Chapter 6 #2
“Ivy and I have schools to look at, and I have to get ready for this dinner tonight. She’s free though. Why don’t you get some auntie and niece time in?” I cleared my bowl and carried it over to the sink.
“Maybe I will. It’s been a long time.” Kara went to get creamer from the fridge. “I heard you up last night. You still have the nightmares?”
I dropped my bowl in the sink and faced her with my arms propping me up against the counter. “Don’t worry. I’m not killing anybody just for the hell of it. I’m learning to cope after I have one. Can’t ever get back to sleep—”
“Quency—”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Kara.” I shut her down and stood upright.
“That’s the problem. Daddy isn’t the same. He’s changed a lot over the years. He’s seeing a therapist, and meditating. You should talk to him. He misses you,” Kara urged.
“The man got off on torturing me, Kara. Called that shit making me a man. I’ve been traumatized and reacting since I was a fucking kid!
What eight-year-old sits and plays Russian roulette with his drunk ass father at two in the fucking morning?
Because he’s so fucking lit, he’s pulling me out of the bed and programming me with some bullshit.
He’s the reason I am the way I fucking am today!
What I need to talk to him for? To make him feel better?
” I barked. “Because that shit won’t do a damn thing for me! I gotta go. I’ll see you later.”
“Quency—” she pleaded after me, but I didn’t want to hear none of that shit right now.
In the hallway, Harbor and I nearly collided.
She was in jeans and a baby tee that showed off her toned stomach.
If she was going to be walking around like this, a nigga was bound to lose some self-control.
Halting in my steps, I stared down into her soft face.
Looking into her eyes, I wondered if she had heard me with my sister.
“Good morning.” She lowered her head.
I brought my hand to her chin and lifted her face so that her eyes connected to mine.
“Eyes and chin up, at all times. Remember that,” I advised, and her big, expresso orbs searched mine.
“I know someone that does makeup and hair. She’ll be stopping by around six to help you get ready. I may be gone until then.”
“Okay, I’ll be ready by seven,” she assured me.
* * *
Later that night…
I studied my appearance in the full-length mirror inside my bedroom.
Adjusting my tie, I felt confident in the black Tom Ford threads and matching shoes.
I had gotten a fresh line from the barber, and I was ready for whatever the night might bring.
I wasn’t typically a nervous type dude, but something about tonight had me a little on edge.
When I got downstairs to the living room, it was 6:45 p.m. as I checked my watch and poured myself a drink.
The doorbell rang, and I watched Celine slink by the doorway to answer.
She greeted Ledge and his date. Chevelle came strutting inside on his arm.
Their outfits matched, and they didn’t look half bad.
“A’ight. I got about thirty minutes before this pill kick in, bro,” Ledge voiced.
“I told your stupid ass don’t take that shit.” His baby mama scolded him.
“And I told you to quit trying to control a nigga,” Ledge reputed.
I swallowed some of my drink just as Karmine came waltzing inside, eating as always. Carrying a bag of Doritos, he crunched away as a boyish grin fell over his lips.
“Aw shit. Y’all out here looking casket sharp.” He teased, chucking a chip into his mouth.
“My nigga,” Ledge greeted him with a pound and they embraced one another. “When the hell did you get here?”
“Yesterday. Surprised Free ain’t tell you.” Karmine waved a hand my way.
“Got a lot going on,” I admitted.
“Yes, you do. I was in your office. Noticed all the new cameras.” Karmine sank into the sofa and grinned from east to west while gaping back at me mischievously. “You got some strange habits, bro.” He shook his head.
Ledge chuckled from where he stood and seated himself across from Karmine. He dug his phone out of his pocket and began scrolling his social media while they waited.
“What are we waiting for?” Chevy asked, standing behind him.
Ledge was so busy going through his news feed that he didn’t even pay attention to her scoping everything from her vantage point.
“My guess is… Free’s date is fashionably late. But… as fine as she is… baby can take all the time she needs,” Karmine kidded.
“I still can’t believe you’re bringing this bitch—” Ledge started.
“Knowledge.” My voice was sharp, catching his attention.
He brought his eyes up and we connected. Karmine studied us both peculiarly.
“Why? What’s wrong with her? What I miss?” Karmine questioned.
“So you keeping baby brother in the dark about what’s really going on?” Ledge looked over his shoulder at me.
Chevy perked up, nosy as fuck.
“You speaking my business in front of your woman like that’s the norm, Ledge. I don’t like that shit,” I spoke sharply and Ledge nodded.
“A’ight. Chevy, go in the kitchen,” he ordered, and his woman smacked her lips.
“Why I gotta leave the room?” she asked, catching attitude. “And you reply to that bitch in your DM, and you going to be DOA,” she warned, whipping her thirty inches of weave over her shoulder and stepping out of the room.
I waited until she was gone to address my ace.
“She trippin’. This bitch sucking this cucumber like she got the jaws of life, and I need some of that in mine.” Ledge began typing in his phone.
Karmine chortled and fell back in the sofa. “So talk.” He motioned between me and Ledge.
“Ain’t shit for you. This is my problem,” I assured him.
“Free, the fuck is that? You can’t trust me?” Karmine asked, offended.
“This is a sensitive situation,” I worded carefully.
“Oh yeah? Is that why you got cameras in this girl’s room? Watching her every move? What the fuck is that?”
“See? You already too close to this.” I set my glass on the bar and shook my head. “The fuck you doing going through my shit?”
“What is this?” Karmine asked, clasping his hands together. “Who is this girl?”
“A’ight, fuck it, since you won’t say shit, I will,” Ledge chimed in. “We kidnapped this bitch… a year ago. Our brother here been keeping her around like a fucking souvenir and shit.”
Karmine was floored. His gaze drifted from Ledge to me and back again. He didn’t speak, or he couldn’t. Ledge glanced at me over his shoulder, shaking his head.
“Free, what the fuck you thinking? Tell me this nigga is lying,” Karmine chimed in. Baffled, he quickly stood and began pacing. Finally, he stopped and faced me.
“You really did this? And you’ve been keeping this girl here?” He pointed at the ground.
“I have control of this. I don’t need you, or Ledge, or anyone else telling me a damn thing!” I barked, silencing the room. “You mothafuckas wanna do me a favor, stay the fuck out of it from here!”
“This nigga playing games and that shit gon’ turn on him. But I don’t know shit.” Ledge tossed his hands up, surrendering.
Harbor
I was so nervous it felt like my stomach was going to drop right out of me.
I was cloaked in just a robe while the woman that Frequency hired tried to prepare me for the evening.
She had my hair pinned up in a classic style with it swooped in the front.
Jewelry had even been provided. Diamond earrings shined off my ears, and a matching choker and tennis bracelet also dripped from me.
My palms were sweaty, and I couldn’t contain the wild rhythm in my heart.
My stomach bubbled nervously at the vanity while I watched Julani beat my face.
She was very talented. She even brought a rack of more dresses to try on if I wanted.
“Oh, damn. Looks like someone pulled out all the stops.” Kara’s voice erupted into the room as she came waltzing inside since the door had been left open.
She stared around the massive room, checking out or investigating everything was my guess. She made me anxious as hell.
I could tell she didn’t like me. Frequency was her brother, so she probably had her suspicions.
To her, I probably looked like some young ass thot trying to latch on to her brother for his money.
She didn’t have anything to worry about though.
Whatever I felt for him wasn’t anything I could even attempt to put into words.
She paused right behind me and Julani, the makeup artist and personal shopper, at the mirror and studied me.
“So big night?” Kara engaged with small talk, and I glanced down at my hands while fidgeting with them.
“Yeah, so I hear,” I answered.
“So why aren’t you more excited?” Kara asked.
“Why are you here?” I finally studied her in the mirror, and she seemed taken back by my response.
“Whatever do you mean? Are you antisocial? I was coming in here to get to know you. Clearly, you are in my brother’s life. In what capacity, I don’t know. Do you even know?” She pounced on the side of my bed and began looking at her nails while she awaited a counter explanation.
“We are b—”
“Business associates.” Kara rolled her eyes and smacked her lips. “But that’s not it,” she spoke softly and stared off like she was thinking about something or putting imaginary pieces of a puzzle together in front of her.
Again, my eyes shifted downward. She aimed a finger at me and shot to her feet.
“That! See. Every time I bring your name up to him or his name to you… something happens. That tells me that something else is going on. My womanly intuition is pulsing out of this world right now. None of this makes sense. You… him… that weird vibe you two give off when you are in the same room together. Shit is thick,” Kara announced, arms folding over her chest. “Tell me I’m wrong,” she urged.
“Kara, right?” I checked with her.
“Mm-hmm.” She nodded.
“Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but this is strictly business,” I insisted.
She squinted, full of doubt and shook her head.