Natural Born Hustler Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Move in with me?”
    Desember answered with a question of her own: “Why me?”
    “Because,” he said, looking into her eyes, “I know I can trust you, and I think I may be in love with you.” Adding, “Both are rare for me, because I trust only a few and love even fewer.”
    Desember was feeling Fame as much as he was feeling her, maybe more—if that was possible. And she was ready to get out of the house with her idiot stepfather. She couldn’t stand living in the same space.
    “If I said yes—and I’m not saying yes yet—when would you want me to move in?”
    “Today,” he said with a smile. “Or whenever you like?” He obviously didn’t want her to feel like he was pressuring her.
    “Then, yes, I’m down for it.”
    Desember went inside the house to get her belongings as Fame sat in the family room watching reruns of Magnum, P.I . with Joe, who ignored him after a cursory greeting.
    Angie followed Desember into her room. “What are you doing?” she asked as Desember started packing.
    “I’m moving out,” Desember said while folding a pair of jeans.
    “Where?” Angie calmly asked, trying not to turn this into an argument.
    “I’m moving in with Fame, Mom,” Desember said, never stopping her packing.
    “Where are y’all going to live? In a hotel?”
    “No, Mom, Fame has his own apartment.” Desember grabbed a handful of underclothes out of her lingerie drawer.
    “Look, Desember, I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    “Really, Mom? I thought you’d be happy. This way you and Joe can have your personal space.” She gathered some more things out of her chest of drawers. “It’s what you want, isn’t it? To be rid of me?”
    “That’s not true, and you know it,” Angie denied.
    “Mom, admit it: things are going to be so much better for you if I’m not here. You know Joe hates me—and trust me, I can’t stand him either.”
    Angie paused before she spoke because she knew that what Desember was saying was the truth. When her daughter was gone things seem to go a little smoother between her and Joe. When Desember was home, she and Joe fought like cats and dogs over the littlest things. For years Angie had been searching for the perfect father for Desember and when she finally met Joe, he had a lot of things that she wanted in a man, but there was no denying that Joe wasn’t interested in being a part of Desember’s life.
    “You know that you and I are a package deal. If a man can’t accept you then he can’t have me,” Angie declared. But Desember was getting older and not a baby anymore so maybe it was time to let her go, make her own decisions. To help make herself feel better, Angie kept telling herself this was only temporary and her daughter would be back soon.
    “Sounds good but that’s not how it really is. Honestly, you shouldn’t get all teary-eyed about this. We’ll still see each other every day. I’m not moving to Europe, just across town,” Desember reasoned. “Plus this gives you time to work on your marriage.” She grabbed her mother’s hands. “I really want you to be happy and I know you and Joe having the house to yourself will help.”
    “But I don’t want my eighteen-year-old daughter going to live with a gangsta.”
    “Mom, he’s not no gangsta. He’s a nice guy and he’s good to me.” Desember let her mother’s hands go.
    “Desember, the boy is trouble and I don’t want you to get caught up in his mess. He comes from a family of crooks. Their last name is Marauder, for Christ’s sake.”
    “That’s just a name, Mom. They didn’t choose it.”
    “God gave them that name for a reason. And I’m telling you, those people have done too much bad for it not to come back around to bite ’em, and when it does I don’t want you to get caught in the crossfire.”
    “I won’t. Fame would never let anything happen to me. Plus I’m smart enough to keep myself safe.”
    “I don’t think this is a good idea, and I’m begging