When A Woman Hustles, Danielle Martin [books to read in your 20s .TXT] 📗

sure the coast is clear. Do not move or make a sound for 10 minutes. If you so much as breathe wrong, I will shoot you. Do you understand?" She asked.
The man nodded his head, not opening his mouth or responding in fear of her retaliation. Pumpkin smirked, grabbing his chin in the palm of her hand and placing a kiss on his lips. "This was fun baby." She laughed and turned back towards Reese, who still stood locked in place, completely shocked by what she was witnessing. "Let’s go." Pumpkin waved her hand, instructing Reese to follow. She clutched the heavy black bag over her shoulder, heading towards the door taking one last glance at the man who still sat half naked dressed only in his boxers. He obeyed Pumpkins order, and didn’t move or budge as they both exited the room. Pumpkin grabbed her jewelry and her coat off the bed and shut the door behind them as they stepped back into the hallway. She leaned forward, pressing her ear against the door to ensure he wasn’t moving or making a sound the way she ordered. Silence. "Okay let’s go." Pumpkin didn’t hesitate as she darted down the hallway towards the opposite end. Reese remained silent as she trailed behind Pumpkin, watching her from behind as she dropped the gun in her purse. Her adrenaline rushed through her veins like a bad shot of cocaine. She glanced over her shoulder hoping they weren’t being followed. The coast was clear. Pumpkin took the back staircase on the opposite end from where they came. They rushed out the door, down the steps and directly out a side door that let out exactly where Pumpkin parked the car. Reese ran to the passenger side, her paranoia causing her to continuously look over her shoulder. They were less than 20 minutes from her apartment she shared with Jayla. She could not risk anyone spotting her or remembering her face. Throwing the duffle bag in the backseat, they both hopped in the vehicle. Pumpkin wasted no time cranking up the ignition, slamming the gear in reverse and backing out of the parking space, once again going the opposite way they originally came. She raced down the street as Reese clutched her chest attempting to catch her breath. This entire thing was planned. This was all a setup! "What the fuckkkkkk?" she cried out, astonished and winded at the same time. Reese struggled to breathe as her chest weaved up and down. Pumpkin continued to speed away. She was calm, a smirk plastered across her face almost as if she had done this plenty times before. "Welcome to the real world honey. You done got your hands dirty now."

Reese spazzed. The veins popped out of her neck as she exploded. "Why the fuck did you set me up like that?!! Who the hell was that guy and why did you pull a gun on him???!!" She couldn’t control her anger. I'm a fucking idiot! She cursed herself inside her head. How did I let her trick me like this??? 
Pumpkin laughed, clearly unbothered. After reaching the main road, she slowed back down to normal speed and merged into traffic. "Listen honey, you’re an accomplice now. You accepted this job offer, I didn’t force you."

Reese stared with her mouth open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing or the fact she had been this gullible. She wanted to hop out of the moving car and run in the opposite direction, but it was too late for that. "This is not right! You tricked me!" Reese didn’t hold back as she shouted at her. "I should have known this was dirty money! How could I be so foolish??" she grabbed a handful of her hair as she hunched over. Terrified was an understatement. Pumpkin rolled her eyes. "Stop being fucking dramatic!" She hissed at her. With one hand on the steering wheel, Pumpkin reached into the backseat and grabbed the duffel bag. She dragged it to the front seat, dropping the huge bag into the center of Reese’s lap. "Open it." she instructed her.

Reese shot her a crazy look. "What???" She didn't want any parts of this. Pumpkins smile faded, her expression turning cold. "Open the damn bag Reese." she demanded her again. Reese hesitated, forgetting that Pumpkin was strapped and had a fully loaded gun inside her purse. Her hands shook as she slowly unzipped the zipper. Her eyes widened as she looked inside. 100's. 50's. 20's. 1'.s. They were all separated, each stack of cash separated by a different president’s face. They were neatly pressed bills all wrapped together.  She dipped her hand inside, chills running up her spine as her finger tips brushed against the smooth edge of paper. Reese had never seen this kind of money in real life. Only on TV and in movies. Again she felt her body freeze as she grew silent again, the money putting her underneath a deep trance. 
"He thought he was going to make it rain on me." Pumpkin laughed at her victim. She showed no remorse. No feelings.
Reese closed her eyes, her fingers still resting on top of the money. She began to think about the man in the hotel room. Her heart weakened as she remembered his hands and feet tied as he sat there helpless. Then again she looked down at the cash thinking about how quick, easy and simple it was to take it from him. She couldn’t help her curiosity and she was growing increasingly tied of this sick game Pumpkin was playing. She was no longer okay with being stringed along. "Tell me what’s going on." Reese spoke in a serious tone. She had already been dragged into this, the least Pumpkin could do was be straight up with her.

Pumpkin didn’t respond immediately. She made a sharp right turn pulling her car into a secluded parking lot located behind an abandoned 2 story building. Pumpkin parked next to a berry red Range Rover, which sat in a parking space as if it were intentionally planted there. Reese shook her head as she pieced together how cold and calculated everything was. Pumpkin had this entire night planned and Reese was the dumb goof ball to fall for the bait.

Pumpkin placed the car in park. She turned her body in her seat to face her. "Okay, you want to know what’s up??" She asked. Reese nodded her head in response unsure if she really wanted to know.

"Okay fine, I'll tell you." Pumpkin made serious deep eye contact. The mood inside the car shifted as her tone changed. "You really want to know what I do for a living? Well, I will tell you. I'm a hustler. A certified thief, honey. I make a lot money doing what I do. I've robbed doctors, lawyers, athletes. You name it. That guy you seen in the hotel room… Nigga is married, got 4 kids and one on the way with his side chick. He ain’t shit, but he's rich." Reese sat quiet as Pumpkin finally spilled the beans. She was not surprised by the confession. She already saw it coming. Reese couldn't help but question Pumpkin's motive. What turned her into a thief? She needed to hear it out loud. "Why?" Reese asked the first question to slip past her lips,
"Why???" Pumpkin repeated as if her question was ridiculous. "Why the fuck not? Because I get paid! This game is all I got. I didn’t have nothing and I came from nothing.” 
Reese didn't know how to respond. She was astonished.  Although con artists were extremely common in Baltimore, she never heard of a female jacker. Pumpkin was the first and the most beautiful thief she had ever seen.

 "I have been in the business for 16 years." Pumpkin continued spilling her secrets. "’I’m not proud of everything I have done to get to where I am today. But I did what I had to do for me. If I hadn’t met King when I was 16 years old, I would have died in these streets. He saved my life. "
This was the first time Pumpkin mentioned any of her family or friends. Reese turned to her as she noticed her demeanor. Reese was curious to know more. "Who is King?" she asked. Pumpkin’s expression had changed. She leaned forward as if the information were classified. "King is my boss. And now, he’s your boss too. I suggest you don’t fuck with him. King is a very powerful man.”
Reese swallowed the lump in her throat as she began to wish she never asked. King. The name itself was intimidating.

"King is the man." Pumpkin continued to boast. "He molded me. Groomed me into the woman I am today. King taught me how to hustle when i was 16 years old. I been rocking with him ever since." Pumpkin spoke while looking away as if she were in a daze reminiscing
"He changed my life. I struggled to survive... I was 16 years old bouncing from house to house sleeping on couches. The first time I robbed a nigga, King put over $100,000 into my checking account. 2 weeks later, I purchased my first home." She held up her finger, pointing it directly in front of Reese’s nose. "Scared money don’t make no money. I work hard to get what I want. I see all the fruits to my labor."
Reese sat still. Pumpkin continued to ramble as she listened. She was still in in disbelief. Out of her peripheral view, Reese could feel her eyes drop down to duffel bag in her lap. She wanted the money but was afraid to find out what would happen next if she took it. She looked back at Pumpkin who continued rambling. Taking this money was sealing the deal.  I can never become a woman like Pumpkin. Reese ranted inside her head. This is not me. This is not me.

“Reese.” Pumpkin called out her name snapping her out of her trance. “How do you feel about all of this? Do you have any questions for me?” she asked.

Reese had no answer. She bit her bottom lip. “Nope.” She gave a brief response.  

Pumpkin nodded her head. “Good.” She reached over, dipping her hand inside the duffel bag that sat cradled in the middle of Reese’s lap. She pulled out 10 stacks of cash, counting out each one. After removing a portion of the money, she zipped up the bag and threw the strap around her shoulder. She turned towards Reese, extending the handful of money in her direction. “Here.” She handed them over.

        Slowly, Reese reached out for her potion. Again, she slipped into a daze as she made contact with the cash.  “Oh my god.” She whispered… This is all mines. I can’t believe it.

 Pumpkin interrupted her thoughts and swung the driver’s seat door open. She stuck her foot out as she exited the car.  Pumpkin left the engine running as she shut the door behind her, holding the duffel bag close to her side. She leaned down to stick her head inside the car. "Tomorrow, you will meet King. So dress nice." Reese did not have time to protest. Pumpkin walked away without waiting for her to respond. She turned on her heel and sashayed across the parking lot towards her truck, leaving Reese sitting in the passenger seat alone watching her walk away. Reese glanced at the ignition.  She really did leave the keys.

Pumpkin clicked the lock to her Rover and threw the duffle bag into the backseat. Reese kept her eyes glued on her as she walked around to the driver’s side door, swung the door open and hopped in the truck. Pumpkin crunk up the ignition and immediately backed out of the parking space while speeding out of the parking lot. Reese followed her with her eyes. She continued to sit in the passenger seat in a daze. This isn’t a dream. This is real life. She couldn’t run from Pumpkin. She had taken her car. Taken her money on both occasions. She was involved.