Raven's Seduction

by Yvonne Nicolas

  And that’s for damn sure! This meeting wasn’t supposed to happen until she was ready, but God apparently had other plans. Either he’s bored, or the devil is busy.

  They both sipped their drinks in silence. He stole glances of her. She pretended not to know he was looking as her eyes wandered everywhere but in his direction.

  Truth be told, there were a ton of things she could drop in his lap at this very moment, things that would totally change the course of this untimely meeting, but she held onto them, as planned.

  Clearing his throat, he broke the silence. “I went to the funeral.”

  She gave him a side-long glance, unsure on how to respond. She hadn’t invited him. Actually, she hadn’t invited anyone. Mainly because she wanted to get it over with. Inviting friends meant she would have to linger around her pissy-ass family and that shit was out of the question.

  “I wasn’t going to go after you fuckin’ text-dumped me, but I wanted to be there for you…” Brows bunched, he rocked his head from side to side. “‘Cause I love you, girl,” he finished softly. “I know I don’t say it much. I thought you knew…” He swiveled on the stool to face her. “How much I loved you.”

  Oh, here he go, throwing the L-word around. She fought to the urge to roll her eyes. Six months ago, hearing him say that would’ve melted her heart. She would’ve served up the pussy on the spot. Since then, things have changed. Problem was, he was too wrapped up in his own selfish needs to realize that.

  “Sounds like it was hard for you to deliver that line.” Naturi let out an airy chuckle. “The playa in you must be kicking your ass right now.”

  He cocked his head and huffed air sharply through his teeth. “See, girl, you play too much. I’m sitting here being real with you, and you steady throwing jokes at me.”

  A snarky retort sat on the edge of her tongue. It stirred behind her smirking lips. Let me chill. If I keep going, I’m going to say some things that aren’t meant to be said now.

  “When I got to the church, I looked for you. I just knew you were gonna be a mess. Imagine my surprise to see you hugged up with that dude in the front pew.” He took a big swallow of his drink. “Just friends, huh? You still gonna stick to that story?”

  A ping of annoyance flashed behind her eyes. “Uh-uh, you need to chill on that, Luca. We’re not going down that road today.”

  “I need to chill?” he hissed, his face hardened in anger. “You serious? You get caught stepping out on me with someone you claimed was your best friend and I’m supposed to chill? Fuck outta here with that bullshit, ma.”

  “Okay, number one, we were not together. I broke up with you before I went to Florida to take care of my dad. So, I ain’t gotta explain shit to you. And number two, check your tone. I’m not that bitch today.”

  “Wrong! We didn’t break up. You fuckin’ ghosted me so you can be with that faggot-ass ninja assassin,” he growled.

  “Hol’up! His name is Raven…” she shot back.

  “I don’t give a fuck about his name!”

  “…And what you’re not gonna do is sit up here and talk shit about him to my face, and expect me to be quiet about it. One more time, address your tone, sir.”

  A look of utter shock spread across his face. “Wow. You got me up here looking like a dumbass nigga.” He clucked his tongue, then chugged the rest of his drink. “I know, Nat—I know you’ve been fuckin’ him since the beginning. You can try to lie, but that shit was evident from the way he was holding you.”

  Didn’t matter what she said. He would believe whatever his twisted mind had concocted between her and Raven. It was simply another form of guilt. Pointing the finger at her was his way to divert from his own nasty indiscretions.

  Naturi shook her head and sighed. “I already told you I’m not gonna do this with you today. Like I said, time and a place…”

  “Oh bullshit, you’re just trying to fade me ‘cause you know you were wrong.”

  During her time away, one thing she had grown tired of was taking everyone’s shit. Her family, Luca… They all sounded the same. In the past, she would’ve let that kinda shit slide. Not today.

  “A’ight, and on that note, you can kiss my black ass, Luca.” Standing, she quickly consumed the rest of her whiskey. Then she slid past him, prepared to leave his ass sitting right there, nursing his bruised ego.

  He swung around and caught her by the wrist. “Whoa-whoa, Nat… baby, I’m sorry.” Sliding off the stool, he pulled her close. “Please don’t go. I know I’m trippin’, ma. I’m just—I’m happy and pissed to see you, ‘cause of how things ended.” A nervous smile crossed his lips. “Got me losing my shit here, girl. You know I’m not usually like this.”

  She paused and huffed out a breath. “Look, I get it. You gotta lotta shit to unpack on me. But coming at me with all this hostility doesn’t make me wanna sit here and chat with you.” Gently, she removed his hand from around her wrist. “Listen, the next few days are a wrap for me. So, choose a day after that and a decent time. We can meet up and get it all out in the open. You share what’s on your plate and I’ll share what’s on mine. ‘Til then…” She nodded toward his angry companion, who was storming out the door. “You should put on your running shoes and go catch up with ya girl.”

  “Shit!” He started to go after her. Pausing, he quickly spun around. “Look, despite how this looks, I never stopped loving you. I never stopped wanting to be with you. I want to work this out, Nat.”

  The softness in those sexy grey eyes seized her heart, just for a second. Part of her wanted to believe him, but the other part knew exactly what type of man he was. After all, she’d endure three years of his conniving ways.

  “Can we get together Sunday night to talk?”

  Naturi waved her phone at him. “Text me.”

  He cocked a brow. “And you’ll answer?”

  With the shrug of her shoulders, she responded, “we’ll see.”

  A sly smile slid across his face. “Yeah, you’ll answer.”

  Ugh, she hated that about him! No matter how tough she came off, he could always read her eyes. He probably knew that she sorta missed him, but not for the reasons he thought. She watched him walk away with more pep in his hitched step than when he’d approached her earlier. Yeah, he was definitely limping. Wonder what happened.

  Her eyes drifted past him and landed on the exit. Then suddenly, her heart shuddered to a stop. With it, her whole body stiffened.

  Through the glass door, she caught sight of the man of the hour, the guy who had flipped her world upside down the second he came into her life.

  Raven.

  Chapter 3

  The Leather Clad Stranger

  Two and a half years ago…

  “Oh my God, I swear you negroes are useless!” Naturi marched across the parking lot, the phone to her ear. “How do you even get through life like this?”

  “There you go, talking down on us again,” Reggie grumbled. “I get enough of that shit from the Lisa. I don’t need to hear it from you too, Turi.”

  “There are three of you and one of me. I’m a whole state away, and yet, I have to do everything. He’s your father too.”

  “But we ain’t living a Sex in the City lifestyle like you. We got obligations and families to take care of.”

  “Oh wooow.” That snide comment stung deep. She never mentioned it aloud, but the fact she was about to hit thirty-two and she was still single bothered the hell out of her. Her brother knew better than to throw stones like that, which meant he was trying to hurt her. “Know what. Fuck you, Reg. It’s astonishing. You claim that you’re broke all the time, that you don’t have money to put up for a care-taker for your father, but you got all kinds of dollars to spend on your side piece. You can find the money for that hoe, can’t you?”

  “Whoa—shit.” His voice lowered to a hissing growl. “Why you had to go there?”

  “You pushed me there! You guys love putting the whole financial burden on me just because I mad
e a decent life for myself. I’m not a fuckin’ bank! I mean, really… I don’t mind paying most of it, but you guys could at least put something in the pot. You wanna walk away without spending a dime, which is not fair.”

  “Listen, Turi, I ain’t got time to be fussing with you. I’m at work. Are you gonna settle up or what?”

  She sucked her teeth and stabbed the red ‘End’ button, hanging up on him. “Muthafucka!” she screamed into the confinement of her car. Attempting to calm the storm thrashing about within her, she took a deep breath and counted to ten. Still, her blood boiled in anger. “I don’t even know why I picked up the damn phone.” She started the engine and whipped out of the parking space. She pushed her BMW through the lot, allowing her fury to drive her speed. “Should’ve known they were gonna dump some bullshit on me.” The view of the mall shrunk behind her as she moved forward. She was so pissed, she forgot what she came to the mall for.

  Her brothers were a couple of fuckin’ assholes! Well, all except Jonie, her elder brother. He was the sweetheart of the bunch. He had his moments when he would work her nerves, but he didn’t ride the ‘let’s get Naturi to pay for everything’ train. He helped when he could. Sometimes he didn’t have it to give, but he gave it anyway. That was the brother she would do anything for.

  Took her a long time to get where she was today. Like most black women in the workforce, she had to be better and smarter than everyone at the firm to score her high-paying position. She worked hard to get it, and she worked even harder to keep it. As an accountant, all she did was work numbers for a law firm and dealt with all the money that came in and out, but she did it with perfection. Nothing got past her, not even one cent. At the job, they call her the master number cruncher, a title she wore proudly.

  Naturi never looked for praise from anyone for becoming successful, especially her family. But she expected them to at least be happy for her. Guess that was asking too much.

  The beginnings of a headache rose behind her eyes. Her skin was hot and her lower belly throbbed in pain. Freakin’ menstrual cramps. “Are you gonna settle up or what?” she grumbled, mocking her brother’s words.

  Of course, she would. She always did.

  When mom died, she paid for everything—the hospital bills, the casket, the funeral, and the headstone. Jonie at least took care of mom’s personal bills and obligations—the car, the house, her businesses, etc. But the other two no-good-ass negroes acted like they had zero funds and couldn’t help with anything. Guess it would be no different when her father finally kicked the bucket, which would probably be soon, considering he’d been having heart issues. She didn’t even like the man, but she wouldn’t leave him to wither away in the hands of her knuckle-headed ass brothers.

  As she maneuvered onto a side street to distance herself from the busy traffic, she said, “Siri, call Zion.”

  “Calling Zion Turner, iPhone,” the disembodied assistant replied.

  “‘What’s good, sis!” her cousin answered, smacking loudly into the phone.

  The sound of a throaty engine rose in the distance, behind her, and grew louder. “Z, you’re not gonna believe this shit.”

  “Let me guess. Your brothers are being dickheads again?”

  “All day, every day!” Naturi glanced in the rearview mirror.

  A guy on a motorcycle came into view. He was crouched low on the metal monster, getting closer and closer.

  “Like, I don’t mind them being assholes on their own time, but don’t bring that shit my way.” She took her foot off the gas.

  Bikers usually zipped around her, because even though she drove fast, they always drove faster.

  “What did they do this time? Let me guess. It has something to do with Uncle Lester and money.”

  “Ugh… bitch, you already know! Got me all kinds of stressed out.”

  “I don’t know why you let them niggas raise your blood pressure. You know they ain’t shit. Well, not Jonie—he’s the butterscotch sweet treat in the family, but the other two—They be on some fuck-shit daily.”

  Suddenly, there was a screech of tires, then BOOM. Her car lurched.

  “What the hell?” Naturi tapped the brakes, slowing her car to a stop. She peered in the rearview mirror, but no one was behind her. “I think someone just hit me.”

  “For real? You okay?”

  “Yeah, let me…” Her eyes whipped to the right side mirror.

  A spinning wheel poked out from the rear of her car.

  “Aw shit, let me call you back.” Naturi activated the hazard lights then grabbed her phone off the dashboard holder. Her heels clacked on the concrete as she stepped out the car. “Oh lawd, please don’t let nobody be dismembered back here,” she muttered under her breath, scurrying to the rear.

  A motorcycle was spilled onto its side. A few feet away, the rider was laid out on his back, his helmet still on.

  “Jesus!” she shrieked, shuffling over to him. “Are you okay—are you hurt?”

  He groaned and shook his head. A silky voice wafted from beneath the helmet. “I don’t know yet. Let me get up and see.”

  “Here, let me help you.” She extended her hand and braced her footing to help him off the ground.

  Taking her hand with his gloved one, he rose to feet. His weight yanked her out her stance. With a yelp, she stumbled forward and ended up smashed against him. Her weight should’ve pushed him backwards, but he stood as firm as a brick house on a windy day. He looped an arm around her waist, holding her steady, so she could catch her balance.

  “Opps—sorry.” Quick to gather herself, she skipped back, putting distance between them. “Guess I’m not as strong as I thought.”

  He swept his gloved hands over himself, dusting off his arms and legs. A burnt crimson toned leather jacket and matching pants layered his masculine physique like it was tailormade just for him. A pair of boots with silver buckles at the sides climbed up his calves. Judging by how expensive his bike looked and his overall ensemble, this dude wasn’t a penny pincher.

  Rolling his shoulders back, he stood at his full height. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was about a foot taller than her. “Well, it doesn't feel like anything is broken. I think I’ll be okay.”

  Naturi eyeballed him for a second before speaking again. “You were supposed to go around, not run into me. What happened? Did you not see my car’s big ass in front of you?”

  He chuckled then lifted the helmet off his head. “Must’ve missed it…”

  Her jaw went slack. She stumbled back as if he shoved her, but he hadn’t laid a hand on her. He simply removed his helmet and revealed his face—a face that was so fuckin’ pretty it seemed unreal. His eyes were a bright shade of brown, slanted, angled upward, exposing his Asian descent. An olive skin tone accompanied his features. A faint shade of maroon eyeshadow and a charcoal liner that ended at a perfect feather-like tip framed his eyes. Shoulder-length, jet black hair cascaded down the side of his face.

  He ran his gloved hand through his mane, raking his back from his forehead. “Then again, maybe I didn’t,” he added with a wink.

  “Uhm, oh, damn…” She swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. She couldn’t stop staring at him.

  In return, he watched her, his gaze boldly roaming up and down her frame. “You alright?”

  “Okay—wow. I’m gonna need you to chill all the way out with that face,” she blurted.

  His eyes danced and brows knitted. “Sorry?“

  “No, I’m sorry…” She blinked a few times as she searched for the right words. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t expect that face to come out of that helmet. It’s jarring ‘cause you are…” She cleared her throat before continuing, “crazy pretty for a dude.”

  He laughed, flashing a glimpse of his pearly whites and it took beauty up several notches, as if that was even fuckin’ possible. Reaching under the right side of his hair, he removed a curved earpiece. “Thanks.” Toying with it, he shuffled in place like a shy kid. “I app
reciate the compliment.”

  Not only gorgeous, but modest as well? Damn. He must be an alien.

  “Okay, I gotta ask. Do you always do it up like that?” She swept a finger over her own eyelid, gesturing toward his eyeshadow. “Or, is today just one of those days?” That probably came out wrong. How do you ask a man about his makeup habits without sounding judgey?

  “Yeah. I wear liner and shadow on a regular basis, usually to match whatever I’m wearing.”

  “Right-right. Okay, one more question, and I promise to stop prying…”

  “It’s okay, really…”

  “Is your skin really that smooth and clear, or are you wearing foundation?”

  “I’m allergic to most foundations, so I don’t bother to wear it.”

  “Okay then. So you’re ‘round here just stuntin’ on folks and snatching edges for no particular reason?”

  Redness touched his cheeks as he offered a boyish grin. “I don’t even know what to say to that. Whose edges am I snatching?”

  “Mine!” Pursing her lips, she adjusted her wig. “I feel attacked. Should I press charges?”

  He chuckled. “Sorry. Didn’t realize my looks were so violent.”

  “With your perfect eye makeup and glossy lips, and god-like bone structure…” she continued, openly accessing his modelesque features. “That’s not fair. Not fair at all for you to be walking around with that face.”

  “No, what’s not fair is…?” His eyes shifted as his expression turned stern. “Struggling with the fact that I really wanna pull you close to me right now.”

  Whoa! Did he really just say that?

  She gaped at him, stunned speechless. Butterflies awakened in her gut and went on flight throughout her whole body. “I—damn…” She winced at what she was about to say. “I’m extremely flattered, but uhm, I’m kinda in a relationship. Soo, getting close is probably not a good idea.” But it was an option, something she was seriously considering. Why the hell was it an option? And why the hell am I so hot all of a sudden? It’s like fifty degrees out.