Ace of Hearts: A Deadly Hand (Book 1 of 4)

Chapter 22: Truth Hurts

When Mel and I get to Abel's apartment, Mike is the only person there. His door is open and whatever food that has burned is still lingering. He and Mike are both in the kitchen making drinks. Abel sees us as we come in.

"Hey, you made it. Cool. This is about to be lit!" Abel says, excited.
"Hey, Abel," Mel says. "Hey, Mike. Make me whatever y'all are having."
"Okay, cool. Your girl not coming?" Abel ask Mel.
Melanie scoffs. "Sharnice? You know she don't fuck with your ass."
"I mean, I thought we all bonded today," Abel says with a smirk. We all look at each other and laugh. I shake my head. "So, y'all we are old-schooling it today? Truth, dare, drink?" Abel says, holding a drink out for Mel.
"Drink," she says and takes the drink.
"No, nope. You got to pick truth or dare."
"Then why did you say drink?" Mel picks up a drink.
"You get to drink after. Didn't you go to college?"
"What? Whatever, dare," Melanie says.
"I dare you to take off your panties in restroom then come out here."
Mel laughs. "What?"
"Yeah, you got to put' em in ya purse or the trash. It's up to you."
"How do you know I'm not free balling it?"
"'Cause you got no balls," he laughs.
"You're an idiot, but okay." Mel walks to the restroom.
"She going to do it?" Abel is surprised.

Mike looks at me. "So, how are you doing? You seemed pretty down today."
"No, I'm good. But I would have rather worked."
"Yeah, I know what you mean."

Melanie walks out of the restroom. "Okay, there. They're off."
"How do we know? Show 'em to me," Abel demands.
"Nope, you got to believe me."
"Not fair."
"Hell yeah it is. How do we know it's the truth when someone picks truth? You got to believe them, right?" Mel smirks.
"Okay. Fine, whatever, cheater."
"I'm no cheater." Mel sits and takes a drink.
"Okay-okay, detective Hart." Abel looks at me.
"What?"
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth," I answer without thinking about it.
"Do you ever rub one out?"
"What?"
"Come on, you know what I mean. I know you don't have sex or whatever but, you know what I mean. Do you masturbate?"
"What, why you asking me that?"
"I want to know. I asked you earlier and you wouldn't answer, and now you have to."
"Yeah, you're right because if I choose not to answer, the truth or dare gods are going to punish me. I'm really scared." I laugh.
"Come on, man. Why y'all cheating tonight?" Abel is annoyed.
"Nobody's cheating. Damn, whatever, man. Yeah, sometimes."
"Wait. Is that the answer?" Abel asks surprised.
"Yeah, sometimes," I repeat.
"Whoa, why? I mean, what do you think about?"
"You only get one question. Who's cheating now?" I ask as I grab a beer.
"Aww man, okay. Fair is fair. Come on, Mike. Truth or dare?" Abel asks.
"Dare."
"Drink a glass," Abel says, holding up a Vegas-style 42 oz. glass of mixed alcohol.
"Nope, only the one beer for me. I told you already, I'm not drinking tonight," Mike says.
"Y'all some cheaters. Spell it out, cheaters."
"Whatever, man. I'm not going to die or kill someone else over this kid's game."
"Hey, don't disrespect truth or dare." Abel sounds offended.
"Abel, truth or dare?" I ask.
"Uhm, good question; Imma go with dare."
"I dare you to grow up and stop asking us these dumb ass questions." We all laugh except for Abel.
"Haha, whatever. Y'all know this is fun."
"No, but seriously. Abel, this looks like it's going to be great but I was just stopping by."
"Me too." Melanie gets up.
"What, no way! Y'all just got here."

There is a knock at the open door and Vincent, Ally, and three other people I don't know come in. They all greet everyone. Ally squeals and tells Mel how great she looks. Two other people walk in. I start to feel really overwhelmed.

"Okay, Abel, I'm out," I tell him.
"Alright, man. Thanks for stopping by, I do appreciate it." One of the women who came in puts her arms around Abel's neck from behind and starts to kiss him.
"Bye, everyone," Mel says and we walk out.

"I want to put ma panties back on." Melanie laughs.
"What, you really took them off?" I'm a little surprised.
"What do you think?" She giggles as we walk to the parking lot.

Across town, Sharnice was laying across her bed watching tv and eating her TV dinner, when her son came knocking at her door. "Mom!" Kevin calls, knocking on her bedroom door.
"What?"
"Somebody's at the front door," he yells.
"What?" Sharnice looks at the clock. 'It's too late for this,' she thinks. She gets up and puts on her slippers. She is already dressed in her night clothes; shorts and a crew neck sweatshirt, and her hair is wrapped in a printed scarf. She grabs a bat. "Kevin, go to your room."
"But I'm watching tv," he complains. Sharnice hears knock at the door.
"Go, now!" Sharnice growled out. Kevin whined but goes to his room.

Sharnice looks through the peephole. She opens the door. "Terrell, what the hell are you doing here?"
"You don't be answering my texts."
"Text yo' wife, fool."
"Really?" He seems surprised.
"Nah, no. Not really. She know you back here?"
"No."
"Keep it that way."
"Let me hold a couple of hundreds."
"Do it look like I live in a palace?"
"Come on, girl. I'm not playing. I'll just go to Mel."
"Alright, nigga. Fine, but you gotta stop doing this."
"Five hundred dollars and you won't hear nothing else from me, I promise."
"I don't have five hundred dollars, fool."
"That's cool. I can ask Mel."
"Terrell." Sharnice gets upset.

Joey runs out of Kevin's room barking. Terrell gets scared and starts to run, but Joey barks and backs him into a corner. Sharnice laughs. "Shar, get him. Girl, get him off me, please."
"I don't know." Sharnice says as Joey barks.
"Okay, damn. Please, I'm sorry."
"You gonna go to Mel?"
"No. Damn, no," Terrell says, frightened.

Sharnice whistles and Joey backs down. "Kevin, come get Joey," she calls. She takes Joey's leash and gives him to Kevin, who walks him back to his room. "I don't know what you want me to do. I need a few hundred, or I can't really stay gone now."
"A few hundred is not five hundred dollars. Stop trying to scam me."
"Okay, damn. Three hundred dollars and then I'll leave, I promise," Terrell begs.
"I hate you, you know."