Chapter 7
Vega was grateful Joi had decided to leave with East so he could have some time alone with Nyelle.
The night had been cool. Real cool, in a sense.
She was different, laid back, fun, and didn’t have an agenda.
Vega quickly noticed Pretty Ny was a breath of fresh air from what he was used to dealing with.
His life placed women around him who had a list of requirements a mile long.
The physical ones, he had no issue delivering on, but the monetary requests got old.
He didn’t understand why women were so quick to give up sex in exchange for money and perks but then got offended when they were labeled or treated a certain way.
Ny wasn’t like that. She spent the night using his money on bets, at his insistence, and they had cashed out two hundred grand richer than when they arrived.
Not once did she ask him for any of the money, but he planned to hand over half, regardless.
Truthfully, she had earned it. Aside from Spades, where they lost most of their money, she was on her shit, especially at the Poker table where they spent the majority of the night.
It was how they came out on top. Vega was decent, but Nyelle was a pro.
They couldn’t read her for shit, and that was what helped them win just about every hand.
“Where you wanna go?” Vega asked after he was in the driver’s seat of his truck.
“Home, it’s late.” Nyelle looked over at Vega with a lazy grin.
As the night came to a close, and they were no longer placing bets, Nyelle drank a little more than she should have. She was buzzed, but Vega didn’t mind. He only wanted to spend time with her.
“Nah, not home. You’re drunk and I don’t want you thinking anything crazy.”
Lifting her hooded eyes to him, Nyelle frowned slightly. “Crazy like what?”
“Crazy like you’re about to get this dick.” He laughed at himself then continued. “Nah, but seriously, though. I know how shit goes sometimes. We can just ride around for a little bit if you’re cool with that.”
Nyelle grinned and nodded before briefly shutting her eyes.
The thought of being intimate with Vega had her feeling some things, but she wouldn’t take it there.
He had to earn it and he hadn’t done that yet.
When she looked his way again, she could see him waiting for her approval before he made his next move.
She nodded, then shut her eyes again, trying to focus.
The smooth ride of his Range Rover had her relaxing a little too much.
“I might be sleep in a minute, but I’m down.”
“Nah, you can’t go to sleep on me. How are we gonna get to know each other if you do that? Remember our deal? You might need your neighbor one day and you have to know who you can count on. How am I supposed to accomplish that if you’re asleep?”
“Blame yourself. You let me have that last drink. I’ll try. No promises.”
Wanting to be a little more comfortable since the plan was to ride around, Nyelle kicked off her wedges and pulled her feet into the seat, crossing her ankles so she was sitting Indian style.
Vega shot her a quick look then groaned under his breath.
“You just gon’ put your nasty feet all up on my seat?” He playfully glared at her and Nyelle rolled her eyes.
“My feet are clean. See?” She extended her left leg in his direction, touching the side of his with her toes before he knocked it away.
“Chill with that. I don’t like feet, Pretty Ny. Not even clean ones.”
She smirked, pulling her leg back and crossing her ankles again, unbothered by his statement.
“Tell me your situation.”
Nyelle bit her lip, considering what he was asking while she stared his way.
Vega was handsome. Nothing too aggressive, just put together right.
He was a huge contrast from Reese, who was considered a pretty boy.
Reese’s features made it easy for him to be a hoe.
Women were always falling over themselves because of his golden skin, pretty eyes, and so-called good hair, which Reese kept shoulder-length and wore in two French braids.
Typical fuck boy shit. Vega likely had the same issue because he damn sure could get women’s attention, but if you were around him, he was the type of man whose vibe drew you in more than his looks. Both were equally attractive.
“Damn, you have to think that hard about it? Your shit must be bad, Pretty Ny.”
Nyelle laughed a little, shaking her head. “No, actually it’s not, but tell me your situation first.”
“I just did a three-year bid. I don’t have a situation. The women I fucked with before I went in are not the type to ride shit out. They damn sure wasn’t coming to see me or accepting calls, so I don’t have anybody.”
She rolled her eyes and he chuckled. “Chill with that before them hoes get stuck. I’m not lying.”
“Okay, then how many women have you had sex with since you’ve been home?”
“Three, and all on the same night.”
“Seriously?” Nyelle was disgusted and a little intrigued. How much stamina does this man have?
“Deadass.” Vega chuckled at the memory. “One in the parking lot at the club and two at a hotel. I didn’t even remember the two at the hotel until they hit me up, saying they wouldn’t leave the room because I said I was coming back.
Apparently, I left but promised to come back.
I don’t know where the fuck I thought I was going because I was drunk as hell.
I ended up at your door, then my place after you put me out. ”
“Wow.” Nyelle wasn’t amused in the least, but she respected his honesty.
The fact that Vega had been with three women the night he randomly showed up at her condo rubbed her the wrong way. Why though?
“Would you rather I lie and you find out later?”
“It’s not my business.”
“It is your business. I’m trying to build something with you, so I’m being honest about my life. Don’t y’all women like shit like that?” The charming smile Vega offered had Nyelle rolling her eyes again.
“Aight, I told you about that. If them hoes get stuck, I’m not taking you to the emergency room.”
“You better, and you don’t know me to build something with me, Vega.”
“I know a little, and it’s enough to let me know you’re what I need in my life.”
“What you need?” She admired the confidence in his tone but was confused about why he was so determined to choose her.
“You heard me, Pretty Ny, I need you. I know that shit sounds premature as fuck, but I’m telling you. I’m getting my life right so I can be in yours. Now, I showed you mine. It’s your turn.”
Nyelle blushed. Even if she knew he was speaking about her current situation, she was also familiar enough with how Vega thought in the short time she had known him to read between the lines.
“I’m single but newly single.”
Vega had already sensed Nyelle was guarded and slightly bitter over a dude. He sensed it in a few of her comments and her reactions. Newly single made sense.
“Your son’s father?”
“Yeah. He cheated.”
“Once or repeat offender? Vega was trying to feel out her tolerance level and if he needed to be concerned about her ex trying to ease back in the picture.
A one-time thing would be easier for her to forgive, but multiple times would make it easier for Vega to erase her past with him.
Something he planned to do regardless of their story.
“He has a baby with her. A baby I found out about when she showed up at my job to demand that I leave him alone.”
“Real shit?”
“Real shit,” Nyelle confirmed with a confident nod.
“You love him?”
Nyelle hesitated, causing Vega to speak again.
“It’s cool. He’s your son’s father. I would be worried if you didn’t have feelings for dude, but what I need you to promise me is that you’ll be open to something with me.
Not now, I know that shit is not even a thought for you, but I’m telling you, me and you, we’re gonna be something good.
You just have to be willing to let me make you happy. ”
“Oh my God, you’re a lot.”
“Yeah, I am, but I’m real, baby girl. I don’t fuck around when it comes to things I want, and I’m telling you now. I want you. I’ll prove it to you in time, but for now, just let me be your friend. That’s enough for me, because I know I have some shit to work on.”
Nyelle nodded, then turned away to look out the window, blushing while she watched the blurred visual of the city with thoughts of possibilities on her mind. Vega was possibilities. Maybe it was too soon after Reese or maybe the timeline was just right, but Vega had her attention, in a major way.
Nyelle lifted her phone from her desk and smiled at the name that flashed across it. She answered on speaker then went back to the text she was in the middle of reading once more before she greeted Joi.
Can I see you tonight? It will be late. I have some shit to take care of, but I wanna see you.
“Why you calling me now? I could be stuffed in a trunk or chained in a basement, no thanks to you.”
Joi laughed at her friend’s dramatics.
“Hoe, I knew you was good. I followed your moves on your story and you know Reese is about to be all up your ass. You might not have shown Vega’s face, but there was no denying you were riding around all night with another man.”
Maybe, how late?
“Girl, nobody is worried about Reese. He better be watching his hoe’s story and not mine.”
“You might not be worried about him, but you know he’s worried about you. Did he not just pull up at your job a few days ago and threaten your whole existence?”
Nyelle sucked her teeth, thinking about his pop up and warning. “Girl, fuck Reese. You don’t get to cheat, have a whole baby, then try to police my moves. I wish a muhfucka would.”
“Oh, don’t wish, boo. Know because he is and will, but if he comes at you wrong, you know we’re gonna beat that ass.”
“Joi, you can’t fight.”
“Yes, I can,” she shot back defensively.
“No, you can’t.”
Nyelle glanced at her screen again and there was still no reply from Vega, so she leaned back in her chair and focused on the call.