Chapter 17 #2
“You’re beautiful. Come sit!” Kelsey said, patting the seat next to her.
“I don’t want to intrude. I think I’ll go find Emery.”
“There’s no intrusion!” Mina said. “Do not mind this bitch. I swear she’s harmless. Please sit.” Mina gestured to the leather chair next to her as I reluctantly sat down.
“Hor D’oeuvres ladies?” a server asked, walking over with a tray of bacon-wrapped shrimp and some red sauce. We all declined while Mina refilled our glasses with Ace of Spades.
“So, Emery’s ass been single since I’ve known him. How the hell did he pop out with a fiancée and didn’t tell anyone?” Kamari queried, smiling at me.
I smiled lightly. “He was my high school sweetheart. We crossed paths again, and it took off from there.”
“Aww, a full circle moment. I love it!” Kadence exclaimed.
I nodded. “The saying is that if you love something, let it go. If it comes back, then it’s yours, is true.”
“So, you broke up with him?” Normani asked. I wanted to ignore her because her vibe was shitty, but I didn’t want to ruin Mina’s party.
“I did.”
“And now you’re . . . back.”
I made eye contact with her to let her know she couldn’t intimidate me. “I am.”
“No . . .” Her eyes perused me again. “That wasn’t a question.”
“Normani,” Mina reprimanded. “I’m sorry, Yumi. I don’t know what’s wrong with her ass tonight. Are you cool, sis?” she asked Normani.
She smiled. “I’m great. I’m not doing anything wrong here. My apologies, Yuma—”
“It’s Yumi. And you can keep that apology, love.
I know it isn’t genuine.” A few of the ladies giggled while I sipped my champagne, staring at her.
I may have been reserved and didn’t like confrontation, but there had been many times I had to get in the field because hos would try me, thinking I didn’t have hands.
Chanel made sure she taught me how to fight after I got beaten up in the sixth grade. So, if little Miss Normani wanted smoke, I wouldn’t back down from it.
“Wow. What did you say your last name was again?” she asked.
“I didn’t say,” I countered. Normani chuckled, finished off her champagne, then stood.
“Excuse me, ladies. I’m going to go to the ladies’ room.” She walked off while I sipped my drink again. While I was nervous prior to coming here, I was now angry because I knew for a fact her mean-girl energy was stemming from somewhere else. I had an idea why, but I was praying it wasn’t true.
“Yumi, please don’t mind her. She’s just salty because Emery didn’t take her as a wife,” Kelsey explained.
I frowned. “They used to date?”
Mina rolled her eyes at Kelsey, and she shrugged as if to ask what she said that was wrong.
Mina looked at me. “No, they didn’t date.
We are a part of the five families, so it’s typically tradition to marry within the families.
Emery turned down the proposal, so she’s a bit salty about it.
But do not let that get to you, Yumi. Emery has already chosen his bride, and I’m proud of him for not getting into an arranged marriage with her. She’s too arrogant and entitled.”
I couldn’t front and say that I understood any of this. I didn’t like it, and I had no doubt that Emery fucked her, whether they dated or not.
“Excuse me.” I stood, pulled my phone from my clutch, and dialed Emery. He picked up on the first ring.
He chuckled. “It must not be working out with the ladies. You ready for me to come get you?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in the cigar lounge. What’s wrong, baby? I don’t feel like getting active tonight, but I’ll fuck—”
I cut him off. “Come to the bar, Emery.”
“Which one, babe? There are three.”
“The one closest to the entrance.”
“On my way.”
I hung up, finished off my glass, then signaled to the barmaid to get me something more substantial.
I was irritated when I shouldn’t have been.
Normani didn’t have what I did to secure a man like Emery.
Her name may have put her on a larger scale, but she didn’t have what I had—his heart, his mind, and his dick.
Still, I could tell he must have left a lasting impression because she was giving off those jealous vibes, disguising it as just curiosity.
I understood that part. Emery’s sex skills were top-tier, and that dick had some magic dust on it or something, so I got why she was fuming just like I was in the moment.
I felt Emery’s presence before he even made it to me. That was how much of a huge aura he carried when he walked into a room. His palms went to my hips just as the barmaid handed me my tequila sunrise.
“Everything okay?” he asked in my ear since the Moneybagg Yo record was now blaring through the surround sound speakers.
“Can we go somewhere quiet and talk?” I asked. He nodded, took my hand, then led me away. We found an empty hall, and he led me toward the quieter end.
“You want to tell me what’s wrong?”
I let out a small breath before looking up into his eyes. “I know we’re just getting back together, but maybe I didn’t ask enough questions upon our return. With everything that’s going on, it never crossed my mind to ask you the deeper questions.”
“Talk to me, Yum. I’m not hiding shit, and I will never lie to you.”
“Good . . . Did you fuck Normani?”
He paused momentarily before nodding. “I did.” My eyes closed, and I cringed slightly. “That was before you, Yummy. I haven’t touched her since two weeks before you walked into our home.”
“Two weeks? That was literally only six or seven weeks ago, Emery.”
“It was, but that shit meant nothing. She means nothing.”
“Were you going to marry her?”
“Never. I’m going to marry you. You were always my end goal, Yumi. I know she must have said something to you for you to be asking me about her. Whatever the fuck she said, I’ll cut her fucking tongue out of her mouth before I let her disrespect you.”
“She didn’t say anything, per se. She was just being bitchy, and now that I know you gave her that magical pony, I get why she was giving me attitude.” I was pouting. I didn’t want to be mad, but I couldn’t help the visual of him fucking her the way he fucked me.
“Fuck her, baby. She’ll never have me the way that you do.
I’m fucking in love with you, and that shit never went away.
She can’t compete where she doesn’t compare.
Normani lacks couth and is too fucking spoiled and entitled for me to ask her for her hand.
Arranged or not. She will never be my vibe, and I’ll never converse with that bitch again.
That’s on EJ, Yana, Elijah, and Yasmin.”
I looked at him, confused. “Who the hell are those people?”
“Our kids, baby.”
I sputtered a laugh even though I wanted to stay mad and jealous. “In that order, huh?”
He leaned down and kissed my lips. “In that fucking order. And if God sees fit, we’ll add a bonus baby.
A little girl or boy that you can name.” I smiled as my arms went around his neck and deepened the kiss.
He pressed me against the wall, his hands roaming all over my ass and back.
He squeezed me in a tight hug once our lips departed.
“I fucking love you, Yumi Alaya. I don’t see nobody but you.”
And I believed him.
“I love you, Emery Omari.” He pecked my lips a few more times, then took my hand.
“Let’s go enjoy the party. You’re staying by my side because I’ll kill a bitch and not think twice about it for fucking with you.”
“Oh, God. It’s not necessary, Emmy. Just forget about her.”
“She was already forgotten before you even walked back into my life.”
I smiled as we headed back inside the party. I hoped I didn’t run into Normani anymore tonight. I had a feeling that if she so much as spoke to my man, I was going to fuck her up and not care what family she belonged to.