Stay with Me (Strickland Sisters Book 1)

by Alexandria House

  “And bring Missy with you.”

  “Oh, she didn’t come with me. I decided to come visit for a few days but she wasn’t prepared to join me. My mom’s been nagging me about not coming home often enough.”

  “Yeah, moms are good for that.”

  I hung my dress for the night up in the backseat and closed the door just as Damon shut my trunk. As he walked around the car and drew me into a hug, I heard someone pull into Ryan’s driveway.

  I squeezed my play brother tightly before stretching up to kiss his cheek. “See you tonight, lil’ brother?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be there. Hey, don’t tell Nicky. I wanna surprise her.”

  He might’ve been living with Missy Mae, but he still had it bad for my baby sister.

  I climbed into my car, and as I waited for Damon to back out, watched Ryan ascend the steps to his apartment, yank his mail from his mailbox, snatch his door open, and slam it behind him.

  I had thought he was a little upset by my rejection. Now I was sure of it. But there was nothing I could do about it since I was expected to play my role in the Strickland Happy Family live production.

  Who the fuck was that nigga she was hugging?!

  It wasn’t Urkel. This dude actually looked like he possessed an ounce of swag. But who was he? Was he the reason she rejected me? I couldn’t believe this shit! Here I was, offering her me. Me! Women loved me, couldn’t resist my ass. Hell, I could walk into Coda right that minute and pull any woman I wanted. So what was her deal? I didn’t do anything to her but give her a huge-ass orgasm. And from what I felt, she needed it. Shit, I just couldn’t figure her out.

  Damn-it!

  My phone buzzed, and of course it was KC.

  “Hello!”

  “Shit, what’s wrong with your ass?”

  I tossed my mail onto the coffee table and threw my keys on the floor. “Man, this chick is driving me fucking nuts!”

  “Your landlord?”

  “Yeah!”

  “What’d she do?”

  “She won’t go out with me, says because I’m renting this place from her, I’m business and she doesn’t mix business with her social life. You believe that bullshit?”

  “Uh, bruh, didn’t you basically say the same thing?”

  “Not to her!”

  “Okay, okay, but peep this, you thought it. So did she. She just happened to come on out and say it.”

  I sat down and rubbed my forehead. “What am I supposed to do, man? I can’t stop thinking about her. And I know she’s feeling me. I know it.”

  “Tell her how you feel. Plead your case with her.”

  “I ain’t begging her to go out with me, KC. You know that’s not my style. I ain’t never had to beg a woman for shit in my whole life.”

  “Who said anything about begging? I said, tell her how you feel. Talk to her. Be real with her. Damn, that’s really a foreign concept to you, isn’t it?”

  “How can I do that if she won’t go out with me?”

  “Shit, man, you live right next door to her. You don’t have to go out with her to talk to her. Be friendly, take her some coffee, ask if you can sit down and talk to her for a minute. Am I really having to explain this to your grown ass right now?”

  I sighed. “Okay, I’ll try that. Thanks, man. Sorry for yelling in the phone and stuff.”

  “No problem. You really like her, huh?”

  “Yeah, I really think I do.”

  KC chuckled into the phone.

  “What’s funny?”

  “You! After all these years, you finally met someone who makes you lose your cool. That must be some kind of woman. Damn, I wanna meet her.”

  “Man, whatever.”

  13

  My parents lived in a humongous, white Cape Cod-style home with navy shutters flanking the windows. The front door was also navy. They’d purchased this house when I was in seventh grade, Nicky was in fifth, and Renee was a senior in high school, and it still looked as good as it had the day we moved in. As I unlocked the door that led into the kitchen with the key I still possessed, I smiled faintly. Coming home always felt like traveling back in time. The decor was largely the same. Even me and my sisters’ bedrooms held the same furniture, but the personal touches we’d all added—posters, pictures, knick-knacks—were missing.

  I called for my mother as I closed the door behind me, heard a distant reply, and figured she was upstairs. A minute or so later, she entered the kitchen wearing a smile, her graying natural hair in a closely-cropped afro. Mama was beautiful, elegant, and youthful in appearance. Although she was sixty, she could’ve easily passed for forty with a figure that matched mine and a face she shared with Renee.

  She pulled me into a tight hug. “Mm, maybe I need to start planning monthly parties since this is the only way I get to see you and Nay. You two avoid this house like the plague and I can’t get rid of Nicky.”

  I laughed as we sat across from each other at the table. “I’m sorry, Mama. I’m gonna do better. Just been busy.”

  “I know. You’ve been putting out a lot of videos. I really liked that ‘Outfit of the Day’ one you did last week. You should do more of those.”

  “Thanks, Mama. I’m trying to branch out and be a little more creative. Only so many twist-out tutorials I can do. So you still watch my videos, huh?”

  “Sweetie, I love watching your videos. I’m so proud of you. You live on your own terms. Takes courage to do that.”

  “Thanks, Mama. What have you been up to?”

  She shrugged, and a cloud seemed to settle over her face. I instantly regretted asking that question, positive that Daddy was still on that same old bullshit. At that moment, I thought about my own loneliness and realized hers must’ve been exponentially worse. “Nothing new around here. Where’s the food?” she replied.

  “In my trunk. You still got that rolling cart? I don’t wanna have to carry it in.”

  “Yeah, let me grab it and help you.”

  Before she could leave the table, I said, “I’ve missed you, Mama. I promise I’ma do better about visiting.”

  She smiled. “I would love that. I really would.”

  *****

  The dinner party was to begin at six-thirty. I had arrived at five-thirty to help set everything up, dressed in my evening attire, and waited in the living room with Mama for everyone else to arrive…including Daddy, who couldn’t manage to come home early even for this occasion.

  The first person to arrive was Damon, who Mama was thrilled to see. I hadn’t informed her of the possibility of him coming and knew she’d be pleasantly surprised. As much as he was my little brother, he was also the son she’d never had. She held his face in her hands, and gushed, “Look how handsome you are!” Then she yanked him into a hug. “Oh, Damon! It’s so good to see you!”

  He grinned down at her. “It’s good to see you, too, Mom.”

  As we both chatted with Damon, I had to wonder how Nicky was late when she still lived there, then I told myself she was probably off somewhere in the middle of screwing potential husband number nine thousand and twenty-six with her wild, nasty ass.

  As if on cue, she entered the room wearing a plum-colored bandage dress that looked like it would take some of her skin with it once she peeled it off her body. Trailing behind her was a huge man who looked like he’d played football in a league of giants. He wore a suit and a nervous expression on his face.

  “Hey, everyone! This is Warren…” Nicky began.

  I guess she got past the hygiene thing. If I’d known we were bringing dates, I could’ve brought Harrison. Now I’ll be the only fool here without a man.

  “Warren, this is…Damon?!”

  Damon stood from his seat on the sofa next to Mama with the brightest smile on his face. He was the definition of adoration as Nicky flew into his arms. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. “Oh, Damon. I’ve missed you so much!”

  “Me, too, Nick.”

  They sat down on the sofa
with Nicky squeezing in between Mama and Damon, grilling him about the last ten years, leaving Warren standing in the middle of the living room with a bewildered look on his face. So I stood and crossed the room, offering him my hand. “Warren, I’m Angela, Nicky’s sister. Why don’t you have a seat?”

  “Yeah, Warren, sit down,” Nicky tossed at him, still laser-focused on Damon.

  A few minutes later, Renee and Robert arrived, both looking like they’d rather be anywhere but there or even near each other.

  So there we all were, and Daddy still hadn’t arrived. When he finally did, he was a whole hour late, and swooped into the living room like the tornado he was—loud, boisterous, bending over to kiss Mama and insisting his girls gather around him for a group hug.

  “Let me go freshen up,” he announced.

  “No need to freshen up, baby. You look good, as usual. Let’s go eat. Everyone’s been waiting,” Mama urged sweetly.

  He smiled. “Okay, baby.”

  Finally, we all migrated to the dining room and took our places around the huge table, with Daddy at the head holding court like the king of his own dysfunctional castle. I might have at least enjoyed the food, even though I was pissed at Daddy for being late to his own party, had I not been seated next to Warren. If I’d thought Nicky was lying about his hygiene, I could now confirm that she was being truthful, because over the aromas of baked ham and yeast rolls, I was inundated by an overwhelming mixture of onions and ass. And Nicky’s ass was sitting across the table, damn near in Damon’s lap. On my other side was Robert. So if I turned my head to avoid the noxious fumes emitting from Warren, I would get an eyeful of Robert’s homely, evil ass.

  I sighed as Daddy continued spewing some bullshit about some most likely nonexistent meeting that ran over causing him to be late for the party. Then I closed my eyes and tried to think of something pleasant, recalled the sensation of Ryan’s tongue invading my mouth, his hands on my back. Heard his voice as my name fell from his lips. It was really stupid to reject a man that made me feel the way he made me feel—alive, sexy, and so, so good. There was a tingling between my legs as I could almost feel him touching me there again. I released a soft moan I was sure no one heard—

  “…Angela.”

  My eyes popped open, and I said, “Huh?” although I had no idea who had called my name.

  Evidently, it was Daddy. “I said, you really outdid yourself with this dinner, baby girl. This food is delicious!” he said.

  All three of us were his “baby girls.” I used to wonder if maybe he didn’t remember our names, since the term of endearment never felt very dear coming from a man who was rarely home. Shit, I honestly didn’t know my father. Not really.

  Nevertheless, I smiled, and said, “Thanks, Daddy.” Turning to look at my mom, who seemed deep in thought, I added, “Anything for you two.”

  Mama smiled at me and stood from her chair at the opposite end of the table from Daddy, raising her glass. “Everyone, I wanna propose a toast to the love of my life.”

  I groaned inwardly. She did this every year, toasted to Daddy like he was the husband of the century. I didn’t feel like participating in this sham, but Warren hopped up from his seat, sending a whoosh of ass stank straight into my nostrils, so I stood and held up my glass just to get some relief. Why the hell was Nicky still seeing this funky-ass man? His credit score must have been a damn 800.

  “To my love, Angelo Louis Strickland,” Mama began. Yep, I was named after him—Angela Louise. “Sweetheart, you have taken care of me, given me three beautiful daughters, and provided me with a life of luxury. Even when we first married forty years ago and had virtually nothing, you made me feel like a queen.”

  Daddy smiled at her. “You are a queen, baby.”

  She nodded her head a little. “I spent many lonely nights here in this house over the years, and it was hard sometimes, but I understood you were a driven, ambitious man, and I respected that. I respected that you were chasing a dream, but the cheating? The other women? Well…I’m sick of that shit.”

  I gasped. Nicky’s mouth fell open. Renee clamped her hand over hers. I’d never heard my mom curse before. I was sure my sisters hadn’t either.

  My father hopped up from his seat. “Lisa!”

  “I’m so sick of that shit and of your little whores calling taunting me that I have packed your stuff, and I want your unfaithful ass out of this house now.” Her voice was so calm, it was almost eerie.

  “Now, Lisa—”

  “Now Lisa nothing! I love you, Angelo. And I unfortunately always will, but I’m done with your Viagra-taking ass! I’m over you and this marriage! I’m not spending another second sitting up in this big house alone.”

  Daddy’s face screwed up in a confused frown. “I know you don’t think you’re moving another man in my house! You been cheating on me, Lisa?!”

  “You can go to hell for asking me some shit like that!”

  “I’m sorry, I—”

  “And if I was seeing someone else, would it really be cheating? I’d have to have a real husband for that to be the case.”

  Daddy stood there with a look of pure shock on his face that soon morphed into defiance. “I’m not going no-damn-where, Lisa.”

  “I bet you are. There’s a lot of shit I can tell about you. You sure you want your girls to know about some of the mess you’ve pulled over the years? You really want our daughters and the world to know the whole truth?”

  His face fell. “Baby…”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, looking beautiful but unmoved in a stunning black cocktail dress.

  “Fine. I’ll go, but this isn’t over. I-I love you, Lisa.”

  “Mm-hmm, and you show it so well. Go get your shit and leave.”

  I watched in silent awe as Daddy left the dining room and Mama reclaimed her seat. “Now this is a real party,” she said. “I’m glad that’s over with.”

  She looked around at everyone at the table and smiled as she took a bite of ham. “Mm, this is so good.”

  14

  I ended up spending the night with Mama since Nicky left with Damon—not Warren. If he hadn’t been so funky, I might’ve felt sorry for him being dragged to a family gathering, having to witness my parents’ dramatic break-up, and then being left behind with strangers. But I was more concerned about my mother than anyone. I knew her. She wasn’t the strongest person, and she adored my father. For her to do what she did, she had to have gotten to a really dark place in her life, and I was afraid to leave her alone.

  The next morning, she assured me she was fine, and after feeding me breakfast, basically shoved me out the door. By the time I coasted into my driveway, I was exhausted, having tossed and turned most of the night. So when I looked up and saw Ryan sitting on the steps in front of my place, I heaved an exhausted sigh. I didn’t have the wherewithal to deal with him or anyone else at that moment.

  I climbed out of my car and approached the steps, stopping as he gazed up at me with those damn eyes that made my legs even weaker than they already were from fatigue. “Look,”

  I began, “I had a horrible night, so you’re going to have to go off on me a little later. I need sleep.”

  He stood and moved from the steps, allowing me to ascend them. “I’m not here to go off on you. I just want to talk to you for a moment.”

  “Ryan…”

  He raised his hands. “I just wanna talk. Won’t take but a couple of minutes.”

  I stuck my key in the lock. “Don’t you have work?”

  “Not today. It’s Saturday.”

  “Oh, yeah…” I opened my door and glanced at him. “You got any coffee over there? I’m out.”

  He smiled. “Yeah. I can hook you up.”

  “Okay, go make some coffee, bring me a cup, and we can talk.”

  “All right.”

  I took a sip of the coffee and my eyes widened. “This is delicious!”

  “Thanks. It’s a special blend my mom used to like. She called
it spiced coffee—coffee plus cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, and a few more spices. She taught me how to make it when I was little.”

  “Damn, I need that recipe.”

  “You play your cards right, you might get it.”

  “Hmm.” I set my mug on the kitchen table and fixed weary eyes on Ryan sitting across from me. “What did you want to talk about?” I hope this man isn’t going to ask for a refund or something. I can’t deal with any foolishness right now.

  “I want to know why you won’t go out with me.”

  “I told you.”

  “Yeah, but that’s bullshit.”

  I straightened my posture. “Excuse me?”

  “It’s bullshit. I’ve paid all my rent already. I’m a good tenant other than that thing with the loud music, but that hasn’t happened again and it won’t happen again. What do you think I’m going to do if we start going out? I can’t ask for a discount on rent I’ve already paid. You think I’ll ask for a refund or something?”

  Damn.

  “What is it? What are you really afraid of?”

  I lifted my chin. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

  “Then what’s the deal? You know I like you, and I can tell you like me. Maybe I took things too far the other night, but shit, you said you enjoyed it.”

  I dropped my eyes. “I did…but—”

  “But what? I only want to get to know you, Angela. I’m not asking for your hand in marriage.”

  I’m not sure if it was the exhaustion or the fact that he was actually making sense. Either way, I liked the man, was very attracted to him, and did want to get to know him, so I said, “Okay.”

  “You’ll go out with me?”

  I nodded. “I’ll go out with you.”

  He hopped up from my table with a grin. “Good. Be back over to pick you up at six this evening.”

  He left, and I rested my head on the table. Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.

  15

  I woke up hours later to find that Ryan had texted me during my slumber. His message simply read: Wear something nice.