Coveted: An Alpha Male Romance (12 page)

“Roc, I need to talk to you.”

Without another word, with drinks in hand, Gabe and I stepped out of the lounge. Instinctively, I looked up the stairs, waiting for Yanna to come out of the bathroom.

“What’s going on?”

Just then, a creepy smile spread across Gabe’s beard. “We found Robert.”

“The homeless kid?”

He nodded with triumph across his proud chest. “Yep. Teddie has him at the warehouse.”

“Let’s go.” I had almost forgotten that Yanna was there until I saw figures coming down the stairs. But it wasn’t Yanna and Courtney. It was Jaime and Tia. I hadn’t seen them since their arrival at Pops’ club. I wasn’t happy to see them then, and I most certainly wasn’t happy to see them now.

I immediately got concerned when I saw the looks on their faces.

“Where is Yanna?” I was directing my attention directly at Jaime and completely ignoring Tia. “Did you see her up there?”

She rolled her eyes into the back of her head. “Yes, I saw it– I mean,
her
.”

I would never hit a woman, not a day in my life, but at the moment, I wanted to put my foot in Jaime’s ass.

I huffed. “This is why I don’t come around you people.”

“Fuck you, Rocco,” Jamie spat, as she walked towards the lounge. Tia was right behind her like the puppy she was.

Something had happened. I knew it. Something told me to go for the stairs, so I did. Of course, Gabe followed. But before I could make it upstairs, I looked up to see Courtney and Baby storming down. The look on her face sickened me. She looked sad.

“What happened?” We met at the center of the staircase. I reached for her, and when she snatched away, I was heartbroken. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m leaving.”

“Why, Baby? What’s wrong?” She kept trying to descend the stairs and I blocked her. “
What’s wrong
?”

“Please get out of my way, Roc. Don’t cause a scene.” She frantically looked from me to the lounge with tears forming in my eyes. “Just let me go.”

“What happened?”

“They happened! As always! They’re the reason I want to leave… The same reason why you haven’t married me yet.”

Our eyes met and the hurt in her eyes mirrored the hurt in mine.

Disappointed, she sighed, saying, “Just move, Roc. I’m leaving.”

“Then I’m going with you.”

“No, you’re not. I want to be alone.”

“You can’t be alone right now. It’s too dangerous.” Again, I gently grabbed her elbow to bring her closer to me and she snatched away.

“Let me go, Roc!” left her lips with venom that I had never seen her use towards me before. Even Courtney and Gabe looked at her in shock and amazement. Immediately, Gabe stood in front of me and Courtney went to Baby.

“I just want to leave,” Yanna said, her lips laced with tears.

I couldn’t stand being the one who gave her pain. That’s why I never did, so, as always, I gave in to Baby. “Go with her, Gabe.”

I could hear her sucking her teeth in disagreement.

“I got her,” Courtney said.

Though he was a million times smaller than Gabe, I knew that he was feisty enough not to let anything happen to her, so again I gave in. I couldn’t stand seeing her hurt, even if that meant letting her go. “Fine,” I said through gritted teeth.

I could feel Gabe’s sympathetic look as I watched Baby storm down the stairs. I had only once before watched her walk away from me and it felt too final. And for the first time, I was disappointed in her because she had promised me that she would never walk away from me again.

2010

By July of 2010, Roc and I had been together for seven months. On a hot summer day, I was on my way to the de Michele’s estate. Roc and I were convinced that we would be together forever, so it was time for me to meet his family. Yes, his immediate family already knew me, but they didn’t know me as the woman in his life. Today was his mother’s birthday dinner, so his immediate and extended family were about to meet the love of his life.

And I was a nervous wreck.

“I don’t want to
gooooo
,” I whined as I chugged a glass of wine. I was sitting at the island in my kitchen, pretending to cry as Courtney and Tanisha looked at me like I was being absolutely ridiculous. Yes, Tanisha had finally gotten up for air from up under her boyfriend to tag along with Courtney.

His father’s antics played in my mind over and over again. Though Roc avoided talking about it, we both knew how his father felt about me then, and I doubted that it had changed over the last twenty something years.

“You want me to go with you?” Courtney asked with a wicked smile.

“Urgh,” I cringed. “His father already doesn’t like fat, Black women. I don’t think bringing a flaming, gay, Black man will make matters much better.”

“Girl,” he said with a casual wave of the hand. “Who cares what that old ass man thinks?”

“I do,” I whined. “I mean, I don’t care personally, but I feel bad that Roc’s father feels this way about me. I just don’t want to be the reason why he has issues with his family.”

“His whole family doesn’t like you?” Tanisha asked.

“Just his father, that I know of.” Just the thought made me nauseous. I couldn’t believe that I was putting myself through this. But as thoughts of Roc ran through my mind, his love for me, the way that he protected and took care of me, I knew that being uncomfortable for a few hours was worth it.

I still didn’t want to do it though.

Tanisha sipped her wine and told me, “Then go ahead and go meet your man’s family, girl. I am sure the rest of his family will love you–”

“And if they don’t, just go crazy, Black chick on their asses,” Courtney chimed in. Then that wicked smile reappeared. “You get a hundred points for every white person that you hit. It’s in the Bible.”

I stepped out of Roc’s Maserti, gaping at the large mansion that set beyond the sidewalk, towering over me, intimidating me just as much as the person that was awaiting me inside. The dark brick red coating of the paint shined as the sun beat down on it, causing me to squint behind the shades that I was wearing to hide my immense anxiety. Uniquely twisted fencing kept the mansion enclosed. Immaculate landscaping painted the front lawn that was breathtaking to say the very least. Bushes trimmed into all sorts of life–sized swirly shapes and bright and airy flower gardens surrounded the massive estate and aligned the walkway.

As I walked along the marble path, holding tight to Roc’s masculine hand, I noticed a stone fountain at the end of the walkway. An angel was perched on top, looking up towards the sky. Water spurted from its hands, which lay gently out in front of it, as if waiting for someone to take them in return. The water fell smoothly into the crystal blue pool surrounding it, causing ripples to form and wave out until they disappeared.

Just as we ascended the concrete steps, a butler opened the door, as if he sensed Roc’s arrival.

“Rocco,” he greeted with a smile that made him human and less like a serviceman. “So nice of you to visit.” The butler was an older white man. He appeared to be at least in his fifties and he had the kindest, gray eyes that I’d ever seen.

“Joseph,” Roc started as he squeezed his shoulder. “Why do you still work for these people?”

He chuckled deeply, from the pit of his stomach. “Ah. I ask myself that daily.” Then he looked at me with a sincere smile. “I’m joking. The de Michele’s are a wonderful family.”

I simply smiled.

Lies
.

“And who is this gorgeous woman standing next to you that is obviously way too good for you?”

Both Roc and I laughed. Obviously he and Joseph had a relationship better than he and his father.

“This is Baby–”

“Yanna Hill,” I added, as I extended my hand.

“She’s my girl,” Roc announced. And the love, authority and honor in his voice reminded me why I was there against my will.

“‘My girl,” Joseph mocked as he shook his head. “Young people.” He looked at me again. “I take it that means that you’re his girlfriend.”

“I am.”

“Wonderful to meet you, Miss Hill… Godspeed.”

I giggled as he shook his head slightly and led us away. In the direction that he was leading us were voices and sounds of glasses clanking. I was expecting to walk into a dining room facing a table full of people looking at me oddly. Yet, the room was the very opposite. The large room was filled with laughing, joking Italians. A
demilune–shaped bar
, crafted with custom hardwood and finished in chestnut, was massive and went from wall to wall. Shelves of the most exquisite and expensive bottles of wine and liquor were on chestnut shelves behind it that went from floor to ceiling. Many people were standing and chatting and some were seated in the many brown, leather sofa chairs scattered amongst the room.

Suddenly, I felt Roc squeeze my hand. I looked into eyes that were even kinder than Joseph’s, but unlike Joseph, they wouldn’t stay that way. “You okay?”

I discreetly took in a deep breath. “I’m good.”

My hand ran over my knee–length black bandage skirt. I was nervously finding something to do with my free hand as Roc led us through the room. My black pumps seemed to sink into the Persian carpet as we walked, stopping to talk to a few people along the way. I was introduced to so many cousins that I couldn’t remember all of their names, but Aldofo and Adriana, who were siblings, and Cecilia stuck out in my mind the most because they were obsessed with my big curly hair. They were sweet and I could see the sincerity in their eyes, which were as green as Roc’s. Then I met his aunts Eda and Elda, his mother’s younger sisters, who were twins.

“Bello! Rocco è così fortunato ad avere te!” Eda said as she hugged me tight.

As I hugged her back, I looked at Roc questionably. Roc never spoke Italian, so I hadn’t picked up on the language, but he answered my curiosity, “You’re beautiful, and I’m lucky to have you.”

I smiled and told her, “Thank you.”

After that, I was starting to feel much more comfortable. There was no sighting of his parents, and I was happy for that. I knew that I would have to speak to them eventually, but the longer that that was prolonged, the better.

“Who is that?” I asked Roc as I took another glass of wine from the waiter. As I had discreetly chugged the first glass to calm my nerves, I had noticed two younger women sitting in a corner snubbing Roc.

“My annoying sister and her more annoying friend, Tia.”

“Your sister? You didn’t tell me that she was coming in from Florida. Why didn’t you speak to her?”

I noticed him grimace. “I will.”

But he never did. For thirty minutes, he and Gabe, who I was so very happy to see when he walked in, talked and took shots of whiskey.

“Roc, I’ll be back.”

Immediately, his hand tightened around mine. “Where are you going, Baby?”

“To the ladies’ room.”

And he immediately moved. “I’ll go with you.”

Gabe chuckled and shook his head.

I laughed. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

I had drank so much liquid courage that I felt confident enough to pee on my own, so I made my way throughout the room, towards the exit, smiling and nodding at the relatives that I’d met since I arrived.

“Yanna, I knew you’d get sick of Roc eventually.”

I smiled at Joseph, who happened to be standing at the doorway.

“I’ll never get sick of him,” I smiled. “However, I do need to use the ladies’ room. Where is it?”

“Come. I’ll show you.”

I followed Joseph up a curved style staircase that transitioned to straight. The post and rail wood color matched the flooring and the balusters matched the trim and walls in the wood coloring.

“Here you are, Miss Hill.”

Gosh, even the bathroom is intimidating
, I thought as I thanked Joseph and pushed the heavy wood door open. But I soon realized that the bathroom was so big because it held multiple stalls and sinks. I felt like I was in the bathroom at a club.

Sheesh
.

If his father’s beliefs weren’t menacing, their wealth sure was. Roc had money but it was shown through smaller investments like a pair of diamond earrings or a fancy car. He did not make such huge purchases like mansions and jets.

As I was in the stall, I heard the door opening and soon the laughter of two women filled the air.

“God, she’s so fat. Could you imagine? I’d die. It’s like there are three of her one skeleton. And that hair. What kind of weave is it?”

Bitch
. I knew that the voice was referring to me. I wasted no time flushing the toilet and charging out of the stall. “It’s not a weave.” I didn’t even realize who I was talking to until I looked into the eyes of Roc’s sister and her friend. “And I’m not that damn big.”

They’re round eyes were wide with shock as I stepped between them effortlessly and washed my hands. I had overheard some conversation that Jaime had been having down in the lounge, so I knew it was her that had insulted me.

Though I appeared on the outside to be confident and full of strength, I was cowering with uncertainties on the inside. Obviously Roc’s father’s belief weren’t so uncommon, and if this was what his daughter and her friend felt, what in the holy hell were they saying to Roc? The thought had me in such a zone that I had forgotten that those heifers were in the bathroom with me until their figures were in my peripheral as I left. I thought about throwing some insults over my shoulder or even giving them the finger, but I decided that I had gone “crazy, Black chick” just enough to make my point.

I really wanted to get the hell out of there. I had been a big girl, no pun intended, and faced my fears but now I had had enough. Yet, I wouldn’t give those stank birds that much benefit, so I headed downstairs to stand beside my man.

However, as if that wasn’t enough, I was running away from those heifers and right into the eyes of Alesandro de Michele.

He was approaching the staircase just as I was. It was just me and him, the man that had thrown his son in the trash because he kissed me. But that was over twenty–five years ago. I prayed that those beliefs had changed with the times, but, in the back of mind, because I knew how Roc felt about his father, I knew that that wasn’t the case.

“Mr. de Michele, hello. How are you?”

I didn’t extend my hand for his and neither did he for mine. He stood, confident and tall, and resembled Roc in height, those emerald eyes, and dark hair that gave there olive skin a beautiful balance.

His words came out so unfriendly and unapologetic through his thick Italian accent. “Yanna, I heard that you were here.”

I swallowed hard and tried to figure out a way to excuse myself. I especially didn’t want to be standing in his unflattering eyesight when those two hyenas left the ladies’ room.

“I’m sure you did,” was what I said. “Nice to see you, Mr. de Michele.” And I went to descend the stairs but he followed, unfortunately.

“I wish I could say the same, but I’m an honest man, so I won’t.”

Damn, that hurt; it hurt much more than the immaturity that fell from Jaime’s lips. I can’t put into words how hard it was for me to stand there with my head held high. I could rip those two hyenas to shreds, but this old man was about the same age as Madea, and, no matter his sharp tongue and discontent expression, I had sense enough to respect my elders.

“I appreciate your honesty.” I attempted gracefully keep walking, yet the old man was right behind me on the staircase. “It’s not that you aren’t welcome, Yanna. I just prefer for my children to date
traditionally
, from a certain background and with someone of certain connections–”

“I understand,” came out of my mouth a bit loudly and to the point that his eyes bulged a bit as I cut him off. “
Goodbye
, Mr. de Michele.”

I couldn’t take anymore. This was enough. I loved Roc, but how much abuse was I supposed to take? He could eat dinner with his mother on his own. I would prefer to be with mine or with my friends, anything except be insulted all night. So I bolted for the door. Joseph watched me questionably, but as he looked past me at Mr. de Michele, his shoulders shrank and I tore my eyes away from his as I began to see pity.

The air outside was like fresh air and opened my lungs. I felt like I was finally able to breath, so I took in a deep breath and, against my will, tears filled my eyes.

“Yanna!”

When I heard my name, my footsteps quickened as I jogged down the steps.

“Baby!”

Then I realized it was Roc.