I relaxed again and put my hands behind my head. “Well sis, I have a confession.”
A huge smile flashed across my sister’s face. “No you didn’t,” she said already guessing what I was going to tell her.
“When Maurice and I went to France we met this beautiful artist named Denice. She had no idea who either of us were, so that worked out in both our favor. It was really funny how we’d met her in a café and casually asked her if she’d be interested in a threesome. She agreed and explained that she was bisexual. We took her back to our room and well…you know the rest.” I blushed and then confirmed what she was probably thinking. “And yes, women are very good at pleasing other women. Not that I’d do that on a regular basis, or without a man, but it was actually very….erotic.”
“You got secrets and shit,” Tay said with an accusing look on her face.
Her hair was pinned up, which gave her a classy look in her bright red and black striped high waist two piece made my Louis Vuitton.
“Well, don’t we all,” I said.
Tay let out a grunt and then sat up in her red lounge chair. “So, what are you going to do about your man troubles?”
I shrugged my shoulders and closed my eyes. All I could see was that sexy ass Pierre in my mind. “I don’t know. Shit, I love his stupid ass Tay. I’m hoping that he gets his shit together and acts right. I don’t plan to cheat on him with Pierre or anybody else, but if he keeps pushing me…”
My cell phone played the tune of a classical symphony by Mozart that I didn’t know the name of. “Damn, who the hell is this?” I asked out loud as I retrieved my phone from my dark blue oversized beach bag. I was rocking a fuchsia and dark blue Chanel bikini to match.
I didn’t recognize the number on the screen, but the caller was in Miami.
“Hello?” I answered with a question in my voice.
“Seandra?” A sexy male voice asked. I didn’t recognize it right away.
“Yes and who’s calling?”
“This is Pierre. Uh, is this a bad time?” He asked and I didn’t recall giving him my number.
“No, it’s not a bad time, but how did you get my number?”
“Well, your boyfriend called me from your phone last night. The number came up on my cell as S. Beauvois. Of course when I answered I thought it was you. He told me not to come around you, or call you anymore. I figured he called from your phone because he thinks we’ve been messing around and he wanted me to think it was you. Little did he know, but I didn’t even have your number, but thanks to him, now I do. He told me that if he catches me near your house, or find out that I’m calling you, he’s going to put one in my head. What have you done to that man?” He let out a chuckle like Ahmad’s threats had him amused.
I was shocked and livid at the same time. How dare Ahmad call and threaten Pierre? The nerve of his jealous ass. Nothing was even going on, so he was acting all macho for nothing.
“I’m so sorry Pierre…”
The mention of his name made Tay’s eyebrow rise. I knew that she was dying to know what that call was all about and I couldn’t wait to tell her.
“It’s not your fault,” he said quickly cutting me off. “All it has really done is make me more curious about you. I mean. There has to be a reason he’s acting like that. Obviously he has something that he is trying like hell to keep me from having. That means you’re worth holding on to.”
My body was hot as hell and it wasn’t because I was on the beach at four pm. Pierre’s voice alone was enough to send my temperature soaring through the roof. Shit, my pussy was wetter than the ocean and at that moment it was at its highest tide.
“I promise you that I’ll get to the bottom of this shit. He had no right to threaten you. You haven’t done anything at all to disrespect him, or our relationship.”
“Not yet. Oh, but it’s on now. It’s no secret that I’m attracted to you, but I was trying to respect your man. If he wants to believe he has some completion, then that’s what he has. That’s only fair. Right beautiful?”
“Uh…Pierre, look, I can’t…”
He interrupted me. “I’m in no rush Seandra. I’ll be waiting until you can. Until then, have a good day mon cherie.”
He had hung up, but I just sat there with the phone still glued to my ear. When I finally moved it, I just stared at it in disbelief.
“What was that all about?” Tay asked looking at me like I’d lost it.
“Pierre said that Ahmad called and threatened him. He actually thinks there’s something going on between us,” I explained.
“You must’ve put that Beauvois grind on that man. With that all that ass, he couldn’t have known what to do with himself.”
I couldn’t help but laugh although the situation wasn’t funny. “Well, I’m about to go check his ass. Are you ready to go?”
Seantay nodded. “Hell yeah. I have to get home to my man. He sprained his ankle playing basketball yesterday and he acts like he killed himself.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why are men such babies?”
“I know right,” Tay agreed as she got up to gather her things.
When we were on the way to our vehicles, I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell I’d be facing when I confronted Ahmad. All I knew was I was going to get in his ass about what he’d done. He had no right to be trying to check someone that I wasn’t even dealing with like that and to threaten the man. That shit was making me wonder if I had made a huge mistake by getting in a relationship with him. I saw the signs, but was I ready to call it quits?
* * *
When I walked inside my house the smell of Italian herbs and spices ignited my senses. I knew that Ahmad was cooking because his car was parked in my driveway. Well, his attempt at romance wasn’t going to keep the quarrel that we were about to have from happening. He needed to know that he couldn’t just threaten Pierre like that and get away with it. It wasn’t like he had done anything wrong. True, he let me know that he was interested in me, but once I told him that I was taken, he had backed down.
I walked into the kitchen and a smiling Ahmad turned around to face me. He had on an apron and had been stirring something in a big pot.
“Hey babe. How did you enjoy the beach?” He asked looking all jovial, which was the exact opposite of what my face looked like.
“Don’t hey babe me. What the fuck has gotten into you? First you try to get me pregnant on purpose, then you start acting all jealous and now you want to start threatening to shoot people. What’s next Ahmad? Are you going to beat me up, or lock me up in the closet? I don’t know what the hell to expect from you anymore!”
His smile had faded a long time ago, but he simply turned around to continue tending to the meal he was preparing.
“So, he told you that I called him huh? I knew that he would,” he said it as if it was no big deal.
“Yes he told me, but that was the first time I’ve ever spoken to him on the phone. What? You went in my purse and got his card?” I shook my head in disbelief. “I’m so upset with you, but that’s what I get. What did I expect? You’re just a fucking man. Maybe my expectations were too damn high. Maybe I thought that I’d finally got it right after all I’ve been through. You know what Ahmad? I guess I was wrong as hell.”
He took the apron off and put it on the counter before walking over to me. When he tried to hold me in his arms, I moved away.
“Don’t touch me! What was the point of doing that? Nothing is going on between me and Pierre! I told you that!”
The guilty look on his face dissolved into regret, but I didn’t care. Nothing he could do or say would make me understand why he would call Pierre. It was not flattering at all that he would overreact like that.
“I called him because there was no way I was just going to sit back and let him blatantly try to steal you from me. I won’t apologize for doing what I felt needed to be done to solidify my position in your life. You’re my woman and I won’t let some man just come in and take what I’v
e worked so hard to build. You know that I’m not capable of really…”
“Shit, I have no fucking clue what you’re capable of right now Ahmad. You have been pulling all types of surprises out of your ass lately. I don’t know what you might do Mr. Unpredictable,” I spat sarcastically.
He narrowed his eyes at me and then his body language showed that he was frustrated. “It’s not that serious Seandra. I’m an alpha man okay, so sometimes I do shit that comes back to bite me in the ass. So what, I’m possessive. I love you and I’ll never do anything to hurt you, or anybody else. I won’t hit you, or lock you up in a closet just like I won’t shoot that man. I’ll kick his ass, but I won’t kill him.”
I rolled my eyes. “You won’t be kicking his ass either. He didn’t do anything! Look. Just get out okay! I want to be alone!”
“Hell no. I’m not leaving! We’re having dinner…”
“We are not having shit! You are getting the fuck out of my house right now!” I yelled and rushed over to turn all of the pots off that were simmering on the stove. That shit smelled good as shit, but I was in no mood to break bread with his jealous ass.
“And like I said, I’m not going anywhere.” He went right behind me and turned all of the eyes on the stove back on.
“This is my house Ahmad and I don’t want you here. As a matter of fact, give me my damn key!” I put my hand out with a stern look on my face because I meant it. Calling Pierre was the straw that broke the camel’s back. That was just too much for me.
“For real Seandra?” He shook his head and then sucked his teeth. “You have to be fucking kidding me.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding right now? There is not even a hint of a smile on my face. I am not amused by that dumb ass shit you did. You would think we’re both too old for those type of games. Don’t make love to me and then call and threaten a man when I’m in the shower. That’s that underhanded bullshit that I don’t like. You should just trust me when I say that it’s nothing. You had me thinking we were pass that shit, but you were still stuck on it. I’m done Ahmad. So, yes, really. This is real. Now give me my key and get out of my fucking house.”
He reached in his pocket and pulled out his keys. “I can’t believe your ass is taking shit to this extreme. Can’t we work this out baby? I fucked up okay and I’m sorry…”
“I’ve had enough of your apologies Ahmad. I want my key and I want you out of here. Please, do not make me repeat myself again. There’s nothing left to say. There is no working it out. It’s best for you to just cooperate with me right now.”
“You sound like the cops and shit. Cooperate. This is some bullshit. I love you and you just want to throw it all away like we haven’t been through fucking hell and high water. Come on Seandra. You know me baby. You know how I do. I’m good to you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Don’t punish me for loving you baby. Don’t give up on me like this.” His eyes were pleading for me to give him a chance, but I couldn’t.
“I’m not punishing you. You couldn’t leave well enough alone. We didn’t have any problems until you made them. I just need some time. I don’t know what’s going to happen with us right now.”
He took my house key off his key chain and put it in the palm of my hand.
“Everything I do is because I love you baby. Just know that, okay.”
I nodded. “Okay. Can you leave now please?”
He casted his head down and slowly left the room. When I heard the front door slam the tears started falling. Why the hell did I always have to go through shit like that? Men always ended up being my down fall, but not anymore. That time I would stand my ground. My foot was down and I was not going to lose myself for the sake of love ever again. That time I wasn’t going to run into the arms of another man for comfort. If I was meant to spend the rest of my life alone, so the fuck what. To hell with all men. Even Pierre. I was done.
Chapter 13
Renell
It was after eleven pm and the house was quiet. Resean was down, hopefully until at least five am. I had just taken a shower and after Ricky oiled my body down, we were all snug under the covers. I was reading Addicted by Zane. Reading books by her was my guilty pleasure. Ricky was lying beside me with his computer in his lap.
When he put in the password, I tried to sneak a peek to see what keys he pressed, but he did that shit too fast. I still had no clue what it was. When he looked over at me, I pretended to be into the book.
“What are you reading?” He asked as if he was really interested.
I entertained him anyway. “Addicted by Zane. I read it before a while back. It’s about a woman who is addicted to sex.”
“Hmm.” A sly smile crept on his face.“Can you relate to the main character?”
I laughed. “In some ways yes and in some ways no.”
“I’m curious to know why that’s your answer.”
“Well, I wish I could be as sexually open as she is. I can relate to the want and desire that she feels. What I can’t do is fuck random men. Besides, she finds out later in the book that her father molested her and she had been suppressing the memories. After going to her therapist she finally remembered and that explained her unusual sexual appetite.”
“Damn, that’s a twist,” he said with a shocked look on his face. “I could never understand how a father could do something like that to his own child. That’s a reflection of him and he should be protecting his daughter, not being the man who damages her.”
I nodded my agreement. “You’re absolutely right.” As I took my glasses off, a yawn escaped without warning.
“You’re sleepy baby?” He asked glancing over his shoulder.
“Yes, as hell,” I mumbled. “I have to go to the office in the morning.”
I wasn’t looking forward to seeing Brock. As a matter of fact I’d been avoiding him. Still, I knew that I’d have to face him eventually. A nagging feeling deep down inside kept telling me that I had to fire him too. His confession couldn’t have come at a worse time. When I felt like I owed him my life, he just had to tell me how in love he was with me. Damn, could things get any more complicated?
“I’m sorry babe. I have to finish this,” he said staring at the computer screen in deep concentration. “If the light’s bothering you I can go in the study.”
I grabbed his arm. “No, stay. I’m fine. I want you right here.” After what had happened with Grady, I couldn’t stand to sleep alone.
He smiled and then leaned over to kiss my lips. “Night baby.” His focus was back on the computer’s screen.
“Night.” I closed my eyes and drifted off into a restless slumber.
* * *
I was out of the office the next day before noon and as I got in my Navigator I heard someone calling my name. When I looked up and spotted Brock, I pretended to not hear him. My Bluetooth was on my ear, so I acted like I was talking to someone on my cell phone. As I started the ignition and high tailed it up out of there, I didn’t miss the disappointed look on his face. At that point I knew for sure that I had to let him go. The thing was, I didn’t know how. After what had happened with Grady, I was afraid of what he’d do.
* * *
When I got home I dismissed Claudette and then fed Resean. My parents had stopped by unexpectedly to see him. As happy as I was to see my father back to his old self, I was anxious for them to leave because Ricky had left his lap top again. He was supposed to be at work a long time ago, so I had no idea why he’d left his computer at home. Either way, I was ready to see if I could figure out his password since I had the opportunity.
“Well honey, we’re going to head home,” mother said as she glanced down at her iPhone. “We have a charity dinner to attend tonight. Will you and your sisters be at the brunch I’m having for The Ladies’ Tea this weekend?”
The Ladies’ Tea was a social group that was made up of some of the richest, most entitled women in Miami. I for one was not up for that bourgeois ass shit. “Well, I wasn’t plann
ing to attend. I don’t know about Seantay and Seandra.”
Mother sighed and turned her nose up at me. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately missy. You act as if you’ve forgotten where you come from. Just because you’ve given birth does not take away the fact that you are my child. I need you to come back to earth and act like you’re a Beauvois. You and your sisters have left home and lost your ever loving minds. I swear.”
Father ushered mother toward the door and mouthed, “I’m sorry”, before kissing me goodbye.
Seandra was just like her if you asked me. It was like they could be cool one minute and then they’d just explode into a fit the next. I shook my head and took a seat on the sofa after they left to collect my thoughts. Then it hit me that I had a chance to hack into Ricky’s lap top again. I made my way up the stairs and laid my sleeping son down in his crib.
When I got to the master bedroom the computer was sitting there on the nightstand where Ricky had left it the night before. I grabbed it and sat down on the bed. Every number and word combination that I could think of had been tried and after almost an hour, I decided to take a break.
I checked my cellphone and realized that I had missed calls from Seantay and Ricky. Ricky had called to tell me that he would be a little late because he had a meeting with an athlete about some potential endorsements. It was already after four, so I wondered what he meant by a little late. Fuck it. It gave me time to crack his computer. Then I thought about it. Raheem had a friend named Chang who knew how to hack into anything. I picked up the phone and dialed his number.
“Hey Nell. What’s up?” Rah asked.
“I’m fine and you?”
“I’m good. Is everything okay?”
I laughed to put him at ease. “Yeah. Everything’s fine. I was just calling because I need your friend Chang’s number. Uh, I need him to help me get into this computer. It’s pretty old and I forgot the password. The thing is there is some important information that I need to get from it and well…I can’t.”
Black Lace: Book 4 of the Black Butterfly Series Page 8