2. Juelz
I pulled my eyes away from her with a frown on my face that was quickly replaced with a smile as Tonya, the head of legal, introduced me and asked me to come up and speak to my management team.
I stood up and made my way up to the podium.
We arrived at the Executive Suites and were led up to the conference room of First Providian Bank; I didn’t really have any emotions about today only that I was ready to get the deal completed.
It wasn’t until she called my name and introduced me as the new owner that caused the ball of emotions going on inside of me now.
I’d been going back and forth over this deal for a little over a year now, and a few months ago the purchase was final.
For a moment, I just stood there feeling accomplished. I couldn’t believe it, my ass really owned a bank, a young black man from the hood. Can you believe that shit? Because I couldn’t, so I had to keep saying it and reminding myself of it. I was HIM in every meaning of the word.
Looking around at my employees, I smiled before my eyes landed back on her again.
I saw her downstairs when we first arrived and was checking her out just as much as her lil fine, beautiful ass was checking me out.
That shit damn sure didn’t go unnoticed.
She was thick as hell; those thick thighs and ass complemented her in every way.
Her body was just right, and she had the most beautiful set of eyes I had ever seen on a woman.
I couldn’t look away. It was like our souls were connecting.
My heart felt as if it stopped beating just to beat at the same pace as hers.
Awwwww, hell to the nawl! I'm not doing this shit. Straighten the fuck up, Ju! You don’t have time for no females. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em! You a G, my nigga and and your heart will always belong to Kenya,” I thought to myself. I quickly got myself together and prepared to address the room.
“Good morning, everyone. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself I’m the new owner of First Providian.
But first, I would like to assure you that my goal is to make our transition as smooth as possible for all of us.
As we know with new management, there will be some changes tailored to the way we do business.
However, I truly believe those changes will help strengthen our company and create an even better work environment for all of us.
I’m a leader that values hard work, determination, and honesty.
I believe in taking care of those under my leadership, just as long as you take care of my business.
I’m straightforward, so there will never be any second-guessing as to where you stand with me and my business.
My door will always be open, and I encourage communication and teamwork as we move forward together.
In the coming weeks, you’ll receive more information regarding the changes that will be implemented, and I’m confident that those changes will position us for success.
Thank you for your time this morning. I’m excited about this new chapter and look forward to working alongside each of you as we build a strong and successful company together.
” I smiled and stepped away from the podium, and Tonya stepped up to address the room.
“Okay, everyone, please make sure you introduce yourself to Mr. Kassom on your way out,” she announced.
A few minutes later, I was shaking hands and conversation with some of the employees as the exited the conference room.
The managing director of the bank, Richard Hall, introduced himself. He seemed cool, but that was still yet to be determined.
“Ciera!” He called out, looking in the direction of the beauty that caught my eye earlier. She turned around, and it looked as if she was going to walk out without introducing herself. When Ciera walked over to where Hall and I were standing, he was so damn giddy.
Damn this dude was acting like a damn groupie! He needed to calm the hell down, I thought to myself.
“Ciera, this is Mr. Juelz Kassom, Mr. Kassom, this is Ciera Voss, the Teller Manager,” he introduced.
I smiled and held my hand out while looking into her beautiful gray eyes.
The minute our hands touched, there was this electric shock that went through my body.
That shit almost caused me to pick this chick up and carry her to the nearest office and fuck the life out of her.
DAMN! When it was all said and done, I think Ms. Voss will have to find new employment because firing her ass might have moved up to the top of my list of things to do.
There was no way in hell that I could work with her or have her work for me for that matter.
She snatched her hand away, said it was nice to meet me and walked off. She must’ve felt that shit too! I watched her walk away like she had fire under her ass with a smirk on my face. Yeah, she needed to run as far away from me as she could possibly get.
A couple of hours later, we were back in our truck and headed to our next meeting. But the beauty of the day was still on my mind, there has never been a woman besides my daughter's mother that could get that type of reaction out of me.
“You good?” Xavier asked, interrupting my thoughts.
“Yeah, I’m fine. When do you head back to Belize?” I asked, looking over at him as I adjusted in my seat.
“In a few weeks. I’m here just to make sure your transition with the bank is smooth, and then I’ll head back,” he replied.
Xavier had been my boy since the playground days in elementary school.
When we graduated from college, he decided to go to law school, and as soon as he passed the bar exam, he was hired as one of my attorneys.
With all of the things I had going on, I needed a full dream team, so that’s what I created.
He was handling some of most of my business deals.
However, he is just one of my lawyers on a team of twenty, which consisted of the best lawyers across the globe.
X moved to Belize about four years ago; he went on vacation one day and fell in love with the place.
I have yet to visit, but I will make the trip soon.
That’s my boy and my brother; blood couldn’t make us any closer.
My team and I were in route to the New Hope Recreation center, which I was close to completing the deal to purchase.
I was slowly easing my way out of the drug game and passing the torch to my brother.
He showed me every day that he was ready for this shit, so I was going to take a back seat and let him run our empire.
However, I would always be there when I’m needed, because the beast in me would never die.
I have been working with the city and different advocates to create places for the youth to go after school to keep most of them off the streets.
Because even though I’m in it, it doesn’t mean I want the young boys and girls to go down the same road I was led to.
I won’t be able to save every child, but I would like to save as many as I can from the treacherous streets of New York.
I know what it’s like to get lost out here because I was a product of the same streets.
I watched my mom, Simone, work job after endless job while she took evening classes.
She did all of this just to make sure my brother and I had food to eat and clothes on our backs.
I was thirteen, when I decided I had to do something to help my mom.
I felt like I was the man of the house, and she shouldn’t have to do this alone.
Our Pop, Ziek, decided we weren’t what he wanted in life after marrying my mom and having two sons.
There were so many nights I laid in bed listening to her cry over that nigga.
The one that was supposed to love her. His ass wasn't worth me even giving him the title of father.
He was nothing more than a donor to me and if I ever saw him, I might shoot his ass.
He could never walk back into my life after the way he treated my mother, and his kids for that matter. Fuck him! My brother Zel felt the same way. Hell, if I was being honest, Zel probably felt heavier about it than I did.
On my thirteenth birthday, I was hanging out with some friends down at the corner store when a major hustler named Mone pulled up and parked his car.
He stepped out to talk to some of the dudes working for him, and I couldn't stop watching.
Everything about that man demanded attention.
The nigga looked like money, from his cars, clothes, and jewelry.
The streets respected and feared him at the same time.
He hustled in these streets, but he cared about the people in this community.
Every time he came around, he gave money to single moms, and during the holidays he was buying groceries, paying bills, and giving out toys.
All I knew was that I wanted to be just like him, and maybe that wasn’t what or who I was supposed to be like.
But I did, and I wanted him to put me on so that I could get it.
I needed to help my mom, so I would do whatever it took.
I was staring so damn hard, he must’ve felt that shit.
When he turned in my direction, our eyes locked and I wasn’t gon’ turn away.
He motioned for me to come over, and I started walking in his direction.
“Juelz, where you going?” One of my friends yelled out.
I shrugged. “To see what he wants,” I told them.
“He crazy as hell I wouldn't go over there,” one of them said.
I don’t know, maybe I should've listened, but curiosity had always been one of my biggest flaws. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of Mone and his boys.
“You good? The hell you looking at me like that for?” He questioned.
“I was just looking at you, but is that a problem?” I asked.
“Oh, he about to die,” I heard my friend, Ronnie, blurt out.