Page 10 of A King’s Obsession

“Keep that street shit away from here.”

The expression on his face turned serious. He nodded once, all traces of his earlier humor gone.

“Always, bro.”

The door closed behind him, leaving me alone with the distant sounds of construction and the low hum of the ventilation system.

I stayed seated, staring through the smoked glass at the bare walls, plastic-covered booths, and dust-covered floors. To anybody else, VICE probably looked like another expensive project that wasn't finished yet.

But I saw something different.

A way out.

Chapter 3

By the time I got home, I was down almost half the money I'd made that night and one inconvenience away from committing a felony.

Montae's sorry ass never showed up. No call, no text, no explanation. Nothing. I'd already given up on him before I even left the bar, after calling his phone one last time and getting sent straight to voicemail. By the time my Uber dropped me off, I was calculating how many meals I could stretch $24 into, because apparently having a job didn't mean I was allowed to have money.

The apartment was dark when I unlocked the door. I stepped inside, listening for any sign that Mama was home before calling out to her. When nobody answered, I decided that was probably for the best. My feet hurt, my back was killing me, and I smelled like liquor, lemon cleaner, and somebody else's cigarette smoke. All I wanted was a hot shower, my bed, and maybe an explanation from Montae before I blocked his ass until further notice.

I kicked the door shut behind me and dropped my purse onto the couch. I was halfway toward my bedroom when a bright red piece of paper taped beside the light switch caught my attention.

**FINAL DISCONNECT NOTICE.**

My stomach dropped.

“No the fuck they didn't,” I muttered, snatching the paper off the wall.

I scanned the amount twice, hoping I'd somehow misunderstood what I was looking at. Unfortunately, the numbers remained the same, and so did the realization settling in my chest. I'd given Mama money for the electric bill. Not promised it, not offered to help when I got paid again. I'd physically put the money in her hand and watched her look me in my face while promising she'd take care of it.

I flipped the light switch, watching the lamp come on.

“For now,” I mumbled, staring at the notice.

Anger started crawling up the back of my neck. I was already mentally preparing the conversation I planned to have with Mama when something white sticking out from underneath one of the couch cushions caught my attention. I stopped and stared at it, feeling that familiar warning in the pit of my stomach.

Something in my spirit told me to leave that shit alone.

Unfortunately, I'd never been good at minding my spiritual business.

I pulled the paper free, smoothing its crumpled edges against my thigh before reading the words printed across the top.

**NOTICE TO VACATE.**

For a moment, I couldn't move. I slowly lowered myself onto the couch, staring at the paper as everything I'd been trying to hold together started falling apart in my head. The electricity was about to get disconnected, the rent was behind, my boyfriend had left me stranded at work, and I had $24 to my fucking name.

Beautiful.

Absolutely fucking beautiful.

I reached for my phone and called Ashlynn. She answered on the second ring, sounding like I'd interrupted the best sleep of her life.

“Bitch, why are you calling me this late?” she complained, her voice thick with sleep. “Somebody better be dead.”

“Give me time, and somebody might be real soon.”

The sleep disappeared from her voice almost immediately. I heard movement on the other end, followed by the rustling of sheets as she sat up. “Jru, what's wrong? What happened?”