The Billionaire From New Jersey

by Sherie Keys

  It was getting a little hot in the bar, and the drinks were certainly taking a toll on Charlotte. She could dance for a while but only so long before she started to feel a bit dizzy and weak. She decided to head to the bar to grab a drink of water. There was a cooler filled with water waiting for her in the corner. As she filled her cup, a large bald man approached her.

  “Love me a little white on black,” the man said. He was easily twice as big as Charlotte, muscles popping out of a dated button-up short-sleeved shirt. He was bald by choice, the only hair on his head besides his eyebrows being a poorly shaped goatee.

  “Excuse me?” Charlotte asked, not sure if she was supposed to take that racist remark as a compliment.

  “Love me a little white on black!” he said louder. “That dress, it just looks amazing on you. Where are you from?”

  “None of your damn business,” Charlotte told him, uninterested in being objectified for a second longer.

  “Hey, you don’t have to be such a bitch. I was just giving you a compliment,” he told her, getting angry. He stepped a little closer to her, and Charlotte realized just how tall he was.

  “Get away from me!” she said, trying to get around him. He had managed to corner her by the water cooler. What was it about Charlotte that made men think they could be so aggressive towards her?

  Charlotte started to feel threatened but looked behind the bald head to see Angelo’s figure like a dark shadow. The bald man started to lean in towards Charlotte but not too close before Angelo grabbed his arm, turning him towards the bald man.

  “We got a problem, buddy?” Angelo asked with a smirk.

  “Yeah, this girl’s got a problem with her mouth,” the bald man said.

  “I don’t see anything wrong with that mouth. I do see you being disrespectful in my bar,” Angelo told him.

  “Your bar? Give me a break, dude. Learn to control your woman,” the bald man said. Charlotte took her glass of water and splashed it all over the bald man’s face. He reached his arm up as if he might smack her, but Angelo took his empty cocktail glass and smashed it on the bald man’s shiny scalp. He instantly started bleeding and fell back a bit, but like the pit crew on a racetrack, the bartenders ran towards the bald man and dragged him to the back, almost no one noticing what had just happened.

  Charlotte was shocked at herself that she was able to throw her drink at the bald man but even more stunned that Angelo had attacked him. He grabbed her arm and led her to the back as well. She got nervous but realized they weren’t going to the same place as the bald man and the pit crew. He led her down the hallway and into a back room. There were tables set up and a few people dotted around, far fewer than were in the front.

  There was music playing but not as loud as it was up front. That experience had definitely sobered up Charlotte, but as they sat down at a quieter table, a server ran over with two more drinks, this time smaller and a darker color. Charlotte took a sip to clear her throat and realized there was much more liquor in this one.

  She doesn’t have to scream over the music to talk to him anymore. She leaned over to him and took a second to collect herself and adjust her volume to match with the new setting.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” she said.

  “That guy’s a total jerk. I’ve seen him around here a few times before, always bugging girls way out of his league. He’s just got so much anger ‘cause no one ever goes home with him,” Angelo explained.

  “Oh actually, I agreed to go with him before he came over, did you miss that part?” Charlotte said sarcastically.

  “You know you got a mouth like a pistol, girl, always shootin’ ‘em off at me. I know you’re lyin’ though; you’re way too beautiful for a guy like that,” Angelo said.

  “But not too beautiful for you?” she teased, not letting Angelo off easy.

  “No, you’re too beautiful for me. I’m just hoping it takes you a while to realize it,” Angelo said. She leaned over and gave him a long kiss, not being able to resist his humble charm. She liked how he could be so cool and confident beating men up to protect her but then still sweat it out whenever Charlotte teased him. Having that power over him made her feel all the more drawn to him, wanting him to take charge a bit back.

  Just as she started to feel comfortable around Angelo again, a few men approached the table where they were getting cozy.

  “Angelo, my boy, how you doin’?” one said, clearly older than them both and twice their size.

  “Silvio! How you doin’?” Angelo asked.

  “Better now! These are my buddies, Anthony and Giuseppe,” Silvio told the two. The other two men looked like typical Italian sidekicks, wearing similar suits in maroon and gray. “Do you mind?” Silvio asked, pointing to three empty chairs around Angelo and Charlotte’s table.

  “No, not at all,” Angelo said slightly reluctantly, giving a sympathetic look towards Charlotte. She was still a little annoyed that he let them sit down in the first place, but she didn’t want to be a total snob.

  “Who’s this lovely lady? I know she ain’t no workin’ girl,” Silvio joked. The other two men laughed.

  “Silvio! Come on here! Don’t be talkin’ about that in front of her!” Angelo said angrily.

  “Sorry, boss, sorry, no disrespect. I’ve just had a little too much to drink tonight, you know how it goes,” Silvio said.

  “Yeah yeah, watch your mouth. This is my lovely friend, Charlotte,” Angelo told the men.

  “Hi, everybody. Nice to meet you,” she said sweetly, reaching her hand out to the three men.

  “Pleased to meet you, Charlotte,” Silvio said, placing a wet kiss on her hand instead of just shaking it. She didn’t offer her hand to the other two men. “Boys, let’s show them a token of our appreciation for letting us join in on their party,” Silvio told the men.

  One of the men pulled out a white baggie and tossed it onto the table. Charlotte looked around nervously. The other man, Charlotte not knowing who was who, made a few clean lines right on the table. He rolled a dollar bill up and handed it to Charlotte. She shook her head, and Angelo, seeing her pass, shook his head as well.

  “That’s fine then, you two, more for us!” Silvio said, taking another line in. Charlotte felt uncomfortable. She had smoked marijuana before and didn’t think it was a big deal, but something about doing cocaine in the middle of this bar just felt off to her.

  The air was tense, and Charlotte felt like she was ready to go. It seemed Angelo was able to pick up on this and grabbed her hand.

  “Well, boys, nice to see you, but it looks like the party might be ending for us,” Angelo told the guys, standing up and leading Charlotte out of her seat.

  “See ya!” Silvio said, the other two boys simply waving. Angelo lead her out the back door to the alley. She felt uncomfortable remembering what happened the last time she was in an alley. She looked towards the street and saw headlights coming. Like magic, the same black SUV pulled up, and Charlotte wondered how the driver knew it was time for them to leave.

  Angelo opened the door, leading Charlotte back into the seat. She felt like they were in the bar for an hour, but really it had been a few minutes. The drinks had hit her hard and fast, all at once, like a bus. She felt dizzy and her stomach growled. Though she spent the day making chili, she hadn’t eaten much herself. She was feeling too nervous about her and Angelo’s date.

  He leaned over and kissed her once the car started driving. She felt extra dizzy, realizing she hadn’t been that drunk in a while. She pulled away fast, scared she might throw up if she kept her eyes closed too long.

  “Hey, I’m sorry, what’s the matter? Did you have a good time? I’m sorry about Silvio; he’s always puttin’ his nose in other people’s business,” Angelo explained.

  “No no, it’s not that. I had a lot of fun with you! I just drank too much. I normally don’t drink that much or that often at all. I’m sorry, I’m just feeling a little sick,” she explained to him.

  “I kno
w that feeling exactly. I got the perfect place to take you. Hey, Joey! Take us to Stella’s!” Angelo shouted to the driver. Charlotte wondered who Stella was and worried that she wouldn’t be able to keep up if they went to another bar or party.

  They pulled up in front of Stella’s, a 24-hour restaurant.

  Chapter5

  Jersey City was much grittier than other places she had been, but they still managed to have a five-star time. She hadn’t pictured herself having a good time while staying with her grandma in the city, but Angelo certainly knew how to entertain a girl. She never got bored or felt awkward with their conversation. She had to admit to herself that it was the most fun she had in a while.

  “How are you still single?” she asked, honestly curious how he hadn’t met someone more amazing than her yet. He was only a few years older than she was, and not everyone as young as them liked to settle down so early. Still, she wondered how she had managed to be sitting across from him at this very moment with his full attention.

  “I just haven’t met anyone right yet. It’s hard to know who your friends are when you’re a guy like me,” he said with a boyish smile.

  They had managed to order a smorgasbord of deep-fried appetizers and greasy food that Charlotte would otherwise avoid during dance season. Still, she had a lot to drink that night and much less sustainable food in her stomach to even it all out.

  She liked that she was able to see him stuff his face after being so professional in the club. He loaded up a plate filled with a portion for two. She wasn’t afraid to give herself just as big of a serving, getting messy as she shoveled the food into her mouth.

  “This place is amazing,” she told him through bites.

  “Yeah, I usually like to end my nights out here,” he replied.

  She had managed to get him alone again, now in a more intimate setting than ever. Charlotte was a pretty confident girl, but still, she kept her guard up around new people. With Angelo, she felt so comfortable that she didn’t second guess any of her thoughts. She was able to tune out the judgmental comments her mother might normally make and all of the doubts and insecurities that society had brainwashed her to believe. Looking into his eyes, she felt quiet. She felt calm. She loved watching him talk about things he enjoyed and smile when he got food on his mouth. They were laughing like kids would at the school lunch table.

  Nothing had tasted better than all the food they were eating. She had been on a fairly strict diet since practice started, so she was doing her best to avoid all the foods they were indulging in then. She was thin like a stick and if she over-ate e the food would definitely show through her belly. Still, the food was bringing her back to life then and giving her the fuel she needed to keep from passing out in the car.

  She didn’t want her night with Angelo to end. She wanted to be with him until the summer was over. How was she going to manage this relationship with her grandma? She started to get anxious thinking about the difficulties they might face. It was so hard to start falling in love with someone sometimes.

  The driver was still sitting outside the diner once they were done. Charlotte felt bad he had to sit in the car all night, so she decided to give him the leftovers. Having a private driver was an amazing experience she hadn’t had the luxury of before. Still, she felt guilt that he was sitting in the car all night.

  Charlotte imagined he got paid pretty well, thinking of all the things Angelo had bought that night. She could barely keep up with their drinks at the bar, let alone anything else from that night. Normally, she would get a little stressed about ordering an appetizer at a restaurant, but Angelo didn’t hold back at all. It was nice not having to worry about money for once.

  They pulled up to his house, and Charlotte wasn’t too surprised at what she saw. She hadn’t been down his road before, but she knew the houses on that block were especially nice compared to the other average houses in the neighborhood. Angelo’s was no exception. On the outside, she knew someone wealthy lived inside.

  She still wouldn’t have guessed right away that it was a billionaire. When they walked inside, Charlotte really could tell that someone with a lot of money lived there. It had a similar layout to her grandmother’s home, only twice as big. On the outside it didn’t look that grand, but once she stepped through the doors, she thought she was in a hotel. Seeing it like that was so much more startling.

  Right away, they were greeted by a running fountain in the entryway. On the left was a formal living space with a massive fireplace. On the right was a dining room with a table that could sit at least a dozen people.

  “This is incredible,” she told him, stunned at what she saw. He led her down the front hallway to a back porch. She looked through the sliding glass doors and realized how much larger his backyard was than her and her grandmother’s.

  “Thank you, I designed most of it myself. It was just an old beat-up house a decade ago, the last one to be bought on the street. My dad bought it to start renovating, but he died before he finished. I took over the rest, and I think he’d be proud,” he told Charlotte.

  Another thing Charlotte noticed right away was the great view of the back of her house from his back windows. She could see her bedroom window and imagined that if she were standing there topless, he might be able to tell.

  They walked upstairs to the bedroom, and Charlotte saw that the windows there were even better than the ones downstairs.

  “You have a pretty good view of my house; did you know that?” she asked him with sass.

  “I hadn’t even noticed,” he told her. Charlotte could tell he was lying. It was either the way his mouth was in more of a smile now or the way his eyes twitched when he said that. She looked at the other houses next to hers. She wasn’t used to the alleys, as the suburbs didn’t have the need for them as much. The lots were big enough that people could have garages attached to the house rather than situated in the backyard. It was both comforting and uncomfortable to have houses close to each other. They reminded Charlotte that she wasn’t alone, but they also felt suffocating every once in a while.

  In an attempt to change the subject and distract Charlotte, he started kissing the back of her neck. She grabbed his hands and wrapped them around her body, him pulling her in close. She turned her head slightly, wanting to turn around all the way but also not wanting to end the position they were in now. It felt nice to have him wrapped around her like that. She looked over at her house and thought about how her grandma might be wondering where she was. She couldn’t let those thoughts flood into her brain now. She just wanted to focus on his body pressed up hard against hers. She went to turn around, but he had a different plan.

  He pulled her hips into his pelvis hard, digging his mouth into her neck. He ran his lips up and down her shoulders, feeling her cold skin under his hot lips. She could feel him growing under his jeans while his body was pressed so hard into hers. She grabbed onto the edge of the window and pushed her back into his, letting him know she wanted more. He lifted her dress up, revealing a lacy thong she had been wearing for him. He knelt down and kissed her soft behind, running his hands up and down her legs. He stood back up and kissed the back of her neck again, grabbing her harder, getting more excited by the second.

  He turned her around and lifted her, Charlotte wrapping her legs around his waist. They stood in front of the window for a minute, but eventually, Angelo carried her to the bed. He tossed her down and immediately climbed on top, removing his own pants slowly. He kissed her on the bed but didn’t waste any time shoving his hand between her legs. She loved how forward he was being, using her body however he wanted. She was loving every second. He slipped off her underwear and decided to add his mouth into the mix.

  They didn’t have to be quiet this time. It was just her and Angelo in the house, and she wasn’t afraid to let him know just how much she was enjoying him kissing her down there so passionately. She let him know she couldn’t take much more, and he slowly kissed his way up, making sure to pay extra atten
tion to her breasts before kissing her once again. She grabbed his face and held him there for a moment. He had taken his pants off, and she was ready to take him all in. First, she wanted to kiss him down there just as he had done for her.

  She pushed him down onto the bed and took her dress off. While she unbuttoned his shirt, he unsnapped her bra. They were both completely naked now, and nothing felt better than the warmth of their skin touching one another. She kissed his neck back hard, slowly working her way down over his stomach and to his penis.

  She spent some time kissing the head and running it around her lips before slipping it deep inside her mouth. He let out a moan, and Charlotte knew she was doing exactly what he wanted. She spent some time down there, feeling him growing harder in her mouth with every stroke. She wasn’t sure if he wanted more, but she was ready.

  She could do whatever she wanted to him and made sure to let him know he could do whatever he wanted to her. She climbed on top of him, taking him all the way in. She moved slowly on top of him, taking in every second she could. Her legs were sore from dance, so she toppled over next to him and signaled him to get on top. He gladly climbed over her, slipping his penis in right away. They stayed like that until they both came, not taking many more strokes at all.

  “God you’re amazing,” he said, falling over next to her.

  She nuzzled up onto his chest, muscles still spasming from her orgasm.

  “You are. You’re the amazing one,” she said, catching her breath.

  Sneaking back in would be easy for Charlotte. She knew her grandmother would be expecting her back home, but it’s not like she was going to wait up all night for her return. She could spend some time sleeping next to Angelo. She just had to make sure she woke up in time to take her grandmother to the doctor in the morning. She didn’t have to work the next day, so if she ended up being a little hungover, she would survive. There wasn’t any place she wanted to be other than next to Angelo, wrapped in his arms. She turned over and faced the windows, not having any clue what time it was.