Chapter 14
Jameela
The hum of the helicopter blades whirred overhead as I observed the Lulaville lights from above.
Next to me, Nicholas sat in a navy-blue sweater and gray jeans.
My blue dress matched him perfectly. I tightened my grip on Nicholas’s hand, not out of fear but because the moment felt too good to accept.
Minute by minute, I waited for the bottom to fall out.
Soon the earth would move from under my feet and send me crashing down. Hopefully, the time wasn’t now.
“Are you afraid of heights? Maybe I should have asked you first.”
“I’m not afraid of many things.”
The lie wafted in the air on a hint of truth.
I wasn’t afraid of heights. I was afraid of what would happen once I came down.
I was afraid of how quickly Nicholas had torn down my walls and built new ones that made me feel safer and more secure than ever.
I was afraid that soon, they would all crumble.
He leaned over to kiss my cheek. I turned my head, letting my lips brush his soft ones. I inhaled his minty breath as he delivered another quick peck to my lips. His hand found its way to my thigh, and I rested my head on his shoulder as I took in the breathtaking view.
Twenty minutes later, we landed on a ridge next to a river. Nicholas took my hand and helped me out of the helicopter as another man hopped in. The helicopter took off as we walked down a lighted path. Once we made it to the end of the path, there was a picnic set up.
We were far enough away from the city that the only lights out were stars and the glowing lanterns strategically positioned at the corners of a gigantic blanket.
A small table sat in the center of the blanket.
There were plates on top of it covered with silver domes surrounded by blue pillows.
R&B music played at a low volume as I followed Nicholas’s lead to the blanket.
“This is gorgeous, Nicholas. You never cease to amaze me.”
“I wanted to show you something outside of our usual.”
I smirked. “Mmhm, you wanted to show off.”
“I wanted to give my baby a chance to breathe. I know you carry a lot of shit, habibti. As much as I try to lighten the load, I know you think it’s all on you.
I know there are probably times when you don’t trust me to do that.
Sometimes I have to take the reins. Lay down your burdens for a minute, baby.
Tonight isn’t about baby daddies, jobs, or anything that you can’t control.
Tonight is about Jameela and the man who’s madly in love with her,” he said.
“Tonight is about the man who made me feel like love is actually more than just a word.”
“I plan to show you as long as you let me.”
The food was delicious. I didn’t waste any time devouring the lamb chops, roasted vegetables, and mint salad. Now I lay against the pillows, looking up at the stars as Nicholas laid his head on my chest with his arms wrapped around my back. I quickly realized that was his favorite resting place.
“My mom lost custody of me when I was fourteen.”
His confession made my belly lurch forward. I had just left my baby girl with that lady. What the hell did he mean she lost custody of him.
“What did she do?” I asked, trying not to sound panicked.
I felt his body quake as he chuckled softly.
“Relax, habibti. She’s had her nose clean for a while.
She started selling, trying to keep food on the table for us after my dad walked out.
Eventually, she started using. I was probably eleven or twelve, but I had to pick up the slack.
For years, I sold just enough to keep the lights on, food on the table, and clean clothes on our backs.
I wanted to keep the landlord and DFACS from knocking on our door.
It was just me and my mom against the world.
Addiction is a monster no one should have to face alone.
I tried to stick beside my mom because her philosophy had always been we’re all we got.
I didn’t think anyone else had our backs.
Little did I know, she was just hiding her addiction from her family.
When she went down, I went to live with my uncle Darrell, her big brother.
He was a hard man, but he loved us. He taught me how to make it out of my circumstances alive.
He taught me how to use what I need to get where I needed to be.
He taught me how to make it out alive and with my freedom. ”
“That’s your uncle who’s in prison now?”
“Yeah, but not because he didn’t follow his own rules.”
“Oh, OK.”
“Anyway, my uncle helped me combine the things I learned on one side of the game with the legal side and flip my dirty money into legal businesses and investments.”
“So, is all of your business legit now?” I asked, holding my breath as I prepared for whatever answer he had for me.
“Why are we talking about business right now? We’re supposed to be unwinding.”
I sighed but nodded my head. “You’re right.”
“All I need you to know is that I’m not pretending to be someone I’m not.”
“Life used to be so simple before I had Bella. Her dad keeps telling me that I’m not ready to move on.
He thinks Bella’s too young for me to worry about bringing someone into our lives.
Sometimes I believe him, but more than anything, I want him to be wrong.
Whether it’s work or love, all I want to do is keep my daughter safe.
I want to do what’s best for her, if that makes sense. ”
“Makes perfect sense,” Nicholas said, shifting until he was hovering over me.
His palms pressed into the blanket on either side of my head.
“For what it’s worth, I respect every move I see you make.
You’re a great mother, Jameela. As long as you keep fighting for your life, it will reflect in how you raise your daughter. ”
I grabbed Nicholas’s face, bringing his lips to mine.
For months, I’d tried to convince myself that I didn’t need or want anyone in my life.
Nicholas came out of nowhere, sweeping me off my feet and making me reconsider everything.
I heard the hum of the helicopter returning and looked up to the sky.
It was up too high to land, but as it idled, I noticed something floated through the air.
I reached up and caught one of the delicate pink rose petals before it floated to the ground.
Pushing up on my elbows, I giggled like a little girl as rose petals floated to the ground from the helicopter.
I reached for Nicholas, running my fingers through the short carpet of waves on his head.
He was full of surprises. I never knew what to expect from him. I kissed him, then pulled back.
“Uhibbak. Te amo. I love you,” I vowed, kissing him between telling him that I loved him in both languages that he was teaching me.
My fingers slid under his sweater as he pulled my dress up over my hips. Nicholas pushed up on his knees and removed his sweater before helping me out of my dress.
“You’re so perfect, Jameela.” He mumbled against my skin as he kissed his way back up.
My breathing was ragged as he climbed up my body until we were eye to eye. Nervous excitement took my breath as he drove into me. The blunt force made my body lurch forward, letting him snake his arms under my back and hold onto my shoulder.
Searing pressure quickly built at my core as he slammed into me hard and fast. I tilted my pelvis to meet him, greedy for more of the heady pleasure. He was relentless, pushing one of my legs up as he locked eyes with me. His jaw went slack as his brows drifted closer together.
“Cum, Jameela. I need you to cum with me, habibti,” he mumbled.
I didn’t know how the hell he did that, but right on command, I came undone.
My body tensed just as Nicholas dropped his forehead to mine and roared from deep in his diaphragm.
He thrust his hips into me, holding himself in place as he continued to rock into me slowly with his fingers buried in my ass.
He shivered like he was freezing as he collapsed next to me, pulling me into his arms. His hands still caressed my body as we fought to catch our breath. I wrapped my arms around myself and stroked his arms, causing him to shudder.
“I want to make sure you’re dressed by the time the helicopter gets back, but I don’t want to pull out.”
“Stop playing. You better not let that man see me naked, Nicholas.”
“I got you, but make sure you keep my seed in you, Jameela. I need my son to know daddy was here.”
“Boy, shut up.”
“I’m not playing. I have to imprint on the prince.”
Once we were dressed, I lay in Nicholas’s lap as we watched the helicopter approach.
“I didn’t plan on falling for you, Jameela. I knew that I would like you, but I never expected to fall in love.”
“Neither did I.”
“Now that I got you, I’m not letting you get away, so get that out of your mind.”
My stomach was in knots because this was the first time in forever that I felt whole.
For years, I chased validation and confirmation in my career and gave little time for love.
Being with Nicholas made me feel like I wasn’t patching the wounds.
Now I was actually healing them. At least for tonight, I would let myself believe that everything would be OK.
Every day I lost a little more of myself in the battle of morality versus love.
Every lie and misdirection sank me deeper into quicksand.
All I had to do was tell Nicholas what was going on.
Even if he couldn’t explain himself, I needed to give him a chance to make a plan.
I couldn’t just let this amazing, generous father be blindsided.
After a couple days at his house, I had been able to get pictures of a few shady transactions with five- and six-figure price tags, but there was nothing solid.
I did hear him saying something about a large shipment, but we were looking for financial crimes.
There was likely something that I was missing.