Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
YUMI
Hushed tones filled the restaurant as I sat across from Liam, dining on Italian and Prosecco. It had been four days since we saw each other, even longer since we were able to go on a date. I couldn’t deny that I had missed him, and tonight, I planned to show him how much.
Liam took my hand and kissed the back of it, and I gave him a subtle smile.
“I missed you,” he said.
“I missed you, too, babe. I feel like we never get to see one another since you took that job with Ashton.”
“I know, but you know I’m trying to buy you that big house you always wanted. I have to take care of my queen.” He kissed my cheek and smiled.
“You know I don’t need all of that, babe. I need you. I can take care of myself.”
“I know you’re independent, Yumi, but it’s a man’s job to take care of his lady, . . . especially if she has good pussy and treats you like a king.”
“Oh my God!” I exclaimed and laughed.
“Even your laugh is sexy. I’m ready to call for the check, take you home, and eat you until you cum.”
“Mmm, I like the sound of that. Four days is far too long for me.”
“Man, tell me about it. Between your schedule and mine, it’s freaking torture.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have any more big cases, only a few small ones, so I should have more free time.”
“What happened with the Aldana case?” His phone rang, stopping me from answering. He picked it up and sighed, seeing Ashton Pryor’s name on his screen. “I’m sorry, love. I have to take this.”
“No, go ahead. I’ll be here, waiting.”
He kissed me and left the table. I was glad about the interruption, but I was also upset that he even had his ringer on at all.
I picked up my glass and finished off my wine.
I was trying to be patient with Liam. He was the man my parents were happy I chose instead of Emery.
They didn’t know what he did for a living until our senior year.
Still, Emery’s aura always exuded gangster vibes, and my parents always said he was doing something other than owning laundromats, car washes, and restaurants.
I hated to admit they were right. I was heartbroken when I told Emery it was over. I could see the hurt and pain in his eyes, and that made me feel even worse.
Meeting Liam in law school was a distraction from my missing Emery.
He was cute, loving, attentive, and gave me just enough spice in the bedroom.
While he was pursuing criminal justice, I was becoming who I am now.
But Liam ended up leaving law school and working for his father’s home-improvement business.
We still saw each other every day, and once I passed the bar, he took me to the Bahamas for a week.
It wasn’t until recently, when he started working as a private investigator, that our time together changed drastically.
Now, I only saw him on weekends and sporadically throughout the week.
I didn’t like it, but Ashton’s PI firm was in high demand, and Liam was his top PI, so he was called away often.
I twirled my pasta around my fork, and just when I was about to take a bite, a huge presence loomed over me.
“Is this seat taken?” I looked up to see Emery standing next to me, looking like he would make a bitch give him all her tax money and deliver good dick.
“Emery. W-what are you doing here?” I stuttered.
He smirked. “I can’t eat here?”
“Of course you can, but somehow, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you’re here on the same night as I am.”
“Why is it hard to believe? LaBella’s is a popular place in Livingston County.” It was, but I still think it wasn’t a coincidence that he’d be here. “How are you?” he asked.
“I’m well. And I’m also here with my boyfriend. It was good to see you, Emery.”
“Why do I feel like you’re dismissing me?”
“Because I am. We can’t be seen together, Emery. As much as I’d love to catch up on old times, it can’t happen.”
“I’m not the one you’re defending, Yummy.” My eyes closed, and my thighs tightened at the mention of that nickname.
Get him away from you, Yumi.
“Again, it was good seeing you.” I lifted the bottle of wine, and Emery took it from my hand, sat across from me, and poured some in my glass and the empty one that Liam hadn’t used.
My heart rate increased as my eyes darted around the restaurant, looking for Liam, then back at Emery in shock.
“What are you doing? You need to leave!” I said through tight lips.
“Chill, mama. I mean no disrespect to you, but there’s no way I can ignore the first girl who stole my heart. It’s been so long since I talked to you, and now that I see your face, I’m trying to see it all the time.”
“Emery, we can’t do this.”
“Look, when ya nigga return, tell him I’m your client, and I needed to speak with you about an important matter.”
“I’m not a liar.”
He chuckled. “You are, Yumi. And the best part about it is that you get paid to do it.” I tried not to let my smile break through. He was right, but I was still nervous about him sitting here and looking this damn good while I silently begged my vagina to behave.
“Hey, baby. Who is this?” My body tensed as I looked at Liam sliding in beside me.
“Walter Lakes. I’m her client. I’m sorry to intrude, but I needed to talk to her about something important,” Emery said, holding out his hand to Liam.
No, this man did not use that ugly ass fake name.
Liam took it. “Liam McCoy. Pleasure to meet you.” Emery didn’t reply, only nodded to him.
“Again, I apologize. This couldn’t wait.”
“It’s fine. Baby, I do apologize, but I have to end our night. Ashton just got a lead on a case, and I have to go check it out.”
“Now? Liam . . .” And this was now becoming a problem. Even with my heavy caseloads, I still made time for Liam in between. I always sacrificed for him, but he could never seem to do the same for me. I wasn’t trying to act like a brat, but this was becoming a problem too often.
“Babe, I know. I promise to make it up to you tomorrow. This is a big case. It seems as if we’re both being called to work anyway.”
“It’s fine, babe. Just go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I didn’t want to get into all of this in front of Emery. He didn’t need to know what was going on in my personal life.
Liam took my chin between his pointer and thumb. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. Call me,” I told him, kissing his lips.
“Walter, it was good to meet you. With my baby as your representative, I’m sure you’re going to win your case.” Emery gave him a nod as Liam left the table. My eyes landed back on Emery while he stared at me.
“I guess you got your wish, huh?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure it’s going to come true soon.”
“What do you want from me, Emery?”
“For you to see that our love has never ended. We didn’t get to see how far we could have gone before you shattered my heart and left me.”
“We were too young to be so passionate about what we were to one another. I won’t lie and say it didn’t break my heart that you were lying to me throughout our entire relationship.”
“I lied to protect you. You may not have seen it that way, but there was no way I was going to ruin the best thing that ever happened to me.”
I scoffed. “I doubt I meant that much to you if you knew I didn’t approve of your lifestyle.”
“My world was dark, Yumi. The only time I felt a sense of relief or normalcy was when I was with you. You were my light in those dark times.”
“What was so dark in your world at eighteen? Every time we were together, I didn’t see you down or depressed.
You were happy and carefree. Hell, I used to be at your house all the time and never felt bad energy or saw anything drug-related around there.
Your mom and dad were nice and didn’t give off king or queenpin vibes. ”
“Shit ain’t always what it seems. At the age of fourteen, I was at the gun range four times a week, learning how to shoot. By sixteen, I was learning combat and martial arts, then it was on to the family business. I never had time to be a kid because I was being groomed to take over.
“Those moments when I could get away and be with you were the times I didn’t have to think about numbers, learning a new skill, or being taught the ins and outs of business trades.
In my heart, I knew you were made for me.
And as bad as I want to put a bullet in ya man’s forehead, I’m going to let him continue to fuck up so I can be there to catch you before you fall. I need that time back.”
I looked away and tried to settle my racing heart.
I could agree that we fell fast. I was in love with Emery’s swagger and overall vibe.
He wasn’t like the rest of the high school boys who always tried to come at me.
He dressed preppy and sometimes showed up in slacks and dress shirts, and it was so appealing to me.
He was giving pressure and was a boss from the age of fifteen to eighteen.
The way he walked, talked, dressed, smiled, and looked at me made my young hormones rage.
Even as I looked at him now, he gave off the same energy as he did when I first met him.
It was never really my decision to break up with him.
My parents disapproved because, somehow, they knew Emery was a walking mystery.
They felt he was lying about his lifestyle, and although they were right, I would have still been with him.
I never wanted to disappoint my parents, so I did what was best for them, not what my young heart desired.
“I love him, Emery.” I felt the need to confirm.
“No, you don’t. You’re tolerating him.”
“How do you figure? You act like you know my life. It’s been years. You don’t know me like you think you do, and I don’t know who you are aside from what I already know.” He sat up, placing his elbows on the table and staring at me.