A couple of the girls she’d gone to school with had thought they’d been the ones to catch his eye, only to find themselves pregnant, and at his mercy. He didn’t treat the mothers of his children any differently. To get any kind of money from him, they had to do it on their backs, serving anyone who’d have them, screwing travelers in the backs of cars, or serving men he wanted to entertain.
She’d seen the two girls she’d gone to school with the other day, and instead of looking like healthy twenty-five-year-olds, they looked twenty years older, and were miserable.
Carlton was also the reason for her bruised face and ribs.
Her parents loved fucking like rabbits, and because of that, they had a family of twelve. She had some older brothers, but none of them cared about feeding the younger kids that were still in school. She did. At the grocery store, she’d bumped into Carlton, where he’d promised her easy cash.
Once again, she’d turned him down. She didn’t want to be a whore. Her body was her own, and it still filled her with pride that she was a virgin, even at twenty-five. Being around sex all of her life, she’d not been in any hurry to lose her V-card, and was happy with it.
She was going to hurt for another few days, so she buttoned up her uniform, tied back her brown hair, and left the bathroom.
Entering the kitchen, she saw George, the owner and cook, staring out at the seating area.
“That guy in the suit. Makes sure he gets everything he wants. Show him a smile, and he’ll tip you good. Didn’t he want the chicken?”
He didn’t see her wince. George never cooked chicken for long enough, and whenever she could, she always advised their customers not to order it. She was surprised the health department hadn’t closed them down.
She’d warned him about it, and he told her to shut her trap, that she didn’t have the first clue what she was talking about.
Seeing as she needed the job, she did shut her mouth, and just kept on doing what she did best, serving customers, and faking a smile and happiness.
“He didn’t want the chicken.”
“Do you think he’ll want the pie?” he asked.
“I don’t know. He’s still eating, so I’ll wait to go and check.”
She took the refilled pot of coffee, and as she went to pass George, he grabbed her arm, stalling her.
“I don’t want to scare away the customers. Your face isn’t going to bring trouble here, is it?”
“No. It won’t.”
“I mean it, Lori. I’m not interested in getting into trouble.”
“You won’t. I promise.” She stared at his hand on her, and he released her.
She didn’t see Carlton coming here. If she did, she’d no longer work here anyway, as she wanted to be far away from where she grew up. Lori had only been in the old neighborhood grocery store to get food for her younger siblings. They were always on her mind, even though the youngest was now a teenager.
Carlton tended to stay around the streets that he controlled rather than venture out. She worried about her younger sisters, always warning them to steer clear of Carlton and his gang.
Leaving the kitchen, she made her way to one table where a little girl asked her for a chocolate milkshake. She put the coffee pot down, made the milkshake, and smiled at the young girl, remembering being that girl.
Whenever she was out with her brothers and sisters she’d always tried to get them treats if she could afford it. Most of her wages had gone to her parents back then, not that they seemed to remember her. She’d put the money in the pot in the kitchen, where they always stored their money. Half the time she was sure her parents forgot she even existed between all of their kids. It was lonely.
Lori continued her rounds. She held the coffee up. “Would you like some more coffee?”
“Yes.” The man in the suit put his cup in front of him, and she poured him some coffee.
“Why is your cook constantly staring at me? Did he spit in my food?”
She smiled. “No. He didn’t spit in your food. He wants to know if you’d like a piece of pie, and he wants me to smile a lot at you for an extra tip.”
Even though he had a shaved head, she found him to be incredibly handsome. A cross between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, but his own unique look. The suit couldn’t hide the muscles it covered. His arms were huge. She was sure they were as big as her thighs, and being the fat girl, she had large, chunky thighs.
“Is his pie worth it?”
“I’d go for his cherry pie. It’s really nice with vanilla ice cream.”