DIVA: FEMALE HUSTLER

chapter 22

Newark, New Jersey

I sit at my desk putting orders in the computer. It's been a long week with the upcoming arrangements and Akeem men everywhere. After a few hours of looking at the screen my eyes get blurry. I close the laptop for the day getting up from my desk. I walk around my office stretching my legs. I grab my phone off the desk going through my text messages. I text Erica that I'll go to lunch with her. I grab my purse then walk out my office to the front. Tiffany sits at her desk," I'm going out to lunch."

" Okay Mrs. Rizzo," I walk out the front door to my car. I open the door, getting in the driver seat, placing my purse in the passenger seat. I pull out of the parking lot turning on the radio.

I rap along only with Megan while driving to our favorite cafe in Jersey. After ten minutes, I park on the curb in front of the cafe. I grab my purse then get out of the car. I walk into the cafe, light green paint covers the walls with a couple bookcases littering over the cafe. Small table spread over the room with the big comfy chairs by the bookcases and in the corner. I look around not seeing Erica. I walk over to the counter," hey, Dominique what can I get you," Justin asks.

" The regular," I lean on the counter.

" Okay,is Erica coming in?" He turns around making my chai tea.

" Yeah, she should be here in a few for lunch," a smile appears on his face. She lets him down every time and he still keeps trying.

I shake my head as he hands me my drink," I'll be over to take your order." " Thanks Justin," I sip my tea while walking to a table next to the window. I sit down sipping my tea while looking out the window. I zone out thinking about why he left me on read. I know he saw the text. It has been a week since the date and last time we talked. I called and texted him a couple of times but he hasn't responded.

" Nique," Erica waves her hand in my face. I move back," back up." She sits down across from me," I was calling your name. What are you thinking about?"

" Nothing," I take a sip of my tea.

"It's Kyrie," she pokes her lips out and tilts her head to the side.

" I'm not thinking about him." I place my cup on the table," well I know for a fact that he's not ghosting you."

" How do you know?"

" All over Queens and Brooklyn. Akeem been hitting everyone's spot and Kyrie's too."

" That doesn't explain why he hasn't called me." As Erica opens her mouth, Justin stands next to our table.

" Hey Erica," he smiles, staring at her.

" Hey Justin," he placed a drink in front of her," I'll be back with the food."

" Thanks sweets," she picks up her cup. He smiles before running to the back.

" You need to stop playing with that boy before he starts stalking you."

" I have your brother for that," she place her cup down.

" No but for real. Akeem is wildin' out. They saying that when his people ran into Kyries spot that they took his sister and from then on Kyrie been busting in anything that akeem been associated with."

" Damn, that's f****d up. Why take his sister? That's on some whole other level like in the movies." I shake my head thinking about the whole situation.

" Yeah, let's hope he's not feeling balles and try yall."

" He'll be in for a rude awakening," Justin comes back to the table with our sandwiches.

" Thank you," we say.

" You're welcome, just call me if you need anything," he stares at Erica. I pick up my sandwich, " we will." He leaves," we might need to find a new place to eat."

" Yeah, you turning that man into a stalker." After an hour of chatting and Justin constantly checking on us we leave. "I'll see you at dinner," I wave to Erica while I get I'm my car.

I pull off heading back to the funeral home. I park in the back then get out of the car. I walk through the back door walking up the hallway.

" Where is she?" I stop. What the f**k is going on?

" I don't know. She went out for lunch. She should be back soon," Tiffany whimpers. s**t, who's here for me? I dig my purse pulling out my gun then start slowly creeping up the hallway. I hear movement from the front. I stop and wait a few seconds before I walk to my office.

" Go see if she parked in the back." s**t, a man turns the corner and I start running.

" She's here," he yells, pointing his gun at me. I let two shots off before going into my office. I close the door locking it," f*****g bitch." I dig in my purse grabbing my phone.

I unlock my phone," open the door Dominique." I call Chris," you got five seconds to open the door before I break it down then drag you out of there."

"Who's that Dom?"

" Someone that's trying to kill or kidnap me." I back away from the door," one, two," I go to the window.

" We're on our way."

" Okay," I unlock the window.

" Three, four,five," gunshots go through the door." I push the window up climbing out when the door gets kicked open. I run up the side of the furneral home when a dark skin man moves in my way holding a gun at Tiffany's head. I point my gun at him," let her go." I hear footsteps behind me l," drop the gun." I turn behind me and point the gun at the two men," Dominique you both don't want to die."

I stare at the tall thin man talking," what do you want?"

" We just need you to come with us."

" I'm assuming you work for Akeem." He chuckles," you would be right." He puts his gun down taking a few steps closer to me. I shot him in the knee," fuck." A gun goes off shooting me in the right shoulder. The gun in my hands falls and hit the ground. I grab my shoulder reaching for the gun," stop lil momma." I freeze as I look up at a gun a couple inches from my face.

" Stand up slowly," I stand up watching the man in front of me.

" Let's go," he waves the gun to the left. I walk in the direction he pointed to," hurry up," he pushes me. I stumble a few steps before gaining my balance.

" What about me," the man laying on the ground ask.

" We got you," the man standing behind me turns around and shoots him in the head.

" Let's go before the police come. He grabs my injured arm dragging me to a black range rover. They push Tiffany in the car first then me. The door slams close then they get in the front seat. The car speeds off as Tiffany starts whimpering," shut that s**t up before you end up dead." The man in the passenger seat points his gun at her. She quiets down, how am I going to get out of this? I watch our surroundings knowing there will be a turn on Tiffany's side of the car. I move closer to her, grabbing her hand.

I look up at the front seats and the driver wasn't paying us any attention and the other one was on the phone.

" We got her. We're on the way." I turn to Tiffany, " grab the handle," I whisper. She looks at me stupid for a few seconds then moves over grabbing the handle. I watch as we drive on a huge turn and I push all my weight on Tiffany. The door opens, making her fall out of the car," grab her." The man in the passenger seat grabs my leg pulling me back. I kick him in the face as the car stops rolling me into the front seats. The driver gets out, closing the door," put the child lock on the back doors."

" Your ass should have done that in the first place." I push myself out from between the seats and floor.