Chapter 26
Trooper
For the past two weeks, I had basically been shut off from the world, chilling with Sophie.
She and I spent damn near every day together at my place or hers, doing nothing but being with each other.
She worked from home because she didn’t want to deal with her father and we ordered food in or I would run out and get it for us.
It was what she needed, so I had no complaints.
With everything going on in her life right now, if I could find a way to keep a smile on her face that was exactly what I would do.
And for the past two weeks, she had been happy.
Going to sleep and waking up with her every night and every morning had made me feel like I could make this a permanent thin.
, But we still had a lot of things to figure out.
“Just one more day,” Sophie whined as she pulled the covers over her head.
It was early as hell, but I needed to meet my financial planner and realtor about buying property in Chelsea. It was new construction, a perfect location that would make me a shitload of money with very little effort.
“Sophie, get your ass up. You can’t hide from the world, baby girl. I gave you two weeks. Now it’s time to get back to your life. You worked too hard to be ducking and dodging shit because of that weak muthafucker.”
I got heated just thinking about how William had her head all fucked up. If circumstances had been different, he wouldn’t be breathing. However, that wasn’t the answer. At least not now. I hadn’t quite figured out how I wanted to deal with him yet, but he would be dealt with.
“I’m not hiding. I just don’t want to be there anymore. Maybe I can just start my own company. I mean, his is not mine. He’s not even my family.”
She sat up cross-legged and frowned at me from the center of the bed. It was the first time I had seen that look on her face in a minute and she already seemed stressed just thinking about her day.
“You could do that. I believe you can do anything, and I’m all for that, but I know how hard you worked to get where you are. His name is on it, but you built it, Sophie. You made it what it is, so let him be the one to walk away, not you. If I need to make that happen, I will.”
I looked at her with a seriousness that forced a grin onto her face.
“You can’t take his business from him and just give it to me,” Sophie said before she crawled across the bed and stepped off, putting her in my personal space.
“I can do what the fuck I want. You tell me it’s what you want and best believe it will happen.”
“I’m afraid to even ask how you would make that happen.” Her head fell against my chest and she held it there for a moment before pulling away and leaving me to head to the bathroom.
“Good, because that’s something I don’t think you’re ready for,” I said as I watched her move away dressed in only a pair of lace panties and a tank top.
I heard the water running in the sink, so I headed to her closet to finish dressing.
Because Sophie and I spent so much time at each other’s places, we both had closet space in each other’s spots.
Neither of us had discussed what that meant, but we agreed it was just us exclusively.
This was my first time being in a committed relationship of any kind, so I was still trying to get used to that.
Sophie, on the other hand, looked right at home with the idea.
“So am I going to see you later?” Sophie walked up behind me and circled my waist. I felt kisses on my back before she pressed her face against it.
“Hopefully. I have a few meetings today, then I need to hook up with Los to take care of a few things. That shouldn’t take long, but I’ll call you.”
“Oh. Okay, that’s fine. I can’t complain too much. I’ve basically held you hostage from your life for two weeks.”
She let go and walked around me to step inside the closet. I took a step forward, pulled her into my body, and spoke against her ear.
“Don’t say it like that. You didn’t make me do shit I didn’t want to do, and I’m not saying you won’t see me later. I just don’t want to make you a promise I can’t keep. I don’t like doing that.” I delivered a kiss to her temple, lifted my shirt from my bag, and let her go.
Leaving her in the closet, I stood in front of the dresser and pulled my shirt over my head. I watched my image in the mirror and Sophie’s as she stood behind me placing a dress on the bed. She also stared at our images through the mirror and smiled.
“I know, I’m just spoiled. I’ve gotten used to you being with me every day, but I understand you have a life outside of me.”
Before I could respond, she and I both glanced at my phone going off with a text notification. I saw it from where I stood, so she could too. It was Orin, who had basically been calling and texting me every day.
“You’ll see me tonight. One way or another, aight?” I turned to face Sophie, who was now stepping into her dress. I pulled her to me, zipped it for her, then kissed her neck.
“Just let me know.”
She was in her feelings about seeing Orin’s name on my phone, but she didn’t have to worry about that. In fact, she was on my list of things to do today. I needed to pay her a visit to make things clear because obviously she was still confused about what the fuck over meant.
“I have to go. I’ll call you.”
I stepped around Sophie and grabbed my keys and phone off the dresser before slipping my watch on. Once I secured it on my wrist, I looked at her and she offered me a weak smile. That fucked with me, but I didn’t have time to deal with it now. I simply kissed her, headed to the elevator, and left.
The second I was in the lobby, I called Orin.
“Where the fuck are you?”
“Home, it’s about time you—”
I hung up before she could even finish. I had about an hour to settle things with her before heading to Chelsea to meet my realtor.
The second I pushed through the glass doors and stepped in front of Sophie’s building, Oscar’s creepy ass was all in my damn face, grilling me like he had beef or something.
I didn’t know what the fuck was up with him, but I needed to have a little conversation with him at some point.
I just didn’t have time to do it right now.
Once I was in my car, I dialed Los to see what time he would be free. He wanted me to take care of a few things with him since I had basically been missing for the last two weeks.
“Ay yo, what it do, Troop?”
“Shit, you tell me. I’m trying to see what the plan is for today.”
“It’s on you. I been up since five handling business. Your ass is the one just hitting the streets,” Los teased.
“Just ’cause your ass still on street time don’t mean the rest of us are. I make moves during business hours. Nine to five, muthafucker.”
Los laughed. “Nah, Troop, business never sleeps. It’s in your blood. You hood raised. Don’t hit me with that corporate bullshit.”
“I am corporate. CEO, VP, CFO, and whatever the fuck else they got. I own my shit, so I make my own rules.”
“Shit, so do I, but I’m gon’ get that money whenever it’s available.”
I smirked. “You right, but I need to take care of something real quick, then I have to meet a realtor in Chelsea. After that, I’m on your time or you can roll with me to Chelsea. I’ll hit you up when I’m done.”
“Aight, bet, do what you do.”
“No doubt.”
I ended the call and hit the exit, heading to Orin’s spot. Hopefully by the time I was done, she would understand what fall the fuck back meant. If not, I would have to handle things another way. I just hoped I didn’t have to take it there.
When I got to Orin’s brownstone, I went straight to her door and banged, frustrated as hell to even be dealing with her bum ass. The last thing I wanted was her popping up on me while I was with Sophie. Not that I cared one way or another, but Sophie did.
“Why you banging on my door, Trooper?” Orin asked after she opened the door and frowned at me.
She was in just a bra and panties, normal for her, but not the best for me. Her damn body was amazing, I couldn’t deny, and mine was already reacting because of the visual.
I pushed past her and entered her apartment while she shut the door and came right to me, trying to snake her arms around my neck. I grabbed both of her wrists and pushed her back.
“Ay, chill with that. That damn sure ain’t why I’m here.”
She frowned at me then folded her arms across her breasts, drawing my attention there.
“So why you here then? You here to tell me this is over, because we both know it’s not.”
“Why the fuck y’all do that?”
“Do what?”
“Beg for the attention of and chase a man who clearly doesn’t want you?” I was annoyed and her smiling at me wasn’t helping.
“I can’t speak for other women, but I’m not begging or chasing. You came here to see me because no matter what you keep saying, your actions do the opposite.”
She looked right at the swell in my jeans, which I couldn’t hide if I wanted to. She was sexy as fuck and damn near naked, but that didn’t mean shit to me.
I could get sex on demand; it was all the extra shit that came with it I didn’t want from Orin. I wasn’t about to fuck up a good thing with Sophie for something I could easily get at home.
“Physically, I can’t deny I’m attracted.
You know how to take it there, but what you don’t understand is it takes more than that.
Why the fuck you think after three years I never made any type of commitment to you, and after three months, Sophie damn near lives with me?
She doesn’t have to open her legs to get my attention, Orin.
That’s some powerful shit. I never even realized I wanted that until I met her.
Now that I do, what you have to offer doesn’t mean anything to me.
Stop calling and texting me because my answer won’t change and it makes you look bad.
You’re better than that, or at least you should be.
Either way, I don’t give a fuck. Just know if you don’t leave me the fuck alone, it’s not going to end well for you. ”
She stood there looking like I hurt her damn feelings. I was sure I had but she’d just have to get over it. I meant what I said.
“So it’s that simple?” she asked like she was expecting a different answer.
“Yeah, it really is.” I shook my head and moved toward the door, leaving her standing there. I stopped just before I left and looked her right in the eyes. “Last warning. Don’t make me do somthing that you will not be able to recover from,” I said just before I left her spot.
At that point, the next move was on her.