LeSane
I haven't been able to sleep. I don't know why this beautiful stranger has this hold on me.
She's being manipulated by his money, his charm, and their twisted history.
Think about it.
He bullied her, but loved her?
He fucked her up.
She doesn't even know what love is for real. She wouldn't know if it smacked her in the face.
All she knows is abuse, manipulation, and hurt.
He introduced her to love and ruined her perception of the world.
Let's face it, he fucked shorty on the low, even took her virginity, ducked her, cheated the rest of his way through school off her brains, and graduated, forgetting about her by moving across the country.
She's opened up to me.
Told me these things, crying and yearning for a better future when it comes to love being loved.
But she still chooses him and I'm self aware enough to know that she forever will.
And I don't know if I can be okay with that.
She has too much potential.
Too much light.
A light, which he dims.
..
Leigh
I woke up to annoying birds chirping loudly, no alarm, and nothing but a beaming sun.
I miss the rain.
I wasn't in my bed, but at Golden Gate. I've been staying back and forth between here, Krissy's, and LeSane's.
LeSane's place was nice and all but the thought of yet another man thinking I needed him as a shoulder to cry on, at this point in time, was not something I am too fond of.
No favors for favors.
I've been on an apartment search but the West Coast is expensive and Kaine pays me more than enough, but what if this arrangement that we have doesn't work out? Will I be left alone for another?
I haven't saved enough.
I barley got any sleep here.
All I could see was Kaine's steel eyes and imagine his body, hear his demanding and dismissive , deep speech, and get a waft of his strong teakwood-vanilla shea butter smell.
And I wouldn't say that he hasn't been trying to get me to come home to him, but he's toxic. And I could only be his employee for so long.
He treated his employees like trash and I can't imagine what's like being on regular payroll.
I genuinely cannot fathom how a nigga from the hood, treats people at the bottom with such little respect.
I think at times, he forgets where he comes from and I want to be here to remind him.
Kaine
I woke up to the smell of no breakfast, yet again. Didn't hear any cooing or Barney on the television. No completed and folded laundry. Nor my clothing being laid out for me.
It now meets me at the office & I dress myself.
I checked my phone, no missed calls from her.
She really doesn't need me.
It's hard for me to come to terms with this.
She's always needed me. Right?
It's been about a month since Leigh and I have had a real conversation that didn't involve work, in the meantime she's been chillin' with UPS from my knowledge.
I've got to admit it kind of put a damper on my daily life.
I feel like I'm lost. Drowning.
If we do converse—especially for too long, it most likely ends with us arguing.
It seemed as though one half of the house was hers and the other was mine when she was here.
We would only eat together every now and then, it's only because I made it mandatory.
But only awkward silences filled the room.
I might as well be alone still.
Tori has been harassing me.
At first it started with social media jabs—once she figured no one was paying attention to her—it escalated and quickly too.
She's come up to the office causing a ruckus.
I can tell it's taking a toll on Leigh's work ethic.
We've been on every site imaginable , trending for bullshit, and not business.
..
Leigh
I quickly got into my town car and headed towards Kaine's home. Today, we were expecting deliveries from a custom shop called Home Zone, they made chandeliers for the foyer.
Hopefully, today goes better than the previous three to four weeks. It's been literal hell being around one another.
As I got closer to his house, butterflies began to emerge in my stomach.
Breathe.
My driver pulled into the driveway. We entered the gate with my special code.
I walked in the house and it was to say the least, how I left it.
Which was bad.
I could smell the rotting fruit, nothing was steamed, the floors were filthy, and the laundry shoot was full.
Where are his maids? Doesn't he have other... people?
Before I could access the situation anymore, I heard a security alert, before looking I automatically assumed that it was the chandeliers but sadly it was not.
Kaine
I was watching the game and I heard a knock.
"Come in."
It couldn't be anyone else but Leigh.
"What do you need, Ms. Christian?"
"I looked at the security camera and Tori's outside—again."
"Can you get rid of her." I focused on the game not even looking at her.
I was more so telling than asking.
"Sir, with all disrespect, this is your house. She's supposed to be your girlfriend, your problem. I feel as though you can handle it."
I paused the game, I knew I wasn't gonna win with either of them.
"I'm not asking."
"Me either ." She challenged me.
Victoria will camp out there until I come out and Leigh will harass me about how it's my job to handle my personal life—not hers.
At least not in this case.
I pleaded,
"At least come downstairs so that when I tell her to leave you can press the gate. How'd she even get in?"
"She must've been hiding in the bushes when I came in Kaine."
"Oh, so it's your fault. You're most definitely coming with me."
"Fine."
This is the tenth time Tori has come around and I don't understand why we can't handle it like adults.
She rang the doorbell and I forced Leigh to answer it.
"I don't wanna do it. She has a bat and I don't do weapons. My record is clean."
"Do it or you're fired."
She actually contemplated.
"Leigh?!"
She stood there actually hesitating.
"Asshole..why can't we just call the cops."
--
Leigh
I went to open the door,
"Hello, can I help you with something?"
She looked me over and her eyes shot straight to my ring finger she noticed my mother's ring on my finger—which was very misleading to a lot of people.
"Help me with something? Do I look like I need help? Who is this bitch? Who the fuck are you?"
"The assistant. Again, may I help you? It looks like you got out again, where's your owners? Do I need put Lost Dog posters up, again?"
"Kaine! Kaine! Where's Kaine."
She tried to look and rush pass me but I wouldn't let her. I felt a presence close behind me so close that I could feel their body heat ,
"What do you want Victoria?"
She shaped up real quick.
"Oh, Kaine. Can I come in? Please."
I looked up at Kaine, he looked down at me trying to read my mind.
He better not let her in—she's dangerous and I might end up out of a job if she lays a hand on me. Matter of fact, don't even breathe my way.
She darted her eyes at me, I flicked her off.
I wasn't about to move.
"Ah."
He grabbed my waist abruptly and moved me with ease, while continuing to hold me in his tight grip.
"Come in. Don't touch anything."
"Thank you.." She looked directly at me, becoming crestfallen when she saw him caressing my body.
I cut my eyes at her pale wannabe Barbie—ugh you know what..
I glared at her and bucked at her, "Don't piss either."
I guess it startled her enough because she retreated fearfully.
She knew better!
She could get dusted right here, right now, she didn't want to catch this fade.
"Leigh. Where you goin'?"
Kaine asked, "Upstairs. We have shit to handle."
Then I hear Tori's voice,
"I know that ain't who I think it is? Big L? Who had a mad crush on you in high school? I knew that fo'head looked familiar."
"Tor' shut the fuck up." Kaine, said with anger oozing through his voice.
She plopped herself onto his lap,
"Baby, why is she even in our home? Oh wait—look at you being charitable, that's my Macky..."
His eyes popped out of his head—he immediately pushed her off of him.
"Le--"
He lied to me.
How could you be with someone for a decade and they didn't live with you or you never took that next step?
"She's right, what am I doing here?.."
I waited for Kaine to say something.
Typical.
He froze as if his body turned into marble or stone—like he couldn't be seen.
I gave him a second.
He didn't say a damn thing, so I did.
"Victoria , you know what. I thought about what I would do if How could you be with someone for a decade and they didn't live with you or you never took that next step? I ever saw you again. What I'm thinking about doing to your scrawny, bad built, uneducated, diabolical ass—I'm not going to do because it won't be an accident. Therefore you can have your job back and don't nobody want Kaine ass but you—I'll be completely out in two days. Resigning as well."
I should've said torture but she'll get enough of that in hell.
"And my name is Leigh Christian, not Lay, not Leelee, not big L, nor LC, and you will respect that."
Calm down Leigh, she's not worth it.
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