Chapter 6
Six
Through the thick haze of polluted air by the clubbers who chose marijuana as their drug of choice, I stalked the floor. Head nods were few, though acknowledgments were plentiful. With my hands in the pockets of the black windbreaker, I avoided physical contact with every human in my path. My destination was clear and so was my stance when it came to the abundance of beings that beckoned for my attention before reaching it.
The tempo of the Amigos track made my head throb and I silently prayed that the DJ would switch the track sooner. The mumbled, jumbled slurs were far off base and far from the classics that I considered worthy of anyone’s listening ear. Nevertheless, I kept my eyes forward and feet one in front of the other as the record continued spinning.
“Bello!” Chi barked.
My hands slithered from the deep pockets of my windbreaker and welcomed the space required to accommodate the girth of the aging man that was nothing short of a blessing in my life. Since I could remember, he’d been on the frontline. There to witness every milestone and every mistake that welcomed me to manhood.
“Welcome home, son,” he grunted from the tightness of my embrace, “He wasn’t expecting you.”
“But, he knows I’m here,” I reminded him.
With a nod, Chi confirmed.
“There’s nothing he doesn’t know,” I reminded him as well before extending the space between us to give us both room to breathe.
“He’s waiting,” Chi signaled toward the double doors.
I stepped in front of them, happy to be free of the vicious glares, requests for hugs, snake niggas, thirsty women, and weed smoke. As I cleared my throat and stretched every inch of my body to its fullest potential, a gush of air followed the retraction of the doors in front of me. With widened steps, I solidified my presence in the secured dwelling. Once inside, the doors joined, again, brushing the back of my neck with another gush of air. Hands folded in front of me, I stood stiff as a pole and admired God’s handy work in front of me.
My heart ached from the weariness in his eyes and the decomposing of his frame. A man of great strength, I’d never seen him so… powerless. He was a ruler, a natural-born leader - and there wasn’t a moment in time that I recalled when he was stripped of the power to change his outcome or circumstances. Be it by money or excessive force, he’d always had the power to choose.
“Son,” he released, remorsefully, well aware of my concerns and my aching heart.
I’d never seen him this way and never imagined the day that I would. Not only was he aging, but he was fighting a battle that was impossible to avoid. Cancer was ravishing his body, slowly. Though he was fighting a hell of a fight with really good odds, it didn’t negate the fact that my personal hero was down on his luck.
“My apologies,” he continued, feeling as if I was owed an explanation or apology at all.
“I’m out,” I responded, ignoring his attempt at sympathy.
I didn’t need it and neither did he.
“Ahhh,” he nodded, the look of dreadful gloom that covered his face was replaced with an honorable one. One of pride, almost.
His arms spread wide, inviting me inside. With a quickened pace, I depleted the space between myself and the man who’d given me life. Slowly, he stood to his feet and waited patiently for my arrival - though patience was far from his list of things to love. He waited and waited as I stressed the marble of the floor under the pressure of my weight to get across the enormous office space.
Soundlessly, we embraced. My head between his shoulder and chin with his hands meeting at the back of it. I squeezed his frail frame, interlocking my fingers behind him. I’d missed him. It didn’t matter how old I got or how tough the streets made me, my father was my sacred place.
He knew it. I knew it. Everyone around us knew it, which was why I wasn’t surprised when I felt the stream of warm liquid caressing my chin.
“I missed you, too,” he choked.
“Tell mom… Tell her I love her, man,” I folded.
Stepping back, my father gave me a once over and wiped the tears from his own eyes. It had been far too long since I’d held him in my arms or seen his face. We were both in over our heads with the separation, but it was necessary over the years.
“Why don’t you tell her yourself, son?”
“I can’t do that to her,” I insisted.
“Who is she?” He rewired the conversation, heading in another direction.
“Who is who?” I questioned. Genuinely confused.
“I told you many months ago when your certainty faltered that it would only take one encounter from a special someone to cut the cords of your operation. A woman. The missing piece to your puzzle. Who is she?”
Brisk. Her name is Brisk and she’s beautiful, I wanted to offer, but settled with, “I don’t know, yet, but I’m hoping to find out so much more sooner much rather than later.”
“And, you shall,” he confirmed, proudly, “You’re a Manson.”
“And, she’s a dream.”
“Then, you should have her. Only the best for my boy,” he assured me, placing an arm over my shoulder and forcing me in the direction of the corner bar in his office.
He no longer indulged, per my mother’s wishes after his cancer diagnosis. However, his stash never fell short of gloriousness. Every type of liquor you could name was chilled and ready to be served at any given moment. The fresh bottle of Hennesey soothed my soul when revealed. With a splash of natural peach lemonade, my father mixed my favorite drink to his liking right before my eyes.
“I have a feeling you’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Prepare to see your mother before the month has ended. I will give you both some time, but don’t leave Channing without this meeting happening or I’ll have your ass.”
“Yes, sir.” I nodded.
“Now, let’s talk about your plans for early retirement. Should I be contacting Niko to make sure he doesn’t want the thunder I’m willing to bring if he doesn’t let you walk?”
“Niko knows. I sent the words this morning after brunch.”
“With Trinity?”
“Yes.” I didn’t bother asking how he knew. He knew it all. I was almost certain that he knew I’d be visiting Channing the minute I booked the flight.
“Good. How was her party?”
“It was Trinity -like.”
“Enough said. I hope she was gifted well. Your mother and I had some things delivered that she claims to love but… it’s Trinity. You can only hope she’s truthful.”
“You’ll know it because if she loves it, you won’t be able to get her out of it.”
“True.”
“You raised a monster, which is why I laced her account just in case she hated the bag I got her.”
“Smart choice. Money has always been her favorite.”
“Isn’t it everyone’s?”
“Not fools. They say money can’t buy you happiness, but I sure as hell beg the difference.”
“I’m with you on that one,” I agreed, taking a sip of my drink.
“I’m headed home, son. You know the code. Lock up when you leave.”
“You can lock up behind us. I’m leaving now,” I informed him, tossing back the remainder of my drink.
“Are you?” He asked, sarcastically.
“Yeah. I’ll check out the new talent another day. I’m exhausted.”
“Dishonesty was never your thing,” he chuckled.
“Dishonesty?”
“Yeah. You’re far from tired, son. You’re uninterested tonight, but for good reason,” he called my bluff. “Let’s go.”
I hadn’t considered my disinterest in the scene until it was recognized by my father. He’d always read through me like a book and tonight wasn’t much different from any other time he’d done so. However, his spot on revelation was even news to me.
Since the day he chucked the deuces at the game, after my mother discovered she was pregnant with a son, he’d owned Mansion - a club that housed every man’s dream. Beautiful women. In addition, there was gambling, liquor, top dollar food, and a damn good time. The perfect combination. My visits usually ended with me in a VIP suite with the pick of the litter, watching as she rode the beat to the song of her choice. But, not tonight. Tonight, I wanted nothing more than to head home and enjoy some downtime.
The darkness just hit different when alone and with someone on your mental. The cool shower did nothing to relieve the achiness of my stiff rod. As the water caressed my skin, I fought the urge to submerge my length with the palm of my hand. The attempt to rid my thoughts of the culprit proved to be a bad decision when visions of her beautiful, brown skin graced me.
So fucking pretty.
She was the epitome of softness. Buttery skin and natural hair that reserved so much space around her head that it actually made her features look smaller than they were. Chiseled cheeks that arched near her eyes when she smiled.
The significance of the pocket of air she inhaled before speaking made no sense to me, neither did the reason it was stuck in my head. My only explanation was that she was as smitten with me as I was with her and simply desired to acquire what I’d exhaled at the sight of her. And, what a fucking sight?
I didn’t know her story and neither did I have to. It was her heart that I felt drawn to. With all its massiveness, seemingly needing someone to help relieve her of all the love it had to give. I was him.
The person in need of every ounce that she was willing to pour into me. I’d saved so many people along my journey and for once, I wanted a savior. Someone to save me from myself and my loneliness. I wasn’t asking for much. Companionship was my only requirement and I’d handle the rest. All of it.
The sound of little footsteps pedaling through my loft would sound so much better than the silence that I faced every night - no matter who laid next to me or the city we laid in. Exhausted with the reality of singlehood, my only cure was companionship. A partner. A mate. A woman. At my big age, I was ready to give someone the world and from the sound of my thudding heart, her name was Brisk.
Unable to resist the rigidness any longer, I wrapped my fingers around it, firmly.
“Ahhh,” the moan escaped involuntarily.
Eyes still shut, I massaged my bulging head down to the base of my dick and then back up. Over and over, I repeated the same gesture as visions of Brisk continued to stimulate me. Overwhelm me. Unnerve me.
Her brown skin.
Big, fluffy lips.
Large rounds.
Reserved demeanor.
“Fuck!” I grunted as my balls began to tingle, signaling my nearing end.
Lack of words.
Large, perfect teeth.
Tiny nose.
Flushed cheeks.
“Shit,” I continued massaging my hardness.
The gasping.
That fucking fit on her body.
The widened hips.
The petite frame.
The face.
The beautiful face.
Shit .
I milked my dick for the thick, slightly opaque liquid that hit the drain and disappeared in an instant. “Fuck!”