“What’s up, CeCe? You look nice tonight.”
“It’s a Diane Von Furstenberg lipari dress. You like?” CeCe asked and stepped closer to me.
“Yes, I do. But you look good every time I see you.”
“Which isn’t often enough, but I love it when you like what I wear. You know I pick my outfits with you in mind. You liking what I wear makes it worth the money I paid for them.”
CeCe was in the apartment when Cash and his crew got popped. Before the police got there, CeCe took all the money and dope out of the place and left it with one of her neighbors. She sold the dope and kept the money.
Smart girl.
“How’d you know I’d be here?” I asked.
“I’ve been looking for you, but I know you know that. I know you always show up here sooner or later. But I see you got your woman with you tonight, so I won’t disrespect her and take up a lot of your time, but I do need to talk to you about some business.”
I looked at CeCe for a second and then I turned and unlocked the door that led to the office. I stepped aside to let her pass and locked the door behind me.
“So this is what’s behind the black door. You know everybody wants to know.” CeCe went up the stairs that led to the office and I gladly followed behind her. When we got to the office, CeCe walked to the window and looked out at the club. “I always thought that this was a two-way mirror.”
“See how smart you are.”
“I’m glad you noticed.”
“Can I get you a drink?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t mind if I do?”
“Of course not,” CeCe said and sat down on the couch.
I fixed my drink and sat behind Bobby’s desk. “What business you need to talk to me about?”
“You still looking for that guy Mylo?”
“What about him?”
“I saw him on the news a couple of weeks ago. His name was really Clint Harris and they said that he was a DEA agent, but it was the same guy. They found him dead in Philly.”
“I heard that too. What about him?”
“Well, you remember when you said you were looking for Mylo and I said I didn’t know who that was?”
“I remember.”
“Well after I saw him on the news, I remembered that he used to come by the apartment to see Cash.”
“But you knew him as Clint Harris and not Mylo?”
“That’s what I’ve been tryin’ to tell you.”
I sat there for a second or two thinking before CeCe said something. “What?”
“If Cash knew his real name, did he know that he was DEA?”
“How could he not know? I mean, it could happen, but I doubt it.”
“How well did you know Mylo or Clint or whatever his name was?”
“Not well at all. I told you I hadn’t been with Cash that long. Clint used to come by the apartment sometimes and they’d talk.”
“What they talk about?”
“They would always ask me to leave, so I never did know or really care what they were talkin’ about, but what I could hear was Clint tellin’ Cash how he could handle things.”
“Why you care now?”
CeCe looked at me like she couldn’t believe I actually had to ask her that question. “Why you think?”
“Enlighten me. This way we’ll both know.”
“You. I’m diggin’ you, Mike Black. I think I’ve made that plain. I know you here with your woman. She’s a very pretty woman and I hear she’s good people, and y’all got your thing, whatever it is. And believe me, I do respect that, but the fact of the matter is I want you. And you know what’s funny?”
“What’s that?”
“I know you want me.”
“What’s funny about that?”
“What’s funny is I can’t figure it out. I know you want me. I can see it in your eyes when you look at me. I can hear it in your voice when you talk to me. I can tell it by the way you avoid me unless you need something from me. And don’t try to say that you don’t avoid me, ’cause we both know it’s true. ‘She'll be all right.’ I believe that’s your line.”
She was right. That’s exactly what I say anytime somebody tells me that CeCe was lookin’ for me. When I didn’t comment, CeCe continued.
“And you gotta admit, when you need me, I come through for you, don’t I?”
“You do.”
“Every time. And you’re gonna need me again and I got you, baby. Anything I can ever do for you is done. But I need you to understand something.”
“What’s that?”
“I do what I do for you ’cause I want to. I want you to know the kind of woman I am. I understand that since I used to be with Cash that you didn’t trust me, but I hope we’ve gotten past that. I want you to know that you can trust me, and you know that you can depend on me to handle mine and whatever you need me to do. I want you, Mike Black; want you bad and I want you to want me the same way. That’s why I do the things that I do for you. Not ’cause I know you’ll break me off something. I don’t need nothing from you, I got my own.” CeCe took a breath. “Oh, I didn’t tell you, I’m getting ready to open a high-end boutique in a couple of weeks. So bring your woman by and I’ll hook her up.”
I knew why she threw that in. By now CeCe must have heard that I bought a gym for Maria to run. Since she was a personal trainer, I thought it was a good match for her since I made her stop dancin’ at Cynt’s.
“Let me know when you open and I’ll drop by.” I thought about legitimate business opportunities for the future. “Depending on how you do in business, I may want to talk about investing in your expansion.”
“Partners with Mike Black, I like the sound of that. It will make me work that much harder.”
I bet it will. “My name ever come up in any of these discussions between Cash and Mylo?” I asked, switching the subject back to business before I said something that would take this conversation in a direction that I wasn’t willing to take it. But CeCe was right about me. I do want her; wanted her bad. Every time I see her, she makes me want her even more. Then why do I avoid her? Maybe it’s because I haven’t wanted a woman like this since I met Cassandra, and I wasn’t ready to feel like that.
Not now, maybe not ever.
“Nope, I would have told you by now if I had heard your name. Him and K Murder used to talk about you all the time. Talk about you like you was Darth Vader.”
I laughed. “No one ever compared me to Darth Vader before.”
“How you know?” CeCe said and stood up. “You don’t know how these niggas in them streets are scared to death of you.”
“I guess I don’t.”
“That’s why you got me to let you know these things. And you do got me, Mr. Black, all of me. I’m just waiting for you to take me.” CeCe started walking toward the desk. “I know you got to get back to your woman. She’s probably looking for you and giving Bobby a hard time about where you are.”
I picked up the phone and called Kevon on his cell. “Yes, boss.”
“Come to the office.”
“On my way,” Kevon said and hung up.
I got up and led CeCe to the door. “The least you can do is give me Kevon’s number.”
I went back to the desk and wrote it down. I handed the paper to her. “Thank you. I promise not to blow it up.” CeCe looked at it then looked at me. I felt that urge to rip her clothes off as Kevon knocked on the door.
I opened the door for Kevon. “Escort the lady out and tell Bobby I need to talk to him.”
“Well, I guess this is goodnight, Mr. Black.”
“We’ll talk again, soon.”
“Is that a promise or a threat?” CeCe remarked as she closed the door behind her.
I walked over to the couch and sat down. I sat there thinking about what CeCe had just told me about Cash and Mylo. Did Cash know Mylo was DEA? If he did know, how did Vinnelli fit into this?
Chapter 13
Nick Simmons
I was tired when Black dropped me off. I had gotten up early that morning and it had been a long day. I decided not to fight it any longer and got in bed. I woke up to the sound of my cell phone ringing. “Hello,” I said, but I was still half asleep.