“Yeah aight. Well, I’ll hit you soon. Ima go get a haircut and shit.”
“Okay. Talk to you soon.”
“Muahhhh!” Tasim blew a fat kiss through the phone.
“Muah.” Norah replied with a cute kiss that made him chuckle.
They discounted the phone so Norah got up and headed into Mama’s room. Mama was busy on her phone playing Solitaire. Norah took a seat on the foot of the bed and looked at the tv. She began contemplating the party tonight and remembered Tasim mentioning masquerade. If she did decide to go, she would have to go buy a mask. She already had the perfect dress in mind she ordered from Fashion Nova. It was a beautiful ballroom dress she had been dying to wear.
“Concern is growing for a 32-year-old man who has gone missing from his home, police say.
Bryan Kareem Boyd was last seen at his home in Jackdaw Grove on Sep 18th at about 07:00PM.”
Norah’s eyes grew wide as she focused in on the tv. Hearing Big Boy's name caught her attention. When they suddenly flashed a photo of him Norah jumped to her feet.
“Ma, look, it’s Big Boy.”
We spoke to his fiancé Ariel Grant. She said his disappearance was completely out of character.”
“Fiancé!” Norah screamed as if Mama couldn’t hear. A woman then appeared on the screen with a troubling set of tears.She was holding her stomach and it made Norah notice the small baby bump.
What the fuck. Who is this bitch? Oh my God Big Boy is missing too?
Norah thought, staring at the screen.
“Mama something ain’t right. How the hell he’s missing and Dallas.”
“These days there’s no telling. You think he’s the reason she’s missing? Maybe he owes somebody.” Mama replied just as appalled as Norah.
“Officers say they found blood in the victim’s home upon arrival. His fiancé had already gone off to work. We don’t have a motive for the incident. From his family he is a loving man with a child on the way. Authorities are seeking information to help find him. Mr. Boyd is described as an African American male, about 6ft 3ins tall and of slim build. If you have any leads on his whereabouts, please contact your local police department.”
Norah took a seat on the bed flabbergasted. So many stories were running through her mind even the story Mama had mentioned. It was very ironic that Dallas and Big Boy were both missing. Something wasn’t right and it made Norah wonder whether they were really dead. There was no telling what Big Boy had been into these days. He was a thirsty for money ass nigga so there was a possibility Mama was right and it was his fault Dallas had been missing.
***
Stepping out of the sleek, black town car and onto the worn, velvet driveway of The Kingly Dynasty the infamous casino that loomed like a specter over the city Norah fidgeted. The grand estate was infamous for its uninvestigated deaths, whispers of rigged games and darker dealings that seemed to seep from its stone walls. Norah shivered despite the warmth of the evening, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and dread. Tonight was a night of masks and mystery, and she was here for one reason alone; Tasim.
The Dynasty was notorious for its ruthless business tactics and lavish parties that seemed to mock the very darkness that surrounded the establishment. Norah ignored the rumors because she was here for a taste of Tasim. She needed to see him, to be near him, even if it meant enduring heartache from her questioning thoughts.
Walking further into the last place she’d imagined, Norah felt like a million dollars along with a sexy yet mysterious look. Her mask covered her eyes giving the crimson red lipstick an exotic look. She adjusted her mask that framed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The air was heavy with the scent of cigar smell and expensive fragrances.
As Norah began scanning the manor, the sounds of laughter and music swirled around her. She couldn’t help but get a gush of excitement when she found Tasim standing next to a girl that resembled him. She figured it was the sister he spoke about and she was beautiful. She was full figured with a long weave. She had this certain sex appeal about her that would seduce any man. Briefly, Tasim hadn’t noticed Norah until he looked in her direction. Their eyes locked onto one another causing them both to smile. His mask was a simple black dominothat seemed to heighten the sharp angles of his face. His suit was expensive, cuff links shining brightly. He looked so damn good it made Norah’s heart skip beats she didn’t know existed. Tasim excused himself and made his way towards her. With each step her heart continued to pound.
“You're brave to come here," he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.
"I'm here for you." Norah whispered with gratification. She wanted to be sexy for him and by the way he checked her out, she could tell he was impressed. She was also in hopes that maybe tonight they could escape the darkness that surrounded them. She wanted to head up to his room and give him a piece of her pie.
"Well, I'm glad you're here. Help yourself to a drink and I'll be around. I just need to check out a few things and holla at my peoples. Don't go too far." Tasim took Norah's hand into his and placed a kiss on the back of it. Just like that he disappeared into the crowd. Norah watched him move through the entourage of people until she turned away so she didn't look thirsty. When she did focus back on the crowd, her eyes landed on a woman that had this familiar look about her. Norah began studying her long and hard but she couldn't put her finger on it. She brushed it off figuring she was just one of the partygoers then began enjoying her night just as everyone.
From across the room, she could feel Tasim watching her but she wasn't gonna look in his direction. She acted as if something much more had her attention and she was gonna do this until he found his way back to her. What she didn’t know was, he was secretly discussing her with one of the Kingly siblings because he had something in store for that good pussy she provided.
12
TASIM
"Why the fuck would you invite her here?" Kasim ran up on Tasim with his fist bald and anger plastered on his face.
"Nigga because I wanna get some pussy. And I swear if you hit me while I'm in this tight ass suit Ima fire yo shit up. Yo bitch won't be able to recognize yo ugly ass"
