Secrets of a Kept Chick Saga

by Ambria Davis

Genres: African American Urban; African American Women's Fiction

Synopsis

Amina "Mimi" Washington was born in poverty and raised on the south side of New Orleans to parents who were not capable of raising a child. From a very young age, she has had to fend for herself.

Young Mimi wants more out of life, and she wants a way out of the ghetto. Fate intervenes on her behalf when she meets one of New Orleans' biggest dope boys. When she falls in love with the mysterious stranger, everything in her life changes for the better and her future seems brighter. She will soon learn, however, that being a hustler's wife comes with serious consequences.

Mimi decides to move to Atlanta, where she has it all: a beautiful family, fast cars, the finest clothes, and everything that she's ever dreamed about. How can a woman who has so much going for herself be so unhappy? With a man who's constantly cheating and her past rapidly catching up to her, she must figure out a way to get all those secrets out in the open—without taking a loss.

Take a ride on this roller coaster with Amina Washington and uncover the Secrets of a Kept Chick.

Release date: January 31, 2017

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 400

Sample

I swear I was getting tired of Kay and all these late nights he pulling. If it ain’t one thing, it’s another. I was especially tired of him not being able to keep his dick in his pants. The shit was getting real fucking old to me. My man was a so-called ladies’ man: twenty-seven years old, six foot two, with a light complexion, a well-built body, tight braids, and a face you’d only see on a magazine. My man was every bit of fine, and he knew it. There was not a place that we’d been where bitches weren’t hanging all over him. That nigga was the shit, and he acted like it, but what my man failed to realize was that I didn’t need his ass.

I had my own shit. I was the owner of several successful business ventures. When I say I had my own, I had my own. I could most definitely take care of me and my three on my own, without any help. I was twenty-six years old, five foot four, with smooth, dark chocolate skin, long jet-black hair, and a body to die for. People often said that I resembled the actress Stacey Dash, only prettier.

This nigga thought he was fooling me when he really wasn’t. I might have pretended like I was quiet, but I was far from it. He actually thought I don’t know about them little bitches he be playing with. Shit, I knew because a side piece would never stay in her place. They always had to make themselves known and shit, like they had to prove a point. I didn’t do nothing but laugh at them. What they failed to realize was that they were the main reason why I was always knee-deep in his pockets. I got my hair done every Monday and sometimes on Fridays, and I rocked the baddest clothes and shoes. My whip was one of the sickest in Atlanta, not to mention the fact that I lived in a house with five bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and a two-car garage. So, yes, I was living that life, the one those scheming heffas could only dream of. I could easily see why they were so envious. Thanks to Kay, I had it all, but like I said before, I had my own damn money.

So why was I in my bedroom, pacing the floor like a crazy woman at 2:35 a.m.? I’ll tell you why—because I was up waiting on my fiancé to come home yet again. But this nigga really had me fucked up, though. I had no idea why I kept putting up with his shit. He was constantly out and about, like I wouldn’t catch on. This nigga thought I was slow, or I didn’t have a clue as to what was going on, but I actually did have a clue—a few of them, in fact—and I was tired of his ass.

You see, a man only does what his woman allows his ass to do, and I knew that I’d allowed him to do enough. I put up with a lot of his shit because I loved his ass. He was also a great provider and a great father. But enough was enough. I’d had just about all I could take. I had to put my fucking foot down.

“I swear, I’ve been calling his ass all night, girl,” I said, talking on the phone with my friend Troy.

“I know, fuck all that, though. Shit, we’re about to go looking for this nigga,” she replied.

Troy was my down-ass chick, unlike most of the people we grew up with. We were like two peas in a pod; whenever you saw her, you saw me, and wherever one went, the other was sure to follow. We both came to Atlanta from New Orleans a couple of years ago, and all we had to lean on was each other. Troy knew me, and I knew her. That’s why I called her. I knew she would be down for whatever.

“Well, bitch, where are you? Because I was going to do that anyway,” I replied while changing into a pair of gray sweats and my white Air Nikes. I combed my long jet-black hair into a ponytail, just in case shit got real. I’ve had it with Kaylin and these simple bitches thinking they could continue to play with me. They obviously don’t know who they’re messing with.

I’ll admit that I don’t say too much, because I don’t have the time to play with these hoes. After all, I’m already wifey. This nigga wanted to play with me when I was the one that was there when he ain’t had shit. I was the one going to school and working to support us when he went to jail, and to make matters worse, I was pregnant with our oldest daughter, Kailay. All that time, I held us down, but, nah, niggas like him don’t be hearing or remembering all of that. They think that they can do whatever they want, but not in this day and age. I’ve fucking had enough, and this nigga gonna see just how much. I’m about to show him that you can’t always have your cake and eat it too.

“I’m outside already, ma. Shit, once you started talking all that noise about some chick named Jade calling ya phone, saying Kay just left her house, I jumped in my car and came straight over,” she stated.

I smiled. That’s why she’s my girl. I swear, my bitch was always down to roll, whenever I needed her.

“All right, let me grab my purse and keys right quick. Give me five while I lock up.”

I walked out of my bedroom and down the stairs into the kitchen to get my keys and purse. Once I made sure that I locked everything up, I headed out the door to meet my friend. It was a good thing that my kids were with the babysitter, or I wouldn’t have been able to leave.

I removed the spare from underneath the plant by the door, and then I headed toward Troy’s car. Getting in the car, I looked over to see my friend was dressed almost like me. She was in a pair of black sweats with black Air Nikes.

“I swear we should’ve been sisters, because we’re forever thinking alike and shit,” I said laughing.

For a minute, I was actually happy, because I hadn’t smiled all day.

“Shit, I know and you know what they say . . . Great minds think alike,” she replied while backing out of the driveway onto the streets.

We were both quiet for a minute, lost in our thoughts.

“So, Mimi, what you want to do?” she asked while stopping at a red light.

“Hmm, first we’re going to stop at this gas station right quick, so I can get me some Phillies. Then we’re going to smoke a nice, big, fat-ass blunt. After that, I’m going to go and find my nigga, and then put my foot up his ass. Who knows, I might even have to put my foot up a bitch’s ass in the process too,” I replied, as she pulled into the gas station parking lot.

“You need some gas or something while I’m in there?” I asked while getting out of the car.

“No, I don’t need any gas, but you could catch me some Kools, a fruit punch, and some Skittles,” she replied while reaching for her cell phone. I swear she stayed with a hotline.

“All right, girl, I got you.”

As I got out of the car to go into the store, I pulled out my iPhone and tried to call Kaylin’s dawg ass again. But just like earlier, his phone went straight to voice mail. I was really pissed, and this time I decided to leave him a message.

“Say, bitch, I promise if you don’t answer this muthafucking phone before I find you, you and whatever bitch you with will regret it. The fuck wrong with you, nigga? You trying to play me for some bird, bitch? Like I’m supposed to sit back and watch you do you and not say anything? Humph, well, I got some news for your bitch ass, though. When, and if, I catch you, I’m going to fuck both of you muthafuckas up, and that’s on everything that I love,” I said, ending the call.

As I was walking, I bumped into this sexy chocolate stallion. I mean, this nigga was fine as all outdoors and shit. That nigga looked every bit like Daniel Gibson, the basketball player, but he was way better looking, and he was thicker too.

“Umm, excuse me, my bad,” I said, as I dropped my phone, cracking the screen.

“No, it was my fault, sexy. Let me get that for you,” he replied, showing off his perfectly clean white teeth while handing me my cracked up iPhone.

“Damn! My fucking phone,” I said, getting mad at Kaylin all over again.

This nigga really don’t know how he’s on my shit list. If he was anywhere in sight, I swear I was going to jail for murder.

“My fault, li’l mama. Take my number so we can get you a new phone tomorrow,” he stated while looking down at me.

One thing I loved was a tall, well-toned chocolate man. The fact that he had dreads made me wet, and I forgot about Kaylin’s ass completely.

“Umm . . . That’s okay. You really don’t have to buy me a new phone. I could get my own device, partner. I needed a new one anyway,” I responded, shifting my weight from one foot to the next.

“I insist. Besides, I don’t want you fucking me up if I don’t replace what I broke,” he joked, but I was embarrassed because he’d overheard my phone conversation.

“Oh, I take it that ya overheard my phone conversation earlier, huh?” I asked while walking into the store. He followed right behind me.

“Yeah, what’s a pretty woman like you doing with a mouth like that?” he asked me. I looked at him without saying a word as I got two Arizonas out of the cooler. If only he knew what I knew, I thought to myself.

I turned toward him. “I’m not always like this. I’m the nicest person that you’ll ever meet. It’s just that my nigga think I got time to fuck around with his cheating ass, but I don’t. I’m getting too old for all of that shit,” I said while walking to the counter to get some Phillies, a pack of Kools, and some Skittles.

“Let me know what kind of nigga would want to cheat on you,” he said. Then he said, “Let me pay for that,” he insisted while retrieving a wad of cash from his pocket.

I stood there, looking stunned . . . not because of the money, but because he didn’t know me from a can of paint, and yet he was being a complete gentleman.

“Obviously, my nigga wants to cheat on me, and thanks,” I replied, signaling for him to follow me out of the store.

We walked over to Troy’s car. I handed the bag over to her and then turned to face the dark, sexy stallion.

“We’ve talked for damn near twenty minutes, and I still don’t know your name, sir,” I stated, as I folded my arms across my chest, looking up at him.

“Sorry, gorgeous. My name is Jayden, but you can call me Jay,” he replied, extending his hand out for me to shake it.

“Amina, but you can call me Mimi,” I stated, shaking his hand. “Let me see ya phone, Jayden,” I asked.

He handed it to me. I programed my number in it and then handed it back to him.

“I’m about to call, so you can have my number too,” he said, as my phone began to ring, showing his number. I saved it and turned to say thanks, but the sound of Li’l Boosie stopped me dead in my tracks. The sight of a white-on-white Camaro halted my words before they could come out.

“I can’t believe this nigga. He got a lot of fucking nerves,” I huffed while getting Troy’s attention.

“Bitch, do you see this shit? This one stupid, bold-ass, fucking nigga here,” I said to her, as she walked over to me.

“Girl, he too damn bold for me. Let’s go fuck him up,” she replied quickly.

“Wait! Hold on right quick, Troy, let me see something first,” I said, pulling her behind me.

The nigga didn’t realize that I was even out there. Sad-ass nigga don’t ever be on point, I thought to myself. In the midst of everything that was going on, I had quickly forgotten about Jayden. That’s how bad my fucking nerves were.

“What’s going on, Mimi, who’s that nigga?” he asked with a confused look plastered on his face.

“Shit, that’s my no-good-ass nigga, and you can obviously see that he has some bitch in the car with him. So what do you think?” I said, looking at him.

He didn’t even have enough time to reply as I walked off and approached my nigga’s car with Troy following closely behind me. I went over to the driver’s side and got in. As I stared at this high-yellow bitch that was seated on the passenger’s side, all I could do was shake my head. I proceeded to take my house keys off Kay’s key ring.

“Ummm, who the fuck is you?” this bitch had the nerve to ask.

“Oh, bitch, you ain’t know? I’m Mimi. Shit, before this very moment I was Kaylin’s fiancée, but since he fucking with a bird bitch like you, you can have him, darling.”

Her dumb ass just sat there, looking like a fucking fool.

“Bitch, who do you think you’re talking to like that?” she asked, pointing her finger and rolling her neck.

The bitch wasn’t on point either, because if she was, she would’ve seen Troy outside her door ready to stomp her, but before she could turn around, Troy dragged that ass out of the car, and I got out.

“What? Y’all bitches are going to jump me?” she asked, looking from me to Troy.

“Bitch, do I look like the jumping type? First, I’m going to let Mimi whoop that ass, and then I’m going to whoop that ass,” Troy said angrily.

“Bitch, pl—” Before she could finish her sentence, I was on that ass like white on rice. The bitch had a loud-ass mouth, but her hand game was way off. I gave her one of them old-fashioned ass whoopings; you know, like the kind when your mama be talking to you while beating you at the same time.

“Bitch, don’t fucking play wit’ me,” I said, as I pounded her face with my fist.

“Bitch, first, you go fuck my man, then you wanna talk reckless to me?” I yelled while giving that ho a two-piece combo to her face. I was so mad that I didn’t see the crowd that had formed around us.

“Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch,” was all that kept coming out of my mouth as I gave that ho a good ol’ Louisiana ass whooping.

Every ounce of negative emotion and built-up frustration that I had in me, I took it out on her. I was so into it that I didn’t notice Kay until he grabbed me up off of the bitch.

“What the fuck, Mimi?” he asked, looking mad as hell.

“Don’t ‘what the fuck, Mimi’ me, nigga. You should’ve answered your fucking phone when I called ya dog ass. I told you that I was going to fuck y’all up—you and whatever ho you had with you. What, nigga, you thought I was playing?” I asked as I started swinging on his bitch ass.

I couldn’t stand his stupid ass. For every bitch that he cheated on me with and every night that he stayed out, I gave him a lick. I was so wrapped up in trying to whoop this nigga’s ass, I was oblivious to the fact that Troy was over there whooping ol’ girl’s ass. I had completely blacked out, and then all of a sudden, I looked around, and I was on the ground. I couldn’t believe this nigga had just pushed me.

“Nigga, I know you ain’t just put your fucking hands on me,” I said through gritted teeth.

“The fuck was I supposed to do? You shouldn’t have put your damn hands on me,” he replied.

“Pussy-ass nigga,” I yelled, getting ready to charge his ass, but I was stopped in midair.

“Say, Mimi, don’t do this out here no more, ma. I’m pretty sure them Chinese people done called the police already,” Jayden said. Just as he said that, I could hear police sirens in the distance.

“Who the fuck is this nigga here?” Kay asked, pointing to Jayden.

“Fuck you trying to check me for, nigga! Don’t try to act like I didn’t catch your doggish ass red-handed. Kiss my ass, you lame-ass bitch,” I hollered, trying to go at his ass again. I couldn’t get at his ass like I wanted to because Jayden had a firm grip around my waist.

“Come on, Mimi, get ya girl and be out. I’m riding dirty so I got to go, but I’m not leaving until y’all leave first,” he stated.

I looked at Kaylin and rolled my eyes at his punk ass. I didn’t care if that nigga got arrested. Fuck him. I looked back at Jayden and nodded my head.

“Okay,” I said and walked toward Troy.

“Mimi,” Kaylin called out to me, but I straight ignored his ass and kept on walking.

“Troy, come on. Them people coming, and I ain’t trying to get us put in jail,” I said to her.

“Okay, coming,” she replied, giving Kaylin’s bitch one last kick.

As we walked to the car, I spotted Jayden and some cute light-skinned dude I didn’t see earlier getting in an all-black Audi R8. I waved at him, and then we pulled off. Soon as we exited the parking lot, the police were turning down the street. Thank God we were leaving, because I wasn’t trying to go to jail over Kaylin’s dog ass. Fuck Kay, and I meant that shit. That nigga was dead to me.

Call me crazy, but I love the fuck out of Mimi. My girl is my heart. Without her, there’s no me. I just can’t seem to control the urge to fuck other bitches. Now, don’t get me wrong. I knew I was fucking up, especially when I’ve got a good girl on my side, but I’m a man, and I’m going to do what niggas do—period. Every time I cheat on my girl, though, that shit eats away at me. I love her li’l short ass to death, and I’d kill her before I let her leave me.

You see, Mimi’s the type of chick you’d wife. She got her own money, two degrees in business, she knows how to cook, and she’s the perfect mother to my seeds. My girl is classy and beautiful, with the body of a goddess. So, yeah, I got a winner, but I also like to have my cake and eat it too. It doesn’t help that there’s countless chicks out there who be throwing themselves at me. Now, how could I deny all that?

I’m a great looking dude, and I keep a neat and trimmed goatee. My girl makes sure my braids get done every week. I also got a gym in my house, so I keep my body in shape. Yeah, my life is good, and yet, I’m the one who’s fucking it up. Mimi and I got three kids together . . . my oldest daughter Kailay Janaé and my twin boys, Kaylon and Kayson. Kailay’s eight and super smart, with a head full of jet-black hair that stops in the middle of her back, and chocolate skin. She’s every bit of her mother, but she’s a daddy’s girl to the fullest. My twins, Kaylon and Kayson, are four years old and bad as hell, with light complexions and braids. My sons are every bit of me, but they’re hooked to their mother. That don’t mean that my kids are soft, though, because Mimi don’t play that that shit. Whatever Louisiana installed in her, she installed in our kids. She rarely shows her ugly side, and I’m glad, because she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Back in my hustling days, my best friend, Tyreek, and I got knocked, and we went to jail. When I was in the joint doing them three years, my girl went to school and worked, all while having a baby on her hip. She took care of me, made sure that I always had money on my books, and she visited regularly with my seed. Shit, by the time I was ready to come home, my girl was ’bout to walk across the stage to earn her associate’s degree in business. She didn’t stop there, though. She later went back to get her master’s.

My woman’s smart and good. Truth be told, sometimes I think she’s too good for me, and I don’t deserve her love. I do what I do so I can feel better about myself. One thing, though, the bitches that I fuck with know that I could never be their man, but that doesn’t stop them from trying me. At times, all I could do was laugh to myself, because can’t none of them compete with Mimi. That’s why I have no idea how I got caught slipping. Her ass was supposed to be at the club that night. Oh, yeah, my girl owns a club called K3 and two hair salons. My bitch got her own paper. She ain’t just sitting around trying to spend my shit, and I love that about her. I’ve tried to get her to fall back, but once a chick goes independent, she ain’t turning back.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand. I’d been busy all day, and I was tired. Since I was on the other side of town, I stopped to lay down by this chick named Jade’s house. I’ve been messing with Jade for about three months now, and she’s been the one cooking up my work. She’s just too damn needy for me, though. The broad forever got her hand out, and I sensed she was catching feelings. That’s why I really didn’t wa. . .