Chapter 58 Rosa Negra
Rosa Negra
I squeeze lemon over the lobster and take a bite, stunned by what Zara is implying. Her expression shifts instantly, catching me off guard. I notice her smile widening and her eyes sparkling.
“Wah yuh up to?” I smirk.
“Why don’t you try again with a different approach?” she asks with a smug grin.
“What approach, Mami?” I inquire, intrigued.
“I mean, I trust you,” she replies with a smile. I can’t help but smile back, realizing what she’s hinting at. It amazes me that she’s offering this, considering her own insecurities.
“Act like you’re into her, get her to sign that paper,” she shrugs. I look at her, trying to detect any sign of humor or playfulness, but she appears sincere.
“You sure?” I ask, raising my brows, and she nods affirmatively.
“Yes, I’m sure. Think of it as a test. You’re working on your loyalty while I’m addressing my insecurities. But right now, it’s not about us; it’s about you getting that document signed, so just go for it without overthinking,” I listen intently as she speaks.
“You wah see how it go though? Because mi could a make Genius set up something and mek you see it enuh, so you know say mi nah do nothing wrong,” I suggest, and she smiles.
“That would be cool, babe, but if mi a watch you, wah the sense in that? Go ahead and let me see how you handle this,” I am taken aback.
After a moment, I nod. “But how yaw go believe?” I ask.
“It’s on you to be honest, babe,” she replies.
***
“Alright, Mami,” I say, meeting her gaze, and she responds with a warm smile.
Her insecurities makes this shit unbelievable…
“I love you, and mi nah go do nutt’n weh me know yuh wouldn’t like,” I promise her.
She beams at me. “I love you more.”
After my call with Zara, I returned to my hotel room, in deep thoughts. I might have love for Talia, but a Zara have man heart. I roll off the bed. I need something strong to drink. After going through the selection of tequilas in the fridge, I decide to call room service and order Hennessy.
“?Puedo sugerir fresas cubiertas de chocolate con el Hennessy?” the lady asks.
[May I suggest chocolate-covered strawberries with the Hennessy?]
“Normalmente te aceptaría esa sugerencia, pero por esta noche con un Hennessy basta,” I reply.
[Normally, I would take you up on that suggestion, but just the Hennessy will do for tonight,]
“Está bien, estará disponible en breve. Disfrute, senor,” she says, and I nod.
[Okay, it will be up shortly. Enjoy, sir.]
While I wait, I play on the PS5 until the doorbell rings.
I set down the controller and collect the order from the waitress, remembering to tip her.
An hour later, I’ve finished my drink, now on my third spliff.
My eyes flutter shut as I exhale the smoke, but then my phone starts ringing, pulling me from my blissful state.
I open my eyes slightly, contemplating whether to answer.
It’s resting on the table in front of me.
As I close my eyes again, focusing on the spliff, I take another drag and exhale. This time, I hear someone at the door.
“Gutta?” I say while pulling the door open. He steps inside, laughing when he notices the phone sitting right in front of me.
“Mi call you a thousand times, enuh. Mi did all feel say a someweh yuh go, go throw weh the phone and a right in front a you the phone deh.”
I chuckle, “Mi just did a meds, bro.”
Gutta flew here with me, but we have different rooms, and he’s been out with Anna, she’s here too. Once we finish laughing, I share everything that’s been happening. The room falls silent as Gutta processes my words, resting his hand on his chin before finally speaking.
“Yow, mi rate Zara’s plan, enuh, but what if it doesn’t work out like that?” he points out, and he has a valid point. I know I have the charm, but it’s a serious consideration.
“That makes sense,” I concede. Gutta then makes a few calls, strolling around the room before returning to me.
“Genius mek me know say the Government a look fi sell Carlos’ club since him dead. If you could be the anonymous buyer and own it, you could use that to blackmail har!” His tone shifts to excitement, causing us both to laugh.
“Bredda yah Genius enuh, no disrespect to Genius,” I say, playfully hitting his hand.
“Wah do yuh, man?” he chuckles, taking a seat. “Dawg, but you know you can merge Zara’s plan with that. If you do that, mi sure yah leave this country with yuh signature on that document and get your land,” Gutta adds, and I nod in agreement.
No joke.
I hit his hand. “Respect, enuh bredda.”
“Always mi Don, remember a one family enuh.”
I made a few calls afterward with trusted contacts, gathering more information before reaching out to my lawyer. Once I receive his guidance, I purchase it immediately, preparing for what lay ahead.
I smile at Gutta while talking to Talia on the phone. She has an attitude, but I’m patient, I have an objective.
“You a go meet me there?” I ask, ignoring the bickering. Eventually, she agrees. We’re meeting at Rosa Negra, a well-known restaurant in Tulum, about twenty minutes from her.
After I hang up, Gutta smirks.
“You determine enuh dawg.”
“Yo know,” I reply, slipping on my Alexander McQueens.
Gutta hands me the folder and we head out together. Him a fawud with me but lowkey. I’ve been waitin’ a while when I finally spot her. I already ordered Dussé and tequila, no Hennessy.
How dem fi have Tequila and no Hennessy?
Dem a fool or dem a idiot?
Both.
I suck my teeth but work with what I have. She sits, resting her purse on the table. “What are you up to?” is the first thing she asks. I sip the 1800. It’s not bad, but I’m not enjoying it.
“I’m just trying again,” I say, and she smiles. I don’t really miss the relationship, and after much thought, I wouldn’t really call what I feel for her love, but there’s still something there. Maybe it’s nostalgia. I used to like her a lot. I just never took the time to understand what that meant.
She wasn’t ‘the one’.
Zara was always in my head.
I’d never hurt Zara for Talia. But most people have that one ex they still feel something for, despite the past. For me, loving an ex isn’t strange. The real question is what do I do with those feelings, dwell on them or move on?
It affi be the latter enuh.
I love Zara too much. I love my family too much. After tonight, I’ll be the worst memory in Talia’s life but it is what it is. I’m here for her signature. Ruthless, but dat a dat.
“No joke.”
“What are you thinking about?” she asks.
“Mi just zone out man,” I lie, and she studies me.
“What you ordering?” she asks. We place our orders and chat about random things. Eventually, I put my arm around her, and she leans in.
“I missed feeling your arms around me, Papi,” she smiles. I stay silent, not encouraging her but not pushing her away either. She looks up at me, I force a smirk.
“What you want to do after this? You want to go to my house?” she asks.
“Mi wah stay yasso likkle longer,” I say, holding her hand. I catch Gutta’s gaze, he lifts his phone, signaling someone’s on the line. Probably Zara.
Then I hear Talia.
“You looking at someone else?” she asks, trying to turn.
“A you alone me a pree,” I say, holding her chin.
After a while, she starts getting too close. I gently push her away.
“You a go sign the paper?” I ask. She stares at me, then nods.
“Give it to me.”
I hand her the folder. She starts signing and just like that, she stops.
“Is this what this is about? The paper? If it is, No! I’m not gonna sign it. You don’t want me. You want the paper,” she laughs bitterly.
“No mi nuh deh yah cause o’ the paper,” I lie again.
She’s pushing it now.
Mi nuh have dem quality patience yah, Jah know.
“You’re lying,” she snaps. I grip her hand, firm but not enough to draw attention.
“Sign the supm,” I say through gritted teeth.
Member you a go blackmail har enuh, yuh naffi get mad.
Mi know… mi just tired a har.
“Make me,” she challenges. I sigh, pull out my phone, and slide it across the table, showing her the title for her father’s club.
“Look at this.”
She stares at the screen for a long time. “How did you get this?”
“I bought it. Anonymously. And it’s yours if you sign the paper. If not, I’ll walk out, forge it, and still own the club. Your choice.”
She’s thinking hard as I sip the tequila. Still nah feel this enuh.
Finally, she nods. “Okay, I will sign it.”
Bingo.
“Sign it first, and mi ensure you get your father club.”She does as I say, then hands over the signed document.
“Thank you.”
I glance at it, then smile. “Congratulations. By tomorrow the Perez Club is yours, Ms. Perez. It was nice doing business with you.” I shake her hand formally. A few people glance our way. She clearly doesn’t want to shakemine, but to avoid embarrassment, she does.
“I hate you, Nickoi,” she whispers.
Mi nuh 3 care.
“Bye, Nathalia.”
I signal Gutta and walk out, documents in my hand.
That land is all yours.