Ragz to Riches

Chapter 5

6 months later

I pulled up to the mall in my brand new, candy apple red Charger, my chrome rims blinging in the sunlight and TI's song Motivation banging out my system. I parked right next to my girl in her brand new Lexus. You can't tell us s**t today! I hopped out and gave Dee a hug and we walked into the mall, arms linked.

First stop, Jimmy Choo! We walky in and bought the shoes we'd been dying to buy and I copped some Jimmy Choo Flora gotta have my perfumes. "Girl we still working tomorrow?" Dee asks. "Yeah Kai is supposed to call with the details tonight" I replied. "Hell yeah I need to make that paper!" she screeched and gave me a high five. We had been working steady for the past six months. I had been making anywhere from $2000 to $5000 a week. I turned seventeen two months ago and went and got myself emancipated. So I was able to get a new condo and I finally have electricity! I filled my place with furniture and bought my new car. I have $10,000 in savings and counting. My life had changed overnight since the first night I worked with Kai.

Kai had become like a brother to me. A fine as hell brother but a brother all the same. He really looks out for me and no one has ever really done that other than Dee. My circle is small but I'm ok with that.

After we grabbed some lunch at Charley's we headed back to my condo. "Girl I was with Mike last night!" Dee busted out with as soon as we walked in the door. "No way!" I exclaimed. "You gotta give me details"! Mike is a guy we used to go to school with. He's so fine and I always knew he liked Dee. He was just too scared to make a move and so was Dee. " He finally hit me up on IG and asked me out b***h" she said. "Bout damn time. So what happened" I asked. "Well we went to a movie and got something to eat. Then we went back to his Mama's house" she said shyly. "Ok and..."? I pried. "We played some cards" she laughed trying to be vague. "Strip poker" she blurted out! I started laughing my ass off! "So who won" I asked. "I did" she laughed. "He was sitting there butt naked and I politely got up and sat on his lap" she screeched. I am blowed! My girl is never so forward. She's been with one nigga in her whole life and it took him years to get it. "There's just something about Mike" we both said at the same time and we both started cracking up!

We decide to get in the Jacuzzi and relax for a bit while watching Baddies on tv. Later we had some grilled chicken salad for dinner and finally went to sleep around 2am. The next morning I woke to a knock at my door. I hopped up and ran downstairs and looked through the peephole and it was Kai. "What's up bruh come on in" I said. "Good morning princess" he says and gives me a hug. "Y'all ready for tonight " he asks. "Hell yeah we're ready " I exclaimed. "We went to the mall yesterday and bought several new outfits to change into and of course some beautiful heels to go with them" I said. "Dee is upstairs sleeping " I told him. "Not anymore I'm not " I hear Dee saying and she pads down the stairs. "Y'all niggas are loud as hell" she laughs. "Tonight is a special night we're gonna be on a yacht with some very rich men y'all gotta do your thang tonight if we're gonna make some real money " he said in his serious tone. "Now you know we always do our thang" I replied. "Well I got some running around to do before tonight so I'll be here at 8 o'clock sharp. Y'all be ready" he said. Then he left.

At 7:30 Dee and I were ready and waiting on Kai to pull up. We took our shots of Petrone and sniffed some lines and we were ready to go. Kai pulled up at 8 o'clock on the dot and we hopped in and rode down to the port of Miami. When we walked up to the yacht I was in awe! I had never been on a big boat or a small boat for that matter. Kai walked up to some niggas who were guarding the ramp and said something I didn't hear. They moved aside and let us walk up the ramp.

When we stepped inside I immediately started checking out my surroundings. To my left there was a nice size bar with really pretty stools lined down it. There was a pretty girl working the bar and several niggas sitting on stools with glasses in their hands. To my right there was a dance floor with a stage and of course a stripper pole. There were at least 30 people on the boat, men and women. I asked Kai to show us to the restroom so we could get ready. "No princess you have a dressing room at this event" he said. "Word?" I replied. "Yep follow me" he said. So Dee and I followed him to a hallway and when he opened the door I was shocked! It was beautiful! There were two vanities set up and Chinese dividers on either side of the room to dress behind. There was a huge, red tufted ottoman in the middle of the floor so we could sit to strap on our heels. I was thinking to myself "I want a room like this in my home". Kai left the room and Dee locked the door behind him so we could get ready for our show. We were already dressed so we just took off our trench coats and hung them up in the closet and we each chose a vanity to sit at and freshen up our makeup. There was a glass tray on the vanity like you would keep your perfume on so I pulled out my little baggy and dumped a little coke on it, made up two lines and sniffed them real quick. I looked over and Dee was doing the same. After we hit our lines and freshened up our makeup we hugged and walked back out to the bar. I ordered a shot of Petrone and Dee ordered herself a drink then we walked over to where we saw Kai standing talking to some dude. "Lani this is Trae it's his party" Kai said. I reached out to shake his hand and he pulled my hand to his lips and softly kissed it. "The pleasure is definitely all mine" he said in a low, sexy voice that was almost a growl. I immediately got a little moist. This nigga is gorgeous! He was tall and brown skinned and had almost green eyes. I was wondering to myself if they were contacts. He was well built like he worked out on a regular and had tattoo sleeves down both arms. He was wearing a Versace shirt and jeans and had a Rolex on his wrist that was blinding me. His hair was curly and looked so soft I wanted to touch it. He had the most beautiful mouth, pearly white teeth, full soft lips and dimples in each cheek when he smiled. I could smell he was wearing Gorgio Armani cologne. He was perfectly edible and I was weak in the knees! I almost forgot Kai and Dee were standing there until Kai broke through the white noise in my head and asked " are y'all ready to work"? My voice cracked a little when I replied "umm yes". Kai led us to the next room where the stage was and the Dj started the music so me and Dee started dancing.

After several songs we took a break and headed to our dressing room to freshen up and change outfits. When we walked in I turned to Dee and said "oh my God did you see that fine ass nigga Trae"! Dee laughed and replied "yeah girl I saw him did you see anything else but him"? I laughed "what's that supposed to mean"? "Girl anyone with eyes could see you were enthralled with him" she laughed. "You made eye contact with him the whole time you were dancing" she said. "Girl I couldn't help it. It's like he had a spell on me or something" I replied. We sniffed a few more lines and changed outfits. Sprayed some Jimmy Choo Flora and went back out. We danced for hours and in between took breaks and changed outfits each time. Finally Kai told us we were done and we could hang out for a bit and chill so we went back into the dressing room and put on our sexy dresses that Kai told us to bring and went back out to the bar. I grabbed a drink and told Dee I was gonna walk outside for some fresh air. "Go right ahead girl I'm staying right here. If I see that water I'll get sea sick and there's nothing sexy about throwing up" she laughed. "Ok girl I'll be back in a few minutes" I said.

I walked out the French doors that lead to an outside balcony and stood holding the rails looking down at the beautiful ocean water as the boat tore through it. I was in my head thinking about that beautiful specimen of a man, Trae when I felt a hand on my lower back that startled me back to reality. "Are you enjoying the party" a smooth, sexy, voice said. I turned my head to see Trae standing right beside me. He was looking at me like I was his dinner. Chills ran up my spine in a spectacular way. "Uh yes I am. It's really extravagant" I replied. "That's how I roll' he said playfully. "So where are you from Lani" he asked. "Miami born and raised " I replied. "Where are you from Trae" I asked being sure to say his name just like he said mine. Look at me trying to be cute. It had been a while since I flirted with a nigga. I was too focused on the come up as of late. "I'm from California. Beverly Hills to be exact" he replied. "Oh so you bougie huh " I laughed. "No never bougie " he laughed too. "My parents came from nothing and worked hard to build a better life for me and my brother Tris so they raised us never to believe we were better than anyone just because we are wealthy " he said. "Sounds like you have great parents " I said with a little sadness in my voice. "They aight" he laughed. "I'm particularly fond of my mama" he laughed some more. He had such a contagious laugh. It was a deep and sexy rumble that came from deep inside his gorgeous, muscular chest. I don't know how long we stood there talking and getting to know each other but it felt like a long time. Then for a bit we were just quiet, enjoying the breeze and the sound of the water below. I could feel his penetrating gaze on me so I met his eyes with mine. Then he slowly leaned down and pressed his soft, luscious lips against mine and I slowly opened my mouth to let him in. It was the sweetest kiss I had ever had! He tasted like cinnamon. I was lost in him when I heard "what the f**k!" It was Kai standing behind us. I turned around and Kai slapped me to the floor of the deck. Before I could move an inch Trae had a gun to Kai's head. My heart was pounding in my ears and I was seeing stars. "Yo bruh you don't ever hit no f*****g woman have you lost your f*****g mind" Trae said real low and steady. "I should pull this f*****g trigger but you ain't worth it dawg" he said. "Take yo ass back inside and I don't wanna see you again until we dock" he said. Kai knew he meant business so he did as he was told. I couldn't believe what had just happened. Trae turned to me and helped me up off the deck floor. "Are you ok sweetheart" he asked. "Yeah I'm fine" I stuttered. "Thank..thank you for protecting me" I stammered some more. "Has he ever hit you before" he asked. "No never" I replied quickly. "I can't believe he just did that" I said. "Are y'all f*****g or something" he asked. "Hell no" I replied offended by the accusation. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that. I'm just trying to figure out what the hell his problem is" he said. "He must want you or something" " He's never tried me in any way to make me believe he wants me" I said. "He's been like a brother to me" I said confused. Just then Dee walked out asking me what happened. I ran down everything that had just went down. "Kai walked in acting a fool and wouldn't even talk to me" she said.

We stayed outside on the deck until we ported about twenty minutes later. By the time we walked down the ramp Kai was nowhere to be seen. "I can give y'all a ride home if you need it" Trae said. "We would really appreciate that. Thank you" I said. We followed Trae to a beautiful, all white Range Rover. He opened the front door for me and I got in. Then he opened the back door for Dee and she got in. Fifteen minutes later we were pulling up in my driveway. "I'll be in right behind you Dee" I said and handed her my keys. She walked inside and closed the door behind her. "I'd really like to see you again Lani" Trae said. " I would really like that too" I replied. "Hand me your phone" I held my hand out waiting. He handed me his phone and I saved my number in it and texted myself from his phone so that I would have his number then handed it back. He leaned over and kissed me softly on my forehead, I got out of the truck and walked inside and closed the door behind me. Thirty minutes later my phone chimed and it was a text from Trae "Sweet dreams beautiful ❤️" was all it said. I fell asleep that night dreaming about his beautiful eyes.