Slick (14 page)

 

After what Sylvia told me, I decided to deal with Lewis my own way. I immediately dropped the charges and wanted him released as soon as possible. In my eyes, Lewis dragging everyone into court with his bullshit and spending measly time in jail was not the solution. I had other plans for him, and being a lawyer or not, this damn fool was going to pay.

Dana was on a rampage. She called and made all kinds of threats, and when I got home, her car was in the driveway so I kept on driving. I drove to the Renaissance and got a room, then called Britney to let her know where I was. More than anything, I felt so bad for slapping her, but I made it clear to her that I wasn't going to stand for her verbal abuse. She explained how mad she was and told me she would never speak to me in that manner again. When she questioned me about Sylvia, I told her I'd call her later.

Badly needing some rest, before I went to sleep, I called an important and close friend of mine, Jaylin, who always had the solution for dealing with fools like Lewis. When one of his ladies answered the phone, it didn't surprise me. She gave the phone to him.

“John-John,” he said with enthusiasm in his voice. “What's up, man?”

“Plenty. I just hope you and your cousin, Stephon, wouldn't mind taking care of a li'l something for me.”

“Would that be in reference to shaking down some sistas, or with something else?”

“This is on a more serious level.”

“You mean something like that problem I had with that white bitch's husband, Mr. McDaniels?”

“Yeah, something like that but more intense. Can you come by the office tomorrow so we can talk?”

“For you, yes. I'll see you around nine o'clock in the morning.”

“Thanks, man. See you soon.”

 

 

The next day, I felt well rested. I woke up early, went home to change clothes, and headed to the office. I was shocked to see Sylvia at her desk. When I walked up to her, she put up her hand.

“Don't say nothing to me. Just g'on,” she said.

“But how are we supposed to get some work done if we're not communicating?”

“By the way you look at me, I can always tell what you want. So, if you want something, don't talk, just look.”

I sat my briefcase on Sylvia's desk and folded my arms. I looked at her and she walked over to the file cabinet, pulled out a file, and gave it to me. It was the file on the Johnson case. She must have somehow known that I needed it.

“Anything else?” She grinned.

I picked up my briefcase, stood in my doorway, and looked at her again. She rolled her eyes. “Hell, no. I am not going there with you again.”

“Yes, you will,” I said with a smile

“No, I won't.”

“You wanna bet?”

“You're darn right I do,” she said, getting out of her chair. She followed me into my office. “How much money you got?”

“Plenty. But I'm not going to take your money like that.”

“Naw, you won't be taking my money,” she said, walking over to the coffee machine. She poured my coffee, and as soon as she handed the mug to me, Audrey and Jackie came in with boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

“Would you guys like some doughnuts?” Audrey asked, then walked past Sylvia and headed toward me. She opened the box, and after I removed one doughnut, she placed the box on my desk. Jackie and Sylvia grabbed a doughnut, and as we all stood around in my office loudly talking and laughing, there was a knock on my door. The ladies turned around, and when they saw Jaylin, they stood with their mouths hanging wide open and eyes bugged.

“Now, why didn't nobody invite me to the party? That's what I wanna know,” Jaylin said, stepping into my office with an off-white linen suit on. The suit was off the chain, and he had a few buttons undone so the women could see his buff chest. Doing it Jaylin's style, the diamonds on his Rolex watch were sparkling and his healthy, curly hair was trimmed to perfection, as was his goatee. I stood up and introduced him to Sylvia, Audrey, and Jackie.

“Lord, have mercy on me,” Jackie said with lust locked in her eyes. She reached out to shake his hand. “Honey, you are gorgeous. What color are your eyes?” she asked, and then squinted to look at them.

Jaylin smiled and checked her out from head to toe. “They're gray. And thank you for the compliment.” He winked. “You don't look too bad yourself.” He looked at Audrey and Sylvia. “Nice to meet you, ladies,” he said, as they headed out.

Audrey held her head down and Sylvia stopped to reach for the knob on my door to close it.

“Before I go, do you need anything else?” she asked me.

“It depends on how far you're going.”

“I'll be right at my desk.”

“Then no.”

She looked at Jaylin who had already taken a seat. “Can I get you some coffee or something else?”

He turned around. “As fine as you are, you should never ask a man like me that question. But, if you want to, you can pass those digits to me before I get out of here.”

Sylvia smiled then looked over Jaylin's shoulder at me. “I just might have to do that,” she said then closed the door.

“Umph. What a chocolate delight right there. John-John, why in the hell didn't you tell me you had all these lovely-ass women walking around up in here? All I work with are a bunch of old white folks, and with a secretary who occasionally sucks my dick. Was that your secretary?”

“Yeah, man,” I said, taking a seat. “She's the best darn secretary any man can have.”

“Really, now,” Jaylin said suspiciously then took a seat. He crossed his leg over the other. “You, my brotha, have added that pussy to your collection, haven't you?”

“Man, hell naw. I have a wife who I'm mad as hell with, and my secretary has been there to offer her support.”

“Support, huh?” He leaned forward and whispered,

“That's what we're calling it these days? By the looks of things, she's supporting your ass very well. You can't fool me, John-John, I've been in the game for too long. I sense shit like that.”

I held out my hands, feeling defeated. “All right, damn. We got a li'l somethin' somethin' going on, but that's not what I want to talk to you about.”

Jaylin sat back and stroked his goatee. “Shit, and there I was thinking you were a better man than me. When you pull off that Rolex, that fancy-ass expensive gray suit, and those eight hundred dollar lizard skin shoes, you still the same damn man as I am.”

“Sounds like you hating a li'l bit,” I said with a smirk. “Why you checking a brotha out like that?”

“Don't front. I know you already peeped my shit when I came through the door. And don't try to hang because you can't. Altogether, I'm busting about six grand on me right now. And that doesn't even include the jewelry.”

“Bullshit,” I said, standing up. “Negro, these shoes cost me twelve hundred dollars, the suit was two grand, shirt was five hundred, and check out these diamond platinum cufflinks,” I said laughing, and pulling them off so he could see them. “These cost me seventeen hundred dollars, pimp.”

Jaylin observed my cuff links. “Daaaamn, where did you get these from?”

I snatched them and sat back down in my chair. “None of your business.”

We laughed, and then got down to business. I spent the next few hours giving Jaylin the scoop on Lewis. He was surprised to find out Dana cheated on me and was more surprised when he realized how much love I still had for her. He told me he and Stephon knew all kinds of fellas who could take care of things for me, and he assured me that I had nothing to worry about, especially since I had saved his ass many times before. When he asked me if I wanted Lewis dead or alive, I wasn't really sure how to answer. All I knew was that I wanted him out of our lives for good. If that meant doing away with his ass, I really didn't care.

Since Jaylin was a man of his word, I trusted whatever he decided to do. He told me he wouldn't tell me who, what, when, or where things would go down, but promised that Lewis would be history. Being in my position, the less I knew the better.

Before he got ready to leave, we shook hands and Jaylin stayed in my office to use my phone. I opened the door and Sylvia was on the floor by her desk while organizing my files.

She smiled at me and I smiled back. “Dana called. I threatened to call the police on her, but you'd better talk to her soon and watch your back.”

“I will.”

I shook Jaylin's hand, again, and agreed to walk him out. Before he left, he stood by Sylvia's desk and flirted with her.

“Pssss, Sylvia,” he whispered. “What's up with that number?”

“You know, if things weren't so complicated right now, maybe I would. And who knows what the future holds. Maybe I'll see you again.”

Jaylin laughed then looked over at me. “Is he treating you okay?”

Sylvia looked at me and smiled. “Remarkably well.”

“That's good, but if you ever think you may want a pay increase, I'm always in the market for a secretary.”

“I'll keep that in mind.”

I lightly pushed Jaylin in the back and nudged him toward the exit door. “Hands off, man. Don't you already have plenty of women?”

He laughed and walked toward the elevator with me. “Plenty, but there is always room for plenty more. Just tell me something, though,” he said.

“Yes, Sylvia is off the chain. Both in and out of the bedroom.”

“Damn, I knew it.” Jaylin covered his eyes with his shades. “And here my underwear cost more than your whole damn outfit and I can't even get a number.”

“You silly, man. And I can't believe you out searching for more women and you got, uh, what's her name?”

“Scorpio Motherfucking Bad-ass Valentino. Nokea was tripping so I had to let that go. For now anyway.”

“Naw, she probably had to let you go for being a naughty man. Either way, I'm sure the two of you will work things out, as y'all always do.”

Jaylin shrugged and we continued to talk as we waited for the elevator to open. No sooner had it done then Dana rushed off and swung wildly at me like she had lost her mind. I ducked and tried to get control of her, but she was seriously out of control. She yelled for Sylvia, and when the receptionist questioned what was going on, I asked her to call for security.

Jaylin and I, both, had to restrain Dana. When she elbowed him in the jaw and brushed up against his suit, he got mad.

“Hold up, baby. Watch my damn suit now,” he said with a twisted face. He looked at me and shook his head. “Man, you need to get some control over this shit. Your wife is crazy!”

“Who are you calling me crazy?” Dana hissed as I held her arms behind her. She struggled to get away from my grip. “You don't know me.”

“I'm glad I don't,” Jaylin fired back. “Regardless, you need to calm this shit down.”

Security rushed up the steps, and I turned Dana over to them. I told them to make sure she didn't get back in. They escorted her out, and told her if she came back that she would be arrested.

Making sure everything was cool, Jaylin and I walked to the parking garage together.

“John-John, that was some wild shit. I don't know how you can stand there and let a woman swing on you like that. If it had been me, her ass may have hit the floor.”

“Man, those punches don't hurt. Besides, I was taught to never put my hands on a lady, no matter what.”

“Good for you, but that courtesy went out the window years ago. These women out here today are crazy. I'll mess somebody up getting at me like that, and she's the one who brought that shit on herself, too. I know she's your wife but that was ridiculous. And as fine and classy as she is, she should know better.”

“Yeah, well, obviously she doesn't. I'm starting to see a side of her I didn't even know existed. And fine or not, I don't like it one bit.”

“John-John, please,” Jaylin said, opening the door to his Mercedes-Benz and giving me dap. “Stay up, and we'll holla soon.”

“No doubt.”

Jaylin shut the door and sped out of the parking garage. I headed back upstairs to my office. Truly behind on my work, I asked Sylvia to stay late and help me get caught up. Since we had so much to do, there was no time to discuss our personal situation. And by the time we had almost everything in order, we left the office together around 8:30 p.m.

I walked Sylvia to her car. When I opened the door, and leaned down to kiss her, she held her hand in my face.

“Do you understand what no means?” she asked.

“No,” I said, leaning in to kiss her. She turned her head, but I turned it back toward me. I pecked her lips and forced my tongue in her mouth. When she reached up and rubbed the back of my head, I knew I was in business. Soon after, she backed away and wiped her lips.

“Now, go home, please,” she said.

“Only if you'll go with me.”

“Listen, if you don't talk to Dana, she is going to lose her mind and mess both of us up. Please go see what she wants.”

“I already know what she wants, and I'm not worried about Dana right now.”

“I am because I don't want anyone to get hurt. Please, please do your best to put some closure to this mess, okay?”

“I intend to. Right after you let me make love to you tonight.”

“You are a persistent little something, aren't you?”

“Only when it comes to something I want. Follow me to the Renaissance. I assure you it will be worth your time.”