The Perfect Side-N*gga

Chapter 1: Anything for You

Restraining himself from me only made me want him more, and when I wanted something, I got it by any means necessary. He was depriving a starving man of food. A lion was always the most vicious when he was hungry. He didn't know how dangerous his presence was to me. This cry for help was music from the heavens.

"Hold tight, baby. I'm on my way."

It was the first time he picked up the phone to call me in three months. I knew that the people who knew our situation would say that he was only blowing my phone up because he needed something. I didn't care, though. The fact that he was even calling had me coming to his rescue.

Adrenaline pumped into my chest as I drove down the empty interstate in the nightly weather. I was going thirty over the speed limit due to no cars being in the traffic. I had to show him that I was the only man he needed.

I didn't care that it was four a.m. I didn't care that it was fourteen degrees outside. I didn't care that there was ice all over the streets. I didn't even care that Marquis's soon-to-be husband was at his apartment.

The only thing I cared about was him.

~~•~~

Pulling up to Marquis's condominium complex, I saw people standing in the chilly weather. Most people had their phones in their hands, recording the scene in front of them. My eyes widened once I saw this familiar brown-eyed, mahogany dude outside in only red briefs and white socks.

"He putting his ass out on Valentine's Day." I heard one of the neighbors say as soon as I turned my engine off.

There were clothes scattered over the white speckled ground and iced bony bushes. Marquis stood there in shock, with tears dripping down his face. He was full-blown crying with snot running out of his nose. People stood around in their nightwear, watching the entire scene unfold. It was fourteen degrees outside, yet that still wasn't cold enough for people to mind their own business.

But who could blame them? I was even watching the scene. Drama was one thing: gay drama was another.

"Link, are you really going to do this right now?" Marquis screamed with his voice cracking.

Link... I even hated his man's name. In my mind, he was the one obstacle that stood in the way of having my dude in my arms. I found myself unknowingly competing with him in everything. Whereas he was only good in most areas, I was perfect.

I was the owner of a prestigious black-owned marketing company, Pennington and Company. Four degrees, three houses, and seven cars. Three that were foreign. I was making six figures a year and had been voted Tennessee sexiest bachelor four times in a row.

I had everything...except for him. I was losing to a fucking part-time barber.

Link and Marquis had been in a relationship for two years before I came into the picture. I had always seen Marquis around at the local gym, but I could never approach him due to his man still being around. When Marquis applied to work at my company, it was fate. Especially when I saw how unhappy he was. So, like the gentleman I was, I stepped to him. I introduced him to the real. I showed him things that his man could only dream about.

And just like that, he was mine.

Link had been leading Marquis on for years. Two, to be exact. He kept giving him all these big hopes and empty dreams of settling down, and Marquis fell for it every single time. Every time Marquis talked about leaving him, Link would mention marriage for him to stay. As soon as Marquis started to see through the smoky mirrors and facades, Link wanted to put a rock on his finger. Well, not even a rock; the ring wasn't even real. However, it was real enough for Marquis to go back blind and deaf to his bull. It was real enough for him to cut me off completely. Link was why Marquis acted differently, and I would bet my last dollar that he had no real intentions of marrying him.