As promised, here is the first chapter to my newest work! Enjoy and as always, prepare your hearts and lay down your edges ☺️ *This unedited and subject to change*
The midnight sky was a perfect backdrop for the lustrous moon as smoke drifted from Payne’s mouth and into the air. He stared at Chrissy with admiration glowing in his orbs. She was his love in physical form. A woman who had committed herself to him years ago and hadn’t disappointed him yet. Standing in front of him, Chrissy peered with inquisitive eyes. She begged to know what was in his head. Payne took his time, gathering his words before he addressed her. That only made her more impatient.
“Payne, come on now. What’s your plan?”
He chuckled while tapping the ashes off his cigar. “Patience has never been a quality you possessed.”
She snorted. “I could say the same about you. Now, what’s up?”
He nodded and took one more pull before he answered her.
“I think I’m ready to retire.”
An expression of amusement covered her features. “Wow, I never thought I’d see the day. You giving up the business is like LeBron saying he doesn’t want to play ball anymore.”
Smirking, he slowly bobbed his head. “Yeah, I know, but I’m ready to relax and live the rest of my life without feeling like I gotta take care of everybody.”
Chrissy moved in closer and rubbed his forearm. Her touch always calmed his overactive nerves.
“Okay, I can dig it. What’s your plan?”
“Before I retire from the business, I want that big fish.”
Right away, she rolled her eyes. “Big fish? You talking about that diamond again?”
“Yes, again!” he snapped. “The fuck you think I'm talking about. I’ve only been talking about the shit for the last three decades.”
Folding her arms over her chest, Chrissy puffed out a deep breath.
“Yes, you’ve been talking about that lick for years and haven’t made a move. Any other nigga you plotted on would’ve gotten erased, but you’ve been real sc—”
“Scared?” He narrowed his eyes. “Bitch, say it and see that I don't knock one of those expensive-ass veneers out your mouth.”
“I wasn’t going to say that,” she quickly denied. “I just thought you’ve been leerier of this lick when you usually don't.”
Payne snorted. “Shit has to be done with some order. Everything has to be planned out to a T. You think I can just take the most expensive diamond in the world without a plan? Shit don’t happen without a plan, Chrissy. You know that. But you right, this shit has been years in the making. I think it’s the right time. It’ll give me the money I need to live like a fucking king.”
Payne would never forget the night in 1993 when he witnessed the most beautiful diamond in the world. It was at a party thrown by Damien Baldwin. He’d been celebrating twenty years in the business when he blessed his wife with the Yola diamond. Ever since then, it hadn’t left Payne’s mind and he wanted it in his possession.
Chrissy caressed his cheek. “You are a king, baby.”
Interrupting their private moment was the door opening. They both turned their heads and noticed Leonie stepping out of the house. Her fuzzy slippers dragged across the pavement as her silk robe flowed in the wind.
“What y’all talking about?” she asked in her heavy New Orleans accent.
“None of your got-damn business,” Chrissy sneered. “Why you out here anyway? Shouldn’t you be getting ready to go get fucked?”
Leonie mean mugged her before taking a seat on one of the chairs.
“If you wasn’t so protected by Payne, I would’ve been bat the piss out you. But if you must know, I always come out on the balcony to smoke. I didn’t know I needed permission from you.”
Chrissy rolled her eyes and peered at Payne. “Anyways, what’s your plan on getting this diamond?”
Flicking his nose with his thumb, he replied, “That’s the thing. I have way too many plans in my head. I'm not sure which one to go with. I know getting to that nigga, Jirah, ain't gon’ be an easy feat. He’s surrounded by too many people and move in a certain kinda way. I gotta think of something clever for his ass.”
“What about his sister?” Chrissy quizzed. “Don't you do business with her?”
Nodding. Payne answered, “Yeah but it’ll take too much time to get in her head. I would rather take the head nigga down.”
Jirah Baldwin was the key to Payne getting what he desperately desired. He was the current CEO of Baldwin Diamonds. A position that had been passed down to him once his father died. Their diamonds were straight from Russia where they produced the best quality gems in the world.
“Yeah, you definitely can’t use your usual scheme with him,” Leonie chimed in. “The nigga too caked up and too aware to let anybody try to run a scheme on him.”
“Bitch, no one was talking to you,” Chrissy seethed. “As a matter of fact, take your ass in the house.”
Payne placed his hand up to silence Chrissy. “Nah, let her talk. Leonie, do you know something I don't know?”
Crossing her legs, she said, “Well, I have a friend who’s a friend of Jirah’s family. She’s been around for a while and put me up on game. He ain't no sucka and he ain't green. He knows he’s an easy target and he moves with mystery.”
Payne nodded. “Keep talking.”
“If you want to come at him and get what you want, pussy won’t work. He don't fuck with whores, not even high-priced ones.”
Chrissy scoffed. “Oh, please. Every nigga loves a hoe, especially a bad one.”
“Not this nigga,” Leonie retorted. “Payne, if you want to get this man’s attention, I suggest you use your secret weapon.”
His face displayed confusion. “Secret weapon? What’s that?”
Leonie smirked while blowing smoke from her lips. “… Charlie.”
Right away, Chrissy waved her hand dismissively. “Charlie? Oh, give me a fucking break. She’ll fuck up the whole plan if you send her naive ass. Please don't listen to her, Payne. She’s sending you on a dummy mission.”
While Chrissy ranted on why Charlie wasn’t a good choice for the job, he pondered on the possibilities. Charlie was his youngest girl. One that hadn’t been exposed to the harsh reality of the world they lived in. She had all the tools, he just had to teach her how to use them.
“You might be on to something, Leonie.”
Chrissy gasped. “You're not seriously entertaining this shit, right?”
He cut his eyes at Chrissy. “Go in the fucking house. I'm tired of hearing your mouth.”
Chrissy appeared as if she wanted to protest but took his order. Leonie then stood and walked over to where Payne was.
“Listen, Payne, Charlie is lowkey. Nobody knows who she is and she’s the perfect candidate to get the diamond. I can teach her some of my tricks. She’s got the tools. We just gotta teach her the game.”
Payne pulled on his salt and pepper goatee. “I hear what you’re saying, but Charlie could also fuck this up for me.”
“Listen, the same way you taught all the girls is the way you can teach Charlie. She’s the only one that can get the job done because the rest of us are already known in the streets and she’s not.”
He mulled over her words while smoke from the cigar lingered in his face.
“You may be right. Besides, it’s time for Charlie to put in some major work.”
“I agree.” She nodded. “I think it’s time.”
****
It's time to leave our fears behind, to push ourselves and seek to find, the strength within to conquer all, and rise each time we take a fall.
A sense of calm swept over Charlie whenever she digested her mother’s words. Her poetry was like a 90’s love song; it aged like fine wine. Her poems had gotten her through the toughest days, and sometimes brought her to tears because they were so beautiful. It felt like Charlie’s mother still taught her even though she wasn’t there in physical form.
Whenever she felt depressed, she consumed her mother’s words. If Charlie felt lost, she’d go straight to her mother’s poetry book and recite one of her many poems. Even when she was joyful, Charlie still found her way gravitating to the book she’d left behind. She reached for another journal of her mom’s but stopped when there was a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened and Payne walked inside with Leonie right behind him.
“You busy?” he asked.
“No.” She shook her head. “Just reading.”
“Girl, you should know those poems by heart now,” Leonie joked, plopping down on her bed.
The two shared a room and had grown close over the years. Charlie looked at Leonie as a big sister and her best friend.
“I do.” She winked.
Payne tapped her knee. “Listen, I wanna rap to you real quick.”
Sitting up, Charlie pulled down her tank top. “What’s up?”
“It’s time for you to get put on,” he announced.
On cue, Charlie’s chest tightened as a sour sensation filled her belly. She knew this was oncoming. It was only a matter of time before Payne put her on the payroll and demanded that she pulled her weight around the palace. Skating by had been a means for survival. Charlie had done it for so long that others began questioning Payne. He’d been put under a lot of pressure, especially from his bottom bitch, Chrissy. So, in a way, Charlie had been prepared for him to say this. She just wasn’t ready for the position.
“Okay,” she drawled. “I’m assuming you have a client set up for me?”
“Not just a client, but the client,” Leonie bragged.
Payne shot her a look that silenced her before he returned his attention on Charlie.
“Listen, this is a big job so there’s a lot riding on you. I want that Yola diamond. I've been wanting it for years and the time has come for me to get what I want.”
Charlie licked her glossy lips. “If it’s such a big job, then why not send one of your more experienced girls to get it done?”
“Because this guy ain’t no sucka,” Leonie answered. “You would be a fresh face for him. The rest of us girls are already out there, but you're not. So, you're the perfect candidate. Plus, you’re a bad bitch who I know can get the job done.”
Payne tapped Charlie’s knee. “You can do this. I believe in you. If I didn’t think you could, I wouldn’t send you out for this job.”
Charlie looked back and forth between Payne and Leonie, hoping they were right. Seeing how the other women operated around men made her look like a lightweight.
“So, what’s the main objective?”
“To get the Yola diamond. That’s all you need to be focused on, Charlie.”
“Okay, and when I get it, then what?”
Payne cracked his knuckles while gazing down at the floor.
“Then, I retire. Shit that diamond is worth so much money, I may go buy my own island and live on that bitch for the rest of my days.”
“Then, who would take over the business?” Leonie asked.
“Nobody,” he declared. “This operation is mine and will always belong to me. If I'm not running it, then nobody will.”
Charlie gulped hard. “Okay, what do I need to do?”
Leonie scooted to the edge of the bed. “So, this nigga, Jirah, is different from most men. Your good looks won’t be enough to grab his attention. You need to figure out a way to stand out amongst the women that be around him. Of course, you need to be on point as far as your face and drip, but you have to grab his attention in a different way.”
“You have that it factor, Charlie,” Payne added. “Just like your mama, she too had a quality about her that most men loved. You are no different. It’ll be easy for you to get into Jirah’s head. Make that nigga fall in love with you. So, get creative and bring me what I want.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Now they're having a diamond party on Friday. I heard it’s a new collection they want to show exclusively to their clients. You should go and scope it out.”
“Ooh,” Leonie interrupted. “I know the guy who’s catering, and he said he could use some extra hands. He even asked if I knew some people.”
Payne pointed at Leonie. “That’s the perfect setup.” He then returned his attention on Charlie. “She gon’ get you in there to work. I need you to take note of everything. Be observant but don't be obvious, alright?”
“I’ll even give you some pointers, so you won’t look like a fish outta water,” Leonie joked.
Smirking, Charlie told her, “Thanks.”
“Can you handle this shit for me?” Payne asked. “I need you to come through for me, baby. I’ve been loyal to you, so you need to return the same energy.”
Charlie didn’t have to think about his question too long. He was indeed loyal to her so how could she not pay him back.
Inhaling a deep breath, she bobbed her head. “I got you, Payne.”
He grinned. “That’s my girl.”
Cold Case Love is on sale for .99 cents this weekend. This is a stand-alone with over 160,000 words. Be sure to grab it and share with all of your reading friends.
XOXO,
Charae
Morning Tribe,
Three new King Ju episodes are AVAILABLE to read now‼️ enjoy and please be sure to like and crown each episode when you're done ♥️
