It’s almost like he knew that that’s what I was doing because I heard him laugh. His laugh is what caused me to turn my head and look at him.
“That don’t hurt me, baby. I like all the shit that you’re picking out. I want to see you in all those shoes,” he shot, leaning up a little bit in the chair, so that he could slap me on my ass.
I wasn’t upset. Just annoyed. I felt like I have become so prone to bullshit these days. I couldn’t catch a break to save my life, and that’s the part that I hated.
Chapter 4
Rico Briggs
Move Accordingly
Ifelt like a stalker, posted out here, waiting for her to come out of the building, and take her lunch. Shit, I was desperate. My freedom was on the line, and just in case they tried to pin this murder charge on me, I wanted to have a lawyer on standby. Granted, there were plenty of lawyers in Miami that I could have reached out to, but she was the one that I wanted.
I’ve been hearing about her for years. I knew that she was responsible for helping niggas get out of the ugliest situations, and that’s who I wanted to defend me. I’ve been calling out to her office all week, but I kept getting in contact with her receptionist, who was telling me that she didn’t have anything else on her schedule for this month to be able to take me on. I called again this morning, right when her firm opened, trying to set up a meeting for later this afternoon, only to find out the time I mentioned was when she took her lunch. On some desperate shit, here I was, parked outside of the building, waiting for her to come out.
I really didn’t know if she was going to come out, and walk to the lot that I was in, or if she was going to head for the parking garage that was on the side. Whatever she chose to do though, I would see her when she made her way out, so I would be fine.
I haven’t heard back from the detectives since I had to go down to the police station and talk with them. I was hopeful that I wouldn’t have to hear back from them. They did pull up on Promise, just like I knew they would. She was my alibi, so I knew that they would make it their business to go down and question her. She called me the second they left her apartment, telling me what they’d questioned her about. My baby mama was solid, even though us having our differences, so she told them what I needed her to, letting her know that I had been over her crib, spending time with my daughter, which was the same story that I’d given to the officers. I didn’t even know that she’d snapped a picture of me that afternoon, when I was lying on the couch with Romy, and we were both sleeping. She told me that she’d showed that picture to them, along with the timestamp.
As of now, they had no proof that it was me that murdered Toby. Just speculation, and whatever it was that Bash told them. I was surprised that Bash told them that I popped Toby, especially since the little nigga looked up to me, and shit. Just to know that I was a person of interest all because Bash said something to the cops was crazy.
As I sat here trying to process all this shit, the automatic doors of the large building slid open, and when I saw her walk her fine ass out, I swear my entire body froze up on me. Granted, this wasn’t my first time seeing her in person, but every time that I saw her, this was always the reaction that she would get from me.
She was an alumni from the university that I attended, and she was on campus often, speaking with the law students, so I’ve seen her around. I knew she was another man’s wife, and I shouldn’t be lusting over her the way that I am, but God damn! Then, it was the walk. The walk was nasty! The black pumps that she was wearing, I could see how high the heel was from whereI was parked, but that was no problem for her because she was strutting effortlessly in them.
She wore this black dress that was clinging onto her body, and it went down to her knees. You could tell that she was in a rush from how fast she was walking, so I quickly shut the car off, locked it, and I did a jog, so that I could make it over to her.
With me running up on her, it caused her to turn her head, so that she could look my way. At first, she only looked for a second, but then she turned her head, looked me up and down, and she paused in her steps. This was the first time that I was ever this close on her. She smelled so fuckin good too. So good that I wanted to ask her what she was wearing, so that I could purchase the same thing for my mama and sister.
I was taller than she was, so she had to look up at me. She was wearing make-up, but it wasn’t anything too crazy. The make-up was a perfect blend for her chocolate skin. Her hair was jet black, worn in a clean middle part, sleek and smooth. I loved that shit.
“Don’t run up on me like that. That’s like the easiest way for you to get your ass cursed out,” she sassed.
I threw my hands up in defense, basically letting her know that I didn’t want any smoke with her. I also backed up a little bit, so that I could give us some distance. I didn’t want her to think that I was a crazy ass nigga.
“You right. My bad. I’m desperate. I been calling down to your office, trying to get a meeting with you, but your receptionist keeps telling me that you don’t have anything on your schedule for the rest of the month. I got some heavy shit that I’m dealing with right now, and I need someone to represent me, just in case they try and pin this murder on me. The receptionist told me that this is the time that you take your lunch, and that you won’t have anything for the rest of the day. Can I go with you to lunch?” I asked, and when I did, she cocked her head to the side and looked at me like I was crazy.
I released a nervous laugh. I don’t know why, but standing in front of her, she had my ass sweating. I could feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead. My palms were sweating, and I couldn’t get my words out right. That alone let me know that I was nervous as fuck.
“Not like that. Not like that. Not a date or no shit like that. Just business. I’m desperate,” I was honest with her, and the hardcore look in her eyes, where it looked like she wanted to curse my ass out had passed. She gave me a softer look this time.
I was standing in front of no one other than Mrs. Alecia King. I don’t think that there was anyone else in the world that I would have ran down on like this, aside from her. I knew that she would help get me out of the shit that I was in.
“I literally can’t do it right now. I have back-to-back meetings with clients for the rest of the day, and I’m only leaving out for about thirty minutes, so that I can put something on my stomach. I can take you tomorrow though. I’ll just be squeezing you in. I can get you in for thirty minutes,” she let me know, and I smiled because that was all that I needed to hear.
“I’ll take it. Shit, thank you,” I responded, and instead of walking away, she continued to stand there, so that she could look me in my eyes.
“We’ll get more into it tomorrow, but just to let you know, I’m aware of who you are. My husband and brothers are big fans of you. I’ve been seeing the mess surrounding you on the news. I don’t know who you have around you, or who’s been praying on your downfall, but you need to start talking to God more, so that bad things can stop happening to you. I know that you’re a person of interest right now for murder. To ease your mind just a little, I can let you know that it’s been over a week. If anything pointed back to you, they would have picked you up already, and you would have been in jail, waiting to have your moment in court, so that part right there is good news. The other shit thatyou have going on with the gambling, you need to seek counsel for that as well. I have sports attorneys here if you would like to use one from my firm. I would hate to see another black man possibly lose it all for something stupid. Be here tomorrow at exactly 11:00 A.M. I don’t wait for clients, so if you’re a second late, we won’t sit down and discuss anything about your case. Your future is on the line, so please move accordingly,” she said an earful, and then she walked away.
Picking up both hands, I put them on top of my head, watching her ass as she moved fast to get to the garage. If her man popped up out of nowhere, he would have every right to beat my ass for the way that I was staring at his wife right now. It’s just I’ve never in my life seen someone so fuckin fine.
I had fears that she was going to tell me, ‘fuck you’, and for me to get out of her face, especially since I popped my ass up on her. I was going to make sure that I was here tomorrow by 10:00 A.M and I would just sit in my car until 11:00 A.M. I didn’t need anything getting in the way of me being late. Like she said, my future was on the line, and I couldn’t fuck around with this shit.
Chapter 5
Kalani Joseph
Trying Not to Break
