Unconditionally Single (16 page)

W
hat was next?

Slam!
I closed the front door. “Did I just see Red Velvet in a fucking Bentley with that bitch I saw at halftime scoring with my man?”

Hunter kissed me. “Baby, I thought I was your man.”

Was that some sort of proposal for a relationship? Where had that conversation taken place other than in his head? I went into the bedroom, changed into my sweats, tennis shoes, and T-shirt. “I’m out.”

Hunter blocked the doorway. “You know I have a gambling debt and you’re seriously going to walk out on me? Not until my contract is complete.”

“In case you weren’t listening, it is done. Sapphire just told you so.”

“She didn’t hire me. She’s not cutting my pay. Our boss hired me. So you’re not going anywhere until I say so.” Hunter picked me up, tossed me across his shoulder, carried me into the bedroom, then threw me on the bed. Turing on the DVD player, he said, “Let’s watch this Lex video again.”

Why? So you can fantasize that your dick is bigger than his?
Hunter was well endowed but no match for Lex or me. I had tucked the piece of paper Sapphire gave me in my bra. “I’ve got to go handle this. I’ll come back when I’m done. Promise.”

Hunter threw the remote across the room. “Am I not man enough for you? What do I have to do to prove myself? If you don’t come back, and you find me dead, it’s all your fault.”

Why was it when a man fucked up his life, it was a woman’s fault? “This isn’t about you! I had a life before I met you.”

He followed me to the living room. “A fucked-up life. Your parents don’t give a damn about you. Sapphire is using you. I’m the one trying to help you. My making love to you isn’t enough? You want him. Fuck it! Go be with that nigga.”

Hunter didn’t scare me and that reverse psychology bullshit was not going to work. If he put his hands on me, I’d kill him. “Who the hell you calling a nigga? You don’t know Grant.”

“Apparently you don’t either. He’s got another woman, a classy woman, not a whore. A woman who looks better than you. You can’t compete with her. You should be happy that I want you.”

I swear it doesn’t matter how much money a woman had, there was always a man who’d try to put her down.
I took off my shoe, hurled it at his head. Hunter caught my shoe, grabbed me, and threw me on the sofa.

“Get off me.” I struggled to move him. I couldn’t. Hunter left me no choice. I was so angry I spat in his face. “What is it? What do you want from me? I’m not your woman. You already have a wife, or have you forgotten about her? What else haven’t you told me?”

Hunter became quiet. He stood. Wiped his eyes. Gestured with open hands toward the door.

I put on my shoe. Kept my eyes on him as I walked out. He trailed me to the front door.

“Do what you have to. I won’t be back,” I said, trotting down the stairs.

Slam!
The door vibrated. I looked back. The glass shattered. I kept going. Whatever suppressed anger Hunter had flared in the wrong direction. Why was he striving to be my savior, my financial advisor, my companion, when he should’ve been a hero to his kids?

D
igging in my bra, I removed the torn paper, read the address, strolled the complex in search of unit number 204. The condo development was magnificent, landscaping immaculate. I roamed each section, scanning the street names. The array of assorted flowers brought unexpected peace within me until I saw an SPCA van. “Aw, shit. There’s a stray dog that might be on the prowl.” I wasn’t prepared to combat a four-legged animal.

Two men dressed in all white exited a condo. “We apologize for the confusion.”

Relieved that whatever was going on had been resolved, I continued walking until I heard, “No problem. Sorry for the confusion.” I stopped. The front door closed. Almost certain that was Grant’s voice, I walked up the front steps, knocked on the door with 204 in gold numbers, stepped back, and waited.

The door opened. There he stood. That was my man. He was dressed well. I was casual. I couldn’t move. I was happy, angry, excited, all at the same time. If I were so close, why didn’t he find me?

“Honey?” Grant said, seeming more confused than excited to see me.

I wanted to hug him. Kiss him. But his reaction made me standoffish.

“May I come in?” I asked. Not waiting for his response, I crossed the threshold.

“Yeah. Yeah.” Grant opened the door wider. “Of course. Sorry, it’s just that I don’t know how you found me when everyone else was searching for you.”

“I didn’t. Sapphire gave me this address,” I said, stepping into the living room, not prepared to see Valentino and Benito. Casually making my way to Benito, I stood by him.
Whack! Whack! Wham!
Alternating hands, I slapped Benito upside his head.

Covering his head, Benito said, “Cut it out, Lace. It wasn’t my fault. Valentino told me to kidnap you.”

I picked up the closest object, a crystal elephant, and hurled it at Valentino’s head. He moved in the right direction, and the elephant crashed on the carpet, broke in half.

“Damn! Bitch!” Valentino stood, looked at Grant, then said to Benito, “Nigga, don’t hold me accountable for your actions. You put the bag over her head. And, bitch, don’t confuse me with Benito. Throw something else at me.”

“Everybody shut up. Honey, sit down. And stop breaking up my stuff! We’re going to work this out here and now,” Grant yelled, standing over us. “Valentino, you go first. What does Honey owe you? And why?”

I protested, “I don’t owe him shit.”

Grant held up his hand. “You’ll get your chance to speak.”

“You ain’t Judge Mathis, nigga,” Valentino said. “If you were, I’d have my money from that bitch.”

“And you don’t pay rent here. Get out of my house,” Grant said.

Valentino nodded. “Like I was getting ready to say before I was rudely interrupted, Lace worked for me as my madam. Both of you should be singing my name. I got the bitch off her back—”

“Who you calling a bitch?” I said, picking up a crystal paperweight.

Grant grabbed my hand, removed the crystal weight.

“That’s what happens when you deal with brainless bitches. Bet Jada wouldn’t do that,” Valentino commented, rubbing his chin.

“Leave Jada out of this,” Grant said. “And leave
bitch, nigga, bitches, niggas, motherfucker, motherfuckers,
and all those words out of your mouth while talking to me. Or get out of my house.”

Valentino was speechless for several minutes. “That…her…man, how am I supposed to tell you what happened?”

Grant said, “Maybe my brother Benito can explain for you.”

“That…damn! Look, the short of it is, Sapphire and Lace set me up. They stole one hundred million dollars from me. And they were trying to set you up too. All I want is what’s rightfully mine. I want my money back. All of it.”

“Benito, what’s your story?” Grant asked.

“I’m your bro. I don’t need no story. You sexed Honey. I sexed Lace. You love Honey. I love Lace. You got a new woman—you might as well let me have her,” Benito said. “End of my story.”

I wanted to snatch that paperweight from Grant’s hand and hit Benito upside his head. Grant’s phone chimed to the tune of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”

“Hey, baby,” he answered.

I jumped up, snatched his phone. “Bitch, this is Honey. He’s busy,” I said, then handed him back the phone.

“Hello. Hello.” Grant stared at me. “You have no right doing that.”

“How is it that I’m missing, and when you should be out looking for me, you’re not only on national television with another woman, you’re calling another woman ‘baby’? You must’ve known her before you met me.”

Valentino said, “Oh, this is about to be some real nigga shit up in here.”

Grant flashed him a look.

“What? I can’t say
shit
either?”

“I don’t know who to believe. All of you are scammers,” Grant said, digging into his pocket. “Valentino, you want money you don’t deserve. Honey, you want to keep money you didn’t earn. And, Benito, as long as you have a place to lay your head and wash your ass you’re happy.”

Grant opened his wallet, handed me a piece of paper. “I was actually going to give Sapphire fifty million dollars, to give him,” he said, pointing at Valentino, “to rescue you when you weren’t even missing.”

My heart stood still. Grant loved me that much? “You did this for me?”

“Yes, I did. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, stupid me,” he said, placing the paperweight on the coffee table. Grant eased the piece of paper from my fingers. “I actually transferred fifty million dollars from my account to give to him in exchange for you when you were never being held captive. I’d bet that Sapphire wasn’t going to give Valentino a dime. She was going to double her money and leave you two to kill one another, then she’d claim your money. If she gave you my address, why didn’t Sapphire show up here? Huh? I suggest the two of you split whatever money Honey has and call a truce.”

I could give Valentino half, marry Grant, and come out ahead. “I’ll do it, if we stay together.”

“That’s not what’s going to happen,” Jada said, entering the room.

Who let that bitch in?
I looked up at Benito, then told Jada, “Bitch, get your own man.”

“I am her man,” Grant said. “I hope you keep your word to Valentino.” He stared at me. “I tried loving you. You have no idea how much I’ve gone through over you.” A tear fell from his left eye as he pointed back and forth between Valentino and me, then added, “That’s your man right there. You two deserve one another.”

No fucking way.
Watching Jada stand next to my man, I wanted to hit that bitch in the head with that damn paperweight. Instead, I picked up the weight and hurled it at Grant. “I hate you!”

Valentino caught the weight inches from Grant’s face. “Damn!” he yelled dropping it to the floor. “A nigga don’t deserve that shit.”

Grant said, “I could never hate you, Honey,” then followed Jada out the front door.

I yelled at Valentino. “This is all your damn fault!”

I felt like a fool. I went to the doorway. Wanted to follow them down the stairs. Curse Grant out. Apologize for breaking his heart then curse him out again for finding someone else. Tears poured.

Valentino closed the door, then embraced me.

Shoving him away I punched him in his chest several times.

Valentino didn’t try to stop me. “I deserve that. But as much as I’ve fucked up your life, you’ve fucked a nigga’s life up too. Lace, I apologize for kidnapping you. But a nigga can’t sit back like a bitch and let you pimp me out my money. Give me half and I’m straight.”

A
man knew when a woman was worth the wait.

Jada responded to Honey in a way that made me proud. She could’ve cursed Honey, attacked her reputation, or given me an ultimatum in front of her. Neither would’ve impressed me more than how she exhibited dignity, poise, and grace.

Touching Jada’s hip, I opened my hand. “Give me your keys.”

“How much more of this do we have to deal with?” she asked.

I opened the passenger door. “Get in.” I closed her door, drove toward the exit of BPP. There was a contractor replacing a door with a shattered pane. “What is this about? Give me a minute.”

I parked in the driveway, walked up to the door. “Hi, I’m a homeowner in this development. What’s going on here?” I asked handing him my business card.

“Women, man. They’re crazy,” he said stretching his neck staring at the Bentley.

Glancing at my card, he nodded then said, “Developer, huh? Maybe we can partner on some things.”

“You mind telling me what happened?” I asked.

“My girl wanted out. She wrecked the place, then left. I have no idea where she is but she will pay for this shit. Come in man. See for yourself.”

Curious, I entered the unit. Surveying the living room, my eyes widened. The flat screen was broken in half. The leather sofa and recliner were slashed and the inside of the cushions protruded out. Mirrors were shattered.

“And you are?” I asked noticing bruises on his hands.

“Hunter,” he said, adding bass to his voice.

“Damn, Hunter this is crazy. Domestic situation?” I asked, picking up the remote placing it in on the slanted TV stand. I walked to the bedroom entrance, peeped inside. Didn’t want to ask if he’d call the police, I said, “Hang in there man.” I walked out, got back in the car with Jada, and called the police, while driving off.

A woman could push a man to the edge, make him do the unimaginable. Why would his girl Honey trash that place? Was it his place? Hers? The owner was irrelevant. That was why men were reluctant to let women into their space, their heart. Women were reckless.

In the beginning of my relationship with Honey, my love for her was strong. I defended her in the presence of my parents. Transferred money to save our love. For what? The second I didn’t do what she wanted…Did I deserve this bullshit? The crazy part was I still loved her. But loving Honey was scary.

“Everything okay, baby?” Jada asked.

“No! It’s not! She lied to me! Made a spectacle of me!”

“Grant, you had me looking for Honey when you knew where she was at?”

Merging onto the freeway, I sighed heavily. “No. I didn’t.”

“Well, if she knew where your place was, Grant, be honest. You had to know.”

This was the first time Jada and I didn’t complete one another. “I said I didn’t know.”

“Grant, I’ll ask you one more—”

“Who do you think you’re talking down to? Believe whatever the hell you want. Don’t ask me another question.”

The remainder of the ride to my home was quiet, awkward. The strangling tension made words travel from my mind, then lodge in my throat. We finally arrived at my front door.

“Grant, I apologize. You’re right. Guess I’m so used to handling business I’ve forgotten how to be submissive.”

“Nah, I don’t want you to be submissive. But I do need for you to believe me and believe in me. I’m the one who owes you an apology. Please—”

“Forgive me,” Jada said.

“Can I hold you tonight? I don’t want to sleep—”

“Alone. Me either.”

I escorted Jada to my bedroom, told her everything she needed was in the bathroom. Jada went inside the bathroom, closed the door. I heard the heavy flow of water into the Jacuzzi.

I sat on the edge of my king-sized bed. I ground my teeth when I heard
varoom.
I pulled my cell from the hip holder and saw who was calling.
I can’t believe this shit.
I turned off my phone. There was nothing Honey had to say that I wanted to hear. Not right now.

“Grant,” Jada called.

“Yes, you need something?”

“I need you,” Jada said, with a sweet melody.

I entered the bathroom, froze. Jada was nude. Never had I seen a body so beautiful. Perky breasts. Her areolas were slightly darker than her breasts. Nipples hard like chocolate chips. Chocolate pussy lips with a hint of strawberry peeping between her thighs. Jada undressed me. She stepped into the tub. I followed her.

“Relax,” she said, sponging my neck, my shoulders.

Jada’s hands caressed my chest, my abs. She washed my thighs, my legs, my hair.

“Relax. Lean back. Give me your foot.”

Her fingers started at the heel of my foot, eased into the arch. She pressed points that made me relax. Her thumbs rotated on the ball of my foot, in between my toes. Special attention was given to each toe, especially the big one as she eased it to her mouth.

“Do you mind if I gently cleanse your genitals?” she asked, massaging my other foot.

I smiled. My body floated. Jada was exactly what I needed at the time.

The sponge swiped between my butt, circled my hole, then floated and drifted. I closed my eyes as Jada rubbed my balls with her hands. Her hands fluttered up and down my shaft. Teased my head. Slid down my shaft, back up. Slid down. Circled the head. Her rhythm alternated up and down my shaft pressing against my underside vein. From the base to under my head, over and back. Over and back.

She applied pressure to my perineum and I released my sperm into the warm water and my heart into her hands. Was I with Jada because I wanted to be with her or because I couldn’t be with Honey?