Strength (pt.44)

Adrine woke up groggy,working the graveyard shift had really fucked with him,but at least he had all day to spend with Analisette. Salma had been giving him elevator eyes since they tried to bust Quinten. He wasn't sure if she was trying to help him or trying to have him for herself. By the look of it she was going to be around until Quinten turned up. But when?
Adrine sat up in his king size bed and looked over at Analisette as she slept peacefully, unaware that he was awake. He took her in completely for a moment. This woman,this woman he protected when they were young,got back out of the blue,fought for,loved,respected, now was on the journey to marry and spend the rest of his life with. As every memory came into his mind he took in a breath,and released it so smoothly.He reached out and graced the back of his fingertips along her face and whispered, "Just like my breath,is how our life will be.Smooth."
Analisette smiled then opened her eyes,"Smooth sounds nice." He laughed lowly then kissed her full morning lips. "Good morning my angel,"he said after releasing their kiss. "Morning?"She growled then put the covers over her head,"Wake me when its noon." Adrine smirked then got up from the bed, walked to the closet and pulled out a fresh black t-shirt,"If you don't get up,I'm gonna get you up." She grumbled under the cover as he walked to his dresser and pulled out a pair of faded blue slim fit jeans. "You gotta pack Lolitas apartment and ima go talk to Rudolf then pack up Ricks apartment,that was the deal." He said as if telling a child to put the shiny new toy back in the department store. She peeked from under the blanket,then covered her head again,"But it will make more sense for the both of us to do it,after you talk to Rudolf." Adrine sat on the bed,slipped his boots on and laced them up,"Alise,Lolita is a girl she naturally has more stuff than a boy." She giggled under the cover and said,"But he is an artist and I'm sure he wants you to be extra careful with every painting and drawing he owns,oh,and his supplies as well.You should get on that now,actually." Adrine grumbled knowing that she was probably right and she giggled more under the covers. He stood up and grabbed his keys from the dresser and made a way for the bedroom door then said,"No sex for a month." Analisette shot up as if the bed was on fire,"I'm up,I'm up." Adrine laughed loudly and said,"Knew that would do the trick." Analisette wore only a black camisole and navy blue boyshort underwear, she followed Adrine,"Your so mean,playing with my emotions like that.I was so comfy and warm in the bed and you just mess it all up." Adrine looked over his shoulder and smiled,"Had to get you up, your such a big baby in the morning." After a match of 'Am not','Are too' she gave in,"I'm just not a morning person,I'm a poet,you never hear of poets waking up at 7am and writing about gearing up to start their day.Unless they write rhymes for kids morning learning shows." Adrine laughed then walked into the bathroom and began his rituals,Analisette followed suit shooting him an annoyed 'i could be doing this in the afternoon' glare every change of ritual. He smiled and shook his head every time she did. Once they were complete she said,"Your gonna leave me to pack while you talk to Rudolf who is such a chatterbox sometimes,i should just wait for you to come back and we could do it together.please,please,please." Adrine leaned in real close to her,invading her space,and said,"So waking you up in the morning is the way to get you to beg,I have to remember that when we don't have prior obligations." She bit her full lower lip at his sexual words then kissed him passionately. She felt him get hard and looked down then back to his honey brown eyes,"Better tell him to go back to sleep,Rudolf might get jealous." He pressed it against her,"Why don't you make him go to sleep?" She smiled,"Cant I have work to do.Got to pack Lolitas belongings.My boss is a real hardass makes me get up at the break of dawn." He tried to hold back his smile and said,"Funny,I just got a call from the boss,he said Fuck her brains out then send her to work." She smiled then went in for a kiss didn't land it and weaseled her way out of his compression. "The faster we get this done,the faster you can pay up."She said as she walked to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water. Adrine followed and sat on the couch and looked over at her,"What do you mean pay up?" She tossed him a bottle and replied,"You said if i didn't wake up no sex for a month,so since i woke up that means sex everyday for a month.You said it boss I'm just following orders." They both laughed.
Adrine and Analisette walked out of his apartment and headed for the elevator. When it stopped at Lolita and Ricks floor Analisette kissed him and said in a concerned tone,"Don't take to long." Adrine nodded and headed down to Rudolfs office on the main floor.
Analisette opened Lolitas apartment and stepped inside. It was simple looked like it had just been cleaned. She headed for the bedroom and seen clothes scattered,revealing that she left in a hurry. "I hope they made it upstate safe." Analisette thought to herself. She began picking up and folding every piece of clothing that lay scattered on the floor and stacking them neatly by type. After Analisette opened the closet and seen all the club wear Lolita used to wear. She smiled,"My how far she has come.I haven't seen her in anything like this in so long." She gave disgusted looks to each and every garment,as thoughts ran through her head of what Lolita had done in those outfits. She found a flattened cardboard box in the back of the closet and arranged it for use. She grabbed in arm fulls,then tossed them into the box. "I'm going to have to call her and ask her if she wants any of this crap,I'm sure she wont,i don't know who would,unless they were trickkin." Analisette shook her head and after the clothes were out of the closet she looked down at various shoes. After a few moments of debating whether a stipper would wear them or not she finally cleared the closet.Then way back in the corner of the closet she seen picture frames leaning against the wall. She reached back and grabbed them.
There were four ornate frames each containing a photograph. Analisette sat down on Lolitas bed and looked at the first picture. It was Lolita as a young girl,she was sitting on a stoop next to a woman and man who were laughing. "Maybe her parents? I recognize the area,this building was torn down to make a shopping mall a few years back." Analisette placed the picture next to the folded clothes from earlier then looked at the next photo. It was Lolita blowing out candles as everyone smiled. Analisette squinted to see that the cake read:Happy 15th Birthday Lolita. "Wow so many people in this picture,she must have a big family." She thought for a moment of who Lolita had become and grew angry,"Where were they when she had became and escort and started using drugs?Maybe that's why she has these pics in the back of her closet." She did the same as the first then looked at the next photo. It was Lolita at a party,she was dressed provocatively,and there was no girls in the picture,but alot of men everyone with a drink,one man held her hip and raised his glass. Analisette shook her head,knowing that the picture said enough. Finally the last picture. It was them,together at a party. Analisette turned the picture face down on top of the other three. She remembered that picture,remembered that night,remembered what they had done. Analisette shook the thoughts from her mind. "I need some air." She grabbed her phone and headed out the door to the hallway. She found a spot next to Lolitas apartment door and sat down. When the elevator door opened. She took in a deep breath hoping that it was Adrine,she definitely needed his embrace to remind her that things werent as they were then.Life was better,not just for her but for Lolita as well.
Adrine knocked on Rudolfs office door and waited. He herd the sound of papers being crumpled and drawers being shut then silence. Adrine lifted his fist and knocked again. "Who and what!" Rudolf yelled. Adrine shook his head then replied,"Adrine Perez.Pertaining to two residents." He could hear him rushing to the door. Rudolf opened it panting,"No ones dead right?"Adrine smiled,"No.This is a good thing." Rudolf composed himself then invited Adrine inside his office to talk. As they both sat down,Rudolf said,"Which two residents is this about?" Adrine adjusted himself in the chair then replied,"Lolita Cruz and Rick Stevens." Rudolf scoffed,"Oh,them." Confused Adrine asked,"Do you have a problem with them?" Rudolf shook his head no,Adrine could tell he was holding back,but wanted to just tell him what he had to and get to helping Analisette. "Lolita and Rick wont be living here anymore.They had to leave in a hurry but if you need to communicate with them about anything you could ask me and ill contact them for you." Rudolf sat back in his seat and took a deep breath,"Typical.Ill let you know if i have anything to say to them." Adrine stood up and headed for the door but stopped when Rudolf said,"First Clifford leaves to go upstate for a couple of days and now they leave me high and dry.That reminds me,can you keep an eye out for anything like you used to.Just until Clifford comes back." Adrine nodded yes then left Rudolfs office and went straight to the elevator. It was coming down from Lolita and Ricks floor.
Samantha limped into the hallway and seen Analisette sitting on the floor. "Is Lolita here?" Samantha asked. Analisette looked up then shook her head no,"She moved.Well I'm packing her things.What do you need her for?" Samantha leaned against the wall next to Analisette and said,"Can we talk inside?its about Quinten." Analisette shot up off the floor and opened the door and let her inside. Samantha knew she had to tell someone,just hoped that it would be Lolita instead of Analisette. But it would have to do. They sat on Lolitas couch in the living room and Samantha spoke,"Quinten had put a hit out on Lolita." Analisette wasn't surprised,"I know he did that's why Lolita left with Rick." Samantha took a breath,"Quinten left too.He wouldn't tell me where he is,only said'im away'." Analisette looked at her with building aggression,"You still talk to him?" Samantha shook her head no,"I stopped talking to him. I could never forgive him for putting a hit out on Lolita,I wanted to believe he would change.Some people never do.Maybe he would have this time.I dont know." Tears welled up in Samanthas dark brown eyes. Analisette felt her pain and reached out to her,and held her hand. "It will be okay.He will never get a chance to get to her.Do you want to talk to Lolita? I have to call her and ask her about a few things to pack,maybe you will feel better after you know shes ok?" Samantha nodded.
Analisette pulled out her phone and hit send on Lolita. It rang. Rang again. Then.
"Hello?Analisette?" It was a mans voice. Analisettes face grew grim,"Who the fuck is this!" The man answered,"Its Clifford.Analisette this shit is bad over here..." Analisette turned white as Clifford explained the scene.
Adrine walked into Lolitas apartment,"You should really lock the door,babe." He seen Samantha on the couch and Analisette barely holding her cellphone turning paler by the second. "Baby whats going on?" He said sitting next to her trying to snap her out of her daze.
"Lolita and Rick are dead!"