Serving Time (The Valentine Law Series Book 1)

by Bailey West

  Did he just dismiss me?

  “Did you just…”

  “Bye, Ms. Patterson!” He boomed.

  His voice made me jump a little. I picked up my bag and walked to the door of his office still a little…confused. Did he really just call me a victim and kick me out of his office? I walked to the war room door in a haze.

  “I’m ready to go, Laila,” I said after I knocked on the door.

  I don’t know if she followed behind me right away or not. I replayed the conversation in my head while I walked into my office after arriving back at my building. He did call me a crying, victimized, grudge-holding ass person.

  “Hey Vee,” Keeva said.

  I held my phone to my ear while I looked out of my office window.

  “So, Samuel just kicked me out of his office?”

  “What do mean by kicked you out?”

  “I mean like he called me a crying, victimized, grudge-holding ass person and then told me to leave.”

  “What did you do? Wait before you answer. I mean what did you do to make him blow up at you?”

  I ran the whole story down to her.

  “Vee, you got mad because he wants to take you away from all of the bullshit that’s happening right now? Are you serious? I would have kicked your ass out too. All that man has been to you since you started dating him is gracious. He’s bent and turned to your every little-spoiled ass whim, and the moment he wants to do something else extraordinary for you, you fight him? What the hell are you talking about with Karen?”

  “He didn’t have to call me names.”

  “Girl, shut up! You will call somebody a name in a hot heartbeat. The names he called you fit you at the moment. You were a crying whatever else he said. And I’m going to say this because I love you and I know you love him. If he has to apologize to you for wanting to give you some peace, then you ain’t shit. Selah.”

  I looked at the phone and realized she'd hung up on me.

  I sat in my office replaying our conversation. He really was trying to make me feel better. I threw a tantrum for nothing. I deserve a vacation, he's right. A few days away from this will do wonders for me.

  I shot up from my chair. “Laila,” I said as I opened my office door nearly crashing into Samuel.

  “El,” I was just about to tell Laila we were going back to VLG.

  “Vee, I'm…”

  “Nope,” I interrupted him before he could speak. I pulled him into my office and closed the door.

  “I wouldn’t be shit if you apologized for trying to give me some peace. I'm sorry. I overreacted, and I was wrong. I'm not a victim but I am acting like one, and I'm sorry for taking on that role when I know better. Do you forgive me?”

  “Yes, I forgive you. I know you are stressed out. I shouldn’t have fed into it. I could have stopped that whole thing, for that I am sorry.”

  “No, you were right. I am doing way too much complaining and worrying. I get tired of fighting.”

  “You don’t have to fight alone. I will fight with you. I’ve been fighting with you. I want to be your partner. Tag me in when you get tired the same way I tagged you in with Roc's case. There isn’t any obstacle we can’t overcome together.”

  He pulled me close to him. I rested my head on his chest.

  “When are we leaving?”

  “In a few days. Do you think your family can take off a few days and come with us?”

  “My family?”

  “Yes, your sisters and your parents. We can all fly down together with my family. I will fly Ken and Trevor from California.”

  “Are you serious, El?”

  “Yes. I think we all need a break.”

  “So, I will have to share you with our families the entire time?”

  “No, sweetheart, I have something special just for us.”

  I got excited immediately.

  Samuel got everyone on a conference call that evening and explained the trip to them; my parents, my sisters, and brothers, his mother and sister and Roc and Coco. Everyone agreed to leave in three days.

  Samuel

  I sent a limo bus to pick everyone up and take them to the airstrip in Wentzville. My plane was just large enough to fit everyone, but I chartered a larger one so we wouldn’t have to worry about baggage weight. We loaded onto the plane and found our seats.

  “This is a mighty nice jet, Samuel,” Mr. Patterson complimented.

  “Thank you, Sir. It’s not mine. The one I have is smaller, but I wanted everyone to be comfortable.”

  “We appreciate it. My wife hasn’t stopped smiling since we found out about this trip.”

  “It’s well overdue, Sir.”

  “It is.”

  We had an early start, so most of us went to sleep until it was time to eat lunch. After lunch, we flew for about four more hours then finally touched down at our destination. I’d gotten permission from the Bluettes to use their private island for the week. The island had one large house and three smaller houses. It came complete with a staff for the houses and a skipper for the boat that would take us back and forth to the main island.

  The staff leader gave everyone their room assignment. Averie and I had one of the smaller houses on the end of the island to ourselves. Roc and Coco stayed in one house and my mother and sister stayed in the other smaller house. Averie’s family stayed in the largest house where we would all have meals together.

  “Do you like the house?”

  I asked after I found Averie standing on the balcony of the bedroom looking out at the ocean.

  “It’s beautiful, baby.” I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. “I was just thinking, I honestly don’t know the last time I saw the ocean. I mean, I’ve looked out the window of an airplane and saw it, but I mean actually took time to pause and see it, smell it and feel it. Thank you for planning all of this.”

  “It’s my pleasure, Vee. You know I would do anything for you, right?”

  “Yes,” she turned around in my arms. “I would do anything for you, too.”

  “Really?” I raised one eyebrow.

  She examined my facial expression.

  “Yes?”

  “Good, come with me,” I grabbed her hand and started to walk towards the door.

  “Wait, El,” she laughed. “I mean almost anything. Where are you taking me?”

  “No, you said, “anything.” You can’t take that back.”

  “El,” she said as she looked over the platform to the seventy-five-foot drop. “I’m not doing this.”

  The safety director at the bungee jump location was checking my harnesses.

  “You said you would do anything.”

  “No, I said anything for you! Not anything.”

  The female worker was double checking the harness Averie had on. When we pulled up to the location, she thought we were going to watch other people jump. Once we got to the top, I explained that we would be doing it together. She’s said no through the entire safety briefing. Then she said no while they fitted her for her harnesses. Now we are strapping on helmets, and she’s still saying she’s not going to do it.

  “El,” she looked over the edge again. “This is some…” she moved closer to me, “…white people stuff. Blacks don’t do this.”

  “Yes, we do,” I whispered back.

  “Stand together so we can get your picture,” one of the staff members instructed.

  “I have much cuter ones you can use in my obituary,” Averie mumbled.

  I pulled her close and put my thumb up while the staff took a couple pictures.

  “Okay, Mr. Samuel and Ms. Averie, remember everything we talked about. Hold on to each other and enjoy the experience.”

  I was hyped. I’d always wanted to do this, but I didn’t know if Averie would be down for it. I’d planned on asking some of the guys, but she opened the door when she said she’d do anything for me. Although I knew exactly what she meant, I used it as a tool to get her here.

  “Okay, here w
e go guys.” The staff member lightly pushed us until our toes were off the platform. “I will count down from five then you jump.”

  I took Averie’s hand and looked down at her. She was staring straight ahead, but she seemed resolved to go through with it.

  “Five…four…three…two…”

  “I love you, Averie.”

  She looked up at me with wide eyes as we heard, “one” and both jumped from the ledge.

  Averie

  “I didn’t die!” I screamed after the staff helped me out of the harness. “My legs were like spaghetti noodles, and my heart is beating out of my chest, but I didn’t die!”

  Samuel came over and picked me up.

  “You did it!”

  “I did!” I smiled. “Be careful. You know what happened the last time you picked me up like this,” I laughed.

  “I do,” he slid me slowly down his body, so I could feel his erection as my feet touched the ground. “That’s our next adventure.”

  Samuel and I were laying in the bed completely satisfied. We’d eaten a delicious meal in our room after we made love.

  He told me he loved me before we jumped off the ledge, but I don’t know if he said it because there was a possibility we were going to die, or he said it because he meant it.

  I was laying across his chest and ran my hand down his side.

  “What is this scar?” I’d noticed the scar on his left side, but I’d never asked what it was.

  “Somebody brought a knife to a basketball game.”

  “What?”

  “I was shanked when I was at Pineville.”

  “Are you serious?” I sat up to look him in the eyes.

  “Yes. I was playing basketball in the yard, and someone came behind me while I was distracted and stuck me at least twice.”

  “Oh my God. What happened after that?”

  “I knocked his ass out. Then I was taken to the hospital. The shank wasn’t that big, so it didn’t do real damage, but it hurt like hell. That was the first time Reggie, and I spoke to each other.”

  “What happened to the guy who hurt you?”

  “When I was released back into the general population, he was gone and so were the guys that encouraged him to do it. I found out later that Reggie had something to do with them being moved.”

  “Did you ever feel like you would be there your whole sentence, or did you know you would get out?”

  “I didn’t know how to think past the moment until Reggie taught me to think about my future. Some days I felt like I wasn’t going to ever be free again. Small things would wear me down like, I got tired of smelling other men’s toilet waste. Reggie and I had a schedule of when we would use the bathroom, so the other person didn’t have to sit and smell shit. Other dudes were not as courteous. There was an inmate that had some mental stuff going on. He was dangerous, so they tried to keep him locked away from the other inmates. One day he used his uniforms and anything else he could find to clog his toilet. Then he spread his feces all over the cell he was in. I had a custodial job and was sent into that cell, with Reggie to clean it up. They gave us haz-mat suits to wear but that smell of shit had me sick for days. Now I can’t tolerate it.”

  “Is that why you have poop spray everywhere?”

  “Yes, I can’t take the smell. It’s a trigger even though it’s been years since I served time.”

  “Are homosexual relationships really prevalent in prison, or is that something that we just see in movies and television?”

  “No, it’s a fact. Some of those relationships are consensual and some are not. Terrible things can happen to a person in prison. Seeing the after effects of a man who was raped changed my mind about anal sex. I won’t ever ask you for anal sex because…it’s just some things you can’t un-see. I was never approached like that but seeing the guys who were…it’s not a good thing.”

  “I wanted to ask you about anal. I’ve never done it, but if it was something that you wanted to explore, I would be willing.”

  “You don’t ever have to worry about me asking. I love how you feel when you are wet and warm and contracting around me. I’m satisfied.”

  I climbed on top of him and kissed him. He ran his hands up and down my back.

  “Earlier before we jumped, you said…”

  “I love you, Averie. Did that scare you?”

  “No,” I shook my head. “I was just wondering if you’d said it because we were taking our lives into our own hands or…”

  “I said it because I mean it. I’m in love with you Averie.”

  “My Midwestern charm has won you over?”

  “Or…”

  “Or what?” I laughed.

  “Or your pussy is the most amazing thing God has ever created, and I’m sprung.”

  “You are so mannish! I love you too.”

  He looked surprised that I said it back. He flipped us over, putting him on top of me.

  “You don’t have to say it because I said it.”

  “I said it because I mean it. I love you, Samuel Valentine.”

  Samuel

  I entered her. We both moaned with pleasure like it was the first time again. I’d found the courage to tell her how I felt about her. I was not expecting a reply, but she loves me too. I can’t pinpoint when I realized I was in love, but my love for her is undeniable. She’s filled places in me that I thought would always be empty. I didn’t think I could love someone the way I love her.

  I loved the way she moaned my name and gripped my ass encouraging me to go deeper.

  “El, please don’t stop.”

  I looked down at her because I knew she was about to climax and I loved watching her. I was not prepared for the raw emotion that bubbled inside me when I looked down at her. Not only were we connected physically but we were connected emotionally. I looked into her eyes but saw beyond her eyes. I saw us holding hands and laughing while I rubbed her round stomach. Then I saw me as an old man surrounded by people who looked a lot like Averie and me. I saw my future in her eyes, and it scared me for a second but then I realized, she is all I want. Having that future with her is my new goal. It will be the driving force behind my decisions. It will be the reason I get out of bed, win cases and continue to build my empire.

  My climax came just as she was calling my name and climaxing.

  After my breathing leveled out and I felt the function of my limbs come back, I leaned down and said, “I love you.”

  “I love you too, El.”

  The men decided to go on a fishing trip together.

  Averie and the rest of the women were standing near the dock while we all loaded onto the boat.

  “Who’s been fishing before?” Ms. Patterson asked the group.

  We all looked at Mr. Patterson.

  “What? Y’all looking at me, ’cause I’m the oldest? I ain’t been fishing either! I was born in the country, but that’s the end of that story.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Well, be safe!” My mother said.

  The boat captain gave us basic fishing instructions and then left us to it.

  We talked sports and drank beer. The kitchen staff prepared our lunch which we ate while never getting one bite from a fish.

  “Mr. Patterson, Averie would kill me if she knew that I was having this conversation with you because of her stance on women’s rights and whatnot. But, I love her. I want to spend my life with her and eventually ask her to marry me. I would like your blessing.”

  I never thought I would have this conversation with a man about his daughter. It’s not a thing that most men do nowadays but one of the things I learned in prison is to respect men and their families. If a man raised his daughter, protected her and cared for her, her entire life, the least a man could do, that wanted that spot, was ask for that father’s blessing.

  All the men on the boat got quiet waiting for Mr. Patterson to answer.

  “I had a classmate and a co-worker named Cleophus Jenkins. Cleo wasn’t a driver; he wa
s in management, but we worked out of the same station for a while. Averie doesn’t think that I know this, but she and Cleo were dating. Once I found out, I went to Cleo as a man and asked him to leave my daughter alone. I knew she had a strong mind and if I told her to stop she would go full steam ahead. Cleo acted like he was listening and would leave her alone, but I heard, cause niggas that ain’t smart talk too damn much. I found out that he was still messing around with her. My brothers and I found him coming out of the lounge one night and whooped his ass. He left her alone after that. She may have mentioned him to you, I don’t know. I do know that she thinks she was the one that ended that, but I ended it.” He pointed his finger into his chest. “I told you that story because I want you to understand my position as her father, I can’t stop her from making mistakes, but I can help her fix mistakes. Don’t be a mistake that I have to fix, because I will. You’ve proven to me that you care about her by the way you treat her in front of me and in private. You saved her from that man, and I appreciate that. Thank you for speaking to me about it and let me say that she could do a lot worse. You have my blessing.”

  He extended his hand. We shook.

  “Well since we are talking about Patterson women, I plan on asking Ken to marry me while we are here.”

  Everyone congratulated Trevor.

  We finished our fishing trip with nothing to show for it but full stomachs and some male bonding time.

  Travis proposed to Kenzie during dinner and she said yes. That threw all the women at the table into wedding planning mode, even Princess. She volunteered her services as the flower girl.

  Averie and I walked along the beach holding hands. The sun was setting and tide was pushing further up the beach.

  “El.”

  “Yes, love?”

  “This has been amazing. I don’t want it to end.”

  “I don’t want it to end either. We will have to recreate it as often as we can.”

  “I would love that.”

  “What did you think about Trevor proposing to Ken?”

  “It was so special. I love them. They work so well together.”