Jazz's Fortune

Jazz awoke out of her sleep in a cold sweat. She was having "the dream" again. Jazz slowly got out of her bed, walking into the bathroom. She turned on the faucet, allowing the water to run cold for a minute, before splashing it on her face.

She didn't mean to do it.

She didn't want to kill him.

But she had no choice.

It was either her, or him.

When Jazz moved out to Las Vegas, it was a whole new world for her. She had a friend there who had promised to help her land a job as a professional dancer. Jazz had studied ballet, tap, and modern dance at The Alvin Ailey dance school. However, when she arrived, things were not what they seemed.

She started dancing in low budget, "rachet", strip clubs. After a while she became numb, and her dreams were slowly fading fast. Then one day, she met Blue.

Blue was an "entrepreneur." He had approached Jazz about a business opportunity. He had wined and dined her promising her fortune and fame. But all Jazz got was dreams being sold to her.

Blue, in fact, was not an "entrepreneur." Blue, was what they called a "rest haven" for whores. You see, Blue.... was a pimp. He ran an escort service.

After three months of searching for professional dancing gigs, Blue convinced Jazz to give up and convinced her that "tricking" was the way to go.

As Jazz stood on the Las Vegas strip, she wondered how she had gotten there. How had she agreed to become an escort? Furthermore, if Blue's business was so top tier, why was she standing on a street corner, about to sell her body?

As she stood there evaluating the choices she was making, A handsome stranger in a BMW pulled up. Jazz walked up confidently; squatting down to make eye contact with the driver.

"Are you looking for a date?" Jazz said timidly.

"I'm looking for someone to talk to." the man said sadly.

"That's going to be one hundred dollars." Jazz said confidently.

"I have plenty of money." The man said as he reached inside of his pocket. The handsome stranger pulled out a stack with a gold money clip.

"What the hell?" Jazz thought. She stood there perplexed wondering if he was the heir of some eccentric family like the Winchesters or the Rockefellers.

"And you just wanna talk?" Jazz questioned as got into the vehicle.

"Yes. Nothing more, nothing less. I saw you standing out here alone." The man said as he slowly drove off.

Jazz knew Blue was watching as she drove off, and she knew she would be getting a call soon in regards to her location.

"So, what is your name?" Jazz said.

"My name is Thomas, but my friends call me Tommy." He said as he drove off slowly.

"Thomas, I'm Jazz. Pleasure to meet you." Jazz exclaimed.

"The pleasure is all mine." Thomas said.

At that moment Blue was texting Jazz. He had to know where his future "money maker" was at all times.

"So, where are we going Tommy." Jazz said.

It was then she saw him grin, and she immediately noticed that he was a bit older that she expected from the outside of the car.

"My wife and I have a house in the hills. We are almost there." Thomas said.

"Hey Mr. listen, if you want me to bang your wife, that's going to be extra." Jazz said cooly.

Thomas drove up a cobblestone driveway leading to the most beautiful two-story mansion Jazz had ever seen. It was perfect.

"Jazz, my wife passed away a couple of months ago. We were together for 20 years. She died of Cancer." Thomas divulged. "Tommy, I'm really sorry to hear that." Jazz said as she got out of the car.

Thomas grabbed her hand and walked her to the front door. "So, we are friends, right?" Thomas stated as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Yes, we are friends." Jazz stated. If this is what "tricking" could look like she wanted more of it.

Thomas escorted Jazz to the living room area and went into the kitchen, grabbing two glasses of Don Perignon.

Not long after Jazz had gotten comfortable, her cellphone began to ring. Blue was on her like "white on rice."

"Tommy, where is your bathroom?" Jazz questioned with alarm.

"Is everything ok Jazz?" Tommy said softly.

"I'm fine. I just, I just have to take this call." she said.

"The bathroom is down the hall and to the left." Tommy said.

Jazz went into the bathroom and gasped. There were two toilets and a full Jacuzzi bathtub and shower. On the walls were two twenty-inch flat screens. On the bathroom counter in the corner of two sinks was a picture of Thomas and his wife.

Jazz leaned on the sink and watched her iPhone blink insanely with the words, "Mister Blue" popping up on the caller id.

"Hello?" Jazz said.

"Where are you?" Blue squawked.

" I'm with a client right now." Jazz loudly whispered.

"Yea, I saw old boy pick you up, you know I'm watching you." Blue said.

"Well, I'm being rude by talking to you and trying to get this money." Jazz said.

"Well, he sure has it, so you better make sure you do whatever he tells you." Blue replied.

"He just wants to talk Blue." Jazz whispered.

"Talk?! Talk? That's code for screw. Make it fast." Blue commanded. "Excuse me?" an offended Jazz said.

"You heard me. And don't charge him less than five hundred. Send me your location." Blue shouted.

Jazz went into the iPhone and allowed Blue to see her location. She then went back and finished her wine with Thomas and was thankful her first "John" was a "Tommy".

After talking for hours, she learned the story of how Thomas and his wife had met. She learned how difficult it was to watch her suffer a fate he could not change. She also learned that right before his wife died, she had played the lottery, and won.

6.5 million dollars.

Jazz's head was spinning. Time had flown, and at 3am, they had shared a kiss. She knew this man didn't want to hurt her and had entrusted her story to him.

"You know I could help you. You don't have to be out doing this. From what I can see, you've got real talent." Tommy replied.

It was then that Blue started blowing up her phone. Jazz decided not to answer, because at that moment, she figured that the universe had sent this man. He would be here way out of this life.

Jazz and Thomas were watching a movie, when they heard a knock on the door.

"Who could this be at this time of night?" Thomas said as he got up and went towards the door.

Immediately, Jazz heard a loud bang, and she just knew...Blue was in the building.

"Who are you?' Thomas said forcefully.

"I'm a pimp. Where is Jazz?" Blue said as he began to walk around the home like it was his.

An embarrassed Jazz dropped her head to the floor. She could feel Thomas glaring at her as if she had set him up, but she didn't.

"What do you want?" Thomas yelled.

"I want you to give me five hundred dollars for this little adventure you took my "hoe" on. " Blue said arrogantly.

"Thomas walked over to his jacket and grabbed his wallet throwing $1000 dollars at Blue's feet.

Jazz stood up quickly; caught in the middle of the two.

"Blue, it's supposed to be a hundred." Jazz said as she looked down at the floor.

"SHUT UP. YOU DONT RUN ANYTHING, I RUN THIS." Blue said as he pulled out a Glock from behind his back.

"What are you doing Blue!" Jazz said as she stood in front of Thomas.

"Rich boy here is about to go to his safe and give me everything in it." Blue smirked

Jazz began to shake her head. "Thomas doesn't have a safe." Jazz said as she stood still.

Thomas moved Jazz out the way. "Yes, I do."

"Well alright. Let's go Rich boy." Blue laughed.

Thomas walked up the stairs to his bedroom with both Blue and Jazz in tow. Thomas went to a hidden safe in the wall and opened it. Both Jazz and Blue's eyes grew wide. It was over 700,000 cash in the safe.

Blue then cocked the gun and held it to the back of his head.

"Jazz get me a trash bag, this was easy money!" Blue laughed.

Jazz ran down to the kitchen with a feeling of disappointment. She grabbed the trash bag and ran up the stairs. She watched with guilt as Blue took the money.

"Now go. Both of you. I want you out of my house." Thomas said with his back still turned.

"Rich boy, you have seen our faces. So you know what that means." Blue stated.

Thomas turned slowly in a rage and looked Blue dead in the eyes, startling him.

"Do what you have to do. I lost the most important thing in my life. And it isn't this money." Thomas said.

Jazz backed away from Blue and Thomas into the doorway and creeped down the steps to her purse. She came back and knew that it was now or never.

"Drop the gun Blue." Jazz said with self-assurance.

"Girl, put that damn gun down and help me. We need to get rid of him. " Blue yelled.

Jazz cocked her gun. "Drop the gun Blue. You took this too far." Jazz screamed.

Blue turned around and laid down the gun and suddenly rushed towards Jazz. However, before he could get to her.

BANG! BANG!

Blue dropped to the floor with a look of surprise.

Jazz didn't know how she was going to get out of this.

This was a murder.

Thomas stood up and hugged Jazz.

"You need to leave my house and never come back." Thomas said.

"Tommy please don't do this." Jazz cried.

" You have to go." Thomas said as he gave her the bag.

"What is this? What? I don't want this money!" Jazz said with confusion

"Take it! and get the hell out of here." Tommy uttered.

"But Tommy I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO WORK THIS OUUT." Jazz cried again.

"JAZZ, LEAVE NOW!" Thomas cried. He loved her the moment he had saw her. He wanted better for her; like his wife, had wanted for him.

Jazz softly kissed Thomas on the lips; making eye contact. She grabbed the bag, stopped to pick up the grand on the floor, and ran out the house as fast as she could.

Tommy really was her way out.

But she would always be haunted; wondering what would have been, had Blue not shown up. -AK