Rain took a step closer but she stumbled a little. I caught her before she fell. She pressed her body against mine and put her arms around me. “That ain’t what I mean. You can’t leave me like this. The least you could do is drive me home, strip me down and put my ass to bed so I can sleep this off, ’cause, I’m for real, I’m fucked up,” Rain laughed and so did I.
What was I supposed to do?
“Come on, Rain.” I stepped away and took her by the hand. “Can you walk?”
“Long as you don’t let me fall I can walk.”
Rain showed me the way out the back door. That’s when I saw it, another computer sitting on a desk where anybody and everybody could use it.
We made it to my car without her doin’ too much stumbling. I unlocked the door and helped her get in. When I started the car I turned to Rain. Her eyes were closed. “Where do you live?”
“Mount Vernon,” she said and repositioned herself.
“Where?” I asked and turned on the navigation system. Rain said the address and made herself comfortable.
Rain slept through the drive to her apartment. While she slept, I thought about what I was doing, and more importantly, what I was about to do. I mean its not like I don’t see where this was goin’.
Rain had been flirting with me all night and I went along with it because I wanted something. I could have shut it down anytime I wanted to, but I didn’t. I used it. Used her.
I had sized-up her father’s gambling operation and she told me everything I needed to know about her brother. But now I wasn’t so sure that it was Miles. Anybody could have sent those e-mails. I was back to square one.
But either way, I got what I came for, so what was I still doing with her? Drunk or not, I could have left Rain right where she was, and she would be just fine.
I thought about Wanda. I loved her, but I had to admit that Rain moved me in ways Wanda doesn’t. They were exact opposites. Wanda’s a businesswoman and Rain’s a ride-or-die chick.
“Rain, Rain.” I nudged her. “We’re here.”
The ride seemed to have sobered Rain up enough that she got out of the car under her own power. “I’m okay, I can walk,” she slurred as she gathered herself together. I was thankful. Carrying her inside was the last thing I wanted to do.
Rain semi-staggered toward her door and fumbled for her keys. Once she unlocked the door I started to say goodnight. “I'll-”
She grabbed me by the arm. “Come in, I want to show you my place.”
“Just for a minute, I got someplace I need to be.”
“Have a seat,” she said, stepping out of her heels as soon as she walked through the door. I followed her in, looking around the apartment. “Very nice, Rain.”
“Thank you,” she said and started walking toward the back of the apartment.
I started to sit on the couch, but selected a lone chair instead. “You want a drink?” she said when she came back.
“What do you have?” From where I was seated it looked like she had taken off her bra.
“Patron okay? It’ll have to be, it’s all I have.”
“I guess it will have to be,” I stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Rain came out carrying the bottle and two glasses. She handed me a glass and then took a step closer. “What should we drink to?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, stepping toward Rain almost out of instinct.
“Let’s drink to tonight. I had a good time with you.”
“I enjoyed you too. We have to hangout again.”
“Do you mean that?” Rain said, almost in disbelief. “You wanna hangout with me?”
“Yeah.”
“I was startin’ to think you didn’t like me.”
“Why? Because I’m not all over you?”
“Yes. Most men can’t resist me, but you treat me like a little girl.”
We toasted our night and emptied our glasses. I leaned forward to put my glass on the bar just as Rain reached for the bottle to refill the glasses. Her breasts brushed softly against my chest, ending all speculation about the bra.
Rain handed me my glass and stepped to my chest again. She exhaled. I felt her nipples brush my chest. My eyes met hers then dropped to her cleavage. She followed my eyes. Rain touched my face and she kissed me. It caught me off guard at first, but slowly I warmed to the task and put my body into that kiss.
I thought about Wanda, thought about what I was about to do and pulled up. When I stepped away from Rain I saw somebody at her window, and then I saw the gun.
I grabbed Rain by the shoulders and pushed her down behind the couch. We stared into each other eyes while the bullets flew over us.
“I want to fuck you so bad,” Rain said.
When the shooting stopped Rain jumped up and ran toward the front door. She grabbed a gun from the lamp table by the door and ran out. I ran out after her. I got outside in time to see two men running down the street. Rain began firing wildly in their direction while she ran.
A Chrysler 300 stopped in front of them and they started to get in. I fired and hit one of them before he made it in. The other one got in the car and they drove off and left him there. Rain kept running behind the car, busting shots the whole time.
I went for the car and caught up with Rain. I pulled up alongside of her. “Get in!” I yelled and took off after the 300. It turned the corner and sped away.
Rain let down the window and fired again. “I’m empty.” I handed her mine. “Do you see them?”
“Over there, on your right. About two cars ahead,” I answered as I weaved in and out of traffic until I caught up. The 300 turned sharp onto Lincoln Avenue. As they crossed Columbus the light turned yellow.
“Don’t lose him,” Rain yelled.
“I won’t.” I stepped on it and just barely made it before the light turned red. Just then, the 300 cut across lanes, causing the cars to crash in front of me.
“Shit!”
I slammed on my brakes, turned sharply to the left to get around it, then I had to swerve back right to avoid the on-coming cars.
As I got closer, Rain started shooting. This time she hit the left rear tire. The 300 spun out of control and slammed into some parked cars. I pulled over ahead of the wrecked 300. With guns drawn, Rain and I approached the car slowly. There were two men in the car. Both of them appeared to be alive. I recognized them as I got closer. They were with Shake the night Rain shot him.
“You niggas?” Rain raised her gun and started shooting through the window. I emptied my clip. We stood there looking at each other for awhile before we went back to my car.
Chapter 27
When we got back to Rain’s apartment the cops were there, so we decided not to stay. “I need some place to stay,” Rain said as we drove away. I stopped at the first motel I got to. I left Rain in the car and went to get a room for her. “You okay?”
“I’m good.”
She was quiet, uncharacteristically quiet, after what we had just been through. The last time there was gunplay involved in our evening, Rain was on fire. But not this time; this time Rain was meek, almost innocent acting, and I wondered why?
Once I had the key, I went to get Rain from the car, but she wasn’t there. I looked around and saw her standing a little ways down the street.
I took my time walking to her. I figured she needed some space or time to think, or maybe she just needed some air. I don’t know which it was, but I was determined to let her have it.
Rain’s back was turned so she didn’t see me coming and was startled when I touched her shoulder.
“You okay?” I asked again.
Rain turned around quickly. “Yeah,” she said and started walking back toward the motel.
Once we got to the room and went inside, Rain tossed her purse on the bed and was all over me. She kissed me a few times and began fumbling with my belt. This time I didn’t pull up.
I didn’t want to.
I wanted her.
I wasn’t exactly sure why, for the moment I didn’t care. I ripped her blouse open and squeezed her breasts until Rain got my pants undone and dropped to her knees.