2. Daylin Conrad #2
Typically, my work did bleed into the weekends because that was often the life of an entrepreneur. However, this day in particular, I’d taken off in order to shop for the dinner I’d planned to throw.
Laughing, Serene replied, “You boxing up phone case orders or unpacking new designs is not the same as me having to deal with a bunch of sick kids and running my own practice. I shouldn’t have to explain that to you.”
Feigning a smile, although my sister couldn’t see me and because it was the only way to keep from lighting into her ass, I calmed myself down quietly.
I valued my relationships with my family and was a firm believer that if you wanted to stay on good terms with a person, there were just certain things you couldn’t say.
Like the fact that my sister’s pediatric office had terrible Yelp reviews because of how often she was late or sometimes not open at all. So just how much was the bitch working?
Additionally, in my opinion, Serene’s outlook on life and me in particular was at the fault of our parents.
We came from a family of doctors, and everyone born into the Conrad bloodline was to go into medicine.
However, ever since I was a child and would ask for Barbie toys instead of doctor kits, like Serene and our older brother Cairo Jr., my parents began to treat me differently.
Then, choosing to go to college and major in business, then actually starting a business, doing anything outside of being in medicine was the last straw.
They placed these same opinions on their other kids, and though my brother treated me normally, Serene, as I said before, acted as though she was above me.
My mother and father still loved me, I knew that much, but it felt as if I was being tolerated more than anything.
“Like I said, I won’t be canceling my plans. You and Avant are gonna have to reschedule, use some of that money you work so much harder than everyone else for, or make it a family night, but I won’t be the solution to your problem.”
“Whatever. What is so important that you would abandon your niece and nephew?”
Rolling my eyes and refusing to even entertain the abandonment portion, I said, “A party for some boxer named Ayan Godfrey.”
“Oh wow. Yeah, he won a fight according to Avant.” Serene adjusted the phone. “Do you think that’s a good idea? Don’t you have a boyfriend?”
“I do, but I’m also still a normal person and am unmarried.” I held up a short, sexy but classy black dress in front of my body as I stood before the floor-length mirror in my bedroom.
“Does he know you’re going?”
“He does not, because he’s working out of town and it was last minute.” I defended myself, knowing I purposefully didn’t tell Shaun’s ass.
He wasn’t overly jealous, but he was jealous and didn’t like for his girl to be anywhere around men, especially rich ones. Shaun hated Morgin because she seemed to always have access to events and parties that involved either famous, rich, or both types of men.
I knew it was an insecurity on his part, believing if a man had the gift of gab and fat pockets to go with it that I would be good as gone, but I wouldn’t fault him for it.
I couldn’t exactly say with certainty that I’d be fine with him being around beautiful charismatic women with impeccable bodies, while drinking, conversing, and having a time.
Same time, any woman that could take my man could have him.
There was nothing more attractive than a nigga who didn’t fall victim to the flesh each and every time he was tempted.
“Mhm.” Serene caught on, giggling a bit to herself.
“Anyway, I’m gonna be late messing around with you. Have fun tonight with whatever you choose to do.” I hung up before Serene could say a word more either about me babysitting or keeping a secret from Shaun.
I spent the next hour and a half getting dressed before texting Morgin to let her know that I was leaving and headed to her.
“You smell good.” I complimented Morgin as she slid into the passenger side of my car.
“Thank you.” She immediately yanked down the visor mirror to check out her makeup, making me giggle. “What?” Her lip curled as she typed in the address to the function.
“Nothing.” I pulled off. “So what’s the goal for tonight?”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning are you trying to find a boyfriend, just have some fun, or what?” My attention oscillated between the road and Morgin as she pondered.
“Shit, whatever I can get. I probably will get more bang for my buck out of Josias since he’s single.
Ayan got a girlfriend or wife or something plus some kids.
The obscure brother probably won’t be there, but even if he was, I’d pass.
I’m scared of him. I like my niggas light hood.
I don’t need a nigga who be catching real life bodies out here.
” Morgin slathered her lips in more rouge as I laughed.
“We rarely agree on much, but with that one, I have to say I wholeheartedly agree.” My brows lifted at the thought, internally reminding myself to look into Mr. Obscure since I’d forgotten to upon returning home earlier.
“But I mean, since you know Ayan is taken, I think it’s best you stick to Josias. ”
“I’m going for whomever goes for me.” Morgin began moving around on my CarPlay screen, looking for songs before deciding on “Check Please” by Cardi B.
I felt the slight frown spread over my face, not liking what I was hearing at all. I knew Morgin barely had any morals, but I’d never heard of her going for a man who had a whole family. If she would do it to Ayan’s woman, surely, she would do the shit to anybody, including me.
“You’d better be more selective before you end up at the center of a crime scene for messing with the wrong chick’s man.”
Ignoring my warnings, Morgin turned the music up and began dancing in her seat, rapping the current track word for word as I focused on our destination. I couldn’t help but to shake my head, however.
We arrived at the massive mansion in Bel Air that the party was being held at, and after I put in the code provided to Morgin, we pulled through.
“Damn. If this is Ayan’s, fuck his baby mama! I’m taking him!” Morgin jested or at least I hoped.
I quickly found a space to park where I wouldn’t be blocked in and could leave whenever I pleased. I knew how men with money, fame, and confidence could be, and this was a party full of them, so I needed to be sure I could make a quick exit if shit went left.
After shutting off my engine, we both climbed out of the car.
“Names.” Some huge guy who was guarding the double door entrance of the mansion’s deep voice vibrated through my chest.
“Morgin, and this is Daylin.”
The man peered down at the clipboard, flipping enough pages for me to realize this wasn’t a small party by any means, before he nodded in approval and pulled out what appeared to be a stamp.
We held out our hands to be branded and then were granted entry into the party.
“Small yet he had a damn five-hundred-page list on that clipboard,” I spoke lowly to Morgin who chuckled.
“More niggas for us to dig through.”
“Us? Did we forget you’re the only single one?” My brow hiked as we made our way through, toward the backyard where loud music was coming from.
Though there were a lot of people in attendance, because the home was so vast, it seemed to still be sparsely populated.
“Well, if the right man comes up checking for you, you’d better act single. What is the saying, ‘don’t let your man keep you from finding your husband.’”
She and I giggled as I rolled my eyes playfully, being careful not to trip over the threshold in these Alaia Infradito heels. I may have been a taken woman, but I wasn’t wrapped up in Shaun enough to evade embarrassment if a bitch went flying into this backyard filled with people.
Morgin and I stayed silent, bobbing our heads to “Kacey Talk” by NBA YoungBoy.
There were a lot of affluent looking men, but there were mainly women and everywhere.
Some were dressed normally in short dresses, heels, and typical nightlife attire, while others had their whole asses out or were topless already, making me check my watch to see the time.
After confirming the party had only been going for an hour, I could only snicker in disbelief at the disrobed women wasting no time.
“You’re overdressed, Morgin,” I joked.
“Oh shit. They’re over there.” Morgin pointed, ignoring my joke and switching off in the direction of who I recognized to be Josias.
I spotted another man who looked identical to him, only he had a small G tattooed between his eyes while Josias didn’t.
“Heeeyy,” Morgin dragged out just as I came to a stop behind her.
“Oh, this is . . .” Josias frowned, trying to recall her name, and when laughter ensued, I felt embarrassed for Morgin.
“Morgin, nigga.” She sucked her teeth.
“My bad, lil mama. I’m lit already,” he said, just as I peeped the woman beside him’s legs thrown over his lap. I noticed Morgin’s eyes catching on to the same thing.
“And your name?” a tall man with a brown complexion and the same eye shape as Josias asked. He was handsome and a couple inches taller than the pretty tall Josias.
“Daylin,” I replied, nodding with a simple smile.
“Ayan Godfrey, but I’m sure you knew that.” He stepped up, dwarfing me some.
His handsome looks had already begun to fade in my eyes as soon as he opened his mouth.
“Right. I actually just found out who you were today when your brother invited us here,” I shot back, making Josias and who clearly was his identical twin comment, egging things on.
“Sure,” Ayan replied, making it evident that he didn’t believe a word I was saying.
Ew.
He was too cocky for my taste, and even if I had been single, he wouldn’t get my time.
“Baby, if she don’t want it, just know I do!” one of the women nearby hollered.
“Exactly.” Morgin set her sights on Ayan since Josias was putting his attention on the lady beside him in lieu of making a move on her.