5. Leilani
“Leilani, what you are doing is dangerous. What are you thinking?” Mamie chastised over the phone, annoyance evident in her harsh tone. I imagined her shaking her head at me, looking just like our mother.
“I know. I know. I just want to see if it’s who I think it is.”
“Who do you think it is?”
I turned my left blinker on and stopped at the light. “Banks.”
“Ooohhh. Okay. Now your actions make sense. Still, it doesn’t take away the fact it’s dangerous. What if it isn’t him? What if it’s some crazed fan who attacks you?”
“You know I stayed strapped. If Daddy taught us anything, it was how to protect ourselves. It has to be him, Mamie. The last four of the card number match my sketch he bought anonymously.”
Banks had been writing me daily since the live, but I didn’t have the energy to entertain him.
At first, it was fun and cute, especially when he gave me a glimpse of his softer side.
When the trolls started commenting, I had to end it.
I didn’t need that type of negativity on my live, messing with my energy.
It was all because of Banks, so I decided I no longer needed to entertain him.
Which was why I continuously asked myself why I stalked his profile and was eager to see if he was the anonymous buyer of the drawing, I drew on the live.
Deep down, I believed there was more to Banks than the blogs posted.
There was more to Banks than baseball, and I was intrigued.
Not only that, but I truly wanted an answer to my question.
I wanted to hear his side of the story. His hesitancy to answer should’ve been a red flag to me, but I believed in giving people chances.
“Well, I have your location. You’re on the outskirts of the city, Lei. That’s twenty minutes out from me. Do you want me to come stake out just in case?”
“No, I’m good. I love you so much and appreciate you for caring like you do. Willow would’ve never let me come.”
“She surely wouldn’t have. She’s the only one who can live on the edge in her eyes.”
“Exactly. Crazy ass girl.”
The GPS instructed me to turn left onto the street of my destination.
My K5 wobbled against the gravel road, leading me up to one of the most gorgeous homes I ever laid eyes on.
It sat on a hill in the middle of the greenest grass which uprooted four huge oak trees around it.
The circular driveway led me to the front of the house where there was a gray stone water fountain in the middle of a flower bed filled with purple and yellow flowers.
I immediately fell in love with the flat, wraparound porch and floor-to-ceiling windows in the front of the house.
“Mamie, if you could see this house. It’s breathtaking.”
“I’m not worried about the house, Leilani. I’m worried about whose house it is.” Mamie video called me. “Go ring the doorbell or whatever you need to do so I can make sure you’re safe. I have 911 typed out just in case.”
“You’re so dramatic, but I love it.”
I turned my car off and got out, making sure my Coach crossbody was open for easy access to my gun. I didn’t even make it to the porch before the door opened, and Banks revealed himself. With my phone up, I turned my camera around so that Mamie could see him.
Of course, she burst into a fit of giggles. “Damn, sis. You called it. I guess I can let you go now. Call me when you leave. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
We hung up. I shoved my phone into my purse and crossed my arms. Banks pushed himself off the doorframe and trekked over to me.
Why was this man so divine?
On his lengthy legs were royal blue sweatpants with the Cougars logo on the upper thigh.
The only thing covering his torso was a red wifebeater that displayed his toned, tattooed arms and neck.
For him to be a baseball player, he was built like he played football.
His chest was extremely defined along with the bricks layering his stomach.
I almost salivated, but I kept my composure.
“Really, Banks? Or is this a Boss move?” I asked, peering up at him as he stood in front of me with his hands in his pockets.
His hooded, earthy brown eyes swept over me. “This was cocky, so it was Boss. It seems he’s the only side of me that can lure you in.”
“Lure me in? Oh, please. The only thing that lured me here was you being sneaky and the fact you paid another pretty penny for my art. Why?”
“Why what?”
I brushed my locs off my shoulder and expelled a sigh, trying to find the right words. “I’ve asked too many questions with no answer. I need Banks to be real with me.”
“Grab the drawing and come inside. You still gotta help me decide where to put the other one as well.”
With that, Banks walked back inside, leaving me there dumbfounded.
A part of me wanted to set it on his porch and leave, but I was far too curious about him to do so.
Carefully, I grabbed the drawing from my back seat, locked my car, and headed inside his home where I was greeted with the inviting aroma of vanilla and shea butter.
I thought the outside of his home was stunning, but the inside won me over.
I found Banks in his living room, staring at the wall with one arm crossed while his other elbow rested on it as he massaged his beard.
The sound of SiR’s voice lowly filled the air, serenading my ears.
Once I was beside Banks, I took in the wall before us.
At first, I thought he was only buying my art to get my attention, which was probably true, but his wall was majestic.
Each piece was unique. I made my way over to it, stopping in front of the most recent fine line sketch by one of my favorite artists, Blaque.
It was encased in a gold frame, matching the rest of the décor in the space.
The twists and turns of the fine lines made a sorrowful face filled with an intense number of emotions.
“I can only imagine how he felt when he made this,” I spoke, trailing my finger along the frame. “I’m feeling he was in a headspace similar to the one I was in when I made Uncertainty. I wanted this piece for myself, but the price didn’t match my bank account at the time.”
“You can have it if you’d like. I can replace it with yours.”
My head whipped around, locs slapping me in the cheeks. “Are you serious?”
“As ever. I can see how much it’s speaking to you, so it’s all yours. Now, where are we going to put that one?” Banks quizzed, pointing to the one in my hand.
I stepped back and observed the wall. He was almost running out of room, but I found the perfect spot for it. I held it up and suggested, “Right here.”
“Nice. Set it down and come with me so we can talk.”
Banks led me over to the white sectional where he had wine and snacks on the coffee table. I sat next to him, ignoring the swarm of butterflies in the pit of my stomach. Being so close to him once again made me nervous. He offered me some red wine, which I happily accepted.
With the edge of the glass to my lips, I asked, “How did you know red was my favorite?”
“I’m very observant. It’s what you were drinking on your last two lives, so I figured it would be the best to go with.”
“Touché.”
“I have a proposition for you, beautiful.”
“I already don’t like where this is going, Banks. You can’t even answer my questions, but you want to offer me something.”
He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees, grabbing a piece of cheese and popping it in his mouth. “I’m giving you Banks right now, Leilani, but Boss needs you.”
“What do you mean?”
“What would you say to us having a business relationship?”
“Excuse me?” His question caught me completely off-guard. It was the last thing I expected him to say. “What kind of business relationship?”
“One where you’re mine, and I’m yours. One where you help me improve my image as Boss, and I help you reach a broader audience for your art.”
While I couldn’t believe his audacity, I was intrigued. “And where did this come from?”
“First, it’s obvious I find you attractive as hell and so do other men. That’s not the reason, but I thought I’d throw that out there. Tell me. What did you think about our live the other day? How were your numbers compared to before?”
“Much higher than normal, but, of course, it was because of you.”
“Exactly. Not to sound cocky, but I have the following you need. I also have resources you could use. You… you have you for me.”
I swirled my wine around in the glass, taking in all he was saying. “Go on.”
“What I mean by that is, I need all these rumors about me being a player and sleeping around with different women to go away. I need my image to be settled. The way the viewers were eating us up the other day showed me you’re the perfect person to do so with.
I mean, let’s be real. We’ll look good as hell together. ”
“What will all this entail, Banks? I mean, how am I supposed to help your image with a fake relationship if you’re still going to be sleeping around with other women?”
The wrinkles in his forehead and the scrunch of his nose showed he was offended by my question. “What makes you think I’d do that? What sense does that make?”
I hunched my shoulders. “You’re a man, Banks. An attractive, talented, and wealthy man. I know women throw themselves at you all the time. I know that type of attention can be hard to ignore. Am I supposed to believe you’re going to miss out on sex for a fake relationship?”
Banks scooted closer to me. The softness of the back of his finger rubbing up and down my arm immediately caused goosebumps to bubble on my skin.
My first reaction was to return the gesture, and my finger traced the baseball tattooed on his chest. That one touch led my hands to going over both his arms. He allowed me to, holding his arms out for me to see.
“Your tattoos are sketched perfectly, Banks. I love that they all have a meaning to them.”
“They do. I always told myself if I get something permanent on my body, it had to mean something, but I’m going to need you to stop touching me like this.
I already told you I’m attracted to you, Leilani.
Your hands are too soft, and your touch was sensual.
It’ll be easy for me to go without fuckin’ some random woman throwing themselves at me while we do what we do, but it won’t be easy not to want you if you do shit like this. ”
I heard him, loud and clear, but my hands lingered.
The seat of my panties was soaked from his admission.
Sexual tension was thick between us. I hadn’t had sex since Brandon and I slipped up a few months ago.
I promised myself I wouldn’t have sex with anyone else I wasn’t entitled to, so I removed my hands and picked up my wine.
Banks smirked. “Thank you.”
“That was more for me than it was for you,” I admitted. “If we do this, how long will it be for? Don’t we need a contract or something?”
“Can you handle six months? I think that’ll be plenty of time for us both, and yes. A contract will be written up with stipulations we mutually agree on. So, what do you say?”
The words sounded crazy leaving my mouth, but it was effortless.
“Let’s do it.”