Chapter 1: The Last Call
Jake's phone buzzed, dancing across the nightstand until it nearly committed suicide onto his apartment's cracked linoleum floor.
"Fuck, it's Kora again," he groaned, squinting at the bright screen through his hangover. "I guess her man doesn't satisfy her this time either. Now she needs my help."
He stretched, his muscular frame taking up most of the bed. It was basically the only thing he maintained these days—his body. Old habits from his football days. That and the genetic blessing his mama had always told him would either be his greatest gift or biggest curse.
"Probably both," he muttered to himself, remembering how Kora's eyes had nearly popped out of her head the first time they'd hooked up back in high school. That look never got old, especially now that it came with cash attached.
He swiped open the message, already knowing what it would say. Same shit, different day.
*He's gone till tomorrow night. Come over? Got something for you.*
A notification popped up - $200 sent to his Cash App. Jake snorted. That was Kora - straight to the point, no bullshit. Always had been, even back in high school when they'd hook up behind the bleachers while she was supposedly dating the basketball captain.
Some things never changed. Except now her boyfriend wasn't some high school jock but Damon Santiago, a man whose name was whispered in certain parts of the city.
"Two hundred bucks," Jake muttered, running a hand through his unwashed hair. "Better than sitting here watching reruns and eating dollar store ramen."