4. Not My Type #3
“Have a good day,” he said, tipping his imaginary hat at me.
I looked down at the bag, and by the time I looked back up, he was gone.
I stared at the open space in front of me for a moment, wondering how someone so big could move so quickly without making a sound.
That man was every bit of six foot six and couldn’t have weighed less than three hundred pounds of pure muscle.
Still, nothing about him made me feel like I should fear him…
Daddy on the other hand—I’m sure he peed on himself a little every time he got too close.
I kicked the door closed and made my way to my kitchen counter to place the flowers down.
Once I was sure they were secure, I dove right into the gift bag, pulling out the small box and tearing it open.
That box contained another smaller, velvet box, and when I opened it, my mouth hit the floor.
The simple, yet exquisitely flawless, oval shaped diamond on a gorgeous gold band was everything I could have asked for.
If Brick didn’t do anything else, he listened.
“I hope he don’t think he’s getting this back when I divorce him,” I mumbled to myself as I quickly pulled it from the box and slipped it on my finger.
On cue, my phone rang, and I knew it was Brick.
He and I had been keeping in contact, and I had to admit, aside from the cursing, he wasn’t nearly as bad as our first meeting would have led me to believe.
He was surprisingly funny and seemed to have his head on straight, regardless of how crazy his mom was.
“You couldn’t even bring it to me in person?” I fussed without greeting him.
“Nah, try that shit again! You swear you don’t like when I cuss but stay doin’ fuck shit to make me cuss at you. I just dropped a bag on that damn ring. Answer this phone like you know better!”
I tucked my bottom lip between my teeth.
Everything he did directly contradicted how I was taught that a man should speak to or handle me, and I had cut potential suitors off for way less.
Still, every time we spoke, I found myself smiling like a fool way after the conversation ended.
I would never tell him, but I kind of liked when he cussed at me.
“Hi, Brick.” I rolled my eyes. “Thank you… but you couldn’t bring it to me in person?”
“That’s more like it. Shit. But my fault. I’m out of town working right now. I sent flowers, though. You got those, right?”
“Yes, they’re very pretty. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. My mama just let me know she’s on her way over to your place. I apologize in advance, and if you think I cuss too much, you gon’ hate her ass.”
“Wait… how does she know where I live?”
“She knows everything,” he said with a chuckle. At that moment someone knocked on my door… It took me a moment to realize that her security detail literally just dropped off the ring and flowers, so she clearly knew where I lived.
“Good luck, Peep,” he teased in a sing-song voice.
“Bye Brickly!” I quipped, hanging up before he could cuss me out like he did every time I called him that.
I hurried to the door and opened it again.
That day, Lady West donned a pair of wide legged, pinstripe pants and a fitted button up—I was assuming this was her casual look because I had never seen her in anything less than a full suit.
She still looked flawless as ever with her high ponytail, extravagant jewelry, and flawless makeup.
“Hi… um… hello… Good afternoon.”
“Relax, Destiny. I’m just here to chat,” she said as she stepped in and surveyed the space. I could tell by the look on her face that she was trying not to judge but failed miserably. That made me wonder just how fancy her home was.
“Okay,” I said, offering her a seat on the couch. “Can I offer you a drink?”
“I’m good. Destiny, sit down. I’m not here to hurt you, girl.” I plopped down on the loveseat across from her and folded my hands in my lap anxiously waiting on her to get to the point.
“Listen, I just came here to tell you that you have all the control in this situation. I know you were thrust into this, but you don’t have to do any of this if you don’t want to.”
“So, you won’t hurt my Dad if I don’t go through with the wedding?” I questioned with a raised brow.
“Oh no, that nigga is dead,” she chirped, making a crazy frown spread across my face as she cackled wildly.
“So, I don’t have a choice.”
“You really do. You can choose to put yourself out of your misery. Let me get rid of him for you and live out the rest of your days happy and free.”
“With his blood on my hands,” I added through flared nostrils.
“I mean, you’re not the one who will have pulled the trigger,” she said with a casual shrug.
“Yeah, no. I can’t just look the other way while you kill my father. Brick and I have come to an agreement. We’re doing it.” Even if I did just wake up the next day and say screw my dad, I wouldn’t break my word and leave Brick high and dry like that.
“Good to know,” she said with a pleased smile on her face.
“And listen, just so you know, my son is a fuckin’ idiot, but he’s got his head on straight.
No babies. He does what he says he will.
He was raised right and knows better than to put his hands on any woman.
He is a whore, though. I won’t lie to you. ”
“Well…” I coughed, not expecting that last part at all. “That doesn’t really matter. We’re only doing this because we have to, so who he sleeps with isn’t really my concern.”
“Okay,” she said with a sarcastic chuckle and a knowing look.
“Well, I just wanted to stop by and let you know that you have the control here. The choice is completely up to you, so if at any time, you decide that your life is more important than Coop’s or Brick’s, you can walk away.
Oh, yes.” She paused and opened her purse, pulling out a credit card and handing it to me.
“The venue is taken care of, and I’m giving you full control.
The card has no limit, so get whatever you want, as long as it’s not gaudy…
like your daddy’s house. I have an event planner,” she said, handing me a business card.
“Just tell her what you need and she’ll make sure you’re good. ”
“I thought the bride’s family was supposed to handle the costs,” I asked.
“Girl,” she said with another cackle. “Coop’s broke ass could never afford a West Family Event.”
“Oh,” I quipped, quickly putting the card in my wallet before turning back to her with wide eyes. “Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“What do y’all do?” I couldn’t help it. The cars, the jewelry, the black Cards, on top of the fact that she had millions of dollars for Daddy to just steal.
I had to know. I tried googling them and it literally shut down my internet every time.
I wondered just how much money and power they really had because I had never seen anything like it.
She let out a low laugh before sitting back and looking at me seriously.
“We have multiple businesses, but I think the answer to what you’re asking is that we’re in imports… That’s all you really need to know.”
Imports? Drug imports? Guns? Illegal meats and cheeses? Lady please!
“Am I… Will I be safe… with him?” I couldn’t get the answers that I wanted, but I needed to know that much.
“Sweetheart, one thing about the Wests is that we protect our own. You’re now officially one of us. You can go anywhere in this city and know you won’t be touched.”
I sat silently digesting her words and accepting the fact that I was about to be married into a crime family.
I was nervous, but the way she spoke with such a calm confidence put me at ease a bit.
Plus, I had seen her in action, and remembered what Brick did to Daddy for what he said about me.
If he was willing to do that over a few mean words, I hated to see what would happen to someone he deemed an actual threat.
She gave me a few more parting words and let me know to reach out if I needed anything before floating out of my apartment.
The moment she was gone, I was flipping through my Pinterest boards and calling my sister.
“What up, bitch? You tryna’ go get day drunk and steal some niggas credit card information?” she asked as she picked up.
“No!” I had to laugh at her silly self. “You busy? I kinda gotta tell you something.”
“What’s up? This sounds juicy. Did you finally let someone pop that cherry for you? It better not have been Deacon Henry’s old ass!”
“Eden, please!” I croaked! “That was in junior high! Ain’t nobody lookin’ at that man like that no more!” She loved to tease me about how I used to have the smallest crush on one of the church elders, but that was years ago.
“Okay, so what is it?” she asked impatiently.
“I’m… getting married in six weeks.”
“What? To who? Bitch, I just talked to you last week! So, you did finally bust it open? When is the baby due?” she asked, throwing out questions faster than I could think.
“No! I’m not pregnant! We haven’t done… it. But we’re getting married next month on the nineteenth, and I need your help.”
“Des, hell naw. Any nigga who’s trying to marry you without at least a sample of the coochie is crazy! I can’t let you do this!”
“Eden, it’s fine. He’s different from any man I’ve dated, but he’s not a weirdo. His mom just stopped by with the black card and info for the planner, and I would love it if my sister could help me with this,” I said sweetly. I heard her huffing and puffing on the other end.
“Fine… You know I’ll never turn down the opportunity to spend someone else’s money. I’m in. I got a dick appointment pulling up in a few, but I’ll be over later. It’s been a week, and I’m bout to let this nigga fuck me through the wall!”
“Bye, nasty!” I said, quickly hanging up before she could terrorize me any further with her sexcapades.