That Bona Fide Hood Love
Page 3
“I strap up, and it ain’t all these different women. I got a select few. Ain’t my fucking fault I ain’t found the right one.”
“What’s wrong with Everly?”
“Too damn bougie sometimes. You know how her ass is, so don’t even question me like I’m doing wrong.”
Jamal nodded, finishing the water before tossing it into the recycling can.
“Well me,” he palmed his chest, “I’ve met somebody, and I think she’s the one.”
Frowning, I chuckled because this muthafucka had to be joking.
“You found a bitch that you’re willing to marry and actually fuck? Is it Catharine?”
“No. It ain’t Catharine! And aye, man, she ain’t no bitch, and we’d be making love in marital bliss, not fucking.” Jamal laughed when he saw my face. “Anyway, I’m thinking of proposing to her.”
“Wait, how long you known her?”
“Few months, and things have always been good, but our latest outing was what really got the wheels turning in my head. You know Mama always said when you meet the right woman, you’ll know.”
“Nah, I gotta meet her ass before you ask her to be ya fucking wife.” I shook my head, wondering what hood rat ass female had my younger brother’s nose wide open.
This nigga, for years, acted like he couldn’t find a bitch that hit every mark he wanted, so for him to out of the blue walk through here talking about marriage, was fishy as a muthafucka. If it wasn’t Catharine, then whomever it was, was a fucking scam artist.
Yeah, Jamal was a grown ass man, but he was green as shit when it came to a lot of things. Even though we were raised together in the same household, we had totally different personalities; him following the lifestyle my parents wanted, and me doing the opposite. That resulted in him being their favorite and me being seen as the problem child for most of our life.
When Jamal was in law school, I was distributing cocaine, so as you see, we couldn’t be any more fucking different. Only once I opened Opulence and it started to take off did my parents warm up to me. Me hiring Jamal as head of legal improved shit with them too.
“You will meet her because after I ask her to marry me, I want her to come live with us.”
I snickered before saying, “Nah.”
“Come on, man. Look, I know this is yo’ crib, and as soon as she and I get married, I will move out. But look, I need her to come live with us until then.”
“What happened to not shacking the fuck up? Ain’t that in the bible?”
“It is, umm.” He scratched his mustache. “But the circumstances are different, so she needs to come here.”
This shit was beyond suspicious, but I knew if I told this nigga no, he would do some more shit I ain’t like. And shit, it may be a good idea to let the bitch live here so I could keep my eye on her ass. No way she was legit. Plus, my house was big as fuck, so if I ain’t want to, I didn’t have to see her.
“Aight.” I rounded the counter and patted his shoulder as I walked past him and out of the kitchen.
“And don’t bother her when she comes here, Seem!” Jamal shouted after me, but I ignored his ass.
This was my spot, and I was gon’ do whatever the fuck I wanted to.
Kasslyn
Rules of Engagement…
“So wait, you caught her bent the fuck over?” Leila bucked her eyes as she sat at the foot of my bed.
“Yes! She didn’t see me though because she was too busy enjoying it.” I nibbled on my lip, thinking back to what I’d seen.
Whoever was giving Jane the business had me hot and bothered. I’d never cared about sex, but now I was beyond curious to know what had Jane so damn lost in translation that she didn’t even see me standing in her doorway.
“Got damn. That sounds like a fucking dream; tall, chocolate nigga giving it to a bitch doggy-style.”
Leila and I roared with laughter at her comment; it was true.
“Girl, chocolate, tattoos, facial hair, strong arms, and chest. He had to be tall too; I could tell by the length of his torso and arms.”
“Shit, a bitch like me would’ve tried to join.”
“I think I was too shocked. Plus, I’m not really into that type of stuff,” I half lied. I wasn’t into sex like most women my age, but maybe now I was. Only for him though.
“I cannot wait until you get some new dick so you can know what it’s like. Your little ex didn’t do you right.”
“Is it always as good as Jane made it look?” I frowned.
Sex with Elliot was… not memorable at all. I only enjoyed the closeness, but I learned nothing from sexing him.
“Definitely not. I’ve run across a few that had me thinking about what I was gonna eat for breakfast during, especially while working for Jane. But I’ve also had some that made me want to climb the walls and propose to the nigga.”
Again, Leila and I cackled.
I loved talking with her. I think because she was nothing like me. I lived through her, and I liked that she wasn’t malicious and didn’t come off as jealous. Growing up, it seemed like every girl I came in contact with, outside of my own mama and Ms. Fern, my old neighbor, was jealous of me.
I couldn’t help that I was pretty as hell. My dark skin was flawless due to me never having an issue with acne or texture. My hair was a medium length, sweeping my shoulders when I didn’t have a weave in, and my body was shapely and natural. I inherited 100% of my physical from my mama.
Even though I was what some saw as near perfect on the outside, I couldn’t help the fact that I had low self-esteem sometimes, especially when it came to dealing with men. I guess it was due to my inexperience, and Elliot admitting that there were better choices in life than me. His comments had stuck with me over the years.
Leila and I continued talking for a little longer before another one of our co-workers named Shelby joined us. She was cool too; a pretty, skinny white girl with wealthy parents. I didn’t understand why she was here, but she claimed it was to rebel against her overbearing father.
“I have a date with my favorite tonight.” Shelby grinned, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.
Just as I was about to speak, I heard a knock at the door, and moments later, Jane entered.
“Ladies, can I have a moment with Kasslyn.”
Leila and Shelby got up promptly to leave the room, and I waited for Jane to shut the door behind them. I watched as she walked over to the bed, unsure of what she was about to say to me. She rarely asked to speak with us alone and usually spoke freely, no matter who was in the room. Maybe she did see me that night and came to reprimand me for standing there as long as I did. But if so, why did she wait so long?
“Is everything okay?” I quizzed as she descended onto my bed in the same spot Leila had been sitting.
“Yes and no. Jamal did contact me about you staying with him all day tomorrow instead of just at night. I told him it was fine for triple the fee, and he agreed.”
“Great.” I smirked, but then it faded when her smile did.
“Yes, it is. Kasslyn, you make a nice amount of money, but you definitely are not one of my top earners.”
“Right, but—”
“No buts. You need to start doing more than being company. Leila, Shelby, Tammy, I could go on, all make way more than you and don’t have to go out as much. Do you know why?”
“Yes, I do, Jane, but I told you I’m not comfortable with it. I want someone I’m really into or in love with.”
“You like Jamal. Why not let him get you back into sex, and then I can start booking you with men who will pay you way more than you get now.”
“No. I can’t with Jamal. He doesn’t do those types of things.”
“He doesn’t have sex?”
“No. He’s waiting until marriage.”
“Well, Kasslyn, either you start lying on your back, or I will be forced to remove you. I can’t afford to have you holding back my business.”
“Jane, wait, you—”
The next day… a little after 12 p.m.…
“Which shoe?” I asked Leila.
“The sandal heel.” She watched me as I sat down to put it on. “So maybe if you don’t want to comply with Jane’s rules, you should try to get some money from Jamal.”
“Money for what?” I frowned.
I was playing dumb. Ever since Jamal had shown extra interest in me, I’d been looking at him as my get out of jail free card. He could give me the lifestyle I needed; something that would allow me to pursue my dreams of being a graphic designer.
“For design school.” Leila broke me from my thoughts.
“Hmm, you may be right. He’s the perfect candidate to get me out of here. He won’t require sex and he’s rich.”
“Exactly, bitch, so handle ya business.” Leila cocked her head with her eyes bucked, making me laugh.
I finished getting myself together, and twenty minutes later, Jamal was downstairs waiting like usual. Jane connected us once I got to the bottom of the stairs; same shit every time.
Our car ride was no different, despite it being daytime. So we didn’t say much, only enjoyed the music and the beautiful palm trees that decorated each side of the street.
Finally, we pulled up to a park, which was pretty deserted since the kiddies were in school around this time. After grabbing a basket from the trunk, Jamal came to my side to open the door, and hand in hand, we made our way to a bench table.
“This is different.” I chuckled, watching him spread the food across the tabletop.
“Well, you’re special, and this is a special occasion.”
“It is?” I giggled, but I was a bit confused.
Jamal didn’t answer me as he made our plates and set out a bottle of juice along with some cups.
“How do you feel about me?” he inquired after we blessed our food. “Like outside of all of this arrangement via Jane stuff?”
Thinking back to what Leila said earlier, and what I knew I needed, I replied, “I like you a lot. I wish I could be with you like for real, but I know you don’t see me that way because of what I do and what you’re looking for.”
“Cool.” He grinned widely but said nothing else, so I wasn’t sure if I’d sold him.
We finished our lunch at the park, having a smooth conversation, and then we went to the mall, surprisingly, to do a little shopping. I’d been out with Jamal countless times, and he’d never taken me on a damn shopping spree, but I wasn’t complaining. By the time we’d finished at the mall and got some frozen yogurt, it was the evening time.
We checked into the Westin hotel where we were going to change into something more fancy and then have dinner.
“For you.” Jamal handed me a white bag as soon as we got into the room.
I grabbed it before placing it on the table nearby, reaching inside. The first thing I pulled out was a large iPad, and the second was a big ass laptop. I’d never had either; the only Apple product I’d ever purchased was an iPhone. I wanted to give this shit back because I knew it was expensive, but I needed these. If I wanted to get anywhere with my graphic design, I had to have these essentials. Yeah, I could get something cheaper, but what for when I had this right here and for free?
“You know you didn’t have to buy me a laptop and an iPad, Jamal.” I gaped down at the perfectly packaged Apple boxes.
“I know you love to design and stuff, so I thought I’d get you a thoughtful gift. Now you can do all the things you said you haven’t been able to.”
I’d long ago planted in Jamal’s head that I was without the tools needed to take care of my career. He wasn’t the only one. Whenever I felt a man I was escorting was feeling me a little more than normal, I told my sob story. Yes, it was a lie since Jane had computers in the house, but the time we spent on it was restricted; plus, there were eight other girls, so I couldn’t sit and work for hours like I wanted.
“Thank you!” I hugged Jamal’s neck tightly, and he held my torso lightly.
If he was doing all of this, I knew it would be nothing to convince him to pay the fee for admission to my school of choice.
“You’re welcome, beautiful.” Jamal stepped back, staring down into my eyes.
He quickly let me go, I guess not wanting to get aroused, and we proceeded to get dressed. We left to have dinner, and the experience was nicer than usual, maybe because I was excited about my new things.
“Today was nice, Jamal. I really like spending time with you.”
“Same.” He dabbed his mouth with the cloth napkin then reached into his pocket. “Which is why I wanted to know if you would do me the honor of marrying me?” He slid the burgundy ring box across the table with the top of it lifted open. I spotted the big diamond ring, and my jaw fell.
I was not expecting this at all. I thought he’d ask me to be his girlfriend or something and that I could convince him to allow me to move in. But this… this was too much.
“Jamal, we haven’t even dated seriously yet, and you want to get married?” I attempted to stall.
“I know it’s crazy, but I’ve never met a woman like you, Kasslyn. You don’t know how hard it is for me to find a woman that not only isn’t run through, but that understands the fact that I want to wait until I’m married. It’s like other women see me as less of a man because I’m not sticking my penis in everything with hips, but not you.” He shook his head before licking his full lips. “I haven’t felt this connected to a woman since high school.”
“Wow,” I whispered before looking back down at the ring. “Jamal, maybe we should try—”
“You know what, you’re right. This is too fast.” He reached for the ring. “I should take you home.”
I watched him wave the waiter to our table, and I knew if I wanted him to keep giving me everything I needed, I would have to give something to him in return. What could be so bad about being married to Jamal?
“No, Jamal, I want to.”
Handing his card inside of the bill book to the waiter slowly, Jamal stared at me. He waited until she walked away to speak.
“Kasslyn, you don’t—”
“No, I want to. I feel the same. I haven’t had a connection with someone in a very long time. I know it’s probably because I haven’t been on too many real dates in the past couple of years, but you’re different for me. You’ve never felt like a client.”
Grinning widely, Jamal got up to sit next to me, before removing the ring from the box and sliding it down onto my finger.
Lord, what the hell was I getting into?
A few days later…
After Jamal proposed to me, he let me know that he wanted me out of business with Jane. He explained that now that I was to be his wife, I could no longer escort, and to be sure I didn’t, I couldn’t live in Jane’s home.
My damn head was spinning because this was all happening so quickly. I didn’t really have any time to think shit through, but I didn’t want to run Jamal off by seeming unsure, so I was just going with it.
I told Jane that Jamal had asked me to go away with him for the weekend, because I didn’t know how to explain that I’d gone on one more damn date and was now engaged, plus moving in with my new fiancé. I was hoping that once the weekend was up, I’d know exactly what I wanted to say to Jane and how. For now, I let Jamal know that I would just bring a few things, and we could get the rest come Tuesday. I also told him there was a charge to break my contract with Jane, so he wouldn’t question why he needed to pay her for our weekend getaway.
“Why aren’t you excited?” Leila asked as I zipped up my duffel. “He’s rich, and you ain’t gotta do this shit no more.”
“No, I know. I just wished we could be boyfriend and girlfriend first before all of this. But oh well.” I tossed my bag onto my shoulder just as Leila got up to hug me.<
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She walked me down since Jamal had texted me to let me know he was outside, and as soon as I saw him, I plastered a fake smile on my face.
“I’m excited, baby.” Jamal took my bag to put in the back seat before opening the passenger side door for me to get in.
“I am too. I can’t wait to see the house.” I smiled after he got in on the driver’s side.
“Yeah.” Jamal pulled out of the large driveway. “It’s not my house, because I refuse to buy one until I get married. It’s my brother’s spot, but it’s big as hell, and he’s cool about you living with us until the wedding.”
“Oh, umm, okay. Your brother, the one who owns the company you work for?”
Jamal nodded when we made eye contact before focusing back on the road.
I didn’t know how to feel about that, because living with one man was enough. And the fact that Jamal didn’t have his own house bothered me. To be honest, I was only agreeing to all of this because of his wealth, and I didn’t know if I bought the reason why he didn’t have a house. Why couldn’t he get an apartment then?
“When you meet him, don’t tell him that you’ve had sex before. Let’s keep that between us.”
“You want me to say I’m a virgin?”
“Exactly. Please, Kasslyn. If you want this to work, you have to. It’s a lie, but it won’t hurt anyone.”
“Right. Okay.”
We made it to some big ass mansion in Bel Air, and I swear my jaw was sitting in my lap. After typing in some code, Jamal pulled through the huge gates and then parked behind a Rolls Royce. He hopped out to get my bag from the back seat as I exited the car, taking in the mansion up close.
“My brother is here right now, so this is perfect.”
“Yep, perfect.”
I rolled my eyes once Jamal wasn’t looking, and then followed him into the house. We headed to the back, ending up at some room that was made of glass walls pretty much. On the inside, I could see a tall nigga with deep chocolate skin and the build of a healthy war soldier, running on the treadmill. He was shirtless and in workout pants and tennis shoes, going as fast as lightning. My heart rate sped up as Jamal and I entered the room, nearing him.