“Aye!!!” Harlow yelled and started twerking on me. I laughed and made sure to twerk my shit extra hard for Hayden. Harlow laughed as we danced next to each other. She stepped off of the dancefloor and came back with Inga and Elsie. I rolled my eyes but continued to dance.
“Twerk for me it’s my birthday!!” Harlow yelled. Jaycion stood up and walked up on her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered something in her ear. She calmed down a little bit but she was still hype. Eric walked up behind me the same time as Hayden and Elijah stepped onto the dancefloor. I couldn’t even concentrate on my dancing because the way Hayden hugged Inga from the back was the same way he used to be up on me. I closed my eyes and massaged my ass all into Eric’s groin. Suddenly he was jerked back then the music stopped. The lights were turned on and we all looked around.
“Officers, what exactly is the problem? I’m Eric Sanders,” Eric said trying to break free from the police officers hold. We were surrounded by five cops and surprisingly their eyes were on Eric. The officer restraining Eric started to read him his Miranda rights as they cuffed him. I was very confused at what was going on.
“What the fuck are you doing? Hayden is over there!” I yelled to the officer. The officer cuffing Eric turned to me.
“Mr. Sanders is being arrested for allegedly running an escort service. He is the man we are looking for,” he said before pulling him away. Eric eye’s grey eyes looked at me and he shook his head. I couldn’t tell if he knew what was up or not because he was quickly pulled away. Did they not know how many niggas up in here was rich off of drug money yet they were taking my educated man away from me? I looked around the club and all eyes were on me. I spotted Hayden sitting by the bar holding a drink with a smirk on his face. I walked over to him and knocked that shit out of his hand. He grabbed my wrist as I tried to hit him again.
“Aye, don’t put your damn hands on me,” he said through gritted teeth. I struggled to hit him again as I looked into his eyes.
“I swear I fucking hate you! I hate you so fucking much! I don’t know how but I know you got something to do with this. You a bitch ass nigga!” I yelled. I struggled for a few more minutes before I just broke down.
“Tegan calm down,” Hayden said standing up while still holding my hands.
“Hayden, what the fuck is going on?” Inga asked. I looked at her and frowned. I was so damn tired. I didn’t have any energy to even curse her ass out.
“Nothing baby, I’ll be right back. Let me get Tegan together,” he replied and pulled me away.
“Do what you gotta do then Hayden and take care of Tegan,” Inga said to our backs as we walked off. I expected Hayden to stop walking but he didn’t. He mumbled something up under his breath as he led me out of the club and to his car. He unlocked the car doors and helped me get into the front seat. I sat down and wiped my face as he climbed into the driver’s seat. We both sat silent for a minute. I replayed our conversation from earlier and it all started to make sense.
“So getting Eric locked up wasn’t personal huh?” I asked looking over at him. Hayden allowed for his seat to go back as far as it would go.
“Tegan it’s been a long night. I’ma get myself together for a minute and then I’ma take you home,” he replied ignoring my question.
“Fuck going home, I need answers Hayden. How did you get Eric locked up? Why would you do this to me?”
“Why do you think I did anything, to get back at you? I don’t know why the fuck he got locked up tonight. How much pull do you think I got ‘T’? When I said it’s nothing personal I was just talking about our situation in general. How I’m with Inga now. I didn’t know that nigga was about to get knocked,” Hayden said looking over at me. I shook my head as he lied to my face.
“I swear…these bullshit ass lies might work with your new wife but they don’t convince me. You have fought two cases and made it off without so much as probation so you got all types of pull. I mean, Eric did some fucked up things Hayden but to get him locked up? I mean…wow,” I said shaking my head.
“He gave no fucks when it came to me getting locked up so I’m not about to sit right here and talk with you about this shit like I feel sorry for that nigga because I don’t. What he need to be is grateful that he is alive now where the fuck do you want me to drop you off at?” Hayden asked. I just stared at him wondering what things would have been like if I would have never cheated with Eric. Would we even be together right now? Would I be pregnant instead of Inga? Would we be happy?
As Hayden fixed his seat and drove off, I vowed to myself that I would get over him. That I would let him go because for him to do me like this, it showed that he had been let me go. Shit…I just didn’t wanna see it.
****
Senator’s son busted in prostitution ring, taking it to court but the allegations against him are strong and so is the evidence. Supposed video proof that he was involved with several of the escorts that worked for him and he was making ten-thousand dollars off each date that they went on. His mother, ex-Senator, has not released a statement at the moment. More details will be discussed later.
The day after Harlow’s party, the news hit about Eric’s involvement with a prostitution ring that had supposedly brought in millions. I knew Hayden and I knew how he operated. It was not a doubt in my mind that he was the one running the prostitution ring and somehow he found a way to set up Eric. Eric refuses to talk to me and I didn’t blame him but still I would like to know how he was doing; plus, I was a little pissed because they have video of him having sex with a lot of the escorts. I wanted to know if he were sleeping with them while sleeping with me. Hell that question was the reason why I was now leaving out of my doctor’s office. I had to get an emergency check-up just to make sure I was free of any diseases. I can’t even remember the last time Eric and I used a condom.
Once my doctor told me they would call me if I needed to come back for anything, I rushed to go to my car because I was extremely late getting Hasan from Hayden. I walked out of the door and bumped into a hard body not paying attention to where he was going. My doctor’s office was located in a huge building that housed other offices. I frowned and looked at the man that didn’t move out of the walk way for me. I had no clue if he was going into the door that I came out of, or trying to get by me so that he could walk towards the other side of the parking lot. I looked up and was met with a familiar face that had been plastered all over the television screens. I took a step back and a smile slowly spread across my face.
“Um hi,” I spoke trying to not sound like a groupie or fan but wow, when I say he was so much finer in person than he was on television I wasn’t exaggerating. A smile stretched across his handsome face as he looked at me. His skin was a smooth, chocolate brown complexion, sort of like mine. He was tall with a football player’s build on him. You could tell that he worked out on the regular just from the way the material from his black collared shirt stretched across his body and clung to his muscles. I lustfully eyed his body feeling a bit sinful because of who he was. He had low cut, wavy black hair with hazel, slanted eyes that popped out at you, because of the way they bounced off his dark skin. He looked perfect. I don’t think there was any other way to describe him. He held his hand out to me like the gentleman I knew he was.
“Domani,” he said in a sexy ass deep voice. My eyes went to his Adam’s apple and I swallowed the lump that was in my throat; damn if that wasn’t sexy on him. A part of me felt uncomfortable ogling over a pastor but hell, he was a man and he was very, very sexy. He squeezed my hand pulling me out of my inappropriate thoughts. I smiled, embarrassed by my actions.
“I’m Tegan and I know who you are. The famous pastor slash musician slash reported billionaire slash philanthropist um…-motivational speaker. I guess I could go on and on but it’s nice to meet you Domani Miles. I’ve been to your church before and the service was really nice,” I replied. He smiled still holding my hand. Just being around him was an experience. I felt a feeling I
had never felt before.
“So why didn’t you come say hi,” he said back. I knew pastors weren’t perfect but I didn’t know they flirted like this either or maybe it was me looking more into his smile and hoping that he was flirting with me.
“Um...truthfully I was there with my ex-husband so…” Domani smiled as he let my hand go. Just the loss of his touch dampened my mood.
“I see. You still could have come to say hi. I have a service tonight that you could attend. It’s my last service I’m doing for the week. I have to go to Africa next week for some mission work and a fundraiser, but I would love it if you would come tonight and hear the word,” he said looking down at me.
“Domani, it’s time,” an older woman that resembled him said out of the window of a black Maybach. Domani nodded not taking his eyes off of me.
“Okay ma, just give me a second,” he said. She nodded as she gave me an onceover. She smiled at me then the car window rolled back up giving us privacy.
“I have to go get my son but maybe I can catch a service next time you are in town.” Domani shook his head as he pulled out a business card. He handed it to me.
“If you don’t have any obligations you should come tonight,” he said and stepped towards me. I put the business card in my purse and Domani pulled me into a hug. His scent, his presence and his touch was almost too much to bear. I closed my eyes as they watered. For some reason I felt safe with him, I felt like I knew him when I didn’t. The crazy feeling that he pulled out of me made me pull back. Domani’s eyes saddened as they looked down at me. He grabbed the bottom of my face and pulled up to meet his eyes.
“He loves you and you are worthy. He wants you to know that all you need in this world to survive is His love. He’s got you. Will I see you tonight?” he asked again. He looked at me as if he knew my pain. I figured why not? I had tried everything else, why not try God and see if he could help me? I looked at Domani and nodded as a few tears slid down my face. He smiled as he wiped them away. “Don’t worry, whatever you’re going through it has already been taken care of. See you tonight.” He smiled at me once more before he walked off. He left behind an energy that did in fact comfort me. I hugged myself as I watched him slide into the back of his Maybach. It slowly pulled off and out of the parking lot. I made my way to my car with a small smile on my face.
Hours later, I found myself along with my son, inside of a church. I had never been a religious person. I believed in God and I prayed but I never attended church on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I was one of those people that went on the holidays or when they needed some of God’s immediate intervention in their lives.
Domani’s church was big but not in a stadium type of way. I’ve been to some church’s that looked like Ford Field or looked like they were a business more than a church. Now his church was on the bigger side but it managed to still give you a warm, welcome feeling when you entered it. The bible study crowd was surprisingly large but I figured it was because Domani was in town. I had always known about Detroit’s own Domani Miles. He was often compared to the Kirk Franklin and Marvin Sapp just the younger version. I didn’t know how old he was I just knew that he looked to be in his thirties. I also knew he was divorced with one son. I found that out when I googled him right before I came into the church.
I sat alongside several women who were all engrossed in what Domani preached on the stage. He commanded attention and I was amazed at how everyone hung onto every word that he said. Hasan laid in my lap well into his dream as Domani started to say somethings that struck a little too close to home for me.
“The problem with man is that we tend to want what we want even when it’s not right for us. Sometimes God has a way of pushing people and things that we don’t need out of our lives. Then what do we do? Go back and get that person or that thing even though we know we don’t need it. What we have to do is trust in God and know that He has us. Not everything that He does is going to make sense right away. Sometimes we have to wait to see the plan that he has for us.” Domani took a sip of water and continued. “Life isn’t going to always be easy. It just isn’t. We are going to face the impossible and the only way you will make it out alive is with God. He is faithful and he loves you unconditionally. As man we can say we love unconditionally but do we really? The minute someone makes us mad we talk about them. We disown them and we let them go. If God was like that we all would have been done for a long time ago. I want for you all to write down things that you should let go and have them ready to set free when I get back. This is the year of new beginnings. It is never too late with God. Through his grace and mercy we are saved. Let us pray,” he said bowing his head. I closed my eyes and dropped my head. “Dear God, we come to you today humble and in need of your guidance. Life isn’t easy Lord and constantly we need for you to show us the way. We need for you to watch over us as we try to be the best sons and daughters that we can be. It is not our intentions to do wrong Lord, but we are only human. That’s where you come in God. We know that through you all things can be done. Guide us God, help us in Jesus name we pray. Let the church say amen,” he said.
“Amen,” we all said in unison. I sat back and allowed the crowd to thin out.
“Hi!” a soft voice spoke coming my way. I looked at Domani’s mother and smiled. I was smart enough to know by now how mothers were. She was coming over to check me out. Get a feel for who I was. I smiled at her as she sat down next to me. She was very beautiful with her warm, brown skin tone, light grey wavy hair, and thin frame. She looked at Hasan and smiled wider.
“Hi, I’m Domani’s mother, Shaleena,” she said rubbing Hasan’s curls. He stirred but he didn’t wake up.
“Hi, I’m Tegan and this is my son, Hasan.” Shaleena nodded.
“So I see you decided to join us tonight. Domani is always stopping and speaking with people but when he met you today he had a different look in his eye. The kind a man gets when he’s taken with a woman so I just wanted to come over and see what has him so interested and now I see. You’re absolutely gorgeous, Tegan and your son is so handsome. Please don’t be a stranger. Even if Domani isn’t in town these doors and my home doors are always open. It’s nice meeting you,” she said again before getting up to leave. I was very taken back by her niceness. I prayed it was genuine. I saw a lot of shows about church people and how crazy they could be.
I waited for thirty minutes while Domani spoke with various people. He came over to me once he was done speaking with his mother. Followed behind him was a very beautiful, fair skinned lady, with long, honey colored hair and behind her was a boy, maybe six, that looked exactly like Domani. I licked my lips as they approached me.
“Hey Tegan,” Domani said sitting down. I smiled at him but was more focused on who I assumed was his ex-wife. She smiled down at me then looked at Hasan.
“Hi Tegan, I’m Casseye and well this here is my son Domani Jr. Domani, say hi,” she said smiling. Little Domani looked at me and grinned.
“Hi,” he said, waving.
“Hi Casseye and Domani Jr.,” I spoke starting to feel a little overwhelmed with meeting such important people in his life when I didn’t even know him. Domani looked at me and nodded.
“Casseye, I’ll catch up with you two tomorrow. Have a goodnight and drive safe,” he said scooting a little closer to me. Casseye looked at me one more time before walking away. Domani hugged his son and then his son followed after his mother. I turned to him and shook my head.
“That was a really good bible study pastor.” Domani smiled. He sat back and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. He ran his hand over his hair and sighed. I could tell that he was tired but I had just gotten to spend some time with him whereas I wasn’t sharing him with his congregation, and I had been waiting all day to feel his energy again.
“I’m happy you came Tegan. Truthfully, I’ve been thinking about you since I met you earlier today. I told my mom that I was going to look you up if you didn’t come,” he said and laughed.
/> “Hi pastor,” two women said walking up to us. They were very beautiful and had that skinny Barbie shape to them that Inga had. Domani smiled at them.
“Hey Dina and Rebecca. Glad to see you two came out tonight. Is school going good?” They both nodded giving him that same smile that I did. It was obvious every woman in here was trying to be the first lady. Domani looked down at his Rolex that was flashy but still nice, and he looked back at them. “That’s good, you two drive safe and have a blessed night,” he told them. They smiled at him once more before walking off and swaying their hips extra hard. Domani looked at me then down at Hasan.
“My congregation demands a lot but I really don’t mind. I spend a lot of time away so when I’m here it’s like everyone is trying to catch me up on what they’re doing. Do you want to lay him down in my office and we could maybe get some food. Sister Gladys brought in some lasagna that I know is good.”
“Yes, we could do that,” I said trying to sound calm. I had butterflies in my stomach and my hands were starting to sweat. I didn’t know if this was him trying to get a new church member, or if he was as excited to meet me as I was to meet him.
Domani grabbed Hasan and stood up. I followed him through the sanctuary and down a long hallway. We took a set of stairs to his office that was quite big. He laid Hasan down on his black, suede loveseat and we sat down on his sofa while he checked his emails on his laptop. I looked around his office and spotted pictures of him with the president and different celebrities. He was so humble and very different than I how would have imagined him to be. I decided to watch the television that was in front of us while we waited on Sister Gladys to bring us some food.
“I’m sorry I’m not giving you all of my attention. It seems like something is always waiting on me,” he said closing his MacBook. I looked at him and wondered how he even had time to sleep.
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