Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
YUMI
When I opened my eyes, I could see the brightness of the morning making its way for the sun to rise. I realized that we were still inside Emery’s school, but now everything was in pristine condition, and Emery was now fully dressed, sitting at the table on his laptop.
“We really slept in here last night?” I asked, pulling the small blanket over my naked frame. He looked over at me and smiled.
“We did. I would prefer you to sleep in our home, in our bed, but you’re very impatient.”
“No one told you to feed me, give me champagne, and let me see you naked. What if someone had seen us?”
“No one is here besides the security of the building that’s downstairs and my security team around the building.”
“Who cleaned up?”
“I did.”
“Oh.” I looked around for my clothes and other items and found them neatly folded on the chair in the corner.
“I’m sorry about your dress. I’ll send it to my cleaners when we leave. For now, you’ll have to rock my dress shirt. It should be long enough for your short self.” He chuckled.
“Okay.” He closed his laptop, placed it inside his bag, then stood and walked over to me, kissing my lips ever so sensually.
“We gotta go. I got a staff meeting at LaBella’s, then I got to take my nephews to the Disney store.
” He handed me his dress shirt then helped me into my heels, kissing my ankles as he did so.
I smiled, leaning forward and kissing his lips.
Emery was just a fine work of art. He reminded me of Babyface’s son in All the Queen’s Men.
His long, braided plaits, sexy ass bedroom eyes, nose ring, and full lips, I couldn’t stop myself from lusting after him.
It took me a minute to register what he’d just said, and I frowned in curiosity.
“What do you mean, a staff meeting at LaBella’s? You own LaBella’s, too?”
“Yes.”
“So that’s why you were there that night,” I stated rather than asked.
He smirked at me. “Yeah. While you thought I was stalking yo’ pretty ass.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be the first.”
“And it won’t be the last if you keep being on bullshit. But since you agreed to marry me, you can’t run no mo’.”
I smirked. “Whatever, Emery. So, how many businesses do you own exactly?”
“Eight. Two real estate companies, a dry cleaner, two laundromats, a gas station, LaBella’s, and now this school.” My mouth was literally on the floor. I both admired and appreciated him for acquiring so much, even if what he’d accomplished did come from an illegal source.
He was making moves to remove himself from the life of crime and establish generational wealth for himself and his family. To know I agreed to marry him, it would mean I’d own all of it too, should we really get married, unless he decided to make me sign a prenup.
Was I ready for that kind of commitment?
I had only been back in Emery’s life for a month, and already, he had me falling back in love with him all over again.
It wasn’t because of his money either. It was because I recognized the person I had seen all those years ago that made me fall in love with him in the first place.
He stood on business back then, and he was standing on big business now.
“As much as I’d love to eat you up again, we have to get moving, love. I hate being late.”
“Sorry. I’m just in shock right now.”
“Yumi, your man isn’t some poot butt ass nigga.
I didn’t go into this shit without having an exit plan.
I don’t like ya bitch ass people, but I understand why they didn’t want you with me.
This life isn’t for the weak at heart. At any time, I could have lost my life, but I was trained to make sure that never happens. If it does—”
“Uh un. Please don’t talk like that.”
“It has to be said, baby. I want to make sure I’ve lived, I’ve loved, and created love with the love of my life.
This will all be yours, too. I was hoping you could help me fund my school.
I want kids who’s just like me to tap into their passions and be as creative as their hearts desire, which isn’t just about painting.
You can create art in anything, be it dancing, writing, playing an instrument, painting, rapping, or singing.
This school will provide that for those who want that. ”
I stared at him in complete admiration. “You are amazing. I want to suck your dick right now.”
He laughed heartily as he kissed my lips and pulled me up from the couch. “I promise I’ll feed you this dick later. Right now, daddy has to clock in the bag.”
I sucked my teeth and pouted. “I guess I can let you go. I have to go into the office anyway to meet with the defense team. Prayerfully, we’ll have some good news to report, and by Thursday, they should be free.”
“I’m sure they will.”
“I do have one question, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Do you know what happened to Leyla Johnson?”
“I do.”
“And?”
“She won’t be a bother anymore.”
“What does that mean, Emery?”
“What I just said, Yummy. Let that be that.”
I whispered as if someone was listening. “You didn’t kill her, did you?”
Emery smirked and shook his head. “Enough questions. Grab ya bag and let’s roll, mamas.” I tossed my hands up and grabbed my things, following him out of the room. He grabbed a board covered with the tablecloth, handed me the bag of my leftover food, and we left the building.
“Did you drive?” he asked once we made it outside.
“No, I had car service bring me because I knew I’d be drinking.”
“Juno!” he called out to his driver. Juno looked over at us.
“Yes, Mr. Emery?”
“Be sure that my wife gets home okay. Got me?”
“Sure thing, Mr. Emery.”
“You’re not going to come with me?”
“I’ll see you at home later.” He kissed me once again, promising to call me when he was done with his task for the day. “This is for you. Don’t look at it until you pull off. I love you.”
I smiled. “I love you more, big poppa.” We both laughed as he opened the truck’s back door and helped me inside.
When the door closed, I pulled the covering from the canvas, and my mouth fell agape when I saw the painting of me lying on the couch asleep, wrapped in the blanket.
It was so detailed that I felt like I was looking at myself in live form.
A sadness washed over me from the nostalgic feeling of the days when he would sketch me.
We missed so much time together. I blamed myself for walking away from him when I knew the person he was wasn’t what my parents claimed him to be.
To the outside world, he may have been a ruthless crime boss, but with me, he was a gentle giant that I loved with my whole heart.
Liam should never have been in my life as long as he was. The entire time we spent together was nothing but a lie, and he betrayed me in the worst way.
Emery would never.
I didn’t need to know that this man genuinely loved me because he showed me how much he did with every waking moment that I spent with him.
I hated myself for being loyal to the wrong people.
This man closed the door to his heart, never giving it to anyone else, while I gave mine to a nigga who played in my face and made me his unsolicited side bitch for six consecutive years.
I didn’t deserve Emery.
He was a good man, and I was a foolish woman for ever having listened to my family.
As I looked down at the rock on my finger and the painting next to me, tears slipped from my eyes as I rode home, filled with sadness and regret.
Me: Baby Mama. Come to my house when you get off, please.
BM: I can feel something is wrong in this text. I’ll be off in one hour, then I’m coming straight there.
Me: Lol. I love you.
BM: Always love you, babe.
I dropped my phone in my purse just as Juno pulled into my driveway.
“Thank you, Juno.”
“It was my pleasure, Ms. Yumi. Let me get the door for you.” He stepped out of the truck, coming around to my side and opening the door.
I grabbed my bag and the pretty canvas of me, gave Juno a curt nod, then headed up to my house.
I searched through my purse for my house keys, then stopped mid-stride when I saw my car sitting pretty low.
When I moved closer, I noticed that my tires had been sliced.
“What the hell?” I looked around as if the person who’d done this was still lurking.
I hurried up to my door but stopped again, noticing it was ajar.
I pushed it open slowly, but I didn’t go inside.
I immediately pulled out my cell and dialed Emery’s number.
Why was he the first person I thought to contact?
I didn’t know, but I knew it was because I knew he would come to my rescue.
“It’s only been ten minutes, Yummy. You miss me—”
“Emery! Someone flattened my tires and broke into my house. I don’t know if they’re still inside!” I exclaimed frantically.
“Say less. I’m on my way. I’m going to have Juno circle back and check shit out. Don’t go in the house. Do you have a neighbor’s house you can go to until I get there?”
“No. I don’t talk to them.”
“Okay, just hang tight. Walk down the block and wait for Juno. I’m twenty minutes away.”
“Okay.” I hung up and began walking to the corner since my house was two houses away.
My forgetful behind forgot to charge my camera ring before I left yesterday, and now I wouldn’t be able to tell who was in my house.
Who the hell would do something like this to me?
I didn’t have any enemies, and I didn’t talk to anyone outside of my family and Carmen.
The area I lived in wasn’t a crime area.
We didn’t have break-ins or carjackings over here, so I was genuinely baffled about who would do this to me.
Two minutes went by before Juno turned the corner and stopped in front of me. I didn’t wait for him to get out and open the door before I hurriedly got inside the back of the truck. Juno pulled into my driveway and parked.