“Your wannabe-boyfriend.”
I laughed at his comment. “Decklon’s a sweetheart.”
“...who wanted to be more.”
“What about you and your ex—or should I say, ‘fiancé’?”
“What?!”
I bit my nails nervously, trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject. “Delilah Jones.”
“She was a woman who I briefly had a casual thing with two years ago.”
“So, you weren’t engaged? And you aren’t engaged now?” I asked.
“Laila, where is this coming from?” he asked.
“My client is Delilah Jones, and she stormed into my office, demanding to know why I was dating her fiancé.”
“For one thing, I haven’t seen her in almost two years, and for another, all my time is spent with you.”
“But were you two close? Like, ready to commit and in love?” I investigated, pulling the covers tight under my chin.
“No, I was still running a campaign, while I was trying to transition from being a lawyer.”
“She has a very different idea of what you two were.”
“That doesn’t matter to me. It matters to you, though, so get it out of your head.”
“Okay.”
“I’m serious, Laila. It’s in the past, and we didn’t have anything beyond sex.”
“Like us?”
He groaned at my comment. “What we have is nothing like what I had with Delilah,” he argued.
I felt deep in my heart that it was true, but my head was telling me differently. “I trust you.”
“Do you? Because I can come over there and show you how much you mean to me,” he said.
I giggled. “No, that’s okay.”
“Fine, but I want to see you soon.”
“I have work, and then I’m hanging out with my parents tomorrow night. I’ll call you when I get a chance,” I said.
He grunted like a big baby who wasn’t getting his way, and I laughed. “Don’t keep me waiting too long, or Tony will bring you to me,” Sebastian demanded.
I rolled my eyes. Whenever he got in this mood, I just let him talk, because nothing I said would have convinced him to keep his distance from me. “Of course, Mr. President.”
He moaned at my words. “I’m picturing you wearing panties, and a large t-shirt right now. Am I right?” he asked.
I lifted the covers and laughed. I was wearing exactly that. “How did you know?” I asked.
“I know my woman,” Sebastian answered.
I scoffed. “Anyway, go to sleep. You have to continue saving the world.”
He chortled. “Goodbye, beautiful.” He hung up.
I placed the phone back on the charger and pulled the covers tight in my arms. I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep while thinking of our last sexual encounter.
Chapter 9: Laila
I WAS AT MY PARENTS’ house, helping them clean the garage and hanging out with them since I’d finished work early that day. I didn’t feel up to a repeat of Delilah showing up, so I wrapped up most of my clients early and rescheduled the others. My mother made lunch, and we worked on her garden, and then packed up some old items to donate to charity. My father had been piling up so much junk in the garage that they had to park both of their cars on the street.
“Dad, what do you want me to do with your old records?” I held them up.
“I know your mother isn’t throwing those away.” He approached me and checked through the box. It was a large array of vinyl records that had been sitting in the garage for years. Most of them had dust on them, and he barely listened to them.
“Tim, you never listen to those records.” My mother wiped her brow with the back of her hand. The garage door was open while we separated things, but the humidity outside was still high.
“Because I couldn’t find them, dear,” Dad replied, taking the box out of my hands.
“Dad, the point of this cleaning is to make room in the garage.”
“I will when I find something that isn’t as valuable as my records,” he replied, and my mom waved him off.
“That’s the guy you married,” I joked.
“A hoarder,” Mom said.
“Laila, don’t get your mother started. I’m still not over your little boyfriend situation,” Dad said.
“I apologized about that, Daddy. It wasn’t Sebastian’s fault.”
“He’s a grown man. Let him apologize for himself.” Dad picked up his toolbox and pushed it back on top of the cabinet.
“Leave her alone, Tim.” Mom passed me a glass of lemonade.
“Thanks.”
“When am I meeting this boyfriend of yours, anyway?” he asked.
“Hopefully, soon.”
“Make it very soon—as in this week,” Dad said and grabbed a cup of lemonade off the table.
We continued packing and labeling boxes for the next two hours, until I left and headed home to run a hot bath. I was walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist when my phone vibrated. I picked it up and scrolled through a group text message between Cristin, Katherine, and me.
Cristin: We’re almost at your place. Get dressed.
Me: Why?
Katherine: Cristin needs to unwind and wants to go to the club.
Me: I had a long day with my parents.
Katherine: Which means you need this.
Me: I’m not staying out late.
Cristin: Get dressed and stop complaining.
Me: I hate you.
Cristin: You know you love me.
Sebastian would still be pissed that I hadn’t talked to him yet about coming over, but tonight I needed to feel like a regular girl, and not the president’s girlfriend.
I dropped the phone on the bed and strolled to the closet to find something to wear for tonight. My hair was still decent from earlier when I had it in a bun. So, I grabbed a black jumpsuit out of the closet and gold heels to hurry up and put on before they got there. I applied minimal makeup and sprayed a little perfume.
I heard a car horn honking, and I looked out the bedroom window and saw Cristin’s Audi, blaring throughout the neighborhood. Mostly younger couples lived around here, and noise wasn’t a big deal. I grabbed my purse, bracelet, keys, and phone and headed out of my bedroom. I turned all the lights out and went to Cristin’s car. I opened the back door, and they squealed in excitement.
“Sexy! Somebody’s trying to get laid tonight,” Cristin teased.
“This is not sexy. You think I need to change?” I questioned, hesitating to go out in public and have blogs and the press talk about me.
“It’s fine; there’s only a little breast showing,” Katherine said.
I looked down at my cleavage. “Just hurry up, so we can get this night over with.”
“Buckle up, buttercup,” Cristin said, backing out of the driveway and turning at the stop sign to head toward the city.
Cristin drove like a manic, and we arrived at Club Onyx, an upscale club that most people in the political circle went to hang out and meet other people in the same business. It was the kind of place that they could go to without feeling like they had to pretend to be something they weren’t.
Cristin parked, and we jumped out and went inside. We went toward the bar first and ordered drinks. The bass from the music had the whole place vibrating. Strobe lights moved throughout the venue. It was a two-story building with a VIP area on top. The waitresses wore black tights and crop tops with fanny packs to hold their tips in.
“What can I get you ladies?” the bartender asked.
“I want a Long Island Iced Tea, and a shot of patron on the side,” Cristin said.
“I’ll have a Jack and Coke, and a shot of patron, please,” Katherine explained.
He turned toward me for my order.
“Can I get a Long Island Iced Tea, as well, please?” I asked.
“That’s my girl!” Cristin yelled over the loud crowd as they started waving their han
ds in the air.
“No men tonight!” Katherine shouted excitedly. I smirked, and she stuck her tongue out and pushed her ass in the air to twerk.
“Speak for yourself. Mama’s looking to take somebody home,” Cristin said.
“Boo, you're no fun.” Katherine grabbed her shot and passed the other one to me.
“I didn’t order this,” I said.
“On the house,” the bartender told me and walked off.
“Oh, he is cute,” Cristin remarked and blew a kiss at him.
“Let's go see who’s in VIP,” Katherine said.
“We can’t just go walking up there.” I blocked her from walking up the stairs.
“It’ll be fine. Besides, I know one of the guys who’s here tonight,” Katherine mentioned.
I sucked my teeth, having known this was a setup all along. “You lied to me about being out front.”
“Stop worrying; it’ll be fine, no one will notice you,” Cristin said.
“Not if the newspapers get a hold of this,” I complained, putting my hand on my hip.
Cristin booty-bumped me, and I smacked her on the ass. “Hey, you know I like that shit. Let’s go; we’ll be fine.” Cristin grasped my palm.
I followed as Katherine led us through the crowd. The DJ started yelling for people to throw their hands in the air. I bumped into a hard body, and they grabbed me around the waist to keep me from falling. “Sorry, sexy,” the guy said.
“It’s fine,” I responded.
He grabbed my hand to stop me from leaving. I jerked my hand away before he could place a kiss atop it. “Damn, are you spoken for or something?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said and ignored him as he grinned, looking at me as a challenge.
We made it upstairs, and Katherine hugged a guy who was sitting and talking to another man. He had short dreads, a gold chain around his neck, and an expensive watch that I’d seen too many times on Sebastian’s wrist.
“Laila, I want you to meet Keon,” Katherine said. “He works in the White House, in the Communications Department.”
I gave him a wave and sat next to Cristin and two other girls in the corner. There were about seven other people there: four guys, and two girls, not including us. I took a sip of my drink.
“You look just as bored as me,” a deep voice muttered in my ear.
I looked to my left, and a guy with a trimmed beard, full lips, and a wide grin winked at me. “Is it that obvious?”
“I understand; I just got out of a thing, and my friends forced me here tonight.”
I nodded, crossing my legs as I smiled at the dimple in his chin. He looked younger than me.
“Whoever the guy is, he’s foolish to have you walking around with no light in your eyes,” he added.
“What if it's me who’s doing the heartbreaking?” I challenged, reaching over to grab a glass of champagne after finishing my Long Island Iced Tea.
He held his chest in shock. “Don’t tell me it was you. That will hurt my feelings.”
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Moses. What’s yours?” He extended a hand for me.
I took it to shake. “Laila.”
“Well, Laila, we’re both in the same boat, so let's have fun and forget about our problems,” Moses said, lifting his glass for a toast.
“To forgetting about relationships,” I said and took a gulp, then grabbed the bottle to refill my glass.
After 30 minutes, I’d found out that Moses worked at a local political blog and had just broken up with his girlfriend. It was probably stupid to be talking with him, but I wasn’t feeling like myself. I got up and started dancing with my friends, then Moses came over to dance with me. The club was blasting “Obsessed” by Mariah Carey, and I lip-synched along with it as I twirled my hips and raised my hands in the air. I was feeling good, with no cares in the world, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked behind me, and my face fell flat. “What are you are doing here?” I questioned, glancing from left to right.
“He sent me to get you,” Tony said.
“Is everything all right?” Moses asked, placing his arm around my shoulders.
I stepped out of his reach. “I need to go. Thanks for dancing with me, Moses.” I tried to step away and look for Cristin and Katherine.
Moses gripped my elbow. “Wait! Can I get your number?” Moses asked.
Tony looked down at his hand.
I yanked my arm out of his hold and shook my head. “No, sorry. It was nice meeting you, though.” I headed over to Katherine, who was talking with her friends.
“I was looking for you,” Katherine slurred and tried to stand.
“I’m leaving; are you coming with me?”
“Why? It’s so early.” Katherine wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me in close.
“You're drunk, and I need to get going.” I motioned to Tony.
Her eyes lit up. “Oh... shit,” Katherine quipped and removed her arm. She put her drink down and tried to stand straight.
“Yeah, so, are you coming with me or not?”
“Yes, because I don’t need the Secret Service coming in here and blowing up my high,” Katherine fussed, glaring at Tony.
Cristin met us at the door as we left, and I drove home in the back of the car with Tony. I closed the door when I stepped into my place a few minutes later, and my phone vibrated with a message.
Sebastian: I hope you enjoyed yourself.
Me: You didn’t need to send Tony.
Sebastian: What else am I supposed to do when you ignore me?
Me: I said I needed space, but I’ll see you soon.
Sebastian: Good because I’m done with this back and forth.
I closed the text messages and turned my phone off. I went to my bedroom and grabbed some clothes to take a shower and head to bed. It had been a long day and night. Plus, having Tony pop up at the club was the biggest thing Sebastian had done next to Camp David. He wouldn’t let me keep running any longer.
Chapter 10: Laila
One Week Later
I’D GONE A WEEK WITHOUT seeing him, and it was unbearable. I’d done nothing but go to work and go back home, spending time with my family and friends.
Staying off social media had been the best therapy for me. The press was hounding me every second, trying to get me to talk or agree to an interview for a magazine. That was never my style.
I got out of the car and walked into Southern Charm Restaurant, wearing shades and a wig. Penelope had asked me to meet her there for lunch, and at first, I refused, but I needed to start living my life for me.
I told the hostess that I was meeting someone, and I gave Penelope’s name. She motioned to the private booth in the back corner.
“Thank you,” I said and headed to the back. The restaurant wasn’t as busy at this time of day, so we’d have more privacy than usual.
“You finally made the leap out of the hole,” Penelope teased and stood to hug me.
I put my purse down on the table and grabbed a menu. “I had no other options, since someone threatened to come to my house and pick me up.”
“Really? I wonder who that was,” she joked.
“How are you?” I asked.
“I should be asking you that question.”
“Hello, I’m Carol, your waitress. Would you like to start with drinks?” she asked.
“Can I get a cup of tea, please?” I said, flipping the menu over to check the specials.
“A glass of wine, please,” Penelope said.
“Coming right up,” Carol responded and strolled to the bar.
“So, tell me how you feel,” Penelope urged.
“Paranoid, empty, pissed, and missing him,” I muttered lowly and crossed my arms over my chest.
“That’s love.”
“Ugh... and I hate it,” I groaned, feeling like a lovesick woman.
“I preached to all you girls about not getting involved with a man seriously.”
“I don’t
just blame him; it’s Carlton’s fault, too.”
“Have you talked to Carlton?” she asked.
I thought about when I’d burst in on Carlton a week ago and cursed him out.
One Week Earlier
“JIMMY, GET THIS OVER to the committee; I want it filed immediately,” Carlton said
“Sir, I tried to stop her,” his secretary said.
I marched inside, not caring if anyone saw me.
“It’s all right, Samantha. Jimmy, give me a few minutes,” Carlton said. The door closed, and I glared at him. “You still look gorgeous, Laila,” Carlton said.
“Why did you do it? What would possess you to throw my name out like that?”
“I didn’t do anything. Your boyfriend was the one who made the announcement.” He smirked.
“You're jealous. Is that what this is about?”
He rolled his eyes. “Jealous of what? I had you first—and plenty of other women, too,” he fussed.
“Then why would you throw me under the bus to get back at him?”
“Before you made that decision, you should have given me a chance.’
“All we had was a business transaction. Nothing more.”
“Says who?” Carlton argued.
My eyes grew wide at his question. “Carlton, I never felt that way about you. I don’t know what you and Sebastian have going on but keep me out of it,” I snapped.
“That bastard is jealous of me and takes everything that was mine first,” he remarked.
I stood there, watching a deranged and confused man confess. “I want you to fix this now,” I said, closing the space between us.
“Come home with me, and I’ll make sure it goes away.” Carlton caressed my cheek.
I moved out of his hold. “The way I figure it, it’s in your best interest to make this right, or I’ll spill a lot more in a tell-all book,” I lied, just to make sure that he knew I was serious about getting my name out of the press.
“Are you threatening me?” Carlton narrowed his eyes into slits.
“I think you can take it how you want. Just fix this now,” I said and turned to walk out of his office.
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