by Edwina Fort
He wasn’t ruffled in the least as he sat down in the chair across from my desk slouching a bit. I shook my head.
“How have you been enjoying my sista, chump?”
“Just fine, thanks for asking.” There was the anger... it flashed swiftly in his eyes before he got it under control.
“I got an interesting visitor the other day. Claims she’s from your office. Said you sent her to keep an eye on me.”
I didn’t twitch a nerve. Another thing I learned about this kid is yes, he looked dumb as a bag of rocks, your everyday average hoodlum. But he wasn’t, this little f***er’s brain will probably end up in a museum after he dies.
“And?”
He grinned at my answer. The bastard.
“And I just come by to say thank you.” My eyebrow rose.
“What are you thanking me for?” He settled back in his chair.
“Well chump, it’s been a long time since another human has entertained me. And your Ms. Bonita is very entertaining. I look forward to exploring her gifts a little further.”
I dropped my arms from my head and sat up straighter in my seat. If this bastard has done anything to hurt Nak I was going to kill him.
“What have you done?”
He lifted a finger in the air. “Oh! Don’t you worry about your spy. She is no longer your concern. However, you have bigger issues to deal with like James Bennet Law.”
I frowned. What the hell was he talking about?
“Never heard of him.”
Resting his elbows on the arm of the chair he crossed his fingers in front of his month.
“Hmmm…” He said looking thoughtful. “That’s interesting because he knew you
very well.”
“Where did he know me from?”
He tapped his lip with his index finger. “I don’t quite know yet. The picture is
slowly coming together. But what a picture it’s proving to be. Ah! Well.” He said coming to his feet.
“It appears as if you, my not so good friend, have a homework assignment. Let’s see if those imbeciles the FBI call their tech team can figure it out.” He began to walk towards the door.
“Tick-Tock, Joey boy, the race is on. You’d better find out who James Bennet Law is before I do. Once I get the information I need, I’m going to use it to destroy you and your reprobate of a father’s career.” He smiled. “I told you, you had a problem on your hand.”
I balled up my fist as I watched him quietly shut the door behind him.
Never in my life have I wanted to kill a man more than my woman’s brother.
I opened my laptop that I used when dealing with only my team and sure enough, I had a message from Nak.
Clicking on the link I settled back in my chair as her beautiful face appeared on the screen.
“Hey, boss…” She said as she tied her boot, she sounded tired. I felt horrible for pulling her from one assignment and putting her right on another without giving her a chance to rest, but I had no other choice. Rome has been digging and he hasn’t been quiet about it. I need to know what information he has found so that I can do damage control before the f***er tries to go public with any of it.
“You were right about this Rome kid. He’s really smart. He’s not buying the baby-sitting story. The only way I’m going to be able to get your information is if I allow myself to be caught. Don’t worry, he’s attracted to me, so this should prove to be interesting. I’m going to be off grid for a little while. I’ll send you the files when I have them.” She powered off.
I smiled, his little parting threat inconsequential.
He didn’t realize he’s taken in the Black Widow. She was going to destroy the bastard from the inside before he knew what the hell hit him. Knowing that she was in, I was able to breathe a little easier. However, I still found myself typing James Bennet Law in my search box.
Journey
I was so nervous about what Jo was going to say when he came home and found my mother here.
“Stop chewing on you lip, Journey. He’s going to be alright with having me here for a few weeks. You’re worrying for nothing.” My mother said as she chopped red onion for her pot on the stove.
I didn’t know what he was going to say, but I was glad to have my mommy here. I had only just gotten her back before Jo showed up to take Ayana and me away. And it felt good to have a pro around to give me advice and show me how to do some mommy things that I still haven’t quite grasped.
Not to mention my mom was the world’s best cook. She enjoyed cooking and told me when I was younger that the kitchen was her comfort zone. And guess what? She loved my kitchen and had already made out a grocery list for all the goodies she was going to make us.
And like any sibling, I loved when I had my mother to myself.
“Wow! What smells so good?” Jo said as soon as he opened the front door. I smiled when his deep voice washed over me and just like every other day, I realized how much I missed him. I ran to him and jumped into his waiting arms. Then I gave him a kiss before telling him how much I missed my man.
I loved the way he looked at me. “Hey, beautiful.”
I smiled down at him. “Hey back at you, my king. How was your day?”
He exhaled as the smile left his face. Slowly he let my feet slide to the ground. “It was great till the pain in my as—” his words stalled suddenly as he looked up toward the kitchen.
“Mrs. Reevers, how are you?”
“Jo, I pray you don’t mind if my mom stays with us for a few weeks.” He smiled genuinely. Not like a politician, but like a human. I exhaled in relief.
“Of course not. I was hoping she and I could start over, so that I can show her I’m not the jerk she first met.”
My mother returned his smile and then surprised me by opening her arms to him.
“Come on over here and give me a hug, son.”
Seeing my mom and my man hugging was the most beautiful sight. Let me tell yall, if I worried that Jo was going to have a hard time with her being here, I shouldn’t have. Over the next week my mom began to spoil him in only the way a parent could and he shamelessly sucked it all up.
She cooked for him and Jo discovered he loved soul food. I couldn’t believe him when he said he didn’t eat it growing up. What kind of black people in America didn’t eat soul food? Apparently the rich ones.
Well, my mother didn’t have a problem making up for all the times he’d lost and he didn’t have a problem accepting it. He began to bring us both home flowers from work. It wasn’t long before my mom was singing praises to her boy Jo and of course, Rome was not happy to hear that. Whenever he talked to mom on the phone and she told him about something amazing Jo had done, Rome would balk and change the subject.
I thought now that my mother was here, Jo would stop spending the night as much, but he hadn’t. Just like before, he was here every night. Now we shared the adventure of trying to keep our loving making quiet, so she won’t hear.
Okay, so I told you guys I was going to tell you what happened the day I discovered Jo was the jealous type. This first incident was quite mild compared to the second, but once again I’m getting ahead of myself…Let me tell you what happened first.
My mom had been here for about a week and I needed to make a run to the nursery, so I decided it was a perfect day for me to show her around D.C. I’d called Albert to see if he wouldn’t mind driving us and of course, Albert showed up in true Albert fashion.
“Wow! It’s been a long time since my eyes have seen beautiful?” He stared at my mother as if she was truly the most beautiful sight he’d seen in a while. Pulling his hat off his head he held it pressed to his chest. My mom, who was coming out the kitchen at the time looked up startled because she had not heard him come in.
Albert stopped knocking weeks ago.
“Albert, this is my mom, Abigale Reevers.” I said coming down the stairs with Ayana in my arms. Chuckling, I just realized how similar their names were.
He walked towards her
as if in a trance, holding his hand out for her’s. “With eyes like that, maybe I’ll call you… Abbycat.”
I rolled my eyes at his corny rhyme referencing my mom’s light brown eyes. But would you know she cheesed as if she was a school girl. I tilted my head looking at old Albert. I guess he wasn’t bad looking. You can see that in his day he was the Billy Dee Williams smooth type. So now, he was the retired Billy Dee Williams smooth type.
Hmmm, this was going to prove interesting.
That whole day Albert had both my mother and I in tears. He was so funny. And yes, he went out his way to impress my mom. She was so flattered by his attention that most of the day her cheeks were flushed.
Goodness, if Rome was here to witness this, he would no doubt try to murder poor Albert.
It was when we had stopped for lunch that I ended up running into my old roommate Michelle and she was not alone. She was with none other than Kyle and his cousin Ben, who Michelle had been flirting with on and off for some time now.
“Oh My God, Journey! That is you!” She called across the restaurant, scaring me to death.
“Well, isn’t she a loud one.” My mother muttered to my right.
I put a smile on my face, although I must admit to not being that happy to see Michelle. Remember, I still blamed her for what had happened to me. Had I not listened to her, I would have never gotten into this mess in the first place.
And to top it off, she was with Kyle, definitely not a pressure I needed right now. I couldn’t help the moan of despair that escaped my lips when I saw him and Ben start to head my way with her.
“Hey, Michelle, how are you?” I got up to hug her, trying to avoid making eye contact with Kyle. When we pulled back she had a fake pout on her face.
“Not good. My best friend has been here for almost three months and she has not come to see me once. Had it not been for Kyle I would have never known you were here at all. Not to mention the fact you had a baby and didn’t tell me. That is no way for besties to act!”
Besties? Since when have we been besties? I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I turned around and gestured toward my mom and Ayana, who was sitting up in a high chair watching us all with wide eyes.
“Michelle, let me introduce you to my mom and daughter. And this here,” I gestured towards Albert. “Is a very dear friend of the family, Albert.” I refused to call him my driver.
As they were getting acquainted, Kyle made his way to my side. I tried to scoot over as close to Michelle as I could get, but it wasn’t close enough.
“Hey Journey, I haven’t seen you around lately. Is everything alright?”
Fake smile back on my face, I looked up at him.
“Sure Kyle, everything is fine. Here, let me introduce you to my mom.” And once again, I was granted a little reprieve as Albert took control of the conversation in only the way Albert could. However, my irritation rose once again when Michelle invited her little group to join us for lunch.
I went to shake my head, but my mother elbowed me in the side.
“Don’t be rude, sweetheart.” She muttered through her smile without moving her lips.
So, our party grew from four to seven. Lunch wasn’t so bad. But I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder remembering what Jo’s mom had told me about him having eyes everywhere. Although technically, I didn’t have anything to worry about seeing as to how there was nothing going on between Kyle and I.
The problem was Kyle didn’t seem to know that and his body language screamed that there was something going on between us. To anybody looking, it seemed that the three of us were on a triple date. Albert sat next to my mom, who sat to the right of me. And Michelle slid in next to Ben, it seemed that they had taken their relationship further since I’ve been gone. And instead of Kyle sitting next to Ben, what did he do? You guessed it, slid on my other side, which made my mom and Albert have to reposition themselves so that I could have Ayana at one of my sides.
Okay, now if that wasn’t irritating enough, he put his arm on the back of my seat and leaned into me.
Great! He would pick now to be assertive.
And yall, he was being so assertive that several times Albert and I exchanged looks. There was actual concern in Albert’s eyes and even he began to look around with me, no doubt having the same thoughts I was having, that Jo was going to pop up any minute.
I breathed a sigh of relief when the waitress brought our check. So ready was I to go, I put my credit card on the tray and told everyone that lunch was my treat. Then I began to put Ayana’s jacket on.
“Ben, you don’t mind if we stop over at Journey’s house on the way in, do you?” Michelle cooed giving Ben goo-goo eyes. “I have to see her new place for myself, it sounds amazing.”
MUTHA F****!
I held my breath wondering if I had yelled that out loud or just in my head. When I didn’t see anybody turn to look at me appalled, I exhaled.
I was so screwed.
Chapter Nine
The Damn Poet
Joseph
That bastard Rome hacked my damn personal computer. It was a subtle strike, barely a caress. Had it not been for Tyler, the head of my tech team who noticed the slight glitch, we would have never known he’d been there at all. Apparently when he had come to visit my office the other day, he had some kind of transmitter on him that barreled into my system.
Thus, the reason for the surprise visit. The little sh*t had stayed long enough for his little burrower to find a weak spot in my structure and connect. Tyler was amazed with the technology. He was even more astounded by the fact that it had to have been something Rome designed himself, because there was nothing like it on the market or behind the scenes.
We have been spending all week changing out codes and protecting everything. Our office has vital information that if landed in the wrong hands could make major waves for our investors. It irked me beyond means that Tyler couldn’t tell me exactly what Rome had touched. If I didn’t know he was as good as destroyed, I would be dispatching a different kind of team to his case, setting aside the money to buy Mrs. Reevers and Journey those black dresses.
Needless to say, I was exhausted. So, you can imagine my aggravation when I pulled up to Journey’s to see the extra vehicles parked in front. I turned my car off and sat there staring at them for a minute. Rubbing my hand frustratingly down my face, I exhaled.
The only thing I wanted to do was sit down and eat whatever delicacy Mrs. Reevers put on the table in front of me, kiss Ayana’s fat cheeks till she screeched, and then pull Ayana’s mama under the cover and make love to her till she screams. Was that too much to f***en ask for?
Letting myself in the front door I smiled when my presence made the conversation in the living room and the kitchen come to a halt. I recognized Journey’s old roommate, but the man with her I didn’t know.
“Jo my boy, how was work?” The nervous energy in Albert’s voice caused me to raise an eyebrow in question. He and Mrs. Reevers both shot concerned glances towards the stairs.
Hmmm…
“Work was work old man… how is everyone doing this evening?” I addressed the room as I leaned down to kiss Mrs. Reevers’ cheek.
“Wow! Journey didn’t tell me you were the mystery man she was hiding over here in her little love nest.” Michelle spoke up as she sashayed over to stand in front of me.
I almost shook my head. This woman was shameless, I was ecstatic her internship with my father was over. She looked up at me now with the same flirty eyes she’d had when she worked there.
“Mr. Warren—” she purred, but I interrupted her.
“Please we’re not at work, call me Jo.” She grinned as if I had just gifted her a million dollars.
“Jo…allow me to introduce you to a really good friend of mine, Ben.”
Her really good friend hurried towards me with a huge star struck smile on his face. Damn, I was too tired for this. Shaking his hand I turned my head to look around for Journey, needing to
feel her in my arms.
“Please to meet you, Ben.” The smile on his face grew to the point I feared his cheeks may break; his hands shook with his nervousness.
“Wow! May I say the honor is all mine, sir.” He went into his spill about he and I belonging to the same fraternity before attempting to impress me with how well he knew my resumé. But I’d already tuned him out as Albert handed me a glass of whiskey.
“Where’s Journey?” I asked the room when Ben here paused for breath.
“Let me go get her!” Mrs. Reevers said jumping up from her chair. I put my hand on her shoulder stopping her.
“No, that’s okay, I was heading up anyway.” I told her before turning to look at the other occupants in the room.
“If you guys will excuse me.”
Before I turned to leave, Albert and Mrs. Reevers shared one more concerned look with each other. I took a sip of my drink.
Hmmm…I had a strange feeling I was getting ready to be upset. After I looked in on my beautiful baby sleeping in her crib, I found out just how upset I was getting ready to be. When I didn’t see Journey in the bedroom I went up to the greenhouse. And what did I find?
My girl and another man with their heads nearly touching as they stared down into the dirt of one of her plants. Now that alone is no big deal. But the fact that he stood with his arm around her shoulders was going to get him hurt.
Badly…
I turned my glass up and drained my drink. Old Albert may have just saved this man’s life. My eyes narrowed when he reached his hand up and gently touched Journey’s locs, bringing one up to sniff it, all without her knowing.
Then again, maybe not.
Journey
The sound of a glass being set down rather roughly caused me to jump. Kyle and I both turned toward the door to see a smiling Jo standing there looking so very handsome in his suit. Goodness, this man could have a very successful career as a model if he so chooses.
“There you are.” He said opening his arms to me.
Not being able to resist his pull I went to him and hugged him, closing my eyes for just a moment to savor the feel of his strong arms wrapped around me. He smelled so good. Then he looked down at me in that way that he does when he comes from work, as if his eyes were starved to take me in, like he can’t relax until he sees me. This look of his caused everything else to fade to black. In that moment, it was just he and I.