afraid to tell the police Thaddeus had beaten her. I was a kid trying to be an adult when I had him arrested but I had no indication heâd get out of prison and come after me.
Two years ago Thaddeus broke into my apartment, tried to kill me, and Darius killed him. No doubt my husband would die for me. That woman at the bar, her spirit haunted me like she was Thaddeus. I wondered. Could a dead person seek revenge though another personâs soul?
Iâd definitely seen that woman before. Eventually itâd come back to me. I wasnât insecure or paranoid but whosoever she was sheâd given me bad vibes. Iâd felt that gut-wrenching feeling before. Most of the times my stomach churned like that at Dariusâs games. Sometimes I felt it at the park when playing with DJ. Today, I felt it on our way into the restaurant. It was as if someone was stalking us.
CHAPTER 8
Bambi
K eeping track of Darius, I picked up my spy sunglasses, activated the video record button, sat my black glasses on the edge of the bar facing Darius, Fancy, and DJ, then proceeded to suck an oyster off the shell.
âUm, um, um.â The natural sea salt flavor of oyster juices trickling down my throat reminded me of the taste that oozed from the pores of Dariusâs dick onto my tongue right before he came in my mouth. That was after Ashlee, before Fancy. Jada had no idea how close I was to her son.
It was no accident that Iâd gotten this job working for Jada or that I was attending the movie premiere later tonight for Something on the Side, starring Velvet Waters. It was by accident that Iâd found a background check in Jadaâs archives for a Lace St. Thomas, also known as Honey Thomas.
Fancy stared at me. I stared back. Bitch, you donât scare me. Best keep your eyes on my man while you got him. By the time Fancy realized who I was, Iâd be laying on her side of the bed next to Darius.
The little boy sat in a booster seat between them hugging Dariusâs neck. He was cute. Enjoy the ride, kid. Your days are numbered too. Iâd find a way to detach DJ from Darius and send DJ to live full-time with Ashlee. Parenting should keep her occupied.
Anyone attached to Darius Jones, directly or indirectly, was also attached to me. My list, including Jada, Honey, Fancy, Ashlee, Grant, Velvet, Valentino, Rita, Jean, Sapphire, Benito, Summer, Ciara, and Maxine, were all on speed dial. Iâd done background checks on all of them. It was ridiculous how Jadaâs executivesâGinger, Heather, Zen, and Mirandaâhad fucked my Darius. I had those cougarsâ numbers too.
I picked up my sunglasses to make sure the recorder was on, placed them back on the bar facing Darius, then sucked up another oyster. Imagining Dariusâs tongue was in my mouth instead of in his wifeâs, I closed my eyes and let the juices saturate my palate. I opened my eyes. I couldnât stand watching him drool over Fancy. What made that trick so special?
Fancy disgusted me. Iâd seen enough. Enough! I picked up my glasses, dropped forty on the counter, then stormed out of the restaurant. Two weeks on the job and I was ready to give my two weeksâ notice. Wasnât sure how long I could tolerate working for Jada. I had to execute my plan quick.
Sitting in my car, I made a call. âMeet me right now,â I said, giving her my location. I ended the call, walked to the corner, entered City National Bank and made a sizable cash withdrawal.
I went back to my car, turned on my radio, listened to KJLH. Thirty minutes later she parked her white pickup in the yellow zone in front of my car. I motioned for her to come get in my car.
She dragged her feet, draped her purse across her shoulder. A resounding, âHey, Bambi,â escaped her mouth when she climbed in.
For a small woman, Rita sure was loud. Pointing across the street, I told her, âThatâs Dariusâs SUV. I need for you to take care of