A Paying Customer
written by: albe-chan
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned that belong to JK Rowling, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental.
WARNING: This work will contain lots of MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing drug use, prostitution, graphic sex, nudity, mentions of non-consensual sex and sexual acts, etc.), and violence. THIS MAY BE A TRIGGER IF YOU HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF ASSAULT OF ANY SORT, OR SUFFER(ED) DRUG ABUSE/ADDICTION ISSUES. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! Seriously, not for the faint of heart, either. You have been warned!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do not endorse or necessarily support any of the themes in this story. Yes, there are lots of racial stereotypes, no, I do not prescribe to them. Seriously, this is a work of fiction, people. If this work offends you, I apologize, as that was not my intention.
XXX
The next morning, when Lily finally regained consciousness, she was exhausted and felt shittier than she'd felt in a long time. She blamed Hollywood and his fucking question when she'd left. What the fuck did it matter what her fucking mother would die from? Like it would be her fault. Except, deep down, Lily knew if she'd died from overdosing, or if some psycho john decided to snuff her, her mother would die from a broken heart.
As a kid, Lily had been her mother's shadow, wanting to be smart and beautiful and elegant, just like her mother. She wanted to wear pretty dresses and makeup and have a loving, doting husband like her mother had someday. And Ginny Potter indulged her, taking her out to fancy French restaurants and shopping, taking her as a girl to her salon to get her hair and nails done. Lily had loved those times. And her mother had always said she'd secretly loved her the most, because Albus and James would never want to have real tea parties or go shoe shopping with her.
The redhead pushed the memories down and got up, rubbing her face, and then went to take a long, hot shower. When she was finished, Taz was in the bathroom. "Where you going?" he rumbled, backing her into the shower again, grinning.
"I'm not in the mood," she said, still feeling distinctly blue, and bit her lip to hold in the memories the stupid question had stirred up that had thwarted her sleep and made guilt eat away at her.
"Get in the mood," he rumbled, and bit her neck. She tried to feel something, anything, but the heavy fog of depression weighed her down and left her empty. She needed a line or four before she'd want hot, steamy shower sex. Taz's hands cupped her breasts and he pressed her back to the cool tile. She moved her hands over him, and pretended to enjoy herself as he had his way with her, standing up in the shower.
When she finally slipped back to her own room to get dressed, feeling used and hollow, she focused on the thought of getting high. By the time Taz was finished in the bathroom and joined her in the living room, Lily had pushed the memories back down where they belonged in her subconscious, and felt euphoric and energetic and ready for whatever life decided to chuck at her that day. And it only took three fat lines. "You put it all up your nose?" Taz drawled, rolling a blunt.
"Yup."
"You're fucking out of control, bitch," he grumbled.
"Yup," she said again, puffing her cigarette and grinned. "That's why all the niggas love me."
Taz lit up his blunt and puffed. "They love you 'cause you're white and nasty, bitch. Go put some fucking whoring clothes on. You gotta do some more teaching for the mini bitch."
Lily frowned. "I don't wanna-"
Taz grabbed her face, hard, blunt still hanging casually out of his mouth, and his grip tightened ruthlessly, fingers and thumb biting into her flesh like a vice. "I don't give a single fuck about what the fuck you wanna do, bitch. I'm telling you what the fuck you're gonna do, or do I have to fucking repeat myself?" Lily couldn't reply even if she wanted to. He threw her face aside and took the blunt out of his mouth. "Now's the part where you hop to it, bitch."
She got up, and went to her room to get ready, putting her face on with extra concealer to cover the finger marks, and took her time curling her hair. She pulled on a slinky little black dress that was at least a size too small and barely covered her assets, put on four inch stilettos in leopard print, and applied her favourite perfume. Looking in the mirror, she frowned, trying to believe she looked beautiful. It didn't work.
Lily went back to the living room and saw Ty and the mini bitch, the former still bruised, the colour a mottled purple and yellow now, the latter with heavy lidded, glassy eyes, and dressed like she was going to school. She snorted as she sat, crossing her legs as she lit her smoke. Taz put his arm around her. "You look good, bitch." She smiled. "For a coke whore, anyway." Hazel eyes rolled, then flicked to the girl, and Lily tried to remember what her real name was. She'd already forgotten.
"I thought we had a chat about that shit," Lily said, pulling off her cigarette and flicking her other hand at the girl's cardigan. She saw the little Latina trying to keep her mouth from pursing as she slipped it off and smirked. "Shouldn't you children be at school or some shit?"
Ty scoffed. "Yeah, 'cause you was goin' to school and shit. You's a fucking whore, Red."
"I might be a whore, but I'm a fucking educated one. I got my fuckin' diploma." Lily merely laughed when he gave her the finger. Taz pulled her closer, tucking her neck into the crook of his elbow.
"Too bad they wasted the paper printing it, you ain't never used it, bitch," he muttered. "Today you're gonna take the mini bitch to meet Joe." Lily shot Taz a questioning glare, hoping to God he wasn't proposing the girl fuck with Joe.
"You wanna be stuck wearing a fucking jumpsuit when you're an old man?" she asked.
Taz snorted. "Yeah right, bitch. I ain't even gonna be there. She's just goin' while you pick up for me. And you tell Joe I want the same shit I got last time."
The redhead barely refrained from rolling her eyes, but puffed off her cigarette. "You gonna drive us?" she asked at last.
"I got people coming, I ain't got time to be running all over the fucking place." Taz's hand moved from her collarbone to cover her breast. "Your legs ain't broken, bitch, you can walk."
Lily glanced at the girl, who looked borderline comatose, eyes barely open. "You gonna pass out on me, Baby?" she drawled.
"No," she mumbled.
"Ty, if your mini bitch falls asleep, I'm leaving her ass with Joe." She turned in Taz's hold and hooked a thigh over one of his, half straddling it. "If I gotta walk, I need a pick me up for after."
"You don't need shit, your nose still white from this morning."
"Then I want a ride." She shifted, as though about to climb astride his lap, and lifted her thigh against his. "Doesn't even matter what kind," she purred.
Taz pushed her back and tossed a skinny dime bag to her. "Come straight back, and don't fucking dawdle, bitch. And if I have to come get you, you're gonna wish I didn't."
Lily leaned in, kissing the corner of Taz's jaw under his ear teasingly, and whispered, "I'll bring you your shit, babe, and I promise I'll be back before you miss me." She stood up and got her shit ready, glancing at the girl. "Come on, Baby. Time to get a fucking education."
Once they were a couple blocks away but at least ten from Joe's, the girl murmured softly, "Does that always work?"
"Does what work, Baby?" Lily lit a cigarette and puffed, trying to keep her pace slow for her mini bitch.
"You got him to give you your shit." Lily smirked.
"You tryin' to pull a fast one, Baby? Playing it like you're high and not paying attention?"
"No," the girl said, "I'm high as fuck. I snorted two percocets this morning with Ty. He wouldn't give me anymore, though. I wanna know if that shit really works or if Taz is just dumb."
Lily cocked a brow. "Taz ain't as dumb as I can make him look," she said warningly. "But nine times outta ten it works. You gotta know what your nigga likes if you gonna be pulling that shit, though. And if you get caught doing it too much, it ain't gonna work." They stopped at a busy intersection for a red light, and Lily looked at the girl critically again. "Take your hair down."
She girl tugged her messy bun out, dark hair waving everywhere, and Lily brought it around over her shoulder. "What're you doing?"
"Making you look less like a little girl tagging along and more like you're a fucking woman." Once they got to Joe's, Lily buzzed up and he buzzed them in. In the elevator, the redhead tugged the Latina girl's leggings a smidge lower on her hips and eased the snug tank top up a smidge. "Up your game, Baby. This is business."
"My mom-"
"I don't give a fuck. If you look bad, so do I sweetheart, so put some fucking effort in. You pack your slut clothes in a purse if you wanna be getting away with shit." She shook her head, because this shit was the kind of thing she figured out herself at that age. The girl blushed a bit as the elevator dinged, but nodded. Lily knocked on Joe's door.
"Hey, Red," he said, opening it a moment later. "This some kinda two for one special?" he asked, brows lifting over droopy eyelids. Lily snorted as they went in and Joe closed the door.
"Not today, honey. Pretend she's not here." Lily pointed to the couch. "Sit, shut up, touch nothing. Or you'll wish I left you here, Baby."
"Okay," the girl said and sat, watching television vaguely.
Lily smiled up at Joe. "So," she murmured, following him back to the bedroom, "did you like last week, honey?"
He grinned. "I like every week, Red."
"Oh good. Because this is a week you're going to love."
They were headed back down the elevator an hour later, the ounce of weed in Lily's purse, her lipstick only needing minor repairing afterward. "You're fast," Baby murmured as they reached the street.
The redhead lit a smoke, passed it to the girl, and lit another for herself. "I'm efficient. You don't waste time being fancy about shit."
"What'd you give to him?" she murmured.
Lily grinned. "If I told you I'd have to kill you, Baby. I'll teach you the tricks of the trade, but you can't have my secrets to success for free." They paused by a pizza place, where Lily snorted her whole dime bag off the back of the toilet, and continued on. By the time they reached the apartment, Lily was feeling pretty decent, although she noticed Baby had perked up, so her high was probably fading.
"'Bout fucking time," Taz grumbled when they came in.
"Here you go, babe," she murmured, putting the weed against his chest. He took the bag, grabbed her wrist and tugged her downward.
"You get me the good shit?" he demanded.
"He said he got some better shit, so he gave you that."
"Good work, bitch," Taz said, releasing her and opening the bag. He had his blunt rolled and lit in minutes and Lily, after getting her bottle and taking a swing to wash the taste out of her mouth, sat beside him.
"You learn anything?" Ty said softly to Baby.
She smiled a little. "Uh huh."
"What?"
Lily shot her a warning look. "You gotta be efficient," she said, and when she slid onto his lap after he made room, Lily smirked.
"Fuckin' right," the redhead said.
After Ty and Baby left, Taz told Lily to get to work on her movie shit, so she called Malfoy. When he picked up, she was instantly reminded of that stupid fucking last question. "What do you think your mother will die of if the cocaine or prostitution kills you?" She felt her stomach drop, and for a half second was tempted to just hang up.
Instead, she said throatily. "Since it's my job to answer the questions, Hollywood, off the record, she'd probably just stop wanting to live."
She swallowed as he paused. "Are you going to answer the hard questions now?" he asked.
Lily smiled a little sadly, picking at the comforter on her bed. "Some of them." It wouldn't matter if she just let him in the tiniest bit. Give him some emotional shit for his documentary or whatever. What could it hurt?
"Where do you want to meet?" They met at the park again, moving to a big willow tree standing in a sea of grass. Malfoy showed up alone again, but a much smaller camera and no bulky sound equipment with him, and smiled a little as he adjusted the settings. "You caught me off guard when you called, and Salty's at home with the wife and baby," he said as she eyed the little thing.
"Boy or girl?" Lily asked, because that was the polite thing to do. She might be a coke whore, but she had manners.
"Girl. They named her Ava Rose."
The redhead smirked, feeling bad for the poor kid. "That sucks. I have a cousin named Rose and she's a bitch."
Malfoy held up his camera, and Lily took her sunglasses off, tossing them on her purse. She'd changed out of her whoring clothes and into a little green and grey romper and flip flops. "Do you want to talk about your family?"
"Sure," she said, lifting her brows briefly, sounding less than thrilled, because that was still a sore spot. "I mean, there's not much to talk about. They mostly hate me and when I can't avoid seeing them we all pretend that's not the case."
"And the rest of your family? The extended ones, are you close to any of them?" For a moment Lily froze, thinking of him, but pushed that deep down.
"Not close. There's some I don't dislike. My cousin Roxy is cool, but we don't like, get together or anything outside family functions. I'm pretty sure they all know I'm fucked anyway."
"Do you think your addictions and lifestyle choices have put strain on your parents' marriage? You said your father turned his back, but your mother still kept in contact with you."
The redhead blinked, because she'd literally never thought of that before. "I…" She looked down and bit her lip. "Yeah probably."
"Do they know?"
"Know what?" she asked, glancing up, and saw his serious expression, so at odds with his eyes, which had softened. She looked down again. That was too deep to talk about. "Move on, Hollywood."
"Does anyone know?"
She glared at him, but he merely stared her down, notebook open and resting on one thigh, holding his little camera up by his shoulder. "There's nothing to know," she said firmly. "And even if there was, the answer would be no, because I don't talk about my personal shit."
"How much older are your brothers?"
"Al's two years, James is four."
"Do you know if they suffer from addictions?"
"James hasn't even ever smoked a cigarette, let alone drugs. He was the fucking golden boy. Couldn't ever do wrong, even when him and Albus threw house parties and got shitfaced. I know Al's tried some shit, I smoked a joint with him in high school once, I think. And he told me once he tried blow but he said it made him feel shitty, so it was probably stomped on too many times or cut with nasty shit. As far as I know now they're the respectable, upstanding citizens my parents expect their children to be."
"Have you ever been arrested?" Malfoy asked out of the blue, and the topic switch threw her.
"Not yet. I was detained once but luckily we were on our way to pick up, not coming back holding, so we drove away."
"Was that with Taz?"
"No. The guy who beat the shit outta me. He was speeding, and got pulled over, and 'cause he was black they searched the car and shit." Lily smirked at that particular memory. There had been two cops, both white, and the younger one had been the one to cuff Lily, blushing horribly the whole time, because she'd been dressed like a whore. "They got suspicious about the cash, but I told them I was a stripper, which was technically the truth, and they bought it." She picked at her nails. "If Taz and I got pulled over we'd probably get arrested."
"Why is that?"
"Taz is almost as bad as me with losing his temper." She glanced up at Malfoy when he didn't comment. "I mean, don't get me wrong, most of it is 'cause he puts up with my shit, but sometimes…"
Malfoy flipped a couple pages in his notebook. "Sometimes?" he prompted.
Lily shrugged, looking out over the sea of grass. "Sometimes it's out of left field is all. Everyone has their moments I guess."
"Is Taz abusive?"
She shrugged again. "Maybe. Does he beat me? No. Has he put his hands on me? Sure. Have I put my hands on him? Lots of times. He takes care of me, but sometimes I wanna fucking punch that motherfucker in the face."
"Like when?" Lily frowned. "Share an example."
She dug her cigarettes out and lit one up. "I dunno. I guess like the other day, I go out to get something to eat 'cause Taz says he's hungry. So whatever, I go get food, and I come back and see he's dealing. So he tells me put the shit away, and go over to where he's doing work. So I go, and I find out he's trying to get me a new one. Like a new client. And I'm not about that, and the guy wasn't even good looking and his dick was crooked."
"How does that happen?" Lily puffed on her smoke then fiddled with a lock of dark red hair.
"Same way most deals take place. Motherfuckers look over the merchandise, they get a one time bargain, because ain't so such thing as a free test drive, and they decide if they wanna come on back."
"And Taz decides who looks over your merchandise?"
Lily shrugged. "He's not stupid," she said defensively. "He knows better than to be bringing me fucking Mexicans and that I don't like white boys. And they're usually people he knows."
Malfoy's mouth pursed a little, but he didn't comment. "Do you think about the future?"
"All the time," she murmured. "But not more than twenty four hours ahead. You go past that it gets fuzzy and you start making promises you can't keep and shit."
"What are you going to do when you're not twenty two anymore?"
Lily shrugged, because she sure as hell didn't think about becoming an old lady. "Dunno. Haven't gotten to that bridge to cross yet. But I'm fairly positive the list of shit I'm doing a year, two years, fuck, five years from now includes lots of black cock and blow." She smirked, thinking of that morning. "Maybe I'll go into business training mini whores."
Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her. "Would you really?" he asked, professional veneer dropping for a second, and he looked equally shocked and repulsed.
"Maybe," Lily admitted. "When you have a drug problem you go where the money is. If money's not coming in from me fucking, why shouldn't a take a slice of someone else's profits?" Malfoy didn't comment. "'Sides I wouldn't be teaching no mini whore how to spread their legs, I'd teach them the tricks of tricking. How to be smart." Malfoy still didn't comment, which irritated her, somehow making her feel guilty. "Would've been nice if someone had helped me out so I didn't have to learn shit the hard way," she added in a grumble.
"Let's talk about Ian," the blond said at last and Lily pulled off her smoke, feeling disgruntled still.
"What about him?"
"Is he white?"
"Uh huh. Almost as white as me, and I'm awful pasty."
"Do you think that's part of the reason you don't like him?"
Lily smirked. "I think that's the reason he has a small dick, and that's part of the reason I don't want to be with him. I like Ian plenty. He's just the opposite of what I want. Maybe someday that'll change." She rolled her eyes.
"But you doubt that."
"Highly." Lily smoked her cigarette. Honestly, she wouldn't mind Ian, small dick and all, if he wasn't always trying to 'make love' to her. She wasn't about that. She wanted to fuck, plain and simple, and not waste time talking about feelings and kissing up on shit or rubbing all over him. Not her idea of a good time. And the first time he'd done it, made love to her, she'd felt sick from the cloying memories the entire time. "You should know by now, Hollywood, I ain't about feelings and lovey dovey shit. That's Ian to a T."
"Does Ian know that?"
Lily snorted, because she didn't know and didn't care. "He's the one who claims to be in love with me. Shouldn't he know me if that's the case?"
"Can he really know you if you're stringing him along?"
Lily frowned at that. Sure, she felt bad sometimes, leading Ian astray, but she didn't lie to him. "How am I stringing Ian along? He knows I don't wanna settle down, he knows I'm with Taz, and he knows I'm a coke whore. He could move on." Though, when she thought about the text she'd last sent him, she felt guilty again. Because although she didn't promise anything, she still knew how to reel him back every time it looked like Ian might try to move on. And it was better to be a shitty person when everyone already thought so anyway than lose her one safety net.
"Does Taz know about Ian?"
Lily smirked at that. "Yup." She took one last long drag off her smoke then outed it in the dirt.
"How does he feel about that?"
"Who, Taz?" Malfoy nodded. "Can't stand even hearing the name. Especially after last time."
"Last time what?" Malfoy asked softly. Lily sighed, tucking her knees up and resting her chin on them.
"Last time I took a break from Taz and crashed at Ian's. I was s'posed to be going to my cousin's wedding, but Taz and me got into it the day before. I got home from working all night and there wasn't even a fucking crumb of blow, so I flipped out. He flipped out at me 'cause we only had the money from the night before, and that wasn't enough for him to re-up and get me what I needed. So he went and got the shit to re-up and still wouldn't give me the fucking coke I worked all fucking night for. So I took some anyway. He got mad, real mad. We fought. He ended up backhanding me after I called him a fucking retarded nigger, and my lip busted right the fuck open. It looked awful. So I packed some stuff, called Ian, and he came to get me. And, because he's amazing like that, he gave me a couple hundred bucks and took me to a different dealer to score."
"And the wedding?" Malfoy murmured.
"Skipped it," Lily said shortly. "I lied and said I got food poisoning, but I doubt anyone bought it. But I didn't want to be 'that girl' if I showed up with a busted, bruised lip. Y'know? I figured it would be less embarrassing for everyone if I just didn't show. And it's stupid 'cause my whole family just assumed I thought I was too good to show up. Like they don't even know me, so what the actual fuck, right?"
"What does Ian do?"
Lily shrugged. "Investments or some shit. I dunno, he's fucking loaded though."
The blond man looked thoughtful, glancing over his notes, then back at her. "So, just to summarize so far," he murmured, "you're doing this interview for the money, right?"
"Uh huh."
"And you love money, right?" Lily's brows pulled together but she nodded. "But you'd rather stay with Taz, who is abusive and, by all accounts, not the best at managing his, or your, money, leaving you in awkward financial positions, instead of staying with a man who you claim loves you and has money to spare?"
The redhead stared at him. "You're forgetting, Hollywood," she said stiffly, "about the dicks. Might not matter to you, but to a woman like me, having a good dick is important." His brows lifted.
"More important than your personal safety?"
Lily pursed her mouth. "You're not getting it," she said dismissively. "God, how does no one get this? I don't want to be with Ian. I want to be with Taz."
"Why?"
Her posture stiffened. "Look, I don't have to explain my fucking choices to you, Hollywood."
"You don't," he agreed easily. "I just don't understand why you'd pick Taz over a man who, by your account, loves you, is loaded, doesn't mind your drug use or drinking, and appears to want nothing other than to take care of you and enable you. The average person won't understand either, Lily. A life of comfort and support and freedom to do whatever you like, or a big dick?"
Lily felt her temper bubble up. "Yeah, well that's because you and the average person don't know the details. I'd rather fuck with Taz and be a fucking coke whore than spend my life sitting in a fucking house raising kids and being someone's fucking wife, okay? I'd rather the big dick than some man telling me every two seconds how I'm beautiful I am, and how much he fucking loves me and have to pretend I enjoy having him fucking make to love me and shit." She pushed both hands through her hair, ruining her careful curls. "I don't have to play pretend with Taz."
"What's the difference between fucking and making love to you?"
Lily laughed darkly. "Fucking is fucking. It feels good. You don't have to say shit. Making love is bullshit and boring. I don't want some man whispering shit about how he thinks I'm beautiful and I don't like that gentle slow shit." Her emotions felt turbulent, her anxiety skyrocketing, because she was moving close, too close, to revealing too much. She grit her teeth and reinforced her mental barriers.
"Do you believe people when they say you're beautiful?" he asked.
"No," she said shortly, digging out another cigarette.
"Why not?"
"'Cause I'm not," she said firmly. "Maybe I was once, maybe I coulda been, but I'm not. And whoever says it is only saying it for one thing, and me being beautiful or not has almost nothing to do with it. Even ugly bitches can fuck." She lit her smoke and stood up. "I'm done for today."
Malfoy powered down his camera and closed his notebook. "Alright," he said easily. They walked back to the paved path, side by side, not speaking.
As they finally drew up to the path, Lily asked, "So how much longer you think this is gonna be?"
Scorpius shrugged. "Depends."
She puffed her cigarette. "On?"
"On how long it takes for you to stop beating around the bush. I told you, full disclosure, full honesty. I want the whole messy story."
She frowned. "That's not an answer."
"Well, the first woman we interviewed, we talked with her for a month. The second one was a little less than three weeks. So let's say at least a few weeks." Lily frowned a little, because she doubted Taz would like that answer. "Call me when you want to chat next," he said, and made to turn away.
"Sure thing, Hollywood," she mumbled.
"Oh, and off the record?" he added, glancing back, and she looked at him. "You probably could be beautiful, if you actually ever believed it and weren't trying to cover up bruises on your face. And that's coming from a man who's not interested in fucking you."
Lily watched him saunter off, feeling equally amused and offended. Amused, because he'd seemed genuine that beauty was so very close to being attainable to her, and offended because she wasn't sure if that had been a not so mean way of saying she was unattractive. She pulled out her cell and called Taz.
"What?"
"Come get me."
"Fuck you, bitch, I'm busy. Walk that skinny white ass on back."
Lily pulled off her cigarette. "Fine. I hope you have something for me when I get there, motherfucker."
Taz snorted. "Maybe, bitch."
When Lily did get home, Taz was dealing and she went to the freezer for her bottle, taking a few sips before returning it and moving to the couch. She sat on the arm, beside her man, and lit a smoke. He passed her his blunt and she puffed lightly.
"That's a pretty slim eight ball," one of the guys said. Taz looked up and Lily almost smirked, because Taz didn't rip his customers off and really didn't like when they implied he might.
"Yeah?" he drawled, sitting back, and Lily handed the blunt back. "You callin' me a con artist or something?"
"Naw," the guy said, "just saying this eight ball's awful slim in the bag."
Taz glared and Lily made herself stay seated, although she wanted to get up and disappear. She wanted to get high more. "Then give it back." Taz tossed some bills at the guy. "Matter of fact, take your money and get the fuck outta here."
The guy snorted. "Relax, man, just saying it-"
Taz slapped Lily's thigh. "Tell him, bitch."
The redhead held back her sigh. "Put the coke on the table, take your money, and go, buddy," she said softly. "Taz ain't gonna say it again." She hated this game, and prayed, for once, the stupid fucker would just take his money and fuck off.
The guy snorted again. "You fuckin' kidding me? I don't take orders from no bitch. 'Specially no fucking dumb ass bitch. Who the fuck you think you are? Bitch, trying to tell me what the fuck I-" He was brought up short when Taz reached under his couch cushion and pulled out the .45 long barrel he kept in case of emergencies. It was shiny and silver, fully loaded and hot. He put the gun in her lap and Lily flinched a little.
"Tell him again, bitch," Taz said darkly, puffing his blunt. Lily's mouth hardened but she picked up the stupid gun. It felt huge in her hand.
"Take your money and get out," she said quietly.
The guy's jaw flexed, looking torn between following the direction of some lowly coke whore and possibly getting shot by said coke whore. The other guys looked expectantly at the complainer, who finally sucked his teeth and snatched up his money as he stood.
Taz smirked. "Good choice, pussy-assed bitch," he said to the guy, slapping Lily's thigh again. "This bitch is a fucking psycho, she'd probably pull the fucking trigger too." Taz picked up the slim eight ball bag and passed it to Lily, tucking it in her cleavage. "When you learn some respect, come back. Until then, I don't ever wanna see your fucking face. Get out." Once the guy left, Lily handed the stupid gun back. She wouldn't pull the trigger unless there was no other option, and even then, she doubted she could do it. The redhead made to stand, but Taz grabbed her wrist in an iron grip. "Sit your ass down, bitch," he rumbled.
She barely refrained from rolling her eyes, and frowned when he pulled the cocaine from out of her cleavage. "When do I gotta work?" she murmured as Taz sold the eight ball to a different guy, who stared at her tits and smirked.
"Five." Her mouth pursed but she didn't comment. "So when's the cracker gonna pay you?"
Lily shrugged. "He said it's probably gonna be awhile. Maybe a month." She purposely extended the timeline so she could cash the check herself before Taz even knew she'd gotten it. Taz sucked his teeth.
"Goddamn nazi motherfucker," he growled.
"You lending Red out on credit?" the guy with the cleavage coke asked, carving a fat line for himself, and then glanced up.
Taz snorted. "Not to you Juan."
"The fuck's that mean?" he asked, sniffling.
"Means I don't fuck Mexicans," Lily said. Even if he was pretty good looking. His dark eyes narrowed.
"Ignorant bitch, I'm fucking Cuban." Lily shrugged.
Taz chuckled and flipped a dime bag to Lily. "Either way, this ain't fucking Macy's. No credit if she's got her mouth full or she's on her back for you. The cracker's paying her to chit chat." Juan snorted another line.
"The fuck you talk about with a cracker, bitch? You joining the KKK, goin' to Klan meetings in secret or some shit, Red?"
"Fuck you, Cartel," she muttered. "I talk about lots of shit." Lily leaned forward and made her own line, then sniffed it back. "Most of it bullshit. But it's money. And I get to be a fucking movie star," she said sarcastically, and tucked the rest of her blow in her bra.
"Yeah?" Juan said, getting up with the other guy.
"Uh huh."
Juan smirked. "Figures only a cracker would pay you to talk, Red. I'd pay you to keep your fucking mouth shut."
Lily rolled her eyes as Taz laughed. "Too bad you can't afford me either way, Cartel," she said back, and got up, going to the freezer.
Juan smacked her on the ass on the way out. "I can afford better, Red."
Lily slept late the next day, right past noon, and was woken abruptly when Taz slapped her in the face. "Get the fuck up, lazy bitch. You got teaching for your protege." Lily grunted, and rolled away from him, mumbling for him to go fuck himself. He grabbed her hair and sat her up. "Now," he snarled, and left.
She sat up and lit a cigarette, rubbing her face, running a hand through her hair. After a shower and dressing and enough makeup to cover the fingerprint bruises on her jaw and conceal her haggard eyes, she went out to the living room. Ty and Baby were in the living area. Taz was weighing out dime bags for the former.
Lily ate some stale chips and washed it down with a vodka orange juice half and half. "Who we goin' to see today?" she mumbled, still feeling like shit, aching and exhausted. Taz slid the mirror with coke on it over.
"You're gonna take the mini bitch and teach her how to do what you bitches do best." Taz didn't look up from his task as Lily snorted a fat line, lining up a second one.
"Spend money?" she guessed slyly, smirking. Taz shot her a dark look.
"You best be watching that fuckin' mouth, bitch. You know what happens when a bitch gets uppity." Lily rolled her eyes.
"I ain't teaching her to suck dick, that's for damn sure," Lily said, and snorted her second line, then sat back and lit a smoke.
"She don't need lessons," Ty said, shooting pixelated soldiers.
"Fucking nasty," Lily said, then glared at the girl. She was glassy eyed and heavy lidded again, but smirked a little at Ty's assessment.
Taz finished weighing out baggies and passed Lily a wad of cash. "You gonna teach her how to dress so she don't look like a fuckin' baby."
Lily laughed, but took the money. "So I'm teaching her to spend money," she replied. Taz slapped her, but it was light and teasing.
"I said that's what bitches do best. But get your ass back here by three. You got an afternoon job."
"No drive?" she pouted. Taz rolled his eyes. "Relax, babe," she murmured, and kissed him full on the mouth after standing. "I'll bring her back all slutted up. Let's go, Baby."
Once they were on the street, Lily reined in on the urge to power walk. "I don't need to learn how to look like a slut," the girl said.
Lily glanced at her. Itty bitty babydoll tee that showed off her flat stomach, frayed denim cutoffs that barely covered her ass, and flip flops. Lily snorted. "Maybe, but right now you look like a little baby 'ho. You gotta look classy, bitch. Right now you look like a ten dollar fuck." At least she'd worn her hair down again. That helped.
Baby's face turned sour as they got to the lights. "The fuck you want me to say? I live with a fucking saint, and if my mom finds slutty clothes she burns them. The fuck am I supposed to do?"
The redhead tossed her hair, smirking as a man across the street did a double take at her low-cut halter top and mini skirt. "Get a fucking lockbox if you gotta, Baby. You wanna be a big girl, act like one. No whining about Mommy this and Mommy that. Ain't gonna get sympathy from me, sweetheart." She glanced at the girl again then smiled a little. "I know you got a brain in there, Baby. Use it."
They went shopping and Lily took the girl into all her favourite stores, picking things for her to try on. "You wear heels?" Lily asked as they passed a shoe store.
"No."
The redhead frowned. "Why? They make everything look better, y'know."
"I'll twist my ankle."
"Then we'll get you some baby heels. But you gotta look like a fucking woman, not a little girl playing dress up, bitch. C'mon."
By the time they got back, Lily had accomplished her mission. Baby was slutted up and looking as close to legal as possible. "Where's my change, bitch?" Taz demanded. She laughed.
"Funny, Taz. Time's it?"
"You got a half hour."
"C'mon," Lily said to the girl, heading back to her room. She did have change, and gave half the hundred dollars to Baby. "Get a fucking manicure. And don't tell me shit about your mama, 'cause only little girls paint their own nails. You can leave your shit here for now, until you find somewhere to hide it."
The girl nodded. "Do you like doing this shit?" she asked after Lily sat down at her vanity to touch up her makeup and hair.
"What the fuck d'you think?" she said. The girl shrugged.
"Ty said you prolly do, 'cause you're nasty like that, but I don't think so."
Lily smirked. "Bingo, Baby. I don't like doing this shit, but I like blow a whole lot more. Priorities."
"Ty said you're in some kinda movie about hookers."
"So?"
Baby shrugged again. "What's that like?"
Lily thought about it. "Better than fucking for money," she said truthfully. "It's not bad. I talk about shit and whenever the fucker decides he has enough for his movie or whatever, I get paid."
"He nice?"
"Yeah, Hollywood's nice."
Baby looked thoughtful. "What d'you talk about?"
"Life. Hooking. Doing drugs." She reapplied her lipstick. "Why you so interested?"
"I wouldn't mind talking about my life and shit for money."
"Well you ain't a hooker, yet, so don't go getting any ideas, Baby. Come here." The girl came over and Lily got up and sat her in the seat. "You wear perfume?" The girl shook her head.
"My mom doesn't let-"
"What the fuck did I say about your mama?" Lily snapped. Baby took a deep breath through her nose but didn't comment and kept a neutral expression. "Better. Here," she handed the girl an almost full bottle of perfume. "Put that shit on. Wrists, behind your elbows, behind your knees, neck and under your tits. Niggas like bitches who smell nice."
"Okay," she said.
"Now get the fuck out, don't fucking tell a soul I gave you money, and remember what I told you." Lily watched the girl go, took out her cellphone and lit a cigarette. She smirked at the message from Ian. You're always on my mind, Lily. I'll wait for you, because I love you, and I know deep down you must love me too. You're so amazing and beautiful. I miss you. When can I see you again?
She didn't bother responding, because the waiting kept Ian panting, and it was a dance she'd long ago perfected. Ten minutes later a figure appeared in the doorway and Lily, who was reclined on her side in bed, glanced up, gritting her teeth into a smile. "Hello Terrence," she murmured. Terrence was young, loaded, and permanently high on ecstasy. He also paid extra to do Lily's least favourite thing, which was being tied down, literally, while they fucked.
"Sup, Red. I hope you're hungry today, bitch."
She forced her mouth to curve into the seductive smile even though she wanted to tell him to choke on a cock. "Starved," she purred.
After Terrence left, Lily went with Taz to Dave's to re-up, pouting a little when she was told to wait in the car. Her phone rang and she picked up, frowning at the unfamiliar number. "Are you busy tomorrow afternoon? Salts want to get some footage for the voice overs," Malfoy asked. Lily frowned some more.
"I dunno, maybe," she said. "Is this your number then, Hollywood?"
"I figured you weren't going to ask for it," he replied sarcastically. She smirked.
"Whatever, Hollywood. Only reason you got my number is 'cause you're payin' me. Lemme text you back when I know what's good," she said as Taz slid in behind the wheel.
"Who the fuck you talkin' to?" he asked after she hung up.
"Hollywood. They wanna film me wandering around lookin' like a big whore or some shit. Tomorrow afternoon."
"You got lessons with the mini bitch," Taz said, pulling away from the curb. "Tell them fuckers to do that shit in the morning."
Lily scowled. "Mini bitch doesn't need any more lessons."
Taz shot her a warning look. "Just 'cause Ty thinks she's good don't mean she is. You gotta take her for evaluation."
"The fuck's that mean?" she demanded. Taz pulled up to a red and grabbed her hair.
"That means you take her where I fucking tell you to take her and you fucking wait outside and then bring the mini bitch back. Got it?" He released her. "Light me a smoke, bitch."
Lily glared but lit him a smoke and passed it. He frowned and wiped off her lipstick mark. "That shit wouldn't happen if you lit your own," she snarked. "I want a line."
"Wait 'til we get home, bitch."
Her lip curled. "No, I fucking want my line now. You been Jewing me all day."
"I'll fucking Jew you all night too, bitch. You can fucking wait."
"I fucking hate you," she snapped.
Taz snorted. "Yeah the fuck right. You love me, bitch. Ain't no other niggas be putting up with your shit just for that puss on the regular."
Lily frowned. "So that's what the fuck I am to you? A fucking regular pussy?" Taz rolled his eyes. "You're a fucking piece of shit," she growled.
"You're more than just my regular pussy, bitch, don't go getting your fucking panties all up in a twist. You my fuckin' golden goose." He patted her thigh. "And a fucking pain in my fucking neck."
Lily leaned over and bit him hard. "I'll fucking show you pain in the neck, you fucker," she growled. He smirked.
"Bite me again, bitch, find out what happens. We might be driving, but I can still hold your fucking head down." Lily flipped him off. Once they got back to the apartment and she'd had her line, a long, very fat one, Taz said lazily, "Fine, go see the movie crackers tomorrow afternoon, but don't be fucking skulking around where there's cops and don't be late. You got dick lined up for six and nine tomorrow night."
"Thanks, babe," she murmured, and kissed the corner of his mouth. He grabbed her head as she pulled away and gave her a menacing look.
"And if you're doing more than fucking talking, make sure you bring the fucking cash back."
Lily snorted. "Yeah the fuck right," she muttered, because she was pretty certain neither Hollywood or his camera guy Salts wanted anything to do with her. Malfoy had pretty much told her so point blank. She shook her head, setting up another line, because they were both fucked. She was hot shit.
XXX
