CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX #2
"The problem is you're ignoring my calls and stopped paying something you know you were handling."
"And why exactly should I keep handling it?"
I didn't have shit to say to that. Malcolm waited for an answer, but the only ones I could come up with would've made me sound entitled as hell.
He nodded. "Exactly."
"I didn't ask you to start doing it."
"No. You didn't."
"You offered."
"And now I'm not."
Damn. I looked away because that shit stung more than I wanted it to.
"That's fucked up."
"How?"
"Because you know I depend on that."
"That's exactly the problem."
"What?"
"You started depending on something I was doing for you without ever considering what that meant."
"What was it supposed to mean?"
"It meant I was investing my time, energy and money into a woman I was interested in."
"I knew you were interested."
"Did you?"
"Yes."
"Then why are we having this conversation?"
I didn't answer because, once again, I didn't have a good one.
Malcolm stood. "I don't expect you to choose me because I pay something for you. That's not how I move."
"Then why stop?"
"Because I'm also not financing you while you figure out which nigga you want."
Oop! I guess he told me. Malcolm shocked me because he didn't hesitate or sugarcoat that shit at all.
"That's what you think I'm doing?"
"What else would you call it?"
"It's not like that."
"Then tell me what it's like."
I opened my mouth to answer him, but nothing came out.
Malcolm nodded slowly. "That's what I thought."
I folded my arms. "So that's it?"
"What you want me to say, Armani?"
"I don't know."
"That's the problem."
He walked around his desk.
"You came in here because something didn't get paid."
"That's not the only reason."
"Would you be standing in my office if it had?"
That one hit harder than everything else he'd said. I stared at him because I wanted to immediately say yes, but I couldn't. The truth was that I didn't know if I would've come here today if that payment had gone through like it normally did.
And Malcolm knew it.
"Damn."
"Truth uncomfortable?"
"You don't have to be an asshole."
"I'm not being an asshole. I'm being honest."
I looked away because he was right, and that irritated me more than anything else.
I picked up my purse.
"A’ight."
"Where you going?"
"Home."
"You came all the way over here to smooth shit over and that's all you got?"
I stopped and slowly turned around. Malcolm was watching me from across the room. I narrowed my eyes at his punk ass. He pissed me clean the fuck off with the bullshit. This nigga knew he was my fuckin’ sponsor and now it’s a problem.
"How you know I came to smooth things over?"
"Because I know you."
"Apparently not, since you think I'm using you."
"I never said you were using me."
"That's basically what you said."
"No. I said I'm not financing you while you decide what you want."
I stared at him.
"There's a difference."
"Feels the same."
"Then maybe you need to figure out why."
I hated this man. At least right now I did. I walked back toward his desk because apparently leaving wasn't going to solve shit either.
"So, what do you want from me?"
"Nothing."
"Malcolm."
"I'm serious."
"Obviously you want something."
He looked at me. "I wanted you."
My attitude disappeared immediately.
"Wanted? As in past tense?"
"You tell me."
I stared at him as his words settled over me. Showing up at his office looking cute wasn't about to fix this shit. Mr. Malcolm was pissed pissed. And apparently, I had some work to do.
Malcolm watched every step I took towards that door. The click of the lock was louder than a gunshot in the quiet office. I turned back around, leaning against the dark wood for a second, just to let the silence hang. Let him process.
"Armani," he started, that warning tone back in his voice. "Don't."
I pushed off the door. "Don't what? Don't do what you wanted me to do?"
I walked around the desk toward him. Malcolm didn't move.
He just stood there watching me like he was waiting to see what I was about to do.
He was still pissed. I could see it all over his face, but I also caught the way his eyes followed me.
Yeah, he could be mad at me all he wanted, but I still had his attention.
I stopped right in front of him, my body almost touching his. The heat coming off him was insane.
"Past tense, my ass," I murmured, my fingers going to the knot of his tie.
He grabbed my wrist. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to mean business. "I'm still mad at you."
I twisted my wrist until he loosened his grip, then put my hand against his chest and looked up at him. "Good," I said, my lips brushing against his. "Fuck me like you're mad at me, then."
Malcolm groaned and grabbed my hair, pulling my head back until I was looking at him.
"You wanna play this game, Mani?" he growled. "Alright. We can play."
His mouth came down on mine hard, and I kissed him right back.
Yeah, he was still pissed, but judging by the way he was kissing me, I knew exactly where this was going.
My hands went straight to his belt while he kept kissing me.
He didn't help me either. His ass just stood there and made me do all the work.
Once I finally got his zipper down, I dropped to my knees.
I looked up at him and caught the way he was staring at me.
His ass could keep pretending he didn't want me if he wanted to.
"Still past tense?" I asked, just before I took him in my mouth.
"Shut up!" His response was a sharp inhale as his hand tightened in my hair.
Malcolm fucked my mouth aggressively, showing me how mad he was and I let him. His dick was beating the fuck out my tonsils. I gripped his hips and sucked him off with no hands. Spit slid from the corners of my mouth and dripped onto my chest. It was nasty the way I liked it.
"Keep that shit right there," he grunted, thrusting deeper until I gagged. "Fucking take it, Mani."
And I did. I took every single inch. This throat was longer than I-95. He wasn't holding back, using my mouth for his own pleasure, punishing me with every stroke. And I loved it. Every second of it.
"Look at me," he demanded.
I tilted my head back, my eyes watering, and met his gaze. What I saw there made my pussy throb. This was raw and unfiltered possession. He was claiming me, marking me from the inside out.
"Look at you," he sneered. "So, fucking pretty with my dick in your mouth."
He pulled out suddenly, leaving me gasping for breath, a string of saliva connecting my lips to him. He pulled me to my feet by my hair.
"You wanted my attention?" he snarled, spinning me around and bending me over his desk.
He pushed my dress up around my waist while I leaned over his desk.
Apparently, Malcolm hadn't been lying when he said he was still mad at me.
He kept one hand on my hip and the other against my back while papers slid across the desk.
A pen hit the floor somewhere beside us, but neither one of us gave a damn.
Mr. Malcolm was definitely still pissed.
"Malcolm," I gasped, my fingers gripping the slick wood.
"Nah," he grunted. "You wanted to show me something? Show me. Take this shit."
It was raw and messy and so fucking good. Shit if this what he was putting down when he was mad, maybe I should piss him off more.
Malcolm wasn’t gentle at all. He rammed his dick in and out of my slippery opening. He smacked my ass so hard, I saw stars.
"This what you wanted?" his voice was rough. "Huh? This what you came here for?"
"Yes," I choked out, the word torn from me. "Yes."
"Say my name."
"Malcolm," I moaned. "Malcolm."
"Again."
"Malcolm."
He came with a rough groan, his body shaking against mine. For a few seconds, neither one of us moved while we tried to catch our breath. When he finally pulled out of me, I immediately looked at him.
"Malcolm."
Judging by the look on his face, he already knew what I was about to say.
"I know."
"You know I don't play that shit."
"I know."
I stared at him while I pulled my dress back down. My legs were still shaking, so I wasn't nearly as intimidating as I wanted to be.
"You got a pass today."
His eyebrow lifted.
"Don't look at me like that. I said today."
"A'ight."
"And don't make that shit a habit."
He fixed his clothes and ran a hand over his face. I looked at him. He was still mad, but some of that shit had definitely left his system.
"So, what happened to wanted?"
That finally got his attention.
I raised an eyebrow. "Sound pretty present tense to me."
"We'll see." He smiled.
I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever. My bill gotta be paid by five."
Malcolm looked at me. "A'ight."
"I'm serious."
"I said a'ight, Armani."
"Okay then." I smiled and sashayed out of his office.
Malcolm's assistant looked up the second I walked past her desk. The look on her face told me everything I needed to know. With all that damn noise we had just made, I knew she heard us. I stopped and looked at her.
"Mind your business. Don't you got work to do? I know that man don't pay you to eavesdrop."
Her eyes widened and I smiled.
"Have a good day."
Then I kept walking.