Unconditionally Single (14 page)

A
lone, I sat in my living room.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I asked myself, then answered, “You’re too damn generous. That or you’re fucking stupid!” I yelled, punching the air. I knew I wasn’t stupid. I just felt that way. “You can’t save Benito’s trifling ass. You can’t find Honey. And you’re about to lose Jada’s friendship.”

I had to hear a voice of reason. I went into my study, where the mail was piled six inches high. The mail could wait. Talking with my mother couldn’t. Pressing the speaker button, I dialed Mom’s number.

“Hi, sweetheart,” she answered. “Your father and I are worried about you. You took off out of the driveway like a madman. You hadn’t answered or returned our calls. Benito had to—”

“I love you, Ma.”

“Oh, baby, what’s wrong? What’s bothering you? I can hear it in your voice.”

I forced back my tears, took a deep breath. My chest tightened. I took another deep breath, rubbed my aching shoulder. “I’m good. Just had to hear your voice.”

“Don’t you give me that, Grant Hill. You either tell me what’s troubling you or…honey,” she called out, “Come here, please.”

“No, Ma, I don’t want to talk to Dad. Maybe later. Right now I want to talk to you.”

“You gon’ talk to both of us,” she insisted. “It’s Grant, baby, go get the other phone.”

The next voice I heard was my father’s. “Son, where are you? What’s got your mother all upset? I done told you don’t stress your mother out. I can’t do without her by my side.”

My mother said, “We’re listening, baby.”

My lips tightened. I tugged at the left side of my chest. I was a grown-ass man. I…I…“Mama, it’s Honey. She’s been kidnapped.”

Both of my parents replied at the same time, “Kidnapped!”

“And how do you fit into this equation?” my mother asked. “That girl has been trouble every since you met her.”

“He doesn’t,” my father said, answering my mother’s question.

I exhaled. “I love her so much I transferred the money to pay her ransom.”

“Put it back,” Mom said.

“How much?” my dad asked.

“Fifty.”

“Fifty dollars? Fifty thousand?” my mother asked.

I mumbled, “Million.”

“Oh, hell, no,” my mother, who never swears, said. “Lord, forgive me. Grant Hill the second, you come home right this minute.”

My parents couldn’t solve my problems. They reared me to make decisions and I had. “I’m not a child, Mama. I can handle this.”

“You’re my child until you die, if you don’t kill me first,” she retorted.

“Honey, calm down. Let me handle my son.”

“Just hear me out, y’all. I can handle this.”

I told my parents about putting Benito up in one of my condos. They knew I didn’t like my brother and were pleased I cared enough to keep him off the streets. I told them about Valentino and how he’d allegedly kidnapped Honey but didn’t say he was living with Benito. And I told them about Sapphire and how she was pretending Valentino had Honey in his custody. And finally, I told my parents about Jada. Of course they approved of her when my dad learned Jada was Darius’s mom. I informed them Jada was just a friend.

“Get us some tickets to the game,” Dad said as though he’d forgotten everything I mentioned prior.

“Transfer your money back to your business account and wash your spirit clean of that evil woman. She’s been through too much for you to deal with her. She’s not equally yoked, son,” my mother said.

“You’re simply not cut from the same cloth, son. Plus, your brother had her every way imaginable for three years. You don’t want his leftovers. Let her go, son. Let that jezebel go,” my dad said.

“Thanks, Ma. Thanks, Dad. I love you both. I’ll be home soon. I promise.”

“Bring Jada,” my mother said. “We’d love to meet her.”

“We love you too, son,” my dad said. “Hang up and transfer your money back to your business account right now.”

“Bye,” I said, pressing the speaker button. I took a deep breath, trying to loosen up my chest. Then I opened my desk drawer, swallowed two aspirins, and decided to phone my broker.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, dong.

Hanging up the phone, I closed the door to my study, headed to the living room. Sapphire stood outside my door. This time I’d invited her. Opening the door, I said, “Come in. Have a seat.”

She sat in the same blue chair facing me. I sat in the black seat across from her, praying our conversation would not be a repeat. Honey had two strikes against her, my mom and my dad. I did not want to be the third but I’d grown weary of the search. I’d give Sapphire the opportunity to prove my parents wrong.

I told Sapphire, “I’ll listen. You talk.”

“Nothing has changed except that Red Velvet has abandoned the mission. She’s missing and I’m not sure what to do with her when I find her. Everyone is expected to stay committed until we find Honey,” she said.

Now Red Velvet was missing. I guess Sapphire would eventually call me and declare herself missing. What a damn joke. I placed my receipt on the table for the fifty million dollars I’d transferred.

“Either you arrange for me to get Honey today and deliver this money to Valentino today, or I’m abandoning this mission. I love Honey but you are playing games with her life and mine. I don’t give a fuck about Valentino, Red, green, blue, or purple Velvet. The only person I care about in this equation is Honey.”

Sapphire snapped, “If you’re so concerned about your precious Honey, why don’t you find her on your own?” She picked up the receipt. “I apologize. This ordeal is stressing me out. I’ll find her for you, Grant.”

I was convinced my parents were right but I wasn’t ready to give up on Honey.

“You know how much I love Honey and you mean to tell me you don’t have any more information today than what you came here with yesterday? I don’t fucking believe you. What I do believe is misery loves company. You were raped as a child. Honey was molested by her stepfather and raped by her ex-husbands. You became a cop so you could legally annihilate pimps. Honey became a prostitute, then a madam. You decided to quit your job and enjoy the money you stole from Valentino. Honey decided to get out of the business, use the money you gave her to help other women, and she gave each of those women who worked for her a million dollars each. Your fucking problem is if there isn’t something in the deal for Sapphire Bleu, there is no deal. You’ve never helped anyone but yourself. So why don’t you tell me what it is you really want, huh? What the fuck do you want!”

Sapphire eyes swept from one corner to the other. “Fuck you, Grant Hill. You don’t know me. Mama’s fucking boy. You’re not even a man. You never had to fight for anything in your life. Probably never had a fistfight. Mommy and Daddy took care of their precious baby boy. You think you can buy your way out of everything,” she said, ripping the receipt. Throwing the pieces of paper in my face, she continued, “Keep your money. I’ll see what you’re truly made of when I’m done with you,” she said, flinging open my front door.

“Don’t do me any favors,” I said to her back as she left. That was stupid. I prayed her threat wasn’t serious. I shouldn’t have talk to her that way. “Shit.” Sapphire could ruin my life in a second if she wanted but my frustration wasn’t about Sapphire, it was directed toward my not knowing where Honey was. If Sapphire made good on her threat, life without Honey was happening.

The woman with so much fire, enthusiasm, drive, determination, brains, beauty, sex appeal, bedroom skills, a bodacious booty, her own business, and lots of money could give it all to some other man. My parents were right. I was beginning to wonder if Honey Thomas was the woman for me. I shouldn’t marry into her insane lifestyle.

I walked around my house removing Honey’s pictures from every room. I went into my garage, removed the lid, then trashed them. Picked up a small can, opened it, poured the red paint on top of the photos. I wasn’t foolish enough to throw away the diamond I’d bought with Honey in mind, but I was certain my efforts would not go to waste.

My phone rang just as I was about to get into the shower.

“Hey, what’s up?” I answered.

“Grant, I apologize for acting—”

“Childish. I was the one. Forgive me?” I asked Jada.

“Can we get—”

“Together later?”

“I’d like—”

“Me too. I’ll see you in an—”

“Hour,” she said.

“Can’t wait.” Instantly, the tension in my chest, arm, shoulder, and heart subsided.

I felt Jada’s smile through the phone and couldn’t erase my smile. Strange how a woman could make a man angry, cry, smile, and laugh all in the course of twenty-four hours. “Bye, Jada,” I said, then ended the call thinking Jada might just be sweeter than Honey.

I
nside dying to look out, I sat alone in the living room. Sun rays beamed between the slits of the closed blinds. Voluntarily incarcerated, I longed to trade places with the sunshine. What was it like always being exposed?

I reclined in Hunter’s favorite seat, powered on the flat screen. The president was apologizing for the resignations of the health secretary and the chief performance officer.
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
Talking to the television, I said, “I wonder if God grants amnesty. If not, we are all going straight to hell.”

Hell. Sin. Fornication. What if I was falling for Hunter and he was a broke bodyguard? What if all this nonprofit stuff was created to steal my money? I wanted to believe Hunter, trust him the way he appeared to trust me. We barely knew one another. My heart swayed toward reuniting with Grant. I picked up the cordless. Dialed nine digits, then pressed the end button. I had to see Grant’s face.

Parting the blinds with my thumb and finger, I peeped out. “Aw, damn.” I’d recognize that driveway anywhere. Buckhead Premier Palace.
What the hell?
All this time I’d been less than a half mile from my house. I could’ve been home in less than ten minutes.

I tiptoed to the bedroom and stood in the doorway. Hunter was asleep, lightly snoring.

I crept to the dresser, slowly opened the drawer, and gathered my sweatpants, a T-shirt, and my tennis shoes, no socks. Making my way into the living room, I quietly put on my clothes, shoes. I released the latch, turned the knob, opened the door.

“Where are you going?” Hunter asked.

“Insane.” I ran out the door. Halfway down the stairs, Hunter grabbed me by the waist, picked me up with one arm. I kicked as he hauled me back inside. “Wait! Wait!” I screamed, pointing. “I see Valentino and Benito.”

“Yeah, right. And I’m Lil Wayne. You are not going to ruin this contract for me. I thought I could trust you,” he said, locking the door. “If you want out, you leave the right way. Don’t make me look incompetent.”

Dragging me into the bedroom, Hunter handcuffed my right wrist to the bedpost.

I sat on the edge of the bed, studying the handcuff, trying to figure out how to unlock it. “Seriously, I saw them entering the driveway. That was them in that Benz.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Fine.” I placed my legs on the bed and started kicking the black and white pillows to the floor. “You shouldn’t be so attached to money.”

“Easy to say with all your millions.” Hunter crawled onto the bed, sat in the center. “Baby, you need to calm down.”

Beating his chest with one hand, I cried, “I’m going crazy in here. I can’t handle this any more. Call Sapphire and tell her I want out of this arrangement.”

His deep-set eyes scrolled with hatred. “I have obligations. I need this money. You’ve got yours. I’m making mine. You will not fuck this up for me.”

Was this the same man I’d let lick my pussy?

“Your parents are coming today,” Hunter reminded me, moving closer. “I’m going to get you back to normalcy. I promise, baby,” he said, holding my chin. His lips moved toward mine.

I turned my cheek. I didn’t want his kiss, I wanted Grant. Everything about Hunter was starting to irritate me. Hunter’s touch was creepy, felt like when Ken pricked my chin and the blood trickled down my neck.

I cried aloud, “Just kill me. Please, kill me. All my life I’ve struggled. Why? What’s it all about? If I lay down and never wake up, I’ll be better off. Eventually I have to die. I’m tired, Hunter. I’m tired,” I cried.

Hunter unlocked the cuff. “Baby,” he said, holding me in his arms. “We all get tired sometimes. But if you hang in there another minute, another hour, another day, I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.” Hunter kissed my lips. “You take care of me and Hunter will take care of his baby.”

This time it didn’t feel so creepy. I kissed him back.

“I want you to know I’m vested in this assignment. I’m protecting my investment. Honey, I’m falling in love with you. I don’t want to fall alone. Say you’ll fall with me.”

“I really did see Valentino and Benito entering this complex. You’ve got to trust me,” I said, laying my head on his chest.

Hunter replied, “I know you did.”

Was he intentionally fucking with me? I closed my eyes and prayed. Brain? Courage? Heart?

S
exy mamacita!

Preoccupied with Honey, I’d neglected myself, forgotten the joys of being the vivacious bisexual woman that I was. I didn’t have a preference of male over female or vice versa. Chemistry, physical appeal, impeccable hygiene, and sexual energy were how I selected my partners.

I had to rekindle my flame. Tonight, Santonio’s eyes were going to pop out of his head when he saw me strut into the restaurant. Even if I didn’t like him, I’d thank him. Our dinner date made me focus on my appearance, take time for me, and oh, my, he was going to get the best blow job if we hit it off.

A woman could dwell on what she didn’t have to the point that she’d forget all the remarkable things the Creator had given her. Hands that could heal with a loving touch. Eyes that would soothe with a caring look. Lips that could command attention with a simply seductive curve. Hips that swayed to a rhythm that made a man want to know her first name, and change her last name to his.

Slap!
I tapped my own ass. “Bitch, you are bad.”

Dancing nude in my full-length mirror, I pinned up my soft curls, let a few dangle on each side of my face. I eased a sky blue thong against my clit, then between my butt cheeks. The matching lace-trimmed bra complimented my breasts.

I exhaled, admired myself as I slipped into my electric blue dress, which tapered to my shapely body. Not too short, not too long, the hemline hovered a few inches above my knees. Blue was the only color that complimented every complexion. The key was to select the perfect shade. When I strapped on the wide black belt, my breasts went from “look-at-me” to “all-eyes-on-these.” I tugged my bra slightly, exposing the edges on the neckline of the dress. My plump juicy breasts were enmeshed close together. The twins, more like kissing cousins, convinced me I could have any man and his woman tonight.

Dialing the driver, I asked, “Have you picked up Mr. and Ms. St. Thomas yet?”

“We’re on our way to the condo. We’ll arrive on time,” he said.

“Good. When you arrive, call me. Keep them in the car until I come and get them,” I said, ending the call.

Why in the world was I playing along with Honey’s ridiculous idea to confront her parents? They didn’t love or even like Honey. Honey’s decision not to leave them shit was unequivocally the right decision. Hunter. He’d gotten in her head and convinced her to do this dumb shit. I had to tell Honey the truth about Hunter tonight.

This was the last day I was dealing with Honey, Valentino, and Grant’s bullshit. I stepped into my black pumps, strutted out the door, started my engine. I drove out of the garage of my town house, which was in a development near the Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza.

En route to Honey’s location, I called Santonio.

“Hey, beautiful lady,” he answered.

Did he know my name? “Hey, Santonio. I have to make a business stop. Shouldn’t take long. I’ll see you shortly. Bye.” I ended the call.

I wasn’t good at small talk or dating. I usually invited a man or woman over, had a few drinks, sex, then never saw them again. Grant was the exception. Girl Six, still hadn’t seen her since the last time I’d fucked her with my double-headed dildo.

Buckhead Premier Plaza was quiet as I eased my car over a speed bump. I parked in the driveway, sat in my car contemplating how to culminate my stay in Atlanta. Hunter’s hit had been arranged by his bookies. I tried but couldn’t convince them not to include Hunter’s wife and kids. They insisted, kids first, then his wife, and Hunter would be saved for last. Drying my tears, I had to dismiss Honey before Hunter’s assassination. Grant, he had it coming. He didn’t have to like me but he should’ve been smart enough to respect me or at least phone and apologize. Too late. Valentino, I’d leave him alone for now. Tonight I’d enjoy my date with Santonio. Maybe I’d let him do most of the talking. Try my best not to control our conversation. Why did I have the need to control everybody’s life?

I could simply fly home to Las Vegas and never look back. I’d prefer to return to LA, spend a few months with my mother, but LA held bad memories of Alphonso and my burning desire to kill him. Was my control a side effect of having been raped and molested? Why did I latch on to Honey? Couldn’t let go of my job? Clung to anything except myself? I’d never latched on to Sapphire Bleu’s blues. Never had a true sense of who I was. Never sat alone and mourned my pain and suffering. The time had come for me to trash other people’s garbage. But how could I?

Pressing the garage door opener, I got out of my car and went inside. The condo was quiet. I searched the living room, bathroom, and finally opened the bedroom door to find Honey and Hunter naked, fast asleep in one another’s arms.

I guess wherever this bitch lays her head is her home.
Grant would be better off without her but I was not going to deliver the news to him about his Honey.

Honey’s titties were golden, plump. Her caramel areola’s surrounded gumdrop nipples. Her pussy was bald, stomach flat. Her ass beneath her gave a curvaceous hump side view. I wanted to spread her legs, taste her sweet pussy. I knew it was sweet based on how men responded to her. I imagined my tongue gently exploring her shaft, her vagina, then her clit. I wanted to strap on and fuck her while Hunter watched, holding his dick in his hand, rotating his palm up and down his shaft with envy. Knowing Hunter had fucked Honey, I was the envious one. But I was also the smart one not to fuck with her voodoo pussy.

“Wake up. This is not a honeymoon.” I doubted Hunter had told Honey about his estranged wife and two kids. Bet that would make her see him differently.

Honey frowned at Hunter. They stared at me as though they’d seen me for the first time.

Now that I had their attention, I said, “Grant knows where Valentino and Benito are, but he won’t say and I’m done searching. So the three of us have to come up with a different plan. Wash your asses, brush your teeth, and put on some clean clothes, ’cause I don’t want to smell the remnants of your sexcapades. I’ll be in the living room when you’re ready. We have to devise a new strategy today. This is obviously not working.”

“Damn, Sapphire. Is that you? You look good, baby,” Hunter said, sitting up.

“Baby,” Honey said, staring at me, not Hunter, “you look hot.”

I squinted at Hunter before leaving the bedroom. I strolled to the living room, sat on the sofa, turned on the basketball game. The driver called, had arrived with Honey’s parents. “Wait for me to call you back,” I told him, watching the game. When Honey and Hunter finally entered the living room, I pressed the mute button.

“Honey, your parents are outside in the limo. I think what you’re doing is senseless and childish. You don’t like them. They don’t like you. But since Hunter convinced you to do this, I’ll go and get them. Tell them whatever you’d like. When you’re done talking with them, I’m done with you. I’m bringing this assignment to closure.”

Honey sat beside me as though we hadn’t fought. “You look so beautiful, Sapphire. But what’s wrong? Why do you seem so disgusted with me?”

I wasn’t disgusted with her, nor was I stupid. That slick bitch was repositioning herself to resume control of the situation, get me to hang in until she was ready to quit.

“Because she needs a dick in her life,” Hunter blurted, sitting on the arm of the sofa next to me.

“Too late for you to fuck me again,” I said. “I have a date tonight. It’s time I have some mind-blowing sex and happiness too instead of walking in on the two of you fucking like rabbits all day long.”

“You two are fuck buddies?” Honey asked.

Hunter stared at me, shook his head. “Wouldn’t call it that.”

I felt amazing. Neither of them took their eyes off me. “Maybe you should ask Hunter’s wife.”

Hunter grunted, “You’re crazy! You demented conniving…”

“What? Say it. I dare you.”

“What’s your problem, Sapphire? I haven’t been with my estranged wife in three years. You know that.”

“What about your kids? Haven’t been with them in three years either?”

Shaking his head, harder this time, Hunter clenched his teeth, moved away from me, and sat on the edge of the recliner. “And you know I send a thousand dollars a week every week to their mother. I take care of mine. You also know my wife left me because she doesn’t approve of my occupation of choice. Anything else you want to disclose on my behalf? Thanks for reminding me why I have to get out of this business. Too many damn background backstabbing checks. And I’m sure you know exactly where Valentino is at.”

He couldn’t squash my game. If I knew where Valentino was, I wouldn’t have been sitting on my ass. “Occupation of choice or gambling addiction? You’d better pay your debt today. Your time is running out. And you’re late on your child support payments.”

Honey stormed into the bedroom. Hunter followed her. I walked to the window, motioned to the driver to send in Mr. and Mrs. St. Thomas. Opening the front door, I saw two of the most conservatively dressed folks I’d ever seen standing before me.

She wore a long-sleeve floral print collarless dress that damn near choked her. He had on a brown throwback silk suit that looked like he’d bought it in the sixties, and his fedora with a red and green feather was a mismatch. Despite his attire, the old man was handsome, but the woman’s shifty eyes made her appear guilty until proven innocent.

“I’m Officer Sapphire Bleu. Please have a seat on the sofa.”

“Pleased to meet you, Officer Bleu.” She spoke in a country proper tone. “I’m Rita St. Thomas, Lace’s mother, and this here is her father, Jean St. Thomas,” the woman said, avoiding eye contact with my breasts. She sat two inches away from the man, who caressed my breasts with his eyes.

“Nice,” he said, “to meet you.”

“Stay focused.” She jabbed him in his side with her elbow, then continued, “We miss our baby girl. Our firstborn died of a rare bone marrow disease. Now Lace is missing and some man named Hunter told us she might be dead.” Her mother boohooed but not a single tear escaped her eyes. “We’re her
only
surviving relatives. We loved our daughter so much.” Rita wept on Jean’s shoulder. “We should inherit all that money she has.”

Jean said, “It’ll help me take care of my only grandson. We’re from a small town in Arizona.”

“Flagstaff,” Rita said, then asked, “Ever been there? Probably not. That’s where we raised Lace before she ran away from home. I’m not surprised she’s dead. That girl was horrible from day one. But we always loved her.”

“Oh,” Jean chimed in, “and if either of her two ex-husbands contacts you trying to claim our inheritance, let me handle them.”

Yes, indeed.
I was speechless, thinking I wanted to kick their lying asses back to Route 66. No one ever planned on dying but death was inevitable. Would Alphonso try to collect my money if he thought I was dead? Yes, the lowdown dirty bastard would. I had to put all my assets in my mother’s name quick.

Honey and Hunter entered the room laughing like high school kids headed to Disneyland for grad night. Rita’s face tightened. Jean stood.

“Is this one of them ‘you’ve been punk’d’ pranks?” Jean asked.

“No, Daddy,” Honey said. “Mama kicked me out and you slammed the door in my face when I came to you as a grown woman with my heart and arms wide open. You have just now proved my point. You’re exactly like all the other leeches out there. You don’t give a damn about family until you think they’re dead and left you something. You have the nerve to feel entitled to my money? You don’t deserve shit from me. I’d leave my millions to charity before I’d give the two of you one cent to split. Know this: if I die before you, you’re not getting anything. You can leave now. Both of you are making me sick.”

“Nice almost meeting you both,” Hunter said, following Honey into the bedroom.

“Lace! Lace! You get your ass out here right now,” Rita yelled. “I am your mother and you will not speak to me in such a way. I need your help. My husband Don is sick and I just got laid off from my job.”

Rita stood, faced the bedroom, took a few steps in that direction.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I told her.

Rita faced me. “You had us come here for nothing?”

“It’s never too late to learn to love your child. But you can’t put a price on Honey’s love,” I said. “And if you feel you came here for nothing, if you’re disappointed she’s alive, then you don’t deserve anything from her, ever. Personally, if you were my mother, I wouldn’t have wasted my time.”

“Her name is not Honey. Her name is Lace. I’ll go to the police and report her. Have her arrested for—”

Jean interrupted, “Let it go, Rita. You were a horrible mother.”

“And what the hell were you? Huh? Left me with your kids while you went off to enjoy the single life with those loose women. Huh? No conditions on you. You didn’t wipe her ass, I did. Now you wanna man up? Tell Rita what to do? Huh?”

“You put her out, I didn’t,” he said.

“Can’t put out what you never took in,” Rita answered, “you sorry-ass good for nothing trifling piece of shit.”

Damn.
“We’re going to have to bring this session to a close,” I said. “The driver will take you to your hotel. Honey has prepaid for your room. Your flight departs in the morning.”

“Did you say ‘room’? As in singular?” Jean asked.

“Please don’t make any more babies,” I said, ushering them out the door.

Rita shouted, “Her name ain’t Honey.”

Both of them were pathetic. They argued to the limo, banged the doors shut. I hope Honey and Hunter were satisfied. “Y’all can come out now,” I said.

Hunter grabbed the remote, turned up the volume on the TV, then leaned back in the recliner. I sat on the sofa next to Honey, held her hand. “You have my sympathy. Girl, your parents are insane.”

Hunter grunted. “Y’all made me miss the first half of the game with that madness. Unbelievable. Can’t trust anyone these days.”

Honey and I stared at the television. The picture on the flat screen was what was unbelievable.

The commentator said, “…There’s Jada Diamond Tanner looking like a jewel.”