by Anna Black
“Malice,” I called out his name.
“Baby, you did all of this?” he asked with a wave of his arm. I had four easels, and all had pages and pages of faces and beautiful things like the sky, mountains and the sea.
“Yes, I did,” I said, dropping my head. I know he asked me a million times not to do that, but it was a habit that was hard to break.
“These are amazing, I’m like my woman is talented. I mean you created this,” he said, pointing to the sketch on his immediate left. “This looks like a real fuckin’ person, from the frown lines to the creases in the forehead. I mean, Juicy, can you draw me like this?”
“Yes,” I answered nervously as I locked my fingers together. I had never gotten that close to anyone and had never shown anyone my sketches. My sisters knew I was talented growing up with me, but even when they visited, they had never been inside of my art room.
“This shit is fantastic, and you do this all day every day in a courtroom?”
“Only for big trials, not the small cases.”
“I mean how much does a gig like that pay? I mean, shit woman, you are good.”
“Well, if you must know, nosey, I gross about 55K a year.”
“Damn, baby, you do well.”
“Umm, I did go to college. I went to the Art Institute of Chicago and got my Bachelor’s.”
“Yeah, well, I went to college, too. Got a business degree and shit, but I can say I rarely use it,” he chuckled a bit. “I manage my business well, but between you and me, back in the day, in my teen years, I use to break into shit.”
“Shit, like what?”
“Houses, stores, cars, just some old teenage dumb shit. By the time I graduated high school, I had cut out all of that foolishness and got my head on straight. I wasn’t doing it because I needed it, but I was just running with the wrong group of young niggas back then. Most of us have turned out fine, while some, I don’t even hear from anymore. Thank God for that.”
“Wow, well, I am glad you decided to cut out all the foolishness.”
“I had to. Either I’d get caught, or my parents would find out. Either way, my ass would have been grass,” he laughed.
I laughed lightly. “Well, if you had not changed, we wouldn’t be standing right here today.”
“That’s real talk, and woman, you keep drawing me in. I mean this shit right here is amazing. I mean you sing, you draw, and you did tell me you write poetry too, so let’s see it,” he said grinning that devilish grin that I loved with an outstretched hand.
Even though he had me open, I didn’t want to share that just yet. “Ummm, no. I write poetry for me, not to share,” I declared. I had never shared my poetry with a soul, so why was he all up in mine?
“But it’s me, babe. I’m your man, and I’m learning so much about you, and if you are into writing poetry, I wanna be a part of that too,” he said softly.
I shook my head. I wasn’t ready to let him see my written expressions. I mean a part of me wanted to, but I couldn’t. “Maybe another time,” I resisted.
“It’s like that?” he questioned.
“No, Malice, it’s just that this,” I paused. “You and I are so new, and you’re my first for a lot of things, like being in this room where I create, being in my bed…so just be a little patient with me.”
“So, you were willing to give me your love box, but I can’t read your thoughts?” he asked, and he had a valid point. I bit down on my bottom lip, and then I went over to my desk in the corner, opened the drawer, and pulled out one of my notebooks. I had been writing poetry for years, but I grabbed the one on top. I opened it, took a deep breath, and prepared myself to recite the words. Although my eyes were on the stanzas that I had penned, I felt his eyes locked on me.
Love in Focus
Though hidden from my eternity
Bliss almost passed me
Heart so broken I couldn’t see
This love
This moment
This joy
This beautiful ache
Your kisses one by one mend my heart
Your love so simple, captivates me
Your love so fierce, twists and entwines me
Your love so blazing, burns passion ignite me
A deep yearning with no end
Love comes into sight
A heart this brand new
Can only focus on you
My love, I have you in plain sight
I recited the words until the end, and when I looked up from my notebook, he had a huge smile on his face. “You got me falling for your juicy ass the more I get to know you. You know that, right?”
I blushed. “And I’m falling for you, too,” I said. He moved closer to me. He leaned in and kissed me.
“You are so damn pretty Gracie, and smart, and talented, sexy…and you are doing something to my heart, Juicy.”
I smiled and hoped it made his dick just as excited. I was ready to do this big sexy, fine ass man, and I knew it might hurt like a bitch, but I felt courageous enough to ride that dick. “I feel the exact same way, Malice.”
“Go finish packing, so we can get some food and get to my place,” he suggested. I moved closer to him, wrapped my arms around his neck, and gave him another kiss, and then I put my notebook back into my desk drawer. “I’m going to thumb through more of your sketches if you don’t mind,” he said.
“No, I don’t,” I said and then headed back to my room. I went back to packing my bag, and when I was just about done, Malice walked into my bedroom with one of my oversized sketch pads and held it up.
“How in the fuck do you know this nigga?” he blasted.
“I helped put him away, about seven years ago,” I answered, honestly wondering how he knew that damn criminal.
17
Malice
I looked at my baby, and then I blinked a few times. “Come again.”
“That is Sylvester Parker. I witnessed a store robbery about seven years ago, and it was my sketch that got him captured, and my testimony sent him to prison for five years,” she said.
“Are you fuckin’ serious, baby? This nigga and I were on the block doing evil deeds together back in my criminal days. He was my ace back then until I went off to college. We kinda lost touch. He stayed in the streets, and got caught up, was in and out of jail, but after his last bid, I linked up with him and this nigga works for me now. The one who got shot last weekend. This is Silky,” I expressed.
“No freaking way,” she said.
“Yes, fucking way. I mean if he remembers you or if he sees you,” I thought to myself, then I thought shit should be all good by now. He had already done his time and hell he did get caught, so I was sure he was over that shit. I had known Silky to be more than just a stickup kid back then, but not a damn killer. I was confident that he was on the up and up and not holding any grudges.
“So, what does this mean babe? I mean if you and I are together and he continues to work for you, someday he will see me, right?”
“Right,” I said, thinking. I then became uneasy. The only muthafucka’s I trusted in life was Gutta, Rel, and Royal. My true fuckin’ blue, blood brothers and they had my back in any and all things. All them so-called loyal friends and associates were damn iffy. I didn’t want my baby to freak out or think the boogie man was coming for her because I had her, but I had to make sure Silk was not harboring ill feelings for my baby and held no muthafuckin’ grudges. I mean he had no idea she was my woman. When we went by the hospital last weekend, Gracie sat outside of his room and didn’t even go in with me because they only allowed two guests at a time, so I relaxed my demeanor. “And if and when he does, it’s all good baby. Now, are you ready to go? Ya’ man starving and I’m ready to get some grub.”
“Give me five, babe,” she said, and I took the sketch pad back into the other room. I opened the drawer where she had gotten her notebook and saw over two dozen notebooks. It looked to me as if she had been writing poems for a very long time, but I grab
bed the one on top and took it to my coat. I forced it into the pocket and didn’t say a word about it. I wanted to thumb through and read her mind. Gracie was unique in her own way and humble as fuck. I had been with countless women in my day and fucked so many, but Gracie had a virtuous aura like my mom. It’s like my mother was so patient with us. She raised four active boys, but she was always fair. She’d listen and hear us out before she disciplined or reprimanded.
She’d keep my father from skinning us alive, and she was very loving, just like Grace. When I’d picture my wife, I’d imagine someone like Grace, and I didn’t need thirty damn days to know that we were a match, but I just didn’t want to be premature about shit. After another week with her, it was confirmed. I didn’t want to see or do anyone other than her. I wanted to make love to her, and I had no intentions of hurting or leaving her. I wanted to fall in love with Gracie, and I wanted all that shit that grown-ass people do to have a family.
She walked out, struggling with her bag, and I rushed over to take it from her hand. “I got this honey, just go and get whatever you wanna take for Bistro,” I suggested. She nodded then I went over to my jacket and put it on just so I could put her book of poems in my SUV. I didn’t want her to know that I had taken it. I had a client that owned a comedy and poetry spot, and I knew I’d take her there. I wanted to get my baby out of her shyness and convince her to shine because she was a star. At least, in my eyes, she was. After we loaded up Bistro, we headed to my loft. We couldn’t decide what we wanted to eat at first, but then we decided on pizza, so I called it in so it could be delivered. When we made it to my loft, I pulled into my garage, and her eyes widened as large as saucers.
18
Grace
We pulled up to a building that looked like something out of a movie. It looked like a damn warehouse, and I was wondering what was really going on? “This is your place?” I asked as he pulled into what was like a ten-car garage. The garaged door closed after we were inside, and he parked. He got out and then came around to help me out. “Malice, this looks like a damn warehouse. I mean, what is this place?” I asked, confused.
“Relax baby, it’s my home,” he said.
I looked around and saw two bikes, a shiny black Cadillac CT6, and an old ass black and white Corvette CHEVELLE. I knew it was one of those old ass types of cars. “Okay, do you live in a garage? I mean, this is a damn warehouse. And are all of these vehicles yours?” I questioned.
He opened the door to let Bistro out, and he ran to what looked like an old school elevator, the kind that lofts had when you go up, and you are in the living space without an actual door. “Of course, Bistro has been here before,” I said, remembering that he had brought him to his place the weekend before.
“Yes, and he knows that all is good, so calm the hell down. This is my place. I didn’t bring you here to kill you,” he laughed, grabbing my bag.
“I know and trust, thanks to my iPhone, my sisters know my location at all times, so I’m not scared of you, Mr. Malice.”
“Good, now come on,” he said, and I follow him to the old school elevator. Bistro was all ready to get on, so when he opened the gate, I got on after Bistro ran inside. If he thought it was safe, I’d trust him, because I knew dogs could sense danger. Malice closed the gate, shifted the old school lever, and the elevator went up. When he opened the gate, my mouth opened in amazement. His place was beautiful, I mean home and garden magazine beautiful. I scanned the room trying to take it all in, but it was so much fabulousness, I was speechless. “Baby let me take your coat,” he said, bringing me back to the here and now. I was too damn busy trying to take in his spectacular crib. I took off my coat, and after I handed it to him, I moved from the spot I was standing in to take a look around.
“You got to be fuckin’ kidding me,” I said. I wasn’t big on the f word, but his place was amazing.
“What?” he said as if he didn’t know what I was thinking.
“This place is like, wow and wow and wow,” I said. It was clean as a whistle to start, and the aroma in the air reminded me of my place. I knew he had wax warmers. I looked to my right and saw an actual boxing ring, pool table, and a full bar. A bar stocked with bottles. The space was so vast and open, and the kitchen and living space was to my left. Beyond that was a set of steps with floor to ceiling sheer drapes and the exposed bricks and ducts, confirmed that it was indeed a loft. A fantastic loft, and I wanted to know how he had come up with something so lovely and elaborate. “This is spectacular,” I added.
“Thank you, and all of this was my brother, Rel. His design, his ideas, and I let him do his thing, and it came out amazing. The warehouse was free, a property that was to be torn down, but Rel, had a vision for it, and this is the end result. It is perfect for me. The countertops in my kitchen are taller to accommodate my height, along with the bathroom vanity and every other thing that my brother personally customized for me.”
“And from where I’m standing, it is absolutely gorgeous. Like, this is something I’d love to live in. I mean there are so many details, and it’s exactly my style. I am in design heaven right now,” I said.
“Well, let me give you a full tour,” he said, taking my hand and leading me on a tour of his place. The space went on for miles; it seemed when he opened the door to the unfinished space that wasn’t even being utilized. The entire warehouse was his, and when he showed me a guest bedroom and bathroom behind two barn doors, I was floored. His bedroom was up the steps behind the sheer curtains, and his bed was huge. It looked like two king-sized beds together, but he assured me it was only a Cali-king. The master bath was spacious with dual sinks, a separate tub, and shower, and I wanted to move in.
“Malice I love your place, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to stay with you,” I said joking.
“You can stay as long as you like,” he said.
“I am joking.”
“I’m not,” he countered. My head dropped, and I quickly lifted it back up and looked at him.
“I see you remember what I said. It’s me and you babe, and when you are with me, you don’t have to be shy or feel insecure because you are so fuckin’ beautiful, Grace.” He pulled me into his arms and kissed me passionately. My center was getting wet again as it usually did when I was around his tall and gorgeous ass. I wanted him to make love to me so damn badly that my insides ached from my desires for him. He slid his hand down to my center, and then I heard a weird sound. “That must be the pizza,” he said and backed away, looking at me with that damn devilish grin that I had grown to love. He hurried to the elevator, got in, and went down, and a few moments later, he came back up with our dinner.
We ate, and when I went into the kitchen to wash the couple of dishes we used, he took Bistro out. When he came back up, I was hoping we’d pick up where we left off, but he turned on the large flat screen that adorned the wall. He said he was going to shower and said if I wanted to use the guest bathroom to shower, I was welcomed to if I didn’t want to wait on him to finish.
I took him up on his suggestion because I wanted our cuddle time on the sofa to lead to sex in his bed. After I showered and moisturized my skin, I brushed my hair back and did a long braid. I cleaned my face and made sure to hit my hot spots with my Flower Bomb.
I wanted to turn him on that night because my center was more than ready to be stroked. When I made it back to the sofa, his gigantic gorgeous ass was stretched out on the oversized sectional, so I joined him and got close. It was a little chilly for me in his place, so I grabbed the blanket that draped the back of the sectional to cover up. “Are you good, babe?” he asked. “I can turn up the heat if you want me too, Juicy.”
“Babe I’m good, and this soft ass blanket is good enough for me.”
“Do you wanna watch anything particular?”
“Nah, it’s whatever,” I replied, and he kept scrolling, but then it hit me. “Discovery ID babe, if you don’t mind,” I said. Since I dealt with crime on a regular, I loved crime shows. H
e went to that channel and then put the remote down. I snuggled even closer to his tight, rock hard body as I watched, and not even fifteen minutes later, I heard him snoring. I grabbed the remote to turn down the volume, and then Bistro jumped on the sofa with us and laid close to me. I was into the program, but before long, I joined him and Bistro and drifted off to dreamland.
19
Gracie
One by one, we allowed the seamstress to get our measurements. It had taken us about an hour to finally agree on a dress, and I was wondering why slim women didn’t have any regard for plus-sized women because all they were concerned about was a sexy dress that would look good on them. They never stopped to considered that their selection wouldn’t be flattering on me. At one point I wanted to tell Chas that I didn’t want to be a bridesmaid anymore, but when she looked at me, she intervened.
“Look, I have four bridesmaids with different tastes, shapes, and ideas. What y’all need to do is find the dress that you want, but all of the dresses will be the exact same color. I am okay with different designs, but all of the dresses will be red, so pick a damn dress and hope that we can get it in the exact same red,” she said and winked at me. I smiled because she was loving and observant enough to notice me. I was so used to not saying much, always going with the flow and doing things that I didn’t always wanna do, and Malice kept telling me to be me and stop living in the background. But I was having such a hard time because I didn’t have the courage or vibrant personalities like Momma, Gemma, and Gabby.
The only time I didn’t feel shy or scared was at church. I could get up and sing and send up praises to the Lord, but if we were anywhere else, my confidence would escape me. I was glad that Chas spoke up, but I told myself that the next time I was faced with any situation that I just didn’t want to go along with, I’d speak the hell up.