Hustle Hard

Book 2: If It Ain't About the Money

by Saundra

Genres: African American Urban; Women's Fiction

Synopsis

Three friends who escaped the streets. Now they're cashing in on a brilliant hustle and living their million-dollar dreams. But it may cost them their friendship—and their lives. For Isis, Secret, and Penny, the good times just keep getting better. As “managers” of Miami's hottest custom car shop, they’re moving vast kilos of product faster than their scammer boss, Kirk, can pimp out rides—and living la vida luxurious. So they’ve got things under control when Secret and Penny's alcoholic mother shows up needing help. And when Isis' one-time love, Bobbi, begs for another chance—complete with a huge payoff—she's got his loot on lock and temptation at arm's length . . . But fast money brings ever more lethal problems. Penny falls into a vicious spiral of addiction no amount of cold hard cash can break. As Secret and Isis struggle to save her, a vengeful enemy goes hard after Kirk and the business, putting all three friends in the crosshairs. And as they fight to save what they've built, staying alive means risking unthinkable options—and  betrayal no friendship can forgive . . . “Saundra continues to flawlessly portray the dog-eat-dog code that Detroit goes by. The ending to this story is unpredictable and makes for the perfect ending to this seemingly never-ending roller-coaster ride.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars, on Her Sweetest Revenge 3

Release date: June 26, 2018

Publisher: Dafina

Print pages: 249

Sample

I loved life. There was simply no reason not to.

We’d fought to get out of the nightmare that our lives had become months ago when Penny was kidnapped and raped. I was with her while she fought to get back to some normalcy, not willing to give up, not willing to give in to the bullshit that tried to claim her sanity and mine. We had truly been tested. So I was ready for this good feeling, and I intended to enjoy every single moment of it, because I’d learned something important: We were not entitled to happiness.

No, in this life you had to go out and find it, fight for it even, shit, tooth and nail if you had to. Damn near kill for it. And I think we all knew that money was not given to us, we had to go out and get it. And that I understood well. It’s a code I lived by: hustle hard.

After the hustle there was time to play, and I didn’t fuck around with that either. See, I loved the finer things in life. Some called it materialistic; I called it living life. Either way, I could give zero fucks about what other people thought. My sweat, my struggle, my tears, my life. Hands down, that’s what mattered. That’s precisely the reason why I was in this lot scoping the hottest, most expensive rides they had to offer.

“Jack, you know this is it. I knew you would get exactly what I wanted.” I kissed my personal car salesman on the cheek. His name was Jack Ferguson, and he was down at Foreign Ecstasy. I had called him a week before and told him what I wanted, but I wasn’t sure about the color. Jack had assured me he had my back and, true to his word, I had three of the same top-of-the line Ferraris sitting in front of me. All I had to do was choose the color.

“I will never disappoint you.” I loved Jack’s Jersey accent. Kirk, a childhood friend of mine, had given me his contact information, which, by the way, was not given out to just anybody. So I felt lucky.

“It’s going to be this one.” I gently rubbed the hood of the candy-apple-red Ferrari 488 GTB. “My baby right here.” I had chills just thinking about climbing inside.

“Everything you need to drive away with is already inside. You are now the owner.” Jack smiled at me. I knew he was just as happy as I was. He was in for a hefty treat from the sale of this vehicle. That was the case with any vehicle he sold, because they were all expensive.

“I guess that’s it, then, the bag on your desk takes care of my end,” I said, referring to the Gucci bag on his desk that contained three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Yes, I had just spent that much on one car. Like I said, I worked hard and had no beef with playing harder. And I wasn’t done yet.

“It was nice doing business with you.” I slowly slid into the driver’s seat of my new Ferrari and nearly stopped breathing. I had only dreamed about owning something as luxurious as this. I had to sit still for about two minutes to gather myself.

But soon I was in control of my emotions. I started up the car and floated out of the lot, then down the streets of Miami. I felt like Nino Brown in charge of the Carter. As soon as I merged onto the interstate, I let it rip. I nearly scared my damn self when I glanced at the speedometer and noticed I was going a hundred miles per hour. The ride was so smooth inside the car that it felt like I was only going forty. It was like driving a piece of heaven.

This was the life, and every day I had Kirk to thank for that. His bright ideas were still taking Isis and me to new heights. Thanks to him and his new newest scheme, we were pulling in top dollar as managers at his new car business called Custom Hot Rides. Custom Hot Rides was quickly becoming the spot in Miami and was bringing in mad money. We did some of the hottest custom jobs in the area. Vehicles were tricked out with the hottest features known to man, from top-notch paint to platinum and gold accessories, butterfly doors, and complete body overhauls. Whatever your wish was, it was Custom Hot Rides’ command. And from ballers to celebrities, you name it, they were taking full advantage. We even sold vehicles.

Some of our cars came in special ordered with the intent to trick them out on delivery. Then there were the ones shipped in from other cities outside of the Miami, Florida, area at the owners’ expense for our services. But that was all a cover-up for the kilos of cocaine that came tucked away in the engines or sometimes tires of the vehicles. And it was a gold mine. Because of it, I had more money than I even wanted to count. And it was easy. All Isis and I had to do was the paperwork on the shipments, which meant we had to receive the orders when they came in. And of course Kirk was our boss, and that meant we were in charge.

Pulling into Custom Hot Rides, I eased off the gas and coasted inside. Two black dudes were standing close to the entry door. I glanced at them briefly as they admired the Ferrari. I could only imagine how their conversation was going. Men loved to tear a car apart when they described the engine, down to the nuts and bolts of it. I climbed out slowly, still admiring it. I hit the alarm then looked up to see Courtney, the young receptionist, rushing toward me.

“Dang, Secret, that’s you? That’s yo’ whip?” She did not hide her excitement as her hands went to her mouth. She looked as if she had just won the lottery.

“Hell, yeah. That’s me all day. Hot, huh?” I gloated with no shame. I loved my ride, and I wanted everyone who came in contact with it to admire it for what it was: a hot piece of steel.

“Shit, all day, every day. You gotta let me borrow that.”

“No doubt. Anytime you want to. While you’re fast asleep in your dream.” I laughed.

Courtney playfully nudged my shoulder. “Ha, ha. You are not funny.” It was hot out, so we headed toward Hot Rides’s entrance.

“Nice whip,” one of the dudes standing by the entrance mouthed. “A 488, huh?” he asked. And just like I thought, they had the Ferrari birthright pegged from the time I hit the lot. It was a guy thing.

“Yep,” I replied and stepped inside Hot Rides.

“Both of them are fine.” Courtney referred to the guys once we were inside. She was a man-eater.

“They a’ight,” I replied. “Where’s Isis? I thought she was here.”

“Nope, she left about an hour ago. Said she had to go do something about some ink. I think that printer trippin’ again.”

“I told her the other day to just buy another one. What about Kirk? He been in today?”

“You just missed him too.”

“Damn, when I come in everybody ghost.” I started toward the office that Isis and I shared. Kirk said he was going to remodel soon and build a new office for both of us, because with all the time we spent putting in work, it would not go to waste. No sooner had I put my right hand on the doorknob did Penny’s name light up on my cell phone. “What’s up, brat?” I teased Penny; she hated when I called her that.

“Whatever. You love me. Let’s meet up for some smoothies at that new smoothie spot close to Spirals.”

“You know I would much rather have some food than smoothies, but cool. I’m at the shop. I’ll be there in drive time.”

“Bet.” Penny ended the call. I was sure if she invited me out for a smoothie, it was because she wanted one, and she wanted me to pay. The girl was, and always would be, spoiled. But I didn’t care; it gave me a reason to jump back into the Ferrari, and I was loving it. I burned rubber out of Hot Rides’s parking lot just for the thrill of it.

Penny and I pulled up at the same time. Her mouth flew wide open as I stepped out the driver’s seat.

“Hell, no. You didn’t actually buy that thing.” She grinned. I had told her a few days earlier that I was considering buying it.

“Sure did. You like?”

“No, I love.” She walked around the entire car, scoping it front to back, rim to roof. “I swear, Secret, you about murder these hoes . . . I don’t envy your haters.” She shook her head left to right, still grinning.

“I know, right. Bitches ’bout to be droppin’ like flies when I pull up and hop out,” I boasted. I could see the envy on the faces of the haters she spoke of, and I laughed at it.

“And you better not trip ’bout me driving it either. Unless you want to put that insurance into immediate effect,” Penny threatened jokingly.

“Hey, you know I don’t mind you driving it. ’Cause you know I’ll bust ya ass about my whip.”

“Yeah, you are a little crazy.” We both laughed as we made our way inside the smoothie spot. We each ordered up a strawberry caramel split smoothie. It was our favorite.

I watched Penny take the first sip of her smoothie; I enjoyed watching the calm, peaceful look on her face. For a long while I feared I would never see that again. And I was glad I was wrong. She was back enjoying her life and hanging out with her friends. She hadn’t gone back to school yet, but coming out in the general population and mingling was a major start.

“So I wanted to invite you out for smoothies just to talk.”

“Oh, so you invited me out. Well, I think there was a misunderstanding, but we can clear that up now. You go back up there, ask for a refund, and you pay for the smoothies,” I joked.

“Shut up.” Penny laughed. “You the baller, remember, Ms. Ferrari? How much that thing set you back anyway?”

“I won’t tell you. It might make you nervous.”

“I bet . . . But listen, I know things were rocky for a while. You being patient with me as I got myself together . . . And I want you to know that I thank God for you.”

“Aww,” I sighed playfully. But honestly, her words nearly brought me to tears. I played it cool, though.

“Really, you are the best sister a girl could ask for, Secret. . .” She paused and took a swallow of her smoothie, so I knew there was more.

“What now?” I said. I wanted her to get to the point.

“It’s time I take on some responsibility when it comes to my life.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. That was it. For a minute I thought she might tell me she was pregnant, and I was not ready for that. But I was happy to hear her say that; it showed her growth. My baby sister was maturing into a grown woman.

“I want to move out on my own . . . get my own place.”

I glared at her hard, because I had not been expecting that. She had caught me off guard. I waited a few seconds to be sure that I chose my words correctly because I wanted to plainly say “hell no.” “Penny, I get that you are trying to be more independent. I applaud that. But I don’t think you ready for all that. I truly fear it’s not for the best.”

“Why not?” she questioned. I could hear the tone change in her voice. “It’s time I got on with my life, Secret. I thought you could understand that.”

“I do get it. Maybe you could wait just a little bit longer. Just to let things settle,” I tried to reason. I didn’t want to get detailed, I just wanted her to understand my reasoning. But the look on her face told me she was ready to challenge me.

“Well, I don’t want to wait. I feel like the time is now or never. I have put it off long enough.”

“What’s the sudden rush?” I was becoming agitated. It was clear her mind was made up, but I was not one to give up easily.

“Ain’t no rush. I’m just ready. And I’m moving out, with or without your help.” She looked me straight in the eye and it said matter-of-factly.

I set the smoothie down on the table. It would have not been enough to just say I was pissed. I closed my eyes and counted to ten very slowly. I opened my eyes, and she was staring at me. She knew how I was: I could explode and probably shut the whole smoothie place down, but instead I held my breath then let it out slowly as I stood up.

“I have to go.” With that, I snatched my smoothie off the table and left.

The Custom Hot Rides parking lot was busy as usual. Cars were being picked up and dropped off or browsed by mesmerized admirers. People loved the work we did, and while we were not the only ones in Miami who specialized in custom work, we were definitely known as one of the best, especially since we had some celebrity customers. Throwing my truck in park, I jumped out, made my way inside, and headed straight for the office. Courtney was busy with customers, so I was able to slide by her.

Sitting down in the comfortable office chair, I was glad to be out of the Miami heat. I looked around the office and admired my position. Things were going well for us, and through the mist of the bullshit, I had found some sanity. And I was proud of my title at Custom Hot Rides. I had to admit that when Kirk first came to us with idea of running the business of the shop while being the front-runners for receiving kilos of cocaine, I thought he had lost his mind completely. But I was also at a point in my life where I needed something. Something less than normal to keep me busy and keep my mind focused. And this became the thing, because when you’re dealing with cocaine, your head game has to be on, and I’m talking at all times. While we didn’t personally handle the kilos—hell, we’d never actually even seen the cocaine—we were the front end for the receiving operation.

I wasn’t proud of it, but I didn’t have any regrets. The money was great, but that wasn’t even my motivation, because I rarely spent it. Keeping myself busy and focused was my motivation. And to be sure, I did just that; I threw myself into my work. I spent most of my waking moments in the office at Custom Hot Rides. If someone was looking for me, I wouldn’t be hard to find. And it had to be some of the easiest work I had ever done. No contact with the customers, which I loved, and even better, no going in-between with us and the customer. All of that was for Kirk to worry about, and thus far he had been handling it pretty well. So I couldn’t complain.

“What’s up, Secret?” I answered my cell phone when her name lit up.

“Bring yo’ ass outside.” I didn’t even waste time questioning her. It would have been a waste of my time, because whenever she wanted you to do anything, she would worry you half to death. Dragging myself from my comfortable seat, I made my way down the hallway, through the lobby and outside.

“Wow, that’s you?” My mouth dropped wide open at the sight of the beautiful red Ferrari Secret was standing next to.

“All day.” Secret rubbed it gently like she was rubbing her first real diamond. You could tell by the stroke of her hand she cherished the car.

“This baby is nice.” I loved it. “When did you get it?”

“Earlier today.”

“I can’t deny it. It hot. I’m talkin’ all that. How much you paid for it?” I braced myself for the digits I was sure she would be revealing.

“Three hundred fifty thousand.”

“Fuckin’ dollars.” I almost screamed but was able to keep calm. “You spendin’ crazy.” I smiled. But I knew she had it to spend. Like I said, Kirk paid us well. I had more money than I wanted to count.

“Yep, I’m gone enjoy my coins every goddamn penny. And you should too,” she threw in with a smirk. And I knew she right. “You got to stop spending all your time at this damn shop. There is life after Custom Hot Rides. Make some time and experience it.”

“I’m good.” I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince her or myself. “But you need to be careful spending cash like that all at once.”

“I know, but Jack down at Foreign Ecstasy takes care of that.”

“Just be careful,” I added.

“I feel you. But that’s why we need to really focus on gettin’ our own business going. Then we won’t have to worry about reporting shit to the IRS as gifts.”

I shook my head in agreement. “I’m with you on all of that, but we have to find the time. Right now we have to focus on this business; it’s the money maker, and remember, Kirk say he gone help us when it’s time,” I reminded her. Just like Secret, I couldn’t wait for us to go into business for ourselves. We both ran Custom Hot Rides and were really good at it. I knew we would be equally successful at managing our own empire. Minus the drug opportunity. But we had to be patient.

“True. I agree with you a hundred and ten percent. But I can’t lie; I’m anxious. I’m really ready for us to have our own . . . but I’ll chill.” Secret gave her word. I hoped she meant it, but deep down I knew she would be saying the same thing in a few days. The girl had the patience of popcorn: she liked things quick. At a moment’s thought, she wanted action, but I shrugged it off, knowing she would wait. “Check this out, though: Penny just invited me out for smoothies.”

“Oh, so y’all didn’t invite me? Did y’all go to that new one?”

“Yes, and I can’t front, they bomb; we gone have to go. But she invited me out ’cause she wanted to talk. She kinda let me know that she ready to take on her own independence. And I’m proud of her about that.”

“That’s what’s up. I knew it would just take some time.”

“Check this out, though, then she drops the bomb on me that she ready to get her own place and move out.” The sour look that Secret wore on her face and her tone of voice told me that she was not happy. But I was not shocked about that, either. “You already know I ain’t wit’ that.” I was correct.

“Why not? If she say that she ready for independence, that’s all a part of that. And you have to support that.” I kept it real. When it came to Penny, Secret was like a mother bear with her cubs: she did not play.

“Aye, I know that. And I’m trying to support her, I just feel like she ain’t ready to be on her own just yet. Eventually, yeah, just not now.”

“But why? So that you can feel safe? She can’t live her life like that.”

“It’s just that sometimes I worry that she still has nightmares about what happened to her.”

“Secret, those are your fears, not Penny’s,” I pointed out to her. Penny staying with her was more about Secret feeling secure, not about Penny. “I don’t think she would move out if she felt unsafe.”

Secret just glared at me, then let her head drop low for a minute, then looked back at me. She laughed. “She even had the damn nerve to give me an ultimatum. Basically saying that she moving out whether I like it or not. Can you believe that bullshit?”

“No, I can’t, because she normally does everything you want her to. So, do you blame her for the ultimatum? She had to come to you with her mind made up; it was the only way to stick to her decision.”

“Aww, you exaggerating. I’m not that bad.”

“Listen, I have told you before, Penny is not a baby any more. She is a young woman, and as much as you hate to accept it, it’s true. Let her grow up.”

“I know she’s not a baby. And I treat her like an adult. Let’s be clear, I never said she couldn’t move out. I just feel now isn’t the time.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“Have you considered that maybe this move is for the better? Maybe it’s for her sanity? Maybe it will help her get over her fears, if she still harbors some. Or even help her feel stronger as a woman.”

“Trust me, I hear everything you are saying. I just don’t know if I accept it just yet. At least I don’t today.”

“News flash, you heard what Penny said. So you better take off them invisible ear plugs and all that stubborn and listen.” I crossed my legs and leaned back in my chair.

“Whatever.” She sighed. Secret was stubborn as a mule, and in most cases there was no changing her mind. “Listen, there ain’t shit destroying my day today. I just drove off the lot in three-hundred-fifty. . .