I’ll call you soon,” Tariq told her, hugging her slightly and kissing her cheek.
Carlita smiled demurely and told him she was looking forward to it. Getting into his car, Tariq backed out as she waved slightly and watched his taillights as they left. The smile she’d been wearing vanished, replaced by the cold, dead, nothing that shone in her eyes as Carlita climbed into her own car, started it and headed out into the night.
7
Jaleesa was about at her wits end with the whole bait and switch she was playing with Jacoury. So far he hadn’t been suspicious of her nights out to play Bingo and Keno, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he started asking questions. She felt trapped with no way out. Kai was making her life even more miserable than usual with his surprise calls and demands to see her. Tonight was one of those. Thankfully Jacoury had a meeting already and Sam had asked to keep Dre, so she was able to accommodate his request. Jaleesa was visibly shaking as she sat inside the small Italian restaurant, close to the back out of immediate view of the front door and away from any windows. She could only imagine what he had in mind for her next. It was as if he derived some unnatural pleasure from watching her squirm.
“ Hi,” Kai greeted her smoothly, startling her from the thoughts and causing her to jump.
“ Oh, hi, I didn’t see you,” Jaleesa replied nervously.
“ You were in deep thought,” Kai replied, looking her over and smiling slightly. “You look nice,” he remarked, liking very much the cerulean blue sundress she wore.
Jaleesa thanked him for the compliment remaining quiet as the server appeared at their table and Kai ordered for them both. Their salads arrived moments later and they began to eat. Dammit, why won’t he just say what’s on his mind, Jaleesa thought as she added more dressing to her salad. She hated how Kai kept them in this fantasy he’d somehow constructed of a normal couple, simply dating.
“ What did you want to see me about,” Jaleesa finally ventured, unable to take the stress of not knowing.
Kai casually finished the mouthful of salad he was enjoying and took a sip of water before answering her question.
“ I have a task for you,” he replied calmly, never taking his eyes from her.
Her sense of dread deepened as he continued to watch her wordlessly.
“ What is it,” Jaleesa managed, swallowing hard to dislodge the lump that had found its way into her throat.
“ You’re going to take care of a loose end for me,” he told her calmly.
Removing an envelope from his inner suit coat pocket, Kai slid it across the table. Jaleesa looked at the envelope like a snake, coiled to strike.
“ Pick it up and open it,” Kai told her, raising his voice slightly.
Jaleesa immediately complied, hands shaking as she began lifting the envelopes back flap.
Jaleesa read with horror the instructions contained. “You can’t be serious,” she told Kai, praying the note was a joke.
“ Very,” he replied simply.
“ Please Kai, I can’t do this,” she pleaded.
Jaleesa’s mind was spinning just thinking about it.
“ You either do it, or you go to jail,” Kai replied coldly. “Your choice,” he added, going back to his salad.
Jaleesa couldn’t breathe. If she did what Kai wanted and someone found out, it would be her life, in the literal sense.
“ But what if they find out,” Jaleesa tried to hedge.
“ No one will be the wiser, Tweety,” Kai told her finishing the salad and pushing the plate to the side.
“ Will it be over then,” she asked, wanting to see if doing this one thing would free her from the leverage Kai held over her.
“ There’s a strong possibility, yes,” he replied almost dismissively.
Jaleesa knew he was lying. This would only be the beginning of the hell her life would become if she started doing dirt for him. She needed to buy time though; time to get a plan together and take care of this nonsense once and
Carlita smiled demurely and told him she was looking forward to it. Getting into his car, Tariq backed out as she waved slightly and watched his taillights as they left. The smile she’d been wearing vanished, replaced by the cold, dead, nothing that shone in her eyes as Carlita climbed into her own car, started it and headed out into the night.
7
Jaleesa was about at her wits end with the whole bait and switch she was playing with Jacoury. So far he hadn’t been suspicious of her nights out to play Bingo and Keno, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he started asking questions. She felt trapped with no way out. Kai was making her life even more miserable than usual with his surprise calls and demands to see her. Tonight was one of those. Thankfully Jacoury had a meeting already and Sam had asked to keep Dre, so she was able to accommodate his request. Jaleesa was visibly shaking as she sat inside the small Italian restaurant, close to the back out of immediate view of the front door and away from any windows. She could only imagine what he had in mind for her next. It was as if he derived some unnatural pleasure from watching her squirm.
“ Hi,” Kai greeted her smoothly, startling her from the thoughts and causing her to jump.
“ Oh, hi, I didn’t see you,” Jaleesa replied nervously.
“ You were in deep thought,” Kai replied, looking her over and smiling slightly. “You look nice,” he remarked, liking very much the cerulean blue sundress she wore.
Jaleesa thanked him for the compliment remaining quiet as the server appeared at their table and Kai ordered for them both. Their salads arrived moments later and they began to eat. Dammit, why won’t he just say what’s on his mind, Jaleesa thought as she added more dressing to her salad. She hated how Kai kept them in this fantasy he’d somehow constructed of a normal couple, simply dating.
“ What did you want to see me about,” Jaleesa finally ventured, unable to take the stress of not knowing.
Kai casually finished the mouthful of salad he was enjoying and took a sip of water before answering her question.
“ I have a task for you,” he replied calmly, never taking his eyes from her.
Her sense of dread deepened as he continued to watch her wordlessly.
“ What is it,” Jaleesa managed, swallowing hard to dislodge the lump that had found its way into her throat.
“ You’re going to take care of a loose end for me,” he told her calmly.
Removing an envelope from his inner suit coat pocket, Kai slid it across the table. Jaleesa looked at the envelope like a snake, coiled to strike.
“ Pick it up and open it,” Kai told her, raising his voice slightly.
Jaleesa immediately complied, hands shaking as she began lifting the envelopes back flap.
Jaleesa read with horror the instructions contained. “You can’t be serious,” she told Kai, praying the note was a joke.
“ Very,” he replied simply.
“ Please Kai, I can’t do this,” she pleaded.
Jaleesa’s mind was spinning just thinking about it.
“ You either do it, or you go to jail,” Kai replied coldly. “Your choice,” he added, going back to his salad.
Jaleesa couldn’t breathe. If she did what Kai wanted and someone found out, it would be her life, in the literal sense.
“ But what if they find out,” Jaleesa tried to hedge.
“ No one will be the wiser, Tweety,” Kai told her finishing the salad and pushing the plate to the side.
“ Will it be over then,” she asked, wanting to see if doing this one thing would free her from the leverage Kai held over her.
“ There’s a strong possibility, yes,” he replied almost dismissively.
Jaleesa knew he was lying. This would only be the beginning of the hell her life would become if she started doing dirt for him. She needed to buy time though; time to get a plan together and take care of this nonsense once and
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