Page 7 of Smoke

“I guess you’re welcome, beautiful.”

I left him with a smile as I headed out to my car to pump the gas. As I lifted the nozzle, he took it from my hands.

“You don’t think I’d pay for your gas and not pump it, do you?” he asked, leaning against my car.”

“I’m fully capable of pumping my own gas, sir.”

“I’m sure you are. But I’m a gentleman.” He extended his hand. “I’m Patrick.”

“Romi.”

“Romi… I like that. You got a boyfriend, Romi?”

“I don’t.”

“So would you mind me asking for your number?”

“Um…”

“I promise, I’m harmless. I think you’re beautiful, and I’d like to get to know you a little and you get to know me.”

He’d finished pumping the gas as he waited for my answer. Hesitantly, I’d pulled out my phone and handed it to him. We exchanged numbers, and shit went from there. If I’d listened to that hesitation… that small inkling that I needed to stay away from this man, I wouldn’t be in this position right now.

He love-bombed the fuck out of me.

I was talking dates, gifts, meeting the family, meeting Korri… everything. He did and said all the right things that had me falling in love with him. I waited five months before introducing him to my baby, and when I did, she fell in love with him. She was his little princess, and he acted like he loved her so much. We were ten months into our relationship when his true colors started showing.

It started with him questioning where I got my products forPure Glow Beauty Bar. He wanted to know the days, how big my shipments were, who delivered them, and all kinds of shit. His line of questioning had me raising my eyebrows. When I told him that, he damn near cursed me out.

“Bitch, you acting like a nigga is asking your ass for something. I just asked a muthafucking question with your stupid ass.”

His reaction caught me off guard so much that I didn’t even have a response for it. It was so unlike him and completely threw me for a loop. Days went by before I heard from or saw him again. I didn’t even bother to reach out to him because I wasn’t tolerating being spoken to like that.

It wasn’t until he showed up at my beauty bar that I found out his true intentions behind the question. I was sitting at my desk going over inventory when he came in.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, sitting back.

“I need you to do something for me.”

“Um, no. Not after the way you spoke to me. As far as I’m concerned, this relationship is done.”

“This shit is done when I say it’s done, Romi.” He tossed a small duffel bag on my desk. “Since you want to be secretive about the shit, I did a little research of my own. You should really do a better job of vetting your employees, baby. A little dick will have them telling all your business.”

“What?”

He unzipped the bag and exposed the bricks of cocaine.

“Patrick, what the fuck do you think this is?” I asked, shoving the bag toward him.

He stared at me with a stoic expression. That’s when it clicked. This man told me he owned a barbershop and a diner, both of which I’d been to, so I knew that was true. This… this was news to me.

“Are you fucking serious!” I yelled, jumping to my feet. “I’ve had you around my child, and this is what you’re doing!”

“Pipe the fuck down.”

“Don’t tell me to pipe down, Patrick. Anything could have happened to us while we were with you if this is the type of time you’re on.”

“You here, ain’t it? Ain’t shit happen to you, and nothing is going to happen to you as long as you do what I ask.”

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