Deja King - Last Bitch Standing

DEJA KING

This Book is Dedicated To My:

Family, Readers and Supporters. I LOVE you guys so much. Please believe that!

Wow...I can't believe we've made it to Part 5! It's been a very long journey and I've LOVED every minute of it. To all my readers who have become die hard Precious Cummings aka Mills' fans I truly hope that I don't disappointment you with this installment and you believe I did `our' girl justice! ! Sit back, relax and enjoy the show! ! Hugs and Kisses...

Your Literary Sweetheart, Joy "Deja" King

SpeciaCThanks To...

Linda Williams; We did it again, thanks for arways being my biggest Cheerleader

Jonesy; You were the first radio personality that embraced my books! You set (Bitch on fire in New `Yorkand I wiCCforever Cove you for that!!

Tracy TayCor; Girr, have they figured out yet we wirrnot stop!!

Ann Wopson; I see you girl... "You're so Pretty. "O

Tazzy; I just adore you for being you!!

Keith Saunders; You're my dude!! Enough said..

BookBullies; Watch out for them, they'rfbe taking over in 2010!!

Tureko "Virgo" Straughter, Renee Tolson, Jeanni Dixon, Ms KiKi, Andrea Denise, Sunshine716, Ms. (Nichelle) Mona Lisa, Lady Scorpio, Travis Williams, Brittney, Donell Adams, Myra Green, Leona Romich, Sexy Xanyell. To vendors and distributors like African World Books, Teddy Okafor, Black & Nobel, DaBook Joint, The Cartel, DCBookman, Tiah, Vanessa and Glenn Ledbetter, Junior Job, Anjekee Books, Andy Carter, Urban Xclusive DVD & Bookstore, Future Endeavors. Also, to Sherita Nunn, Troy Monaco, James Davis, Bev Johnson, Marcus & Wayne Moody, Trista Russell, Risque Cafe, Don Diva and Dolly Lopez...thank you all for your support! !

Special, special thanks to Cover 2 Cover Book Club; Christian Davis, Angela Slater, Pamela Rice, Ahmita Blanks, Melony Blanks, Marcia Harvey, Melinda Woodson, Tonnetta Smith, Tiffany Neal, Miisha Fleming, Tamika Rice and Bar. I so enjoyed our book chats for "Hooker to Housewife" and "Superstar". All of you ladies are wonderful! !

I've always been told that life's a bitch and then you die. If that's true, then I should've been dead a long time ago. But yet, here I was, still standing. And why? Because I was on a mission-driven by my need to demolish the one person who thought she was bad enough to outsmart me. I'll admit, the tables had been turned and it wasn't in my favor. But see, I had been left for dead on more than one occasion. My husband had died in my arms-or so I thought-and my daughter had been ripped out of my life. So this shit right here was nothing to me. Because like my man, Jay-Z says, "Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week". Yeah, what I had to accomplish might take a little longer than that, but one thing was for sure: Maya was going the fuck down! I put that on everything.

Are you ready to go?" Nico questioned, taking me out of the journey my mind was on of destroying Maya. It took me a few moments to answer, because I wasn't sure if I was ready to go. We had been doing time in Atlanta, based on a tip that led us nowhere so far. There was a so-called "Maya sighting" from one of the numerous private investigators we had hired to track the heffa down. I thought this one could actually be the real deal, but we'd hit yet another brick wall. Over the last few months every potential lead would come up empty. This chick had literally vanished, and took my husband and child with her. The shit had me perplexed an agitated like a motherfucker. I needed answers, but all I kept getting were more questions.

"I guess we're done here," I said, looking around my hotel room. I had been living out of my suitcase like a rapper on the road doing shows, and trying to make a come-up, and at the rate we were going, it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"Precious, don't get discouraged," Nico commented, as if reading my mind.

"I can't front, all this searching like we're in the dark with no flashlight is irritating the fuck outta me. I really thought this time, that scandalous trick was mine."

"And she will be..please believe that."

"I ain't got no choice, because if I didn't, I really wouldn't have a reason to live."

"You don't mean that."

"Yes the fuck I do! That deranged broad has my child. I still love Supreme and I want my husband back, but hell, he's grown. He can protect himself. But Aaliyah, she can't, she needs me."

"I understand, and I promise there ain't a mountain I won't move to make that possible. I just don't want you to give up."

"Never that!"

As Nico drove to the airport, I looked out the passenger window, wondering if Maya really was out there somewhere in the ATL and we just simply missed her. Or worse, Maya had seen us and was now someplace gloating that she had once again won the game of hide and seek. I prayed that wasn't the case. It would be much easier for me to stomach that we had simply been directed to the wrong city, than to find out that Maya was still here, carrying on with a life she'd stolen from me.

"Nico, I can't put my finger on it, but something keeps tugging at me as if there is some sort of clue or answer that we are leaving behind."

"You mean here in Atlanta?"

"Yeah, I can't shake it."

"Precious, we've been here for weeks and come up with nothing."

"I know, but my gut keeps telling me something is here for us. I don't know what it is, but the feeling is so strong."

"So, what do you want to do, stay? I mean, supposedly from what another investigator told us, there are some very good leads in Philadelphia. This tip seems reliable."

"And so did all the other ones, but we ain't got shit!"

"I know you're frustrated. So the fuck am I, but we can't stop looking!"

"I know that. Shit, I don't want to stop looking! I can fuckin' taste that bitch's blood like I'm a damn vampire. We ain't gon' never stop looking, but it's just this feeling I got. But it could be my agitation fuckin' with me."

"I think that's exactly what it is."

"Yeah," I sighed, falling back in my seat. "Let's take this flight to Philly. It could turn out to be beneficial... at least I hope so."

"Me too."

"Delta flight 1018 to Philadelphia will begin boarding in fifteen minutes," I heard the lady announce as Nico and I walked up.

The waiting area was jam packed, so clearly the flight was full. Although I had lived in New York for the majority of my life, I had never been to Philly even though it was damn near just down the street. I wouldn't know how to maneuver my way around even with a GPS, so luckily I had Nico with me. With hustling drugs for many years, Philadelphia had become like his own personal neighborhood playground, which was exactly what I needed.