Passion for the Heist, page 33
The nurse who administered the meds to the inmates on that floor came walking into the room. She was a shapely light-skinned chick of about twenty-five. Whenever she was on the floor the thirsty men in the infirmary would always try to get with her, but none of them would ever taste her goodies. The same couldn’t be said for Hook.
“Sup wit you, Nancy?” Hook greeted her by name. The two of them had known each other from the streets, back before she had squared up and had a kid. It was sheer luck that he happened to be placed in the unit where she was working.
“Another day, another dollar,” Nancy said, pausing to give an inmate two beds over his medication. After taking care of him she moved over to Hook’s bed. “How you feeling? You good?”
“Yeah, but I’ll be better if you tell me you got what I asked you for,” Hook said in a low voice.
Nancy gave a cautious look around to make sure the guard on duty wasn’t paying attention. He was more interested in the book he was reading than what she was up to. Nancy removed a cell phone from the pocket of her scrubs and slid it to Hook. “Be quick. I don’t wanna fuck around and get fired for messing with you.”
“Don’t worry, baby. It took God seven days to create the world, but it’s only going to take me thirty seconds to burn it down,” Hook said sinisterly, while punching in a number. The person he was calling picked up on the second ring. “Yeah, is this Prophet?” The caller said something to which Hook replied, “Who I am isn’t important, but what I have to say is. I got some information for Queen Crow. It’s about her nephew.”
CHAPTER 24
The liberation of Passion from her job had been an unexpected twist to Pain’s day. He hadn’t planned on it, it was something that just happened. Pain had always made it a practice of steering clear of other people’s problems, especially those of the domestic nature. He’d heard enough of their conversation to know that whatever was going on between Passion and Gus wasn’t new, and by right it was none of Pain’s business. There was just something about watching Gus attempt to force himself on her that pushed him to the edge. She looked so fragile and weak. As he thought more on it, she had reminded him of his mother and the shell of a woman she had become toward the end of her life. That’s what made him snap.
After the adrenaline from what he’d pulled wore off, the realization of how stupid it was set in. He had gone into a man’s place of business, a civilian at that, laid hands on him, and then robbed the joint. All without wearing a mask and in front of at least a dozen witnesses. There was a chance that Gus, or maybe one of his employees, would go to the police after he had gone, but he doubted it. Gus was a deviant and probably into way more than just forcing himself on young girls. Men like that shied away from any kind of attention that would shine a light on whatever sick shit they were into. Gus wouldn’t go to the law, or at least Pain hoped. He had acted without thinking, which was further evidence of how deep he had allowed Passion to burrow into his head.
“You good?” Pain asked once they were away from the diner. She had been very quiet. Probably still shaken up.
“I’ll be fine,” she told him. “Thanks for what you did.”
“You don’t owe me no thanks. It was the right thing to do. Homie was out of pocket. I’m surprised that you got involved with a guy like that. He doesn’t strike me as your type.”
“He’s not, and we weren’t involved. We just…” her words trailed off. She was too embarrassed to even speak of how she had played herself by sleeping with Gus.
“Look, it ain’t my business and I ain’t no one to judge. I just think that somebody like you deserves so much more. You’re too good for that.”
“That goes to show how little you know about me. I ain’t shit.” Passion gave a sad chuckle.
“Don’t say stuff like that.”
“Why, when it’s the truth? Every fucked-up thing in life that’s been happening to me, I brought it on myself,” Passion said emotionally. Tears began to fall. They weren’t tears of sadness, but frustration.
“C’mon, ma. Stop that.” Pain wiped away her tears with his thumbs. “Life is unkind, especially when it comes to people like us.”
“And what kind of people are we?”
“The broken,” Pain replied. “We are the kids that the world has cast aside. We ain’t supposed to be shit, which is why it’s such a sweet sensation when we rise above the odds and become everything that society says we aren’t supposed to be. The key to that is, we have to believe even when no one else does. That’s the only way we can ever rise above this shit.”
“You sound like one of those street corner preachers,” Passion teased him.
“I ain’t preaching, baby. I’m just speaking my truth.”
“So, have you managed to rise above this shit yet?” she asked.
“Nah, but I’m working on it. I’m not where I want to be yet, but I sure as hell ain’t where I was.” Pain reflected on those cold nights in his prison cell. “It’s getting late. I should get you home.”
“No, you don’t have to do that!” Passion said a little too quickly for Pain’s liking. “I mean, you’ve already done enough. Besides, I don’t feel like going home. Not now.” She hugged herself.
“Well, I don’t know how comfortable I am about you just wandering the streets by yourself after what you’ve just gone through.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. And you’ve already put yourself out enough for me. I don’t want to take up any more of your time.”
“I got no plans, and since you obviously don’t have to be at work, you don’t either. Might as well blow the rest of the day with me,” Pain suggested.
“Boy, look at me.” Passion motioned to her work uniform and black nonslip shoes. “Where am I going dressed like this?”
“Some place where it won’t matter. I got this,” Pain assured her.
“I don’t know.” Passion was hesitant.
“Do you trust me?” Pain asked, extending his hand.
Passion looked into his eyes, those sad eyes that had drawn her in from the first time they met. They didn’t know each other, but that hadn’t stopped Pain from putting himself at risk for her. It was the first time that any man since her father had ever tried to do anything besides exploit her. She was afraid at what would happen if she allowed this man, this angel of mercy, into her chaotic life. Would she poison his existence like she had done to everyone who had ever tried to love her? Against her better judgment, she stepped out on faith and took his hand. That was the first time they felt the sparks.
* * *
Pain had proved to be Passion’s knight in gold chains and Timberlands, but it wasn’t a chariot that he whisked her away on, but a No. 2 train. It took them about forty minutes to make it from Manhattan into Brooklyn. The subway car was hot, as the air-conditioning was out, and far too crowded. Passion had to stand up for almost the entire ride due to lack of seating. It was a miserable undertaking, but when they arrived at their destination it was all worth it.
Passion had lived in New York for her entire life, but had never been to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. New Yorkers tended to take for granted things that tourists traveled miles to see. It was close to closing time when they arrived, so Passion and Pain pretty much had the run of the place. They walked through the gardens and talked, getting to know each other better. Pain was honest with her about not having been out of prison too long. He expected that it would spook her off, but Passion was quite understanding. She told him about her dreams of fleeing New York to start her life over in California, and how the robbery had snatched that dream away from her. This seemed to deeply sadden Pain.
They explored the gardens, occasionally stopping to touch or smell the flowers. The place was so beautiful that Passion was mad at herself for not having come sooner. Little did she know the best was yet to come. When they arrived at the reason why Pain had brought her to the Botanical Gardens, Passion’s breath was stolen. She stood in awe at the trees that stretched to the heavens with blooms of beautiful cherry blossoms. They almost didn’t look real.
“They only bloom at a certain time of year. Usually in April,” Pain explained. “I used to come every year, but haven’t been able to see them in a while. I used to think that they were the most beautiful things in this rotten-ass city, but my opinion on that has recently changed.” He brushed the back of Passion’s hand with his finger.
“Boy, you got more game than a little bit,” Passion blushed.
“One thing you’ll learn about me is that I don’t do games. You’ll figure it out, though.” Pain winked.
“Who says that I’m going to be around that long?” Passion questioned.
“You think after searching for you my whole life I’m gonna let you get away that easy?”
“There’s that game again. So, how did you discover these cherry blossoms?” Passion changed the subject.
“My mom used to bring me here every year as a kid. When she passed I just kept coming.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Passion said sincerely.
“Thanks. She’s been gone for some years now, but the pain still feels fresh.”
“I know the feeling. I lost both my parents a few years back. Sometimes I dream that they’re still here, and when I wake up and realize that they aren’t it’s like somebody pulling my heart out all over again,” Passion confided in him. Thinking about her parents made her emotional, and her eyes misted. She felt Pain’s arm drape around her, and nestled herself against him. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly safe. In the short time Passion had known Pain, he had made her feel things that no man had to that point. He had been kind to her, so she decided to repay his kindness with the only thing she had to offer: honesty. “Pain, I have to tell you something and I’m not sure how you’re going to take it.”
Pain removed his arm from her and took a cautious step back. “Here we go. I knew the other shoe was about to drop. What? You got a man and this can never go anywhere, right?”
“No, no … it’s nothing like that. It’s just that…” she began, but paused while she searched for the words. There was no pretty packaging she could wrap this in, so she just got straight to it. “I know that today wasn’t the first time you saved me from a monster. You were there the night this happened.” She pointed to her bandaged earlobe.
“What are you talking about? You said you fell.” Pain played dumb.
“You and I both know that’s not what happened. I know you were one of the guys who robbed the gambling spot. You got into it with the big dude who hit me,” Passion insisted.
“Shorty, I didn’t rob shit. I don’t know what you’re taking about,” Pain lied. That night when they had noticed each other something had passed between them. Something familiar. But it was impossible for her to make a positive ID because he had been wearing a mask.
“Your eyes,” Passion said, as if reading his mind. “From the first time I saw them, those beautifully sad eyes, I knew that I would never forget them. I never wanted to forget them.”
Pain thought about continuing his lie, but it was pointless. She now knew who and what he was, and he wasn’t upset. He was relieved. “What now? You thinking maybe you can get some type of reward for turning me in?” he tested her.
“I would never! After all you’ve done for me, the last thing I could do is bring myself to cause you harm. You’re my savior,” she took his face in her hands and stared into his eyes, “my angel of mercy.”
“Blackbird,” he whispered softly. Their lips were so close that Pain could taste her breath and she his. “That’s what they call me. The slayer of your monsters … Blackbird.”
Passion let the name roll around in her head. It fit this chocolate king as perfectly as a glove. “My Blackbird,” she said before kissing him deeply.
Neither of them was sure how it happened, but they ended up in a thicket of grass behind some tall bushes. The bushes hid them from view of the few people who were still exploring the Botanical Gardens, but had they seen them the couple still wouldn’t have cared. As far as they were concerned, they were the only two people in the world.
Passion pushed him onto his back and pulled his shirt over his head. She took a minute to marvel at his well-defined chest and flat stomach. He had obviously taken care of his body while he was in prison. On his chest there was a tattoo of a blackbird with its wings spread, with the word Loyalty under it. She ran her fingers down his stomach and played with the hairs just above his beltline. When she went to undo the belt, Pain stopped her.
“You don’t have to,” he said, eyeing her hopefully.
“I want to.” Passion kissed him. She removed her shirt, showing full breasts held up by a satin bra. There was a hungry look in her eyes that she fixed on Pain. She could feel the cold spread through her body as the darkness made its presence known. It sent icy chills that caused her nipples to harden under her bra. Slowly, it crawled up her body and spread through her face, but there was something different about it this time. Normally, she was a spectator riding the wave of darkness while it took control of her body, but not today. No, for the first time she and the darkness occupied the same space. It hadn’t swallowed her, but draped her in something she could only describe as a feeling of power and confidence. They would be partners in the conquest of this man.
Pain lay like a man in a trance, while Passion hovered over him. Every time she leaned in to kiss him, her dreads swiped across his chest, tickling him. Every so often he would force her head up just so he could stare at her face. “You are so beautiful,” he said, breathlessly kissing her full lips. His eyes drifted to her arm and that’s when he noticed the scars on her inner wrists and forearms. Some were old and healed, while others looked fresh. When she saw Pain staring, Passion attempted to pull away. “Don’t,” he stopped her, taking one of her wrists in his hand. “You’re perfect.” He kissed her scars.
Feeling his lips on her skin sent shockwaves of bliss through Passion’s body. The way he was making her feel frightened Passion. There was no way that a man so flawed could be so damn perfect. She wiggled out of her work pants and then began helping him get his jeans down over his hips. She wanted to cry tears of sweet joy when she finally pulled his dick from his pants and found that she needed two hands to accomplish the feat. She thought to herself that they should’ve called him Black Stallion instead of Blackbird. Keeping his throbbing dick pressed between them, she worked herself up and down his body. She could feel him swelling and growing with each pass. She wanted him inside her more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.
Pain looked down at the top of Passion’s head while her lips explored him: chest, neck, face, and back again. His whole body felt like it was on fire and Passion’s love cave was the only thing that could put the flames out. She lifted herself so that his dick was aligned with her pussy. She was so wet that he didn’t even need to use his hands to guide himself inside. Pain’s dick swelled at the feeling of her walls closing in on him. The warmth of her was so intense that he let out a soft moan. He felt like a stone-cold bitch from the sounds that he was making, but he didn’t care.
Passion let out a little yelp when she felt the tip of Pain’s spear stab her insides. She had to adjust herself until she found a comfortable position to ride him, but it was no easy task. She started slowly, rocking back and forth and picking up speed as she began to get comfortable on him. She knew it was getting good for Pain, too, when he grabbed her by the hips. His brow creased and his lips drew back into a sneer as her pussy juices slathered his stomach and thighs, and soaked the grass beneath them. She began to buck wilder and wilder, while his fingers dug deeper into her sides.
Pain was trying to keep his cool, but it was no easy task. Passion was riding him like she was trying to win first place in a rodeo. They finally established a rhythm and Pain started putting his hips into it. The harder he threw it into her, the harder Passion bucked. They were battling each other for supremacy. Pain dug his heels into the earth, propped his hips up, and started going in. He held Passion by the shoulders so that she couldn’t move and jammed into her faster and faster. When she yelled, he thought he might’ve hurt her, so he attempted to stop and check on her. This is when he saw a side of Passion that he didn’t know lived there.
“Don’t you dare fucking stop!” Passion said in a guttural tone. “You better keep drilling this pussy! Stop trying to make love and fuck me like a nigga who just came home from prison!” If that’s how she wanted to play it, Pain was happy to oblige, so he pounded into her harder, which turned her on even more. “That’s right … fuck this pussy, you twenty-three-and-one, locked-down, yard-spinning, grilled-cheese-on-the-radiator-making, nasty, big-dick nigga! Welcome home, baby … welcome the fuck home!”
Pain stared up at Passion with a nervous expression on his face. Her eyes were wild and spittle from her mouth rained down on his face and chest while she hurled obscenities at him. He wasn’t sure what to make of the switch that had flipped in Passion’s head. The sweet and timid girl he had only hours earlier saved from being raped was replaced by a demon. Passion had clearly gotten out of the car and he had no clue who was now in the driver’s seat. He tried to motion for her that he wanted to switch positions, but Passion wasn’t having it.
“Don’t-you-fucking-move!” she snarled at him, leaning in to bite at his lip. Pain didn’t know it, but he had just wandered into uncharted territory in her pussy. There was no way she was going to risk letting him ruin the moment. If Pain removed his dick from her, even for a second, she just knew that she would fall over and die. His dick was like life support! “I need you inside me forever … I need you inside me forever…” she ranted like a mad woman. “Right there.” She started throwing her hips in a circle. She looked down at him from under hooded eyes and saw that his face was twisted like he had just smelled something foul. “Give it to me, my Blackbird. Spread your wings and fly!”
