Chapter 4 #2
For the past few days, Ian was all that I could think about.
He wasn’t any help. He was so attentive that he refused to let me shake him.
No matter how much I tried to ignore him, he just kept calling, sending gifts, and being all sweet.
Ian was doing everything that I would want a man to do if he were pursuing me.
Unfortunately, we weren’t from the same world, not even close.
Hopefully, the lunch date I had tomorrow would help me get my mind off him.
Right before I ran into Ian upstairs, I had finally told one of the bouncers from the club that I would let him take me out for lunch at his sister’s restaurant.
I had heard good things about the food. Plus, Marlon wasn’t an ugly guy.
He was in good shape, and he had a job. I had done worse. I wasn’t interested in anything serious, and he understood that. That didn’t mean I didn’t want a little male companionship from time to time. Maybe Marlon could be the one to help me with that.
A regular guy had to be better than a celebrity. At least if I got let down, it would be in private and not splattered all over the gossip blogs. I shook my head, hoping to shake off my negative thoughts. I had to go into this with a positive attitude. Only time would tell how it would end.
“I’m still trying to figure out how you didn’t recognize Supreme.” Lottie spoke up.
“I do that during the week. Then on the weekend, I work at Glass.”
“Oh, OK. You’re just a regular workaholic, huh,” I said, nodding as I listened to Marlon explain how he had been working in corrections for fifteen years. The club where I often ran into him was just a part-time gig.
“Might as well be. There ain’t nothing else out there to do but get in trouble.”
“Well, you got me there. Just seems like you would never have time to sit back and enjoy your life.”
“The club ain’t really work, when you think about it.
It’s more of a laid-back thing. I just stand around and vibe and listen to music.
Every now and then, I might have to get active.
Like that last night when you threw a party there, your brother went to getting belligerent and got some niggas riled up.
We diffused it quickly because I know the man was just happy to be home. It could have went left, though.”
“I should have known he had something to do with all that commotion down there. I just left. I was ready to get out of there anyway.”
“You want to call me a workaholic, but I couldn’t even get you to slow down long enough to have a drink.”
“I don’t drink while I’m working.”
“At the club though? Even I have a couple of shots or a beer or two while I’m on duty.”
“Remind me to never feel safe around you.”
“Nah, don’t be like that. You already know you’re safe with me,” Marlon said with a grin.
I shrugged. “I don’t know that.”
“They should be back to take our order soon. Let me run to the bathroom,” he said, sliding out of the booth.
“OK.”
When Marlon stood and walked away from the table, I took that as another opportunity to look at the menu.
His sister owned a soul food restaurant.
I had never been here, but the food smelled good as hell.
There wasn’t much of a crowd, and I liked that.
I hated having people all in my business, especially when I was just trying to get to know someone.
I didn’t need anyone around trying to speculate about what was going on.
I scanned the menu, deciding that I would have turkey wings, butter beans, and rice.
My mouth watered at the thought of a good down-home meal.
As I sat there, the quiet murmuring in the restaurant became full-on chatter.
My nosy self almost turned to see what all the fuss was about.
I didn’t have to do that, because suddenly, I wasn’t alone.
“Unless you want that young man’s family in their Sunday best on a Saturday, I suggest you come with me,” Ian stated as he slid into the booth across from me.
“Ian, what are you doing here?” I asked, stretching my eyes.
“Wondering why my girl is on a date with another man and not answering the phone for me.”
“Seriously, Ian, what are you doing? Are you crazy?”
“I see you liked your gift,” he said, dropping his eyes to my watch.
I immediately unlatched the clasp holding it on my wrist. “Oh, you can have it back. I’m not for sale.”
“Good. I’m willing to pay full price.”
I shook my head. “Ian, I am not one of your groupies.”
“Good, now can we go?” he asked, sliding out of the bench and extending his hand.
“What’s going on here?”
My eyes shot to Marlon, who stood there looking confused as hell until he recognized Ian.Suddenly, his frown shifted into a smile.
“Aw, hell nah. Aren’t you the rapper Supreme?”
Ian nodded. “I am.”
“What’s good? I wish I had something for you to sign,” Marlon replied.
“I’m actually a good friend of Miss Jrue’s. I came to take her off your hands, bro.”
“OK, man. What, y’all got some business to take care of or something? I can roll with y’all if I need to.”
My brows shot up as I turned my attention to Marlon. “Wow, really? That’s all you gotta say?”
“Yeah, what’s good?” he asked, raising his shoulders in confusion.
“So, you just letting another man snatch me up from our date?”
“He said y’all have some business to take care of. I understand that. That is Supreme , girl.”
“That’s right. We have some business to handle, Choc. Let’s go,” Ian interjected.
“I’m coming. Don’t worry about calling me again,” I told Marlon as I finally took Ian’s hand.
“What the fuck?” Marlon barked.
“Wait a minute now. Watch your tone. I don’t play about this one.”
“Ian, come on.” I tugged his hand, leading him out of the restaurant.
“Stop walking so fast, Choc.” He chuckled.
“How the hell did you know where I was?” I asked once we made it outside.
As I marched down the sidewalk, a couple of women walked up with their phones out, blatantly taking pictures of Ian.
People didn’t have any decorum or manners anymore.
I could easily see myself in the headlines for stomping somebody’s camera to pieces.
Ian was cool, but the spotlight wasn’t for me.
He had to respect that. I took their interference as my opportunity to walk away, but he was right behind me in seconds.
“You mad with me, baby?” he asked, grabbing my arm and gently changing my course.
“I don’t know if I should be scared to death or ready to slap the taste out your mouth right now.”
“Slap me. I might like that. I like it rough. You do, too, if my memory serves me correctly.”
“How did you find me, psychopath? I should shoot you in the foot for making me miss my turkey wings.”
“I’ll feed you, Jrue. It’s the least that I could do. I can’t have my girl walking around hungry and cranky.”
“What do you want, Ian?”
“I needed to talk to you, but I think something is wrong with your phone.”
“There is nothing wrong with my phone. I just haven’t wanted to talk. I told you that I didn’t want anything serious. Why are you here, Ian?”
“I came to see my little homie. I want to take him to the studio. When he told me that you were on a date with some clown, I couldn’t take it. I had to come save you.”
“Save me from what?” I asked, trying not to laugh.
“From making a mistake like getting that young man killed or something. I don’t need you leading nobody on like you’re not mine already.”
“Since when?”
“Why you wanna play hard to get, Jrue? I’on like that shit.”
“I don’t care what you like. I’m not playing.”
“Get in the car, Jrue,” he demanded, moving toward a luxury white car.
I shook my head because I knew good and well that I would follow him anywhere.
There was something about Ian that made me feel warm and giddy.
I could talk all the shit I wanted to from a distance.
It was clear that I could only resist him as long as I wasn’t in his presence.
Once I laid eyes on him and smelled his cologne, it was a wrap.
The least I could do was let him make it up to me for snatching me out of the restaurant before I could eat. I frowned as he opened the back door of the car and got in. I walked around to the opposite side and opened the door.
“It figures that you would have someone driving you around,” I said as I slid into the back seat.
“What’s up, Sis?” Jeremiah asked, looking over his shoulder from the driver’s seat as I got in.
“Oh, hell nah! What the hell are you doing here, Jeremiah? Get your ass from behind that wheel. I’m not letting you drive me anywhere. Is that how you found me, Ian? You’re grounded forever, you little traitor,” I fussed.
My brother found what I said hilarious. “Why you call him Ian, Sis? I told you that was Supreme.”
“He’s right, Jrue. My name is Supreme.”
“Well maybe if you hadn’t lied to me and let me get used to calling you Ian, then I would call you by your first name.”
“I like it. My mom used to call me Ian.”
“That’s real cute, but where the hell do y’all think we’re going?” I asked, as Jeremiah pulled away from the curb.
My little brother actually wasn’t a bad driver. I just didn’t like for him to drive me anywhere. Some people’s driving made me nervous. Instead of dwelling on that, I focused on Ian.
“Go ahead, bro. I was taking the little homie to my partner’s studio.”
I sighed. “Jeremiah, we already talked about this.”
“No, Jrue. You talked, and I listened.”
“Obviously not, because you’re still on this rap shit.”
“That’s because I’m good, Sis.”
“He really is, Jrue.” Ian interjected.
“He might be, but I don’t want that life for him. He shouldn’t either. All of his favorite rappers are dead. That should be a red flag right there.”
“You’re right. There is a lot of ugliness to the business. You have the right to be concerned, but I promise you that, for now, he’s in good hands.”
“You can say anything. That doesn’t make it true.”
“That’s exactly why I’m taking you with us,” Ian explained.
“Hold up now. I thought we were getting something to eat.”
“We’re going to grab something from a spot near the studio. Can you let me handle this?”
I sighed. There was no use in arguing since we were already on the way. “I guess.”
“Dang, Sis. I have never seen you bow down to anyone,” Jeremiah teased.
“Shut up and drive, bighead.”
“Yeah, shut up and drive, bighead. I’m still working on wearing your sister down. Don’t get me cut off before I can get in the game.”
Jeremiah chuckled at that. “My bad.”
“I didn’t bow down,” I mumbled, shifting to look out the window.
I felt Ian’s body shake as he laughed under his breath. Seconds later, that same breath was on my neck.
“Why you ain’t been answering my calls, Jrue?” he asked, speaking directly in my ear.
“I don’t want to deal with someone who’s always in the spotlight. I can’t take that.”
“You gon’ fault me for being who I am?”
“You should have told me that you were famous, Ian.”
“I must not be all that famous, if you didn’t recognize me.”
“I don’t listen to all that gangster rap. I’m an R&B girl.”
“I like R&B. You think because I’m a rapper, I can’t be romantic?”
“I’m quite sure you might be able to pull it off for a while. Let me just remind you that you offered to buy me. I’m not sure how romantic that is.”
“Let me remind you that you never named your price.”
I scoffed. “Whatever.”
Ian scooted closer to me, making it impossible for me to act unaffected by his presence. Why did he smell so good? I took a deep breath, inhaling his cologne as he snaked his arm around my waist. He kissed my neck before whispering in my ear.
“When I was sitting across from you, all I could think about was how beautiful you would look with this dick in you.”
“Will you stop,” I fussed, trying to bite back my smile.
“I’m going to behave since your brother is here, but just know that I want you.”
“Noted.”
“Turn right here, man.”