10. Fiya
Fiya
Saturday Night
“ H ow was your trip?” I asked as I toyed with the steak.
“I accomplished all of my goals, so I’m satisfied,” Terry said before he forked a bite of steak into his mouth.
“What were those?”
“Hmm?” his bushy eyebrows lifted as he stared at me.
“Your goals. What were they?”
Shrugging, he turned his lips down and answered dismissively. “Oh, you know. Just the usual. Negotiations, contracts, and cuts.”
“I’m not sure I understand exactly what it is that you do aside from investments in small businesses and consulting for local businesses.”
“I’m a financial consultant for several Fortune 500 companies. I serve as a broker, making business deals and negotiations for these firms. I handle the valuations and deal structuring, where I basically structure the terms and conditions of the financial framework so that they can achieve their objectives.”
“Do you enjoy what you do?”
“It pays a nice salary.”
“That’s not what I asked you, Terry.”
“What does it matter?”
“Would you please just answer the question?”
He sighed and set his fork down. I watched as he finished chewing his meat and then took a sip of his water to clear the food from his mouth. He grabbed the napkin next and dabbed at his thick lips before he set it back on the table.
“No. I don’t always enjoy what I do, but I’m damn good at what I do. It’s necessary, and it pays me out of the ass, so why should I complain? Unlike a lot of people, I’m not ungrateful for what I have.”
“Sorry. Damn. I just thought that you should enjoy what you’re doing. I think everyone should, so they don’t feel like they’re working every day.”
“And that right there is your problem,” Terry replied and pointed his finger at me.
“Please don’t point. That’s rude.”
I was getting upset where I would normally shrug shit off and not allow it to bother me. But a part of me felt that I was being unfair to Terry and that I was picking a fight with him. I knew that had everything to do with the time that I had spent with Smoke, especially in Terry’s absence.
We were scheduled to get married tomorrow afternoon, and here I was, starting shit. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but it wasn’t good. That was for sure. I had promised this man that I would marry him in exchange for him bailing me out of the financial trouble that I created, and now here I was, being ungrateful.
Terry lowered his finger and rested his hands in his lap.
“Look, you’re going to have to change your mindset after we marry, Kaifiya.”
“I’m sorry, Terry.”
“You’re twenty-nine, almost thirty, and you still behave like you’re twenty-one. Your little friends are crashing at your place, having a roommate, and hanging in the club. All that has to stop.”
“My friends are my friends, Terry. I won’t be getting rid of them.”
“Maybe you should see them less. And as it relates to Noel, I don’t think that it’s okay for a married woman to have a male best friend. All that will need to change.”
“Noel’s been here all my life, especially during some rough patches. He’s not going anywhere.”
“You look at everything like it’s supposed to be fun, or… or some damn hobby or something. It’s time for you to grow up. You’re about to become my wife tomorrow, and that comes with a certain look. You’ll have to conform to that image. For example, let’s think about what you said about never having to work. That’s how you found yourself in the predicament that you’re in.”
“Like being married to you?”
His face paled and then turned red. “Is that how you see it?”
“This is a business arrangement, Terry,” I explained softly. “Please don’t behave as if we have had this huge love affair.”
“No, but I was hoping that in time, we could grow to love one another. It’s no secret that I care for you, Kaifiya. You’ve known that for at least a couple of years now.”
“Right. And you are using my business failings to your advantage to trap me into something that you want but I’m not interested in.”
“Is that how you feel?”
I sighed but didn’t reply.
“Where was all this energy when I first brought the proposal to you?”
“Terry, are you kidding me? When you first suggested it, I thought you were joking, and I told you that. And then, when you said that you were serious and that it would give me an out to my financial woes, I told you I needed time.”
“I thought that was because you weren’t ready to become serious so quickly.”
“Terry, we weren’t in a relationship before that. How would you think that I would go from being a business constituent to falling in love and ready to marry you?”
“I didn’t think you would fall in love immediately, but I did hope that it would happen. Now, the way you’re talking, I don’t know what to say.”
I sighed. “Listen, I’m sorry. It’s just all too much. I still can’t believe that we’re about to get married because I came to you asking for a business loan. This is a major life decision that I can’t come back from.”
“You knew I wouldn’t give you that money without conditions. Look, you weren’t a viable risk at all. No one else was willing to take the risk on you.”
“How do you know that?”
“People talk, Kaifiya. I have several connections in our business community. I was aware before you came to me that you were in trouble. The banker at your bank is my brother-in-law. He’s married to my sister.”
“Lloyd Rogers?”
“Yes.”
“He had no right!” I exclaimed and pushed my plate away from me.
We were in a private dining room at Rooftop, an upscale restaurant in Cherokee Springs.
“He didn’t, but it didn’t matter. In the end, family is family, and we talk business. A couple of other people you approached shared with me that you had approached them as well and informed me that I might want to look into your financial situation. Since I invested in other small businesses to build my portfolio, they thought that I might be able to help you. Your shop alone wasn’t worth the risk, but you, as a suitable partner, were. A man gets lonely at night and tired of going to dinner parties alone. I had hoped that we could build a beautiful union, Kaifiya.”
I sighed and blew out my breath. “So, you were preying on me before I even approached you.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it that.”
“Then what would you call it, Terry?”
“Valuation. Determining the worth of your company as an asset. But I found you to be a much more valuable asset on my team as an individual, and I was willing to pour into your company to make that happen.”
I shook my head and laughed dryly. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I muttered under my breath.
“Kaifiya, that’s another thing that will need to change.”
“What do you mean another thing? What needs to change?”
“Your dedication to your little hobby. We’ll hire some help to run the shop, and you can spend time helping me cultivate the business partnerships that I need. I’m on a shortlist to run for congress in a couple of years, and I need a wife to host parties and attend functions with me. Obviously, you’ll need to change your language. Once I’m elected, you can focus on growing our family. That’s your job.”
Terry stood up and dragged his chair around to sit beside mine. He stretched his hand out and cupped my face. When he leaned in and tried to kiss me, I turned away.
“You’re about to be my wife tomorrow, sweetheart. I haven’t kissed you, nor have I tasted you. That all changes tonight, Kaifiya.”
“You promised that we could wait until the wedding,” I replied, turning my head abruptly back to meet his gaze.
He sighed. “I changed my mind. I want to feel you tonight. A man has needs, and he can only hold off but for so long.”
“What’s one more night, Terry?”
“You’re testing my patience, Kaifiya. I’ve done a lot, and you’ve given me nothing in return.”
Terry palmed my breast and leaned in again. He pressed his wet lips against mine and tried to kiss me. My body instantly rejected him as I felt the vomit rise in my throat. I pulled back and quickly turned away. I grabbed my napkin and pressed it against my mouth to contain what had returned from my dinner.
“Am I that vile to you?” he asked.
“No. It must have been something that I ate,” I lied.
“Good. Because tonight, I’m making you mine.”
“I don’t really feel well, Terry.”
He smiled and wiped my lips with his thumb. “It’s okay. You don’t have to suck my dick tonight. We can save that for tomorrow. Tonight, I just want to bury myself between those beautiful thighs. Let me call the waiter so we can head back to my place.”
“Terry, you can’t just gloss over the things that you said by discussing sex.”
“What things?”
“Changing my lifestyle, leaving my shop, my language—all those things.”
He frowned, and his light skin turned a deep shade of red.
“I can gloss over it, and you will change. That’s not up for debate, Kaifiya. That’s an order. And if you keep up with the backtalk, you will be sucking dick tonight too. I don’t give a shit how you feel.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” He snarled with an evil look on his face.
“Terry, you—”
“I have no idea what’s gotten into you lately, but you’d better get it out. I’ve been calling you at the appointed times, and you don’t answer the phone. I came by your place earlier, and you weren’t there. You have lost your damn mind. You signed a contract, and that means you do what I say. I don’t care if I tell you to clean the trash can with your toothbrush. You had better damn well do that shit. I’m tired of you, Kaifiya. I’ve put up with a lot from you, and I have invested a lot of time and money in you. No more. Everything changes tonight. Do you understand me?”
I sat there in shock and disbelief. This man had shown me red flags all along, but tonight, he had turned a corner. I could see the warning signs telling me that he was an abusive man. Business or no business, I would be a fool to go through with the marriage ceremony tomorrow.
Then there was Smoke. How did I go through with this wedding when I knew there was a man who ignited passion in me that I had never felt? Giving up financial stability for a chance at a relationship filled with passion was a risk. Smoke had never said he wanted those things, but I couldn’t ignore how he made me feel.
“Do you hear me talking to you?” Terry demanded.
“You’ve got me fucked up! I’m not changing a damn thing! I’m not leaving my shop. I’ll be in there running it daily. You’ve lost your damn mind if you think I’m about to sit my ass around like Betty Crocker and create meals for your constituents and make your ass look good while I’m barefoot and pregnant,” I declared as I stood from my chair.
“Kaifiya! Sit your ass down and be grateful that I snatched you out of your situation to make something of you. Making me look good is what makes you look good.”
“No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make your evil ass look good!”
His eyes were wide, and his face was red as hell.
“I will not tolerate this behavior, Kaifiya. Sit your ass down now,” he demanded of me but in a much lower tone than I spoke.
“Fuck you. You sit down, fat ass muthafucka! I’m not cooking for you. I’m not changing my language. I’m not being your hostess. I’m not your asset or your risk. And I’m not sucking your dick!”
I snatched my keys and purse just as the server opened the door, accompanied by the manager.
“Is there anything that we can assist with?” the manager asked.
“You will not walk out of that door, Kaifiya. We are getting married tomorrow!”
“Marry your damn self!”
“If you walk out of that door, you will owe me every single cent back.”
“I’ll get you your damn money, every single red cent,” I cried out as I continued my walk to the door.
“I’ll see you in court if you don’t. The terms of the contract stated you would repay me within six months.”
“And you’ll have it.”
“Kaifiya, you’re being foolish. Come back. I demand you to return.”
“Fuck you!”
I stormed out of the dining room and through the restaurant and rushed to my car. I dropped down inside before the tears began to flow. I wasn’t a crier by nature, but I was so angry with myself for putting myself in this position to begin with.
My phone buzzed, and I looked down and saw a text message from Smoke. The tears really came down, and I couldn’t stop them.
SMOKE: Just thinking about you. Don’t want you to feel pressured. But I can see you in my future.
I barely knew this man, but he always made me feel seen. I wiped my tears, smiled, and texted him back.
ME: You’re so corny.
SMOKE: Not really. Just want to get to know you more.
ME: If you’re looking for another round of strip Truth or Dare, just say that.
SMOKE: I’m thinking I want to slow this train down. I’ve tasted you. I want to get all inside of your mentals now. Let’s take some time to connect on another level.