11. DANE
“Why is it so easy for you to believe in love, but when I counter with the fact that I want the same, now it becomes complicated? Is it because I’m a man?” I asked.
“It’s because you’re you. You can have any woman you want. No, scratch that. You have had every woman you’ve ever wanted. None of them were able to love you?”
I chuckled. “See, that’s where it’s complicated.”
She grinned. “I bet.”
“It is. You think I’ve had every woman I’ve ever wanted. You think I’ve fucked my way through the industry and over the globe. What you fail to realize is that you have pegged me so wrong, baby. That is what’s complicated. Not the fact that there’s no woman out here who will love me.”
Skeptical, she shrugged. “If you haven’t done those things, why do you allow women to get on the internet and claim you’ve been with them? They’re not all lying.”
Sighing, I placed my fork down and peered at Justina.
This was the side of fame I loathed. The media was good at painting whatever pictures they wanted.
Sadly, people tended to believe that bullshit over the word of the person being dragged through the mud.
Like I didn’t know where my dick went, and who it went inside of.
“If I address one bitch, I gotta address them all. I know they’re lyin’. They know they’re lyin’. If I ever have to address something, know it’s because I’m protecting someone else, not me.”
“So, basically, you just let people say what they want? How do you think that would work in a relationship? You’d always be explaining yourself. As much as you travel, it would be hard for any woman to continuously believe you’re being faithful.”
“You never have to worry about me fuckin’ around on you, Justina.
If we’re together, then that’s what it is.
My loyalty to you will be worn like a fuckin’ badge on my chest. It’s my honor to be the last nigga to ever have you, the last nigga to ever love you, and the last nigga to ever wake up next to you.
I’m so fuckin’ serious about us, I’d marry yo’ ass today if it meant never letting you outta my sight. ”
She snickered. “Yeah, right. You’d marry me today?”
“Now. No questions.”
“What about regrets?” she asked as her eyes smiled back at me.
“Everything I regret in life is tied to my mama. I regret not flying her with me to every fuckin’ show I had.
I regret the nights I wanted to lay across her bed like I did as a kid just to bother her.
I regret not bottling up her laughter, her hugs, her forehead kisses, and her I love you messages.
I regret that, with all the fuckin’ money I have, I couldn’t give her another minute on this earth that wasn’t due her.
I regret that I never gave her grandkids she could love on.
I regret that she never got a chance to meet my wife.
” I stared into Justina’s eyes. They’d softened the more I explained myself.
“She never got a chance to meet you, Justina. That’s how fuckin’ serious I am about us. ”
After a few seconds passed, she smiled softly. “That’s really sweet, Dane. If there’s one thing I like most about you, it is the love you’ve always shown for your mom. In my eyes, that’s your biggest flex.”
“Oh… So, you do like me?” I teased her. “And you had the nerve to wanna hide from me.”
She cracked up. As her neck arched, the sun beamed down on her and cast a glow on her skin that couldn’t be replicated with anything known to man.
The breeze liked to play in her hair, like I loved to do.
Her long, layered bangs fell in her eyes every few seconds just from the gentle touch of the breeze.
It was crazy. I could see everything with Justina.
If she let me, I would give her the world.
“Where are we?” Justina asked.
We were an hour away from Onyx Cove Resort and traveling through the streets of Pensacola, the city I grew up in.
“Pensacola,” I replied.
“You grew up here,” she said. “You talk about this place often.”
“Yep. Although I no longer live in Pensacola, it’s still home.”
“Where is home?” she questioned. “Speculations I’ve heard are L.A., New York, Atlanta... There are several others too.”
I chuckled. “While I have offices and houses in L.A., New York, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, and Vegas, I don’t live in any of those places. I live in Colorado, and my base office is in Atlanta.”
She made a face. “What? Colorado?”
I laughed. “Why is that hard to believe?”
“Because I’m sure you stick out like a sore thumb,” she said. “As far as I know, no one’s ever spotted you in Colorado.”
“Not only did you confess to liking me, but you’ve just admitted to keeping up with me too.”
She shrugged her dainty shoulders. “That’s hardly keeping up with you. You’re talked about nearly every day.”
“Mm, hm. I’ll give you that.”
“How do you stay out of sight in Colorado. What is there even to do out there?”
“Plenty to do,” I replied, “but I wouldn’t truly know because I rarely leave home when I’m there. I have hundreds of acres, cattle, horses, and chickens to keep me company.”
Her eyes widened like saucers.
“Here you go, being surprised again,” I poked.
She tittered. “I’m sorry. It’s just that you don’t really give…ranch life.”
Grinning, I asked, “What do I give?”
“A fleet of Box Chevys, each with twenty-eight-inch rims, top-notch sound, tinted windows, a Glock in the passenger seat, and a flamethrower in the backseat. One of the observations I’ve made over the years is that you’re to yourself because it’s better for you that way.
The only time I’ve ever seen you lose it was when some guy got in your face at one of the clubs you were at.
I still remember how many people it took to get you off him.
That’s not counting every other incident that was scrubbed from the internet.
” Amused, she chuckled and shook her head.
“So, in essence, I think you’re every bit of the gangsta you rap about. I have no doubts.”
By the time Justina wrapped up her take of me, I was laughing so hard that she joined me.
“See, Justina,” I sobered and said, “you can’t tell me we ain’t made for each other. I got a fleet of Chevys in L.A. and Atlanta. Substitute the flamethrowers with AR-15s and AKs. And I may or may not need to keep to myself because I have a temper that only flares up around fuck niggas.”
She scoffed, then busted out laughing. “I knew it!”
As she laughed, all I could do was stare and hope Justina gave me the chance to prove to her that I could be everything she wanted in a man.
Her gasp of shock caught my attention. We arrived at the place where I wanted to take her.
“Welcome to my other house, baby.”
Her eyes widened even more as I maneuvered the Ghost through the wrought iron gate bearing my initials. I drove up the winding driveway and parked the Ghost near the front door. Justina threw her door open and bolted out of the car.
Chuckling, I put the car in PARK, cut the engine, then joined her as she bolted towards the side of the house. I already knew where she was going.
“Oh, my goodness!” she exclaimed loudly as she ran through the extensive garden my mama had planted years before her untimely death.
This was part of my property that I hired the best gardener for, to keep my mama’s shit nice and beautiful year-round.
Justina twirled in a circle, the chain around her neck sparkled brightly, but it couldn’t compare to the smile on her face.
She twirled a few more times and giggled uncontrollably when leaves and petals tickled her legs.
“This is amazing!” she gushed.
I walked up to her, catching her in one of her twirls.
Placing a hand on either side of her waist, I picked her up and twirled her around.
She giggled harder, threw her arms out, and pretended as if she was flying.
I swear, the sun was trying to kidnap my girl from me.
As brilliant as it was, it couldn’t have the woman I wanted to be with for the rest of my life.