Unraveled

Chapter One

Unedited.

Sun shone high and bright in the clear blue skies, the soles of her worn shoes slapped against hot concrete sidewalk as she pushed through the thick crowds that continuously walked up and down the strip all day, every day. Black hair shone richly in the blazing sun, donned in worn jeans and a stained white shirt, Duke was no stranger to the scorching heat, having taken up refuge in Arizona for half of her life but for Chicago to have such sweltering weather was fucking bullshit. 

With her bag tuck tightly to her side, Duke walked with an air of confidence that radiated a maddening aura. Thick lips curved into a sultry, devious grin, she was a woman on a mission. Dead set on hunting down her acquaintance. A mischievous man with a bad habit of taking things that were not his to take nor touch, such as her beloved silver chain. The only gift she had ever received was that thin chain, bestowed upon her at the age of eleven years. Near and dear to her heart, the tall young woman was brewing with the promise of pain.

Passing the many pawn stores, high-end retail establishments, food markets, Duke pulled her reins to a screeching halt as she found one of Dorian's many goons.

"Where the fuck is he?" She snarled, grabbing him by his neck, squeezing tightly. The man cringed down and away from her, the tingling and pain emitting from his neck.

"I, uh, I dunno. Ya know I don't, uh, keep up with tha big man." He stutter in his slang.

"Big man? His dick that small that he make's y'all call him 'big man'? Now listen up you sack of shit, I know you are aware of whatever slums he is hiding out at, would you care to tell me of where he has shacked up now?" Duke smile seductively as she added even more pressure to the man's neck.

"Fuck me." He muttered underneath his breath. "Hooker Highway, I 'pose." The man looked hopefully at her, as if expecting some praise from her.

"Thanks shithead." A devilish smirk danced fleetingly across a tan face.

Duke was beyond pissed, she had bypassed that sector long ago, now she was hopping off the train at Satan's Fiery Ass. There was no reason for Dorian to do her so dirty, though she knew it would happen sooner or later, he was a cheap bastard who was only interested in bettering his own lifestyle, no matter the cost. That was his tragic flaw, the son of a bitch did not care who he took from, one day some person worse than Duke was going to come along and fuck his world up.

Muttering inaudible profanities under her breath, she whistled for a cab, hand out visibly, standing on the curb. Although she was hopping mad, Duke had always prided herself on her dominating poker face, with the sultry look that she easily mustered up, she could just about smooth talk anyone into anything.

The familiar color of hideous yellow pulled up to her, slipping in, she smiled at the Afghan man that was smoking something he most definitely shouldn't have while driving.

"Where you go?"

"Hooker Highway." If the man was from around the area, he would know exactly where she was flaming about.

Galen Avenue - a.k.a Hooker Highway - was notorious for the many whorehouses and strip clubs lined up and down the STD infested strip. Prostitution and drugs were flashy enough to entice anyone with a good enough paycheck. You had the money, you were in the game. Pimps lingered around the whole seven blocks, keeping an ever watchful eye on their bitches, an ever more aware eye out to potential candidates to their troop of females. Hookers seduced many men and women with the promise of cheap, easy sex, most forgetting that many of them were infested with too many diseases to count.