Careful of the Company You Keep Read online

  “Come on, Renee. Suck it.” He was practically begging.

  “You do me first.”

  I was just joking, but shit, he must have wanted me to suck his dick bad because he flipped me onto my back and got to feasting on my snatch. Yeah, and the brotha had skills.

  I was so into him, it took me a second or two to realize Danielle had come through the back door and was now standing at the middle of the room.

  “What the hell?”

  Damn! I was just about to come. Calvin jumped up from between my legs. I quickly got into character and sat up straight on the couch.

  “Danny, I can explain.”

  Anger burned from her eyes. “Explain what? How my man’s mouth just happened to land between your legs? Bitch, puh-leeze.”

  “Bitch?” Oh, she was taking this shit to the next level.

  Calvin was trying to fix his pants and explain at the same time. “Danielle, I-I know there is no excuse for what just happened, but . . . but I’m sorry.”

  “You’re right, there isn’t. I loved you and this is how you treat me,” she began between sobs. “Get the hell out of my house!”

  I have to give it to my girl, the tears looked real. Okay, it’s time for my line. “Danny, it isn’t his fault. Blame me.”

  “You right, I blame yo slutty ass. What the hell you doing having my man eating yo stanky-ass pussy? You just couldn’t stand that fact he didn’t want you.” She was taking this shit a little too seriously.

  “Slutty? If I’m not mistaken, he does want me, otherwise he wouldn’t have been sucking on my clit.”

  Danielle lunged at me. She started swinging and yelling. A black bitch like me started swinging back and we were two clawing, catfighting fools. She dug her nails in the side of my neck. Hell nah! I swung with my fist but Calvin stepped in and I got him in the chin.

  “Crazy bitch!” I screamed when I wiped away blood.

  “No, you’re the one who’s ate up. Both y’all get the fuck outta here!”

  She didn’t have to tell me again. Calvin’s punk ass kept trying to reason with her but I reached for my shirt, slipped it over my head. It wasn’t until I was outside walking to my car that I realized I was wearing Calvin’s university police sweatshirt. I was too mad to go back inside.

  What the hell was Danny’s problem? We were supposed to have been playing, but she took that shit to the next level. She got life fucked up, scratching me on the neck!

  I pressed the remote unlocking my car. I was about to get in when a black Expedition pulled up to the end of the driveway. Who the fuck is that? I paused, waiting for whoever was behind the wheel to either get out or roll down their windows and ask for directions. Nothing. I dropped my hand to my hip and glared across the yard with attitude. The windows were too dark for me to see who was behind the wheel. Okay, you know what? I ain’t got time for games. I moved down the drive and before I reached it, the SUV pulled off down the road. I didn’t have much time to wonder who that might have been when I heard loud shouting. Danielle was going off. The last thing I wanted to see was Calvin’s face when he came out of the house. He was probably trying to find his sweatshirt.

  I climbed in and looked at my neck in the rearview mirror and got mad all over again. “Ain’t that a bitch!” This was her idea, not mine. So how the hell she gonna get mad? I pulled out the driveway and headed home.

  My neck stung, and with each feeling of pain I wanted to turn back around and knock Danielle out.

  Okay, maybe I was wrong for having her man going downtown, but hell, she didn’t want his ass, and honestly I should be compensated for my time and energy so I got a little licky-lick, but instead of thanking me, her ass wants to be mad.

  What-the-fuck-ever.

  I didn’t want to get involved in the first damn place.

  I was so mad, I made a right at the next corner and headed toward Landon’s apartment to see if his Tahoe was in the driveway. Of course that mothafucka wasn’t home, but as I rode past I spotted Leslie’s fat ass coming out the door to his building.

  I blew my horn, then pulled up to the end of the driveway and lowered my window. “Tell your pissy-ass man to call me!” Before she could say a word, I rolled my window back up and pulled away. Despite everything, I tossed my head back and started laughing as I rode down the road and headed home. I know I pissed her the fuck off. A pissed-off woman and a pissy-ass man. Damn, they made an amazing couple. I had to chuckle at that one.

  I pulled into my subdivision and spotted our friendly neighborhood bag lady standing in front of her mailbox. I didn’t dare look in her direction because I was not in the mood for her begging and me feeling sorry for her ass.

  I zoomed past and pulled in the driveway just as Quinton and some girl came out the front door. Hell nah! Call it Mother’s instinct, but I hadn’t met the girl and already didn’t like her. She was dark chocolate and thick and had a ghetto hairdo with enough gel to hold it in place for the next six months.

  Quinton looked over at me and I gave him the look. I could tell by the expression on his face he was shocked to see me come home so soon. Good for his ass! ’Cause he knows he’s not allowed to have company, especially not a girl, when I’m not at home.

  “Hey, Mom.” He walked around the car and kissed me on the cheek. He was trying to lay on the charm so I wouldn’t embarrass his ass in front of his girl.

  “Hello, and who is this?” I looked over at the girl standing near his car looking at me like I was trying to push up on her man or something.

  “Mom, this is Alicia.”

  “Hey, whassup?” she asked, smacking on gum. She had long acrylic nails and three gold caps in her mouth.

  I gave her a blue light special smile, then turned to my son and pursed my lips. “Where you off to?”

  “I’m going to take her home and go over to my boy’s house.”

  He knew I wanted to knock his slick ass out but I would deal with him later. I gave him a long look then moved into the house. I went straight down the hall to his room to check his bed. Uh-huh! Just like I expected. A big wet spot.

  19

  Danielle

  I glared across the room at Calvin, who had the nerve to try to explain.

  “Danny, listen. I was wrong, I admit it, but I don’t think that’s a reason to end our relationship.”

  “What?” I know I hadn’t heard him right. “You were in my house on my couch with your head buried between Renee’s legs but you don’t think that’s a reason to end our relationship? Come on!”

  “I know and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have given in.”

  I turned the attitude up high, especially since he thought I was stupid enough to fall for that. “I’m getting sick just looking and listening to what you have to say. Get out!”

  He grabbed my arm. “Please, Danny, we can work this out. It isn’t like Renee and I don’t go back. Hell, you know how she is.”

  “And that’s supposed to make it right?” I jerked my arm loose and rolled my eyes over at him before disappearing in the kitchen. I was so mad, I wanted to spit fire. I had been so worried about hurting his feelings when all along he had been more than willing to screw my best friend. There was no telling how many other women he was screwing.

  “Why you walk away from me?”

  “ ’Cause I’m done talking. Now please leave.”

  “I love you. Doesn’t that count for something?”

  “Obviously not, because I wouldn’t have caught you eating pussy.”

  He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m going to give you a few days to think.”

  I jerked free. “There ain’t shit to think about! You tried to screw my so-called best friend and now it’s over. Now get the fuck out before I call the police.” Angry tears were streaming down my face. Damn, I didn’t want him to see me crying.

  I waited until I heard the door pull shut before I turned and moved back into the living room.

  The evening hadn’t turned out the w
ay I planned. Renee was supposed to start crying, draw Calvin’s attention and find a way for him to kiss her. I was then supposed to walk in on them and cause a big scene.

  Well, you definitely did that.

  That’s because I had really been angry. No need for faking and trying my hardest not to hurt his feelings. Instead, he had hurt me by satisfying my best friend the same way he did me or better, I thought as I remembered the way Renee had been squirming beneath his tongue. Now that Renee opened the door on them, he closed the door on us. It was over, and I wasn’t as happy about it as I thought I would be.

  It made me so mad, I was tempted to go over to Renee’s house and beat her ass. That long scratch across her neck would just have to do for now.

  My cell phone played Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without U.” A smile curled my lips. That ring tone belongs to Chance.

  “Whassup, baby girl?”

  I chuckled. “Whassup with you?”

  “Not a damn thang. Whadda you doing later tonight?”

  “Nothing. Why? You want to hook up?”

  “Yeah. I’ll hit you back in a few.”

  I closed my phone and tossed it onto the couch. One chapter closed and another opened.

  20

  Renee

  I waited another half hour and called Danielle. Calvin had to be gone by now. The phone rang and rang, then went to her voice mail.

  Yep, the bitch was tripping, because any other time, the second that mothafucka walked out the door, she would have been calling me with all the details. We’re best friends and that’s what best friends do. Fine, let her ass trip.

  I went into my office and decided it was time to get to work on my manuscript. I have a bad habit of procrastinating until the last minute, and then I’m stressed out trying to get done. Well, not this time. As soon as I outlined the next scene, of course the phone rang. The only reason why I answered it was because I thought it was Danielle calling.

  “Renee, how could you?”

  “Could I what?”

  “Sleep with Calvin,” Nadine stated frankly.

  “I didn’t sleep with Calvin.”

  “Well, you probably were only seconds away from it if Danny hadn’t walked in when she did.”

  “She asked me to seduce his mothafuckin’ ass!” I cried defensively.

  “Yeah, come on to him. Not try to screw him.”

  “I can’t help it if men can’t resist me.”

  “I’m sure you didn’t make it easy,” Nadine replied sarcastically.

  “Whatever. I faked tears and next thing I knew he was going down on me.”

  “And you just couldn’t say no.”

  “Why would I do that? The whole idea was to get him to come on to me so that Danielle could walk in and go off.”

  “Yeah, but she was supposed to catch the two of you kissing. Not with your shirts off and his head down between your legs.”

  “What she do, call you the second she kicked his ass out of her house? Shit, I can’t help it if he wanted a little licky-lick.”

  “No, your nasty behind wanted him to lick it,” she corrected.

  That bitch thinks she knows me. “Girl, puh-leeze.” I snorted, even though I knew good and damn well Nadine wasn’t going to fall for it.

  “Renee, you know I know how your ass is.”

  “Well,” I finally admitted, “how could I tell him to stop? Hell, that shit felt good as hell. Nadine, don’t play, you wouldn’t have stopped him, either.”

  “Yes, I would, because—”

  “Oops, my bad. I forgot you don’t do men.”

  There was a noticeable pause. “A tongue is a tongue. If he’s good, I’d be willing to make an exception.”

  “What?” I couldn’t believe my ears. My dyke-ass friend would let a man eat her stanky-ass coochie? “You mean to tell me you’re thinking about coming back over from the dark side?”

  “I didn’t say that,” she quickly corrected. “I said if it’s good, it doesn’t matter what sex that tongue belongs to.”

  Hell nah! I couldn’t believe my ears. Shit, maybe there’s some hope for her yet. “The tongue was good. That brotha has mad skills, but then I already knew that. Remember, I messed with him long before Danny did.”

  “So is that what this is really all about?”

  “Hell nah! I’ll admit last year when they first started talking I was feeling some type of way about the whole thing with her going behind my back, but I’ve since gotten past that shit. I wasn’t thinking about Calvin’s tired ass until Danny asked me to do that stupid shit, and now she’s got the nerve to be mad.”

  “She said you took the shit too far.”

  “Too far! Did that bitch tell you she scratched the shit out of me?” My question was met by silence. “No, I guess she didn’t.”

  “You shouldn’t have done what you done.”

  “And that gave her the right to scratch me?” I was too through. “Fuck her. She better be glad I didn’t dot that eye.”

  “You owe her an apology.”

  “For what? Giving her the excuse she needed to end her relationship with Calvin? Hell, if she wasn’t such a punk I would have never been in the middle of her shit in the first place. So if anyone’s to blame, it’s her.” I was mad. Danny’s ass was definitely stuck on stupid.

  “If anyone should be mad, it’s me. Hell, I was five seconds away from getting off when her ass came barging into the room. Shit, if it had been me, I would have at least waited until she got hers first.”

  “You should call her and apologize.”

  “I’ll apologize when she tells me she’s sorry for scratching my neck with her long-ass fingernails! Do you know she drew blood? Hell, I bled all over my shirt.” Well, Calvin’s shirt, if you want to get technical about it.

  “She wouldn’t have scratched you if you weren’t with her man.”

  “Whose side are you on?”

  Nadine chuckled. “I’m on nobody’s side. I’m just trying to keep the peace.”

  “Girl, fuck Danny! I’m not about to kiss her ass. She’ll get over it like she always does.” Hell, it ain’t like this is the first time the two of us have bumped heads.

  “Whatever, we’ve got a wedding to plan and don’t need this shit.”

  “Hey, as far as I’m concerned it’s business as usual. Hell, I’m not about to change my number. She’s the one tripping, not me. Anyway, enough about her. How’s the baby making going?”

  Nadine sighed heavily in my ear. “It’s a long story.”

  “Shit, I ain’t got nothing but time tonight.”

  “What? You don’t have plans?”

  “I was hoping a man was coming by to give me some, but I guess that’s not happening, so I’m free.”

  Nadine had to laugh. “You want to go and have a drink at Tropical Liquors?”

  Our favorite frozen drink spot. “Sounds like a plan.”

  “I’ll meet you at eight.”

  On the way to meet Nadine, I stopped at the gas station at the corner to put some gas in my car. With gas prices it was cheaper to ride the bus. If we had better public transportation, I probably would. I finished pumping my gas when I spotted Landon’s punk ass coming out of the convenience store.

  “Landon!” I yelled. He turned and as soon as he noticed it was me, he looked away and started heading toward his Tahoe.

  “Pissy! You hear me calling you!” I quickly moved across the parking lot trying to catch him before he climbed in his car. “Where’s my goddamn mattress?”

  He continued moving like he didn’t hear me.

  Oh, he heard me.

  I sprinted over to him calling his name, but before I could even contemplate jumping on the hood of his SUV, he peeled off. I was so mad, I hurried back to my car and went after him and missed him at the light because the old lady in front of me was too scared to run a yellow light. I blew my horn and her wrinkled ass gave me the finger.

  Damn!

  I picked up my cell phone and retrie
ved his number from my contact list and started to dial but decided to block the call first.

  “Hello?”

  “You pissy ass—” No, he didn’t hang up on me. I called Landon again but naturally he didn’t answer, so I waited until his voice mail picked up. “Pissy, you need to be buying me a new mattress before I come to your job and embarrass your stankin’ ass.”

  When I got to the restaurant I was even madder from thinking about it. I spotted Nadine at the back of the restaurant and headed over to where she was sitting.

  “Sorry I’m late.” I flopped down on the seat across from her.

  “What’s wrong with you?”

  I shrugged out of my coat and rolled my eyes. “I ran into Landon’s pissy ass.”

  Nadine started giggling.

  “I saw him and tried to flag him down and he tried to play me.” I reached for the menu. “Hell, he heard me calling his name.”

  “Maybe he’s embarrassed.”

  “He should be, pissing in the bed! What he needs to do is man up and buy me a new mattress.”

  Nadine shook her head. “I still can’t believe he peed in your bed. I told my brother and he cracked up laughing.” Her brother and Landon went way back.

  “Tell Murray he needs to tell his boy to buy me some new mattresses or else I’m gonna fuck him up.”

  “Renee, shut up. You’re not gonna do shit.”

  I rolled my eyes. In the years we’ve known each other, she obviously doesn’t know what I’m capable of.

  I gave her a dismissive wave. “Enough about me. Tell me what’s up with the baby making.”

  “Jordan and I found a sperm donor.”

  “Cool, and when’s the screwing begin?”

  She dropped her head, avoiding eye contact. “It already started.”

  “Ooh, what’s he look like?”

  “Fine.”

  “Fine?” She had my full attention.

  Her eyes grew real big. “Chocolate body, good hair, educated, you name it.”

  My brow rose. “And you noticed?”

  “Oh yeah, I noticed, and that’s the problem.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Wait, I got to go and get a drink first, ’cause this shit is too good to hear without a buzz.” I moved over to the bar and waited impatiently for a couple of college students to quit sampling the drinks and make a selection. When it was finally my turn, I quickly ordered two frozen Long Island iced teas and an order of nachos, then scurried back to our table before Nadine clammed up. She has always been a private person. Shit, she didn’t even want to tell us she was a dyke and probably wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for my sister Lisa, who died of cancer three years ago. So the fact she was even trying to share her feelings was enough to make my ass want to run.