Chapter 2 #2
Business for the day had been handled, however, and I didn’t want to be tense and uptight during Ryan’s gathering.
With a towel wrapped around my waist, I walked over to my nightstand and removed a bag of gummies.
It would take the high about twenty minutes to kick in and by the time it did, I’d be less grinch like.
Being knee deep in the game was the fastest way to learn that you can’t let your guard down and be too trusting.
And while I knew there were some trifling women in the world, it threw me for a loop when Andrea stole from me.
A nigga that gave her $10,000 for her birthday to start an online lash and cosmetics business.
Then two months later for Christmas, I gave her $20,000 to start a business selling wigs and bundles.
Now, if I hadn’t known a person for a minute, it was fuck ‘em. Straight like that.
After throwing on a pair of black cargo shorts, a red and black graphic tee, and red and black sneakers, I headed downstairs. The doorbell rang as I was making a smoothie. When I opened the door, Ryan, his brother, Tristian, and their sister, Ayana were standing there, hands filled with bags.
“What up?” I spoke to each one while taking the bags from Ayana.
I had known Ryan for fifteen years. When we met, we were fifteen, and Ayana was eleven.
Even back then, I could tell she had a crush on me, but I refused to take it there.
I didn’t want to chance some bullshit with her messing up the relationship I had with Ryan.
When it came to grilled food, Ryan was the best. I hadn’t met the person that could outdo his grilled food.
The nigga made a mean pot of baked beans too.
I didn’t lie when I told them I wasn’t doing shit but eating.
While they got everything prepared, I made myself comfortable on the couch and watched highlights from a basketball game while waiting for my edible to kick in.
About thirty minutes after their arrival, guests began arriving.
They had already been instructed to go straight into the backyard and not to ring my doorbell.
The edible I’d taken kicked in, and I zoned out.
By the time I began paying attention to what was going on around me, there were a good ten people in the backyard.
Leaning forward with my elbows resting on my knees, I peered out of the window at two women standing in front of Ryan.
I was with him when he tried to holla at Melody, so I knew who she was.
But the woman standing beside her; I couldn’t tear my gaze away from her thighs.
She was bad as fuck from what I could see, and I could barely see her whole face.
Stroking my chin, I continued to watch them through the window.
When I had someone that I really rocked with, my sex drive was insane.
Especially if shorty could take dick and her pussy was good.
It had been a minute since I really rocked with someone, so I exercised discipline.
It had been a month since I had sex. Was I horny as fuck?
Of course, I was but sometimes, dealing with multiple women just wasn’t worth the headache.
Finally, after staring like a creep for way too long, I stood to go outside.
On the way to the door, I decided that one drink wouldn’t hurt.
A few more people trickled into the yard, and I gave everyone a once over.
There were an equal number of men and women.
At least two couples had shown up. All the guests were either friends or family of Ryan.
Two guys that he invited worked for me. One reason I didn’t mind people knowing where I lived was because I didn’t do shit illegal.
I wasn’t worried about the police, and I damn sure wasn’t worried about robbers.
I had a top-of-the-line home security system, cameras all around the outside and inside of the house, and guns in all the main rooms of the house.
My employees came over to speak to me, and we engaged in brief conversation.
When it came to my employees, I was big on respect, but I didn’t want lines getting blurred.
We weren’t besties, and I wasn’t trying to be their friend.
The moment one of them tried to take advantage, they’d get a rude ass awakening.
While I conversed, Melody and Ryan continued their conversation while ole girl went to the beverage table to get herself a drink.
Looking past, John, the guy I was talking to, I saw that her drink of choice was tequila.
While she was sipping her drink, she reached in her back pocket and grabbed her phone.
John and Zay walked off. As I ambled toward the table, I saw her roll her eyes before answering the phone with an obvious attitude.
She turned around, so that her back was to me, but I could still hear her when I reached the table.
“Because I don’t have anything to say to you,” her whispered words came out harsh.
“You playing stupid is only going to piss me off. You have somebody else, right? My big ass doesn’t even get you hard, right?
” her voice cracked as I twisted the top off a bottle of cognac.
“I gained weight, and you’re not attracted to me anymore, right?
When you get back in town just come pick up your clothes. I’ll have everything packed.”
Shorty removed the phone from her ear, turned around, and caught me staring. Her face reddened immediately. “This is embarrassing,” she muttered more to herself than me.
I had been staring because I was trying to see what the person she was talking to saw.
I’d never seen her before a day in my life, so I had no clue of how small she used to be.
But from where I was standing, there wasn’t a damn thing wrong with her.
If a nigga’s dick wouldn’t get hard for that, he must not like women.
Shorty’s gaze darted around the yard as she avoided eye contact with me.
I could see it. She wasn’t just embarrassed that I heard her conversation.
She was insecure and for the life of me, I couldn’t see why.
A little extra cushion or not, her face was beautiful.
As she sipped from the cup in her hand, I angled my head to the left.
“What’s embarrassing?”
Ole girl looked over at me and chuckled lowly. “I’m sure you just heard my conversation. I didn’t know anyone was near me.”
My left shoulder hiked into a passive shrug. “I heard it, but I see no need for you to be embarrassed.” I let my eyes roam the length of her frame. “You look fine to me. His loss.”
“His loss,” she sighed and drank from the cup.
“What’s your name?”
“Rhapsody.”
Her eyes were sad. Her tone was depressing. Even her body language was tense and uptight. Her heartbreak was fresh, and that was an emotional attachment I didn’t need. Some women tried to get over one man by getting under another one and most times, it didn’t end well.
“Rhapsody,” I repeated with a bob of my head. “I like that. I’m Blaze. This is my house, and I gave Ryan strict instructions not to have his guests coming inside my crib, but I’ll make an exception for you. If you want to get out of this heat and chill for a bit come in.”
“Thank you,” she gave me what was supposed to be a smile, I assumed. Her face barely moved.
I turned to walk back inside the house. I’d never denied there were men out there that messed good women up.
Funny thing was when I was younger and immature, I messed up plenty.
Never once did I cheat on Andrea or do her wrong, but she was so insecure and so convinced that I was doing her dirty, she stole from me and played the fuck out of herself.
Inside the house, I tuned back into the highlights and sipped my drink.
Paired with the edible, one drink was going to put me exactly where I needed to be.
Relaxed. Loose. The door opened, and my brow hiked until Ryan came into view.
Regardless of how relaxed or loose I was, anyone that stepped over that threshold without permission was going to get it.
“Nigga, you see all that fine shit in the backyard, and you’re in the house like you’re scared of pussy.”
“Fuck outta here,” I sucked my teeth. “While you’re in here worried about me make sure you keep your guests in check.”
Glancing through the window, I saw Rhapsody back at the drink table.
It was safe to assume shorty was drowning her sorrows.
If I didn’t care about coming across as a perverted creep, I’d offer to fold shorty all kinds of ways and attempt to show her that a fuck nigga could never handle all those curves and that she was better off without him.
“Man, I got them. Everybody that I invited is cool people.” He peeked outside himself and saw Rhapsody headed for the door. “Ahh hell nah, don’t curse her out. Melody will beat my ass,” he attempted to go to the door to keep Rhapsody from coming in.
“She’s good. I told her she’s the only one that could come in.”
A sly grin eased across Ryan’s face as the door opened. “My nigga,” he mumbled real low.
Rhapsody peeked into the living room. “If it’s okay, I just want to cool off for about ten minutes.”
“You’re good, Mama,” I let her know, and she looked away bashfully.
Ryan excused himself, and Rhapsody sat across from me in an accent chair. Her cup was clutched tightly in her hand. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you.”
Aside from the television the room was silent for a few minutes. “How long were you with that fuck nigga if you don’t mind me asking?”
Rhapsody bit the corner of her bottom lip. “Two years. I just recently gained weight in the past two months, and he didn’t like it, I guess.”
I eyed her for a minute. She kind of told ole boy off over the phone, but she wasn’t mad enough for me. “I don’t know how much you weighed before, but shorty you’re acting like you’re fat or some shit. You aren’t big. More like thick.”
“My thighs might be thick, but these love handles and this pudge, that’s all fat.”
I owned a gym. I knew the importance of people feeling good and looking good. If Rhapsody wanted to lose weight for herself, I could get it. But if her low self-esteem was based off how that lame ass nigga felt, that was bullshit in my opinion. I didn’t respond, and she changed the subject.
“You live in this big house alone?”
“Yeap.”
The back door opened, and my eyes darted toward the door. Melody stepped inside looking around.
“Ryan didn’t tell you no one could come in?” I asked.
“Um yes, but my sister is in here. I had to make sure you weren’t doing anything to her.”
With a frown, I recoiled. “What the hell would I be doing to her?”
“I don’t know. Shit, half the time you act like the Boogeyman.”
With a giggle, Rhapsody stood, and my manhood stirred. “He’s been very nice.”
With raised brows, Melody looked from Rhapsody to me. “Ohhh you like her? She’s single.” Melody trained her gaze back on Rhapsody. “Give him your number.”
“Oh my freakin’ gosh,” Rhapsody groaned and walked toward the door.
As Melody followed her, I chuckled my damn self. If it was meant for me and Ms. Rhapsody to cross paths again, we would.