Somebody's Gotta Be on Top

by Mary B. Morrison

  “It’s my life!” Jada lowered her voice. “Don’t I have some say-so in the matter?”

  “Theo can’t promise he’ll deliver on this one, babydoll, but he’ll scope out the scene and get back at cha.”

  “One more thing. I want you to trail Darius, Candice, Ciara, Terrell, and especially Darius’s brother Kevin. Darius told me he hired Kevin but I don’t care if Kevin was laid off from his job, I can’t figure out why Kevin would relocate from Harlem to Los Angeles, over three thousand miles, to work for Darius. Besides, my motherly instincts don’t trust that child. Kevin is too much like his father.”

  “Now, that Theo can do. I’ll see you soon. And don’t lose any sleep over this. Does Wellington know what I’m doing?”

  Jada’s head tilted upward, eyes widened, and eyebrows lifted.

  “All I can say babydoll is be careful what you ask for. I sure hope you’ve thought this through and know what you’re doing. Peace.”

  What was the worst that could happen? Jada hadn’t given that any thought at all. Jada walked into Zen’s office. After Jada had fired Darius from Black Diamonds, and appointed Zen to Darius’s position, Zen had increased the company’s net proceeds by twenty percent over the last two years.

  “Zen, how are the contributions for the multicultural festival coming along?”

  Zen smiled. Her beautiful slanted eyes complemented her Asian features. “We’ve received all financial commitments except Somebody’s Gotta Be on Top.”

  Jada quickly replied, “I’ll take care of Darius.” Like last year, Darius refused to submit a payment to Zen. Jada would submit his contribution and have Darius cut her a check later. This year he was definitely repaying her ten grand. Kids. Darius always selectively forgot to repay his debt to her.

  When Jada returned to her office, Wellington was sitting in her chair.

  Jada smiled. Her body tingled with excitement and then tensed with concern. “Honey, what are you doing here?”

  “Taking my favorite lady to lunch.” Wellington licked his lips and smiled.

  Hearing Wellington’s reason for showing up unannounced made Jada’s heart dance. She smiled lovingly. Kissed his lips. “I love you.” Jada grabbed her purse.

  “I love you too, ba. Why was Theo leaving your office when I came in?”

  Jada concealed her tension and lied, “Oh, he just dropped in to say hello. That’s all.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Rat-a-tat-tat. Darius tapped on Ashlee’s door. Today was the launch party for his business, Monroe, Jones and Company. To keep the entertainment industry attendance at a minimum, Darius decided—despite Ciara’s objection—to host the party at his mansion in the Oakland Hills.

  Ashlee’s curls dangled over her shoulders, surrounding her face.

  “Wow,” Darius said. “You always look so beautiful.”

  “And you, handsome. Now let’s go downstairs before the guests arrive. Shouldn’t Ciara be here by now?” Ashlee closed the bedroom door behind them.

  “She’s running a little late.”

  “Yeah, Kevin too. They must be on the same delayed flight out of LAX.”

  Darius ignored Ashlee’s comment about Kevin. Ashlee was teetering on disobeying his explicit order for her not to date Kevin. If Ashlee should happen to slip up, Darius would fire them both.

  Ding-dong.

  “Oh, I guess the caterers are here.” Ashlee danced down the spiral staircase with Darius. When Darius opened the door, six women dressed in high heels, fishnet stockings, garters, and white tuxedo vests with black pigeon tails said, “Hello” in unison. Smiled in unison.

  Ashlee was taken aback. “Do you do everything together?”

  Darius certainly hoped so. The night was young and he was horny. Darius’s eyebrows lifted several times. “Well come on in, ladies. Ashlee, don’t leave. I have something to ask of you. Let’s go out back.”

  Ashlee followed Darius to the outdoor patio. Behind Darius’s home was a thick forest of evergreen trees. “I need to have some of these trees removed before Mother Nature or some idiot starts a fire.”

  “Is that what you wanted to talk about?” Ashlee asked.

  Darius smiled, then pinched Ashlee’s cheek. “You’re cute. You know me better than that. But since I’ve partnered with Ciara, and she’s coming to the party with her mother, father, and sister . . .” Darius paused.

  “Yes.” Ashlee waited for Darius to continue.

  “I need a favor.”

  “Okay,” Ashlee agreed before hearing his request. “Just ask.”

  “I want you to befriend Ciara.”

  “What exactly are you asking? And why me?” Ashlee paused. “Darius, how well do you know Ciara?”

  “Only through this business deal,” Darius kinda lied but not really. “But I need you to meet her parents and her sister Monica too. Find out as much as you can about each of them.” Concerned Ashlee might change her feelings toward him if she knew he was dating Ciara, Darius couldn’t tell the truth.

  “I don’t know. This doesn’t sound right. Darius, what are you up to?” Ashlee questioned.

  “Nothing. It’s just that I need to know who I’ve partnered with. That’s all. You know I’m waiting on you to change your mind about marrying me.” That was the truth. “I’ll make the introductions and you handle it from there. Let’s go. People are starting to arrive.”

  Darius positioned himself in view of the doorway until Ciara arrived an hour later along with her parents, sister, and Kevin. Kevin was laughing and joking as though he was part of the family.

  Darius squinted, and his body tensed as he watched Kevin greet Ashlee with a kiss on the cheek.

  Kevin smiled. “Ashlee, I want you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Monroe. Of course you’ve already met Ciara and this is Ciara’s lovely sister Monica.”

  Kevin was overdressed in a rented tuxedo. Patent leather shoes. Had Kevin worn that on the plane? Why did Ashlee tell Kevin she’d met Ciara? When did Ashlee have that conversation with Kevin? What else had Ashlee discussed with Kevin? Darius watched as Ashlee escorted the Monroes to the secluded family room reserved for his VIP guests. Very good.

  Darius headed toward one of the waitresses, then he noticed Byron entering the front door escorting the same pretty woman Darius saw at Byron’s fundraiser. She was even sexier than before.

  “Hey, Byron. Glad you could make it, man.” Darius eyed Fancy. “All-star?” Darius looked at Byron and raised one eyebrow.

  Byron nodded. “For sho. This is my lady, Fancy Taylor. Fancy, this is Darius Jones.”

  Darius remembered her name from the first time he’d met Fancy. Well, he really hadn’t met her. This was a more formal introduction.

  “Look, man,” Darius patted Byron on the back, “enjoy yourselves.” Darius smiled, winked at Byron, and kissed two of the model waitresses as they passed.

  “Um, um, um,” Darius murmured, watching Fancy walk away. He peeped into the family room where Ashlee was laughing with Ciara and her family. Darius scanned the family room for Kevin but was relieved to find Kevin wasn’t there.

  Darius socialized for an hour, then returned to the family room and announced, “Okay, it’s time for the toast. I need everyone and my partner in the living room,” hoping Ashlee had had sufficient time to obtain pertinent information. Where was Kevin? Darius hadn’t seen Kevin since Kevin had introduced Ashlee to the Monroes. Darius decided to wait to introduce his parents to the Monroes after the toast.

  Ashlee was the first one out the door. Darius grabbed Ashlee’s arm and pulled her aside. “How’d it go?”

  Before Ashlee could answer, Ciara walked over and asked Darius, “You don’t mind if I spend the night with you tonight, do you?”

  Darius stared at Ciara in disbelief. What the hell was Ciara trying to do? Broadcast to her parents, Monica, Kevin—who had mysteriously reappeared—and everyone else in hearing range that they were more than partners? Darius shook his head and replied, “No.”

  “Thanks, d
arling.” Ciara walked away with her family.

  Ashlee frowned. “Darius, you lied to me.”

  “What? No, I didn’t. I told her no. I don’t know her like that.”

  “No, you didn’t mind? Or no, she couldn’t stay?”

  “No, means no. Now let’s go.”

  Women.

  CHAPTER 17

  Darius refused to allow Ciara and Candice control the most important aspect of his contract. Angel had just handed him the revised contract. After carefully reviewing the entire document, Darius closed his office door and dialed the main number to Parapictures.

  “Yes, this is Darius Jones. Owner of Monroe, Jones and Company. I want to set up a meeting with the president of Para-pictures to finalize the details—”

  The receptionist interrupted, “Hold, please.”

  The next voice Darius heard was Tony Briscotti. “Hey, Jones. You were beginning to make me nervous.”

  Obviously Tony was anxious to get moving on this deal too. “I told you not to worry. Everything is taken care of. The other company is out, and you’re in. I had to have my lawyer alter the contract so I need you to execute the revised documents today.”

  “Execute. Jones, you’re a powerful man. You use powerful words. And you’re a man of your word. I like that. Meet me at Lucy’s Spa on Rodeo Drive in one hour.”

  “I have a meeting scheduled with Ciara and her lawyer this afternoon to make sure the other contract is delayed until tomorrow. By then it’ll be too late for them. But I’mma send my Executive VP, Kevin Williams. He can meet you at Lucy’s in an hour.”

  “Yeah, Kevin. I like him. He’s good people. Jones, your people are my people. Kevin takes care of business.”

  Darius’s back arched and forehead buckled. “When did you meet Kevin?”

  “Yesterday. He said you sent him over to make my acquaintance. And Anderson. She’s cute. My brother could use a good woman. She married?”

  Tony had seen Ashlee New Year’s Eve, and although Ashlee stood by Darius’s side the entire time he spoke with Tony, Darius intentionally omitted Ashlee from their conversation. Kevin had overstepped his authority.

  Darius replied, “Yes. I mean no, but she’s seriously dating someone.”

  “Too bad. Tell my man Williams I’ll see him at three o’clock sharp and don’t be late. Bye.”

  Darius hung up the phone and sat at his desk staring at the family photo. Darius dialed one-two, and said, “Kevin, I need to see you in my office.”

  Kevin strolled into Darius’s office minutes later, smiling. “Hey, brother. What’s up?”

  “Have a seat. You tell me. When did you meet Tony?” Darius braced his chin in the arch of his hand.

  Kevin leaned back in the chair. “Yesterday. Why?”

  “We didn’t discuss you meeting Tony.”

  “Mein, I hope a VP don’t need permission to meet the clients. I’ve met all of our clients.”

  “In less than a month?”

  “Hey, the name of your company says it all. If I’m going to work with your partners, I need to put faces with names, man. That’s all.”

  “Well, you need to meet Tony. At Lucy’s. At three. Take this contract. Make sure he signs and dates it by each tab.”

  “Mein, I know how to conduct business. All you have to say is handle this and it’s done. We’ll be back by five, me and Ashlee.”

  “Hold up. Not so fast. Don’t do that. Unless Ashlee is with me, Ashlee stays here in the office.”

  “You can’t be serious. Ashlee’s your money person. She needs to know these jokers . . . I mean clients. In order to cover your ass and your back, you need everybody in the field, D.”

  “Don’t take Ashlee out of this office or any place else again. Ever. Call me D again and you’re fired.”

  “You da boss. I’ll be back, playa.” Kevin hurriedly disappeared beyond the glass door. Darius was beginning to feel uncomfortable. There was only enough room in his company for one aggressive personality. And Kevin’s aggressiveness was borderline ignorance. If he didn’t need Kevin to get the contract signed, Darius would’ve fired him ten minutes ago.

  CHAPTER 18

  Ciara marched by Angel without speaking, pushing Darius’s office door so hard the wooden frame sprang back, almost hitting her. Ciara pushed the door out of her way. Ciara slammed the door just as hard as she’d opened it. The walls rattled. “Darius Jones! What in the hell have you done?”

  Darius leaped from his seat, swiftly hanging up the phone. “Are you crazy? Don’t you ever bust into my office slamming my door! What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “Just answer the damn question! What in the hell have you done?” Ciara placed one hand—filled with folded documents—on her hip, and the other hand on Darius’s desk.

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  “How in the world did this contract,” Ciara waved the stack of legal-size pages in front of Darius, “end up on my desk? First thing this morning! This is not what we agreed to do in the meeting yesterday!” Loose white pages flew around Darius, landing on the floor behind him.

  “Calm down. Yes, we did agree. Remember when we were in bed and you said that’s a good idea?” Hunching his shoulders, Darius softened his voice. “Baby, I took that as a yes.”

  Lying ass. Ciara knew what she’d said and Darius knew what she meant, but he’d plotted against her. “You know damn well I was talking about ending my relationship with Solomon and us taking our relationship to the next level.”

  “No, we always discuss business after sex. Remember?” Darius nodded. “But, now that I’m thinking back to our conversation,” Darius said, scratching his jaw, “I can see how you confused the two.”

  Ciara heaved. “Confused my ass! Darius Jones, don’t you play games with me! This is serious business! This is my business! And you need to explain how in the hell Parapictures got this contract.”

  “Are you listening? I just told you. Anyway, look. The contract is signed. It’s a done deal. If we back out now, Tony will sue us.”

  “He can’t. We have seventy-two hours to rescind.”

  “No, actually we don’t. The way the contract reads, Parapictures has seventy-two hours. But they won’t rescind so let’s move forward.” Darius smiled. “You’re working too many hours. You need a vacation. We still on for Vegas next month? I have a surprise for you.” Darius walked over to Ciara and hugged her.

  Ciara sighed heavily. “Honestly, I had considered changing the contract offer to Parapictures but I wouldn’t have made that decision without first consulting you. Parapictures has better industry connections with directors, editors, and writers. Candice did a decent job writing the script but we have to scrap her version. With the revisions, we are definitely changing the names. I believe we can make your mother happy.”

  “Woman, you’re speaking in circles.” Darius held on to Ciara’s waist. Tilting Ciara’s head back, Darius looked into her eyes. “Why are you fighting me on this? If you knew I was right, you should thank your partner for making the best decision instead of almost breaking my door off the hinges.”

  Ciara whispered, “Sure. We can go to Vegas, if you’d like. I’ve got a surprise for you too.” Surprise? Ciara didn’t have one, but it sounded good because she was pissed. How was she going to make Darius respect her position? “But I have to warn you. Don’t play games with me when it comes to my business. I’m a fair person. I don’t like getting angry. But don’t you ever piss me off again. Consider yourself warned.”

  Ashlee walked in the office. “Oh, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  Darius stepped back, pushing Ciara away. “No. It’s okay. What is it?”

  Avoiding eye contact with Darius and Ciara, Ashlee flashed a forced smile. “Is everything okay? So are you guys . . . Never mind. Don’t answer that.”

  Ciara said, “Ashlee, how are you? Girl, take it from me, get those few pounds off before they join forces against you. You look good, though.” Ciara
frowned at Darius. “I have a meeting to go to but we will continue this conversation. Tonight. And don’t make any more decisions without my permission. Trust me, you’ve been forewarned.” Ciara walked out of the office, leaving the door open.

  Walking to her car, Ciara thought, young. Impulsive. Darius needed a woman to slow him down. Make him think before making radical decisions. Ciara knew exactly how to change him.

  Cruising in her convertible, Ciara hurried to the restaurant at the Mirage to meet Solomon. Solomon had claimed he was accepting of her ending their relationship, but Ciara didn’t trust herself enough to invite Solomon to her house. She’d changed the locks and given Monica a new set of keys. When Ciara entered the hotel, Solomon was waiting in the lobby, dressed in a stylish pewter designer suit she hadn’t bought.

  “Hey, baby. You looking good,” Solomon said, kissing her cheek. “I thought you weren’t going to make it.”

  Ciara was provocatively dressed in a two-piece low V-neck pale yellow pantsuit. The neckline was parted to expose lots of cleavage so Solomon could say good-bye to his twin playmates. “Have you ever known me to stand you up? I was delayed. My business partner.”

  “What business partner?”

  “Darius Jones. We established a new company. Monroe, Jones and Company. To handle my new movie contract.”

  “So you trust him that well.”

  Ciara smiled. “Actually, I do.” Ciara eyed Solomon’s suit from head to toe. “You look good your damn self.”

  Solomon shook his head toward her breasts and exhaled. “I made reservations.”

  Trying to take her mind off of Solomon’s big black dick, Ciara changed her tone. “That’s nice, Solomon,” she said, walking toward the restaurant.

  “Wrong way. This way,” Solomon said.

  Ciara stopped and turned to Solomon. “Which way?”

  “Room 3206. Penthouse suite.”

  “You shouldn’t have. I told you, Solomon, our relationship is over.” Ciara wanted Darius and Solomon. Maybe at the same time.

  “Baby, please. I just want to talk with you in private. I don’t want everyone in the restaurant listening to our conversation. Please, Ciara. I deserve that much.”