noirsealed part 8

Solena's room was full of smoke, but it was a different sort of smoke to Cucali's cigars. She leant back in her couch, gesturing to the other woman.

"Yeaaaah she was totally into you."

"Which is the problem," Cucali said. She managed to avoid coughing; she'd been friends with Solena for a very long time. She was used to her smoke. "I don't like me no dames."

"That's way too bad," Solena grinned. "I reckon she'd be great for ya, nice as she sounds and all."

Cucali glared at the far wall. "I don't need no one."

"Hey, you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fuckin' sure, so just shut up about it!"


The next night, Cucali got a call.

"Hey, girl. What's shakin'?" She didn't like the tone of this guy's voice. It spoke of things beneath, sharks lurking just beyond the surface.

"What do you want?!"

"Aw, not much. Just all your shit."

"What?" Cucali laughed, disbelieving. "Do you hear yourself?"

"You've got your eyes on that pretty bird, doncha? Been hangin' out with her an awful lot. No, don't get up in arms 'bout where this came from, a little rat told us with a bit of convincin'."

Cucali thought she knew who that little rat was, too. She made a note to beat the shit out of Cirrin the next time she saw him.

"Whoever you think I give a shit about, I don't."

"Oh? Won't mind if we kill what's her name, then. Hey, Boxer!" He yelled at a guy at the other end of the line, and it came through, faintly: "What was that broad's name?!"

"Paloma!", she heard an even fainter reply.

"Aight, aight. Won't mind if we kill Paloma then, right?"

"Are you seriously trying to fuck with me? Do you realise who I /am/?"

"You're a sharp bitch with a lot of territory. Some of us'd like it, thanks."

"It ain't happenin'." Click. Cucali set the phone down, and breathed out. She really didn't give a fuck, did she?

... of course she didn't.

She stalked out to her Sedan and plonked herself in the driver's seat. She didn't give a shit about Paloma, but those bitches thought they could challenge her, and she had to teach them a lesson.

That's what she told herself as she sped off down the road.