by Vera Roberts
What nemesis? She scoffed. I snatched that dollar tree weave clean off.
“All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth…” Faith hummed as she continued to clean off her eye. There were a few scratches on her arms, face, and neck. Her shop was ruined. Broken vases, overturned chairs, and shattered mirrors were strewn along the floor.
Faith estimated the damage to be well into thousands, if not tens of thousands. Eli was going to be pissed.
She could remember the intricate detail he had when he designed her salon. He didn’t want it to be any other run of the mill hair salon but an experience. “Every woman should leave here feeling like a million bucks,” he once said to her, “not cheap.”
Thus, the name for the salon – MillionHair.
Faith had more pressing issues to be concerned with – her husband’s reaction once he arrived. Eli was not going to be happy there was a fight between his wife and his alleged baby mama. If Eli listened first, and reacted second, maybe things would be okay.
“Baby!” Faith turned when she heard a familiar voice. Her ex-boyfriend, NFL golden child Darren Matthews. He immediately rushed over to Simone and tended to her wounds. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“What happened was that animal attacked me!” Simone pointed to Faith, who simply shrugged. “I wanted to talk to her about setting up a visitation arrangement with Eli and she attacked me out of nowhere!”
Darren turned his face towards Faith, who narrowed hers. There was once love between the two, now there was nothing but disdain and disgust. “You attacked my fiancée?”
Faith looked up and pointed to different parts of the ceiling. “I spy with my swollen eye…one camera….two cameras….three cameras….four cameras….five cameras….six cameras.” She refocused her attention back to Darren. “Hoes lie but video never does.”
Simone stood up and was held back by several officers. “Bitch, I got your ho right here!”
“And bitch, I got your teeth in the middle of my fucking floor!” Faith stood up and was held back by several officers. “You want me to knock out the rest of them fake shits?” Faith was interrupted when she saw Eli.
If looks could kill, everyone in the salon would’ve died a thousand deaths. Eli’s eyes zeroed in on Faith and she felt an arctic chill from him. His chest quietly heaved up and down. His nostrils flared. His shoulders tightened.
“Several witnesses were passing by when they heard loud bangs and screaming. I’m glad they called the police instead of putting it on Facebook Live,” Police Commissioner Arturo Rodriguez replied. “I rushed over here as soon as possible once I realized where it was and who was involved.”
Eli’s eyes shifted in numerous directions, scoping out the damage and the possible culprit. When he made eye contact with Simone, she simply looked away from him. At one point, the woman was willing to get on her knees and suck him dry. Now Eli couldn’t stand to see the sight of her.
He didn’t know if she was embarrassed or angry. It didn’t matter. He didn’t want to see her face. “Do they still need to be here?”
“We took statements and we’re going to review the footage, so no.” Arturo shook his head.
“I can’t make a citizen’s arrest?” Simone spat. “Look what she did to me!” She pointed at her mouth. Two front teeth were knocked out. “The reconstructive surgery will cost thousands!”
“You’re lucky all I did was knock out your teeth,” Faith calmly replied, “I have a fully-loaded gun in the back. Had I used that, the only worry your family would have is what color to wear to your funeral.”
“Faith, that’s enough!” Darren warned.
“Excuse you,” Eli walked up to Darren. Tension outlined his jaw and Eli was waiting for the blond man to try his luck. “You will not address my wife. In fact, I’m not sure why are you two still here.” Eli turned his attention to another officer. “Please escort them outside.”
Darren approached Eli. “This is far from over, pal.”
“Ooh,” Eli’s heartbeat quickened as his stance became broader, “do not threaten me with a good time, blondie.”
Several officers escorted Darren and Simone outside while Eli rushed over to his wife. He examined her face and felt a boiling anger inside. Darren had some nerve talking to Faith. If he knew the woman like Eli had known her, Faith was capable of becoming violent when she was pushed. “What happened?”
“What had happened was your fucking ho came in and try to get bold with my black ass!” Faith spat. She removed the cold cloth away from her eye. “She got one good lick in before I fucked her high yellow ass up!”
Eli bit back a smile. “What really happened, Faye?”
“She came waltzing in here, telling me I was the reason why you started denying her child again. I told her you were going to do what you’re going to do. Then we got into it.” Faith let out a deep sigh. “She’s lucky I didn’t kill her.”
“I think we all are,” Eli looked around and surveyed the damage. Out of six stations, four were completely in shambles. Numerous equipment and products were on the floor. Eli looked at his feet; he was standing in hair gel.
He could make a few phone calls, and have the shop running by the end of the week. Money wasn’t the issue but the reputation to Faith’s salon could be hurt. He saw a small crowd of onlookers forming outside; many of them already had their phones out. It was a matter of time before they ended up on WorldStar Hip-Hop. “We need to go through the back. I don’t want anyone seeing you like this.”
“Are you mad at me?” Faith asked. Her voice became small like a child’s. Gone was the big, bad, and bold Faith; replaced was Eli’s girl. She felt the anger from Eli and immediately regretted her actions. “I swear it wasn’t my fault, Eli! She approached me first.”
“No, I’m not mad.” Eli caressed his wife’s cheek and she winced when he came near her swollen eye. “But we need to play pass interference before Simone and Darren go to the press with this.”
“You think they will?” She asked.
The look on Darren’s face spelled he wanted some trouble and was waiting for Eli to give it to him. He had the typical privileged white boy who never had to work hard day in his life look. It was luck he knew how to throw a football.
Eli did his own research on Mr. Darren Matthews. He had a penchant for strippers. He grew up upper middle class. His first car was a Mustang. All of his friends looked exactly like him and did the typical white boy who has a lot of money and a lot of free time type of things.
He’d barely passed college and even former friends and girlfriends could admit, he only passed because of his stellar performance on the football field. He whizzed by in every aspect in life, including with Faith.
However, Darren was smarter than what he’d appeared. Darren wouldn’t use his fists or threats. He would use his influence and money to rain hell on Eli’s parade. It wouldn’t have mattered if Simone threw the first punch; she would have sympathy from the public.
Eli would simply have to beat Darren at his own game. It was clear Darren had the upper hand now and was going to use it to his full advantage. It was time to call in reinforcements. “Chances are, they already have.”
Three
“I want to please you but…”
Eli caressed his girlfriend’s arm as they lay in bed. Multiple candles lit up his bedroom. They showered together and took turns oiling each other down. Soft R&B music played in the background, as they lay in bed naked.
“But what, baby girl?”
“I’m afraid of sucking dick,” she shyly admitted, “I’ve never done it before.”
“I don’t want to pressure you to do something you don’t want to,” Eli replied, “if you don’t want to, that’s fine.”
A small silence passed before Faith spoke again. Eli was a very generous lover, bringing her to multiple orgasms often, and he never demanded anything from her. “But don’t you get frustrated? You’re always going down on me and I never return the favor.”
�
�Not really,” he shook his head, “it’s not about me. It’s making sure you’re comfortable and you’re feeling good.”
“Yeah, but come on,” Faith turned to her boyfriend, “I’m sure you and your friends talk about blow jobs and the like?”
“Okay, do you know how gay that sounds?” He chuckled. “I’m almost positive no straight man is hanging out with his friends and talking about the head game he received the night before.”
Faith crawled on top of Eli and straddled him. She felt his cock softly poke her from behind. Eli never made her feel ashamed or unsure about her body. Her closet boasted of several sexy lingerie pieces he’d personally picked out. “I want to give you head but I don’t know how.”
“Well,” Eli swallowed and caressed her arms. Faith looked so gorgeous on top of him. Her breasts were small and perky, and reminded him of Hershey’s kisses. Her stomach was toned with a small loop hanging from the bellybutton.
Her dark skin shimmered in the oil and she looked like a goddess. He could stare at her naked body all day. “You simply put it in your mouth and suck.”
“And what else?” She asked.
“Um…” Even though it was his dick, Eli wasn’t necessarily comfortable giving his girlfriend instruction on how to suck it. His misogyny came into play and wondered why every woman just didn’t naturally know how? “No teeth.”
“And what else?” She asked. Her eyes were innocent and wide.
Eli wondered if that was an appropriate time to tell Faith about ejaculation and how surprising it can be if she didn’t expect it. Some women in the past freaked out when Eli came, prompting him to warn future partners.
“I might come,” he paused for a beat, “a lot.”
Faith’s eyes narrowed. “How much is a lot?”
“A lot,” he repeated, “I’m not sure how much it is but it’s a lot.”
“Like are we talking a cup?”
“No, not that much.”
“A teaspoon?”
“No, not that little.”
“So, how much come do you have down here?”
“Are we really talking about how much come my balls have?” Eli chuckled. “I don’t know, Faye. I just know it’s a lot.”
“So, when you do come,” she began, “what should I do?”
Eli blew out a small breath. Faith was no longer a virgin but she was virginal in many other aspects. He trained his mind not to think of what he really wanted to say – swallow it. “Um, you could….um…back away as I release so you don’t have to swallow if you don’t want to.”
“Okay,” she nodded, “I think I can handle that.” She got off Eli’s body and played with his thick and long cock in her hands. He smelled clean with a touch of lavender. Eli’s cock was so beautiful to look at, the color of light cinnamon and just perfect in every way.
Faith took a deep breath and shrugged. It was better to try and fail, than to not try at all. She softly kissed the mushroom tip and saw a little precum form. She licked it. It was salty. It wasn’t a great taste, but it wasn’t a bad one.
She took a bit more, covering his tip with her mouth. Eli let out a sharp hiss and his body stilled. “That’s good, baby girl,” he nodded, “just like that.”
Eli’s moans emboldened Faith and made her more aroused. She decided to take a few more inches of him. She opened her mouth wider to accommodate and locked eyes with Eli. He nodded and winked at her, licking his lips in approval.
Faith began to suck, using instruction from Eli, and finding her own rhythm. She was no expert, but she felt more experienced than other girls she knew. Her friends’ experiences were nothing to write home about, and some vowed to never do it again.
Faith, however, had a different experience. Eli was gentle and loving. He didn’t demean her, or tell her to do it in another way that would humiliate her. He gave her instruction and was a patient teacher. He’d already proven to be the best lover.
She grasped her hand around his hardened length and softly stroked him. She felt his body become still, his toes curl, and his hands fisted the sheets beneath him. Pleasure and ecstasy flickered across his face with every movement she did.
Now she understood why Eli loved going down on her. It wasn’t because of the taste or he was simply good at it. It was power. He loved being in control. He loved seeing her reaction and deciding what to do next. Faith took it as a cue to learn how to pleasure him more.
“Faye,” Eli begged, “get on top.”
She stopped her motions and crawled on top of her boyfriend. Power, she remembered, showing him who was in control. She sank onto Eli and gasped as how much he filled her. She moved slowly, watching how expressive his eyes had become and passionate his hands were on her body, guiding her to every movement.
Music softly played in the background, but their voices provided more than enough of a soundtrack. Sounds only two people in love with each other could make. Her coos were met with his sighs. Their fingers interlocked as their bodies moved as one.
She climaxed first, erupting into a loud cry, followed by him. When she collapsed on top of his body, he stroked her hair and kissed her sweaty forehead, promising her forever. “My baby girl,” he murmured, “my forever.”
“Where ever you are,” Tony began, “you are not here.”
Eli didn’t know how long he’d been daydreaming about old times with Faith. All he did know is that he wished he could go back to those times. “I wish I was somewhere else, honestly.”
As “Ether” blasted in Tony’s home gym, Eli felt something was amiss. There was no way Darren and Simone would be quiet about what happened, not after the public humiliation. The incident happened several days ago, and it was eerily quiet between the camps.
Everyone went into the respective corners and figured out the next game plan. Consulting with the other family members, Eli and his attorney, Sebastian, began hammering out a quiet settlement arrangement with Simone and Darren. They would destroy footage of the brawl in exchange for Simone’s and Darren’s silence. A nice six-figure monetary gift would be attached.
Even when everyone agreed it was a fair settlement, Eli knew it wouldn’t be enough. The look on Darren’s face told him he wasn’t finished with Eli. “Thinking about shit I shouldn’t be thinking about.”
“Let me take a gander,” Tony sat down on a bench, “Passions?”
“Dude, Passions sucked,” Eli shook his head. “It sucked harder than Mia Khalifa and that’s a lot of sucking.”
“Man, fuck you, all right?” Tony became defensive. “I never give you shit about Victor Newman!”
“Yo, Victor Newman is the G.O.A.T.!” Eli referred to his favorite soap, The Young and the Restless.
“Whatever, dude.” Tony brushed him off. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
Eli shook his head. “That asshole is up to something. I just know he is.” He wished he could say he already knew what Simone and Darren were up to, but he was stumped. All he did know, they weren’t going to go away without a fight.
In the meanwhile, Eli arranged to get the shop fixed. A few calls, favors owed, and discounts on florals later, the shop would be up and running within a couple of days. A cleanup crew was going to head there tomorrow.
Faith’s employees were alerted about the shop being closed with promises of more details to come in the upcoming days. One crisis was averted.
Now there was the other he had to deal with – Simone and Darren. “I just wish I knew what.”
“Well, after what Faye did to Moni, I would be plotting everything damn thing against you as well.” Tony chuckled. “Kris told me Faye put the paws on Moni.”
“It’s not just that,” Eli dismissed the violence, “they’re up to something huge. They won’t live this down.”
Simone’s teeth were going to be fixed and there might be some type of arrangement between the parties to ensure this type of event would never transpire again. STFU money was going to be exchanged in return Faith and Simone wo
uld probably stay away from each other.
That wasn’t an issue. If anything, Eli preferred it that way. His stomach clenched with anger when he thought about the other party – one Darren Matthews.
Every time he saw Darren’s face, he just wanted to sock the smirk clean right off Malibu Ken. He took pride in the fact Faith would always compare the two men in everything, especially the bedroom. He loved the fact he would play stepfather to Elena.
Eli would never win a Super Bowl. He would never be lauded as one of the greatest ever quarterbacks. He would not be mentioned in the same breath as Dan Marino, Joe Montana, and Troy Aikman.
Yet, Darren’s only goal was to get under Eli’s skin.
Just like any hater, Eli simply ignored Darren. He paid the man no attention at all. The moment he acknowledged Darren, Darren officially lived in his brain and Eli didn’t have time for that nonsense.
Nevertheless, just like any hater, the quarterback conspired to get Eli’s attention and Eli felt Darren was going to retaliate in a big way.
Anger threatened to make Eli look like a fool and he needed to stay on guard. If Darren was going to do anything, Eli needed to come back harder and most importantly, smarter. He had too much at stake for Darren to play nilly-willy with his livelihood.
He just hoped it was a price he was willing to pay. “Nicky,” he said over the phone as he placed a call to his oldest brother, “that friend of yours that helped out last time…do you think they’ll be available again?”
~~~~~~
“Well, the bad news is since the videotapes showed Simone threw the first punch, Faith can claim self-defense,” Darren’s attorney, Ronnie Ware, sat in Darren’s home office. He was an older black man with a close-cropped hair cut and goatee. He was a regular pundit on news shows talking about celebrity crime stories. “The good news is the D’Amatos are willing to put all of this behind them with no scandal.”
Darren blinked at Ronnie. Once. Twice. “What does that mean exactly?”
“They’re willing to pay to make sure you and Simone shut up,” Ronnie replied, “I told their attorney to make an offer and he’s currently working on a bid. I’ll hear from him shortly.”
