by Cam Johns
Jackson:
Not if you're not with me
Me:
Well Mr. Turner I'm sure Richard will take care of your pride and joy
Jackson:
That's what I'm worried about...
Me:
Jackson! Cut that shit out! Now!
Jackson:
I don't want another man ogling you!
Me:
I'm not doing this.
I put my phone away. Jackson can fuck up a wet dream. I head downstairs and Richard is in the foyer waiting. "You ready Karisma?" He asks, smiling and opening the door.
"I am...but are you allowed to drive whatever I'd like you to?"
"Absolutely...so we're going to the garage?" I smile and nod. I might as well take advantage of being chauffeured. We get to the main garage and take an elevator down to the underground floor to his other cars. And there are a lot…too many if you ask me. I spot the one I'd like to ride in almost immediately. It's got large rims, the paint is a shining blue, tan interior and looks very roomy back there.
"That one." I say eagerly.
He laughs. "Yes...you seem like a Phantom woman."
"A Phantom...well I like it." He opens the door for me to climb in. I fall right back into the seat, wanting to just sleep back here. I recline the seat as Richard jumps in the front.
"You ready Madame." he says smiling through the rearview.
I giggle. "Yes...please continue driver." I say playfully. He pulls out of the garage and off the property. Everything just looks different from back here. The smell and feel of premium leather relaxes me immediately.
"Mall first Karisma?" I nod and smile. Once there, walking in I see people looking at me for some reason.
"Richard, is there something on me?"
"No ma'am." He says curiously.
"Why are people staring?" He stops at the newsstand and pays for a magazine.
"Probably this." It's an entrepreneur article based solely on Jackson. The middle photo is of me and him at the fundraiser tagged Jackson Turner with his new love Karisma Washington dressed to impress.
"What the hell?" I whisper. I decide to take it home and read it later. "Okay, there are just a couple of things I want to get for Jackson...and a few for me. I won't be long."
"Don’t mind me." He says smiling. As I head up to Michael Kors a young lady with a baby stops me. Richard tries to step between us but I tell him not to. After all she looks so tiny and harmless, what would she possibly do to me?
"Hi...Miss Washington?" She asks nervously.
"Yes...how can I help you?" I ask smiling, but mainly playing with the baby in her arms.
"I was wondering if you'd take a pic with me."
"With me?" She nods and I accept. Richard takes her phone to take a picture. The three of us take the photo, but then the baby reaches for me so I take her in my arms eagerly. I hold her and play as she laughs that cute baby laugh. The mother just continues take snap photos. "Okay, bye little one. Have a good day." I say smiling. Wow totally weird. I guess Jackson having a woman is a big deal for some reason. I go through the stores, getting what I wanted for Jackson with people pointing and stopping to take pictures. I can't have fun shopping like this. "Okay Richard. I think we should go."
"Yeah...you're probably right." He says leading me out. When he gets to the door he sees the paparazzi before I do. Wow is Jackson that serious? "Okay...Karisma, I’ll walk alongside you; just keep walking straight to the car and get in front." I nod nervously. We walk out and I follow his instructions as they snap away, trying to keep me from going forward. Richard just knocks them out the way. Eventually, we make it to the car, but Richard still has to get out.
"Oh...I'm so sorry Richard." We finally make our way through the parking lot. "Forget the movies, just take me home please." I just want to get in the house. When we pull into the gate at home Richard's phone rings. My heart sinks because I have a feeling its Jackson.
"No sir...I didn't know...Yes sir...okay sir." He hands me the phone.
"Hello." I say nervously.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He snaps.
"What?" I say softly.
"Dammit Karisma…what the fuck is the problem?! Why aren't you responding to me?!" He says snapping. I start to tear up as he yells at me. Wait...why I am letting him talk to me like this? I hung up the phone and hand it to Richard.
When he parks I jump out with the bag I held onto and run upstairs to our room. I sit on the bed, crying and upset but still manage to put his gift together and place it in my closet. I don’t want to be bothered. Walking into the extra room and locking the door, I lay in the bed crying myself to sleep. I wake up groggy to knocking at the door. "Go away Jackson!" I shout. He stops and I fall back to sleep.
When I open my eyes again it’s dark outside. I look at the time: it's 8. I hear another knock at the door. "Karisma its Lizzie." She says softly. I open the door for her and she has a plate of food, a wine bottle and glasses.
"C'mon." I say letting her in. I turn on the lights and open the balcony door as she puts the food on the bed and pours wine. "Why are you here?" I ask, taking a bite of the chicken sandwich she brought me.
"Why else...Jackson." She sits handing me my wine.
"God...I really wish he would stop involving you guys." I say annoyed.
"Well he called Jonathan, worried when you wouldn't come out. It scares him that he can’t control you."
"You should've heard the way he talked down to me. It was unsettling."
"Yeah...he told me what he said. I yelled at him for both of us." We laugh, high fiving each other. "But guess what?" she says smiling.
I laugh. "You have the juicy gossip look."
"You're trending." She says giddy, whipping out her phone showing me all these reports and Twitter feeds.
"What! Hashtag babyfever?" I giggle when I see myself looking at the baby laughing.
"You look beautiful Kay… Jackson loves this picture." she says smiling.
"Wait.... hashtag best-butt-in-jeans...oh my god!" I laugh really loud and Lizzie joins me. "Jackson saw this...and that's why he got pissed."
"He was like ‘I told her ass not to wear that shit!’" she says imitating him. We both crack up laughing. After we drink the last of the wine, Jonathan comes upstairs.
"Hey big booty girl." he says. I toss a throw pillow at him.
"That's not funny!" I say giggling.
"So...can you go talk to him now?" he says walking over to me.
I stand to hug him. "What would he do without you guys?" He shrugs and gathers our mess then heads downstairs.
"So, you're okay now?" Lizzie asks.
"Yes...thank you." She holds her hand out and I follow her downstairs.
In the foyer she gives me a hug as Jonathan comes to do the same. Jackson's sitting in his chair looking beautifully pitiful. I wave as they leave, then turn to walk over to him. "Shall we talk?" I say, standing in front of him as he leans back in his chair, not responding. "I guess not then." I walk away toward the kitchen and get some more wine. I'm thinking I may need it. When I turn around Jackson is in the doorway. I lift myself up on the counter and sip my wine...waiting. He finally comes over to me, standing between my legs and placing his palms on either side of me. He places his forehead against mine, nuzzling my nose.
"Why do you scare me like this?"
"Scare you?" I ask curiously.
"Every time you get this angry I-I just don't want to lose you."
"Jackson-" He kisses me softly and slowly. It feels…desperate. Mmmm…what were we arguing about again?
"A friend sent me the video of you leaving the mall…I just got so mad."
"Why? Richard was there."
"Because I wasn't there. That's too many people for one guard."
"Okay, but when you heard I was fine, why’d you still yell?" He walks away from me.
"Cause you wouldn’t answer my calls or texts?" His blues now angry.
"Hones
tly, after the last text I sent I just didn't want to talk anymore. It was in my purse." He starts to calm himself as he stares at me, taking a sip of wine. "And even though you were being your normal ass self, I got you something." He smiles, walking back to me, putting his hands on my thighs and kissing me quickly.
"Have you seen Twitter?" he says calmly.
I giggle. "I have, baby."
"You think that shit's funny...now everyone's ogling you."
"Well...at least you don't have to worry about Richard." He scoops me to his waist looking at me with sad blues.
"I'm sorry Karisma."
"I hope you'll get tired of that soon." I say sarcastically. He puts me against the wall and kisses me softly.
"I do say that a lot these days." His eyes turned a more somber blue. I grab his hair and kiss him quickly.
"So... how was the clinic?" He finally smiles again, taking his phone out handing it to me. The lock screen has the photo of me and him from the benefit.
"I like that picture." he says with a huge smile. "Swipe the screen and put in 0-6-1-6...Jonathan makes me keep a lock on it." I smile, happy that he's not hiding anything. "Go to the photos." The app opens up to the clinic and I scroll the work that needs to be done.
"Looks like you'll have your hands full, baby." I say handing him his phone back.
"Yeah, but it'll be worth it I think."
"Ready to see what I got you?" I ask eagerly. He nods and kisses me slowly as he carries me upstairs. Stopping at the closet he leans me against the wall and kisses me harder. "Babe." I muffle out giggling. He growls and slides me down. "I think you like having control over me Mr. Turner."
"It's the only time you let me." He says playfully.
"True." I pull out the photo album first, handing it to him. He smiles after reading the front: Jackson's 30th Birthday. As he flips through the book seeing all the great photos Mrs. Johnson took, his smile just gets bigger and bigger. The last two photos are the group shots and the photo of Jackson and his mother.
"Thank you so much baby." he says, looking up from the book and leaning in to kiss me. Then I hand him the Tiffany's bag. "Something else for me?" I nod, smiling as he takes it. He opens the box slowly. His eyes light up when he sees the watch. It's stainless steel chronograph watch with a blue face.
"Look on the back." He reads what I had engraved silently.
Our Love is Timeless
Eternally Yours,
Kay
He stares at it longer than he needs to have read it before a smile finally appears on his face. He puts it back in the box and puts the bag down out of the way. He doesn't say anything, he just walks over staring down into me. He’s not smiling or disappointed, he just starts unbuttoning my jeans and taking them off. He takes his pants off, never looking away from my eyes, then rips my panties off once again. God! He should really work on his patience. He picks me up and puts me on the center island. He kisses me feverishly as I feel his dick poking at my clit. He wants me. I want him. He enters me slowly and stays at a slow pace as he returns to my lips. I unbutton his shirt and take it off so I can feel his body. He doesn't speak…his blues just stare through me. We continue like this, making love, staring at each other and knowing. Knowing that this is where we belong...encompassed by our love for each other.
After releasing inside me, he holds me tight. "Karisma...I don't deserve you." he whispers. He pulls out of me and lifts me out of the closet and into the bedroom. "Do you wanna shower first?" I nod yes. He carries me to the bathroom, my head on his shoulder, and steps into the shower, still holding me. Turning the water on he slides me down and washes me silently as I watch him, wondering why he's so sad. After I wash him we rinse together, his blues staring down at me sedately. He steps out getting a towel and pulls me out to dry me, then himself. He picks me up and carries me to the bed putting me in the center as usual. Something's wrong...I don't want to pry. After he turns off the lights and opens the balcony doors he lays in the bed pulling me on him.
"Are you ok?" I ask quietly. He doesn’t answer, just lifts my chin and kisses me sensually. I feel his desperate touch radiate through me.
"Sleep." He commands. Well at least he said something. I fall asleep, worried and unsettled.
The next morning I wake up to Jackson's kiss. I drink in his smell before opening my eyes to see him fully dressed in his suit. "I have to go...you should get up." He says softly.
"You're leaving?" I pout.
"I'll see you at work." He says kissing me softly. Something's bothering him. I watch him leave before getting out of the bed. I'm dressed, eaten and out the house within an hour. Walking to my desk, I decide to make plans to meet Jackson for lunch...I have to know what's going on.
"Michael, can you tell me if Jackson has time for lunch?" He puts my mail on my desk while scrolling his tablet. I open the large manila envelope first, pulling out its contents. My heart stops as I stare at it…it can't be. My breathing gets heavy as the feelings in my legs give out and I'm on the floor. I hear Michael faintly asking what's wrong, but I’m unable to answer him. Jackson's words keep replaying in my head. I don’t deserve you. My pain turns to anger. I push Michael out of the way, finding my legs charging toward Jackson's office. When I get there I see him on the phone. I walk in, close the door and draw the blinds. "Get off the phone!" I shout. He must see the anger in my eyes because he gets off the phone and stands immediately.
"Karisma-" he says softly. I slam the photos on his desk. He picks them up, staring in horror. I actually see the color leave his face.
"How could you!" I yell.
"Karisma-"
"You promised me!" I interrupt as tears pour from my face. He walks toward me. "Don't you fucking come near me!"
"Karisma, please this isn't me." He says calmly holding the pictures.
"Are you fucking kidding? That's exactly where you were yesterday!" I shout remembering the pictures he showed me on his phone.
"Please...calm down-"
"Calm down!" Before I know it I slapped him. His eyes are shocked and in pain.
"C'mon you know me." I slap him on the other cheek. I don’t know shit apparently. "Would you stop hitting me?" I walk toward him and he backs up.
"I want you to feel what I'm feeling. My heart is literally hurting right now." I start sobbing, grabbing at my chest. "I’m in physical pain...Jackson." I see him tearing up and I know I have to leave. He tries to grab at me but I swat his hand away. "You made me give you my heart and you've destroyed me...don't come looking for me." I say staring into his hurt eyes. I walk away and he flies in front of me.
"Don’t go...please listen." I stand there with my head down not speaking as the tears fall. "Karisma this isn't me...I wouldn't do this...just-" He pauses and I can tell he's fighting to keep his hands off me. "Give me time to figure this out." I can hear the sincerity in his quivering voice. I want to believe him, but because of Kevin my trust in men has a limit.
"24 hours." I whisper.
"Are you going home?"
"Doesn’t feel like home right now." He lifts my head with his finger and I look into his wet eyes. He closes them as I see a tear fall down his cheek. I reach up slowly and wipe it. "I really hope you're not lying." I drop my hand, walking around him and out the door. I walk briskly to my office to grab my things and tell Michael to clear my calendar for the rest of the week. Luckily, I drove today so I pull out of the garage, thinking of where to go, trying to stay calm.
As long as we own that place you have a room to go to. Daddy always comes to the rescue. I head to the hotel, tossing my phone out the window. Once there, I tell the woman at the desk our alias, Hummingbird, and they give me the key. I head up calmly, trying desperately not to think of anything. Once I go in the room and close the door, I fall to the floor sobbing.
When I finally stop and pick myself off the floor its dark outside. I head to the bedroom, stripping as I go, trying to understand how it got to this. I try to go with the possibility that th
e photos are fake, but I couldn't. Do I deserve this? I must. Or maybe it’s just more plausible to believe someone like him would get bored of me eventually. Tears form again and I sob into the pillow, falling asleep. I wake up the next morning, forgetting where I was until I turn and Jackson isn’t there. I pry myself off the bed to use the bathroom and go back to sleep. This becomes my routine for days. Sadness and despair overcome me, and I'm unable to function or move from the bed.
Jackson
It’s Tuesday early morning when I finally go home. However, this doesn’t feel like home anymore since she’s not here. I can’t believe this is happening. She was so…hurt and angry. A feeling I know all too well. And to think, she felt that way from something she thinks I did. What the hell am I going to do if Jonathan can’t find the truth? I walk upstairs to our bedroom, remembering our weekend together. I stare at the bed and can’t go anywhere near it. I sit on the couch with my head in my hands impatiently waiting for Jonathans call.
That call doesn’t come for two days. Two days without her seemed like an eternity. Now that I finally know who’s behind this shit, I can’t find her. Dammit Karisma! After this, there’s no way I can tell her anything that will scare her away. Fuck that shit! I couldn’t even be without her these past few days.
Karisma
I feel someone running their fingers through my hair. Clearly I must be dreaming, but I blink my eyes open as the light blinds me. I turn over and see Jackson sitting on the bed. I jump up, pulling my knees to my chest. "How did you get in here?" He looks tired, as if he hasn't been sleeping. He's wearing jeans and a T-shirt smelling absolutely divine. His sexiness, however, is pissing me off.
"I got the key from the front desk." He says softly.
"And they just gave it to you?"
"Because of who I am...yes." His answer totally annoys me…arrogant ass!
"Why are you here?" He hands me the same envelope but there was another photo…the real one. Jackson's imposter looks similar but certainly isn't. "Why?" He puts his head down silently not responding. "Tell me." I command.
"Kevin."
"What? No." I say in disbelief. "Son of a bitch!" I snap.
“Turns out the contractor I hired is a friend of his. He got him to do this for him, but Jonathan persuaded him to tell the truth.” I don’t think I want to know what he means by “persuaded” him.