Chapter Three
One of the policemen flashed a torchlight at my face suspecting me. His crumpled face drew closer to me. The policemen questioned, "You okay, lady? Mind us checking the car?"
The rays of the torch reflected on my face causing me discomfort. I looked straight ahead with a fierce angry look. Luscious was on the driver's seat directly next to them but for some reason their attention was on me.
Maybe it was because of my pretty face.
I was mad, yes, but… "I'm fine, officer," I managed to smile at them. Luscious looked at me with a disgusting happy smile as though we were pals all in effort to convince the cops that we were good.
I couldn't give more than a smile. I faced front returning to my glowering state. My head rested on the window, my heart skipped a couple of times. 'What was I to do?' I stared down, removing my gloves and noticed my fingers shake in tremor. I gulped down.
I don't remember the last time I felt so scared. This bull head Luscious remained talking with the cops, whilst I prayed inwardly. If we were caught. If we were arrested I don't know how I'll live. I didn't sign up for this… A body could be in the car.
We could be sentenced to life imprisonment.
I was snapped out of my reverie by a palm on my thighs. Luscious smirked at me rubbing my legs. I quickly spanked him, not tolerating such nonsense. It was like a fly hovering on a perfectly freshly baked ginger bread; it didn't know it's place.
The policeman looked at me again and I could tell he was worried about me. I don't know what shady thing Luscious and the policemen discussed but it seemed the tension had rescinded.
With a happy smile on his face, Luscious reminded me, "I told you I got this," he leered at me with so much pride. I was calm and safe, but mostly irritated. "I have my way around all these kind of men."
The policemen saluted at us, letting us have our way. Maybe it was because of my expression but for some reason I could feel care radiate from them in the air. "You have a good day ma'am!"
I smiled at them. "You too," waving slightly also. They let us go.
My aching heart melted though I was still angry. The harbinger feelings stuck. Something was off, I knew this. I knew something bad would happen.
"Never in your life try what you did again," he continued driving, "Women ought to listen to what we men tell them. Now brush that ugly frown off your face. Fox! Don't be angry at me."
He seemed proud. I just wanted to get over with this and be done. Hope they never peer us again for a mission.
'What's in the car? How did I get myself into this..?' I looked to my side only to be reminded of my punishment. Seriously, I ended up in this mess as a form of punishment. Just look at my torturer.
I remember what got me into this mess. Normally I work alone, selling drugs by alleys never needing to attract any attention but I just so happened to entangled in the hunter's nest as a prey.
Alphred no doubt saw me as a fox. He hated me.
Flashback
***
"Vanessa," an guard who's face always looked angry even when happy called me. This happened just few hours ago. I was busy fixing my makeup in my own private room in the Den. My room was like a backstage showroom because I fancied myself that way. I was getting ready to head out as Serio had granted me a leave so I could go see a midnight show at a newly opened entertainment center.
I had planned my life. I didn't wish to sell drugs forever. I wanted to dance, and it just so happened that my lord Serio believed in me.
I breathed, shrugging off my favourite brown and white fur coat. I knew something was up. This place was brutal, the only reason why I survived and why I wasn't treated like trash as a lady, if you know I what I mean, was because I was cherished so dear by my lord Serio.
He had travelled on a business trip, not like I knew if Alphred was given permission but that son of a bit*h sat on the Alpha's throne.
'It didn't suit him' I thought as I catwalkd into the place I had grown fond of, ascending my eyes on the spoilt brat carrot head.
So many men were gathered. Usually men and women filled the Den of Gangs, women who sold their bodies indulging in cat and dog fight now and then, but I was sacred. I'm just a girl who ran away from home, wanted to hustle inorder to achieve her dreams of being a dancer. If not, I didn't belong here.
Right now only men occupied Lord Serio's office.
"May I know my purpose here?" I tried sounding respectful, though it came out sounding cocky. I usually wouldn't care but since that carrot head sat on the throne he must feel big plus, seeing the men that gathered him, the angry men, I knew trouble was present.
Just a hustling 'cunning' girl tryna survive in this supposed men's world.
"You should be more respectful, ( new Orlean slang for a disrespectful girl or just girl."
I folded my arms radiating slight pride. I couldn't help it, I was a cocky person by nature with alot of pride. If I tried to hold some in me, it'd still pour out since it was in excess. Imagine an overfilled wine glass.
Alphred was angry.
What had happened? I was already on his bad side. No matter how treasured I was, I ought to be careful since he was the boss's loved brother after all. Some referred to him as the second boss.
It's been long since I felt this. An amount of fear dropped in me, pouring out a bit of my cockiness from the wine glass when an empty sack was placed in my front.
A guard I know as Mathew, he was one of the guards that had laughed at me when I first came here, he used to be stationed outside but now he's been promoted to guarding lord Serio in his office. He came forward, whilst I wore a dazed look. 'Shit! I didn't want to miss (a real life famous dancer's show in the new Orleans (maybe Eleanor Powell?) Lord Serio had paid so much money just so I could see her.
Mathew informed, "There used to be money here."
My eyes split, I knew they wanted to accuse me of stealing and everyone here in the Den of Gangs knew what punishment came with stealing. If Alphred said I did it, then I did it, how would I defend myself? A thief never admits they stole; at least not before much torrure.
Now that fear switched to rage. I scrunched my face in absolute irrate. What did I do to deserve this? The only man with a brain wasn't present. The Alpha had some business to deal with.
They all pointed their guns at me.
I raised my hands in the air in surrender.
I said, "I swear, I didn't do it," I've seen him a couple of times stealing money. What was his game?
"Where is the money, Vanessa? You cleaned the office last." This was obviously payback from last time. Alphred went on, standing up, "There are only three people allowed in this office when no one's around, that's Serio, Me and you. Vanessa, you know what stealing means."
I was unfazed. This idiot really wanted to make my life a living hell.
"Alphred, I know we've been on bad terms," I tried talking sense into him.
"Its Sir Alphred to you!" He bellowed at me. He cocked a gun at me, talking furiously. "Do you think you have the right to talk to me like that?! Or who do you imply stole the money? Me!?"
This man was angry ready to blow my heads off. He was furious showing features of a demon. His yells irked my ears more than the smell of alcohol mixed with cigarettes I perceived from him.
I bit my lips.
"Sir," It hurt me to the core to call him that. I tried sounding amiable. "There has been a big misunderstanding. Maybe we should wait till Lord Serio returns—"
He retorted, "no!" he swung the gun in the air. "So you could manipulate him."
"Are you saying the boss is incapable of discernment?"
"I never said that."
"You're making a big mistake, Alphred."
He calmed down, putting the gun down and sat. A fool, I'd call him. He was hot tempered and nonchalant. He wiggled a pointed finger at me. "You got a big mouth. You know I care about you. I think of you as a sister so I'm not gonna punish you by teaching you a simple lesson."
All crap.
Even I couldn't decipher what he meant. What would he have me do?
The door opened, another man dressed in the usual baggy clothes made his way in. He carried a bag and dropped an amount of cash on the burgundy table.
"Found this in her room, Sir."
My eyes split in two heart skipped a bit, all eyes were on me.
How would I prove myself innocent now that they've staged such scene?
"You have been accused of stealing, Vanessa. You'll face your punishment, but first you have to go on this mission the Boss has prepared for you."
End Of Flashback
I was snapped out of my reverie by the voices of Luscious and the policemen. I noticed we had stopped at another checkpoint. I wanted this to end. I greeted the policemen with a little wave this time with a friendly aura. Inside of me, I wanted this to end. I was tired. I rested my head on the window.
The voices of the policemen grew louder and so did Luscious and I was alert for a second.
"There's nothing in the booth." My heart melted when Luscious said this.
I started gasping for breath. My eyes not leaving the scene.
"Step out," I heared a blonde female cop say. Her partner had a darker shade of skin.
Luscious opened the door, when he saw how my face was he patted my cheeks with care. He said, "Calm down, Vee. I got this." He brought out his papers and showed the cops. I observed from where I was. He came back into the car and what my eyes saw almost stolen my heart away, he slowly brought out a gun and fear rushed in me like a rising wave current.
I had never…
Luscious saw my innocent worried look which opposed to his action. I reasoned the cops asked him to open the booth. When I saw him being all sweaty and nervous, I knew we were done for. The tension was high.
As the cops were about checking the booth, Luscious slowly brought out the gun.
I tired signalling him to stop. I mumbled, "You said no…"
He equally mumbled, "Shut the fuck up, Vanessa."
My ajar eyes didn't know what else to do than observe the deadly situation. 'Didn't plan to be involved in a murder case.'
I fell silent, Luscious's eye language told me to keep still. He was out of the Mercedes we were in, as the booth slowly opened, the cops eyes looked down, my partner brought out the gun and opened fire.
There was a gun fight.
Bang! Bang!
A bloodly gun fight. My heart fell as I gasped. The cops opened fire and I began to sweat despite the cold weather.
"Let me in! I can't win. Let me in!" He banged the window continuously frightening me the more. "Open the goddamm door you women.
Pleasee."
My eyes softened as he begged. Just when I switched positions to the driver seat about opening the door, his blood splashed against the glass.
Bang!