– Monica –
I laid in my bed the next morning, staring out the window. I was in trouble, and didn't know what to do about it. I tried to convince myself that last night had not happened. But then my phone that was on the night stand next to the bed rang. Frowning I picked it up not recognizing the number. At first, I thought that it was one of my kids from the center.
"Hello." I gently rubbed my finger across the small cut on my lip that had gone down significantly since last night.
"How did you sleep?" That deep voice almost made me drop the phone.
Dang it!
How did he even get my number?
"Like a baby," I lied. He chuckled.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Why are you calling me?" I wasn't even going to pretend to be cordial with him.
"I just wanted to let you know that today I will be getting my own breakfast, but I am going to need lunch. You can bring it by the shop." I sucked on my teeth.
"I told you I have responsibilities, and I don't have time to play the role of yo mama. Get your own lunch!" I hung up the phone before putting my hand on my chest. It felt as if my heart was trying to run away from my body.
What had I just done?
Yeah, I guess I told him. I was a real tough guy... on the phone. I laughed at myself.
My phone rang again. Staring at it, I warred with myself. I could just ignore him. Eventually, he'll have to stop calling, right? Or I could block his number. Yeah, I'll do that! I picked up my phone.
What are you doing?
That was the dumbest idea. What if he came over here? What if he saw Eve? What if he hurt Nana? I answered the phone.
"Hello," My voice was kinder. Fake, but kinder.
"Did you just hang up on me?"
I shook my head as if he could see me.
"No, man. My phone lost the signal. Don't be paranoid." If it killed me, I had to try to stay on his good side until I found a way to get rid of him. My mind raced for a solution to this problem. He chuckled.
"Monica, Monica, Monica. I see you're going to be a handful," he exhaled.
"Yeah. So, maybe you should rethink this irrational idea you have of, of..." I couldn't even say the words out loud.
"Of what?" he asked.
Mmm! His deep voice was wreaking havoc on me. It reminded me of...
Focus, Mon! You were talking your way out of this, remember?
"You know what I mean. I don't have to say it!" I was so glad he couldn't see me blushing.
"Come on, Monica. You're a big girl. Say it."
He was enjoying the fact that he was making me uncomfortable.
"Umm... No, I won't say it! BUT, going back to what you said about me being a handful; you're right. My Nana tells me that all the time. And I'm way younger than you. What are you? Like 40, 45?" I smiled.
That was a good one, Mon. If I could give myself a high five I would. He chuckled again.
"Not quite. But what's your point?"
"Well, my point is, I am young. And I remember you saying something about not hooking up with younger women. I just turned twenty-one. Don't put yourself through that. Go with your first mind. Surely at forty-five, you do not want to deal with a twenty-one-year-old." He chuckled again.
"Quite the contrary, sweetheart. I not only want to deal with you, I want to make love to you over and over again until you beg me for mercy... real pretty... like you did that night." My mouth dropped open. I took the phone from my ear and stared at it. I couldn't believe he just said that to me.
"Umm... I, umm..." Damn! My tongue was tied.
"Relax, Monica." He paused for a moment. "I know about your daughter."
My heart stalled. I mean, it literally stalled.
"You do?" My question came out barely above a whisper.
"Yeah, I do. Where's her daddy?" His question caught me completely off guard.
"He... He died. Yeah... in a motorcycle accident."
"Sorry to hear that."
He didn't sound sorry in the least. It sounded like his attention was somewhere else. I could hear someone in the background talking to him.
"Hey. Look, you sound busy. I'll see you around sometime," I was so ready to get off the phone with him.
"I need the white walls for the 62'. You're going to have to order more," he spoke to whoever It was that was there with him.
"Monica, you'll see me today. Bring lunch and your daughter so I can meet her," he said to me although he was still talking to the other person.
I was about to have a panic attack. Think, Monica. Think! Remember your improvisation exercises with Madame Queen. You can do this. Just breathe and let it flow.
"Kaleb, I don't think that's a good idea. Eve is a little sensitive... you know, with just losing her dad and all."
"Oh! He just died?"
"Yeah, just a few months ago."
See? This is the problem with lying. You tell one, you got to tell a hundred. Goodness! And why did people have to ask questions when you were lying? It seemed like I got myself deeper in the muck the more I spoke.
"Did you love him?"
"Who? Eve's dad?" Yikes!!! "Not at all." Now this I could say truthfully. I couldn't even bring myself to tell that lie.
"Good."
That was his only response. I frowned again. I could have kicked myself. The one time I told the truth, I should have lied. If I loved this mystery man, that would be a reason for Kaleb to leave me alone; so that I could mourn. Damn!
"I can respect you not wanting to introduce me to your daughter right now. But you're going to have to do it eventually. She's going to see me a lot. So, she might as well get used to having me in her life."
Oh, hell no! Not if I can help it, potna!
"Why don't we just get used to each other, first?" I needed to buy some time to figure a way out.
"That's fine. We'll do it your way, for now. As for lunch, I would like it homemade. I don't eat from any restaurants but Mama Rita's. So, whenever you can't prepare food, just go there and pick us up something. I don't eat pork, shell fish of any kind, or catfish. I'm a steak and potatoes type of guy. So, if you stay in that general area, you can't go wrong with me."
"Brother, I work at The Burger Joint and Chucky's Chicken Shack. I cannot afford to feed you, and I sure can't afford Mama Rita's!" This dude was crazy.
"No. You used to work at The Burger Shack and Chucky's Joint." I rolled my eyes at him butchering my jobs' names. I was beginning to think he was doing it on purpose.
"Don't worry about money, shawty. I got you."
"Kaleb, I don't feel comfortable with that."
"I don't care. I'll be sending someone to scoop you up in a few hours. Be ready." The phone went dead. I stared at it, dumbstruck.
"Mama!" Eve yelled, opening my door and running across the floor in her little onesie. She clutched the cover and pulled herself up in my bed before collapsing in my arms. I laughed as she began to bury herself in the covers. This was her morning routine. She did it every morning at seven o'clock whether I was up or not. She was my little alarm clock.
I ran my fingers through her soft hair. She looked so much like Kaleb, but prettier and smarter. I had to keep him away from her no matter what. He was bad news. He would destroy my baby with his life of drugs, guns, and only Yah knows what else.
I needed to call Marge at the Burger Joint and Chucky to request a couple days off while I sort this mess out. By then, I should have rid myself of Mr. Man. I wasn't worried about my jobs. I was in good with both of my bosses. They will always take me back.
I spoke with them both and assured them that I was alright. Well, assuring Marge was easy. But Chucky suspected I was leaving him for another man.
"Chucky, I just need a few days off. I'll be back."
"Monica, with your fine a$$. Some nigga done came and scooped you up, didn't he?"
"No, Chuck. I just need a few days off," I repeated as I looked through my closet for something to wear.
Eve was sitting on my bed, taking all my stuff out of my book bag.
"Monica, you know... the offer is still on the table. Let Chucky be your sugar daddy. Baby, you ain't ever got to work another day in your life!" I laughed.
"Bye, Chucky!" I said before hanging up on him. He was ridiculous. That brother was stuck in the movie, Super Fly.
Okay, so what was I going to wear? I didn't want to wear anything too nice, because it would make it seem as if I was interested. I wanted to wear something that said I was serious... something that said, "Don't mess with me. I'm a prude." Ah-ha! I had the perfect idea. I needed to borrow an outfit from Nana. I scooped up Eve and headed downstairs to her room. She had given the master bedroom to me long ago, because she couldn't take the stairs anymore.
Our house was huge. My grandfather built it with his bare hands. When Nana returned to Chicago after her career in New York ended, she got with the city and began the center. My grandfather was the janitor there at the time, and he was in love with her. Now Nana had a little money, which intimidated him a bit. So, he decided to build her a house. And boy, did he build it—eight bedrooms in total. When the house was done, he brought her to it and proposed to her.
She asked him why so many rooms. He said it was for all the children they were going to have. But he died shortly after Nana got pregnant with my mother. Between the center and this house, her money went fast. So, she turned it into a boarding home. This worked well for a while. Now it needs so many repairs, we simply can't attract anymore business. She was keeping up with repair costs at first. But my brother got arrested a few times, and posting his bail had depleted us.
I had so many dreams of making it big and fixing up my grandma's home for her. I know it must grieve her beyond anything I can imagine, seeing the house that the love of her life built for her just disintegrate before her eyes. I'm not going to give up though. I've got a few repair books, and I am going to do the best I can to get this place back into shape.
When Eve and I walked into Nana's room, she was sitting in her chair with a horrified look on her face while staring at the news. I rolled my eyes. My Nana and her news. I sat on the bed, sitting Eve next to me, who instantly headed for the night stand.
"What's wrong now?" I asked her. She slowly turned away from the news to look at me, putting her hand to her chest.
"Child, these folks just said it was a hole in the sun." Her eyes were as wide as saucers. I chuckled.
"So, what's the big deal?" I shook my head at her. I was going to have to forbid her from watching the news.
"What's the big deal!" she screeched. "You know what's wrong with you young folks? Y'all stupid. The whole world is crumbling around y'all, but y'all ain't noticed cause you too busy snapping selfies." I laughed.
"Not me, Nana," I kissed her loudly on her cheek. She batted me away. "I'm too busy taking chicken orders and flipping burgers." That made her laugh.
"I've come to borrow clothes." She frowned at my statement.
"From who?" she asked, looking confused. I laughed.
"From you." Her eyes narrowed.
"Monica, what are you up to?" I put my hand on my chest while batting my eyes.
"Why, grandmother, whatever do you mean?" I laughed at her suspicious look as I hopped up to look through her closet.
"I know you. You're up to something." I shook my head as I carefully looked through her things to find the perfect look.
"Nana, you shouldn't say things like that about me!" I halted my search on a high neck black dress that would literally cover me from chin to ankle.
"Perfect!" I said excitedly, taking it out the closet to hold it in front of me in the mirror.
"What you want to put on that old ugly thing for? I knew it was ugly when I bought it in the 40's!" Nana cackled from her chair. Even Eve, who had gotten a hold of Nana's teeth, paused to look at me with a frown on her little face. I smiled at them both.
"I've got a job interview," I said, before I took down one of her old hat boxes and pulled out an old, brown, church lady hat, that would be perfect with this dress. Nana frowned.
"Child, are you trying to get the job?" she scratched her head.
"Not at all," I answered. With the dress draped over my arm, I went to her jewelry box and picked out a pair of earrings and a long string of pearls. Just because I was going to be dressed like a 1940's prude didn't mean I couldn't do it in style.
"Oh, okay," she nodded.
"Lil girl, leave my teeth alone!" she screeched at Eve, who dropped the teeth back in what we called 'teeth juice,' before sitting back in the bed like she hadn't been touching them at all.
"You betta leave Nana teeth alone. You know she don't play about them," I jokingly scolded Eve, while picking her up and heading to the kitchen. I sat her in her high chair and gave her a bowl of wheat circles before putting on a pot of coffee for Nana. Then I cut her and Eve up some fruit.
"Aren't you eating?" Nana said, sitting down at the table in front of her bowl.
"Naw, I'll grab something later." She shook her head.
"You need to take better care of yourself. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You always say you're going to grab some later, but I know you never do." I nodded. Nana gave the same speech every morning. I just wasn't a breakfast person.
"I love you, Nana," I told her, kissing her check before I headed back upstairs to get ready for my important so-called job interview. The first thing I did was draw a nice, hot bath. As I soaked, I thought about my game plan for Operation: Unattract. The idea was for him to take one look at me and say, "Oh, I'm sorry. I've made a huge mistake."
Honestly, I didn't know why he was attracted to me in the first place. Guys like Kaleb didn't tend to go after the loc wearing, cultural type. They went for the Cover Girl, runway model type. And trust me, Kaleb could have any woman he wanted. He was fine, paid, and a boss. Women went crazy over men like him.
But not girls like me. No. We were into the intellectual type: the poet, the deep thinker. I mean don't get me wrong, I know I'm pretty. But I'm "Average Joe pretty," not "King pretty."
When I finished bathing, I moisturized my skin well with Mango butter. Then I went to my lingerie drawer and grabbed a plain pair of bra and panties. But I put them back. I figured if I was going to be dressed exceptionally hideous on the outside today, underneath I was going to be fabulous.
"Hmm... which pair should I pick?" I eye balled my vast collection. Okay, confession time: I have a secret. I may have a little addiction to buying sexy underwear. I don't know why either. Nobody ever sees them but me. I have never even been with another man besides Kaleb.
Yet, I enjoy wearing lingerie underneath my clothes. I don't know what it is about it. Hmm... today I was pulling out the big guns. I went to my closet, and hanging there was a purple set that I splurged twenty bucks on. Now I know some of you are frowning saying, "Twenty bucks?" But let me tell you, that's an arm and a leg for me.
I stood in the mirror admiring myself in my beautiful bra and panties before reaching for the black dress. An hour later, I had become a school teacher from the 1940's. I chuckled as I scanned my reflection in the mirror from head to toe. I looked ridiculous. I tightly wrapped my locs into a low bun, and topped my outfit off with the huge church lady hat that had lost its shape decades ago. Plopping it on my head, it drooped so low it covered the top portion of my face. To finish the look, I threw on a pair of Nana's old eye glasses.
Since the dress fell to the floor, I sported my Adidas. Hours later, I rejoined Nana and Eve downstairs. They both paused for a moment to look at me before erupting into laughter. I smiled. Perfect!
For Kaleb's lunch, I grabbed the leftover chicken salad and peach cobbler I made yesterday out of the fridge, spooned them into separate Tupperware bowls so they wouldn't spill, and stuffed it all in a bag.
"Steak and potatoes kind of guy..." I mumbled, "I got your steak and potatoes, in this here chicken salad."
If this dude thought I was going out my way to cook for him, he had another thing coming. Imagine me cooking for my enemy. Ha! He had the wrong girl. I threw what was left of some salad dressing along with a fork in the bag. I didn't try to arrange it nicely either. Then I made lunch for Nana and Eve.
An hour later, I looked out my window and saw that black Cadillac truck sitting outside. I exhaled. Okay, it was game time. But it took me a little longer to pry Eve's arms from around my legs today.
"Baby, mama will be right back!" I told her.
"No, mommy. I come too!" she wailed, which crescendoed into a scream when Nana grabbed and held her back so that I could get out the door. Goodness! That really broke my heart. When I came out the door, the giant stepped out the passenger side of the truck. I slowly approached him, having mixed feelings. The last time I saw this guy, he was kidnapping me.
I looked up at him. He frowned as he took me in. However, he was a professional, because if he thought I looked odd he didn't say anything.
"Good afternoon, ma'am," he said as he opened the door for me.
"You know, after you kidnap someone, certain pleasantries just seem silly. Don't you think?" He chuckled.
"I guess you're right. Name's Tiny." My mouth dropped open. Did this giant of a man just tell me his name was Tiny?
"Tiny?" I asked. His chuckle turned into a laugh.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Okay, Tiny. Enough with the ma'am stuff. You can call me Monica." He nodded.
"Okay, Monica." I climbed into the back seat.
"Name's G," the driver said, who was also the driver yesterday.
"Hey, G. I'm Monica." He saluted me through the rearview mirror, and pulled off after Tiny got all eight feet, four-hundred pounds of himself in the truck. My phone dinged in my bag. I took it out and discovered that I had a text.
Kaleb: I'm starving
Me: Eat then
Kaleb: I will when you get here
Me: Maybe I won't come
Kaleb: Lol, you're coming
Me: You sound so sure of yourself
Kaleb: I'm sure cause my men are bringing you
Me: Maybe I'll run away from your men
Kaleb: Then I'll come find you, wherever you go. There is nowhere you can hide from me
I stopped texting and stared at the screen. How in the world was I supposed to respond to that? This man was a psychopath. I had to get away from him. He was psychotic and dangerous, and he had it in his head that he and I was getting ready to be an item. What kind of man went to prison for two years and came out desiring the one that set him up to go?
Right then, a thought came to me. What if this was a setup, and he had some elaborate plan of getting back at me? What if he was going to torture me slowly for the next two years? What if he was going to try to make me fall in love with him, then break my heart?
I looked out the window as we drove. I had to end this somehow. I prayed my outfit would repulse him enough to lose interest. If not, I would just have to turn up the pressure. One of the things I loved about myself is that I wasn't a quitter. If one door closed, I just tried another. Kaleb was the drug dealer who had my brother murdered, and I had to get away from him... no matter what.
We pulled up in the front of the shop today. It too was full of cars—some that needed work and some that was ready to go. I wondered if they all belonged to someone or if he sold some of them. Tiny got out of the vehicle and opened the door for me.
"Just go in. The boss is expecting you," he said. I nodded and walked towards the door. They pulled off as soon as he got back in the truck.
"Wow," I said under my breath as I entered. Yesterday, I had been in the back where they worked on the cars. The front was nice. It was a showroom, and put my question of whether he sold some of these cars to rest. I was no expert on classic cars, but these looked really nice... and expensive. I walked towards the receptionist's desk.
A pretty brown skinned girl wearing blond weave and tons of makeup sat there, speaking on the phone and typing on her computer at the same time. She did a double take when she looked up and saw me.
"Emm, Emm!" she said, taking in my outfit. Her whole face frowned up as if I stunk. Then she must have remembered she was talking on the phone, because she had to apologize to whoever it was she was speaking to.
"No, Mrs. Durby, I wasn't speaking to you. I just mistyped. So yes, your husband's car will be finished and delivered to your home at the time we discussed. He's going to be so surprised! Yes, ma'am. I will definitely give you a call when it's in route. Okay, you have a wonderful day. Bye." She hung up the phone and looked up at me, rolling her eyes before she resumed typing on her computer.
"I put the Goodwill check in the mail. It should have made it to your office by now," she spoke without looking up from the computer. Now I couldn't help but wonder if she was so disrespectful to me because she thought I was from Goodwill; as if the Goodwill people that go out their way to help the less fortunate like myself didn't deserve respect.
So, of course I had to have a little fun with this situation. I cleared my throat, which got her attention.
"I am not from the Goodwill office, missy. I'm from the Mayor's office." My voice was laced with authority. I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from laughing as her whole demeanor changed. She sat up straighter.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, miss. Please forgive me. How can I help you today?" I rolled my eyes at her, raising my head in the air as if I could no longer stand to be in her presence and huffed.
"You can tell Kaleb that Monica is here to see him."
"Yes, ma'am," she said jumping out her chair. As soon as she left, I erupted into laughter. That's what she got for treating Goodwill employees bad. I straightened up, raising my head back in the air when she came rushing back.
"Mr. Jacobs will see you now. Just go right through those doors," she said, pointing towards the doors she had just exited. I walked past her with my head in the air, and for good measure I gave one last huff. The poor child was sweating. My cheeks hurt from trying to keep a straight face. When I touched the doors, I gave in and let my grin free.
Goodness, some people were just easy! However, I came up short as I walked into the office. Kaleb wasn't alone. He sat at his desk, speaking with a man with long locs that sat in the chair on the other side. His back was to me so I couldn't see his face.
Kaleb raised his eyes from something he was reading that the guy was showing him, and oh, man... the look on his face was priceless as he took in my apparel. His look of horrified amusement caused the man he was speaking with to turn and look at me.
"Shelomoh!" I said, recognizing him instantly.
"Troublemaker!" he responded, coming to his feet. As he took in my outfit, a huge smile spread across his face.
"What are you wearing?" he asked.
"What are you doing here?" I responded.
"I'm visiting my client." I could hardly understand him over his chuckling.
"Your client? Wait! It was you that got him out of prison early?" Shelomoh's smile turned real smug upon hearing my question.
"Well, you know... I do what I can do," he spoke with fake modesty.
"No!" I yelled at him. I was so mad I could scratch his eyes out. I felt betrayed. "No? That's not good."
Shelomoh frowned. I looked at Kaleb who was sitting back in his chair with his hands folded in front of his smirking face. He was enjoying the fact that I was about to have a nervous breakdown.
"What you talking about, Mon?" Shelomoh asked before his eyes widened.
"Wait a minute. This is the Monica you were talking about?" he asked Kaleb.
"Small world, huh?" he responded, watching us closely. I narrowed my eyes at him. Why was he studying Shelomoh and I? When he saw me looking at him, his attention came back to me fully. Instantly, I started feeling hot under this thick dress. His gaze slowly went from the hem of my dress to the top of my droopy hat. Shelomoh held his head back and roared with laughter.
"Ahk. Man, I know the heart wants what it wants. But you got your hands full with this little troublemaker here. Your life won't be boring for sure. Go with Yah, brother!" he said, walking back towards Kaleb desk, who stood and came around it so that they could shake hands. But they didn't just shake hands. They brought their other arm around and embraced like I saw Shelomoh often do with the men he called his brothers.
"We still on for the Shabbat?" he asked. Kaleb nodded.
"Yep." The smile left Shelomoh's face as he looked at him.
"I'm proud of you, ahk." Kaleb smiled.
"Thanks, man. I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"Naw, don't thank me. Thank Yah. Always thank Yah. We are just vessels. Had he not lead me to you, I would have never known. Now it's your job to find out why." Kaleb nodded. I couldn't take it anymore.
"Oh, my goodness! Are y'all friends?" I wailed. I couldn't believe this! Shelomoh came to me and brought his hand up to ruffle my hair, but paused because of my hat.
"Ha!" I told him. He killed me doing that. I was a kid when we first met, and he ruffled his hands through my locs that, at the time, were short and stuck straight up on my head. That irritated me so bad that he got it in his mind to continue to do it, even though I'm a grown woman now. He chuckled.
"Go easy on him, kid," he said before walking out the door and closing it behind him. I stared after him, resenting that statement. Me go easy on him?! It wasn't me forcing him to be here! It was him. He should have told him to go easy on me. Chances are, he probably didn't know the details of me and Kaleb's relationship, which made me realize another thing.
I was now all alone with Kaleb, and he stood behind me. Suddenly, I felt extremely nervous. I slowly turned my head to look behind me, and my breath caught in my throat, because he stood there looking at me with that same hunger he had in his eyes last night. I whipped my head back towards the door.
"Turn around and face me, Monica." I closed my eyes as his deep voice washed over me and down my spine. Before I came, I had given myself a pep talk—basically saying that I would come in here and be strong... that I would remember that he was the enemy... that I would repulse him with my outfit, attitude, and cold nature... and then leave, free of him. However, I had not expected him to be standing there, looking edible in a light blue button up shirt, a dark blue tie that matched his trousers, and suspenders... suspenders!
Goodness! And that ensemble lay beautifully on his massive chest and arms.
Okay, Mon, you can't just stand here facing the door. You're going to have to turn. I inhaled and swirled around on one foot. Embarrassed, I closed my eyes for just a moment, because sometimes when I was nervous or not paying attention, I danced like I had just done, turning around to face him.
"I'm glad you could make it," he finally spoke. I put my hand on my hip.
"I don't recall having a choice." He chuckled and nodded his head once.
"Touché." His eyes fell on the grocery bag I held in my hand.
"Is that my lunch?" he asked. I smirked.
"Mmmm... hmmm!" I replied as I handed it to him.
"Bon appétit," I said, smiling real big at him. Chuckling, he shook his head before walking back towards his desk.
"Please, have a seat," he said, indicating the chair Shelomoh had just left. I sat, folding one of my legs up under me; a habit of mine. His eyes missed nothing. He took his time taking me in—my hat, my dress, my posture, my gym shoe that was now peeping from underneath my leg—before he sat and opened the lid on the chicken salad.
"Looks good."
He poured the dressing on it, picked up the fork, and dove in. My mouth dropped. I thought for sure he was going to turn his nose up at.
"Did you think I wasn't going to eat it?" he asked, before shoving a fork full of salad in his mouth and chewing it between his powerful cheeks.
"How do you know it's not poisoned?" His smug attitude was starting to get on my nerves. He chuckled.
"Let's just say I'm a good judge of character. You don't mind telling a lie, but you won't kill a man."
"Unlike you," I smoothly interjected. He nodded his head once.
"Touché." He finished the salad, opened the lid to the peach cobbler, and just like he did the salad, dug in. I frowned.
"Don't you want to microwave that?" He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Not necessary. I'm easy to please. As long as the food is clean, I'll eat it. Just double what you've given me next time, and I'm right as rain..." His deep gaze connected with mine. "...even if it's just thrown together," he continued, his deep raspy voice letting me know he was aware of what I tried to do. I guiltily bit my bottom lip.
"So, tell me what motivated your look today?" I shrugged my shoulder.
"I dress how I feel," which was true. He nodded.
"Got it." When he was finished he neatly put everything back in the bag.
"It was really good." I bit my bottom lip again, because I'll be doggone if his compliment didn't just thrill me a bit.
"Did you make it?" I nodded. He smiled.
"You can cook. That's good. How is Eve?" I stiffened at the mention of my daughter.
"How do you know Shelomoh?" I asked instead. He looked at me for a minute before he chuckled and shook his head.
"He umm, showed up to visit me in jail earlier on in my case. Afterwards, I fired my lawyer and hired him." I frowned.
"He just showed up out the clear blue?"
"Yeah, I thought it was strange too. So, you can imagine my surprise when looking into him lead me to you." I stared at him through my grandmother's glasses.
"You know what I find strange? How it is you know so much, yet you don't know who my brother, Man-Man, is after calling a hit on him." He raised his hands.
"Nobody's perfect, Monica. I'm doing all I can to rectify that situation." Mmmm... hmm... and I'm the Tooth Fairy. I was ready to go. The outfit didn't work, so it was time to retreat and go to plan B.
I stood. "Well, I've done my job. I bid you adieu."
"Not quite." He didn't raise his voice. In fact, he spoke in a low tone that was somehow even more threatening.
"Sure, I did. You wanted lunch. I brought it. That's it!" He slowly shook his head, watching me with eyes that missed nothing.
"Naw, it's not. I'm still hungry." I held up my hands.
"Sorry. I don't have any more food."
"Come here." The look in his eyes reminded me of tiger that had just spotted a gazelle.
"Why?" I asked, my voice barely over a whisper. I swallowed. Oh, goodness! How had I survived being the source of his hunger the first time?
The Drugs!! Man, I was so nervous I almost wished for them to help me through this.
"Come here, around the desk."
"I don't want to." He chuckled.
"I know, but be a good girl and come anyway." He still spoke in that low deadly voice that said, don't disobey me. I inhaled and slowly walked around the desk to him. I stopped a few feet from him, but I might as well had not bothered because he reached out his arm and wrapped his big hand around my waist to pull me closer. I screeched when he suddenly lifted me in the air and gently placed me on the desk in front of him, displaying just how strong he was. And because he sat me right in front of him, my legs were spread on both sides of him. I pulled at the dress, trying to keep as much of my legs covered as I could. I was so glad I had worn this maxi.
"Kaleb, this is so inappropriate." I wined because he just sat there looking up at me, watching me squirm in embarrassment... and the way he was looking up at me...
He was so close, and he smelled so good. And he was so big and strong, just pure power between my legs. I felt that if he touched me, he would make me melt into a puddle on the desk in front of him. He brought his hand up. I stiffened as he took off my glasses and put them on the desk next to us. Then he took off my hat. Seconds later, my bun came unraveled as he pulled out the pins and band that was holding up my mass of hair. I put my hand up to catch it, but I had way too much. So it just spilled down around my back and shoulders.
"You're so beautiful." He spoke low, and I was drowning in his deep dark gaze.
"When I first saw you in this get-up, the only thing I could think about was how much I wanted to unwrap you." He undid one button at my neck.
"I could barely focus on much else, wondering what you have on underneath this." The whole time he spoke he undid buttons. When he had reached the top of my breast, I grabbed the dress.
"What are you doing?" I asked. His gaze raked over my exposed neck and the top of my chest. He brought his hand up and gently ran his fingers down my neck and chest where I held my dress together. He looked up at me and smiled.
"Come on. Don't be a chicken. Show me what you have on under there."
"No, Kaleb!" He sat back in his chair, giving me a little space, but not much. He put his elbow on the arm of his chair and leaned his head against a raised finger.
"You know, you play at being bold, brave, and outgoing. But you're not. Underneath all that sass is a scared little chicken." Okay, I was very aware of what he was doing. This little reverse psychology he was attempting was very immature. Yet I generally found it hard to resist a challenge. It was very astute of him to notice that about me.
I held up my head. "I ain't no chicken," I told him. He grinned.
"Prove it. Show me."
Don't do it, Monica! Don't fall for the oldest trick in the book! But there was something in his smoldering gaze. There was a real challenge there. He was curious to see if I would do it. And that is what made me begin to unbutton my dress. Maybe Nana and Stormy was right about me and I wasn't wired too tight, but him challenging me was exciting. His eyes hungrily followed my fingers as I undid each button. When I got to my waist, I stopped.
Oh, the look on his face was so worth it. He took in my beautiful purple bra like a little boy in a candy store. And for a moment, I was dumbstruck by the fact that this powerful, handsome man was looking at me this way.
"Damn, baby. You are perfect," he whispered. I bit my bottom lip. No man except Kaleb has ever seen my body, and I couldn't help but feel like no man ever would.
He sat up bringing himself closer. Our mouths only inches apart. He touched my healing scar with his thumb.
"Does it hurt?" I shook my head.
"Can I kiss you?" he whispered. Man, I was lost. It was like he held me in a trance. I remember feeling this way that night, but I thought it was because of the drugs. I nodded.
He balled his hand up in my locs and brought my lips to meet his. The first touch of our lips was gentle; just a genuine need to reconnect. But it wasn't long till he deepened the kiss. I moaned, bringing my hands up to hold on to his wrist as he devoured my mouth. He was like a fierce sea that was washing over me. At some point, he stood and lowered my back against his desk, pressing his hard body against my soft one. His hungry kiss, that had left my lips swollen and slightly sore, was making its way down my body.
"Uh... bruh, you need to talk to the Cubans. They won't do business with me until they hear from you!" Rasheed said, barging into the office.
Kaleb moved so fast I was confused as to what happened for a few seconds. One second I was laying on the desk, lost in a haze of passion. And in the next, his big arm was under me, scooping me up so that my front was pressed against his, hidden from Rasheed's view.
"Rasheed, get out!" he growled. He was so angry his body was pulsating with rage. I ran my hand down his arm, trying to calm him.
"Bruh, that trick can wait. The Cubans can't. You know they don't want to mess with me unless they know you got me covered."
"Nigga, get out of my damn office!" Kaleb yelled. Rasheed flinched from the pure force of anger that was coming from his older brother.
"Damn, man. Calm down! You got anger problems!" he said with fear on his face. Kaleb moved as if he would go toward his brother, but I clutched him tighter. Rasheed didn't say another thing. He got out of that office. For just a moment, I rested my forehead on his chest trying to catch my breath. Wow! Kaleb's anger was scary. It was like a bucket of cold water. I slid off the desk.
"Man, shorty. I'm sorry about that," he said. I shook my head, refastening my buttons. What had I been thinking in the first place? Cubans? His brother had mentioned Cubans. Even I knew he was talking about drugs. Good job, Monica!
"Baby?" He tried to grab my hand. I slid it out of his grasp before continuing to button my dress. I didn't bother to do it all the way to the top. My 1940's school teacher look had been tarnished. My emotions were a wreck. How could I fall into the hands of the drug dealing murderer of my brother so easily? I was a disgrace! I was weak! I disgusted myself!
When I looked up at him, I had a new lease on life, more determined than before to get rid of him.
"I'm done here, right?" I asked, already formulating my plan B.
He stood looking at me for a minute, studying me like no one else could, before he reached down to open a drawer, and then pulled out a credit card.
"This is for you. Get whatever you need with it; whatever Eve needs. Pay whatever bills you have and buy food." I stared at the card.
"Kaleb, I..."
"Don't have a choice," he quietly finished my sentence for me. That really pissed me off. I folded my arms.
"So, you just gone force me to be a criminal with you and spend drug money on myself and my child!" I spat, wanting him to know how selfish he was. He looked at me with those eyes of his that missed nothing.
"You got it all figured out, don't you?"
"Well, is it drug money or not?" I hissed. He chuckled.
"It doesn't matter. Like I said, you have no choice. The only money you are going to get will come from me. Get used to the idea. Make it easy for yourself and those you care about." I rolled my eyes. There he goes, threating my people again.
I snatched the damn card from him. Eww! I was going to make him pay for this.
"I will be having dinner at Mama's Rita's, so don't worry about me tonight." I nodded, rolling my eyes. He reached back into the drawer and pulled out a set of keys.
"Can you drive?" he asked. I frowned.
"Of course." He handed me the keys.
"Come," was all he said as he headed out his office. I grabbed my things and followed. Why in the world did he give me car keys?
Rasheed leaned against the receptionist's desk, flirting with her. When she saw me, her mouth dropped as she took in my hair, that was now down and falling to my waist, my kiss-swollen mouth, and my dress, that was no longer buttoned up to my chin. And, I'm pretty sure I had a hickey on my neck. I bruised easily.
I couldn't resist. I stuck my tongue out at her. That's what she got for being mean. I laughed when her mouth dropped further. But my laughter died when my eyes connected with Rasheed's. My steps slowed just a bit.
Hate! Pure hate is what I saw in his eyes. I frowned as we passed him. Kaleb put his hand on my lower back and guided me across the showroom floor.
"Hey, bruh. Ain't you gone introduce me?!" Rasheed yelled after us.
"Nope," Kaleb responded without turning to look at him. We walked through the doors and now my mouth dropped. Sitting outside was a cream Land Rover that looked a lot like Kaleb's, only more feminine. In the back seat was a brand-new car seat.
"What's this for?" I asked.
"I'm a busy man. When I need my lady, I need her to come quickly. I don't have time to wait on the damn bus." He was frowning. The encounter with his brother changed his whole demeanor. He walked me to the driver's side and opened the door.
"Kaleb, I can't accept this. It's too much," I said, pleading with him with my eyes to not force this upon me.
"You don't have a choice," he told me again, still speaking in that deadly calm voice.
"Yeah! What had I been thinking?" I told him, swallowing my rage. I slid into the seat.
"Tell me, Kaleb. Do you still live in the same place you lived before you went to prison?" He looked at me for a minute before he nodded his head.
"Why do you ask?" I laughed up in his face.
"I need to know where to bring your breakfast," I lied. He narrowed his eye at me.
"Go head. I'll text you later," he said, shutting the door. I put the key in the ignition and started it up. I didn't look back at him as I drove away. I had tunnel vision. It was time to implement Operation: Ebola. My destination... Madame Queen's costume closet.