Free Love and War by Jackie Chanel

She had no idea if Aries believed her story or not. She was making it up as she went along. She didn’t know any girls who were locked up, but she’d seen enough episodes of Women Behind Bars to know that it happened to plenty of girls.
    “I don’t handle my ladies that way,” Aries told her. “I like good girls, and I try to keep them that way.”
    Caprice took a bite of her salad and stared at her date.
    “How does all this work?” she asked. “I mean, you have all these guys working for you, but obviously you and Diesel are the ones making the most money. How is that?”
    “It probably works just like your company,” Aries replied shortly. “I’m sure you have people selling your makeup. You aren’t going to consumers and selling it yourself. I bet you keep the lion’s share of the profits.”
    “Yeah, but I’m sure there is a difference between selling lip gloss and selling crack. I sure hope there is.”
    Aries laughed. “Not much of a difference. Business is business. It’s all about supply and demand.”
    “But how do you get your supply? Mine is made in Tampa. You have to get yours from Colombia or some place overseas, right?”
    “You ask a lot of questions,” Aries easily deflected her question. “But you don’t like answering them, do you?”
    “I don’t have a problem with it. I’m just trying to get to know you. Isn’t that how relationships are built?”
    Aries gave her his panty-dropping smile. “So, you want to be in a relationship with me?”
    “Depends,” Caprice replied with her own flirtatious smile. “We’ll see.”
    “After two weeks it’s ‘we’ll see’?” Aries chuckled. “You’re somethin ’ special, Caprice.”
    “Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
    “You should.”
    Aries sat across from Caprice and watched her finish her salad. He usually dated the crème de la crème, and she was still so different from any of them. He had top notch bitches, from school teachers to models that he casually dated from time to time. They all could learn a thing or two from Caprice. From day one, he knew she was just the type of female he wanted, but it wasn’t going to be easy to get her. Unlike most females, she thought she was on the same level as him, or higher. In a small way she was, considering her background. It was going to take a lot of hard work to break her down, but Aries was down for the challenge.

Chapter Seven

    A knock on her front door caused Caprice to look up from the pile of books and study guides on her dining room table. She snapped the cap back on her yellow highlighter and sighed. She wasn’t expecting anyone and the interruption was irritating.
    “Who is it?” she called out .
    “Diesel,” the voice answered.
    Caprice reached into her purse and slid the safety off her gun. Diesel was always around when she hung out with Aries, but she and him weren’t friends. They certainly weren’t cool enough for him to be stopping by her apartment.
    She rose from the table, clutching her weapon tightly in her hand. She had every reason to be cautious.
    “What do you want?” she asked while looking through the peep hole.
    Dressed in the BDM signature all black, Diesel was one hunk of fine. Even so, she had to be careful. In any circumstance, he could easily overtake Caprice if he wanted to.
    “Keisha told me to meet her here. Open the door, girl.”
    “Where is Aries?”
    “Probably with his baby mama,” Diesel replied. “Are you goin ’ to open the door or make me wait in my car?”
    Hesitantly, Caprice unlocked the door and stood in the doorway with her hand behind her back.
    “Why did Keisha tell you to meet her here? She hasn’t called and asked to come over.”
    “Her momma is home. Apparently, she don’t want no gangstas in her shitty ass house. Keesh is your girl, right? You ain’t gon cockblock her, are you? Not when you got a spare room, right?”
    Caprice laughed as Diesel winked at her. “Boy, if I’m not gettin ’