Chapter 2 #3
“You’ve proven that the stock market is what you know. You’ve managed to flip a substantial amount of money for me, but it’s not enough,” I dictated. “What else can you do?”
“What is it that you seek?” she shot back, and I can’t lie; a nigga’s dick bucked.
A woman with a strong mind and smart mouth was a nigga’s weakness.
There was also a softer side to Harbor, which she hadn’t shown anyone around here in the last twelve months.
I had a camera set up in her room though, so I could check in and see what was going on with her from anywhere in the world.
Yeah, it was an invasion of privacy, but she didn’t have any with me.
Every move she made, I was clocking. Resting both elbows on the table, I intertwined my fingers together in front of me and focused on her.
“The records to a case close to me has been sealed within the Department of Justice. I need access to it,” I made known.
“So you want me to hack into a government database?” Harbor posed, reclining in her seat and tucking her arms across her full, grapefruit-sized breasts.
“Can you do that?” I asked, both brows going up.
“I usually charge for those type of services. Why should I give it to you for free?” she quipped, and a smile almost came over my lips, but I held that shit back. “We are talking high profile, high risk. If I get caught, the Feds will be beating down your door within thirty minutes.”
From across the room, I noticed that Celine did crack a small simper.
It wasn’t often a woman intrigued me, especially one as ripe as her, but she had me with that smart-ass mouth.
I wasn’t about to risk it all or no shit like that, but I would fuck under the right circumstances.
Harbor wasn’t like other young women her age.
I saw the way this generation was coming up.
Most girls were using their bodies to achieve their success yet screaming that equal rights, women empowerment bullshit.
A spade was a spade as far as I was concerned, and a ho was a mothafucking ho.
I could tell that Harbor had been bred different.
“You give me what I need, and I will accommodate you,” I assured her.
“Fine. I need a name.” She plucked a piece of strawberry into her mouth and chewed.
“Ivana Samuels. The case would’ve been from about six years ago,” I informed her as the doorbell rang.
Celine straightened up at the counter. “I’ll get it,” she said, moving toward the front entrance.
I studied Harbor across from me. She felt the searing hole I was burning in her because she wouldn’t look at me and fidgeted with the fork on her plate.
She was thinking. I peeped that from the crease in her brow.
To be a fly on the wall of her mind was something that I wouldn’t dare object to.
She was very reserved, except when she was snapping back at me.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Celine announced as she came strolling into the kitchen.
When I laid eyes on the young girl at her side, I froze. A nigga’s heart lurched, and his chest tightened at the sight of my baby girl. I was on my feet immediately to meet them at the door.
“Daddy.” Ivy dove into my arms and held me tight around my waist.
Embracing her back, this warm, indescribable feeling swarmed me.
Leaning over, I kissed the top of her head, surprised that she was practically at my chest now.
She was twelve years old, and my entire world.
For most of her life, she bounced around between me and her mother’s sister, Gardenia.
I hadn’t seen her in person in over a year due to my work schedule.
“Ivy, what are you doing here?” I asked, nudging her back so that I could look into her pretty face.
She was the spitting image of her mother, and it tugged at a nigga’s heart.
“I thought it was time for her to transition,” Gardenia declared, stepping in behind Celine.
She was tall and very light skinned with cinnamon-brown hair that she wore cut in a bob.
Gardenia was familiar and resembled her sister in a lot of ways.
I swear when Ivana left us, that bitch thought she was the next best thing.
The only reason I allowed her to raise my daughter was that Ivy was used to her and because Gardenia did have her best interests at heart. I still didn’t like the bitch though.
“And you thought you would just spring this on me without talking to me first?” I asked, grimacing at her.
That was the type of shit I was talking about.
“What is there to talk about? She is your daughter, and you clearly have plenty of room around here,” Gardenia voiced, her penetrating onyx orbs piercing Harbor from across the room. “Unless you don’t. Still in the business of housing strays?” She mocked, rolling her eyes.
“Daddy, do you not want me to live here with you?” Ivy asked, disappointment and sadness dripping from her big doe eyes.
I reached out to cup her chin and stare down into her angelic face. My daughter. A princess and future queen. She had so much to look forward to in life. And I wanted to be there for it all. She had no idea the sacrifices that I had and would make for her.
“Baby girl, I would like nothing more. That’s not what this is,” I insisted, cutting my eyes at Gardenia menacingly for putting me in this position with my only child. “Your room is always ready and waiting for you here.”
“That’s right, so let’s take your bags up and get you unpacked,” Celine insisted, both hands on Ivy’s shoulders as she leaned in to kiss her cheek lovingly.
I could tell she was more than happy to have her around. I wasn’t always here, so Celine might get lonely and have nothing to do. I could tell even having Harbor there helped her some days. My daughter stared past me at the stoic woman seated at the table.
“Who is she?” Ivy whispered, bringing her eyes up to me.
“She is… a guest. She’s working on a few things for me with business. Why don’t you let Celine take you up and get settled in? We can talk in a little bit.”
“Okay,” Ivy replied, leaning in to hug me once again. Before she left the room, she encased her auntie too. “Love you, Aunt Denia.”
“Love you too, baby girl, and don’t forget to FaceTime me every single day.
” Gardenia pecked her cheek and smiled, but as soon as Ivy was gone, she turned that shit upside down.
The dark glare behind her eyes when she looked me up and down was mixed with a little lust. I knew she wanted to sample the dick and always had, even when her sister and I were rocking together.
She tried to play that cool shit when underneath it all she wanted what almost every bitch in my presence sought.
My intense eyes, and muscle build drew bitches to me like a magnet.
“It’s time for you to step up and play an active role in her life. Not just sending gifts and money. Unless you are too busy with your… ‘business companions’.” She flared her nostrils and grilled Harbor from where she stood.
“You dropped her off. Get the fuck out of my house, Denia. Thanks for the warning.”
“She has all of her medical records and everything else so that she can get enrolled in school. Call me if you need anything.” Her eyes wandered over me once more, and she spun around to leave.
I didn’t even bother saying anything else to her as she sauntered out of the room.
I blew out a sharp breath and shook my head while remaining at the counter.
From across the room, I locked eyes with Harbor.
This was going to complicate things around there.
I didn’t tell my daughter the details of what I did, and I didn’t want her getting too curious and getting close to this girl in the least.