The Truth Behind The Lies (27 page)

SEBASTIAN

Fear. It was a rejected concept in my household. I had just enough preliminary information to pull my dick out and bring a ruler. I drove my Porsche to JamRox Recording Studios. I was on the outskirts of downtown Chicago. I pulled into the lot. I parked next to the custom Black Escalade with all the flashy trimmings. I memorized the license plate and walked into the building. It was an old building and nothing fancy.

The reception area was minimal. I was dressed to the nines. Tom Ford from head to toe. I needed to look like a million bucks. I knew this guy needed to be impressed to take me seriously.

There was a receptionist that looked up at me from her cell phone. Her eyes lit up from either my clothes, my height, my handsome mug or a combination of them all.

“Hello.” Her bright red lips spread as she drunk me in.

“Hello.”

She stood. I thought it was odd, to stand. “What can I help you with?”

I took in her entire body with my eyes. She was short and very shapely like Kim Kardashian. She even resembled her, dark hair, dark eyes, huge ass. The difference was she was black, maybe mixed race. She was dressed in a tight black dress that left nothing to the imagination. I found this strange for a secretary. She was overly made up in her face. Not the way women wear makeup at the office but how they wear makeup in bars and nightclubs.

“I’m here to see Mr. Jenkins.”

“Oh, do you have an appointment?”

She should know that I didn’t. I’m sure she does. “No, I’m sorry I don’t but I’m sure he would want to see me.” I smiled at her and I was sure she would melt. She did. She giggled for no apparent reason. This wasn’t my first rodeo.

“I can check and see if he’s busy.”

“Would you please. This is a very important business matter.”

“What’s your name?”

“Mr. Vandervol.”

“Okay just give me a minute.”

“I will just have a seat.” I unbuttoned my suit jacket and took a seat on the black leather couch.

“Yes, yes, just sit. I will be right back.”

The Kim K. clone went over to the door and punched in a code. I couldn’t see the code. Her body obstructed the keypad. This is a secure location. I’m not sure why they would need the security but then again I have no knowledge of the music industry.

She disappeared, leaving me alone in the waiting room. I was quite sure he wouldn’t know who I was but she would tell him about the Porsche and how I was dressed. This would buy me some time with the asshole.

She returned shortly with a black man. I knew this wasn’t the guy. He was too urban. He had to be his muscle. Maybe I was stereotyping but there was nothing about this guy that screened professional businessman. I knew Nina well enough. She would never lay with this trash. I imagined Nina liked a cleaner cut man. This guy was scruffy. His hair was braided to his scalp. He was even wearing jewelry around his tattooed neck. Not Nina’s type.

I stood.

“You here to see David?” The thuggish man barked at me like I was an animal instead of a person.

“Yes.”

The man looked out the glass window at my Porsche. He had to confirm what the Kim K. clone said.

“Why?”

“We have mutual interests.”

The guy looked as if he was trying to figure out my words. It wasn’t a puzzle. It was a complete sentence.

“Alright. Come on.”

The man opened the door to let me go through first. I walked in and he followed. I had no idea which way to go. Left or right? I guess he hadn’t thought of that. I turned to him for guidance. He probably felt threatened by me. He was maybe five-eight.

“Straight down to the right.” I followed his instructions and walked the hall. I heard instrumental music coming from a room up ahead. “Right here.”

I opened the door and entered what was evidently a recoding studio. There he was sitting behind a soundboard. He was the man I was looking for. He was dressed causally but clean and tastefully. His sneakers were vintage Air Jordans. His watch was pricey. His diamond earrings were overkill but expensive. I sized him up because it was instinct. He had been with Nina. He hurt Nina. He was my enemy as soon as I saw Nina in that elevator.

There was a curvaceous woman sitting on the soundboard facing him. She was not directly in front of his but off to the side. She was pretty but dressed like a stripper. She remarkably resembled Nina. So much like Nina that it was unnerving. As I got closer it was clear Nina was prettier, softer, more beautiful, more vibrant.

He pushed a button on the soundboard and the music died.

“Who are you again?”

He knew me. He was posturing for the woman. “I’m Sebastian Vandervol.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know you man. You have business with me?”

“You could say that, Nina Norwood business.”

He slapped the Nina clone on her thigh. “Get out.”

The woman popped off the soundboard and scurried toward the door.

“Give me a minute with this dude.” He told the thug with the sagging pants. “Close the door.” The thug left the room behind the woman closing the door behind him.

David turned his swivel chair in my direction. “Why are you here?”

“I think you know.”

“Naw, enlighten me.”

“Someone vandalized my girlfriends condo.”

“Girlfriend.” He chuckled. “Okay and you think it was me?”

“I don’t think it was you. I know it was.”

“Well I will give you a pass because you white but you need to stop believing everything these black bitches tell you.”

“Listen, leave Nina alone.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s whatever you want it to be.”

“So you think you going to come up in my place of business and tell me what to do?”

“Is that a question?”

“I should put a bullet in your ass for even showing up here, white man.”

“I am white. I am here. You and I both know that if I leave here with a single bullet in me you will be thrown in prison. If I never leave here that means life without parole for a Black man. Just one of the perks of being a white man.”

“What I know is you can’t see the trial while floating in Lake Michigan. I also know you can’t tell me what to do.”

“No, but I can make a suggestion.”

“I suggest you get your white ass out my face.”

“I thought that I could come here and talk to you, man to man.”

“Naw I’m done with this conversation.” He lifted his shirt and revealed a handgun in his waistband. He lowered his shirt as soon as he realized I saw his piece.

“Well you have been warned.” I said.

He forced a chuckle. “You think you’re tough.”

“No I think drastic measures are in order.”

“You think you’re scaring me?”

“I haven’t given you much thought. I’m thinking solely about Nina.”

“I can see how Nina’s pussy would give a man courage and she sucks dick like a fucking pornstar.”

“I’ve always had courage and I’m sure you miss her blowjobs.”

“You think you’re fucking funny.”

“I think you should pray, drink with your homies, write a rap song or do whatever it is black men do when their women leave them for white men.”

“We bust motherfuckin’ caps at those Crackers.” David quickly stood. He grabbed his gun from his waistband and pointed it at my face.

My heart raced but I didn’t budge. “So I guess now the conversation is really over.” I turned away although he was pointing his gun at me. He would have to shoot me in my back. It was time to leave. I warned him. My job was done but deep down I knew it really wasn’t over. There was know way I would ever let a man pull and point a gun at me. He took this too far and I would take it to the end. Vengeance was a part of me. David Jenkins took what could have been a civilized conversation and turned it into an episode of Empire.

I was out the door and down the hall at a pace quicker than when I arrived. I opened the door that led to the reception area. I watched both the women and the man as they watched me leave. We all were quiet. I think they had been listening in on the conversation. I didn’t have proof. It was just a feeling I had read on their paralyzed faces.

I got into my car and drove off the lot. I needed David to disappear. I replayed it back in my head to justify the wrath I wanted to bring his way. He pointed a gun at me and threatened to kill me. I now believe he has been terrorizing my Nina long before this vandalism incident.

Nina is a strong woman. I think she’s been hiding things from me were he is concerned. She probably didn’t want to get me involved. That was admirable but now I am involved. Now David Jenkins is a problem for me, a problem with a simple solution.

I went back into work. I stayed until six and drove home. Nina’s car was in the driveway. I went inside and went straight into my office.

I dialed Graziano. I had a problem and he was a fixer of problems.

NINA

I saw Bash whip into the circular driveway. I watched him exit his Porsche from the upstairs window. I waited for him. He never came to his bedroom, our bedroom. That sounds weird, our.

I had a shitty day at work and I yearned to feel his arms around me. I had to fire someone that isn’t even in my department. This is the third time they had me terminate someone I didn’t even work with. This girl was young. She was fresh out of college and she cried when I told her it was her last day. I love everything about my job but this part, I hate.

I needed to feel the comfort of Bash’s easygoing nature. As soon as I got to the house I ran into evil Eva, her new nickname. She rolled her eyes at me without even speaking. I could have spoke to her first. If she said something out the way to me I would’ve reacted badly. No need for that.

I left the bedroom and went in search of him. I passed one of the guest bedrooms. It was the one that Bash said I could convert into a closet. It was a project we were going to do together. He said he would hire someone to build the racks and shelves but we could paint it ourselves.

The room was clear of everything but the tables that had all my new clothes draped over them. We went shopping the same day I found all my things damaged beyond repair. Thinking about what David did to my things made my stomach hurt. The shopping made me feel slightly better.

Back to Bash. Where was he? I walked past his home office and peeked inside. I got a glimpse of him. He was in his office so I took a step back. His back was turned to me as he looked out the window holding his cell to his ear.

“Do you need any additional information?...His name is David Jenkins, thirty-five, originally from Cal Park, last know residence Harvon Hills…No, no, I just want the dirt. I sense some illegal activities…Okay just let me know what you find…If he’s clean I will let you work your magic but let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.”

I quickly and quietly moved my body from the doorway. It was just when I thought Bash was going to end his call. He was checking David out. I wasn’t even sure how I felt about it. It made perfect sense. Bash told me he loves me and he probably is just protecting me.

I took my ass back to the bedroom. I searched for the remote and found it behind a bed pillow. I turned on the TV. Bash bought that flatscreen for me. He didn’t watch much TV and he didn’t have one in his bedroom before I made a fuss about it. I thought it was customary for couples to cuddle in bed watching movies. Clearly it had been a longtime since he was in a couple.

Bash appeared ten minutes later. He was pretty damn dressed up for work. He looked like a high fashion model. He always looked nice but today it seemed like he was dressed to impress. I instantly thought of that freckled face bitch Dana. I rallied my insecurities. Bash isn’t a cheater. So he says.

“Hey babe.” He greeted me with a smile and a powerful Bash signature embrace. I fell into his arms.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m great.” He cheered.

Huh, great. “How was your day?”

“Boring, uneventful, mundane.”

Somehow I thought he was lying. I just didn’t know why. “Mine wasn’t.”

“Did you have to give the young lady the ax?”

“Yes I did. She cried but it didn’t matter. She spent too much time online instead of closing her accounts and I had a shitload of proof.”

Bash removed his shirt. His body was hard to turn away from. He seemed to have something on his mind. It was clear that he wasn’t going to share. I wasn’t sure if asking about David would be appropriate. Bash might think I cared. I don’t think my ex is a good topic at this time.

“You know Eva called me today while I was at work.”

“No I didn’t know that.”

“Have you seen her today?”

“Yeah a few minutes ago.”

“How’d that go?”

“The silence was deafening.”

He chuckled. “Eva apparently went into the guest room and saw your abundance of new clothes.”