by D. Camille
He nodded. “Okay baby, I’ve got you.” Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed it softly. “You don’t have to worry about Robbie…at all.”
Lana watched him closely. “What are you thinking?”
“You don’t want to know exactly, but my foot and Robbie’s ass are both involved,” he explained.
“Derek,”
He shook his head. “This is your Inn and I’d never do anything to bring you bad press. I know how to deal with dudes like Robbie…and when.”
She smiled. “You know I like when you talk like that.”
Derek laid her back on the bed. “I know that you like when I do other things as well.”
“I’m still working,” Lana reminded him, as he covered her body with his.
“I won’t keep you long,”
Lana touched his face. “What if I want you to keep me?”
“Lana…”
Her eyes connected with his and held. “I love to hear you say my name,” she whispered. “It’s like sultry music to my ears.”
Derek began to tease her lips and she wrapped her arms around him. For the next few moments, they enjoyed one another until Derek’s phone began to ring.
Lana smiled at him. “I’d forgotten you even had a phone.”
Derek moved to answer the device on the table and looked at the screen. “I’ve been keeping it on silent when we’re together, but I probably need to take this one,” he said pressing a button.
“Hey Gina, hold on.”
Lana got to her feet and looked at him as she heard his greeting. Derek sat the phone down then met Lana at the bed.
“Gina is my secretary, she’s calling me back with information that I requested,” he explained.
She smiled. “Okay, I know you have work too.”
He followed her to the door and looked down at her. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Thank you,” Lana said quietly.
Derek kissed her again and she walked out the door. Moving back to his phone, he put it to his ear.
“What’s up?”
“Who was that?” she asked curiously.
Derek rolled his eyes. “Her name is None of Your Business and can I get the information that I pay for?”
She chuckled. “Does Dina know about her?”
“Just because you’re best friends with my sister, doesn’t mean you can be all in my business too,” Derek told her with a smile.
“Boy, I’ve known you since you were in diapers, so don’t try to hold out,” Gina warned.
“One day I’m going to fire you,” Derek threatened.
She smirked. “No, you’re not. I’m the best thing you got going around here.”
He smiled. “That may be true, but right now can I handle my business?”
“So who is this Robert dude, an old boyfriend of your new woman?”
“If I say yes, can I get the information please?”
Gina paused. “Wow, I gotta call Dina and get the 411 on this. Some female has Derek doing background checks. You want me to do one on her too?”
“Hell no! Now give me the damn information Gina!” Derek demanded.
“Who are you cussing at boy? I will call Momma Wells right now.”
Derek took a deep breath. “Gina, can you please give me the information that I requested before I snap off for real?”
Hearing his tone, Gina sobered. “Okay, calm down. No need to get all gangster.”
Derek waited and tried to remain calm. Gina and his sister, Dina were BFF’s for life and always had been. So when he’d opened his office and Dina had recommended Gina, he’d immediately agreed since Gina was like his older sister as well. Both women had always been his champions and his protection. The two of them would kill for Derek and he appreciated having both of them in his life.
However, right now, he wasn’t in the mood for games. Robbie was about to work his last nerve and cause him to show all the way out, but he needed the receipts beforehand.
“This dude was pretty much clean,” he heard Gina’s voice. “Almost like a Boy Scout.”
“Almost?” Derek questioned.
“He’s good, but we’re better,” Gina boasted.
Derek’s eyes narrowed. “What did he do?”
“Aren’t you staying at an Inn?” she questioned.
“Yeah,”
“Does your woman happen to work there?”
Sighing, Derek answered, “She owns it.”
“Bingo!” Gina shouted.
“What?”
“Mr. Robert Gross has recently invested in a venture to buyout and manage family-owned Inns.”
Chapter 13
Lana sat across the table from Robbie in the empty dining room and remembered a time when this was all she’d dreamed of…to be managing her Inn with him by her side. While things hadn’t been perfect with Robbie, they’d also had some good times. In the end, neither had wanted to compromise and they’d separated.
At first, Lana had thought that maybe things would work themselves out, but as time had passed, it had become clear that she and Robbie were just not meant to be. Now he was back, trying to recreate the past and she wasn’t feeling it at all.
Lana studied the handsome man across from her, from his deep golden complexion to his dark brown eyes. Robbie easily caught the attention of many women, with his good looks and charm. When he’d focused all of that on Lana in college, she’d been flattered, to say the least, and when it had developed into a relationship, she’d been thrilled.
Lana was no longer an infatuated college student. She was a grown woman, who knew her value and her worth. She was a changed person from the girl that Robbie knew, and she was even more a changed woman from meeting Derek Wells.
He was everything that she had and had not been looking for in her life. The physical attraction, she understood completely. He was an extremely handsome and confident man. The spiritual connection was something else that she could not explain. It had been fast and furious, sweet and sultry, something that had overtaken her from the start.
The connection she felt with Derek was like being wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter’s night. It was warm and soothing, making her never want to leave its security. She was beginning to love everything about the man who had stumbled through her doors.
“Lana…”
She smiled softly as she turned her attention to Robbie, thinking that no one could say her name like Derek and send chills through her body.
“Yes, Robbie,”
“I’ve been here nearly a week and this is the first time we’ve got to spend time together,” he said watching her.
“When we talked, I told you where I stood.” Lana told him.
He smiled. “Things didn’t go the way I’d liked and I got ahead of myself. What I should have said is that I’ve missed you and that I’ve never stopped thinking about you.”
Robert leaned forward and said softly. “I still love you, Lana.”
He then looked up surprised as Derek slid in the booth next to Lana. She smiled as Derek kissed her softly. “Hey baby, I’m sorry I’m late. I had to follow up on some things.”
“You’re right on time,” she told him before he turned his attention to Robert.
“I’m having a private conversation with Lana,” Robert told Derek as his eyes narrowed at the couple.
Derek slid an arm around Lana’s shoulders. “Not anymore.”
Robert looked at Lana as he sat back. “Really Lana?”
“I invited Derek, because I’ve told you that what we had is over and I’m not interested in rekindling it,” she explained. “I’d hoped that this would make the message clear and that you’d go back to LA and live your life.”
Derek placed an arm on the table and waited for Robert’s response.
“I can’t do that…” Robert told her.
“Why not?” Lana asked confused.
“Because he didn’t just come for you,” Derek told Lana and she turned to him.
Robbie sat back. “Why don’t you ask him, since he seems to think that’s the case.”
“On the contrary, I know that’s the case.” Derek corrected him.
“What’s going on Derek?” she questioned.
Derek looked at Robert. “You want me to do the honors?”
Robert remained silent and Derek nodded. “Okay, I understand. If I’d done the shit you have, I wouldn’t want to tell her either. I couldn’t look into this sweet face and tell her that I was scheming against her and her family.”
Robert frowned as Lana glanced between the two men.
“Plus I’d be worried about Mr. Sable beating my ass when he found out,” Derek continued.
“Robbie, what have you done?” Lana asked.
“Who the hell are you?” Robert questioned Derek angrily.
Derek shook his head. “I told you I wasn’t the dude you wanted to tangle with.”
Leaning forward, Derek directed all of his attention to Robert. “Now if I were you, I’d haul my ass out of here tonight and not look back. How dare you come here with this bullshit?”
Lana touched Derek’s taut arm. “Derek…”
“I’m two seconds from jumping across this damn table,” Derek continued in a deadly voice. “This Inn is Lana’s love. It’s her family’s legacy and you’d try to take that away from her?”
“Do you know how hard her family has had to work as a black-owned business to maintain this place?” Derek demanded. “You know, but you just don’t give a damn because it’s all about you.”
“You want to take my Inn?” Lana said frowning at Robert.
He looked at her. “Not take it, buy it. You and your family can make a profit and go live your lives away from this place,” he explained.
Lana shook her head. “So it really is all about you?” She stared. “You’d come here to do this?”
“It’s what’s best for all of us,” Robert protested. “And we’d get to be together.”
Lana frowned. “Why would I ever want to be with you, Robbie?” Lana fought back tears. “Get out of my Inn!”
“Lana…”
Derek got to his feet. “Let’s go.”
Robert stood with his face filled with anger. “You can’t put me out of here!” he yelled.
“Oh, you don’t think so?” Derek asked as Lana got to her feet and rushed to his side.
Robert looked Derek over in the slacks and dress shirt he’d donned for dinner.
Derek watched his perusal. “Yeah, I can kick ass in dinner attire,” he told him.
Lana scowled at Robert. “Get your things and get out. We will refund the rest of your money for your stay. You are not welcome here!” she said heatedly.
Mr. and Mrs. Langston came out from the kitchen and saw the trio standing beside the booth. They’d heard the raised voices and wanted to see what was happening.
“What’s going on here?” Mrs. Langston demanded.
“Robbie’s stay has ended and I’ve asked him to leave,” Lana told her. “He’s come here to try to take our Inn and If he doesn’t comply, we’ll be calling the sheriff.”
Robert lifted a brow. “The sheriff?”
“Yes, the sheriff,” Lana told him. “I’m not going to let Derek put his hands on you because he’s too important to be tangled up in some of your nonsense.” Derek looked at Lana.
“Who’s putting the hands on somebody?” Mr. Langston questioned.
His wife turned to him. “Go get Lloyd.”
“No! My Daddy doesn’t need to be involved,” Lana protested and Derek put an arm around her.
“Yes, your Daddy does. This is his life’s work,” Derek told her. “He should handle this.”
Mrs. Langston agreed. “That’s right.” She turned to her husband. “Go get him.”
Mr. Langston gave Robert a hard look, then nodded and walked away to find Lloyd. Robert moved to walk away and Derek blocked his path. “Where do you think you’re going?” Derek asked.
“I’m leaving,” Robert told him.
Mrs. Langston joined Derek at his side. “Oh no, you’re not. I warned you about coming here starting mess. You’re going to take this whipping.”
Lana blinked. “Mrs. Langston?”
Mrs. Langston stayed trained on Robert. “It’s either going to be Lloyd, Derek, my husband or me…”
“It’s definitely not going to be you,” Lana said moving to the older woman. “Please step aside and let Daddy handle it.”
“Get your people, Lana.” Robert warned.
“Or what?” Derek stepped closer as Lloyd rushed into the dining room.
“Okay, what is going on here?” Lloyd asked as all eyes fell on him.
Derek smiled at Robert. “I’ll let you do the talking this time.”
Lana rushed to her father’s side. “Derek found out that Robert is here trying to take our Inn,” she explained with emotion.
Lloyd lifted his gaze to Robert. “Is that so?”
“Not take it, Mr. Sable…purchase it,” Robert explained.
“It’s not for sale,” Lloyd told him. “And I think you know that.”
Robert stepped around Derek to face Lloyd. “You haven’t even heard an offer.”
Lloyd frowned. “You came here under false pretenses and you think I’d listen to an offer? You’re lucky I didn’t come in with my gun.”
Derek lifted a brow and looked at Lana.
“My strategy was to lay the groundwork,” Robert explained. “I wanted Lana to have somewhere else to go and do what she loves, and to help your family get the best deal.”
“We didn’t ask for a deal,” Lloyd told him. “Do you understand what generational wealth is?”
Robert stood silent.
“It’s when you can pass wealth and property down to your children, your grandchildren and so forth. It’s how dominant culture has maintained wealth and control all these years.” Lloyd told him. “The Inn isn’t simply a business to us.”
He looked at Mr. and Mrs. Langton. “It’s family.” Then he looked at his daughter. “It’s love.” His gaze moved to Derek. “And it’s home.”
Looking back at Robert he finished. “I’m going to watch my grandkids run through these halls just like their mother’s did. And if I’m fortunate enough, I’ll also watch my great-grandkids, because the Sable Inn will still be here and belong to the Sable descendants.”
Lana felt a tear drop down her cheek at her father’s words and quickly wiped it away. “You heard my Daddy,” she told Robert fiercely. “Now get out of our home and don’t come back!”
Robert looked at the group. “They’re going to take this place!”
“The door’s that way,” Lloyd told him. “Get your things.”
Robert shook his head. “Fine, stay in this awful place. No one wants to come here!”
Lena, Lorna, Jamal and Willie ran into the room and looked around.
“You need some backup, Mr. Sable?” Jamal questioned immediately.
“No Jamal, just relax. I’ve got this under control.”
Lorna grabbed Jamal’s arm and Lena watched the couple before turning her attention to her big sister, who had pain written across her face as she stared at Robert. Derek also noticed her dismay and gently pulled her into his arms and began rubbing her back to soothe her.
“Harry and Willie, you two stay here with the women,” Lloyd instructed. “The rest of us will see Robert out since his stay has ended.”
Derek joined Lloyd and Jamal as they followed the angry Robert upstairs to his room to pack. Lana put her face in her hands and turned away.
“I can’t believe Robert would do this,” she said shakily.
Her sisters rushed to her side. “You had no way of knowing,” Lorna comforted.
“Plus, we know there’s no way anyone can take the Inn,” Lena confirmed. “You’ve managed this place so well, we’re on very solid ground.”
Mrs. Langston moved closer. “You listen to me little girlie, you left that man for a reason…because if you really loved him, nothing in this world would have kept you from him. Now you just remember that.”
******
Upstairs, Robert angrily packed his suitcase while the three men watched. He grabbed clothing and threw it into his luggage.
“Don’t worry, I can’t wait to get out of here,” he grumbled.
Jamal and Derek shared a look and Derek moved next to Lloyd.
“Uh, Mr. Sable…why don’t you let Jamal and I help Robert finish up?”
Lloyd turned to Derek, then glanced at Jamal who was leaning against the wall. Lloyd paused and both Derek and Jamal gave slow nods.
“I’ll meet you all downstairs,” Lloyd answered finally.
Robert looked up from his packing as the door closed behind Lloyd and the two men left stood watching him.
“I’m almost done,” he told them. “I don’t need you here either.”
“I understand that you liked to get heated with Lana,” Derek said quietly.
Robert froze. “I never touched her.”
Derek stepped forward. “No, you just liked to run your mouth.” He flicked a hand. “So run it now. I want to hear it.”
“This is ridiculous,” Robert snapped. “You might be warming Lana’s bed now, but unless you’re planning to stay at this place, she’s going to leave you too. If anyone is selfish, it’s her.”
Derek nodded and grabbed Robbie by his shirt. “Hmmm…what other advice do you have for me?”
Robert looked him in the eye. “Take your hands off me.”
“You think you’re just going to come here and try to hurt these people then walk away?” Derek questioned. “And talk shit to me in the process?”
“Look, I was here to make the deal. I thought I was looking out for Lana, so that she could land on her feet. They’re not going to be as nice as I was, when they come knocking,” he told them.
“You mean the company you’re a part of?” Derek asked.
“Yeah, I’m a part of it,” Robert answered.