Bad Things

By Bre Simone

Jah'miya Thompson is a woman trying to better her life. After being a banger throughout her teenaged years, she's trying to move away from her past with her steady man, Richmond Whitfield, and their son, Killion. She hopes one day to get married and live the dream life she's always wanted.

But trying to get one's life together isn't as easy as putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls. In trying to make ends meet, they both have to work long hours... but Richmond has been secretive as of late. Mistrust ensues, and Jah'miya can hardly rely on her friends for support.

Will they manage to talk things over, or is their relationship over? Can Richmond be trusted? And who is this strange person asking for Jah'miya at her babysitter's?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bre Simone
• Release date: Mar 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386313755

Book preview

Chapter One

Jah’miya isn’t sure how much simpler a deposit slip can be, but the woman standing on the other side of the counter is proving to make the process as difficult as possible.

Ma’am, I think you put the decimal point in the wrong place. She puts on her best smile and slides the slip back across the counter, as well as the envelope full of money. This is the last customer of the day, and she can’t wait to get out of here and get home to her son.

The elderly woman takes it back, adjusts the thick, coke-bottle glasses on her face, and squints down at the piece of paper. Her arthritis-knobbled fingers start shakily counting the spaces between the numbers.

How much did you count in there, dear? she mutters between her counting, completely forgetting the envelope right in front of her, as well as its contents.

The envelop has two fifty-three. You wrote two thousand, five hundred and thirty. It’s hard for her not to think about all of the things she could do with that kind of money. Especially when it comes to Richmond and Killion. You just need to fill out another form, ma’am. With the decimal in the right place.

But it’s almost five. Aren’t you closing soon? The desperation in the woman’s voice stills Jah’miya’s hand and makes it more difficult for her to turn her away.

Jah’miya sighs, trying her best to keep her cool despite being at her wit’s end.

Yes, ma’am. That’s exactly why I need you to fill out another one. I have a blank one right here. She slides the empty slip across the counter, along with a pen. Her eyes drift towards the clock as the old woman starts writing, counting down the seconds until she can get out of here.

Jah’miya used to think that working in a bank was exactly the kind of job she needed. She hadn’t gotten a degree, not with her past, and it afforded on-the-job training. So, all she’d needed to do was prove she was eager for the job and had a sunny-enough disposition to work with customers.

Not to mention that handling other people’s money kept her dreams bright. That one day she would be able to fulfill them all and never look back. Just one more day, she kept telling herself. One more day meant more money in her savings. And one day soon became three years of being a stellar employee at Chambersfield Credit Union, which was longer than either of her parents had been able to hold a job during her teenaged years.

It had been the constant sourness in her household that had turned her towards the life she was now trying to leave behind. The arguing, the lack of trust... she’d never been sure why they’d stayed together, or if her parents even loved each other anymore. She’d never been sure that they’d even loved her, not with all the animosity they’d thrown around on a daily basis.

So, seeking validation somewhere else had been the next natural step. With hormones running wild and a few key pieces of clothing that she’d managed to steal from the local thrift shop, it’d been easy to draw the right attention her way. All those whispered words of affection and devotion, as hands slipped up her dress, had made her feel... wanted. Like sneaking away to have sex in the back alley with her had been worth it. Never mind the fact that she rarely ever saw them again; she’d known that there was nothing permanent about what had taken place.

But if some random stranger could tell her such things in those fleeting moments of sex, then there was no doubt that there was someone who’d mean those words for real. Someone who’d see past the temporary facade to the real her underneath. She just needed to find him.

That’s when Richmond seemingly fell into her life. The thought of his brown eyes, the first time they’d met hers sends chills down her spine, as she waits for the woman to finish. She’d been sweet-talking some other guy to take her to one of the private rooms in the back, and Richmond’s one look had stolen every thought that had been running through her head that night.

---

Richmond strolled across the room towards her, his teeth working on his lip as he parted the crowd around him. His simple button-up shirt was left open, revealing the dark remnants of the ink across his chest. The strobes and various colored lights made it difficult for her to make out what it was, but it was still his eyes that trapped her.

Hey, Cynthia! Long time no see! he uttered with a smile on his face, his arms held out for a hug.

Jah’miya questioned his proposition; she didn’t know him from jack, and she wasn’t about to hug some random guy.

But his eyes darted from her to the guy she’d been trying to seduce, the guy’s back turned to them as he spoke to the bartender about ordering another drink.

Was this guy trying to tell her something?

H-hey! I thought I recognized you! You alright? She closed the distance between them and hugged him. If this proved to be a trick, if his hands ventured too low, she could always knee him in the crotch and beat his face in with her purse.

She was surprised that his arms remained around her shoulder, as well as the words she heard being whispered into her ears. You don’t wanna get involved with Vin. Trust me.

She maintained that smile as they separated and took his hand in hers to maintain the charade they were playing.

You got time to catch up?

"I’d love to.

---

Even now, she can recall the stories she’d heard about Vincent Vin Degiso, the girls he’d put in the hospital, either from abuse or drugs. To think that she’d gotten that close to becoming another statistic...

All the other tellers around her start closing their desks, counting up their receipts, settling their paperwork, and locking up for the day. The old woman in front of her finally signs the bottom of the slip and hands it to her, all while Jah’miya has to maintain that smile. Her mask of self-preservation, transformed into a tool of courtesy and customer satisfaction.

I think that’s right now, the woman says timidly, and is about to slip the pen into her purse when she remembers that it’s not hers.

Jah’miya crosses her fingers and double-checks the numbers. She can feel a weight lifting from her shoulders at seeing the correct amount, signs the slip, and electronically deposits the money into the woman’s account.

Is there anything else I can do for you today, ma’am? she asks while logging out of her computer.

Yes.

Jah’miya feels her heart stop, as well as a few choice curse words on the tip of her tongue.

I want you to have a good rest of the evening and weekend, for dealing with my nonsense. The old woman gives a short wave before heading to the door.

A breathy chuckle escapes Jah’miya, and she assures the woman she promises to do just that. She waves to the woman, wishing her a good day, and collects her reports and timesheets to head upstairs. She’s can’t leave just yet, not until she gets her boss to sign off on everything.

Payday. That means a little