“The ring is put away safely, Marcus. But what is this conversation about anyway? It has been a long day.”
“Well, to be honest, I wanted to lighten your mood, and I thought you would want to gloat because you will now be getting Jehovah a not guilty verdict. First big win against the best prosecutor in the county. How does it feel?”
“Under the circumstances, underwhelming, but I’ll take it. I hate that someone had to die to make it so easy. Though I’m sure it would’ve been the same outcome with there being no solid evidence on your end.”
He laughed.
“Well, I don’t think you knew that, per se, Abria. That’s why your client had to send that hit out.”
“Hearsay Marcus.”
“We are not in the courtroom, Abria. You are talking to your future husband right now. Be truthful and admit that Jehovah got Kairo killed because his testimony was going to send him to Rikers. That isn’t a secret to anyone in New York right now.”
“That may be an assumption, but no one in New York can prove it. Jehovah was willingly fighting for justice the right way.”
“If you say so, Abria. We both however know the truth.”
“Whatever, Marcus, but again, why are we on the phone in the first place? I told you that I was done with this after mybirthday. What you and I are doing is over with. Now, goodbye and good riddance.”
I hung up the phone and put his contact on do not disturb.
No one knew about our secret relationship except us, and the conflict of interest was so high that if someone even suspected we were dating, we would lose everything, including our careers. Yet somehow, that danger only made me want Marcus more over the past years. For some reason, I’ve always been drawn to the men who are no good for me. The flames I know will burn me down. The trouble that smiles sweetly.
At first, I thought I was doing everything right, entertaining the man who could be the next District Attorney in New York. He had the credentials, the respect, and seemingly, the kind of future planned out that I wanted for myself. He was the kind of man mothers prayed their daughters would marry.
Marcus and I dated casually when we first met. We went out to dinner and went on trips, and we said we wouldn’t get too serious because of our jobs. Time went by, love was made, and eventually he proposed to me in the most beautiful way possible at a quiet resort in Rhode Island, one of the many places we went to be alone and out of the way. I was happy about that ring even though I knew someone had gotten one from him many years before I did. Marcus was married and had been for six years and I should’ve left him when I found that out, but I didn’t. As I said, it was the rush of what I knew I didn’t need that drew me closer to him.
I pulled out of the parking garage and went in the opposite direction of the courthouse to avoid the traffic still crowded outside. I zoned out completely, not even listening to any music, and before I knew it, I was pulling up in front of Club Raw.
Walking up to the club doors down the sidewalk, I could hear the music blasting from the inside. Both men and women were making their way inside the strip club, some looking like they were fresh off of work.
I tried to slid past the line, but then a guard grabbed my arm before I could walk in the door.
“Cover charge is $20.”
“I don’t need to pay a cover charge, I’m just here to get my sister.”
“Cover charges are mandatory to go inside the building. No one gets inside those doors unless they pay me a twenty-dollar bill shorty.”
“That’s dumb. Do you people even have a liquor license for this club?” I peeked around his large linebacker frame.
“You people? Shorty, I know you up here in your lil’ Gina from Martin work suit, but yo little ass black too.”
“I wasn’t saying it like that, but don’t let the suit fool you. I will get with your ass.”
He stepped into my face, towering over my body like some sort of statue. I guess his size and the look on his face was supposed to scare me, but I’ve seen much worse. Imagine having to do interviews with a rapist for case studies in college or working with a notoriously violent man like Hov. A broke ass security guard is not scaring me.
“You need to get the fuck out of my face before you regret it.”
I clutched my purse even closer to my body.
The guard took it an inch further and grabbed my arm tightly, squeezing it like he was crazy. If this is how they treattheir customers, I can only imagine how they treat the women who work here.
“Get your hands off of me!”
I snatched away from him, and my phone started ringing from my purse. It was Ryan, and I’m sure she was rushing me or in immediate danger by now, so I swallowed my pride, reached into my bag, and then grabbed a twenty out my wallet. I could tell by the look on his face that he was now satisfied, feeling that he had somehow won, when I handed the money to his stupid ass.
“This was all I was asking for. You may enter now.”
