My Hustler’s Keeper (9 page)

“And if I do?” he says, placing his hands to my face, getting ready to slap me, but then stopping.

“You know what Mary? I don’t have time to be yelling at your retarded ass. I have shit to do. Lock the bitch up and c’mon,” he yells out before leaving the basement and going up the stairs.

“Please can you let me go?” she begs.

“I’m sorry but I can’t do that. See, your brother took something that is very important to me. And since he wants to be grimy I’ll be grimy right behind him,” I tell her.

“That has nothing to do with me,” she says.

“Well it does now. Trust me, if he wants you everything will work out just fine,” I say, placing duct tape around her hands and mouth.

“Don’t worry, this will be over before this year is over with and I’ll have what belongs to me,” I explain to her, before grabbing the basement key and returning upstairs with Joe.

“I hope you tied her up,” Joe says as I made my way by his side.

“Yeah, I did,” I tell him.

“Well let’s go,” he says, grabbing his rope.

“And remember if you open your mouth before the drop is made don’t get mad at the outcome,” he warns me.

“I understand,” I reply back, walking behind him.

“Listen up,” he says, stopping me.

“What?”

“We’re doing good. Sincere has already sent two drops so you know he’s thirsty to get her back. We have to make him send one more but triple the value. If his sister is that important to him he’ll come running to us.”

“If and when he does run to us, then what?” I ask, not comprehending Joe’s little story he has going on.

“He’s going to need some more money and work, stupid,” he says, slapping me upside the head.

“And then what?”

“And when he does I’ma set his ass up the hard way.”

“But when he gets Rayla, she’s going to tell him we kidnaped her.”

“How the fuck is a dead person going to talk Mary? C’mon, you’re acting real special right about now. I’ma need you on the same page as me. Otherwise you can kiss this shit you created goodbye.”

“I think I get what you’re trying to say. I’ma call him up and tell him to triple the value he just sent me. And seeing that Judge Thomason just fronted him the last of his work, he will have to come back to us. And when he does, we’ll kill Rayla in the process and when we get him back in the game we’ll set him up so Harmony can be mine and only mine, like you promised me before she was even born.”

“Good, you got some of it right. The other shit you expanded, but I think you get my point. You better get what I’m saying ‘cause the next deal is going down in three days. Now that’s put a move on it. I have a congregation to preach to.” He explains the rest of the drop’s details as we make our way inside the church doors.

Upon entering my eyes grow in fear at the sight of Sincere, Harmony, Daniel and Henry—all standing in the first row.

“Don’t get scared on me now Mary.”

“I’m not,” I lie, while walking slowly beside him, trying my hardest not to panic.

We’re in a church. They won’t try anything. And they don’t know Joe and I are the ones behind this anyways,
I think to myself.

“You better not because I already invested too much energy and time into this little sham of yours.”

“I’m not scared Joe. Now stop whispering to me and put on a good performance for these people.”

“Shit, I always do that,” he says, walking towards his congregation.

“That you do,” I whisper.

But if I don’t get your daughter, your little secret will soon come to the light,
I think, smiling
.

“Joe, I forgot something. I’ll be back,” I tell him, heading towards the door.

“Hurry back,” he says before starting his speech to his congregation.

I sign for Malik to follow behind me. Twisting the basement doorknob, I scan the room for Rayla. She is nowhere to be found. Stepping inside, I walk over to the spot were she was last.

“Where the fuck did she go?” I yell out loud.

Checking the door that leads to the outside, I spot her running towards the gas station.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I yell while Malik and I chase after her.

Grabbing her hair, Malik throws her to the ground. I watch as he kicks her in the stomach and she curls up in a fetal position.

“Now get up before someone sees you,” I tell her.

“Why are you doing this?” she asks me as I take the tape from her mouth.

“If I let you live, ask your brother why.” Grabbing her neck, I start to drag her back to the church, thankful that no one saw us.

Pacing back and forth, I wait for Joe to make his way downstairs. I had texted him five minutes ago and he still hasn’t showed up. Just as I am in the process of taking a seat on the table, I jump, hearing the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Trying hard not to cry, I watch as Joe comes inside, slamming the door behind him. He makes his way over towards Rayla, looking her up and down, and then he comes my way.

“What happened here?” he asks me.

“I’m not sure,” I reply back, shaking with fear.

“She almost got away and you’re not sure what the fuck happened.”

“I tied her up, but I forgot to tie her legs and lock the back door,” I admit to him.

“Where did you find her at?” he asks, shaking his head in shame.

“Running by the gas station.”

“Did anyone see you?”

“No.”

“Both of you,” he says waving his hands. “You better praise God services started. Otherwise it would take a miracle to get my foot out of y’all ass.” Walking over to Rayla he punches her in the face.

“Try some sneaky shit like this again and I’ll have your body sitting in the fucking morgue,” he says, threating her. She is filled with so much fear she is shaking.

Walking over towards me, he then slaps me across the face causing me to yell out in pain.

“Make sure this shit never happens again. Tie this bitch up good and bring your stupid ass back upstairs.” Looking us over one last time, Joe slams the door.

“I should kill you bitch. But you’re only bait for me to get your brother.”

“It’s a shame. I’m not even a member of this church and I can tell your Joe’s bitch,” she speaks.

“Yeah, well don’t forget your brother is his bitch too.”

“You better pray to your Lord ‘cause you will be joining him very soon. I will get out of this and I will kill you and your pastor pimp,” she threatens me.

“Trust me, you’ll be dead before you can bring any plot to life.”

After making sure Rayla is tied up tight, Malik and I make our way back upstairs to join Joe and the congregation in Sunday’s services.

My Hustler’s Keeper

-12-

JOE

“May the congregation please stand for prayer?”

“Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen,” they recite together.

“Today God spoke to me. He spoke to me and said, Joe, my son it’s time for you to stop lying and tell the truth. And I asked, father what lie have I ever told? I thought I was preaching what you wanted me to.” I pause for a second, looking into the crowd then continues to speak.

“He told me lying is a sin and that it wouldn’t hurt to speak the truth. The message for today I’m trying to say is God hates liars. He knows before we know. So if you’re lying just tell the truth. It’s easy to tell a li’l white lie, but it’s refreshing to speak the truth.”

“Amen!” the congregation shouts.

“Now as always the first Sunday, we’re ending early. But before you go, I’d like for you to remember the lies you tell and ask God for forgiveness. Church is dismissed. We’ll join again tomorrow.”

Within a matter of minutes the church is empty. I start to pace around thinking of the girl in the back and how it will feel to be inside of that. That is soon interrupted by a text message coming in from Mary.

“Emergency at home. Come quick,”
she texts.

Okay, on the way
, I reply back.

“After I get some pussy,” I say out loud, laughing as I make my way down the basement stairs.

“Please don’t kill me,” she says as I snitch the duct tape from over her mouth.

“Ain’t anybody going kill you,” I tell her. “That is if you do what I say.”

“And what’s that?”

“Drop them drawers,” I reply back, laughing. She stares at me with a confused look, as raindrop tears fall freely from her eyes. “You wanna live and I need some pussy.”

“Please don’t do this Joe,” she begs, but her cries are falling on mute ears.

“So if you know what’s best for you and how to come out of this situation alive, I’ll get to dropping them panties and fast.”

“I’m not trying to die. Please Joe.”

“Drop them panties and fast.”

“What about the other guy?” she asks.

“Who, Malik? What about him?”

“Yes, him. Do I have to do him too?” she asks through tears.

“He ain’t looking for anything wet to slide up in but I am,” I tell her.

I step out of my pants and pull my T-shirt over my head, leaving only my boxers on. I step closer towards her. I then lay her shaking body on the cold floor, and spreading her legs, I enter.

“Damn, I like it tight,” I tell her, going deeper.

Her body moves fast under me while the tears run freely down her face. Seconds later I am done.

“See, that wasn’t so bad,” I say smiling. Standing up, I begin to get myself together.

“Now when your brother asks nine months from now who’s the daddy, tell him I said that’s payback for fucking my daughter,” I say, punching her a few times in the face. Then after that is done I left out the church building, get into my car, and drive home. I still have some unfinished business there to take care of.

“Look, I don’t have time for bullshit,” I say, entering my home on the South Side of Chicago.

“Since Sincere, Henry, and Daniel ain’t playing on the right team I need y’all to pick up where they left off. Corey, I want you and your boys, to handle connects from the West Side. And set up shop as well. I’ll be meeting up with a couple of dudes next week so they will know what’s up.”

“A’ight,” he says back.

“But understand this, I don’t have time for fuck ups. So if you and your boys got a problem with getting money then get the fuck out now and never come back.”

“Nah man, no problem at all.

“Good. Welcome to the team my son.”

“Thanks for having me,” he says, extending his hand to shake.

He won’t last long
, I think to myself as I shake his hand.

After making sure everything is okay at home with Corey, I make my way over to talk with an old friend, Judge William Thomason, the biggest judge in Chicago that handles drug cases.

Thomason is an old pimp type of brother I met while I was on a business trip in Las Vegas.

“Hey, I’m William. Judge William Thomason.” He said, introducing himself the first night I met him.

“Joe.” I replied back. “Pastor Joe Jones.”

Upon sitting down I learned quickly that William was like most men I met up with at these conventions. He swore up and down he was happily married but was fucking more chicks than the one he was living with and expected for me to find him some pussy to have fun with, while his wife was at home, praying for him to have a safe journey.

“I heard great things about you. I think I’m going to like doing business with you,” he said out the blue.

“Well, I’m glad. This here is Mary. She will be your guest for the night,” I tell him.

“Hey Mary. I hope you treat me nice. I’m having a hard day.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make all your stress go away.”

Five drinks later him, Mary, and I went back to my room. And let’s just say when Mary was done with him, I was hitting the jackpot, as he was getting his dick sucked by the devil, welcoming him into hell’s kitchen.

“Joe, did you hear me?” Thomason asks, bringing me back from daydreaming.

“Nah, what did you say?”

“I said Sincere just left not too long ago. And he also took the last of the product,” he repeats, while shaking, looking like he needs a fix.

“What you want me to do about it?” I ask, looking him up and down.

“Joe, that was for my rainy days. You know my wife is sick. I need all the money I can get,” he says, pouting like a kid.

“I’ll give it back to you. But first I want you to make sure Sincere, Daniel, and Henry pay for betraying me.”

“How would I be able to do that?”

“I’m going to set them up,” I admit to him.

“How do I fit into that?”

“When I do they will come to you.”

“So you want me to convict them?”

“I see you do got a brain up there.”

“Joe, I don’t think that’s a good idea”

“I don’t care what you think. I don’t pay you to fucking think. I give you pussy so you can take away the problems I got. So stop being a pussy and do the fucking job!” I yell, standing up.

“Joe, my wife is here,” he whispers.

“Do your fucking job Thomason. Otherwise, you won’t have a wife anymore,” I give him a fair warning.

“Joe, I think you should leave,” he angrily says.

“When I call you, get on your A-game Thomason or I’ll have your old ass sleeping with the fishes, judge or not,” I explain to him before walking towards the front door of his house.

“Keep it up and I’ll tell your wife everything. This is my fucking show. I run this. Don’t fuck with me. God is watching, and he doesn’t like for his children to be played with.” I laugh harder as I open the door and leave.

** ** **

I stare as she sleeps so peacefully like there is no care in the world. Her body lies still like a statue, lips poking out, hair nicely wrapped into a ponytail, body in a curled position, legs pulled to her stomach, hands used as a pillow. I didn’t know why I am there, but I had to see her. Seeing her lovely body breathe in and out with the fear of me in her heart is amazing. It lets me know I am doing my job and doing it well.

I didn’t like scaring her. Shit, if I could, I’d have her as one of my collector’s items. But I don’t collect pussy. Just dick, and it has to have a purpose for me. Other than that, I fuck pussy, not collect it. But there is something about her that I can’t seem to let go. Maybe it’s the pussy. The way she worked her hips had me at a loss for words. But whatever it is, I can’t seem to get her out my mind. That just might be the reason why I’m staring over her, instead of trying to set her brother up. 

“Rayla wake up,” I slowly say into her ear.

Opening her eyes slowly, she jumps at the sight of me and moves to the other say of the room.

“Why are you running from me? I’m not going to hurt you.”

“How do I know that?” she asks.

“Cause if I was I would’ve been kicked your ass.” My anger got the best of me.

“Joe, I’m ready to go,” she says, crying.

“Go where? You’re trying to leave me?”

“Whatever my brother did it has nothing to do with me. I’m not going to say nothing. I promise. Please, let me go,” she begs.

“I wish I could do that Rayla. I really do. But your brother is very ungrateful towards me so I have to get him back the best way I know how.”

“You already killed my grandmother. What more can you do that will hurt him?” she yells out.

“Rayla, this is not a game I’m playing. I gave your brother any and every thing he wanted. And in return he slept with my daughter. There will be no getting out of this. Disrespect is disrespect. He has to be taught a valuable lesson.”

“You keep saying my brother this, my brother that. I’m not my brother, Joe.”

“I’m sorry Rayla but I have to teach him a lesson.”

“So what am I? The bait to your prey?”

“Pretty much,” I tell her, keeping it real.

“I came back here for some pussy, but I think I had enough for one night. I’ll have Mary come later on today so she can bring you some food since you might be down here for a while,” I tell her, walking back towards the basement door.

“Joe,” she says, as my hands are closing the door.

“Yeah?” I reply back.

“While you’re digging my brother’s grave, I hope you’re digging yours as well.”

I laugh.

“I am a child of God. I am unstoppable.” I tell her, before closing the door behind me.