I know, I know! I've been gone a long time and haven't updated as frequently as I used to and I'm really sorry! I was recently kidnapped by my friends mother and held captive over he house lol. What was supposed to only be 2 days turned into almost a week which I definitely did not plan on...it was fun though. I hope you guy's aren't too pissed at me :(

Hopefully this chapter will make up for it which I made sure to give some length just for you and trust me I read over it plenty of times to make sure everything was perfect (well as close as I could get it). I hope I haven't fallen off over the few days and everyone has't forgotten about the story :/

Enjoy!

"Shantel I-I'm sorry." If anybody understood what it was like loosing a parent it was me...lost both of mine to some careless white bitch who couldn't spare one minute to get her ass safely off the fucking road before reading a text message. They weren't there when I needed them most.

Hell, maybe if they were still here they could've talked some sense into my ass before I ever got mixed up with Sage.

"It's...it's ok." She mumbled wiping the tears from her pale cheeks as she picked herself up out of my arms and off the floor. It was...different seeing her broken completely. In a matter of seconds she had gone from pissed, confused and afraid to depressed and numb; like her whole body had just shut down and went into auto pilot. She was still there, but her mind had locked itself away, her voice was completely empty even though her eyes were practically screaming 'I have nothing left to live for'.

"No. It's not. Look I know what it's like to lose a parent..." I coaxed shaking my head. It was obvious she was in denial; trying to avoid the subject, lock it up and bury it in the deepest, darkest crevice she could find until it slowly ate her from the inside out leaving nothing left of her but a hollow shell.

Another one of my specialties...

"You didn't know my mom...if I could even call her that." She argued crossing her arms. A little more emotion seeping back into her voice as her eyes glazed over in a look of reminiscence.

"Whatever happened she's still your mother." I snapped unintentially.

She's lucky she'd had a mother for more than just barely a quarter of her life...

She glared at my response, then just as quick as it came it left and her eyes softened. She sighed, "I guess I should tell you..."

"Tell me what?" I asked raising a brow in curiosity, heart quickening in anxiety and a little fear. Whatever it was it was too late to just dump her on the side of the road and cut all my ties from her...I was in too deep now. Entwining her soft, slender, manicured fingers between my firm, hard ones she lead me to her room causing confusion and a little...excitement to rise in me.

"You might wanna sit down..." She suggested sitting cross-legged on her bed and patting the spot next to her. I warily sat down on the bed a few feet away from her.

"You're not cursed or a spawn of the Devil or anything are you?" I questioned discreetly, bringing a small smile out of her.

Nice to see she still remembers how to do that.

"No," She took a few deep breaths before continuing her story as she fought to keep the tears back fiercely trying break through the barrier she'd been holding up, "My mother had me when she was 16...she didn't even want me at first and almost got rid of me if it hadn't of been for my father who persuade her to keep me I probably would've been given to some foster home. My grandmother kicked her out of the house and she moved in with my dad who was 19, in college and already had his own job and apartment. Everything was great at first...we would go to the park and the movies and shopping...she got a job and made taking care of me her top priority before she even thought about her school work. How she still managed to pass all her classes I had no idea. My father stayed and held up his part of the bargain taking care of me, helping me with school and taking me out every now and then," She paused for a second to wipe away a few stray tears that managed to escape and keep her equanimity,

"Then he died...I was 6 at the time. He was coming home late from work when he was jumped by these two guys fresh out, who I guess figured they see a guy with a suitcase and just assumed he must be ballin', and they tried to rob him. Now, my father had also been in the Army at 17 then left when he was 18 once he found out my mother was pregnant, he fought back and managed to hurt one guy pretty badly when the other pulled a gun on him and shot him in the back, but he wasn't dead-" A few more tears strolled down her face and her breathing became more strangled as she looked straight ahead like she was witnessing that very night; picture clear as a movie screen. I grabbed her hand and gave it a tight squeeze hoping to bring her back to reality and soothe her heavy heart. She blinked a few times and squeezed my hand back reassuring that she was ok and not about to break down just yet, but never once looked at me.

"They could've just taken what they wanted and left, but no...they decided it would be 'fun' to torture him while he was already down," I winced in pain as her grip on my fingers tightened and tightened while her face took on a look of pure hatred and malice, "they stabbed him multiple times in the stomach, slashed his face and choked him out with his own dog tags, then left him there to die...completely forgetting about why they had confronted him in the first place leaving his wallet and everything-"

"Shantel!" I cried desperately seeking release from her vice grip on my aching hand.

Personal Note: Never ever get on this woman's bad side...could've sworn I heard a snap.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry." She exclaimed immediately letting go of my hand which was now red and slightly swollen...wouldn't of been surprised if she broke a few bones.

"It's iight...continue." I wheezed massaging the blood flow back to my hand. She nodded and went on with her story not being able to camouflage the chuckle that escaped her lips.

"You know the last thing I said to him before he left that morning was 'I hate you'...just cause he wouldn't take me to my friend's house that weekend and you know why? It was because he had planned on taking us to Sea World that weekend till the next weekend...he was going to surprise me with the tickets that night when he got back..." Her voice cracked as she brought her knees up, this time letting the tears flow freely. It crushed me to see her so hurt...but I did feel slightly better knowing it wasn't my fault. Climbing up farther onto the bed I attempted to comfort her by wrapping an arm around her sunken shoulders and using the pad of my thumb to clear her drenched cheeks; which was successful. She rested her hand on my shoulder and took a few more deep breaths to get herself back under control.

"After that everything just fell apart...once my mom found out she turned to drugs, didn't matter what it was as long as any addict was selling it she'd buy it, and found any guy she could to replace him. She hated me...she said it was my fault that he was taken from us and neglected me completely. She'd never hit me, but I would've preferred that any day. At first it was just free fucks here and there...bringing strange guys over to the house and locking me in my room...I guess she still cared a little at that point. I was about what 9...maybe 10. Then, it turned into a business...the guys would spend nights at our house and it went from one man to small groups at a time. One day I managed to get out of my room and wandered into the kitchen since I hadn't eaten all that day...however, the kitchen was already occupied. Her 'client' was in there clearly high and had the munchies so he ate up pretty much everything in our house. He spotted me; a little girl who already had the body of someone twice her age, and went crazy..." I couldn't help the rage that started to build in me at the thought of a grown ass man taking advantage of a little girl; especially Shantel. It was disgusting.

Look at you...she's not even your girl-yet-and you're already about to kill some nigga over her-wait a minute...where the fuck did that 'yet' come from?

"Did he...?" I inquired silently pleading that she would prove my screaming conscience wrong.

"What? No!," She scolded with a look of disgust crossing her face, "he tried. but I managed to escape him and lock myself in my room, hid under the bed till morning...I tried to tell my mother, but of course she didn't believe me...said I was just looking for attention. Her little "business" went on for a long time; first she was just selling her body then it turned into drugs as well...I was struggling with school, had to pay my own fees and it's pretty hard to study when all you can hear is banging on your walls and your mother screaming in the room barely down the hall and you're mind is clouded with the fumes of crack and whatever else she could concoct. Once I turned 15 it took a whole 'nother turn...she stopped locking my door, called me out of my room while her 'client' was still there, making me get dressed up before they came over like she was having a family dinner, and then my birthday came." Her voice mellowed into this eerily calm tone as she got that far off look in her eyes again.

"She made me get in the tub and take a nice, long bubble bath...curled my hair up all nice...gave me this sparkly pink whore dress to put on...and put make-up on my face...she gave me this expensive sweet perfume to put on and I played along like a good little girl completely oblivious to what was going on..." Pausing again, her body started to quake as she shook with what I couldn't distinguish as sadness or anger. I wrapped both my arms around her letting her bury her head in my chest as she took a minute to get herself back under control planting a kiss on her forehead and tightening my grip on her.

"She was going to use me as her personal slut...D-Mac was actually supposed to be my first 'client', but he had a better idea...she sold me to him for a half oz. of weed and a forty." Her voice was slightly muffled, but I understood every word nonetheless. When my parents died I thought I had the most fucked up life and everyone else's life was just so perfect and better off...never once did I take in the thought that someone out there had it worse than me and Huey. If I had maybe that would've helped me gotten through it. I had no idea what to say that would possibly make her believe that everything was alright and erase all of those chapter of her life...all I could do was hold her and sit in silence as she cried into me. Who knows how long she had been holding that in...it's better that she gets it out. The sooner she gets passed it, the sooner she can move on.

"Shantel I...I'm sorry you had to be put through that. No one should ever have to face the struggles that you did, but it did mold you into the beautiful, independent woman you are today that I have come to l-know and I'm glad for that." She glanced up at me through her tear stained face and gave me a small smile which I returned.

"Thank you." She whispered snuggling back into my chest as we sat there, not saying a word as I rocked her back and forth like one would comfort a child who just woke up from an awful nightmare.

Thank god for that save...was I really just about to tell her I love her? I've only know her for what 2-3 days? You can't fall in love with someone you've barely known...can you? Besides, there's no room for love in this profession anyway. Love makes you weak and vulnerable and I have no time for that.

Suddenly a more important thought came to mind...there was some business I needed to take care of.

Cindy.

"Shantel...I have something very important to handle, but I will be back...I promise." A look of hurt crossed her face as she slowly nodded and slunk out of my arms and made her way to the bathroom.

"Promise me you'll still be here when I get back, " I ordered, she gave me no response. Getting up I followed her to the bathroom to see her staring at her tainted reflection, "Shantel..." She nodded slightly in response not meeting my eyes. That wasn't good enough. Spinning her around I tilted her head up forcing her to meet my eyes and tried to send the words I couldn't say through my eyes, hoping to get it through to her that I needed her to stay. Fear oozed into my heart and subconscious running throughout like venom as the thought of loosing her crawled up into my as well mind; polluting my thoughts. The last thing I wanted was to leave her, especially while she was crushed and as low as she could possibly get, but I had to.

"Promise me." I repeated intensely; keeping my gaze locked firmly on hers. Through her eyes I could see she had got the point and once again left herself hanging out to dry as all her emotions spilled out through her blue orbs, but the main thing I saw was amorousness.

"I promise." She whispered with a small ghost of a smile playing at her lips. I gave her my usual cheeky smirk and delivered another peck to her forehead before I headed for the door.

"I'll be back!" I called out making sure she'd hear before closing the mahogany Canneto door and locking it behind me.

"CINDY! OPEN THIS FUCKING DO' NOW BEFO' I KICK IT DOWN!" I roared pounding on her glacier white apartment door. My voice boomed down the hall bouncing off the doors of everyone on the top floor causing people to peek out their apartments.

"The fuck yall looking at?!" I barked retreating them all back to the comfort of their own rooms. She opened the door a second later with a grin plastered on her face like nothing was wrong and me pounding on her door is a normal "friendly" gesture.

"Reezy! Wassup?" She chimed. Ignoring her feeble attempt to pretend like she was completely innocent and nothing was wrong I strolled past her into the house instantly gripping her arms firmly and slamming her against the door. Her eyes widened in fear and guilt as it finally registered in her mind that I wasn't there for small talk and a drink.

"What the fuck was with that lil' stunt you pulled at my house?!" I growled tightening my grip as she struggled to get out of my vice grip. Her pale vanilla arms shifted from white to a dark plum under my rough fingertips, but I payed no mind since my vision was blocked by a red haze.

"What-what are you talking about?!" She snapped back, stuttering as her body betrayed her; breathing becoming labored and beads of sweat sprinkling her forehead.

"DON'T FUCKING LIE TO ME CINDY!" I boomed jabbing my fist into the wall barely an inch from her face leaving a small dent. A searing pain boiled up in my hand as a crack rang through the air. She took the opportunity to flee to her room and didn't make it far when I had her by the arm, flinging her viciously onto the couch like a rag doll. She cowered back as I towered over her; fists balled and face twisted into pure animosity.

"Why. Did. You. Do. It.?" I snarled narrowing my eyes, desperately trying to control the fury exploding inside compelling me to just kill her and end it all now. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried to put as much distance as she could between the two of us.

"WHY?!" I barked again making her flinch and nearly fall to the floor.

"Because I was trying to protect you!" She blurted, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. In her eyes I could see it was true, or at least in her logic was true, and she really did believe the words that came out of her mouth. I calmed a little to the point I wouldn't punch anything else, my vision was clearing and I was willing to actually take what she was saying into account.

"And threatening Shantel was protecting me how?" I asked voice a little more restful.

"Why do you care anyway?! She's just some hoe who supposed ta' be dead, she was a JOB. Nothing more. I'm yo' best friend an' you putting her befo' me?!" She snapped returning back to the old Cindy, blue eyes blazing. Something about her calling Shantel out of her name spiked my anger again.

"Do NOT change the damn subject and her name is Shan-tel. If you were really my friend you wouldn't be acting like some jealous ass ex. Do you not realize that if you turn her ass in Sage will kill my ass too? Is that what you want?" I spat ready to choke the shit out of her. She glared in response and crossed her arms, but said nothing. Breathing heavily we just stood glaring at each other, a million thoughts passed between us. I couldn't help but feel betrayed and hurt that she would pull some shit like this. This was a side of Cindy I had never seen and didn't like...at all.

I wish I would've found this shit out earlier. I could've just cut her ass off then and it would've never even gotten to this point...there's definitely no going back now. We can never be tight again.

"You've become attached to this bitch, haven't you?" She implied once again avoiding the matter at hand. That's when it dawned on me...this whole thing had nothing to do with Sage, me or even Shantel. It was all Cindy in her own fucked up world and in McPhearson's world I was her's and Cindy was never one to share. She saw Shantel as an obstacle, one she had to remove in order to get to wme. Don't know why I didn't see it earlier...no wonder lately she had been a little too clingy and affectionate. Always accompanying me on jobs, showing up at my house late at night, wearing all these revealing clothes, constantly wanting to be with me everywhere I went...I thought it was just cause she missed a nigga when in reality she had snapped and gone off the deep end a long time ago. The old Cindy was gone and I doubted she would ever come back.

"I will not tell you again to call her by her name and I wouldn't expect you to understand since all you care about is yourself!" I snarled shooting daggers at her.

"That's where you're wrong...Riley, what happened? It used to be just me and you against the world and then this-this girl comes into the picture and I'm just nothing now...you just gonna throw our friendship away like that? All those times I risked my life for you, bailed you out of jail, saved your ass from Sage and this is how you repay me?" Her voice cracked a little as, for once, she wasn't C-Murph or the infamous McFearsome she was just Cindy. Just like when I first met her in that basketball game, talked shit about her mother and made her cry. She was a regular woman who had feelings and cared. She was vulnerable, letting me see everything she had kept hidden since we were little. I refused to fall for her guilt trip and didn't meet her icy blue eyes which were probably crying s river.

"That Cindy died a while ago..." I was hurt. I was actually deeply saddened by the fact that the girl I had wanted to rule the world with as a child and grew up with for practically all my life was gone. She was pretty much the only one I had left...had to keep my distance from Huey and Jazmine or else anyone and everyone who hated me wouldn't hesitate to go after them, Caesar left and moved back to Brooklyn once high school was over and I hadn't heard from him since. Cindy was the only one I had left and now she was gone as well...I had no one.

Except Shantel...

Part of me wasn't ready to just leave all of our history behind...but I had to.

"Riley-" She started, I cut her off before she could try to win me over with the helpless puppy dog face.

"If you ever come by my house again I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your head. Understand?" I growled snatching the keys to my house, I had once trusted her with to watch my house and take care of the boys while I was away on business, off the small kitchen counter. Turning around I was about to make sure she got the message when I was met with her lips on mine. I froze. She wrapped her arms around my neck shoving her tongue in my mouth; a kiss I possibly would've accepted once upon a time now just forced a rotten taste in my mouth. Coming to my senses I pushed her off of me and onto the floor spitting every bit of her saliva from my mouth. Even that didn't get rid of the after taste. Wiping my lips I swung the tip of my Retro 13's into her ribs as a scowl crossed my face. Normally I wouldn't hit a woman, but after what she did I no longer saw her as a woman or even a person...she was nothing.

"Never do that again." I sneered making my exit before she could stop writhing in pain and try something else.

Who knows she might've tried to suck my dick next just like her whore ass mother.

Stepping into the desolate, shabby elevator I pressed the button for the first floor and shoved my hands in my pockets; causing an intense pain to build up in my hand which was most likely broken, but I ignored it. I'd been shot and stabbed numerous times avoiding death since I was born, I could handle a few measely broken bones. There was nothing I wanted more than to just go home, grab a drink, watch some TV and put all this behind me, might as well erase every single memory I had of me and Cindy while I was at it. The past would only make it harder than it already is...and I had better things to worry about. The quicker Cindy McPhearson was just a name that sounded faintly familiar the better.

But there were a few more stops I had to make first.

Picking myself up off the floor I wiped what little blood there was from my mouth and headed my bathroom to get some concealer for the bruises on my arms that were only getting darker by the second.

I refuse to let him just move on like that...he belongs with me! He'd know that if it wasn't for that bitch who's blinded him. She prolly been fucking him every night since she got there and that's why he can't think straight. It's her hoe ass fault he's acting all crazy...he's just forgotten what we have that's all...everything we've been through. And the only way to make him see that I'm the one he wants, the one he needs is to get rid of that slut. Riley Freeman will be mine...just like he's always been.

Finishing the cover-up for my bruises and cleaning my face I got changed into some more business suited clothes, took some Aleve for the agonizing flame that was quickly gnawing at my insides every time I so much as moved and re-did my hair which looked a hot mess. Picking up my phone I sat down on the couch and made a few calls.

That bitch is gonna be removed from the picture one way or the other. Don't matter to me how it's done as long as it's done...Riley may not like it at first, but once I get him passed all that he'll see that I'm better for him and he wants me just as much as I him. And Cindy McPhearson always gets what she wants.

Alright sooo there's Chapter 8, finally, and I hope it was what you guys' expected if not better. I would really love some feedback on whether or not it was just as good as previous chapters, better, worse, whatever let me know what you think. But, don't be too mean remember it's been a while so I'm a little rusty heehee. This one was a doozy to write, but I think it turned out pretty well. Sorry to all you Cindy lovers out there, but yea she's kind of...twisted in this story. Anyway on to the questions:

-Will Shantel make it to her mother's funeral?

-Will Cindy give up and heed Riley's warning?

-Can Riley really just walk away from he and Cindy's relationship?

-Is Riley actually in love?

-Will Shantel keep her promise?

-What does D-Mac have planned for Riley?

-Who's mystery POV was that at the end? (Even though I think we all know that one ;))

Until next time (which will hopefully be soon)

~xXBrokenThoughtsXx