A Chicago Love Story

By Siren

Amoré Jones thought that the winters of Chicago were cold, but they had nothing on how cold her baby daddy, Chiraq, was doing her. 2019 wasn't looking too promising as the state of Illinois cut her food stamps, and her baby daddy was acting up. However, Amoré was determined to make it happen for her and her son, even if it meant that love had to be put on the back burner. But a new job may change all that as Amoré comes across her new boss, Markelle. Markelle "MK" Carter likes to entertain hoes, and he doesn't want to commit to anyone. However, his world, as well as his heart, is turned upside down when his new assistant, Amoré, enters his life. Amoré isn't his type at all. She's too hood, and MK isn't about to compete with any man for a chick. But, late nights and new found lust has MK trying to shoot his shot with Amoré. With Valentine's day quickly approaching, will Amoré pick the familiarity of Chiraq, or will she let MK slide in more than just her thoughts? Love is in the air, and Cupid is searching the hood. Who said that hood chicks don't need love too?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leo Sullivan Presents
• Release date: Feb 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781648546822

Book preview

1

Amoré

Y ou have a collect phone call from Chiraq." This ignorant muthafucka said his hood name rather than his government name, but that was daddy.

Hey baby, I said as soon as the call connected.

Bitch, where the fuck is my commissary?

I had to look around because he wasn't talking to me. I had to clarify that Lorenzo Chiraq Davis was talking to me.

Bitch?

You fucking heard me!

Nigga, you got life all fucked up. You talk to them North side bitches like that but I'm South side and you will get-

Don't fucking start, Amoré. Chiraq's voice dropped a few octaves but he was still mad.

No, you don't start! I shot back. All the trap money is almost gone. The little bit I have left is going on your son!

I knew not to talk about illegal activity over the phone but Chiraq had pissed me off with his bullshit.

So, you couldn't send me twenty-five funky ass dollars?

Uh, my last bit went on Pisces, your son.

You couldn't sell no damn food stamps? I let out a breath of frustration.

This nigga swore he was the king of Chicago but here he was begging me to sell some foods stamps so he can buy some damn noodles and a phone card. This shit was for the birds. He needed to call his mama for all that shit. He had three hots and a cot, while I was out here struggling with his son. These muthafuckas down at the food stamp office was threatening to cut off my stamps and my son was down to his last pull-up. The struggle was real around this muthafucka.

I'm not even going to dignify that question with an answer. Do you want to talk to Pisces or what? I didn't even let him respond as I called my two-year-old son to the phone.

Pisces began to talk gibberish to his daddy and I impatiently tapped my foot until the jail ended the call. I had to damn near fight Pisces for my phone back. He wanted to watch YouTube but I needed to make moves on getting a few groceries in the house. My first call was to my sister, Avaya.

What? Avaya barked as soon as she answered. I wanted to pop off but my grumbling stomach humbled me like a muthafucka.

I was just calling to tell you that I love you and that you are my favorite sister. I-

Bitch, get to the point!

My baby really needed to eat. So, instead of clapping back, I humbled myself and let my pride go. Umm, you think I can borrow some ground beef, some potatoes, and a couple of Jyra's pampers?

Where yo baby daddy at?

See, this bitch was trying me. She knew damn well Chiraq was in jail.

Really?

You get on my fucking nerves. Shit, I feel like I'm yo baby daddy since Chiraq been in jail.

If I wanted to hear a fucking lecture, I would have called mama.

You coming or not?

Yeah, trick. You at least got a blunt wrap?

I hung up with my sister to get ready to go to her house. I put on Pisces some clothes and gave him a Lunchable. Now, granted, we didn't have a lot of food and my ass was starving but my baby going to eat.

I was in my own world blasting H.E.R. and even though the roads were icy, I was a Chicago native and no black ice was about to slow me down. I was on Stony Island Ave and I hit a patch of ice. My heart and breathing was nonexistent as the car slid and hit the car in front of me. It wasn’t just any car, but an expensive ass Tesla. I only had liability coverage and that shit was expired since buying clothes and pampers for my son was more important. Then this muthafucka had the nerve to get out the car with an attitude.

He was cute with dark skin, a tapered cut on the sides and long hair on the top, and of course looking like a Chicago hitta.

What the fuck? he shouted, as I too got out of the car. I didn't see a dint, so I got mad too.

Nobody hit yo ugly ass car. I shouted back.

MK? Let's just go. I looked up to see a woman getting out the car. Well, a thot, because no one is their right mind would be wearing a short skirt in Chicago winter. I smirked because he must have been a trick. Yeah, he looked like a thug with the tat on his neck but he was paying for pussy.

Is there something funny? this MK person looked at me all crazy.

Yeah. You are. The hoe looked scared that some shit was going to pop off but nobody was scared of this muthafucka. At least I wasn't.

MK. The thot spoke.

Get in the fucking car! MK barked. She shut her ass up and got in the car.

Nigga, what you about to do? I stepped forward. Fade up, bitch.

I should whoop your fucking ass.

I swallowed hard because MK wasn't no small nigga. I could see the biceps through his coat.

Is everything alright? an older woman pulled up next to us.

Yeah. I mumbled with relief, as I hurried up and got into the car and pulled off. MK stood there for second and I could see him in my review mirror staring at me as I drove off.

TT! Pisces yelled when I got into my sister's house.

Hey baby. Avaya smiled and picked up Pisces. I saw Jyra sitting on the couch and kissed her on the cheek, before heading into the kitchen, to see that my sister had fried some chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and honey biscuits.

Both Pisces and I smashed. Avaya gave me money for a few groceries. I would deal with that later. Me and my baby was sleepy, as well as my niece, Jyra. Before I knew it, the three off us was out for the count on the couch. I had to meet with my bitch ass case manager in the morning. I hope this hoe was going to get my food stamps back right because this struggle shit wasn't for me.

A week later

I was not feeling this bullshit at all. Sally, my case manager, had not upped my food stamps and on top of that, I had to get a job to keep the little bit I had. So here I was downtown in the Loop. Here I was at the River Point building about to be somebody's receptionist. Sally had arranged for this welfare to work shit. In my twenty-four years of life, I didn't have a clue about what a receptionist was, but the way my stomach be grumbling and as many pampers as Pisces goes through, I was going to figure it out today. I took a deep breath and headed to the forty-second floor. I was usually a bad bitch but I was feeling scared. I had a job at ALDI's off south Holland when I was pregnant with Pisces, but that was over two years ago, and that was my only job ever.

Hi, ummm, I'm here to see Markelle Carter. I looked at the woman sitting at the front desk.

Amoré? she looked up at me.

She was dressed all professional and here I was with some Sister Jackson church outfit my mama had me put on. I told her ass I looked like I was going to the usher board meeting. I had on black stockings, like the one’s Madea's daughter, Cora be wearing but nobody could tell Gina Jones anything. I felt embarrassed as this woman stared at my outfit.

Yes.

I'm Shay. The receptionist.

I thought I was the receptionist. I looked dumbfounded.

Ah nah, I am. You will be Markelle 's assistant. My blood pressure went up, as I really didn't know what the fuck an assistant did. I at least knew that a receptionist answered phones.

Don't stress about it, girl. I didn't know shit when I started. Your case manager got you this job?

I shook my head yes.

Mine did too, two years ago, don’t be nervous. Your mama picked out your outfit, huh?

Girl. I began to feel comfortable. She got me lookin’ like I'm on my way to church.

You should of saw me my first day. I looked like I sucked dick for rent money. I had on the whole thot outfit.

I burst out laughing. I guess my outfit wasn't that bad. "See, you will be alright. Go