Chapter 8

Leila POV

-Flashback-December 1996

"Ayo, my pen and paper cause a chain reactionTo get your brain relaxin, a zany act, a maniac in actionA brainiac in fact son, you mainly lack attractionYou look insanely whack when just a fraction of my tracks runMy rhyming skills got you climbing hillsI travel through your mind into your spine like siren drills..."

I laid on Tommy's bed as he played his new tape, he was excited about it because he had been following this MC at the hip hop shop for some time now.

"Lala I'm telling you, this guy is gonna be huge" He said sitting back, rolling a joint, and puffing on it.

"You say that about all of them" I giggled, chin in palm.

"No really, he wins every time, he's crazy, I've seen nothing like him" He said "Mark my words kid, he's gonna be huge trust me"

I grinned at his enthusiasm over the music and rolled my eyes "Ofcouse, I trust you"

There was a crash and a bang outside followed by screams and yelling.

Tommy leaned over to the boom box and turned it up louder.

The hearty beat and clever lyricsad the smooth velvety voice of the young MC filling the room.

I sighed and rolled on my back, staring at the ceiling.

Mom and dad were drunk again and fighting it out.

It was a common occurrence in my house.

I had a habit of slipping into my older brother, Tommy's bedroom to hide out from the chaos.

I always knew that if he was home and not out on the streets up to no good doing God knows what, he would normally be smoking and listening to his beloved rap.

He had a taste for rap music and had always been into music, he had a natural talent for it too, it was like his life force, he was always either listening to it, singing to it or talking about creating it.

I grew to love music and rap because of him.

"I'll get us out of this hell hole one day Lala, I promise you" He said and then stood, gesturing for me to stay "I'll be right back, don't move"

-end of flashback-

"So, I've got after you were a police officer you left because of the toxic masculine atmosphere, took your training officer and started up the PI company, have I missed anything?"

I snapped out of my daze as Laura sat, eyebrow raised at me.

"Nope, seems about right"

"Ok great It will be in tomorrow's paper, any name preferences?"

I thought about the corniest name I could think of and wrote it down sliding it toward her.

"Chrystal, really?" She said, eyebrow cocked.

"Absolutely" I said with a grin "Don't hate on my choice of a fake name"

"You might as well have chosen Sapphire"

I snorted "I'm currently already a gemstone"

She stood grabbing her notebook "To live like the other... Actually, I don't envy you, dealing with one man is enough"

"Actually they're like dogs, give them about of attention and they're happy"

She laughed a hearty laugh "Those poor men"

I shrugged and she kissed my cheek "Don't break too many hearts, I'll see you later"

I waved at her as she left my kitchen and I hear the front door closing.

I pick up the remote and turn the music back on and go back to reading the current target's dossier.

------

Marshall POV

Walking into the Effigy building I greet the receptionist then I'm met by Monica in the hallway.

"Don't forget you've got a 9 am meeting, and here is the mail and today's newspaper, oh and Dre said to learn to answer you phone and that he sent over some beats and he REALLY wants you to check it out ASAP"

I nodded and walked through to the studio I kept for my use only, Denaun walking in behind me.

"Yo, How was your weekend?"

I shrugged sitting down at the soundboard and loading up the beats that Dre sent on the laptop, beat filling the room.

"Pretty uneventful, how about yours?"

"Was set up on this blind date, nothing exciting, she wasn't for me"

"I don't know why you bother with that dating shit" I snorted "You know once they find out you got money that's all they want you for"

"Nah man, she was cute and smart as hell, we just had different interests " He said playing around with some switches "Plus I don't wanna end up like your angry, lonely bitter ass"

"Mmhmm," I said flipping through the mail, nothing overly interesting "whatever helps you sleep at night"

"What about your negative ass, any new women lately?"

"Unless it's just for pussy to keep my dick warm, you know I don't fuck with the rest"

Royce waltzes in and I look up nodding at him and he takes a seat next to me, he starts nodding to the music.

"Marshalls Lonely, bitter ass"

I roll my eyes and look at the soundboard, picking up the newspaper off it and flipping through it.

"Lonely ass that never has to deal with crazy bit-".

An article catches my eye.

I read through the article.

"Let me introduce you to a local Detroit company that is helping scorned women to get back at their cheating husband by catching them red-handed, documenting information, obtaining photos and videos, and compiling evidence so that they can be used in divorce court"

I snort.

Fucking Leila.

I continue to read last some of the questions and answers.

"The female counterpart of the operation originally came from the police force, but tired of the toxic masculine atmosphere, took her training officer, who had been cheated on a spouse himself, started the company in hopes to save many women from living in a lie and getting what they're entitled too, a direct quote taken was given to me, the famous quote made by The First Wives Club "Don't get mad, get everything"

I grunted and threw the paper down in the trash, maybe with a little too much frustration.

Royce and Denaun's heads snap to me and I grunt as I switch to the next beat.

"Yall alright brother?" Royce asks giving Denaun a look.

"I'm fine" I said shoving my chair back and stomping out of the studio.

Now I'm a pretty rational person.

Ok, only sometimes.

I was at least level headed about women, they couldn't ever get to me.

But she kept fuckin' poppin' up, even more recently because Monica had to go fuckin' befriend her.

But the very thought of this woman rattled me and I don't fuckin know why.

I was actually losing sleep over her.

I think I was losing my fuckin' mind.