“Me.”
“Me, who?” she asked, grabbing a short satin robe to put on, then opening the door. She was surprised by who she saw standing on the other side of the door.
“Yes, sir, to what do I owe this visit—and don’t you know how to call?” she asked as she moved to the side so that Fitz could come in. “Just so you know, normally I don’t answer the door for people who don’t call. I know you know it’s super rude to just show up at people’s door all unannounced.”
“For the record, I did call, but your room phone was off the hook,” he said. “Plus, I wanted to make a special delivery to you.” He handed her a bag.
“What’s this?” she asked, gladly taking the Louis duffle bag off of his hands.
“Your money, your ID, and a few more items that I think are yours as well.”
Before even saying thank you, she let off. “I knew you sent your peoples to rob me.” As she unzipped the bag and saw all the cash inside, along with a plastic bag with her ID, gum, and iPhone, a huge smile took over her face.
“Honestly, I didn’t. I really didn’t,” he admitted with a sincere face. “I don’t operate like that.”
“Then how do you explain this?” She pointed to the bag and pulled out the money.
“When you mentioned it, I investigated, and I am embarrassed to say one of my employees did it. And I’m not happy about it.”
“So your employees running around here, taking ladies’ purses and bags and shit, and you don’t want to give me a job?” She shook her head. “You got some nerve,” she said, but was then brought back to reality and shifted gears. “Let me say, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you for putting it in your heart to bring my money back,” she admitted. “I can’t front. I’ve been scrambling without it.” She gave him a huge hug. He put his arms around her and embraced her back.
“So, now you have your money. You can definitely open you a little boutique or something like that. You don’t need to sell no pills or do nothing illegal.”
“Yeah, right,” she said, rolling her eyes in the top of her head, shutting him down. “Thank you for the little ideas, but no boutique is going to satisfy my hunger or ambition. I want big bucks—no whammies!”
“Oh, yeah? Well, you have to start from somewhere. It’s called building.”
“Okay. You right.” She shrugged him off, knowing good and well that this was a conversation they were not going to see eye to eye on, so she shifted it back to the matter at hand. “Look, thank you so much for bringing my money back. I totally, totally can’t tell you how much of a blessing it is and is going to be. I appreciate last night and this.” She lifted the bag that possessed the cash, shaking her head in appreciation. “This just really puts the icing on the cake.”
“Happy I could make you smile,” he said dryly.
“You really did. You know, it really is about being blessed to be a blessing to someone else.”
“Good way to look at it. So, this is where you call home now?” He stood in the middle of the floor and looked around. “Nice for a Marriott, I guess.”
“A’ight now, you about to get an invitation to the other side of the door with your wisecracks.” She pointed to the door.
“No, listen. This isn’t really a place a nice lady such as yourself should be.”
“Well, since I have cash, don’t worry. I’m going to get me a place.”
“You’re going to put all that money back under the bed, this time for the maid to take it?”
“No, for now, in the safe,” she said to him as if it was no-brainer.
“Listen,” he said on a serious note, “I have a place you can stay in until you find yourself the right place. It’s a lovely beach condo, overlooks the ocean. Nice, clean, marble floors, gym in the building, pool, valet, security. Just a real nice look for a nice lady such as yourself.”
“Thank you, but—”
He cut her off. “Listen, there’s no need in giving an answer now. You can just think about it for now. It’s definitely an option. Now get dressed. We need to be outta this hotel by about—” He looked at his watch. He was wearing a different timepiece today—“I can give you forty-five minutes. I will be waiting, so, baby, please don’t have me waiting forever.”
“Who said I was going anywhere with you?”
“Listen, come on now. Time is ticking. It’s for your own good.”
“My own good?” she questioned.
“Yes. I’m taking you to the gun range because you most certainly need it. Honey, you can’t be taking a knife to a gunfight.”
She let out a laugh. “Real funny. Ha ha ha!”
“Last night that bullshit-ass blade worked for you, and Lady Luck been on your side in a bigger way than most, but, baby, better to prepare and not need than need and not have.”
Bianca couldn’t say anything but “Okay,” because Fitz was right.
He knew he had her where he wanted her. “I’ll be in the lobby waiting.”
When Bianca got out of the shower, she had three orders of business she had to take care of. First and foremost, she prayed and thanked God for bringing her money back to her, because that was the only way to explain a half a million dollars being returned back to her.
Secondly, she counted and secured the money into the safe in the closet. Thirdly, she called Black to tell him that she had ten grand that she was going to invest into helping him get some product, and she would meet up with him a little later to give him the money. He wanted to know the particulars, but she told him, “Look, Black, no questions
