Prologue
Jameiya knelt over the grave as she often did over the last ten years, wondering why God took both her parents from her. Adrianne, her little sister, bounced from foot to foot.
"What's wrong?" Jameiya asked, already a little irritated.
"Mya, I have to pee and it's cold," Adrianne fussed.
Jameiya stood upright and grabbed her sister's hand, leading her back to the car. Out of nowhere, someone touched her shoulder. Jameiya turned—and stared straight into the face of a person she thought she'd never see again.
Three o'clock hit, and Tracy stood outside Violetta's school like she did every day—same sidewalk, same routine, same tired life.
She was minding her business when she saw him.
The finest man she had ever laid eyes on walked past like he owned the whole damn street. 6'3", smooth graham-cracker skin, long jet-black hair pulled into a neat ponytail. He was so handsome Tracy almost choked on the gum she was chewing.
Sixteen years old, barely knowing anything about boys—let alone men—and something in her gut told her this one could teach her everything.
He glanced over.
Then he winked.
Tracy's knees damn near gave out. She tried to play it cool and look away, but when she looked back, he was right next to her.
"So, Miss Big Hazel Eyes… what's your name?" he asked, voice low and smooth.
"Who, me?" Tracy squeaked.
He chuckled. "Yeah, you."
"T-Tracy."
He looked her over, slow and confident. "Well, Tracy… I saw you giving me that look when I walked past. You got a man?"
She shook her head so fast her ponytail bounced. He could see she was nervous. And he liked it.
"Name's Tony," he said. "Why don't you give me your number?"
She swallowed. "I'm not allowed to have guys call the house."
Saying it out loud made her feel childish, and she turned her head away in embarrassment.
Tony just smirked. "Hey, that's cool. My moms used to be the same way. I wasn't allowed to date until I was eighteen and outta school."
Tracy raised an eyebrow. "And how old are you now?"
"Twenty-one."
Her heart dropped. Her mother would never approve.
Tony didn't care. He scribbled his number on a piece of paper and pressed it into her hand.
"Call me."
Then he walked off like he already knew she would.
Tony slid into the driver's seat of his car, but he didn't get two breaths in before Veronica started fussing.
"What took you so damn long?"
Tony's jaw flexed. "Bitch, lower your tone before you walk home. And them shoes you got on? You ain't making it far."
Veronica shut right up. She knew better. Nobody liked Tony angry—not even him.
She tried again, softer this time. "So… where we going now, baby?"
"You're going home," he snapped. "I'm going to work."
He drove fast, angry, tired, irritated—Veronica's voice only making it worse.
"Didn't I say shut the fuck up!" he exploded.
Silence filled the car like smoke.
At her house, he didn't even wait. He went straight inside, straight to the bed.
"Veronica! Hurry the fuck up—I gotta go!"
She rushed, scared. Sex with angry Tony was rough, painful, but arguing never ended well.
Two hours later, he woke up even angrier.
"Why the fuck did you let me sleep? I said I had work!"
He stormed out, leaving Veronica shaking in the bed.
Meanwhile, Tracy couldn't get Tony out of her head.
Walking home with Violetta, she replayed the moment he winked, the way he said her name. She felt… happy. Something she rarely felt.
Her mother noticed at dinner. "Anything special happen today, baby?"
"No, not really," Tracy lied.
But Pru—bitter, petty Pru—saw the glow on her face and hated it on sight.
"Hey ugly," Pru hissed. "You stink."
Tracy swallowed it and went to bed.
Later that night, after the house went quiet, she dialed Tony's number with shaking fingers.
He picked up. "Hello, Tracy."
She blinked. "How'd you know it was me?"
"I don't recognize the number, and nobody calls me in the middle of the night."
They talked for hours—soft, sweet, easy conversation—until Tracy's yawns finally gave her away.
"You're sleepy," Tony said. "Go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll wait for you after school."
He hung up before she could even react.
What Tracy didn't know was that Pru had picked up the other phone and listened to the whole call.
She didn't say a word. Not yet.
She wanted to see the guy first—the one interested in her little sister. And once she saw him, she'd decide if she should snitch… or steal him.