Basketball Jones (20 page)

“Come on and stop playing with me. I know you’re the one who blackmailed Dray, and now you’re doing the same thing to me.” I eyed my alarm system to the left of the door and made sure I knew where the panic button was in case this fool came after me.

“Blackmail? Dude, you trippin’. I’m here to apologize, but if a brotha can’t drop by to admit that he was wrong, then I will just take my happy ass home.”

I scrutinized Cisco to see if he was possibly telling the truth. He had to be behind this scheme, and most likely one of his bois was helping him out. I didn’t know how they were getting their information but I figured their street smarts could carry them only so far. But if he really was behind all this, why would
he come to my house? The terms had been laid out by the blackmailer, so why would he risk exposing himself by seeing me in person?

“So,” I said, my arms crossed against my chest, “you’re saying you didn’t contact Dray and threaten to tell his father if he didn’t give you $100,000 and then turn around and put your bois up to do the same thing to me? You didn’t threaten to release some little video of us if I didn’t comply? Are you saying that wasn’t you?”

Cisco stepped closer, as if to plead his case. “Look, man, that ain’t the way I roll. I make my own money. I might not ever have bank like you and Dray, but my moms raised me better than that.”

Don’t ask me why, but somehow I knew there was not a trace of a scam about him. Maybe he was telling the truth, and here I was acting like a crazy person.

I followed my hunch. “You sure?”

“Look, Aldridge, my word is my bond. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I came over here to apologize for coming on so strong a few weeks ago. I was wrong and that was unprofessional.” Cisco stood there a moment, looking expectantly, as if my believing him was the most important thing in the world to him.

Frankly, I didn’t know who or what to believe anymore. My nerves were fried and I didn’t have the strength left to fight this alone. I had to talk to someone.

“Come in,” I said, opening the screen door.

He backed away hesitantly, playfully, putting both hands in front of himself defensively. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” I laughed. “Things have just been crazy lately. Come in.”

Cisco slid into my living room like a stray cat who might get tossed out at any second.

“So will you accept my apology? I think you’re a cool dude and I can help you find a good trainer. I just wanted you to know that you didn’t do anything wrong and I’m working on some issues in my own life.”

“No hard feelings,” I said, shaking his hand. “You owe me an apology? If anything I owe you one.”

We took seats facing each other across the coffee table.

“So what’s all this about being blackmailed? That’s some serious shit.”

Now that I’d gone and told him about the blackmailer, there was no turning back. I couldn’t exactly turn around and say this was some type of joke I’d planned just to pass time. I had to play it cool enough not to tell him too much, but just let him know what I was up against. “Yeah, that’s the real deal. At first they came after Dray, and when he paid them a hundred thousand they came after me.”

I went on to tell Cisco about the guy demanding money and meeting him at Jackson Square.

“I wouldn’t be meeting any niggas in any park in New Orleans carrying a suitcase full of money. Dude, this sounds like some television or movie shit. And you thought it was me? That’s funny,” he said, shaking his head, amused by the idea. “I ain’t got the smarts or the heart for that kinda shit. My ass don’t want to end up having the state of Louisiana providing my housing.”

With Cisco out of my lineup of suspects, the field was suddenly wide open. Only it made less sense than ever.

“Who could be behind all this?” I said, thinking out loud.

“Sounds like some shit these junior playas in New Orleans might try. Punk asses.” Cisco leaned forward. “Do you need my
help? I got my bois that could put a little pressure on these people,” he said, slamming his left fist in his open right hand as a show of power.

“What can you do? What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I got some associates who can bring the wood and ain’t nobody got to know.”

“Let me think about it.” As much as I loved the idea of the blackmailer getting his ass kicked, I didn’t want to get involved in anything criminal that was going to get my ass into trouble that Dray’s money couldn’t get me out of.

“Okay, man, but all you got to do is to say the word. I will hit up my boys and it will be on like
Donkey Kong.
Shit, I ain’t busted up a pimp in a long time.”

I laughed in spite of myself. “I’ll let you know, Cisco.”

“Okay, that’s what’s up. I’m going to bounce, but hit me up if you need me. My cell number is still the same.”

“I appreciate that,” I said.

“That’s what’s up,” Cisco said, and leaned over and gave me a brother-man hug. I walked him to the door.

“Thanks for coming by. I really appreciate your concern.”

“No doubt,” Cisco said with a smile that belied his tough-boy demeanor.

An afternoon rain was beating down on the roof of my
_^
town house when Dray walked in, soaking wet. “You miss me, baby boi?” he asked, seemingly unaware of the irony that he was about to have a new “baby boi” all his own. He removed his T-shirt, his six-pack glistening. “Yeah, I missed you.” “How you gonna show me you missed me?” Dray asked. He
was oblivious to all the new drama, and that would have been almost funny if I hadn’t felt so afraid and alone.

“You want a massage?”

“That could be a start.”

“I’ll do whatever you need, Dray. You know that.” I knew where this was heading and I started to tell him what I really wanted was to just crawl in bed with him, maybe read to him until we both fell asleep. I needed him to hold me like old times when we were in college, to tell me that everything would be fine just as long as I was in his arms.

Dray unbuckled his belt and his jeans slid down. In seconds he was butt-ass naked. His dick looked as big as a telescope.

“Come here, babe, and show me how much you missed me,” Dray said devilishly. I needed to talk to Dray more than I needed to make love to him, but his awesome body was dictating the conversation. After all these years, this man made me hard as brick any time we were together.

I walked over to him and he wrapped me in his massive arms. He began kissing me and his kisses were so deep it was like he was making love to me with his lips. I was ready to climax right there in his arms.

“Let’s go into the bedroom,” I suggested, removing my sweat suit.

“Naw, let’s do it in here,” Dray whispered in my ear, which he proceeded to nibble like some exotic delicacy. He was feeling frisky and I needed to be made to feel safe. I gave in to his passion. Before I did, however, I picked up the remote to my music system. I clicked it and the melodious sounds of Keyshia Cole filled the room.

Dray was sprawled out with an expectant smile. I crawled over to him and started to lick him like he was covered in
chocolate syrup. As I got to his groin, I could smell the heavy scent of his arousal. He cupped the back of my head to pull me in closer, moaning, “Come here, AJ baby, and let Dray show you how I really feel about my boi.”

Dray’s massive dick was fully erect, begging to be stroked and tasted. I slid my hand over his mushroom head and down his long shaft all the way to his balls. He closed his eyes, lost in pleasure, moaning, “Oh, baby, that’s it.” I repeated the gesture, running my tongue over his dick head at the same time. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer and took him in my mouth in one quick motion. Dray shuddered and opened his eyes. He mouthed a silent “O.” I closed my lips tight around his dick and then went all the way down on him, coming up only to kiss his balls.

When it felt like Dray couldn’t stand it anymore, he stood up and went to the French Provincial desk where I kept my condoms and pulled a couple of the gold packets out. Then he came over to me from behind and began to grind on me as he played with my dick until it was brick. He turned me around to face him and he bent down and began kissing my chest until I was ready to explode from excitement. He began kissing me deeply and then he turned me back around. Moments later, I suddenly felt his latex-clad dick plunging into me like someone was pushing a balloon up my ass. I gasped, half in pain, half in disbelief that this man could slide inside me so fast. I offered no resistance, pushing my ass into him, wanting every inch in me. As he began to grind, the pleasure intensified and I didn’t want him to ever stop as he sent a sweet excitement through my body.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the cool slipperiness of the lubricant before letting out a long breath of pure pleasure. I could
feel Dray’s warm breath against my neck and the faint smell of his deodorant as he continued with his powerful strokes. As he pumped harder I reached back to touch his plump, muscular ass like I was trying to press him deeper inside me. As the ripples of pleasure streaked through my body, Dray and I were moaning as our sweaty passion increased.

“What you want me to do now, baby?” he whispered.

“Oh, Dray, keep fucking me. Come on, boi!”

“You like that big dick, boi?” He began to stroke me deeper and faster, mounting me doggy-style.

“I love it,” I said, trying to hold up my nut.

“Like you love me?”

“Yes … yes,” I said. I lost myself completely at the sensation of having Dray inside me.

“Tell me.”

“I love you, Dray.” I could barely get out the words, he had me so breathless.

“What else you love?”

“You.”

“What else, AJ?”

“I love this dick,” I moaned.

“How much?”

“I can’t live without it … oh baby, that is it!” Dray’s muscled body enveloped mine, squeezing tightly. In a moaning and pumping crescendo, we suddenly climaxed simultaneously.

As we both lay on the polished cherry floor, limp from exhaustion, there were so many unspoken questions dancing in front of me. I looked over and admired Dray’s eyes and lips, and his dick lying on his belly like a turkey drumstick. I wanted to kiss him but I resisted. Dray looked at me and asked if I felt all right and I simply nodded my head. I wanted to ask Dray if
Judi made him feel as good as I did. Did she love him the way I did? Could he be himself when he was with her? Could he tell her every thought that crossed his mind? I wanted Dray to promise me that we would always be together. That he would always love me. But nary had a word left my lips. Although we lay there wrapped in an embrace, I could feel my man slipping away between my fingers.

The big day arrived and I was nervous as hell. How
I
exactly do you walk into your neighborhood Bank of America and withdraw a quarter million dollars in cash? Although I told myself that I was going to do it no matter what—after all, what choice did I really have?

Still, somewhere in the back of my mind I resisted. Maybe this wasn’t the answer. Dray had paid off this guy before—what was to stop him from coming back again? I still hadn’t told Dray a thing and kept asking myself if that wasn’t a mistake.

It wasn’t as if he knew how to handle the blackmailer all that well. He had caved in at the demand, anything to save his ass. But even so, we had been in that together and for some reason that had made a difference, made the situation feel a lot less scary than it felt this time around.

I told myself that I kept Dray out of it because I loved him with all my heart or I was scared of what he might do. Whatever the reason, I was going through with my plan without a word to Dray.

I walked into the bank loaded with identification and an empty Louis Vuitton duffel bag. I decided to make my transaction at mid-morning, when I thought it would be less crowded. The last thing I needed was someone nosy overhearing my business. There were enough people spying on me as it was.