Chapter 15
I woke up to an empty bed.
The side where he'd been laying was still warm but he was gone. I laid there for a second just breathing in the smell of him that was all over the sheets, all over me. His cologne mixed with whatever body wash he used. It was intoxicating and I hated that I liked it.
A knock came at the door and one of the guards poked his head in.
"The chef prepared breakfast for you in the kitchen," he said. "Mr. Carter had to handle some business this morning."
I nodded and he left.
I got out of bed and went through my morning routine.
Brushed my teeth. Showered quick. Put on some comfortable clothes — a fitted tank and some joggers.
While I was getting dressed, I kept thinking about how he'd asked me to come sleep with him again.
How natural it felt. How I didn't want to leave his bed this morning.
This was getting dangerous.
I was starting to feel things for a man who'd kidnapped me. A man who was dangerous. A man whose world involved dead bodies and threats. I needed to keep my head on straight but every time I closed my eyes I could feel his heartbeat under my ear.
Focus, Tatti. This is not your man for real! He needs you, he doesn’t want you.
I went downstairs to the kitchen and the chef had set everything up beautiful. Eggs, toast, fruit, fresh juice. I sat down at the table and started eating, my mind already running through what I needed to do before Friday. The bank. My aunt.
That's when the front door opened. Then I heard footsteps coming to the dining area.
Zuri Carter walked in like she owned the place. Which, I guess in some way she did. She saw me sitting at the table eating breakfast and stopped.
"Good morning," I said, being respectful even though something in her energy was already off.
She didn't respond to my greeting. Just kept walking toward me. This kind of pissed me off, so I had to say something.
"Does your son know you show up unannounced like this?" I asked. Not mean. Just real. "Because I feel like a heads up would be respectful. You know, maybe a call? A knock on the door?"
Zuri's whole face tightened.
"This is my son's house," she said, and her voice had that cold edge. "I've been showing up unannounced for years. That's not changing because you're here."
I set my fork down and looked at her straight.
"Well, this is my husband's house and my house now," I said. "And I think the respectful thing would be to call first or at least knock before you just walk in. What if I was walking around naked? I'm at home now. I should be able to be comfortable in my own space without surprise visitors."
Zuri's jaw tightened but then something shifted. A small smile crossed her face and she laughed. A hard, loud laughed.
"Well, I hope you have enough morals to not walk around naked while men guards are on the property," she said, and there was humor in it.
I laughed too because the shit was funny.
Zuri pulled out a chair and sat down at the table across from me.
"I like your feistiness," she said. "If you're going to be a part of this family, you have to have tough skin. Every test I throw your way, you pass it."
"I appreciate that," I said. "But with all due respect, I don't like tests. I've been out of school for a long time."
Zuri looked at me for a moment.
"As the woman of this family, it's my job to make sure that all of my sons are going to be in good hands when I let them go," she said. "So I need to know who they're with."
She shifted in her chair, her eyes still locked on mine.
"Let me ask you something," she continued. "How do you feel knowing that Kaseem will never just be with just one woman? I know my son. And although he's forced into this arrangement, I know that he doesn't have it in him to be faithful."
I held her gaze steady even though her words landed different than she meant them to.
"I've already spoken to him about that," I said. "And he knows what I will and will not accept. So I'm not worried about it."
Zuri nodded slow, like she was impressed or maybe just processing.
"Let me ask you a serious question," I said. "If you don't like me and you're constantly trying to find stuff wrong with me, why are you forcing your son to marry me of all people?"
"That was my husband's idea," Zuri said flat. "Your father has connections that we need. It made the most sense."
She paused, studying my face like she was looking for something specific.
"Your family is well known in the public eye with a picture perfect life," she continued. "At least on the surface. I do extensive research on everyone who comes into my family, Tattiana. Your deepest, darkest secrets that you think are buried? I know all about them."
My stomach dropped but I kept my face straight.
"I'm choosing to keep quiet because we've already made arrangements and we need you right now," she said.
"But I don't want you to think for one second that I don't see you.
I don't want you to think for one second that I don't know who you are and what you've done.
But I do understand that everybody has a past. I can't fault you for who you were as a kid.
But trusting someone who has secrets like that is going to take a lot of work. "
She leaned forward slightly.
"And I want to know what you plan on doing moving forward about that secret," she said. "I really want to know what kind of woman you really are."
My eyes went wide. My heart was pounding so hard I thought she could see it jumping out of my chest. Did she know about my business? How could she possibly know? Not even my father knew what I was hiding.
I tried to keep my face straight.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said. But my voice wasn't as steady as I wanted it to be.
Zuri stood up from the table.
"Yes, you do," she said. "But it's time for me to let you to go about your day. Remember, I see you."
She turned and walked toward the door, her heels clicking on the floor like a countdown to something I wasn't ready for.
I sat there shaking after she left.
I couldn't understand why they were forcing me into a family where the mother clearly didn't like me. And worse, she knew things about me that I thought were locked away. Things that could destroy everything. Things that could put my livelihood in jeopardy.
After I finished breakfast, I went out on the porch to get some fresh air and try to calm my nerves.
That's when Kaseem’s father, Kadeem came walking up the driveway.
He threw his hands up and surrendered when he saw me.
"I come in peace," he said with a slight smile. "I didn't know my wife was coming over, but when I realized she was here, I came up to make sure she wasn't causing too much trouble."
I almost laughed but I was still shaken from our conversation.
"Whatever my wife said, ignore her," he said, sitting down on the porch steps beside me. "She's losing her oldest son to another woman. That's hitting her different than she expected. But I want you to know that we value you. I appreciate you for being here."
He looked at me direct.
"Just like I told Kaseem, we're going to protect you and take care of you by any means," he said. "You're family now. That means something to us."
I felt tears starting to form but I blinked them back.
"I appreciate your kind words," I said.
He gave me a brief hug before standing back up.
"I'm going back home to have a talk with my wife," he said. "You shouldn't be hearing anything else from her. Not like that anyway."
He walked back toward the way he had came, leaving me sitting on that porch trying to figure out what Zuri actually knew and how long I could keep my secrets before they came out.
—
I heard Kaseem make it back into the house around 7.
He’d been gone all day and I figured he’d been handling business.
But, after what his mom said, maybe he’d been with a bitch today.
He knew better than to bring one here, so maybe he’d gone over there.
I hated that I even let this woman get into my head like that.
She had me caring about shit that I had no business worrying about.
My heart jumped at the sound of him before I could control it. I'd been on that porch most of the day thinking about what Zuri said, running through scenarios, trying to figure out what she actually knew. But the second I heard him come home, all of that faded to the back.
A few minutes later he was at my door.
He didn't knock. Just pushed it open and walked in like he knew I'd be there, which I was. I was sitting on the edge of the bed still in the clothes I'd put on this morning.
"Get dressed," he said. "We're going out. You got twenty minutes to meet me in the front.”
He wasn't asking. And he looked stressed. His jaw was tight and his eyes had that look they got when he'd been handling business. But underneath the stress, there was something else. Like he wanted to see me. Like he needed to see me.
"Where are we going?" I asked, standing up.
"Just get dressed," he said. "Nice but comfortable."
He left and closed the door behind him.
I moved fast. As much as I hated to admit it, I was kinda happy to be getting out with him.
All we’ve done is argue and lay up at night.
Pulled on a cream colored fitted dress that wasn't too formal but looked put together.
The kind of thing you wore when you wanted to look good but not like you were trying too hard.
I did my hair quick, threw on some light makeup, and grabbed a pink cardigan in case it was cold outside.
Twenty minutes exactly, I was at the front of the house.
He was waiting by the door in all white— fitted shirt, denim distressed jeans, and some off-white designer sneakers.
He looked like he'd showered and changed since he got home.
His hair was fresh and his waves were shining.
His cologne was heavy. He looked tired but he looked at me like I was the first thing that made sense all day.