Vera looked at Jaise in shock. “Bitch, swerve. You know you can’t stand her.”
“I can’t stand her. And I absolutely think she’s South Bronx ratchet. Hoodboogger. But we had to make an effort. You know Milan doesn’t really have any friends.”
“And after that nasty interview she did cursing out every black woman in America, she will never have any friends.”
Jaise paused. “And where the hell is Chaunci? Did she or did she not sign the same contract that we did? And if so, why is she never around? And where is Journee? What kind of games are you playing this season, Bridget?”
“Don’t worry about them.” Vera waved her hand. “We have fulfilled our contractual obligation and now we gon’ eat, drink some of this liquor, and go home with a buzz.”
“Shhh . . . everyone, here they come!” The host spoke softly into the microphone. “Someone hit the lights.”
“Surprise!” The crowd yelled as Kendu took a quick step out of the door and then reentered, obviously caught off guard but happily surprised.
“Happy birthday, baby. Tonight is all about you,” Milan said as she hugged Kendu tightly before holding his hand and walking him to the center of the dance floor.
The host handed Milan the microphone. She turned and looked at Kendu. “I would like to wish you, my best friend, my lover, my husband, my everything, a wonderful birthday! I know you don’t like surprises and you’ve never wanted a party, but I feel you deserved one! You’re the best, baby, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. And absolutely nothing I would trade you for.”
“I love you, too,” Kendu said as he took the microphone from Milan’s hand. “This is . . . this is such a surprise. She got me. I thought we were coming here for an intimate dinner.” He laughed. “I just wanna take this moment to thank my wife. The love of my life. She’s been there when I didn’t have nobody and was moving from foster home to foster home. Most of you know I was a foster child until the age of ten. Which is why I never thought my birthday was a big deal. Until now. Which is why I’ma end this with saying, let’s turn up!”
“I have to go.” Rowanda looked at Vera, her eyes gleaming with tears.
“You have to go? What do you mean you have to go? What’s wrong?” Vera looked confused. “Tell me.”
“Nothing. I just need to get out of here. I can’t breathe.”
CHAPTER 31
CHAUNCI
“I know what you’re thinking,” Emory said, looking at Chaunci’s reflection as she sat at her vanity mirror and brushed foundation onto her face.
Don’t try and read my mind.
He continued, “I don’t have anything against your friends. You already know Kendu is my boy, but I just don’t want to be bothered with those cameras. I just can’t with reality TV.”
“You told me that already.”
“I’ve had enough of those cameras in my face and in my life.”
“You’ve said that too.”
“I’ve had enough of people stopping me on the street. I’m tired of media saying and printing shit about me—none of it true—and on top of that, the publicity does nothing for my business.”
“I get it, Emory. You don’t have to keep explaining.”
“I just want you to understand.”
Chaunci lifted her eyes from her foundation compact and looked at Emory’s reflection. “I never expected you to come. So you don’t have to keep explaining yourself. The surprise for me would’ve been you agreeing to be on screen.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.”
Chaunci turned and faced him. “Of course I understand.” She kissed him. “And I’ll call you when I get back in. You’re going back home to your place, right?”
“Yeah, at least for tonight. I haven’t been there in weeks.” He tapped her on the behind. “Make sure everyone sees that ring and knows that you have a man.”
Chaunci chuckled. “I will make sure everyone sees the ring.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. Now,” She pointed to the massive gift in the corner of her dressing room. “Can you help me carry that downstairs to my car?”
“Of course.” Emory picked up the wrapped box and cradled it in his arms. “Damn, baby, what’s in the box?”
I have lost my mind. Chaunci unwrapped the gift and took out her overnight bag, tossing the happy birthday wrapping paper onto her backseat. She took one last peek at herself in the mirror before stepping out of her car and onto the private tarmac.
Just relax.
It’s business.
“A share for your thoughts,” Grant said as he walked out of the hanger and kissed Chaunci softly on the cheek.
Chaunci pursed her lips. “Funny.”
Grant smiled as he reached for her bag and escorted her to his private jet.
Chaunci took her seat on a chocolate leather sofa. “Why couldn’t we stay the night somewhere in the tri-state?”
Grant frowned. “The tri-state? I’m trying to impress you.”
“Oh, you’re trying to create ambiance?”
“Exactly. Can you allow me to do that? I’m on a mission here.”
“And what mission is that?”
“To make you mine.”
“So you think you should have me and my company. So you’re hostile in everything that you do.”
“Let me make this clear. At any given moment, you are free to leave. Just let me know and I’ll tell the pilot to turn the plane around and take you home. Choice is yours.”
Chaunci hated that his cockiness was a complete turn-on. “When I’m ready to leave, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” He handed her a glass of wine.
I have truly lost my mind. I’ve lied to my fiancé. I’ve lost my company to this man. And I’m sitting here with a wet pussy hoping that his slick tongue knows how to eat it and his dick is as big and aggressive as his actions.
“So . . .” Grant sat down next to Chaunci. “You want to do small talk first or would you like to start by telling me why you really want me to buy your share of the company?”
“You know why. We can’t work together.”
“You’re a horrible liar.”
“So then why don’t you tell me why I want to sell you my part of the company?”
“Well, I know that it has nothing to do with you not being able to work with me. Because for the past month, we’ve managed.”
“You wouldn’t stop flirting with me. Everywhere I looked, you were in my way.”
“I was trying to be in your way.”
“You’ve succeeded. But you still haven’t told me why I want to sell you my part of the company.”
“Xavier Dupree, that’s why.”
Immediately, sweat bubbled on Chaunci’s forehead. “What?”
“Come on, Chaunci. I know you need the money to pay him off.”
“Who told you that?!”
“A man comes to see you every day for a week and he might think that no one knows who he is, but I know exactly who he is—oil tycoon Zachary Dupree’s troubled son. He was just paroled recently after committing a bank robbery ten years ago. He was the only one the police caught. One died and the other two—two women—both got away. I’ve seen the tapes and one of the women was about your height. Your size—”
“How did you see the tapes?”
“It was my father’s bank.”
Shit. “All you need to know is that I need to give him some money so he can get the fuck away from me. Period.”
“And that’s why you want to sell me your share of our company.”
Our company . . . “Exactly.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
His ease made Chaunci shift in her seat. “Why? Why would you want to do anything for me?”
“The real question is why can’t you accept anything. I don’t know about anyone else in your life, but I play for keeps. And two people I don’t need getting in my way: your fia
ncé and some two-bit junkie-ass ticking time bomb.”
“You just take care of the time bomb.”
“And you take care of the fiancé.”
No matter what, I’m not fucking him.
That was what Chaunci thought the moment she stepped off the plane at a small hangar on Pine Island, off the coast of Florida. Grant held her by the hand as they walked down the dock and stepped onto his snow-white yacht.
The yacht was breathtaking. Three decks overlooked the moonlit water. A double staircase seemed to rise out of the gleaming hardwood floor in the foyer, leading to the second floor where there was a massive master suite, a game room, movie theater, and a great room, all with panoramic views of the Atlantic ocean. “This place is beautiful,” Chaunci said in amazement. “Absolutely breathtaking.”
“Thank you.” Grant held her around the waist. “It’s a place I come to when I need to think.”
“A sanctuary.” She snuggled her back and behind deeper into his body.
“I guess you could call it that.”
Grant held Chaunci’s hand and led her to the upper deck to a white linen-covered table with orchids in the center. A chef stood behind a portable platinum dinner cart.
Grant held out Chaunci’s chair and she took her seat.
“Before the night gets started, can you do something for me?” he asked.
“What’s that?”
“Forget about everything in New York. Be present in this moment. Just for tonight, all that exists is you and me.”
Chaunci hesitated. She looked into the distance and as the ship set sail, she looked down at her engagement ring.
Grant slipped it off. “Nothing else exists.” He slipped the ring into his pocket.
“Only for this moment.”
“That’s all I need.”
“This evening,” the chef said, “I have prepared a dish of curry duck with a sauce made from okra and peppers.”
“That sounds wonderful!” Chaunci smiled.
The chef served them their dinner and left. Before either of them could finish their meals, they’d talked about practically everything under the sun.
“You mean to tell me that you are really a Knicks fan?” Chaunci laughed. “Grant, you’re far too intelligent for that.”
“I’m a die-hard Knicks fan. Spike Lee has nothing on me. They are the best team in the league.” He picked up a forkful of duck and ate it.
“What league? Geriatrics? They’re all old, injured, and the last time they had any hope of a ring”—she popped her fingers—“was never.”
“False. Remember twenty-twelve? Knicks versus Heat.” He sipped his wine.
“And why the hell are you so invested in the Knicks?”
“I own them.”
“Figures,” she retorted.
“What do you mean ‘figures’? So are you one of these traders who switched up and became a diehard for Brooklyn?”
“No. I’m a Lakers girl.” Chaunci ate a forkful of vegetables.
“Lakers? How did a New York girl become a cheerleader for the Lakers?”
“First of all, I’m originally from North Carolina.”
“What part?”
“A small town called Murfreesboro.”
“Ahh, east Carolina. A country girl.” He smiled.
“You could say that.”
“You get back there often?”
“No. But my family is still there. Now, let’s talk about you and why you really insisted on having a date with me.”
“I told you I was trying to impress you.”
“Why?”
“The truth?”
“Always.”
“Because the first time I saw you on TV, I had to have you. My assistant was sneaking and watching your show and I walked in. I thought you were the prettiest woman I’d ever seen. I had to know who you were.”
“Oh, I get it now. You’re an egotistical maniac whose rich boy way of courting is to play dirty by coming after my company and making me pay you some attention.”
“What if I said you were right? Would it change the way you’re feeling right now?”
Chaunci stared off into the distance and then brought her eyes to meet his. “No.”
By the time they had finished dinner, they’d held a million different conversations. All made both of them laugh, smile, and lose track of time.
“This was a beautiful date.” Chaunci laid her head on Grant’s chest as they sat on the deck, reclining on a sofa overlooking the water.
“It’s just getting started.”
“Is that so?” Chaunci stroked his rugged beard and ran a hand across his lips.
He kissed her fingertips and Chaunci looked intensely into his green eyes and kissed him, deeply. Passionately. She felt his hands easing up her thighs and she let them travel and wander into her pulsating middle, seducing her wetness to run its course.
He lifted her dress over her head and stared down at her body. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”
Chaunci unbuckled his pants, revealing his beautiful eleven inches. His dick was one of the prettiest she’d ever seen. The veins pulsating on the side of its mushroom-shaped head made her salivate.
Grant leaned in and kissed her, his sensual sucks going from her bottom lip to her chin, to her chocolate nipples, which he licked and kissed, pulled and popped between his lips. And as he sucked her right breast, he fingered her left one.
Chaunci’s thighs nervously twitched as he moved down her stomach, kissing every inch of her skin, moving his mouth to envelope her clit. He French-kissed her slit, snaking his tongue in and out of it. Licking and lapping until all Chaunci could do was pant until he entered her.
He slid his hard and pulsating member into her wetness. Chaunci drew in a deep breath and then she hummed a sensual moan to accompany the sweet music of his scrotum slapping against her pussy lips.
He pounded. She pushed back. And their hips danced until she rolled on top of him with the ocean breeze blowing against her back.
CHAPTER 32
BRIDGET
I had to admit this A-list crowd was having a ball. They were posing for pictures and showing my cameras lots of love. There were even a few stars who asked me how they could be cast next season.
“Bridget,” Milan slurred. “It’s my husband’s birthday and I’m having a ball!” She did a quick spin and just as she started to moonwalk, she moonwalked right into Emory.
Where the hell is Chaunci? I’m going to have to fire this trick. She is really pushing it!
“Hey, hey, hey, Emorrrrrreeee,” Milan slurred. “I didn’t even know you were behind me. Where’s my girl?”
“What do you mean?” Emory arched a brow. “She’s here.”
“No, she’s not.” Milan did a spin. “I’ve been waiting for her to walk in, but she hasn’t gotten here yet. She’ll be here soon. Go have a drink. It’s open bar.”
Emory stared into space and looked back at Milan. “Are you sure she’s not here?”
“I don’t think so, but hell, maybe she is.”
“When was the last time you spoke to her?”
“Emory”—Milan held up an index finger—“give me a minute.” She walked away from him and followed behind Kendu, who’d just stepped into the corner of the room with a familiar blonde.
“Let’s go, Carl!” I shouted as Milan stormed over to Kendu, who looked to be enthralled in a conversation with the same woman Milan had attacked on the street.
“This bitch?!” Milan screamed. “I thought you didn’t know her, Kendu!”
“Milan,” Kendu said. “Listen, she just came up to me and asked if she could speak to me about my charity and I said yes.”
“Speak to you about a charity!” the woman cried. “Kendu, why are you lying?! Please just tell the truth! I’m tired of being hidden and I’m tired of being alone!”
“I’ll beat your ass!” Milan lunged, and immediately security stepped in.
“Goddamn you!” I screamed. “I
just can’t deal with you all traveling with me! You are completely ruining my fuckin’ vibe! I haven’t had a knock-down-drag-out all season!”
“Let me go!” Milan yelled, clawing over one of the security guard’s shoulders. “How could you do this to me, Kendu?! This damn party wasn’t a surprise to you! You invited this bitch here! How could you!”
“Milan, you need to calm down! I don’t know her!” He gawked at the blonde. “Tell the goddamn truth before I choke the shit out of you! Tell her.”
Tears streamed down the woman’s face and her voice cracked. “Kendu, I can’t lie anymore. I can’t. I’m tired of you denying me and I’m tired of you denying our son!”
Kendu screamed, “I will—”
One of the security officers stepped in front of Kendu as the blonde ran off and Milan took off behind her. Some of the guests continued to party, but most were looking to see what was going on. By the time Milan made it onto the sidewalk, the woman had disappeared. “Where the hell did she go!?” Milan screamed, as tears raced down her face. “I don’t believe it. This motherfucker is a liar, a cheat! He ain’t shit! As much as I stood by his side!”
“Milan,” I called. “Can you please look into the camera and repeat everything you just said?”
She didn’t respond. However, Jaise looked directly into the camera and said, “Mph, once a cheat, always a damn cheat.”
“Really, Jaise.” Bilal frowned.
“I’m just making a statement, Bilal. After all, when he was married to Evan he did the same exact bullshit!”
CHAPTER 33
JAISE
“Bilal, I thought you had the night off.”
“I do.”
“So, why is one of your officers standing on our stoop?” Jaise said as their driver held the door open for them and they stepped onto the sidewalk.
Bilal looked up at the officer and said, “That’s Darnell. Something must’ve jumped off at the station.”
“Well, I’ll meet you upstairs because I can’t wait another moment to get out of these Spanx.”
“Hi, dear,” Jaise said as she approached the stoop. “Would you like to come inside and speak with Bilal?”
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