Living A Double Life: Double Life Series, #1

By Sophia Jenkins

Naomi has made a name for herself as one of the top hairstylist in Chicago and although her career is booming, she can't help feeling like something is missing. By chance one evening while hanging with her best friend Toya she meets Deshawn a tall Brown skin smooth talker, and although after finding out that he's a part of one of the toughest, dangerous gang members in the city, she still finds herself falling deeply in love with him.

But everything isn't always as it seems, as her best friend is very skeptical of Deshawn. She thinks He's hiding something and it's only a matter of time until Naomi finds out what it is, and she hopes that she doesn't put her life in danger by finding out exactly what this secret she knows he's hiding is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sophia Jenkins
• Release date: Aug 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386267959

Book preview

One

Naomi

It was a beautiful day, until all the tragic bullshit happened outside of the salon. Clients were swarming in and out all morning to get their hair slayed, lashes snatched, and nails on fleek, and I was damn sure Paris, the owner of the salon, was happy we were making a killing on the books. I worked at Chicago’s top beauty salon called the Glamour Studio, which was located in an upscale part of the toughest city in America. Normally, shit like what just happened never happens on this side, but shockingly it did.

I was finishing up my client’s sew-in when out of nowhere I heard loud-ass gunshots nearby. POP, POP, POP. The shit sounded so close that everybody—I mean everybody—the customers, the stylist, the nail techs, all our asses started ducking and hitting the floor. My heart was racing a million miles a minute, as I crouched down in the corner of my booth. I closed my eyes shut, thinking that whoever was outside popping off some rounds would not bring their crazy ass up in here.

As I prayed and prayed, the shots suddenly stopped. Everybody was in shock and ready to get the hell away from the area as quickly as possible. After the gun smoke cleared, we all rushed outside to see what the hell was going on. I felt so bad after finding out that it was a young, sixteen-year-old boy who was murdered, shot down in the middle of the damn sidewalk.

As they kept us back and made everybody stay put, nobody knew what to do. We could only try to finish our work. We didn’t know what to say as the police questioned all the businesses that surrounded the incident. All we could do was shake our heads.

My beloved city has gotten completely out of hand with the shooting and robbing. The crime rate was at an all time high, and that was the saddest thing to live with. Our young men were dropping like flies, but like I said, yeah, the hood was crazy, but where the Glamour Studio was located nothing like this ever happened. As soon as the coast was clear, the customers cleared out.

While the other employees and I cleaned up, we talked about the crap that’s been going on. Paris said, See, this is why my sons are out of town with their father, going to good schools, and living in the best neighborhood and away from this ghetto bullshit.

Umm, huh, I know that’s right, girl, but shit, I thought none of this shit happens around this part of town. Those young fools are brave as hell coming to this side of the tracks to gun down some poor young boy, said Ursula.

Ursula was older than most of us women in here. She did the waxing and arched the ladies’ and sometimes men’s eyebrows. She was somewhat one of Paris’s closest friends out of everyone that worked for her.

I was still a nervous wreck; my hands were still shaking as I swept up my area and listened to the other women discussing the dangerous happenings in the city. They were right. It is just a damn shame.

I was a bit happy that I didn’t have to worry about any man out here in the streets. I had no man, no children, and my mother was fine and living in a safe home. Plus, my only little brother is in college far away. Shit, Pairs was right these boys have to look over their shoulders everywhere they turned. Good thing some are sent out of town; I’ll be damned if my baby brother gets gunned down.

Giiirrll, I can’t believe that shit happened right outside the doors in this bougie-ass area, my homegirl Toya said to me, as she sat in my chair.

Toya was my best friend and coworker, and she was the best lash tech in the city. She was curvaceous like me. I was chocolate, and she was light-skinned with pretty hazel eyes. She dressed in all the high-fashion gear, and you’ll see her in nothing but heels. We met in elementary school and were thick as thieves. She was loud and couldn’t hold water and also nosy as ever, but I loved her more than anything because she always had my back.

Are you okay, sis? Toya asked me, as I finished cleaning and was starring in a daze.

Oh, oh, yeah, I’m okay. I mean, I am a little shaken up, but I’ll be okay, I said, shaking my head. This shit had me gone still; I couldn’t imagine how that child’s mother was going to take it.

Yeah, that was fucking fucked up. I wondered why it happened and who did it. I’m pretty sure that shit hit Facebook or Instagram, Toya said, as she grabbed her phone to search social media.

I couldn’t believe that she was just acting all normal about the situation. The shit was so bad. And all my home girl wanted to know was why and who did it. I rolled my eyes. Girl, I can’t believe you’re acting so damn calm about this, I said with my hand on my hips.

Oh, please, this shit happens all day everyday in the hood on the other side of town. This is nothing new. Yes, I feel bad for little homie, but shit, what do you expect when these little niggas be out here in the streets, trying to be a grown man, Toya said, as she strolled through her phone.

I smacked my lips. It doesn’t matter why it happened though. It shouldn’t have, girl. Now what if it was your brother or someone close to you, huh? I said, starting to get mad at her nonchalant demeanor.

See the thing is, I don’t and never will. Remember, I’m the only child, and I don’t fuck with my family like that to know any other men, so I’m good, boo, Toya said. Then she looked up and apologized when she saw the look on my face Oh damn, Naomi. I’m sorry, sis. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just saying that bro-bro is smart and in college across the world, you don’t have to worry about him, she said then got up to hug me.

I smiled. See, that’s the thing about Toya, she would say some dumb-ass shit then turn around and be sensitive.

Let’s just talk about something else, okay? she continued. I’m sorry, but this conversation has run its course. Rolling her eyes, she sat back down.

Bitch, you are a trip, I’m glad you were not talking loud enough for Paris and her sidekick Ursula to hear your ignorant talk; they would’ve laid it on you, I said, laughing my ass off but low