Urban Nights- Saint & Narlei Read online

  Urban Nights: Saint & Narlei

  Tales From A Hood S1

  Mercy B

  Contents

  Stay In The Know

  Acknowledgments

  Untitled

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Stay In The Know

  Stay Connected

  Copyright © 2019 Mercy B

  Published by Mercy B Publications

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locals are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents are entirely coincidental.

  Stay In The Know

  TEXT MERCYB TO 555888 TO SIGN UP FOR UPDATES, SPOILERS, GIVEAWAYS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & ANY NEW MERCY B PUBLICATIONS RELEASES.

  To the hood,

  I’m representing, baby.

  -Mercy

  Acknowledgments

  To God,

  Thank you for blessing me well enough to bless others with my talent.

  To anyone who has journeyed with me,

  thank you for your support. I appreciate you, dearly.

  PLEASE NOTE!

  Please Note That This Is A SHORT book.

  So, please save the part of your review that tells me how short this SHORT is. This is an entire SHORT series. The books will be novelettes, each of them. If this is not your preference, then please check out the remainder of my catalogue which is full of goodies with length.

  One

  “Don’t move!” A squad member yelled as he launched his foot into Angelo’s back.

  His size twelve boot caused Angelo’s body to drop even lower, placing him completely on the ground. His hands were already behind his head the minute they stormed into the one-bedroom apartment where he and his baby’s mother lived with their young daughter, Ainsley. They were coming to serve a warrant, the only problem with their presence is the person they were looking for moved out of the apartment two months before the couple moved in. Advised by this, they continued their invasion of the home, anyway.

  “I’m not fucking moving!” Angelo gritted, frustrated with the treatment of the police once and for all. The thought of his daughter seeing the foolery as it played out fucked with his psyche, but – by the grace of God – she was with her grandmother for the next two days.

  “Stop resisting.” Another member of the squad yelled while shoving his knee into the center of Angelo’s back.

  “Resisting? The fuck. You’ve got me pinned down. How the fuck can I resi…”

  “Stop reaching.” The first to assault Angelo hollered, alerting the rest of the crew who was tearing the apartment apart. The sound of large boots got closer as Narlei’s heart thudded in her chest. Since she’d awaken to the sound of thunderous knocks at the door, she’d had a knot in her gut. There was no good that could result from the police running in your home in the wee hours in the morning, not for a black person living in the hood.

  “He’s not moving! Angelo. Just be quiet! Please, baby.”

  “Reaching for what? I ain’t doing nothing, Narlei,” he confessed, while sadness and anger were fighting for territory in his eyes. She could see the speckles of fear, not of the police but their power to darken the light that shined in their worlds.

  “I know,” Narlei reasoned with her boyfriend of four years.

  “Don’t reach!” the officer with his knee in Angelo’s back warned the others. They aimed already drawn guns.

  “He’s got something!” another screamed.

  “No, he doesn’t! Stop! Don’t do this!” Narlei was adamant, squirming and attempting to release the restraints they placed on her. They had cuffed her without a problem. Angelo wasn’t giving them a hard time, either, complying with every demand, but they were searching for a reason to give him one. The disappointment of their target, no drugs, and no weapons being in the home consumed them, so they directed it towards him.

  “I don’t ha…” Angelo began before he felt heat riddle his body in the form of bullets. Multiple weapons aimed, multiple weapons releasing their ammo into his frail frame.

  BOOM. BOOM. BOOM! BOOM. BOOM!

  “ANGELOOOO!” Narlei’s voice horsed as he belted from deep within her core. Naturally, her body lifted from the ground as she tried eliminating the distance that separated them.

  “Get the fuck down!” She felt a knee force her body back on the ground she’d lifted from.

  “Naarl…”

  “Narlei! Narlei!” Mielle tapped Narlei on her shoulder to get her attention. She’d been calling her name for the last few seconds with no response.

  “Uh- Huh?” Every so often, she drifted to that day, the day that everything for her flipped bottom side up.

  “You okay? You need to take a break for a minute?” Mielle questioned as she watched Narlei uncurl her spine and stand straight up.

  “No. It’s just my back. It gets the best of me, sometimes.”

  It was the only time besides when her daughter was around that she remembered the day that she lost nearly everything she had, even her mind. Eight months later, and she didn’t think things could get much worse. Police had raided her home and her world, destroying everything in sight. They’d taken away the love of her life and left her with permanent damage to her spine.

  Angelo wasn’t perfect by far, and they often had their moments, but she’d never wish death on him. Despite their misfortunes as a couple, he was a wonderful father to their daughter, and she hated that cops took him away from Ainsley so suddenly, so harshly.

  She missed the sound of his laughter when he’d made her upset. She missed hearing him try to calm her after a heated argument. She missed how much love he showed no matter what. She missed his leadership. She missed his generosity and the way he demanded that he be the sole provider for their family while she took care of their daughter.

  She missed their late-night conversations and sex sessions. She missed the morning kisses. She missed watching him with their daughter. She missed making the most out of the little that they had. She missed him over exaggerating how good her cooking was to hype her and make her feel wanted and essential. She missed his smile and the way his lips curved whenever he said her name. She missed everything. The good, the bad.

  “You sure?”

  “I’m positive,” Narlei assured Mielle, rubbing the center of her back where it always pained the most. It was a constant reminder of everything she wanted to forget.

  “Your shift ends in twenty minutes, so I don’t mind if you need to clock out and go home.”

  “I’m fine, Mielle. We have a customer coming in. You talking about clocking out and I was hoping to get a few extra hours of overtime. The bills aren’t letting up, no matter how much my back hurts.” Narlei spoke lowly so that the customer who’d just walked in couldn’t hear the conversation she was having with her boss. Clocking out early wasn’t an option, not with rent due the next paycheck.

  “Juicy asked to be off, today, so I could use the extra hand. Before you start her shift, I need you to at least take a few minutes off your feet!”

  “Thank you!” she rejoiced, silently thanking God.

  Narlei had been a cashier at Supper, a soul food restaurant in the heart of Southside, for the last six months. Her manager, Mielle, was heaven sent. She understood that she had fallen on hard times and did whatever she could to help. Everyone in the hood knew what had happened to her boyfriend, Angelo, and th
ey were all outraged. The community had come together to raise money for his funeral and there was even some left to help with bills for the first two months. After the funds ran dry, Narlei had to get a job. With no car, she had limited options. Thankfully, her best friend, Juicy, had put her on at her job. They needed a second cashier.

  “Welcome to S- Supper. Uh- What. What can I get for you, today?” Narlei’s thoughts scattered as she lifted her head to greet the customer who stood before her – over six feet of handsomeness.

  “Narlei, is it?” Squinting, leaning closer to read and straightening the name on her tag with his fingers, the customer questioned.

  “Y- Yes.” Narlei nodded.

  “Never heard no shit like that, baby girl. You from round here?” His accent was heavy, sounding every bit of Southside as he straightened his posture and removed his hand from her personal space. “I ain’t never seen you around these parts, because I’d surely remember if I had.”

  “No,” she managed, “I moved here about six months ago.”

  When the bills from their old apartment became too much, she and Ainsley relocated to a more reasonable unit not too far from the apartment they’d shared with Angelo for a split second before the raid. The rent was lower, and the resources were plentiful. With the government’s assistance, she was able to get her rent reduced by one hundred and forty dollars. The utilities were never over fifty dollars because she was hardly home. Her friend Juicy lived a few doors down and Supper was hardly a mile up the road. Besides the drug infestation, it was ideal to Narlei and her daughter for the time being.

  “Figured. What time you get off?” he asked, boldly.

  “Excuse me?” Narlei’s nostrils flared, wondering where the audacity had come from.

  Seriousness replacing the smile that had spread across the gentlemen’s lips, he repeated, “What time you get off?”

  “I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Mr.-”

  “Saint. I go by Saint,” he informed her, seeing as though she paused because she had no idea what to call him. “And, prior to me asking, it wasn’t my business. You’re absolutely right. But, the minute I took an interest in you, I made it mine. So, you answering the question or what?”

  “What can I get for you, today?” Narlei attempted to steer the conversation in another direction.

  “An address to pick you up, tonight, for some quiet time, food and much-needed relaxation on my end. A number would be ideal, too.”

  “Sorry, I don’t have a phone,” Narlei chuckled at the brashness of Saint. There wasn’t a trace of humor in his tone, so she was aware that he wasn’t joking.

  However, judging by the gleaming jewels, starched fit and designer shoes, she knew that he was out of her league. There wasn’t a thing she could offer him besides a heart full of pain and a head full of regrets. Nothing more. Not even a cellphone number because she didn’t have one to give.

  “The nineties are a thing of the past, love. Everybody got cellphones. I just passed a young nigga on the steps with one. Couldn’t be no more than seven.”

  “Well, lucky him. His parents can afford him that luxury. Unfortunately, I can’t. Now, are you ordering or not?”

  Narlei’s attitude slowly crept in. She didn’t need another reminder of how complicated shit was for her at the moment. Her everyday struggle and the issues with her physical health did a great job at that already.

  “My intentions aren’t to upset you, love. Let me get a number four with one pepper and some red Kool-Aid.”

  “Will that complete your order?”

  “That depends. You hungry? You ate, today?”

  There he was, doing it, again. Making her business his. Sighing, Narlei pecked away at the cash register, ringing up his order.

  “Have you?” he inquired, leaning closer and lifting Narlei’s chin in order for her to look him in the eyes. The shame she felt after the last comment he’d made was apparent, but he wanted to assure her it was useless. There was no shame in the struggle. He’d been there.

  “I have,” Narlei returned, pulling her face from his hand, and bowing her head, again. “Eleven, even.”

  “Don’t do that.” Saint respected her honesty but hated how it destroyed that beautiful smile that he’d saw when she looked up to greet him as he made his way to the counter.

  “Eleven, even,” Narlei repeated, in no mood to go back and forth with a stranger about her current misfortunes. He didn’t know her story, so his thoughts didn’t matter. At least, they shouldn’t have, yet, she found herself on the verge of tears as she stood waiting for him to pay his tab.

  She watched him reach into his jeans, that probably cost the same amount as her rent, and pull out a wad of cash. There wasn’t a single ten or twenty on the roll. Narlei noticed it when he unfolded it. As he peeled off a single hundred-dollar bill, she expected him to place the rest in his pocket. Instead, he placed the bill into his pocket and reached over the counter to hand Narlei the remainder.

  “Eleven dollars, I said.”

  “I’m not hard of hearing. I know what you said. Pay that shit out of that and pocket the rest.”

  “I can’t take your money.”

  Saint placed the stack on the counter. “Either you’re going to take it or someone else will. Pride ain’t got no business here. Set that shit aside.”

  Biting the inside of her lip as she stared at the money he’d placed on the counter, Narlei contemplated her next move. While staring, she thought of all the bills she could pay off, the groceries she could buy and the clothes she could get for Ainsley. Ainsley. At the thought of her daughter, she snatched the money and shoved it down into the front of her apron. Supper wasn’t getting a dime, either. She quickly canceled his order without thinking twice.

  “One second.”

  Immediately, she headed for the hot ovens and began preparing his meal, adding two peppers instead of the one he requested. When she returned to the counter, she slid him a cup to make his own Kool-Aid. A weight lifted from her shoulders, suddenly. Even while she walked she felt lighter.

  “Is that all?”

  “Na. Until you can get your own, here’s mine,” Saint responded, placing an iPhone on the counter, and sliding it toward Narlei.

  “I can’t take that from you. I’ll just use the money to get one tomorrow.”

  “I can’t wait until tomorrow to talk to you. Call me crazy, but I’m interested to know what’s up there.” He pointed to her head. “I’m a selfish nigga. I want what I want, when I want it. Now that I’ve realized I want you, I’m afraid you’re going to have to deal with that.”

  “But, this is your phone. What if someone calls? One of your little girlfriends?”

  “Then, it spares me the hassle of letting them know what it is. When you answer, they’ll automatically know what’s up!”

  Narlei’s eyes bulged as he began backing away from the counter with a smile adorning his chocolate face. Now that he was a few feet away, she could see that he was easily six three or four. He sported a low fade with a neatly trimmed beard. He reeked of a mixture of knowledge and power. There was something about his presence that summoned Narlei, mind, body, and soul.

  “We not pouting over cellphones and shit, you hear? Let’s focus more on what you wearing tonight when I scoop you up for dinner.”

  With that, he was out of the door. Narlei stayed behind, the cell on the counter and an apron full of money, wondering who the hell the wind had blown in. She blinked once, then twice, wondering if it was all a dream. Such dominant energy had never surrounded her.

  The cell on the counter vibrated, causing her to look down at the screen. A saved contact listed as #2 was calling. Without hesitation, she picked it up and slid the green button across the screen. His voice boomed on the other end, causing fine bumps to cover her entire body as she shivered.

  “Narlei. I don’t get stood up.” As if he knew her plans, Saint warned her ahead of time.

  “I have a daughter, Saint. I
can’t exactly find a sitter in a few hours,” she confessed, peeping around the ovens to be sure that she wouldn’t get caught slipping by Mielle.

  “Then, she can come, too,” he insisted.

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” He was persistent, not letting the knowledge of a child deter his plans. If seeing Narlei again meant her bringing her daughter along, then it wasn’t an issue with him.

  “Because I can’t.”

  “Yeah, aight. I’ll see you around eight. Be dressed. We’ll figure the rest of this shit out, then.”

  The line went dead. Narlei noticed once silence coated the speaker that she had pressed up to her ear. Sliding the phone down, she placed it over her raging heart. It matched the mouth-numbing smile that she was sporting as a result of the encounter and call.

  “Mielle,” she yelled, heading towards the office where she knew she would find her manager. As expected, Mielle was sitting behind her desk with the company’s safe open as she counted money for the following shift’s drawer.

  “Yeah?”

  “I know I said that I needed the overtime, but I think I should take your advice, instead. This pain in my back isn’t getting much better.” Narlei rubbed the center of her back for emphasis.

  “I told you that you need to get checked out, Narlei. You’re too young to be in so much pain. There could be extensive damage and you’re probably only making it worse, girl,” Mielle preached.

  She was always concerned about her sweet Narlei. Since the day she hired her, she’d fallen in love with her alluring spirit. Gentle by nature, Mielle was thankful that the ways of the world hadn’t corrupted her.