by Deja King
"I'm tired, plus I'm sure Jamal is ready for you to come home."
"He had to go out of town-that was the something that came up. So I don't have to get home no time soon."
"I hear you, but I'm beat. I have to get up early in the morning, so I really need to get home."
"That's too bad, but we can always hang out another time. I think we could be good friends, Precious."
"Sweetheart, I don't have friends."
"That's too bad."
"Bad for who?"
"For you. Everyone needs somebody." By this time I was pulling up to the Trump Place. "I really had a nice time with you. I hope we can go out again together."
"Maybe."
"I'll give you a call. Bye, Precious."
"Bye." I watched Nina walk up the stairs, and she wasn't that bad. She was somewhat funny, and I had to admit that I enjoyed myself. I couldn't really be mad at the chick for trying to find a long-term sponsor in Jamal. If I didn't know him, I would probably be cheering her on. Shit, living in New York is a hard knock life; you got to fit in where you can get in. Maybe a ho don't make a good wife, but they make for an excellent partying partner.
" C Yfe (PiVia e,,
After keeping my distance from Mike for the next couple of months, one day he decided to pay me a surprise visit. "Precious, you have a visitor," Nathan announced with an attitude.
"Who is it?"
"That cat, Mike."
"What the hell is he doing here?" I knew I shouldn't have let him know where I lived.
"I don't know. I'll be more than happy to send him away."
"That's okay. The guards checked him up front?"
"Yeah, he clean." I followed Nathan downstairs, upset that Mike would show up to my home unannounced. I was even more upset with myself for having butterflies in my stomach.
"What are you doing here?" I asked Mike as he stood in the foyer.
"Is that anyway to greet a friend?"
"When I see a friend, I'll ask them."
"Cute, let's talk," Mike said putting his arm around my waist and escorting me towards the den. Nathan immediately stepped forward and pushed his arm away.
"Don't nobody touch Precious." Nathan snapped at Mike
"Nathan it's okay."
"I apologize. I didn't mean to offend you. But in the future, just so you know, nobody touches me either," Mike said with the most endearing smile on his face while his eyes spoke a language of deadliness.
"Mike, you shouldn't have come here without calling first," I said, closing the door to the den.
"If you answered my calls, I would've."
"I've been busy."
"Busy doing what?"
"Just things."
"Stop dancing around my question and answer it," Mike demanded.
"I know this may come as a surprise to you, but you don't tell me what to do. Other people may have to answer to you, but I don't. Don't think because I turned to you for help, that now I have to bow down like you own me. That'll never happen. I've been busy, that's the only explanation you need."
"You know what I told you about the word `never'. But besides that, I think you're avoiding me." Mike walked over to me.
"Why would I need to avoid you?" I turned my back to him, pretending to look for something.
"Because of how I make you feel," Mike whispered in my ear. I was taking in the alluring smell of his cologne as he stood next to me. I wanted to push him away and tell him that I never wanted to see him again, but my body wouldn't let me. It had only been a few months since Supreme's death, but I was drawn to Mike, and I also missed the comfort of having affection from a man.
"I think you should go," I managed to say.
"Stop trying to fight it. Give in to your feelings." Mike's soft lips sprinkled kisses up my neck, until he came to my mouth. His hands were slowly gliding up my thighs and in that moment, I gave into the temptation. We began to passionately kiss, and he pushed me towards the mahogany desk. Mike pushed the papers out the way and sat me down and gently separated my legs. As our kisses became more intense the tingle that was once going through my entire body had moved to my pussy. Mike slid my panties to the side and massaged my warm clit with his finger. Then he took it a step further, sliding his thick, long fingers inside of me. His finger fucking had my hips rocking to rhythm of his strokes.
"Do you want to feel the real thing?"
"Yes," I said breathlessly. I couldn't wait to wrap my legs around Mike's muscular body and feel all of him inside of me. As he unzipped his pants all of a sudden he just stopped. "What's wrong?" I asked in confusion.
"We can't do this."
"If you're worried about someone coming in, the door is locked. No one can disturb us." I started kissing Mike again because my pussy was now on fire.
"It's not that."
"Then what?"
"I don't want to have sex with you like this."
"I don't understand."
"I've been dying to feel the inside of you."
"Well here's your chance." I opened my legs wider and pulled him closer.
"Not like this. When I have you it won't be in some moment of lust that you'll regret right after we finish. No, you'll be mine, and you'll enjoy every moment, before, during and after. I won't settle for anything less." Mike zipped his pants back up, and I grabbed his hand.
"Don't do this. You got me all fuckin' open and now you wanna shut me off. This is bullshit. You can't just leave me out here like this."
"Precious, you want some dick, that's all."
"No, it's not like that. I don't just want dick. I want it from you." Mike bit down on his bottom lip as if imagining us fucking. With the lust in his eyes, I thought he had changed his mind and was about to put it on me. But instead he rubbed his fingers through my hair and held it tightly. "Mike, that hurts."
"I know, but I want your full attention when I tell you this." He was looking at me so seriously, and I wondered how I let myself get caught up in Mike's games. "Get your mind right, because you will be mine. Sooner than later, and when you step in my world, Precious, the stakes are much higher." Mike gave me one last kiss and walked out leaving me completely frustrated. I had dealt with several thugs in my life, but Mike was on a whole other level. He was the first man that somewhat intimidated me. It wasn't a feeling I was comfortable with, but I also knew it was one I would have to explore.
That night as I undressed to take a shower, I stood in front of the mirror admiring my body. I was finally back to my perfect size six and the surgery the plastic surgeon performed on my scar was off the chain. It healed beautifully and the slight mark was barely noticeable. I was very impressed and knew that Mike would be, too, once he decided to stop playing mind games and we finally got naked. He was trying to make the situation so complicated. After fighting it for so long, the moment I wanted to give in to lust he makes me wait. It wasn't surprising though, Mike had to be in control of everything. He made it clear that having my body wasn't enough. He wanted my mind, and more than likely my soul.
Ring ...ring.. .
"Hello."
"Precious, I know it's early, but I need to speak to you." The voice on the other end was Jamal, and I was pissed he was waking me up so early in the morning.
"Jamal, this better be good."
"I was hoping we could meet for breakfast. We need to talk."
"About what? What is so important that it couldn't wait until at least ten?"
"It's about Nina."
"I know you're not interrupting my sleep over your fiancee?"
"Please, can I come over?"
"Fine."
"I'll be there in an hour." Before I could get out another word the line was dead. I dragged myself out of bed still wondering why Jamal felt it was so urgent to speak to me regarding Nina. After getting dressed, I went downstairs where I was greeted with a room full of flowers."
"Mrs. Mills, all these came for you first thing this morning. A truck pulled up full of flowers," Anna expla
ined.
"Was there a card?"
"Yes, I'll get it for you." As Anna went to get the card I stood admiring the beautiful flower arrangements. Everything from red rose compositions to multicolored mini calla lilies filled up the foyer. I had never seen such an array of flowers before. Anna handed me the card, which read:
qu ~ 7 - C
That's it-no romantic poems or declaring your undying love. Mike was as cool as they came. "Somebody's very fond of you, Mrs. Mills." Anna smiled, obviously digging for dirt.
"I suppose," I said walking to each bouquet taking in the aroma of the fresh flowers. "A friend of mine should be here any minute, could you please make us breakfast. We'll be eating in the den."
"Of course." Before Anna could head to the kitchen, Jamal was coming around the corner.
"Damn, did you fly over here?"
"Wow, is someone having a wedding today?" Jamal was too taken aback by the flowers to answer my question. "Look at this place. I've never seen so many flowers in someone's home before. This is crazy."
"Tell me about it." He, like Anna, was way more excited than I was.
"They're all for you?"
Yep.
"I assume it's from a man, and he obviously has it bad for you.
"We'll see. Enough about me. I want to know why you woke me up early this morning. Let's go in the den, Anna is going to bring us breakfast."
"I'm not hungry, but thanks for seeing me. You're one of the few people I feel I can confide in."
"What's wrong?" From Jamal's demeanor, it was obvious something was weighing heavily on his mind.
"It's Nina. Her behavior just doesn't seem quite right to me.
"What do you mean not quite right, like mentally?"
"No, no, no," Jamal said as he shook his head. "I think she might be seeing someone else." Nina seeing someone else wouldn't be a major surprise to me, but I figured she would be more discreet with it, never taking the chance that Jamal would find out. I mean, he was her meal ticket out of the trailers on video sets to a penthouse in the sky.
"Who?"
"That, I don't know."
"So you don't have any proof, just a hunch?"
"More than a hunch, sometimes she goes missing during the day. I'll call her at home or on her cell, and she doesn't pick up. When she finally returns my call, her excuses are either she was in an area with no reception or left her phone somewhere and just got it back. Just silly excuses, that would work once in a while, but not all the time."
"Have you confronted her about your suspicions?"
"Yeah, and of course she denies it. When I go a little deeper with the interrogation she always starts to pleasure me in the way that only she can." As Jamal continued to talk with his head down, I rolled my eyes. Nina was a girl after my own heart. She definitely had her game intact. When in trouble with your man, sex him right to make him forget all suspicions. Unfortunately for her, Jamal's forgetting only lasted momentarily.
"Hire a private investigator to follow her."
"I did."
"And?"
"She takes the train, and he always loses her. Her cell phone records don't show any suspicious number."
"The train? Nina strikes me as the type of person who would've given that up once she moved in with you."
"That's the thing. When she goes shopping or is running errands, she either takes a cab or uses my car service. But at least three times a week she takes the train. I find that odd. It's as if she's purposely trying to get lost just in case someone is following her."
"That's interesting. So what are you going to do?"
"Precious, I was hoping you could help me." Jamal lifted his head and turned to face me, staring at me with begging eyes. At that moment, I saw the old Jamal from the Brooklyn projects looking at me. He seemed almost fragile.
"What can I do?"
"Befriend Nina. She really enjoyed herself when you all went to the Knicks game. Nina likes you, Precious, she told me. But she said you told her you don't have any friendsI'm hoping that's not true. I'm hoping that you think of me as a friend, and will help me out."
"I don't know, Jamal. I have so much going on in my own life and wasting time with Nina doesn't fit into my schedule."
"Make it fit. It wouldn't be a waste of time. I might be totally wrong about Nina, or I might not. But if I am, marrying her would be the worst thing I could ever do. I need to know. Our wedding is less than two months away."
"Okay. I'll do it."
"Thank you so much, Precious. I'll never forget this."
"Don't get so excited. She might not confide anything to me. Remember she knows that we're cool." Jamal gave me a million dollar smile.
"If anybody can get to the bottom of something, it's you. I'm confident you'll find out what is going on, if anything. So how about calling Nina now and maybe have a girls night out."
"I can't tonight, I already have plans." Disappointment immediately spread across Jamal's face. "I will call her and set something up for tomorrow." The disappointment instantly changed to delight. Jamal walked over and hugged me tightly.
"It's too bad we never had a chance to see if a relationship could've worked between us, because you're perfect."
"Jamal, I'm not perfect, nobody is. Remember that."
"I know, but you're as close to perfect as one can get." We both smiled and I walked Jamal out. It was amazing how everybody in your life could view you differently. But then again, I seemed to show a different side of myself to each person. With Jamal, I always showed him the respectable lady in me. That's why he constantly put me on a pedestal. But then again maybe that's the side he brought out, because he was such a gentleman. Jamal would be shocked to know that with everyone else in my life I was a straight up bitch, and that was on my good days.
After eating my breakfast, I placed the call to Nina.
"Hi, it's me, Precious."
"Precious, it's so nice to hear from you. I left you a few messages, but you never called me back."
"I'm sorry. I had so much going on, and I actually had to go out of town for a few weeks." That was a lie, but it sounded good. "But now I'm back and was hoping maybe we could get together tomorrow?"
"Girl, yes, there's this new restaurant I heard about. It's supposed to be hot. We should go."
"Sounds good, I'll pick you up tomorrow around sevent rry.
"Perfect. I knew we would be friends, Precious. We're two of a kind." On that note I ended the call. Nina truly believed it was all gravy with us. Under different circumstances, we might have been cool, but at the same time, her personality was always so happy-go-lucky. Shit like that made me suspicious. I mean damn, everybody got problems, and those who don't are the ones starting them.
As it got later in the day I started preparing for my date with Mike. I was looking forward to spending some quality time with him. I never sat down and just kicked it with Mike on some relaxing shit.
Standing in front of the mirror fixing my hair, instead of my own reflection staring back at me it was Supreme's. It was probably because of the guilt I felt. "Baby, I know Mike ain't never been one of your favorite dudes, but I kinda dig him. I'm so lonely, Supreme, and it's hard for me. I wake up everyday thinking of you, and go to sleep every night wishing you were beside me. Mike can never take your place in my heart, but I think we're somewhat compatible. The streets run through his blood just like they do mine. Most people just don't understand that about me, but Mike does. I hope you understand, and you don't hold it against me, because with us, it's love for life." I spoke those words to Supreme as if he was standing before me in the flesh. His presence was always felt, and somewhere in my mind I did believe he could hear me. Maybe it was because of the necklace he gave me that I never took off. Whatever it was, the connection was strong.
After going back and forth over how to rock my hair-up then down again-I let my golden brown waves hang loosely down my shoulders. I put on my cream fitted pantsuit and pulled out the shearling to match. It w
as exactly eight, and I knew Mike would be right on time. I went downstairs to have a quick drink before he arrived. Nathan was standing in the foyer as if waiting for me. "Good evening, Nathan," I said with a pleasant smile.
"You need me to escort you somewhere tonight?" he asked in a protective tone.
"No, I'm fine."
"So where are you going?"
"Out," I replied, trying to remain cool. I never liked for anyone to question me. But I knew Nathan was asking out of concern, so I didn't want to bite his head off.
"With who?" He asked one question too many, and now he was working my nerves.
"That's really none of your business, but if you must know, Mike."
"Pretty Boy Mike? Why do you deal with that arrogant nigga? You know Supreme wouldn't approve of him."
"Nathan, for one, Supreme is no longer with us. Two, I'm grown. I don't have to explain to you or anybody else who I choose to deal with. As far as approval goes, mine is the only one that counts. Now, excuse me my date is here," I said hearing the doorbell ring.
Even after the tongue lashing I just gave Nathan, he lingered behind me as I answered the door. He glared at Mike with hatred in his eyes. I tried to ignore his stares, but it was hard since Nathan wasn't exactly unnoticeable.
"Precious, you look beautiful," Mike said, ignoring the wannabe cock blocker.
"Thanks, let's get out of here." I turned to Nathan, "Have a good night, and don't wait up."
When we pulled up to 23rd Street, I wondered where Mike was taking me for dinner. The block was lined with elegant buildings more suited for private residents than restaurants. "Where are we going?" I finally asked.
"Bette. Its Amy Sacco's restaurant. She owns Bungalow 8, this exclusive nightclub I go to sometimes."
"Oh, I've never heard of either of those places."
"Well, I'm the first to show you something different."
"What type of food do they serve?"
"European grill, its delicious, trust me."
When we entered the spot, I was impressed by the elegant but yet sleek style. It had smoked glass with umber and charcoal colors. The Mobius-inspired tubular light fixture gave it an ultra modern, high tech 70s look. I let Mike do the ordering since I didn't know what was good on the menu. He got some herb-grilled black sea bass and some braised short ribs, which sounded delicious to me. We started things off with a bottle of bubbly, just the way I like.