Ryan One thing I will say is that these people ain't fools. I end up coming to the hotel. I put on my gloves and dust for finger prints. I come up with nothing. Can anything go to plan?! I slam the gloves on the ground and roar out. I look at night sky and that's when my eyes fall on a traffic cam. Hopefully this one still works. I unlock my phone and call Ben.

"Ben can you check out the traffic cams by the hotel I told you I was going at?"

"I'm on it."

I hear him typing on his keyboard. Instead of losing my temper I decided to wait.

"Yeah I got something, but it's only half of the license plate. I see the last numbers 445. Sorry I can't get anymore boss."

"I don't wanna hear sorry. I want you to run them plates and get back to me!"

I hang up in his face. I get in my truck and tap on my dashboard. This whole thing is just a minor set back. Ain't no way I'm finna let them unravel my plan. Time to call in the dragon one of the only few people I trust.

"Ryan do you have the future queen or did you manage to mess it up?"

I bite my cheeks I was finna say something, but I couldn't do her like I do the rest of them.

"She slipped outta my hands. In my defense I told you it was too soon."

There is silence on the other side. I can't handle the silence especially when I couldn't see her. There ain't no telling what's going on in that head of hers.

"That's why I always have a plan B."

"So what's the plan?"

"I'm not telling you. You might manage to screw that like you did with the other plan."

She hung up in my face and there wasn't anything I could do. I have to rely on the others to progress. I need to get Jaida on my side.

Jaida I can't sleep. I can't escape the events that occurred in the past few hours. The clock in the background isn't helping with its tick tocking. I pull the pillow over my head trying to drown out the sound. I toss and turn. It's not going to solve anything. I have to get up and figure out what's going on. I turn on my lamp and write out a connection diagram. I use arrows to draw out how we all were connected.



We all have a common factor of La'Toya. I'm confused as to how he's connected to RJ and Orlando. That's one of the big pieces I'm missing. The other is how La'Toya is connected to all of this. La'Toya is gonna start spilling the beans about everything. For someone that was scared of the sight of the guns she sure did know how to use them. I hope she know she finna be the one to buy my phone tomorrow. It would be RJ if I had his number.

La'Toya I wake up with Orlando's arm around me. I take in the features of his face. In the dream I just had Ryan was telling me I'd never see Orlando again and he'd make sure of that. I shake this thought away that ain't finna happen. Normally I would push people away that got too close, but last night I partly opened up to him. The bond between us has grown stronger. I smile at him because I heard every word he said to me last night. I even felt the kiss he placed on my forehead. I get up and go in my bathroom. I wash up and do my morning routine. I open the bathroom door and close it. I look to my bed and don't see Orlando. I felt a pair of hands bear hug my waist. I elbowed the person behind me in the face I turned to punch the person in the face. I stop when I see its Orlando. I immediately feel guilt.

"I'm sooo sorry I hit you."

"At least I know I don't have to worry about somebody snatching you up."

He laughs while still clutching his jaw.

"Lemme see."

I see that I got him pretty good. I go downstairs to get some ice from the kitchen and come back up to give it to Orlando.

"Here put this on your face."

Orlando holds it to his jaw. I kiss his other cheek. My phone starts vibrating and I see that Jaida is calling me from the house phone.

"Hello. Grandma is that you?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny."

"What do you want child?"

"I hope you know you are going to take me out to get a new phone."

"Why I gotta do it?"

"Cause you the dummy who threw it out the window."

"Okay, but it was RJ's idea."

"And you da one who saw to it being done."

"Uhhh."

"I'll be ready by 9."

She hung up the phone and I looked at Orlando.

"What did she want?"

"Go ahead and get ready we gotta take Jaida phone shopping."

I head to the kitchen and find a few granola bars. Man I gotta go grocery shopping real soon. I grab some granola bars and some waters. I head back up to the room just in enough time to hear Orlando singing in the shower. He up in there singing some New Edition Can you stand the rain. I decided to sing back up. It's not like he could hear me anyways. I start dancing with it maybe that's why I didn't notice the shower had stopped. I turn around only to be meet with Orlando's eyes.

"Hmm would you look at that."

Instantaneously a blush crept onto my cheeks. I wish the floor could just sink me in.

"So you got any clothes I can possibly wear?"

I nod and go in my parents' bedroom. I find a red muscle shirt and black shorts to match it. I go back and toss it to him.

"Ya on ya own with draws doe unless he got an unopened package around here."

"Nah ion need em I always carry and extra pair."

That's weird, but okay imma leave that alone. After he's finished changing he comes out and I hand him part of our mini breakfast. You would think he'd make a comment about it, but surprisingly he didn't.

"Sorry about the mini breakfast. I haven't went grocery shopping yet. We are gonna eat breakfast after the phone shopping with Miss Jaida."

"It's all good. Then maybe we can just come back to the house and chill."

I smile then smack my forehead.

"What?"

"My car is at gram's house."

"I'll just call RJ."

"No. Poor RJ is probably tired of us already. Let him rest."

"I'm just gonna call Jaida."

I dial her home phone number. She answers.

"Hello."

"Hey you gotta come pick us up."

"Us?"

"Yeah I got Orlando with me."

"Well can't he just bring you over here."

"Not exactly... RJ dropped him off."

"Oh so y'all...oh so mmm.."

"Alright I'm on my way."

"You know I'm back at my house and not gram's."

"You making some bold moves sis."

"I'm not making bold moves I'm making money moves."

"I'm on the way."

I hang up and tell Orlando. About half an hour later Jaida pulls up and honks her horn. We lock up and get into the back seat of her car.

Jaida Must be nice to be in a relationship especially like theirs.

"So you gon do me like that? That's okay you ain't gotta sit in the front."

"You want me up there ?"

"Nah stay back there. Y'all got rules to follow. Number one keep ya hands to yourself. Number two no making heart eyes at each other. Number three no PDA."

"Jaida keep ya eyes on the road and drive me to gram's house."

"Guh who you talking to? You do know I can put you out right?"

"But you won't cause you love me entirely too much and you value our friendship."

She got me there and I turn up the radio. I look and see Toya laughing. I pull up to her gram's and she gets out. She gets in her car and tells Orlando to hop in her car. I would think it would be more safer if I had somebody in the car with me that has a phone. They follow me to my phone company's place. I pick out an upgraded phone and La'Toya barely bats an eye. She pays for that and my new phone case.

"Bye Jaida. Be safe. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay. You need to be safe to."

I wiggle my eyebrows and wink. She shakes her head and heads out. I am one hungry sister so I came to a decision to go to the food court.

Ryan I spot Jaida at the food court. I couldn't plan this incidental meet any better. I walk over to her and accidentally bump into her.

"Watch it bud... Ryan?"

"Hey Jaida I'm glad you're okay."

I hug her and for a split second she relaxes. Then she pulls away.

"You got a lot of explaining to do."

"I agree and I will if you allow me to pay for your food."

It took a little bribing, but in the end she gave in. I know that food is one of Jaida's weaknesses. I pay for her and my food. We sit across from each other. I tell her the story that I rehearsed last night. I watch her facial expression to see if she's buying it. I hold my breath and she buys it. I let out a relieved, silent breath.

"That makes sense I didn't think you would double cross us like that. If you did I'd have to come after you and I know you wouldn't like that."

"Nah. I wouldn't."

I get a strange feeling in my stomach whenever Jaida touches me. We finish up brunch and I walk her outside to her car. I do the gentleman thing for her and open her door. I bet she's eating up every moment of this.

"Thank you."

"Don't say thank you. This is what a real man is suppose to do."

She grins and drive off. She gives a little toot toot to me. I smile and catch myself. What am I doing?

Orlando La'Toya got me at the grocery store helping her load up the buggy.

"Orlando can you get the orange juice and milk?"

Who am I to tell her no? I go get it and place them into the buggy.

"This it?"

"Lemme grab a ten pound bag of potatoes then we can checkout and go home."

Thank you! I was getting tired of grocery shopping it drains the energy outta you especially when you load up like La'Toya did. She got food, bathroom necessities, and extra stuff. We almost needed two buggies. Don't get me wrong I love spending time with her, but we are gonna have to compromise on this grocery shopping business. We checkout and being nice I slyly pay for the groceries. She hit me on the arm, but she couldn't change the fact I paid for it. I tell her to stop by my place so I can get my truck. She does as I request and I follow her to her house. She insists I stay for dinner. So I ain't gonna turn her down. Besides I need to see if her food is hittin. We sit on the couch and she turns on the TV. She goes over to the movie shelf and tells me to pick a movie. I scan the the movie shelf and see one movie that pops out.

"Friday."

We sitting on the couch and she snuggles up to me. She wraps up in the throw that was on the couch. I look back at the movie and we laugh at certain parts. The movie ends and she goes straight to the kitchen. I watch her as she takes out some pots and pans. She takes the pork chops out and rinse them off. Then she seasons them and put them on the grill. She peels the potatoes and rinse them off. Then she puts them into the pot of water and turns on the burner. All while she's cooking she's making sure her area is clean. She's even washed the dishes she's messed up. She sets up two plates on the island. After the meat and potatoes are ready she fixed our plate. She then puts four pieces of bread into the toaster. After they pop up she butters them and put two pieces on each plate.

"Eat up!"

We say grace and I take a bite into the grilled pork chop. I get out of my chair and hop on one leg while my hand is in the air. I run around the table.

"Boy what's wrong with you?"

"This is soo good. You wifey. La'Toya will you marry me right here right now?"

"Boy sit down and eat. Besides we don't have a witness."

The rest of the dinner we sat and goofed off. I offer to wash the dishes, but with La'Toya being as stubborn as she is she declined my offer.

"I gotta go home my parents prolly wondering where I'm at."

"Do you havvvve to?"

If she keeps this up I won't leave. I got this feeling I've been trying to shake all day.

"Yes I promise I'll be back soon tho."

"You pinky promise?"

"Yeah pinky promise."

I kiss her and head home. When I get home I see a blood trail leading from the foyer looks like to the book room. I follow it with a gun in hand locked and loaded. I quietly creep into the book room. I see my mom standing over my dad with a knife.

"Mama?"

"Orlando."

I take in the scene and look at my mama. Something is different about her.

"You gotta hair cut?"

"Yeah I decided I needed a new look."

"What...what..."

"Happened?"

"Yea."

"I just killed your father."

"Wh..."

"Why?"

I nod.

"Well my son your father had an appetite so he ate like a shark at a buffet. If it wasn't for me he wouldn't have an appetite. My hunger was greater than his. So in a world of eat or be eaten he got ate. That plain and that simple."

She laughed and rubbed her bloody hands on my face. I had to get out of here.