who doesnât want her.â
I struggled to snatch his hand away from my throat, but Deanthonywas too strong. It was official. This fool had lost his mind, if he ever had one to begin with. âGet your fucking hands off me.â I could barely push the words up from my throat due to the tight hold from Deanthonyâs kung-fu grip.
âNot until you and I come to an understanding that Iâm nobodyâs whipping boy Iâm not some dog that you can kick around when he doesnât do what you tell it.â
I felt inside my purse for something I could use against Deanthony. I yanked out my fingernail file and stabbed him in the arm with the only weapon I had against this gorilla of a man.
âDamn, bitch, are you crazy?â
He turned me loose. It took everything in me to keep from cutting Deanthony. A man puts his hands on me, I instantly see red. But Mama Liz had her eyes glued to us the whole time and I wasnât trying to catch a murder case over Deanthonyâs ashy-ass.
âYouâre glad I didnât plunge this in your throat. Donât you ever put your grimy hands on me again, or someoneâs going to the morgue.â
âIâm fucking bleeding,â Deanthony said.
âShut the fuck up; itâs just a flesh wound. Youâll live.â
Mama Liz stepped onto the porch. âD, whatâs going on out here?â
I eased my nail file back into my purse. âNothing, Ma, weâre just talking.â
âWell, I heard you yelling out here. Are you all right?â
Fucking mamaâs boy.
âGo on back in the house, Ma. Iâm fine. Tangela and I are just talking.â Deanthony dabbed at the cut on his arm with the tail end of his tank top.
Mama Liz did what Deanthony told her, holding her eyes on me. If looks could kill, she would have slit a bitchâs throat.
âI donât know who you think youâre messing with. Maybe yougot me confused with some low-budget chicken head, but you got the wrong bitch today. I didnât drive all the way over here on this ghetto-ass side of town to kick up shit with you. Iâm trying to make sure we both get what we want. I get your brother and you get to ride off back to La La Land with Bree.â
âWhat the fuck makes you think I need you for that? Iâve stolen a long line of honeys from under Kashawnâs nose.â
âBut Bree isnât just any bitch. This is the woman youâre in love with.â
Deanthony laughed like he was crazy.
âWhatâs so damn funny?â
âYou trying to sell me on Bree like sheâs a damn frozen cup. Again, baby girl, I donât need you to tell me how I feel.â
âJust remember our plan and donât fuck this up for us.â
âWhereâs the tape?â
âDo you think I would tell you, just like that?â
âI could just beat it out of you.â
âAnd youâll never get the original.â
Deanthony looked at me, knowing I had him by the balls.
âMama Lizâs doctor told her to take it easy after that mild heart attack she had last summer. I know. I was there when he told her, Kashawn, and Bree about the fragility of her health. It would just break her heart if she found out that her baby was a high-class escort. You know how Mama Liz feels about people like you.â
âYou a low-level cunt bitch, Tangela.â
âSticks and stones, baby boy. Just stick with the plan and Iâll give you all the copies and Mama Liz never needs to know about your sexual curricular activities.â
âAnd how the fuck do I know that you donât have copies?â
âYouâre just going to have to trust this low-level cunt bitch.â
Deanthony gawked at me like he was trying to stare a hole throughme. He knew I had his ass between a rock and a hard place with both my hands wrapped firmly around his balls. âSo you going to tell me whatâs up or do I have to