11. Blair
Blair
“Your assistant is real nice… offered me espresso in a glass mug,” I teased Zoya, as I sauntered into her corner office with views of the Freedom Tower, and the entire Manhattan skyline of skyscrapers.
She looked up from her computer and smiled. “Well, don’t you look beautiful. At least one of us is enjoying this beautiful weather.”
“You can take the time away from work… you just won’t.” I clocked her tea, and she smiled while cutting her eyes at me.
She closed her laptop and focused all her attention on me. “This case has me working around the clock. Doesn’t help that the Amantés are very close to my family… don’t know how, but he was able to get Kora as the presiding judge on the case.”
Zoya’s family was powerful.
Powerful was an understatement. Menace Caselli could make mountains move with a blink of an eye. I learned in Monaco just how powerful that man was, and how much power his name and influence held. He was someone you wanted to keep on your good side. Just from his quirky little habits, I would hate to be on his bad side.
You probably wouldn’t know you were on his bad side until you were already dead – asking God what happened because it happened so quickly. Zoya gestured for me to take a seat, and I slowly did as requested, my nerves all over the place.
Zoya had been helping me with my divorce because I didn’t know where to turn, or who to hire to help me get out of this mess I had found myself in. Marrying Tyshawn was the worst thing that I could have done.
There was really no rhyme or reason why we needed to be married. Other than the fact that he wanted to be married, and I didn’t want to get punched in the side of my head for telling him no. At times, I regretted not putting up more of a fight and telling him that I didn’t want to marry him. He murdered our baby, and then I went and married him.
Stupid.
Zoya stood up and went to the bar in her corner. “A congratulations is in order… you are officially divorced.”
I was gagged.
Too stunned to even form words as I watched her pour us both a drink and switch over toward me to hand me a glass. “Wh…what do you mean? He signed the papers that easy?”
Zoya took back the brown liquor and sat back down. “It’s always easy when you’re a Caselli, Blair. I told you that I would handle it for you, and I came through because you have come through for me… you are done with that man for good.”
I held the cup in my hand, unable to move as the tears fell down my cheeks. “Zoy, you don’t understand how much… Jesus, I can’t even think straight.”
She reached her hand across the desk and looked me in the eyes. “I understand how much this means to you. This paper is signed, and you can truly go and live your life without worrying about him. I’m not here to judge you because you did what you had to do, Blair. You have friends who will protect you, and men that’s coming behind you like you’re their blood. Those Delgatos and Infernos don’t play any games behind their family, and they have included you into their family.”
I snatched a few pieces of tissue out the box on her desk and dabbed my face, careful not to mess with my make up. “Do I even want to know how you got him to sign this?”
“On a need-to-know basis, and if he was smart, he would move on with his life.” Zoya rolled her eyes.
The knock at her door caused us both to look. Capri opened the door and smiled, as she carefully closed it back. “I almost had a stroke walking from my office over here… I’m taking a cab back.”
I looked down at her feet and saw the Louboutin So Kate heels she wore, then looked up at her. “You walked over here in those?”
Capri looked at us confused. “Yeah, why?”
Zoya laughed. “You are certified… you probably were about to have a stroke because of the pain.”
Capri helped herself to some water in the fridge that was near the bar. “Anyway, did you tell her the good news?”
“Am I the last one to find out about my own divorce?”
Capri clapped her hands and hugged me before sitting in the chair beside me. “You are free from that bum. Now you can move on, marry Quasim, have babies, and all that jazz.”
When she mentioned Quasim, I heaved a long sigh and slumped down in my chair. “Me and Quasim are done… like done.”
“Like done done ?” Zoya asked again to confirm what I was actually saying. Especially because she knew how much I loved that damn man.
“Yes… I cannot continue to keep doing this with him. I told him that I loved him, butt ass naked while he was over me, and he froze… couldn’t even say it back to me.”
Capri crossed her legs and screwed the top to her bottle back on. “Is that why he found himself sleeping outside on my back patio with a bottle of gin, and that picture of the two of you in Miami up on the screen?”
My heart ached when she mentioned the picture I had forced him to take. “I cannot continue to keep being roped in with shit like that. I’m tired of waiting around until he’s ready… I’ve given him space, even time, because I had my own shit going on. Now that I am healthy and not doing chemo and puking my guts out on the daily, I want to live, and I want a man. I’ve spent the time healing and learning what I want, and Quasim can’t give me that… I want to be fucked from sunup to sundown… eyelash hanging off, and hair just stuck to my damn forehead.”
Capri fanned herself. “I hear you girl… I hear you.”
Zoya laughed. “You gonna end up with another one if you don’t stop going to see that man about a horse.”
“Now Zoy, you know I’m going to see a man about a bike.”
“Screams in vibrator,” I sighed.
Zoya and Capri laughed. “Sorry, B… Sim can give you that… he just doesn’t know it.” Zoya defended him.
“Well, I can’t sit around and wait for him to figure it out. He left me butt ass naked… I just knew I was gonna wake up with a sock on my head the next morning. Ended up sleeping on my couch and crying myself to sleep, and he doesn’t care.”
“I know he does care. However, just because he’s my brother, doesn’t mean I don’t want you happy. I’m all for Blair getting her groove back. You think Zay gonna knock that coochie sore?”
Zoya looked down at her phone. “Zay looks like he has some big dick energy, too. Did you see that video of him wearing those sweats… I may have it saved, but I’ll delete it now that I know that’s your man.”
“He is not my man.” I laughed.
Capri screwed her face up at me. “Not your man, but he wanna be.”
“Think so?”
“Blair, he wants you to go on tour with him… no nigga, especially a rapper, is just gonna invite some chick he’s not feeling to finish his tour out.”
“That scares me.”
“Why? You were just screaming about getting your pussy split… stand on it,” Zoya was leaned back, carelessly flipping through her phone. “Those your kids, not mine… I’m not doing camp drop-offs for you, Sigel.” She spoke into her phone, and then hit a button, sending her voice note.
“Why, Zoya?” Capri stressed, unsure why our friend was messing with this man when she didn’t like children.
“The question is why not? I know he’s not my forever, and I am having fun… well, trying to.”
“Did Menace not hug you enough?”
“He didn’t hug me at all… weird ass was always complaining about imaginary germs that never existed.”
“Are you not concerned that your brother would kill him? He doesn’t want you with him, and Sigel is a walking target at this point.”
Zoya leaned forward. “If a nigga don’t wanna die a little bit for me, then he’s not the one… every man that I’ve dated, my brother has turned down or said was soft. I admit, they all fold when they meet the Menace Caselli… since he doesn’t want to be reasonable, I’m dating whoever I want until the right one ain’t scared of my brother.”
“Goon,” I faked a cough and Zoya narrowed her eyes at me. “Sorry, think I have a cold coming on.”
“Goon has met your brother, though, and he def didn’t give he was scared. Menace actually seemed tickled by him, if you asked me.”
“Nothing tickles that damn menace,” she muttered. “Anyway, I am excited about this Zay concert… I need a night out, rapping my heart out with my girls. You know… since you hoes leaving me to head to Bali.”
Capri snapped her fingers. “That reminds me… Gams is cooking dinner before the concert. She’s already in Lennox Hills at Sim’s lake house.”
“That man already bought you a lake house, Blair,” Zoya’s petty ass teased me.
“Zoya?”
“What’s going on, love?”
“Fuck ya.”
She broke out into laughter as I turned to Capri. “Is it going to be at Sim’s house?”
“Yes… Gams and Mina are staying there this summer. I think it will be good for Sim though, because he has Elijah and will need the help. I know Peach won’t want to come home.”
“I’ll meet you at the concert.”
“Blair, don’t be like that.” Capri whined. “We can take some shots before the party bus comes.”
“I will meet you hoes at the concert. Sigel is taking me somewhere earlier in the day, anyway.” Zoya quickly grabbed her office phone when it rang.
“Hey Menace… what can I do for you?”
She sighed, and we both knew it was something important. We quickly hugged her, as she slid the folder to me and tossed air kisses at us while talking to her brother. “Love you.” I whispered, and headed out with Capri.
Me and Capri sat in the café in the lobby of Zoya’s office building and ordered a coffee. “Your God daughter was holding her head up this morning when I left. Mommy sent me this video once I got to work,” she showed me the video of Rayce just juggling her little head in the air while on her stomach.
I snatched her phone and looked at the video six times. Capri nearly had to pry the phone back. “I miss her so much… I need to come over more. Things have been so all over the place.”
“Yeah, you being naked with Quasim over you type of busy… hmm?” She teased.
I nudged her with my shoulder. “I wanted him so bad, Capri… like I was there confessing my love, and he was staring at me… not even saying anything.”
“He said nothing ?”
“Doesn’t matter, because he didn’t say the right things. He didn’t tell me he felt the same way, and that is basically saying nothing .”
Capri texted on her phone as she looked over at me. “How do you think things are going to be between the two of you in Bali… listen, you both need to be on your best behavior.”
I laughed. “I am always on my best behavior, though. Speaking of Bali, I’m going to fly there from Chicago, so I won’t be on the jet with you guys.”
Capri scrunched her face up. “We can always make a stop in Chicago before heading to Bali… I am not letting you travel all the way there alone.”
I smiled. “You and Zoya are too good to me.”
“That’s because you’re good to us… friendship is a two-way street, and I’m so damn glad that I have it figured out with you two. We don’t count favors over this way.”
“Or get jealous… if one of us is winning then we’re all winning. I hate bitter ass fake friends, acting like they happy when they’re the complete opposite.”
“Jessie… may she rest in shit.” Capri laughed.
Aimee: Heading over to your place now.
Me: Cool.
I looked up from my phone. “I’m meeting Aim at the apartment. She’s serious about having her own apartment.”
“An apartment of her own without her husband… proud of her.”
I smiled. “They needed this… I bet she have him over there in her bed, though.”
Capri laughed. “And you know it… call me later?”
We stood and hugged. “Of course.”
“Love you, B… and you’re free. I still think you need to tell Quasim about it. Do it on your time.”
“Don’t have to tell him anything because we’re not together. He doesn’t tell me everything going on with him, so why should I have to tell him?”
Capri looked down at her phone. “Love you anyway. Let me get back to the office because even with Morgan being gone, there is still a ton of paperwork that needs to be handled.”
“Love you, too.”
It took me thirty minutes to make it back to Brooklyn with all the traffic in the city. I hated coming into the city, but when Zoya called, I was going to come. Did I think she was going to tell me that I was divorced?
No.
I parked in front of my building and saw Aimee climbing out a brand-new Mercedes G Wagon. Capella walked around the car, carrying Rory with that same walk that he shared with his grandfather, father, and uncles. It was crazy how Core had the walk, and he wasn’t even raised with them. I’m pretty sure Rory would grow up and inherit that same walk that belonged to those Delgato men.
Quasim’s walk always had me mesmerized. He had this slight bop in his walk, his bow-legged stance was always a turn on. I shook the thoughts of that damn man off and got out my car. Aimee was on the phone while grabbing something out the passenger door.
Capella walked over toward her with Rory and said something and she laughed, standing on her toes to kiss her son and then her husband. I watched as Capella stared down at her and could tell he loved the shit out of her.
He took our conversation to heart, and actually did the work; he was going to win his wife back. They both were going to win each other back, and I was here for their second chance. Adding new people into their mix would only make things messy, and after the whole Shante situation, I wasn’t sure they would recover.
“What up, B?” Capella noticed me first, and Aimee finished her conversation up, then turned around.
“Hey, Capella.” I hugged him, and reached up to pinch Rory’s cheeks and he giggled while clinging onto his father.
“I poop in bowl.” He announced, and I pretended to be shocked.
“Did you? Rory, that is so good!” I pinched his cheek again as he beamed with pride that he used the bathroom.
The one thing that we all could agree on was how Capella and Aimee got Rory into the therapies that he needed. Rory clapped his hands and then rotated his neck as Capella looked at his boy with pride.
“He’s been telling everybody that will listen… even told his grandfather when he was eating.” Aimee busted out laughing, clearly still tickled by Rory ruining his grandfather’s appetite.
“Nah, cause he came running out the bathroom without washing his hands and held Pop’s face with his dirty ass hands.” The both of them were in stitches as they recounted the memory.
“Both of you ain’t shit for laughing… I know Capp was pissed.”
“Nah, he lets him get away with murder. But he went and washed his face soon as Rory went on to tell Alaia about his poop.” Capella chuckled.
We walked to the building, and I punched in the security code, and Capella held the door, while securing it behind us. I noticed his gun tucked in his back, and his head was on a swivel. “Ror, you gonna walk up the steps or is daddy going to hold you?”
“Walk.” He said, and Capella put him down while he climbed the steps with his mother.
It took us ten minutes to make it up the steps, but we all encouraged Rory while counting each step. Capella and Aimee were both young. That, added to the fact that they were not only married, but had an autistic son, added a lot of stress to their plates.
It was comforting to see them both coming together and trying to figure it out. Having a bunch of couples and marriages surrounding theirs, I knew it had to be hard and confusing. They wanted what everyone else had, while trying to figure out what they wanted.
“This is perfect for me and Rory… I can make this room off the kitchen into his sensory room like the one he has at his grandparents’ house. Alaia made sure to set one up for him and he loves it. When he throws a tantrum, he goes into the little egg chair and will fall asleep… it’s his safe space.”
“Think we can get him a real bed and move him out his crib. It’s time, Aim.” Capella pulled her into him, kissing her temple as they looked at the room that would be Rory’s.
“I’m sad about him getting into a big boy bed.” She sulked, as Rory looked out the window and then started running around the room.
I smiled. “Rory, are you a big boy?” He nodded his head up and down as he looked up at me. “Tell your mommy that you’re a big boy.”
“I a big boy, mama.”
Aimee kneeled down and kissed him on the cheeks. “My big boy, right?”
His phone rang and he looked at the screen. “This nigga, Jaiden.”
“What happened?” Aimee turned to look at him.
“He on me about this management shit and asking about my last test.”
Aimee stood up. “Honey, you passed that shit. I know starting over and being in school is something you didn’t think you would do, but look at you. Jaiden is a first-round pick, and every team wants him. His career is gonna blow up, and he wants his family to make sure he’s in good hands… he already got Capone and Erin to handle his finances, and Big Mike as head of security.”
“Listen to your wife. I know you’re used to being in the streets, but there is more out there for you. He needs you here, and it’s time to show him more, Capella.”
He nodded his head. “You want to move in here, Aim?”
“It’s not too far from school, and I have Blair across the hall. Plus, Skyler just moved to Brooklyn, which isn’t too far from here.”
Capella looked at me. “I’ll wire you the bread for the year.”
“She can move in here without payi?—”
“B, this is your business… we family, but we take care of each other, too. A year is enough time, because the goal is for us to eventually move onto the compound, right?”
Aimee smiled up at him. “Yes. That has always been the goal,” she wrapped her arms around him, and he kissed her forehead as his phone chimed.
“Big Mike downstairs… Head to the lake house after this, alright?”
“I hear you… I’m gonna get some groceries, because we have nothing there.”
Capella gently grabbed her face and kissed her lips a few times. “I love you… call me when you heading out there.”
“Love you, too.”
“Yo son-son, daddy about to leave.”
Rory paused and tossed the truck he had on the floor and the waterworks started. “Stay daddy… stay!”
Capella kneeled down and kissed his son on the cheek. “I’ll be back, alright? We gonna swim in the pool at Pop-Pop’s house, okay?” He settled down, hearing that he was going to be spending time with his grandfather. Rory hugged his father, and Capella kissed his head before standing back up. “Don’t forget to pick your pops up, Aim… he said the last time, you forgot to scoop him.”
Aimee laughed. “I’m not going to forget because he’s gonna want to drive, and I don’t have to make that drive.”
“Yeah ight… love you.”
“Love you too, Capella… be safe.”
“Always… I’m out, B. I’ll have that over to you by the end of the day.”
“Take your time.” I replied.
He headed out while Rory demanded for his mother to pick him up. “I have some ice cream we can give him at my house.”
We crossed the hall, and I looked at the spot where Quasim had his fingers inside me. Just staring at the spot gave me chills since it happened. I could still feel his fingers inside of me, his cool cinnamon-coated breath, and feel his beard against my face while he looked down at me.
Aimee sat Rory up with his iPad and I gave him some ice cream while we sat on the couch. I looked at her as she checked her phone, and then she noticed me staring at her. “He always gotta text me something nasty when he leaves me.”
She was rolling her eyes but blushing at the same time. “You are so into that man, Aimee.”
“I am… it’s funny because I really didn’t think we could get here. I used to want things to go back to when we met, but I love us better now. When we first started going to therapy together, we would argue and talk over each other, and neither of us wanted to go. Now, I look forward to it because Capella is so open.”
I rubbed her arm. “I love that for you both because that baby deserves that from you two. Even more, I love that he’s allowing you to move on your own.”
“He’s going to have a key, but he cannot use it unless he asks… I don’t mind if he uses it after Rory is in bed.” She fanned herself and fell back onto the couch.
“Girl, I know that’s right.”
Aimee snorted. “Seriously, we haven’t had sex since everything happened. We’re legit dating and I love it so much… gives me butterflies.”
“Sex clouds a lot of things, and you wanted to make sure you were completely sure without blurring those lines with him.”
“Exactly that. Capella knows his way around my body, and I knew if I allowed him back in, then I wouldn’t be able to decide between being with him because I wanted to be, or because I wanted the dick.”
I smiled. “I’m proud of you, Aimee. Actually, I’m proud of you both because it takes a lot to pull up your sleeves and fight for your love.”
“He wants to give me that dream wedding that I never had and marry me on the family’s beach.”
I smiled. “I have faith that we will be on that beach watching you become a Delgato with the rest of the other amazing women.”
“And you, on the same beach a few miles over, becoming an Inferno.”
“Girl, no. Me and Quasim are as good as done… I’m trying to move forward and figure out what I want.”
“Well, as long as you keep messing with Zay… have him swing over some tickets for his Miami show. Me and Skyler trying to go to that, and they are sold out.”
I laughed. “I’ll see what I can do. As if you’re not going to see him with us this weekend.”
“Love me some Zay.”
“How’s Skyler been?”
“Stressed. Her stupid ass baby daddy allowed his mother to talk him into taking her to court to establish paternity since he’s not on her birth certificate.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah, that whole situation freaked her out, so she basically called off whatever she was building with Corleon. She doesn’t want him to use anything against her during this whole court situation.”
My heart broke because I loved Jeffie, Skyler, and Core together. They were so cute, and there was so much love there between them. “I can understand, though. Men like that will use any and everything against the mothers to get what they want.”
Aimee sighed. “Yeah. Core moved her and Stevie to Brooklyn, even after she broke up with him. Said he didn’t want her living in the Bronx and knowing that her baby daddy had access to where she lives. Skyler is hardheaded, though, and used to doing everything alone. Won’t accept his help to hire a team of lawyers… hardheaded ass.”
“It’s hard when you’re used to having to come through for yourself. You know exactly what that feels like,” I raised my brow at her and she nodded her head.
“She’s working with Capri, going to school, and then she took a job at Mante too.” She referred to the underground string of casinos that was owned by the Amanté cartel.
“I know those tips looking good, too.”
“Not the point,” Aimee laughed.
“She’ll figure it out, and if things are meant to be with her and Core, then it will be.”
“Amen.”
We both laughed, and I went to grab some menus so we could order something to eat. After finding out that I was divorced, I felt like a boulder had been lifted from my shoulders, and I could finally breathe.
“Fuck.” I muttered under my breath as Betsy decided to pull one of her dramatic acts by not starting. I turned the key in the ignition once more, and it stalled out, forcing me to hit the steering wheel in frustration.
Okay.
Maybe it didn’t force me to hit the steering wheel, but it damn sure felt good to hit it because this was the last thing that I needed to deal with today. All morning, I had been a bum on the couch, thinking about having to see Quasim today after the last time we left things. It was already hard the first time, when he left me to head out to who I assumed was another woman.
This time was even more mortifying because I laid on that bed and begged that man to let me love him. How pathetic of me to do that, and now I had to look him in the face and pretend all was well between the both of us.
“Mommy, you need more salt in there,” Capri answered her phone, chewing in my ear.
I could hear Jean’s infamous kiss of the teeth through the phone. “No more salt. You need to still watch your salt intake from the pregnancy.”
“Um, hello?”
“Sorry, B… are you on your way here?”
“My car won’t start.” I sulked.
Capri sighed. “I told you about your car and did you listen? Even offered to give you the Bronco until you got a new one… but no, you wanna be Ms. Independent.”
“I don’t think I called to hear a ‘told you so’ session. I’ll just see you at the concert tonight.”
Capri snorted. “Nope. Quasim had to drive back to his house for something, and he can pick you up.”
“Fuck no.”
“Blair, it’s only a ride and he’s the one that is closer to you. It’s going to take me two hours to make it to you.”
I huffed. “I guess. You call him, because I’m not calling him.”
“Got it… gonna call him now.”
“Fine.”
“Cheer up and be nice. The both of you need to figure out whatever this is because the mood tonight is fun.”
“Shelly-Ann, call the man before I change my mind.”
She snickered. “You been hanging out with my husband too much… alright, bye.”
When she ended the call, I went into the freezer and grabbed my bottle of tequila and took two shots to soothe my nerves. No sooner than the tequila slid down my throat, my phone started to ring, and it was Quasim’s name.
My hand hesitated over the green button and eventually I answered the phone. “Hey.”
“I’m on my way to you now, Anjo.”
Ugh. I hated that the nickname still sent flutters in my stomach. “Just text me when you’re here.”
The line went silent. “Yeah.”
I ended the call and poured me another shot before putting the bottle back and pacing the living room while wringing my hands. My heart went all crazy whenever I saw him, and I knew the minute that I saw him, the anger would remain, but my heart would soften because that’s what he did to me. Putting it frankly, I was putty in Quasim’s hands, and he knew it.
Quasimmy: Downstairs.
I grabbed my bag and purse, then locked up before heading downstairs. Before I left out the door, I saw Quasim leaning against a big ass SUV. He was looking straight at me as I pushed the door open, making sure that it was closed behind me.
“Where did you get this big ass truck from?”
Aside from seeing his old school car, I usually only saw Quasim on his bike. “I’m a pops for the summer so I needed to get a dad whip.”
I laughed. “You went and bought an entire car for just the summer?”
He opened the passenger door for me. “Who knows what the future holds? I might mess around and have me a football team.”
I looked at him, then quickly looked away as I climbed up in the front, and he took my bag with my clothes for the concert. “You’re going to make some woman super happy… but lord a football team sounds painful.”
He hesitated on closing the door while staring me right in the eyes. “Stop fucking playing with me, Blair.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yeah… ight.” He nodded his head as he closed the door and walked around the truck, climbing into the driver’s seat.
What does that even mean?
It was so roomy up here that I was able to cross my legs and pull out my kindle to finish reading Betting on Wilde Aces by Morgan Rose. Capri was the one that told me I needed to read it because it was so good.
Pri always had good book recommendations, so I decided to start the book, and now I was using it as a distraction to avoid having a conversation with Quasim on this two-hour ride to Lennox Hills.
As we pulled away from my street, I spotted IG’s getting on all angles on the truck as Sim whipped the wheel with one hand. Quasim saluted as he took off, and they kept right on up with him. This was their leader, the man they needed to protect. I always felt special whenever the IG’s surrounded my little busted Nissan, or when they were outside the studio.
“How you been, Anjo?”
“Blessed and highly favored.”
“Amen,” his petty ass hollered, sticking up that infamous church finger, and I rolled my eyes at him while he snickered to himself.
An hour into our drive, my phone finally added some noise to the silence in this car. Quasim was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he listened to old school songs and drove this truck like a maniac.
I now understood where Meer got his wild ass driving from, because the way this man was in and out of cars on this expressway was something crazy. The IG’s had fallen back the minute we got further on the highway.
Answering the phone, I turned out the window because it was Zay calling me and I didn’t want Quasim all in my business. “What happened to I’m going to call you when I get home?” I teased him.
He was in the studio late last night and said he would call me back, but he never did. I didn’t take it personally, because I was knocked out with drool spilling from my mouth, anyway.
“I did call you and was met with your voicemail. Ass had that DND turned on again, huh?”
I snorted because it was my fault he didn’t call back. “You know what… I apologize.”
“It’s all good. As long as you make it up to me by flying with me to Chicago.”
I smiled. “I thought I was catching a flight a few days later.”
“You ever been on a jet, Blair?”
“I have.”
The line was quiet. Guess he was shocked that I had been on a jet before and that wouldn’t impress me. Being friends with Capri, between her family and husband, they chartered jets with the quickness.
“We gonna talk about who you be catching jets with.”
“Not you wanting to be all in my business… just know I’ve been on a few. You nervous for tonight’s show… it’s your city.”
“Nah, never nervous. You should be nervous when I pull you up on stage.”
“I am not going up on that stage with you… hell no.” I choked out a laugh, nervous because he seemed serious about inviting me up on that stage with him.
The world was already talking about Zay’s mystery girl and wanting to know more about me. Since the last time we were spotted together was at his friend’s restaurant opening, it had died down. I wasn’t trying to have them back on our case again, not when I didn’t want to be splashed all over the blogs.
People were mean.
“Scary ass.”
“I’ll be the scary cat and wear the crown proudly.”
He chuckled. “I’ll see you tonight after the show… have fun with your friends cause I want all your attention after the show.”
“Hmm… we’ll see about that. See you tonight.”
“Bet.”
I ended the call and went back to reading while trying to play it cool. My eyes quickly looked over at Quasim and he didn’t seem bothered.
“Excited to see your man do his thing tonight.”
“He’s not my man.”
“Hmm.”
I turned in my seat. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, Blair.”
“Oh, I’m Blair now?” I didn’t mean for that to come out or to even seem like I cared that he called me by name.
“Ain’t that your name?”
“You’re an asshole, Quasim… can’t believe I was ever in love with you.”
He snorted. “So, you fall out of love that fast?”
“You tend to learn how to stop caring when you’re shuffled around from foster homes… your attachments to people tend to fade as quickly as you’re in a new home, so yes.”
“Good to know.”
Berkeley:
The name seemed much larger than it actually was when her call came up on the car’s screen. He hit the red button on the steering wheel and continued to hum to whatever song was playing.
“Answer the call for your girl.”
“Sound jealous, Blair.”
I scoffed. “I am not jealous. Good luck to her, because you’re a damn vault.”
“She don’t gotta crack this vault to get fucked, Blair.”
I was so stunned by what he had said that I couldn’t even form a sentence or a smart-ass remark to reply with. “Good for her.”
“That pussy wet for me… Huh?”
I hated him.
Hated that he was right because everything about him turned me on. His spicy musk cologne filled every part of this truck, and then his fresh cut had me questioning why I was mad at him in the first place.
If that wasn’t enough, he had a Brooklyn Reaper bike week tank top on with his arms exposed. All his tattoos wrapped around his arms, including the portrait of his daughter.
“Absolutely not.”
“You took too long to answer, Blair.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Oh word… what do you want me to call you, my love?” He looked over at me as his arm extended over the center console and landed on my lap.
I bit back the moan because my body was betraying me. This man could give me CPR and I would be trying to wrap my legs around him and fuck him while he tried to pump life into my body. He was the only one that had this power over my body and in this moment, I hated it.
“Keep your hands away from me.” I crossed my arms and looked out the window, as his hand remained on my thigh.
“Move it, then.”
I went to push it, and his hand remained firm on my thigh. “What do you want from me?”
His hand pulled the bottom of my maxi dress up and I allowed him to like a fool. His hands found their way into the front of my panties as he looked between the highway and me. I kept my eyes on him as his fingers entered me and he played with my pussy.
Tossing my head back, while trying to keep my eyes open was a task that I was failing horribly. “I want you, Anjo, and you know that. Except, you want me to be how you want me… shit don’t work like that.” He spoke lowly, while easily driving with the other hand, still whipping in and out of traffic. “Ain’t that right… I can’t hear you.”
I was trying to choke out the words but when he increased his speed, I couldn’t even keep my eyes open any longer. “No…Not true,” I stammered.
“You lying to me now? You want me to be who you want me to be, Blair… that’s not how shit works… I wanna love you, give you everything, but I gotta figure how to do that without you getting hurt… but yo impatient ass wanna throw a tantrum, right?” He pinched my pearl, which sent this chill winding up my back and caused me to scream out in pleasure.
It was a mix of pleasure and pain that I never knew I needed to experience. All my senses were heightened as I was slumped in the chair while he continued to make me feel good.
So good.
Quasim bit down on his lip as he looked over at me briefly. “This is my pace… my rules, my love… I run this shit.” He continued to drive, give me a lecture, and finger fuck the shit out of me.
“I’m… Sim…my,” I squealed as the pressure built, and he squeezed my pearl with his index and thumb while his middle finger continued going in and out of me with speed.
My body went numb as my legs fell dead, and he smirked before patting my pussy. “What was that shit you was saying?”
He removed his fingers from inside my panties and then licked them before winking at me and turning the music up, like he hadn’t just sent me to the king and then brought me back down.
The rest of the ride was quiet until we pulled to the gates of the community. Once they granted us access, he pulled through the perfect community that one could only dream of living in, and I knew people who only lived here in the summertime.
Quasim pulled into the driveway of his lake house. The black and gray modern home with staggered decks surrounded by glass and large windows was absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t focus on it because the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach was screaming at me to do what I needed to do.
“Quasim,” I started.
He turned the truck off and turned his attention to me. “Yeah.”
His tone was as if he already knew what I was going to say to him. “Let me be happy. Even if that’s not with you, stop doing this with me. Let me go, because I can’t do this. My heart hurts and it’s not supposed to do that with you. It has hurt so many times in the past, and I don’t want that anymore… you’re not ready and I can see and understand that. Stop playing both sides… wanting me when you want me, then discarding me when you sense things getting too serious. It’s not fair to me and I deserve fucking better. I told you that I loved you and you couldn’t say it back… continue to heal and focus on you. As for me and you… I’m done.”
“Anjo.”
“When I first found out that I had cancer, I hated myself because I wasted so much of my healthy years accepting what I didn’t deserve. Chasing and giving my all to someone who couldn’t and wouldn’t do the same. I promised myself if I fought hard and overcame it, I would put me first. I love you, Quasim, but I love me more. I owe it to myself to see where this can go with Zay. Allow him to love me.” I opened the car door, grabbing my bags and heading into the house without looking back, because I knew I would burst into tears.