“I can give you a ride home tonight, if you like,” Desiree offered. “If it will make you feel better.”
“I appreciate it, Desiree, but I’ll take a cab. Don’t want you to have to go way out of your way. I’ll be all right.” Angelica paused. “Thanks for being a friend.”
“Girl, you’re all right in my book,” Desiree said. She patted Angelica’s back. “I knew you were special the moment I first laid eyes on you.”
A look of surprise covered Angelica’s face. She looked up at Desiree and smiled. They both turned toward the commotion at the entrance to the dressing room.
Kiki was arguing with Gerald Lloyd. Her hands were flying in the air and her mouth was going a mile a minute. Gerald was up in her face, and his fingers were swishing back and forth like windshield wipers. Kiki took her hands and pushed him in the chest, and, then walked in Angelica’s direction, Gerald walking right behind her.
Kiki threw her hands in the air. “You owe me, bitch. You went out there and stole my money. I’ve got a baby who needs milk and Pampers, and your old ass is in here cuz you ain’t got nothing else to do.”
“Ignore Kiki, Angel,” Gerald Lloyd said. “She’s having a bad day.”
“I don’t need you to talk for me,” Kiki screamed. “She’s gonna pay for this!”
“It’s all right, Mr. Lloyd. I can handle this.” As Angelica stood and stared at Kiki, Gerald Lloyd backed away. “Poor, poor, Kiki. Didn’t make enough money to buy her baby some milk?”
Kiki raised her hand.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Angelica said, throwing her hand up to block Kiki’s hand. “Next time, you’ll be careful what you ask for. Last is what you wanted, and last is what you got. You have no one to blame but yourself. I told you before you got in my face that you were no match for me. You’re cocky, ignorant with mush for brains, and if you had only listened to the advice this old ass gave you, you would have fared much better.
“I believe there’s hope for you Kiki, but before you go around attacking people because of your inexperience and insecurities, use your head for something other than a coat rack. You’ll be better off.”
“I’ll sue you first. Those men out there were my customers.”
Angelica peeled off a twenty-dollar bill and pushed it into Kiki’s hand. “Get your baby some milk and Pampers.”
Kiki stared at Angelica with tears welling up in her eyes. She slapped the money away, walked to the restroom and slammed the door.
24
Tonight’s payday made Angelica a very happy woman. Not only would she be able to afford first and last month’s rent, she could also buy a whole lot of other things. Her five hundred-dollar tip was tucked deep in the crevice of her bosom, and her employers at Club Platinum would be none the wiser.
She called for a taxi and chit-chatted a moment with some of the other girls who had taken a liking to her. They begged for Angelica’s secret because a payday like hers meant freedom for them…freedom to make the kind of choices they wanted-where to live, what stores to shop in, and even the choice of a higher education, if they wanted it. They listened intently to Angelica’s colorful monologue on how to please a man with your body without being touched. Finally, Angelica waved goodbye and headed for the door.
Upon opening the door, cold air rushed into Angelica’s face. It was three-thirty in the morning, but she felt alive. Facing Ari wouldn’t be a chore this morning because she could leave his house tomorrow if she chose to do so.
A set of headlights crawled down the street but, to Angelica’s disappointment, it wasn’t the cab. The black car pulled to the curb, and the passenger door flew open. Out stepped Robert Santiago, his gold diamond ring shining under the moonlight.
“Thought I forgot, didn’t you?”
“Well, I hadn’t thought about it since we first spoke,” Angelica replied.
Santiago laughed. “I bet you didn’t forget the thousand-dollar tip I left you. If I check with the owners, I can almost guarantee that you didn’t turn it in. See, I know you, Angelica. You lust for money like most men lust for women.”
Angelica stood on the curb, unable to find a word to say. Santiago was amused but not for long. “Come on, let’s hop in the car. I don’t like long drawn out conversations standing outside in the cold when I have a warm comfortable place to do that sort of thing.
“I really ought to go home. I have a lot to do tomorrow.”
“Like what?”
Angelica stared at Santiago. She had been free of him for the last five years, even if she was in a prison cell, and she wasn’t about to let one evening send her back into his clutches if she could help it.
“I’m sorry, Angelica. What you have to do is none of my business. I want to take you for breakfast and some small talk.”
“I’m sure there aren’t any places open at this time that serve breakfast.”
“You’re in New York City. Nothing ever closes.”
Santiago guided Angelica by the arm and led her to the car. “By the way,” Santiago said, “I like Angelica much better than Angel. Angelica has a ring that pulsates down my spine.”
A sigh slipped through Angelica’s lips. She couldn’t believe that she was allowing Santiago to manipulate her. No, she wasn’t putting up a fight because she knew the power of his reach. Angelica had seen Santiago in action. Maybe breakfast was all he really wanted, and then she could be on her way to making her own success, whatever it was, all by herself. She slipped into the car, with Santiago right behind her.
The car was spacious. A smoked-glass partition separated the back from the driver, and a well-stocked mini- bar faced the couple where they sat.
“How about some champagne?” Santiago asked.
“All right,” Angelica whispered.
“You were working it tonight. But why, may I ask…a strip club?”
“If you really want to know, before I became Hamilton Barnes’ wife years ago, I used to be a stripper. In fact, that’s where we met.”
Santiago passed Angelica the drink and cocked his head to get a better look at her. “You certainly haven’t lost your touch.”
“Some things you never forget.”
“Truer words were never spoken. You know, Angelica, I adored you once. I know that it wasn’t a match made in heaven, but you were special to me. My princess. Remember?”
Angelica swallowed hard. She had no desire to recount the past, especially the part where she betrayed him. “Yes, I remember.”
“You would do anything for me then. Manipulation was your game, and you did it well. I hated that you ran out on me like you did. Don’t worry, you’ll have an opportunity to redeem yourself.”
“Redeem myself?”
“No need to worry about that now. Enjoy the ride. We’ll be at our destination in about twenty minutes. We’ll have a nice meal, small chit chat, and then I’ll take you home.”
“Whatever. I’m here now.”
Santiago placed his arm behind Angelica and watched the New York night roll by. They drove in silence. A long expanse of bridge lay before them, and when they had crossed over, Long Island lay before them like a mystical city under the stars.
Santiago pulled his arm to the front and tapped on the glass partition. He motioned to the right and the driver pulled in front of a storefront building. The area surrounding it was all but empty, however, and Santiago smiled and turned to Angelica. “This is it, El Conuco-the best Honduran food outside of The Republic.”
Angelica looked nervously about her, got out of the car and followed Santiago into the small but clean family- owned restaurant. A wide smile radiated on the faces of the old couple inside. They were of Latin decent and seemed very familiar to Santiago.
“Angelica, this is
