His Last Name (22 page)

C
HAPTER
46

Adrienne

“A
drienne, I need to see you before I go to New York. Let's get something to eat and then I have a day party to attend. I'll meet you at Casta on Wilshire Boulevard in an hour.”

Warren had a busy schedule, but he was making time for me and I couldn't wait to see him. He'd been consistent with his time. He called me and texted and I'd spent the night several times. I knew we were only dating, but I liked him a whole lot and I knew it had the potential of being more.

I showered and pulled out a sexy aqua-colored dress. My hair was pinned up and I had put a little bit of makeup on and I was on my way out of the door.

Morgan came behind me in the mirror. That crazed look had returned. “Where are you going? I need you to go over my lines with me. I have an audition on Monday.”

“I'll help you when I get back. And, Morgan, we have to talk about my hours. I can't be on call all the time. I need a day off. Or I can work from seven to seven or something like that,” I said, applying mascara.

“No, that is not possible. Actually, you are fired. You have two weeks to move out.”

“I'm fired? Okay, Morgan.” I wasn't thinking about Ms. Tucker. I would handle her when I returned. I couldn't wait to see Warren. However, I was extremely disappointed when I arrived at Casta and saw that it was a group date. His entire team was there, including his agent, Edwin, his stylist, Tayman, his publicist, Simone, and her assistant. He explained that they were going over his schedule and the movie company's marketing plan. That was nice, but I was wearing a sexy outfit for nothing. I immediately asked him if I could have a word with him.

“Why did you invite me to this strategy session?”

“Oh, because I'm going out of town and I wanted to give you this before I left. Here.”

“What is this?”

“The money for your script.” I looked down at a check for forty thousand dollars.

“But we didn't sign anything yet.”

“I have the contract at the house. This is just to option the script, but if I can get it bought, I'll put you on as one of the producers.” I didn't want to cry.

“Warren, I'm glad you liked it. This is perfect—it came at the right time. Morgan just fired me and told me to be out in two weeks. This is perfect. I can get my own place now.”

“Just stay at my house while I'm gone. When I get back we will find you a place.”

“Okay.”

I came back to the table in a better mood. I was grateful. We ordered appetizers and we were all startled by the flash of multiple cameras. The paparazzi were up at the table snapping pictures, which alerted passersby that there was someone famous seated at our table. People started coming over and asking Warren for his autograph. He signed photos and took pictures with a half a dozen people. Once the pandemonium was over, Warren had a seat and apologized.

“You shouldn't have to apologize. Don't they see that you are eating? I mean I can't understand how people can come over and interrupt your meal,” his stylist Tayman said.

“It's not right, but I understand it. If I were to see Will Smith walk into this restaurant, I would have to ask him if I could get a picture. When is the next time I'm going to see Will Smith again?” I said.

“I see Will all the time. Him and Jada jog in my neighborhood,” Simone stated.

“I'm talking about everyday tourists.”

“I agree that makes sense. You guys are disconnected. I understand what she is saying. It's not normal to see celebrities just run by you,” Warren added.

“The media is a necessary evil; you can't want it on Monday and then ask why they are following you on a Thursday. It is a part of the job,” his publicist Simone said.

* * *

From lunch we all went to a day party where Warren was making an appearance. There were beautiful people drinking and dancing everywhere. It was a different experience—it felt like a club but it was the middle of the day. We were escorted to a roped-off area off of the pool area to a huge white cabana. A bottle girl brought over our drinks. I caught Edwin gazing at me a few times. And then he came over and sat next to me.

“Hey, beautiful, are you enjoying yourself? Do you want another drink?”

“No, I'm fine. I had enough.”

“So are you going to be at the house while Warren is gone? I'll come and keep you company.” He grabbed my hand and stroked it. I was alarmed, but I didn't want to overreact, so I let it slide. Everything was going so well, I didn't want to tell Warren his best friend was hitting on me if I wasn't absolutely sure. And then he was unmistakably flirting with me when his hand started stroking my thighs under my skirt. No one could see his hands under the table, and I didn't want to create a scene, but I had to get away from him. I stood up, but he followed me. And then he grabbed my ass.

“So what's up?”

“There is nothing up. I don't know why you just did that, but I want you to never put your hands on me again.”

I found Warren and took him to the bathroom.

“Warren, you might want to have a conversation with your friend Edwin.”

“Why? What did he say to you?”

“He was being all flirty and he grabbed my leg and ass!”

“Oh, that. I'll talk to him. I forgot to tell him not to bother you.”

“Tell him what?”

“Not to test you. It is something we always do, just to see.”

“To see what? Why are grown men playing games?”

“He has to make sure everyone is around for the right reasons.”

“The right reasons? I don't play games. You better be glad I didn't smack the shit out of him.”

“Calm down. I'm sorry; my friends are just very protective. You have to understand. Everyone is out here with some type of ulterior motive.”

“Yeah, well, that's not me.”

“I know.” He called Edwin over to apologize to me, but I didn't forgive him and knew that I didn't like him.

C
HAPTER
47

Shanice

T
he cameras were following me around New York City again. I stopped by April's office, then went to an audition for a national water company and landed the job. I was so excited that I had something good to talk about while they filmed me having lunch with Ashley V. Today I did forget that a camera was taping my every move. I just prayed I didn't say anything that I would regret later.

* * *

One day I was in New York and the next I was in Charlotte and I couldn't wait to get to Jabril. He went from being unsure about being with me to my full-time boo again. Yes, he was married, but so what, and with that said I ended it with Deuce. He's a nice guy, but he wasn't what I wanted. I felt a little bad, but I didn't love him. I loved Jabril. The heart wants what it wants. So I told Deuce I wasn't ready for a relationship yet and he said he understood and to get with him when I was.

That wouldn't be any time soon. I'd been spending so much time with Jabril I didn't even miss Deuce. I've been on the road with Jabril for a few games. This week he had a few days off so he wanted me to come spend some time with him in Charlotte. My flight had just landed and I was in an Uber headed to his hotel.

“Where are you?” Jabril asked.

“I'm on my way, I just got in the car. You should have picked me up.”

“Nah, I started drinking already, just hurry up. I need you, Shani. I'm in room seven thirty-nine.”

“All right, I'll be there.”

We drove from the airport to downtown Charlotte and it took about twenty minutes. I was in the hotel lobby and my phone rang again.

“Hello.”

“Are you here yet??”

“Jabril, I'm downstairs about to get in the elevator.”

“Good, I need you. Hurry up.” I didn't mind him calling me back-to-back like that. I was just so happy he was mine again.

I tapped on the door twice and Jabril came to the door in his boxers and a t-shirt. He pulled me into his arms and started tonguing me down as we went inside his room. He pulled back and looked me over and then squeezed me again. He pushed me on to the bed and commanded me to take off my pants.

“Can I get I get my jacket off first?”

“No.”

“Jabril, I'm going to use one of your lines. ‘We have all night.' ”

“I know, but I've been thinking about being in that pussy all day.”

“How much have you had to drink?”

“Not enough. Now get naked.”

I began undressing as he slipped his boxers off and lay on the floral cover and began stroking his dick up and down.

“Come here.”

I put his dick in my mouth and began licking it from side to side, and then I slurped on his round hard tip. I took him all in, humming, sucking, and pulling on him. He was holding my face down.

“Shit, shit, shit, damn.”

Just as he erupted, I released him.

He was panting and out of breath when his phone rang. Then there was a text message notification. Then his phone rang again.

But I was ready for my turn, so I pushed his dick into me, and tightened my muscles. He fucked me back, but still managed to grab his phone.

“It's my wife. She keeps calling. I got to answer.” He pulled out of me and walked into the bathroom and closed the door. I pulled the covers over me and changed the channel to the E! network. I took a glance at the menu and thought about ordering something.

Once Jabril came out I attacked him this time. I wrapped my arms around him and he pushed me off and said, “I have to go somewhere tonight, but I will be back in a couple of hours.”

“What? Go where? Jabril, I flew out here to be with you and now you have to leave?”

“I have to do something with my wife. I forgot about it. If I don't show up, she is going to go crazy on me.”

 

After a few hours I awoke alone and bored. I didn't know anyone in this city and I didn't have a car and Jabril didn't leave me any money. I had my own money, but I wasn't about to spend a dime.

I took a shower and planned what I was going to wear and what we were going to do. I looked on Instagram and posted a few selfies from the hotel.

Jabril finally texted me at seven.

I texted back. I didn't know what to do.

Later that evening, when Jabril came back, he was wearing a dark gray suit and a navy tie and shoes. He flopped on the bed and asked me to pour him a drink. He pulled some weed out and began rolling it. He lit the blunt and inhaled the smoke.

“Are you okay? You seem a little tense.”

“Yeah, I'm cool, just thinking about life.”

“Like what?”

“My career and my family. Just some things got to change.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know. I feel tied down. Sometimes I have to ask myself do I want to be married? I got right out of college and went straight to the NBA, and then I had a girlfriend and a baby and now I'm married. Now I'm with another team where I feel useless. I didn't have a chance to have any fun. Other people have kids and baby moms but they don't live with them. I come home to mine and I don't feel like she appreciates anything. All she does is come down on me all the time and I'm sick of it.”

He exhaled and continued to speak. “Don't get me wrong, I love her, she's cool, but I need her to chill sometimes. Relax, don't be all up on me. You see how we smoking. When I smoke at home, she'll be like, ‘Jabril put that out. It stinks, the baby going to smell it.' Then she nags and now all she wants to do is talk about church and the bible. I get it. I love God, he loves us. But not every damn day. She's going overboard and I don't know how much more I can take. She wants me at all these events with the church people. They are nice, but I don't have time for them right now.”

“I don't know what to tell you. Just have a conversation with her. But you do pay all the bills and it's your home. So you should be able to smoke in your house. She needs to make your life easy, not hard. Let you relax. It's not that difficult. You need to be able to come home to a clean house, a good meal, get some head, and then get fucked to sleep.”

“Exactly. See, that's why I like your sexy ass. You get me.” He picked me up and flipped me over. “Now, take your clothes off so we can finish what we started earlier.”

I was happy they weren't getting along and hoped that they never worked it out, because being back with Jabril full-time is all I ever wanted.

C
HAPTER
48

Zakiya

“T
hese people paid seventy-five dollars per person to hear us speak. You better get here, because I can't be at another marriage summit without my husband,” I yelled at Jabril and then I hung up the phone.

I didn't know where he was, but I was fuming mad. He agreed and then cancelled on the Married, Saved, and Blessed conference. That was okay for Arkansas but he needed to bring his lazy ass to this one. Right here in Charlotte. Pastor Richard knew his schedule and I didn't want to lie to him. Lately, Jabril had been staying out overnight, clubbing, drinking, and smoking again. And when I say something about it, he tells me I'm overreacting.

Within an hour he came home looking disheveled and was pouting. “I'm here. You signed us up for this shit, not me.”

“When you were talking to Pastor Richard, you said you would do it. Now be a man of your word.” He sighed and headed for the shower. He put on his suit and we drove to the church in silence. I slammed the car door and stomped into the church. Before I hit the stage I walked into the restroom and gathered my thoughts. I had to pull this off, because after this I was going to tell Sister Elise that we could not do any more events.

Once we arrived he was acting like the stellar husband he was not. He spoke to everyone on our panel and then grabbed my hand and listened to Pastor Richard intently. One deep breath and I pushed a smile on to my face. Jabril was pretending too well, which made me very angry.

When it was my turn to speak, Sister Elise introduced me as a worshiper of Jesus, great wife and mother. She had two out of three right. Everyone was cheering and then I stepped up to the podium and spoke. I gave them fifteen minutes of lies and I felt horrible about it. I told them how my husband and I prayed together and our belief in God was what kept us together.

After the panel was over, the attendees were able to come up and ask us questions. A young couple in their twenties came over and started speaking with us. “It's so good to see a happy young couple with Jesus in their life. Can we have a picture?” the husband asked.

“Thank you,” I said as Jabril and I stood up and smiled for the picture.

After the couple left, a message came into Jabril's phone. I glanced over at it, but he turned his phone to the side so I couldn't see who he was texting. It was probably best that I didn't see what was on that phone, because I would have kicked his ass in the house of the Lord.