Boss

by Tracy Brown

Pat gave her a side-eye. “That wasn’t funny. That guy was corny as hell.”

  Georgi kept laughing and Crystal and Destiny joined in. They couldn’t imagine Pat with a man who wouldn’t approve of her cussing and occasional weed-smoking.

  Georgi took a sip of her drink and exhaled at that long-ago memory. “Quincy was always a good man, though. He loved his family. Now that he’s coming home, I really just want the best for him. I just want him to be safe.”

  Destiny swigged the last of her wine and refilled her glass. “I believe in real love. Maybe he’ll wind up moving down here after all. I bet you he never stopped loving you. You two can be together again and get it right this time.”

  Pat smiled. “That would be nice. I would love to see the story end that way.”

  Georgi shrugged and took another bite of her chicken.

  “Did you know Mama has a new boyfriend?” Destiny nodded in her mother’s direction. “Mmm-hmm. Aunt Georgi told me.”

  Aunt Pat stared at her, openmouthed. “If you don’t shut your mouth—”

  “Met him at the grocery store in the produce aisle,” Georgi chimed in.

  Crystal laughed while her aunt hurled curse words at all of them.

  “Y’all stay out my damn business.”

  Everyone finished their meal, and sang happy birthday to Destiny. She made a wish, cut the cake, and the conversation focused on the demise of her recent relationship. She was optimistic that she would find love again. As long as her next man had a real job.

  When they were finished, Crystal carried her plate to the sink. Aunt Pat met her there.

  “You know your mama worries about you. That’s all it is.”

  Crystal nodded. “I know.”

  “She lost so much already. All of us did. But she couldn’t stand it happening again.” Pat didn’t flinch as she spoke. “She couldn’t stand it.”

  Crystal got the message. Her aunt took the plate out of her hand and shooed her away.

  She cleared her throat. “I’m a little tired after that long trip,” she said. She yawned for good measure. “I’m gonna call it a night so that I can wake up early and help you all cook.”

  Destiny and Aunt Pat laughed loudly.

  “Please, boo. Don’t nobody need you burning the house down. Just bartend like you do every year.”

  Crystal rolled her eyes at Destiny and laughed.

  Destiny tossed her napkin in the trash. “Let me holla at you for a minute.”

  She walked upstairs with Crystal to her room and shut the door. Crystal sat on the bed and prepared for the interrogation.

  “Have you slept with him?” She asked the question more bluntly than she had intended.

  Crystal sucked her teeth and looked away.

  Destiny watched her, looking for an answer.

  Crystal forced herself to tell the truth. She could trust Destiny not to judge her.

  “I did. Just last night.”

  Destiny didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure what to say. Surely, that complicated things.

  Finally, she asked, “How do you feel?”

  Crystal shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  Destiny sat down on the bench at the foot of the bed. “Was that part of the plan?”

  Crystal laughed. She closed her eyes, shaking her head in exasperation. Opening them, she looked at her cousin. “What plan? I’m starting to wonder if I even have one anymore.”

  Destiny scoffed at that. “This is me. I know you better than anybody. And you always have a plan.”

  Crys rolled her eyes, though she knew it was true. She had often been described as deliberate, calculating, and strategic. Once she set her mind on a goal—from putting herself through college to snagging the top job at Hipster—she accomplished it intentionally.

  “I have it all under control,” she said, sounding more certain than she really felt.

  Destiny looked doubtful. “Your dad is coming home soon. What happens then?”

  Crystal yawned again, hoping her cousin would take the hint and go away. She was asking the tough questions now. Ones that she already knew there were no answers to.

  “Let’s talk about it in the morning. One day at a time. Today has already been a lot for me.”

  Destiny nodded. She stood up and offered a weak smile. “Okay. Sweet dreams, cousin.”

  She walked out, shutting the door behind her.

  Crystal stared at the door long after she was gone.

  “Sweet dreams.”

  She dreamed of Troy that night. In her dream, he was watching her while she did chores around the house. While she mopped, vacuumed, and dusted, he sat watching her in that way that was all his own. Music played and she sang along. In her dream he watched her, smiling but saying nothing. He didn’t have to. His presence was speaking to her. Telling her that he loved her, that he was sincere. In her dream, she was so content, so at peace. She woke up reaching for him and was sad to find that he wasn’t there.

  THE MITCHELL MEN

  Troy unraveled his tie and unbuttoned the collar of his shirt. He removed his cuff links, while Vanessa poured him a glass of Rémy on the rocks. They had just returned to his apartment after yet another dinner party. It was one of her father’s many political fund-raisers. Events that he insisted Troy attend. Night after night, he was subjected to superficial conversations with shallow people. It was all beginning to bore Troy. Each event was a huge production and tonight had been no exception. Vanessa and her mother had insisted on being photographed with every notable person in the room. Troy had sat back, watching it all with a mixture of disgust and indifference. Roxy, especially, was shamelessly unapologetic in her self-promotion. She had single-handedly orchestrated her own rise and her daughter’s impending ascension to the ranks of the nation’s black elite. Nothing Roxy did was unintentional.

  Troy was well aware of her résumé. After all, whispers within the intimate ranks of the entertainment industry were hard to avoid. Roxy had dated several A-list celebrities before marrying Harvey Nolan and was known for her extravagant and expensive tastes. Troy knew the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.

  Vanessa handed him the glass of cognac, then kneeled in front of him. Silently, she undid his pants, freeing his monstrous dick from the confines of his underwear. Troy glanced down at her, kneeling before him clad in nothing but a pair of emerald earrings and some stilettos.

  He cupped her pretty face in his large hands. “I meant what I said earlier,” he told her.

  After the party wrapped up, Troy had laid into Vanessa about her coming to Hipster. He told her that he felt ambushed and stressed the fact that he didn’t want his personal life in the spotlight.

  “Okay,” she said softly. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and innocent.

  She went to work. As irresistible as she was, he wasn’t aroused as she stroked him. She began lapping at him, licking it like a fruity Popsicle on a hot summer day. She wrapped her lips around the head of it, sucking, and slowly taking more and more of him into her mouth. Troy pushed himself a little further into her mouth, causing her to gag a little. She regained her composure and continued sucking him, doing her best to accommodate more of his girth down her throat. Still, he dangled there limply.

  She sat back on her heels, annoyed.

  “I’m tired,” he said.

  She nodded. “Let’s go to bed.”

  He shook his head. “I’m gonna take a shower.” He stroked her cheek again. Despite her many flaws, she was beautiful. “You go get some sleep.”

  He walked away, leaving her there on the floor. Even without looking at her, he knew that she was pissed. Still, his mind was preoccupied with other things. Chief among them, Crystal Scott.

  He hadn’t stopped thinking about her. It occurred to him that Vanessa hadn’t even questioned him about being out all night. He wondered if she even cared. While watching her and her mother angling for camera time, his mind had drifted to Crystal. By contrast, she worked a room effortlessly, attr
acting attention without clamoring for it. He imagined himself with a woman like her on his arm. One who could stimulate more than just the pendulum swinging between his legs.

  His conscience tugged at him while he showered, knowing that Vanessa was probably mad about being left on her knees that way. He didn’t mean to hurt her. In fact, in some strange way, he had to admire her family’s hustle. Vanessa had emerged from a very chaotic childhood with an unmistakable edge, and an unquestionable agenda. He had always been aware that she was in it for her personal gain. Like him, this was more about family than it was about love. Troy was the man. And Vanessa wanted to be the woman on the arm of that man. He believed that she was in love. But with his power, wealth, and status. The Mitchell name was a reputable one. As early as their teen years, Roxy had been prancing her pretty daughter around Fox’s sons.

  Unlike his brother, Wes, Troy had managed to keep himself out of trouble, making him more acceptable in the circles Roxy and her daughter liked. It helped that Harvey was an old friend of Fox and Uncle Don.

  Through it all, Troy and Vanessa had forged an electrifying physical relationship. She was fun, full of energy, and a freak in every sense of the word. She had her own goals, self-serving as they were, and had mastered the art of marketing and publicity in an age where anyone could become a star with the right looks and the right team behind them. He didn’t necessarily agree with her blind ambition, but he respected her dogged determination to succeed.

  He emerged from the bathroom after his shower to find her already sleeping. He kissed her tenderly on the cheek as she snored softly. He told himself that was enough of an apology for his rejection of her earlier. He glanced at his cell phone, tempted to call Crystal. But he decided against it. After all, it was late. Instead, he climbed into bed beside her, and drifted to sleep within minutes.

  When they awoke the next morning, Troy gave Vanessa what she wanted. They had sex before breakfast. What she lacked in intelligence or legitimate talent, she more than made up for in looks and sexual prowess. She lay naked across his bed afterward. Her expertly polished toes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight pouring in through the parted curtains.

  “Mom thinks we should film the wedding.” Her voice was hoarse after multiple loud orgasms.

  He glared at her.

  “You know my parents are filming the pilot for a reality show. Production thinks they should get some of the footage for—”

  “No!”

  She jumped, startled as he yelled.

  He shook his head. “I already told you. I’m not into all of that. I like to keep my private life private. No cameras. None of that. I’m not gonna say it again.”

  Vanessa pouted. “Well, it’s my wedding, too, Troy. The producers want to see it,” she said. Her mother was the show’s executive producer and the loudest proponent of the idea.

  “Your mother is the one pushing for all of this. The TV show, the photo shoots, all of that shit. Your father doesn’t even want to do it. He just can’t say no to her.” Troy shook his head, disgusted by how Harvey had long ago given his wife custody of his manhood. “I’m saying no. Don’t ask me again.”

  Vanessa was furious.

  “You can be on the show if you want. Do it. Fuck it. But I don’t want anybody filming here. You have your mother, your friends, your swim line. You don’t need me to make your plot more interesting.”

  She frowned. “You’re a fucking hypocrite.”

  “What?”

  Vanessa sucked her teeth. “Why are you with me, Troy?”

  He rolled his eyes. Lately, he had been asking himself that question more often than ever.

  “What’s wrong with me? Really?” She shook her head. “What am I doing wrong? I’ve tried everything I can think of lately to get your attention. And you’re just not interested. Not for long. It’s like you’re distracted.”

  “Vanessa, I’m not in the mood for this right now.”

  “You’re not in the mood for anything.” Vanessa looked dejected.

  Troy sighed. “I have a lot on my mind. Taking control of Stuart Mitchell is a lot of work. Plus all your dad’s fund-raisers. Your mother’s parties. It’s a lot. I’m tired.”

  “I’m getting bored,” she said. “I hate being bored.”

  Troy sneered at her without responding. This was all just a game. But there was far more at stake here than Vanessa could even begin to understand. She thought she was so smart. She was aware that Troy’s interest in her was motivated by his father’s political gain. She used that to her advantage. Whenever she felt like he was drifting too far from shore, she dared him to cross her. Not blatantly, she had never issued him an ultimatum. But she would say things like this to let him know that he was dangerously close to sending her running to her powerful daddy.

  He winked at her, then stepped into his closet and began choosing his look for the day. His father was on vacation in Hawaii with one of his pretty young campaign staffers. Troy and Wes were on their own to celebrate this Thanksgiving. It didn’t matter much to him. Since the death of his mother, the holidays had lost much of its emotional value. All he really wanted was to eat a good meal and watch some football. This year he would settle for doing that at the home of his future in-laws.

  Vanessa pouted, though he wasn’t in the room to notice.

  “Butch will be here to get us in twenty minutes,” Troy called out to her. “You should get ready.”

  She heard his muffled voice coming from his large closet. She snatched her panties off the bed as she headed for the shower.

  He decided on a casual look for the day, blissfully unconcerned about the anger Vanessa felt during her shower. She felt dismissed, like a child. As usual, Troy’s focus was on his own gratification. He had no patience for wounded pride.

  She dialed her mother’s number the moment she turned the shower on.

  * * *

  After dinner that night, Roxy was on Troy’s nerves extra-heavy.

  “I was talking to Fox the other night. I’ve never seen him look better by the way. He looks happy and relaxed now that he’s retired. Anyway, he told me that you were thinking about having a small wedding.” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “That’s unacceptable. Your mother would beat your behind if she heard you say that.”

  Troy doubted that.

  “Your mother was a close friend of mine,” Roxy went on. “I know that if she were here, she would feel the same way I do.” She looked at her handsome future son-in-law. “Your mother and I polished off so many bottles of wine together during those days when our husbands were away on business.” Roxy laughed at the memory. “Your mother…” Her eyes were wet with tears, and she looked away. “Oh, boy. There I go bringing the mood down.”

  Troy was the one who rolled his eyes this time.

  Roxy smiled, her light brown eyes still misty. “We always used to joke that the two of you would grow up and fall in love someday.”

  Vanessa blushed a little. “Ma, seriously?” She shook her head, and glanced sheepishly at Troy. “How embarrassing.”

  He laughed.

  Roxy dabbed at her eyes again. “We hosted so many fund-raisers together. She could always convince the donors to cut the biggest checks. Lorraine Stuart Mitchell was a lioness.” Her smile sparkled in the light of the chandelier as she recalled his mother. “She loved her boys so much.” She winked at Troy. “I miss her.”

  He smiled weakly. “Me, too.”

  The doorbell rang and Roxy rose to get it. Troy was grateful for the break in her rambling, until she returned with his brother and his uncle in tow.

  Don walked in the room, all smiles.

  “How’s everybody doing tonight?”

  Harvey rose from where he had been dozing off in a corner. Suddenly, he looked wide-awake. He greeted Don and Wes warmly. Though this visit was unexpected, Don was welcome here.

  Troy looked at Vanessa, confused. She shrugged.

  He stood up reluctantly and greeted them. Both his uncle and h
is brother gave him a lukewarm reception, adding to the tension. Troy wondered what this was about.

  Wes stared his brother down. His expression was filled with disapproval. He looked Troy over. All sharp and pressed like their father, even on a relaxing family holiday. By contrast, Wes wore jeans, a hoodie, and construction boots. His typical uniform for visits like this.

  Don and Wes took a seat at Harvey’s invitation and wasted no time getting to the point.

  Don looked at his nephew. “It’s Thanksgiving.”

  Troy waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, he held up his hands, confused.

  “Everybody spends Thanksgiving with their family.” Don said it like it was obvious.

  Troy nodded. “My father is out of town.”

  Don didn’t blink. “We’re your family, too, Troy. We’re right here. In town.”

  Troy stared back at his uncle. He was aware that Vanessa and her family were present, so he held his tongue.

  Don didn’t hold his. “Speaking of family. I just want to say that I didn’t like the way you came into my office the other day. I bailed y’all out of debt when Fox gambled away all his money.”

  Troy swallowed hard. Uncle Don was embarrassing his father on purpose, destroying his own brother’s reputation in front of Harvey.

  “All of his properties were in foreclosure. Half a million dollars in debt. And I bailed him out.”

  Harvey looked appalled.

  Don wasn’t done.

  “Put you through Columbia University, and made sure you set yourself up nice. Still, you come in my house and drop off the final payment like I’m some common loan shark on the street, shaking you down.”

  Troy glanced at his brother and saw the amused expression on his face. Wes didn’t care that Uncle Don was belittling their father. He had always hated Fox anyway. Hated Troy, too. Both of them were cowards in his eyes. Too scared to put it all on the line and be gangsters. Growing up, Wes had idolized their uncle, with his foul language and ruthless ways. In his eyes, his own father was a weak substitute. And, Troy was his punk-ass minion.

  Troy looked at Vanessa and her family, embarrassed. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel like a stranger, Uncle Don. We’re family.” Troy noticed Roxy shifting nervously in her seat. “But you could have called me and we could have talked about it. No problem. You didn’t have to come here.”