Chapter 6
With her head still on the headrest, she let it fall to the left and looked at me. Her eyes said more than her mouth would, and they told me that she was on the verge of giving up.
“I want to help you, baby, but I need you to tell me what you want.”
“If she puts my stuff on the curb, it’ll be gone in five minutes. I’ll have to start all over when I get my own place. I don’t have a lot, but what I have is nice, and it’s mine.”
“Let’s go get it.”
She sat and looked at me as if I were dumb.
“And do what with it? Put it on the roof of your car and bring it all back to the hotel?”
“No, but we can get a moving truck and rent a storage unit.”
“How much do you think that will cost? My money—”
“Don’t worry about the cost.”
“I have to worry about it because—”
“I said, don’t worry about it. After everything you told me, do you think I’d make you pay for that shit when I have more than enough money? I ain’t no fuck-ass nigga, Malyah. I want to help you, and I don’t want anything in return. Don’t bring money up again.”
She looked a little shocked by my response, and I felt bad because my tone was a bit harsh.
“My bad, Malyah. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. I got you for whatever you need. Okay?”
“Fine.”
I started the car and could sense a little tension. I didn’t like it, so I started a conversation about her favorite thing.
“So, what’s your favorite dessert to make?”
She relaxed immediately, and her voice filled my car for the remainder of the ride. I could feel her passion for creating delicious desserts. The more she talked, the more I thought she’d be an asset to our company, and not as the head cook making breakfast and lunch for our employees.
Over the next hour, we rented a moving truck, got some boxes, reserved a storage unit, and headed to her former residence. When we arrived, I understood why she said her shit would be gone in five minutes. It wasn’t the best or safest neighborhood.
“You ready?” I asked.
“Yeah. Let’s get this over with.”
A few minutes later, we entered the building and took the stairs to the second floor. She used a key to let us inside, and the first thing we saw was a couple hugged up on the couch.
“Malyah, baby. I didn’t know you were coming,” the man said, pushing the woman away from him and jumping to his feet.
“Baby? Are you serious right now, Cole?” the girl on the couch said.
He looked at her dismissively before coming toward us.
“Don’t get up on my account. I’m just here to get my stuff,” Malyah said, her voice filled with disgust.
“Can we talk for—” the man I now knew was her ex began.
“Nah, man. She’s good. Go back to your lady,” I said, stepping in front of Malyah.
“Who the fuck are you?” he barked.
“Don’t worry about that. I got her.”
“This must be your new nigga,” he said, trying to hide the hurt in his voice.
“Didn’t he say not to worry about who he is? Get the fuck outta my face,” Malyah spat.
He mean-mugged us as he walked backward to the couch. When he sat next to the woman, she pushed him away, and they argued.
Malyah and I went to her room, and it didn’t look like anything had been damaged. Under the circumstances, we could’ve walked into a disaster.
“Your roommate did you a favor,” I said with a smirk.
“What do you mean?”
“Taking his bitch ass off your hands.”
She smacked her lips and rolled her eyes.
“Whatever. We all make bad choices sometimes.”
“That was a horrible one, but I’m sure I don’t need to tell you. How do you want to do this?”
“I can pack the rest of my things in here, but can you go to the kitchen and get my cookware?”
“How will I know it’s yours?”
“If it looks like it’s worth anything, it’s mine.”
It sounded easy enough.
“If either of them comes in here talking shit, let me know,” I told her before heading to the kitchen with two boxes.
I moved quickly, gathering the high-end cookware into boxes and placing them by the door. When I went back to Malyah’s old bedroom, she’d gotten the rest of her clothing and miscellaneous items into boxes.
Her bed would take more time because it had to be taken apart before we could move it. We made a few trips to take the boxes to the moving truck. Next up were her dresser, chest, TV, and mattress.
“I’ll see what tools she has that we can use to take the bed apart,” Malyah said.
I waited in the bedroom, and seconds after she disappeared from my sight, I heard yelling.
“I don’t have to say excuse me, bitch. You in my shit.”
“Janie, cut the tough girl act because you know I will drag you up and down this hallway. All this attitude toward me is unnecessary anyway. You fucked my man, remember?”
“If he was your man, it wouldn’t have been so easy to give him the pussy.”
“Malyah, fuck this other shit. I’ll replace it all. Let’s go.”
“Yeah. Take your broke ass on. You—”
Malyah’s fist hit Janie dead in the mouth. Janie’s head flew back as blood spilled from her face. She looked stunned when she put her hand up to her mouth.
“Bitch, you knocked my tooth out.” She cried before running to the bathroom.
“Baby, let’s go. You got everything you wanted.”
I took Malyah’s hand and guided her to the door. Cole was in the same spot we’d left him, and with my eyes, I dared him to get up. Thankfully, he got the message.
“I’m exhausted,” Malyah said as she fell back on the bed.
We were in her hotel room after hours of loading and unloading boxes. The process took longer than I’d expected because we stopped to pick up her car before heading back to Orland Park. She had some things in there she needed to unload and sort through before leaving the storage unit.
“Me too, and my stomach is growling. You mind if I order room service?”
She struggled to sit up, then looked at me sitting a few feet away on the sofa chair.
“You’re paying for all this. Why would I mind?”
“It’s been a long day. You may be ready for me to leave your presence.”
“Stay as long as you like. I’m hungry too.”
I grabbed the room service menu and took a few minutes to decide what I wanted before giving it to her. Once she decided, she told me her order, and I went to the menu on the TV and ordered everything.
“Do you mind if I shower while we wait?” she asked as she stood and stretched.
She’d already taken off the puffy vest, allowing me to get a better view of her body in the leggings and fitted T-shirt. When she lifted the shirt over her head and exposed her sports bra, my eyes zoomed in on her cleavage and then down to her flat stomach.
The skin on her torso looked just as soft and smooth as the skin on her face. I imagined myself burying my face in between her breasts and kissing my way down her stomach until my mouth met the apex of her thighs.
“Kenzo!”
Her calling my name pulled me out of my daze. I put my hand between my legs and adjusted my dick before responding.
“What’s up?”
“Did you hear me?”
“Nah. What did you say?”
“I asked if you minded if I showered while we wait for our food.”
“Not at all.”
I watched her move around the room, gathering items of clothing, then disappear behind the bathroom door. When I heard the shower start, I called Ronin.
“What up?” he answered.
“She denied my proposal.”
He laughed before saying, “You might think that’s a bad thing, but at least you know she’s not crazy.”
“What?”
“Her ass don’t know you. If she’d accepted your proposal, then that would prove she’s as crazy as your ass.”
“Fuck you. I’ve been with her all day, and I’m feeling her ass for real.”
“What’s your plan now that she denied you?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I gotta go. The shower just stopped.”
I ended the call before he could say anything. A few minutes later, Malyah walked out of the bathroom wearing an oversized T-shirt. I was sure she had something on underneath because it would be rude of her to taunt me like that.
When she bent over to put her dirty clothes in a bag, I had to bite my bottom lip to restrain myself from saying something that would surely be inappropriate. Eventually, she settled in the middle of the bed and sat with her legs folded and crossed.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“I didn’t realize I was staring, but I do enjoy looking at you. You’re very pretty.”
“Thank you. Actually, I want to thank you for everything. I don’t know how I’ll ever re—”
“What did I tell you?”
“I’m sorry. I’m not used to people doing things for me out of the kindness of their hearts. Most people want something in return.”
“I’m not most people. Listen, about earlier. I—”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said.
“No. I need to say this because I don’t want you to think I helped you for something in return. That’s not the case.”
“Okay.”
“Do you believe me?”
“I have no reason not to believe you. I told you not to worry about it.”
“Wait. There’s more.”
She sighed. “I’m listening.”
“The idea to propose to you came to me when I left yesterday. I called Ronin, and he thought the idea was crazy. I still wasn’t sure about it, but when I couldn’t get you off my mind, and you showed up in my dreams, I thought it might be a sign.
When my parents came to me with more bullshit this morning, I figured it was worth a shot. ”
“Thank you for your honesty.”
There was a knock on the door, which ended the conversation. I answered it and wheeled our food into the room. After a quick trip to the bathroom to relieve my bladder and wash my hands, I joined Malyah at the table near the large window.
“Do you feel better now that you got that off your chest?” she asked after a few minutes of eating in silence.
“I do because I can understand how it might seem like I only helped you so that you’d agree to marry me.”
“You did kinda present it as, I scratch your back and you scratch mine,” she reminded me.
I nodded. “I did, and I’m sorry. I think highly of you and respect you a lot.”
“Thank you, and I accept your apology.”
“You got a lot going on, and I want to support you in that, but I also want you to know I’m interested in you.”
“I kinda gathered that when you kissed me. I’ve never been kissed like that in my life.”
I chuckled. “I take it you enjoyed it.”
“I more than enjoyed it, and the interest is mutual, but as you said, I got a lot going on. I have nothing to offer you, and I’m in no position to date or start a new relationship.”
“Quite the contrary, baby. You have everything to offer.”
We stared into each other’s eyes until my ringing phone interrupted us. I removed it from my pocket and looked at the screen. It was my mother, and I wasn’t in the mood to talk to her, so I ignored the call. Before I could put my phone face down on the table, it rang again.
“It’s my mother,” I told Malyah before answering the call and putting it on speaker. “Hey, Ma.”
“Son, will you be home before your father and I turn in for tonight?”
“I’m not sure. You need something?”
“No, but I wanted to let you know that Lasandra Hardy and her parents will be joining us for breakfast tomorrow.”
“Hardy? I’m not sure I’m familiar with the family. Is this a business meeting? What’s the company name?”
“This isn’t about business. Lasandra is one of the women I think would make a suitable bride for—”
“Hold up? Are you being serious right now?”
“We’ve talked about this already. Why do you sound surprised?”
“We talked about it, and I thought I made it clear that I don’t need you to choose my wife.”
I was mad as hell and doing my best not to disrespect my mother, but she was testing my patience.
“I’m not choosing your wife, Kenny. I’m introducing you to some women I think you’d like, but ultimately, it’ll be your choice.”
“Ma, I need to take another call.”
I ended the call without waiting for her to say goodbye, something I normally wouldn’t do. If I’d remained on the phone any longer, I might have said something I’d regret later.
“I’m sorry about that. Where were we?” I asked, hoping to resume the conversation Malyah and I were having.
“Umm, I’m not sure. Are you okay?”
“I’m pissed, but I’m good.”
“You want to talk about it?” she offered.
“There’s not a lot to talk about aside from what I’ve already shared and what you overheard.”
We finished eating in silence because I had too much on my mind to converse, and Malyah probably didn’t know what to say. I’d been with her since early afternoon, and although we spent most of our time getting her belongings secured, I didn’t want to wear out my welcome.
“I should probably head out,” I said after standing and gathering my trash.
“You don’t have to unless you're sick of me and ready to go.”
I chuckled. “I’m not sick of you, but I’ve taken up enough of your day.”
“You spent your day moving almost everything I own into a storage unit, so I would say I’ve taken up enough of your day. If you’re ready to go, just say that.”
“I enjoy your company, so it’s not that I’m ready to go, but my mother kinda fucked up my mood with that bullshit, so I won’t be the best company.”
“Stay.”