Leon turned to Whip. “Your woman’s a pro?”

Whip looked at me, stymied. He hadn’t seen the turn coming. He straightened his jacket where Buddha had manhandled it. “She ain’t my only woman.”

Leon laughed. He laughed so hard, he doubled over with it, slapping his hands against his chubby little knees. “You’re a pimp, Mayo?”

“And I’m his number one.” I jabbed an angry finger at Buddha. “So that means, he or whoever don’t get to touch any of this, unless I see some serious money somewhere. Tell’em, Charlie.”

Whip cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable with where the conversation had gone. “Yeah, that’s right. She’s number one ho.”

Buddha slyly dug his hands into his pockets. If he came out with money, I was going to flatten him, Leon or no Leon.

“Hands out your pockets, Buddha,” Leon said. “Take a look at her. That’s top-notch right there. You ain’t got nowhere near enough for that.”

“That’s right,” Whip said, eyeing Buddha. “You can’t afford none of my girls, so back the hell up.”

Buddha abandoned his pockets and took a step back, but shot Whip a look full of malice while he did it.

Leon eyed me, amused. “A pro? I’ll be damned. High quality, though. Slim, good lookin’, mighty fine.” He turned to Whip, standing shell-shocked next to him. “How much?”

I cursed inwardly. I started this. It was my fault. I took the gum out of my mouth, tossed it aside, then stuffed Whip’s earbuds into my pocket, ready for a fight. Whip’s expression hardened and he turned to Leon, towering over the portly little man. “That one’s mine, all day, all night. Nobody in here, not him, not you, touches a hair on her head. We clear about that?”

Leon tried staring Whip down, but backed away after a time, chuckling lightly. “Just jokin’, man. I hear you. Your girl. Got it.” Then his smile disappeared. “But this thing we’re doing here now? It makes us even. You come back around, looking for more, and Buddha do what he do. You understand?” Whip nodded but didn’t speak. “We do this in the office.” Leon cocked a thumb at me. “She stays here.”

I watched as Whip and Leon disappeared out back. My eyes locked on Buddha and stayed there. I kept well beyond his reach, eyeing the office door, unable to get to it for the big man blocking my way. I glowered at him, calculating the risks of taking a run at him. He’d likely knock me out cold, but not before I got a good lick in. We stood and felt each other out, circling; muffled voices came from the office. Buddha’s eyes wandered south again, lingered.

“In your dreams,” I hissed when his eyes traveled up to mine again.

“Never met a choosy ho,” he said.

I sneered. “Till today.”