Chapter 32
"What do you think about this dress?" I stepped back so Remy could see me in the camera where we were on FaceTime.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Turn around, babe."
I did a small spin, arms out waiting. "Well?" I tilted my head.
With a deep sigh he shook his head. "It's not my favorite."
"Really?" I looked down at myself in disappointment, smoothing down the fabric. "I was really hoping you liked it." I looked back up into the camera to see his lips quivering as he tried to hold back a laugh. "You're fucking with me, aren't you?" I sucked my teeth softly with a smile.
Remy laughed softly. "Of course I am. As if you could ever look anything else than beautiful in whatever you put on."
Letting out a slow sigh, I picked up the phone still smiling. "So… you like it?" I asked.
He gave me that warm smile of his that always gave me butterflies. "I love it, baby. Just like I loved the other two you put on before this one."
"Okay," I nodded. "I just want this to go well, you know."
"And it will," he replied gently. "You're lovable as hell. You're just going to hang out with my mom and sister. It'll be fun. You'll have a good time and they'll love you. I hope you'll love them just as much."
"I'm sure I will. They're your family. I love everything in your world," I smiled.
Remy grinned and rubbed his cheeks. "You be making me blush, babe. I don’t know how you do that to me." He tried to rub away his smile to no avail. "Can't even stop smiling when I look at you."
I laughed softly. "I can't either, baby."
We held each other's eyes for a moment—just smiling.
"I love you, Gianna," he said finally, voice filled with so much sincerity I felt it in my spirit.
"I love you too, Remy," I sighed happily.
"Call me as soon you guys are done, okay? Overall, just have fun, beautiful. And if they try to grill you—call me."
Laughing softly, I nodded. "I will. But I can handle it. I'll take an interrogation for you."
His grin deepened. "See—right there. Dammit." He rubbed his cheeks again.
"I'll talk to you in a lil' bit, handsome." I blew him a kiss, and he caught it swallowing it.
With another happy sigh, we waved and hung up.
"Damn I love that man." I grinned to my reflection. Stepping back, I adjusted the straps on the lavender dress I was wearing. It was pretty, flowy, soft with just a hint of sexy. Perfect for the spring weather.
Spraying on a few spritzes of perfume, I fluffed out my curls and nodded in satisfaction.
I don’t know why I was so nervous. I had been talking to his sister and mom in text for a couple of weeks now.
But this would be our first in-person meeting together and I just wanted everything to go well.
I really liked them. I loved and adored Remy and Melo.
These people could be my family if things with us continued to go well.
Grabbing my purse, I slid my feet into my wedges and headed out. We were meeting at this amazing Thai restaurant on The Strip. I handed the valet my keys and headed inside where they were already waiting for me.
Angel spotted me first as the server led me to the table. Her smile was immediate as she waved. Ms. Betty looked over and they both stood as I approached.
"Oh it's so good to see you again, Gianna." Ms. Betty hugged me first. "And you look so pretty. I love this color on you." She touched my dress, smile bright and warm.
"Thank you so much," I took my sunglasses off my eyes, smiling. "You look beautiful as well."
"Thank you, chile." She did a small spin.
"Hey, sis-in-law!" Angel threw open her arms, and we hugged rocking side-to-side like we had known each other for years.
Already I felt like this was going to be a great lunch. We took our seats and ordered cocktails.
"You gotta watch her when she gets a lil' liquor in her, girl." Angel gave her mama a playful side-eye. "She be forgetting her age when she drinks."
Ms. Betty laughed and waved her off.
"Unh-unh, what you be doing when you get a cocktail in you, Ms. Betty?" I laughed.
"I just get a little bit festive that's all," she laughed, touching my arm lightly.
"Doing the Tootsie Roll festive," Angel quipped and we all laughed together.
"Well let me get at least two drinks in you, 'cause I gotta see that," I chuckled.
Our cocktails arrived and we placed our orders. While we sipped, we chatted and laughed. Nothing about it felt awkward. So much so that when the topic of my work came around, I was totally fine with discussing it.
"So how are your parents?" Ms. Betty asked.
"They're good, divorced now," I explained.
"When my grandparents passed, my dad moved back to North Carolina.
Lives on a farm with my uncles if you can believe it.
I try to visit a couple of times a year.
And my mother moved to Seattle where she's dating some white man. " My brows raised as I sipped my drink.
They laughed.
"And how is that?" Angel asked.
I shrugged. "I mean—as long as she's happy, I'm not mad about it. He's cool with me."
"Do they know about you—?" Ms. Betty let the sentence hang.
I exhaled slowly. "My mother does. My father—no." I shook my head. "He couldn't handle it," I admitted. "I'm his only daughter."
"What does your mother think of it?"
"Honestly—" I looked between them. "She was hurt. Couldn’t understand why I would want to do it.
Cried because I dropped out of college. It was a whole thing.
But my mother knows she raised a headstrong daughter.
I'm gonna do what I want. I don’t really care about what society feels I should do with my body. "
"That's powerful," Ms. Betty said softly. "I was raised a bit more traditional and stricter, but I've always admired women like you." She touched my hand gently. "I wish I could've been more independent in my youth, but that's why we raised Angel to be the woman she is."
"I think it's freaking amazing how you just don't give a damn about what anybody thinks." Angel chimed in with a grin. "That's why I couldn't wait to hang out with you. I want to pick your brain about…everything," she laughed.
Chuckling, I picked back up my drink. "I'm an open book. Mostly."
Our food arrived and we began to eat ordering another round of cocktails. We were feeling our drinks because our eyes got lower and our laughter got louder. Everything was going perfect until—
“Gianna.”
The sound of my name froze me mid-laugh. The voice itself…I recognized it instantly.
My smile faltered as I slowly turned my head to see him approaching slowly.
Boss.
My stomach dropped so fast. He stopped in front of our table dressed in all black, one hand tucked into his pocket. He looked calm and composed, and his eyes were locked directly on me.
Ms. Betty and Angel turned curiously, both of their expressions shifting into polite confusion as they looked between us.
Boss smiled. “Afternoon, ladies,” he greeted smoothly.
“Afternoon,” Ms. Betty replied kindly though I could already tell by the slight narrowing of her eyes that she was assessing the energy.
Angel looked between us too. Observing because the air had changed instantly.
I set my drink down carefully, forcing my expression back neutral even as my nerves started sparking under my skin. “Boss,” I acknowledged evenly. “Hi. What are you doing here?”
He shrugged lightly. “Having lunch.” His eyes dragged over my face briefly before returning to my eyes. “Didn’t expect to run into you though.”
He was lying. I knew it immediately. Something about this felt too intentional. Running into him at Remy's restaurant may have been a coincidence—this wasn't. I stayed calm. Didn't want to ruin the wonderful vibe we had created.
Boss’s attention shifted toward Ms. Betty and Angel again. “Sorry to interrupt y’all,” he said smoothly. “Mind if I borrow her for a second?”
My heartbeat sped up. Angel’s eyes flicked to me, curiously. Waiting on my cue.
I smiled lightly even though tension was crawling up my spine. “Excuse me for a moment,” I said softly.
Ms. Betty nodded slowly. “Of course.”
I pushed my chair back and stood, smoothing down my dress while Boss stepped aside to let me pass.
The moment I reached him, his hand landed lightly against the small of my back.
Possessive but subtle. It was enough to make my stomach knot.
I smoothly side-stepped his arm as we walked towards the patio entrance and stepped outside.
The second we stopped, I looked up at him sharply. “What are you doing?” I asked under my breath.
His eyes moved over my face slowly, appreciatively. “Having lunch,” he repeated calmly.
“Boss.”
“What?” he smirked faintly. “I can’t eat?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
His gaze drifted briefly toward the door. “Your new family seems nice,” he murmured.
My jaw tightened instantly. “Don’t.”
“What?” he asked innocently, amusement flickering in his eyes. “I’m being respectful.”
“No, what you're doing is pissing me off,” I replied sharply.
His expression shifted at my tone, becoming darker. More irritated. His tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek before he leaned slightly closer. Boss exhaled slowly through his nose, eyes never leaving mine. “I haven't been able to book with you. I wanted to see you.”
“You saw me already," I countered.
“Wasn’t enough.”
I stared at him for heated moment. "Did you…follow me?" I asked cautiously.
He shook his head. "Nah."
This nigga was lying.
I folded my arms across my chest, trying to regain some control over myself. “You're crossing boundaries, Boss. I don’t know how you knew I was here, but you can’t just pop up in my fucking life like this.”
A faint smirk tugged at his mouth. “Looks like I just did.”
He thought this shit was amusing? I stepped closer, staring into his eyes. "I don’t know what the fuck you think you're doing, but this shit ends now," I stated firmly under my breath.
"What are you trying to say, Gianna?" he asked slowly.
"I'm saying—you'll no longer be able to utilize my services at Siren House. As soon as I leave, I'm telling Madam to take you off my client list. I want you to stay the fuck away from me."
Panic flashed in his eyes. He shook his head. "Nah. Nah, you don't mean that. Not after what we shared."
This nigga was crazy. I could see it now. "Stay away from me, Boss. I mean it." I moved past him, but he grabbed my arm. Immediately, I wrenched it free drawing curious stares from onlookers nearby.
"Ma'am, are you okay?" one of the male servers asked.
"She's fine!" Boss barked suddenly. "Mind your fucking business!" He turned to me. "Gianna—"
But I was already stalking off.
"Gianna!" he called after me.
By this time, my heart was racing and my stomach was sinking. I quickly headed to the table where Ms. Betty and Angel both looked at me in alarm at my hurried stride and flustered energy.
Grabbing my purse, I reached in and withdrew my wallet.
"Gianna, are you okay?" Ms. Betty asked.
"Hey, I'm so sorry, ladies but we need to go." Peeling off some money, I placed it on the table.
"Why what's wrong?" Angel asked.
"Gianna!"
Our heads snapped over to where Boss had rushed back in the restaurant as a few servers tried to stop him.
"C'mon ladies, please let's go," I said quickly waving them up.
I saw a security guard rush forward to keep him from further approaching but Boss outweighed him in height and stature. "Gianna!" he called out. "I just wanna fucking talk."
The entire restaurant had gone quiet. Not completely silent but quiet enough that I could feel the attention shifting toward us. Forks paused halfway to mouths. Conversations lowered. Eyes turned. Boss looked completely unhinged. And desperate.
The security guard held an arm out across his chest while Boss stared directly at me.
“Gianna,” he said again, breathing hard now. “Please.”
My heart hammered harder.
Angel was already on her feet beside me while Ms. Betty reached for my hand.
“Who is that man?” she asked quickly.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep it together. “An old client,” I replied hurriedly. “I handled it wrong. I should've cut things off sooner. “Please,” I whispered to Ms. Betty and Angel. “Let’s just go.”
Ms. Betty nodded. “Come on.”
Angel grabbed my other hand while we quickly moved toward the exit, but before we could reach the door Boss called my name again. Louder this time. “GIANNA!”
I didn't look back. We finally pushed out into the warm afternoon air and the second the doors shut behind us; I exhaled shakily.
Angel turned to me. “What the hell was that?”
I closed my eyes briefly. “A mistake.” I said as we handed our ticket to the valet.
Ms. Betty touched my arm gently. “Gianna…is he dangerous?” she asked looking back.
That question made my stomach tighten because honestly—I didn’t know. But the way he was acting…
I shook my head quickly anyway. “I don’t know. I think he may just be emotionally attached.”
"Maybe we should go to the police," Angel stated looking back.
"We have to tell Remy," Ms. Betty said.
I shook my head letting out a sharp breath. "He's gonna be so mad at me."
Ms. Betty took my hands. "Why would he be? You didn't know."
I let out a shaky breath. "He met him before, Ms. Betty. And I didn't tell Remy that I was seeing him again afterwards."
She slowly let go of my hands. "So…you lied to my son?"
The valet pulled up with her car.
I didn't have time to explain. "Look—just go home, okay? I'll talk to Remy, I promise. I just don't want to put you two any further into my mess. You've been so sweet to me. I'm so sorry for all of this." Tears spilled and I quickly wiped them away sniffing.
Ms. Betty's face softened, it looked like she wanted to say more.
"Please, Ms. Betty…I've done enough damage," I said.
She nodded sadly and turned to Angel. "C'mon, Angel."
"Bye, Gianna." Angel pulled me into a quick hug before they walked away.
I watched them pull off, my chest tight as the valet brought my car around.
How had a perfect lunch with my man’s family spiraled into me fleeing from an obsessed client?
The lines I had worked so hard to keep separate in my life were starting to blur together, bleeding into spaces they never should’ve touched.
And if I didn’t create some distance soon, this shit was only going to get worse.
And then Remy called—