For The Dollars Or The Love

Completed Puzzle

"Baby." I let my fingers dance up and down his neck.

"Babyyyy." I tried again. He still didn't answer. I kissed his neck trailing my tongue down it as well.

"Stop, ya ass gone start something you can't finish. The hell you want, I'm trying to sleep."

I sat up resting my back against the headboard. He sat up next to me waiting for me to speak.

"I can't sleep." I speak in a small voice.

"Really, so I gotta wake up just cause you can't sleep?"

"Yup yup." I nod.

"What if she actually gets her Chris? What if they let her take my baby from me?"

He pulled me into him kissing my temple in the process. I loved when he did that, maybe even more than I loved actually kissing him.

"You stop worrying about that. That little girl is ours, she ain't going nowhere. I got a good ass lawyer. Even if I hadn't just found out about her being my biological child I still wouldn't​ let Nadia get anywhere near her."

I leaned in closer to him, I needed his scent to consume me. I needed to feel safe right now.

"We have to tell Symphony. I'm not about to risk her finding out from somebody that's not us."

I refuse to have my daughter mysteriously find this out from anybody else. Whose to say that Chris' crazy ex won't find out where my baby's school is, and tell her.

I have to work tomorrow, and I don't even want to go. Chris has to handle some business back at the warehouse, so Symphony is staying at Ms. Dorothy's tonight.

"There she goes walking around like she the shit."

I roll my eyes at the ignorance coming out of the other dancers mouths.

"She think she something cause Breezy all up her ass."

"Can't be doing too much for him if she still working here."

These bitches love to make assumptions about my life. Me being with Chris just has them making more assumptions. But I never let them see me bothered, I keep my head held high every night I walk through this club. Because what these hoes don't know is that Chris doesn't even want me working in the club anymore, he'd rather I let him be the breadwinner. As easy as that is I   would never do it, I like making my own money. I was doing fine by myself before Chris came in my life, there's no reason for me to become dependant on somebody now that he is in my life. I felt a tap on my shoulder so I turned to the person that wanted my attention. It was one of my regulars, Devin.

I knew he wanted a private dance, but I turned it down. Tonight we had big money in the club, so my goal was make sure I was able to rack up tonight. I watched as the girls that weren't already giving lap dances to club regulars flocked to Big Sean and his crew. I told the DJ to cue my theme song as I danced on the stage with the red spotlight hitting every angle of my body. Just like that time Kid Ink was here, Big Sean and his crew now had their eyes glued to the stage. I hypnotized them with my water like movements, after leaving the stage I counted the money that one of the bouncers brought back to me. I separated Sky's cut from mines. Since I made more than what I was intending to bring home I was done for the night. I ignored the glares of the older girls. They never liked me, and I know they never will. These chicks have had it out for me since I first started working here back when I was 13.

While making my way out I passed one of Nadia's attorneys. Shit! I attempted to move past the other strippers quickly hoping not to be seen. Of course the odds weren't in my favor.

"Miss Andrews, interesting to see you here. I suppose the agency you got my client's child from doesn't know about your line of work." He smirks thinking he has me.

"Don't you have a wife to be cheating on with one of these girls?"

His silence tells me I have him where I want him. He's a regular so I know which customers fucks who, and he and Trinidee get it in every time he comes in.

"My job has nothing to do with my parenting. My daughter is well taken care of, something your client couldn't do." I ignore his attempt to speak, and make my exit.

I see now they're gonna play dirty. I know for a fact my job is gonna be brought up in our next hearing. They want to play it like this, cool game on bitches! I swear on my soul they're not getting my daughter without a fight.

I knock lightly on Ms. Dorothy's door, her appearance when she answers it tells me that Symphony will be staying the night. I smile as I give her a kiss on the cheek, and slip eight hundred dollars in her robe pocket when she hugs me. She'll give me a lecture when she finds that in her pocket in the morning.

After taking my shower I climbed in to my bed. I tossed around trying to find a comfortable position nothing helped. I already know what the problem is, I've been so used to sleeping next to Chris that it feels weird not having him next to me. I would call him but I don't know if he's meeting a potential seller or not. My phone rung next to me, my baby's number showed on my screen.

"Hi baby." I spoke softly.

"You home now bae?" He harsh rough voice ask. Damn it boy don't speak to me with that voice.

"Yeah, can't sleep though." I shifted trying to get comfortable knowing I wouldn't be able to.

"Why, what's wrong?" His voice laced with concern.

"I'm used to sleeping next to you, it feels empty without you."

"Awww my baby over there missing me. Don't worry ma, daddy's almost home." I smiled at hearing him say he was on the way.

"Hurry up, but be safe. I love you."

"I'm always safe. I love you too."

I do really love this man. He's the best thing that could have happened to me and my daughter. I know we can handle anything together. I'm always in my happy place when I'm with him and Symphony. Symphony always said we were a puzzle missing something. I think we found that piece.