Chapter 9
Mercedees
The bright sun rays beaming on a bitch face caused me to wake with irritation. My left hand was instantly thrown up to block it out. I wasn’t a morning person in the slightest so being woken up out my sleep was going to conclude in a long day for everybody.
As I went to turn over, a brick wall halted me from doing so. Trying it once more, I got the same result with subtle movement underneath the covers. Throwing them back, I instantly recognized who I was sharing a bed with.
Arion?
What threw me off was how and when did we leave the club. The last memory intact was us having a ball in Kira’s office. However, I had no recollection of anything past that. Once again, the night became a blur.
I had every thought to slap the shit out of him but remembered what was told to me in the club. He warned me with a straight face to keep my hands to myself, and I planned on doing just that. I hadn’t ever been physically abused, and I didn’t want to start now.
Leaning over, I proceeded to get another good look at him.
Arion was sexy as fuck. There was no denying that.
This nigga was the perfect blend of Black and Asian.
Whomever his parents were, did one hell of a job distributing his genes.
My focus shifted to the tattoos on his neck, and I noticed a woman’s name within seconds.
My eyes hit the ceiling almost instantly.
Linh, huh? Let me guess, it’s yo’ mama? Niggas will have a bitch and chase the next. Reason why this marriage shit ain’t for me.
“Ask what you need to ask and stop catching an attitude before a nigga can even defend himself,” he said with his eyes remaining closed.
“You ain’t my nigga so I truly don’t give a fuck love.”
“Tell that to the judge, Mrs. Greek. Now, ask ‘bout whatever just irritated yo’ ass so goddamn quick.”
“Who the fuck is Linh and why she all up on yo’ neck like that? What? That’s yo’ baby mama or something?” I questioned with a tongue laced of sass. I didn’t know why I was upset but a bitch was.
Smirking, he gripped me by the neck and brought my face down to his.
Morning breath should’ve smelled like something other than mint.
It was clear that he’d woken before me and had just been laying here.
Finally opening his eyes, I realized his irises weren’t dark brown at all.
They were russet brown with a hint of hazel.
“That’s yo’ mother-in-law so stop calling her all kinds of bitches in yo’ head. You can meet her if you want. She prolly downstairs cooking breakfast by now. Call her name and see,” he answered so nonchalantly.
My face screwed up with a look of disgust. A nigga that lived with his mama wasn’t in the least bit attractive. Claiming to have so much muthafuckin money but you and yo’ mama playing house. Yeah, the fuck right. I couldn’t help but laugh in his face. This was comical to a bitch like me.
“And I’m supposed to believe my commas are chump change to a nigga like you. You live with yo’ mama bro’. Yeah, get me the fuck on up out of here,” I said beginning to get irritated more and more by the second.
“Nah, she live with me,” he replied with that same goofy ass smirk.
“Tuh. I know you fuckin’ lying. Aye, where my shit at?” I said stepping out the bed.
“What? A nigga can’t take care of his mama? Damn, you that strict?”
“Strict? Muthafucka, you thirty plus years old, that shit is not flying with me. It’s always my mama stay with me and not the other way around. I can’t stand a liar or a fuckin’ lying ass mama’s boy. Stay attached, just meet me at the courthouse, for real.”
I refused to be anything other than number one in anybody’s life.
Royce was a fuckin’ headache but growing up, me and Heidi came first. When it came to my parents, I was thought of every step of the way.
Akira bitched a lot but that heffa made sure I was happy.
There was no room for error when it came to that.
Some called me a spoiled brat for it, but I was introduced to the lifestyle, and they maintained it.
I’d be damned if I allowed a low caliber nigga to change that.
“You done cooked up that bullshit in yo’ head and proceeded to believe it, then get mad at me for it.
All a nigga said was my mama was prolly here fixing breakfast. You automatically assumed we lived with each other before I jokingly said it.
Look, she come over to a nigga crib to make sure I eat ‘cause I tend to skip meals and lose weight. She worries when I do, so this is her way of knowing I’m good.
That mindset you got is the reason why a lot of women can’t have successful marriages.
It’s day one and you already judging a nigga,” he expressed, immediately making me feel bad for jumping off the ledge.
Dropping my head, I fidgeted with my fingers. One thing I could never accept was being wrong. This was an unsettling moment for me, and I rarely had those. I ain’t know what to do other than stand there in my birthday suit and be embarrassed.
Arion chuckled the entire time he strolled over to me. Placing a finger under my chin, he lifted my face to his. So aggressive but so fuckin’ soft at the same time. He was different from any other man I entertained and for some reason I wanted more.
“It’s gon’ be a lot of shit in my life that’s different from yours, but all you got to do is ask questions. I ain’t got shit to hide ‘cause at the end of the day, who gon’ do me something.”
He was mesmerizing. From the way he gently gazed at me to the way he spoke, I couldn’t help but slowly melt. His touch was what gained the most attention from me. I liked it. It was that simple. The physical connection was one I enjoyed.
Shaking back, I smacked his hand away before I started searching for my things once more. “Arion, where is my shit? I’m ready to get the fuck on. And another thing, how the hell did I get here?”
“I’m sure one of my men drove us here.”
“One of your men?”
“You got a lot to learn, Clover. Fuck all that though. We got shit to do this morning, and we gon’ start with washing our ass,” he chimed.
My face screwed up for the umpteenth time. Nigga who the fuck is we?
“I ain’t in the mood for all this bullshit. I have a business to run, and shit to handle. We ain’t got nothing to do or talk about if it ain’t regarding a fuckin’ annulment. Until we can agree on that, it’s fuck you.”
“I’m curious as to who the fuck you think I am, Clover. That wasn’t me seeing if you could pencil me in. You gon’ make time and you gon’ start with getting yo’ ass in this shower. That pussy smell too good to go tart now all ‘cause you got an attitude,” he stated sternly.
The fact that this man wasted no time going back and forth with me let me know he was used to things going his way. I knew those kind of men all too well. Royce sat at the top of that list and annoyed me any chance he got. I didn’t need another one in my life.
“I’m a grown ass woman. I’m confused on who the fuck you think I am. You might run them other bitches, but Mercedees fuckin’ Atkins ain’t one of them.”
His brows dipped in as his head fell to the side. Something I said caught his attention. That was plain as day. However, he didn’t speak on it right away. Instead, he stared at me for what seemed like an eternity before chuckling.
“This a small ass world I swear,” he said shaking his head.
“What? The fuck you looking at me like that for?”
“You and Bentley, what are y’all to each other?”
I returned the exact same gesture he’d just given me. I too was curious as to how he pieced that together. My head was beginning to hurt from the bullshit that kept occurring. “Yeah, I got to go bro’. This shit is crazy. I see the world ain’t big enough for me and my cousins.”
“Cousin, huh? Makes sense. Come on so we can wash up and eat. I ain’t got all day,” he demanded.
“And neither do I. Look, I’m over all this shit. It’s clear you ain’t gon’ give me an annulment, so I’ll figure this shit out on my own. The dick was good as fuck so give yourself a pat on the back for doubling up. However, I must go,” I said finally locating my dress.
Snatching it up off the windowsill, I tried to get back into it.
The thread was twisted, and I was getting agitated by the second.
Without a second thought, Arion walked over and grabbed me by the hand.
He then escorted me to a door on the other side of the room that blended into the wall.
Pushing it open, we stepped inside to a massive bathroom.
I was thoroughly surprised. I couldn’t lie.
He said nothing as he dragged me deeper into it.
My eyes went straight to the marbled shower along the back wall.
It had no doors whatsoever to shield us in.
However, you could tell the water didn’t leak very far.
I was impressed with the design of the shower and how freeing it was.
This huge tub sat to the right, damn near the side of Tony Montana’s.
I immediately had thoughts of soaking in it.
His and hers sinks were lined up against the left wall with their own walk-in closets on each side.
I wasn’t sure who he intended to share this with, but I was jealous off the bathroom scenery alone.
“Moen, start shower and set temp at seventy-two degrees,” he spoke.
“Starting shower with water temperature set to seventy-two degrees,” a voice replied out of nowhere.
Oh, you fancy as fuck, huh?
I remained quiet low key eager to see what demand he’d throw out next. We stopped at one of the sinks and he reached in the drawer pulling out a brand new shower cap. Extending it in my direction, I accepted it. I’d just got my hair and shit done for my birthday and my wig was still intact.
“Thank you,” I spoke softly.