You know there are always signs before something bad really happens. For instance, there were all kind of things that were happening before the Feds caught up with my father. His top goon was found with his throat slashed ear to ear. He had a second heart attack. I was promoted to Sergeant amongst my team. I know what you’re thinking. My promotion was a bad sign for him but it represented change for me. Here I was now in the middle of starting my own empire and I was feeling a close cloud of despair. I needed to shake this. It was now time for to put up or shut up. I got dressed in a black Donna Karen pantsuit. I would wear no shirt under the jacket. I found a pretty Victoria Secret bra in Tangerine. Matching panties. I had a pair of round toed pumps by Qupid. Diamond stud earrings in each ear. I pinned my blonde locks into a tight bun. Lined my eyes with liner. A smudge of coral eyeshadow. Clear lipgloss. I was ready for whatever. I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I know that many of my choices was wrong but ultimately when it was all said and done, could I say it was worth it. I went under my bed and got my hand cannon. My .45 I seldom carried or used but for some reason I felt I needed it today. It was now six pm. I shook my head. Where had the time gone? Cell rings. It’s Mychelle. “What’s up chick?” “Shit, nothing. I hear you want us to meet tonight? When and where, CC?” “Double Tree Hotel. We’ll have dinner, drinks and I got us a private conference room. You need to be there in black.” “You got it. What time?” “Our dinner reservations are for eight.” “Okay, I’ll be there.” “Hey do me a favor and get in contact with AB. Let her know too. All of you get your whips valet parked on me.” “Aight, I’ll see you later.” I hung up the phone. I grabbed my Gucci dump. Turned the alarm on and jumped in my Camaro. I went through Pandora until I got to Mary J. Blige’s Seven Days. Mary would always mellow me. I jumped on 59 south and headed downtown. When I got to the Double Tree, the valet took my car and I walked into the hotel. The Double Tree was beautiful. I have always loved this hotel. I checked in on our reservations. I was of course early so I wanted to have a drink by myself in the bar. When I walked in, I noticed several men glance my way. I am very attractive but I think it is more my attitude that draws the opposite sex towards me. I unbuttoned my jacket one button. My cleavage and pretty lingerie peeked out. I sat down at the bar. “Let me have the Houstonian, please.” The bartender smiled and went to fix my drink. I check the time on my blackberry. I could see him from my peripheral. He was nice looking. Brown skin. He had to be about six feet two. Nice hair. It was braided. I turned to look at him. He lifted his drink and nodded. I bit my bottom lip and winked. He playfully put his hand over his heart. The bartender bought my drink to me. I sipped it slow. The handsome stranger sat and watched me. My cell rings. Its Monet. I swiveled the bar stool facing the entrance. “Monet, what’s going on?” “Life is. I hear you taking full advantage of it too.” I chuckled. “You should know by now that I ain’t going easy.” Handsome walked towards me. I continued to talk. “Shannon you know you will pay for your sins just as I will for mine.” “Courtney, is that a threat?” “No threat, I just want you to keep that in mind.” My blackberry alerted me to a text. I hung up with Monet. The text was from Texas Tea. She was letting me know that she was on her way. I could smell Happy cologne. He was standing in touching distance to me. “Let me have another crown and coke and whatever this pretty woman here is drinking.” He flashed a smile that made my heart flutter. “What’s your name?” “They call me Drell.” “Hmmn Drell. Drell. Different.” He looked at me and I got a different vibe from him. “You got a pretty ass voice. But then you are a pretty ass woman.” I smiled. “Thank you.” I sized him up. Confident. Handsome. He had a street side too. I could tell from his accent that he wasn’t from around here. “What part of the Delta are you from?” He smiled and raised an eyebrow. I answered his question before he could ask it. “It was the way you said woman. I know a Mississippi Delta boy when I see one.” I don’t know why but I was feeling different. This could be interesting, Courtney Coyle. "You look familiar lady. Where I know you from? It gotta be from back home." I laughed. "Milton Spivey, I guess it has been the better part of fifteen-twenty years since we last saw each other." This was my fifth grade crush. You see my mama was a Mississippi belle no doubt, and when my father had his first bid she moved my brother and I to Itta Bena, Mississippi. Five years we called it home and I missed. it. He smiled. "Courtney Coyle. Gotdamn!!" I laughed. Milton or Drell was always a clown. I had to shake my head though. I marveled at the grown man that now stood before me. Handsome as he was the first day I laid eyes on him. "What you doin dine here, Drell?" He sat down next to me. "You Texas born and raised huh. I'm down here for better opportunities. Wasn't shit goin on in the Delta but trouble. I got a gig driving trucks. Here I am. What you doing here?" "You know I was born and raised dine here. Except for those years we spent down in Itta Bena, this was my home." I sipped my drink. His roamed up and down my body. "Grown Courtney." He chuckled. "Grown Milton." I had thought about him over the years. I was relieved to see he was doing something for himself. Many from our hometown wasn't so lucky. I then see Michelle walk into the bar. She was dressed in a black pinstripe pantsuit that accentuated all of her curves. I heard Milton whisper damn. I laughed at him. My cousin and I embraced. "Damn, CC, you look good." "You do too, Michelle. Milton this is my cousin. Michelle, this is Milton, an old friend of mine." She winked at me in approval. I'm certain he saw that. "Look give me a minute. We'll be seated for dinner." I turned to Drell and just looked at him. If he was my complexion I would've seen him blushing. "Here's my card. Why don't you call me sometime. We can hook up and talk." He took my card. "Sgt. Courtney Coyle? You the po-po?" "Yes, is that a problem?" He stood up. Kissed my forehead. "No ma'am. Imma call you bae." I sashayed to the restaurant. I had to admit that Drell was stirring up some feelings inside of me. But I was getting off task. I met Michelle at our table and Tameika, Mychelle, Alicia, and Yulonda had all arrived. Each one of these beauties were meticulously dressed in black. I ordered a bottle of Merlot and sat down. "Ladies, we take down Arnissha Lynn. Business along with Houston will belong to us." We toasted. My goons made idle chatter amongst each other and I daydreamed about a Mississippi boy that I was crazy about long ago.
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