Lacy. He walked over to her and backhanded her across the face. Spit and blood flew out of her mouth.
“I should have you bloody and naked, lying in the middle of the street, with yo' dumb ass,” Ice said.
“No, Daddy. It wasn't likeâ”
Lacy was met with another hard slap to the face.
“Bitch, I don't want no excuses. I want you to get this money right and stop wasting time out here, you hear me?”
Lacy's head shook up and down like a bobblehead doll.
“Good. Now, go make Daddy some money.”
Jewels sat there with a confused look on her face.
Lacy lit up like a Christmas tree. A huge smile appeared across her face. Her once fearful mood had now been replaced with happiness and love. It was the same way she had seen her mother react to her father after he had hurt or disrespected them. Jewels did not understand it. She sat erect as Ice made his way back to the car.
Truth be told, she didn't feel any sympathy toward Lacy. Her mother had taught her that for every action, there was a reaction, and that everybody chose their own path. Since Lacy had made the decision to be a prostitute, she should follow the rules and regulations that came along with it. Every whore had made the choice to live that lifestyle, according to Melody.
“Why that window down?” was the first thing Ice said to Jewels as soon as he hopped back in the car.
Jewels didn't know whether to lie or tell the truth. She remained silent.
“So, you was listening to all that shit?”
Jewels nodded.
“Good. Because you got to see what a weak bitch looks like up close and personal,” Ice stated as they drove by Lacy. “She ain't nothing like yo' mama. Nah.” Ice shook his head and smiled at the thought of Melody. “Yo' mama one of a kind, loyal and true to this shit. That ho Lacy, any nigga spittin' the right game at her could scoop her young, dumb ass up when I turn my back. She ain't got no street smarts and when you ain't got that, you ain't got shit out here!” Ice's words lingered in the air. “Always remember that,” he added abruptly as he pulled over and double-parked.
Jewels nodded for a second time. For the first time, she had really listened to Ice. He talked like her mother but rougher and rawer. It made sense. And the way he spoke about her mother, convinced Jewels that he actually did love her. When Jewels looked up, she saw her mother approaching her father's car. The clicking sound of the Lexus's doors was Jewels's cue. She opened the car door and started to climb out.
“Hey.”
The grip of Ice's hand stopped Jewels in her tracks. She turned back and looked at him.
“You gonna be one of a kind too!” Ice shot her a wink, followed by a loving smile. “Remember I told you that.” He released her arm.
Jewels didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. She exited her father's car and was met with a big hug from Melody. She couldn't help but look back at her father one last time before he pulled off. She had no way of knowing it would be the last time she would see him alive.
She would never forget how the young pimp Slim had taken him away from her and her mother. Her trip down memory lane as she reminisced about the first connection she and her father had made was cut short by the sound of a voice, followed by the touch of her arm. Jewels jerked back.
“Whoa!” Rome threw his hands up submissively. “You good over there?” Rome questioned.
She stared at him, wide eyed. His voice had startled her, and it had brought her back to reality. A sense of embarrassment swept through her.
He was staring at her.
She cleared her throat. “Yes, I'm fine. Why are you staring at me?”
Rome shook his head in disbelief. “Because I told you we were here three times, and you still ain't said shit.” He chuckled.
Jewels looked around and then forward. She hadn't even noticed they had stopped. She wondered how long he had been watching her. He was pulled in front of the gated community she lived in.
“Excuse me. It's been a really long night,” she offered as an explanation for why she had zoned out. What else could she say? She knew she couldn't tell a total stranger, a killer at that, that he had just made her pussy throb and get wet. She was convinced the chances of them ever seeing each other again were slim to none, and she felt that was for the best. “I just wanna put all this behind me.”