Nikola leaned into Devyn’s shoulder panting, coming down from his climax. Devyn continued to run his fingers through his hair.
“You broke your promise.”
He grunted. “Like you didn’t know that was going to happen,” he said pulling out of her.
He stepped out of his pants and carried her to the bed. Once he deposited her on the bed, Devyn stared at his tight butt as he walked into the bathroom. Devyn closed her eyes and settled in when she felt a dip in the bed and then a warm cloth wiping her down. She felt Nikola crawl into bed and move her so she had her head resting on his chest with his arm wrapped protectively around her. She snuggled in deeper and inhaled his scent.
“I love you,” she said just above a whisper. She felt Nikola pull her in tighter.
“Doesn’t count,” he said mimicking the words she told him when he first told her he loved her. Devyn’s lips turned upward. “Okay,” was all she said before falling asleep.
The following morning, when breakfast arrived, Devyn watched as the butler opened the tray of a medley of fruit that spelled out the words “I LOVE YOU,” she watched as Nikola’s face brightened by his smile.
“Does this one count?” She teased as he wrapped a strong arm around her waist. After the butler left, it was a long while before Nikola let Devyn up for air, let alone have breakfast, but it was well worth it.
The day before they were to leave Rio, Nikola took Devyn to meet Raul’s parents, whom he called his second family. Nikola referred to Rosaline and Manuel Santiago as Mae and Pai Santiago. They lived not too far from the Copacabana Hotel, in the beautiful Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas area in a large four bedroom, three bathroom home. When they arrived, a man who looked exactly like Raul, twenty years from now, answered. Devyn knew this man had to be Raul’s father.
“Filho!” Manual exclaimed as he pulled Nikola in for a hug.
Manuel was only an inch shorter than Nikola, with bronzed coloring that spoke to his mixed ancestry and dark, almost black hair. Aside from a few greying hairs along the side and some wrinkling around the eyes, the man could easily pass for someone in his late forties or fifties, instead of mid-sixties.
“Who do we have here?” Manuel asked, eyeing Devyn with the same devilish twinkle in his eye, she often saw in Raul’s.
“Pai Santiago, this is my woman, Devyn,” Nikola said pulling her to his side.
“Hello, Mr. Santiago. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Nikola has told me so much about you.”
“I hope he hasn’t told you everything. I don’t like all my tricks to be revealed.” He winked at Devyn before pulling her in for a hug.
“Oh Manny, hush. She doesn’t care to hear about any of your tricks.” Devyn heard as she saw a beautiful light skinned woman, with hazel eyes and a big smile. This was Rosaline Santiago.
“Ola filho,” she said as Nikola hugged her.
“Mae Santiago, this is my Devyn.” Devyn’s heart always did a little flip when he called her “his woman” or “his Devyn” as if he was so proud to show her off.
“Welcome, Devyn, it’s nice to meet you. We’ve heard great things about you as well.” She reached into hug Devyn.
“Thank you for having us,” Devyn said as she returned the woman’s hug.
As they were escorted in, Devyn looked at the tropical-style decorated home. The living room contained a white couch and loveseat that held ocean blue pillows. Through the large floor to ceiling windows Devyn could see a stunning view of the lagoon and in the distance stood the Christ the Redeemer statue. The two couples chatted for a while before sitting outside to a catered lunch of traditional Brazilian cuisine, and of course lots of caipirinha. They enjoyed the afternoon, talking with one another, and even took a walk down by the lagoon as Manuel explained the latest construction and changes going on in the area. By the time they left, Devyn had fallen in love with the Santiagos. It was clear to see where Raul got his teasing and charming personality from.
By the time they stepped on the plane to return home, Devyn had begun to think of Brazil as a home away from home. She counted the months until she could return. Nikola promised they would return soon enough, and would be coming back for Carnival the following year. She told him she would hold him to his promise.
Chapter 33
“Dammit!” Nikola swore under his breath, as he checked over his email.
Next to him, Devyn rested her head on his shoulder and snored lightly. They were returning from Brazil and Nikola was catching up on some work emails, after having taken the past five days off. He opened an email marked “urgent” from Andre. Apparently, there was a problem with the New York deal and owners were demanding to meet with Nikola in person over some obscure issue. Nikola knew this problem was more a show of force by the company owners, who wanted the deal to go through on their terms. Usually, Nikola didn’t mind traveling for work, but he found himself disliking it more and more as it required time away from Devyn. He sighed heavily. He knew he had it bad as he inhaled her scent.
Nikola continued to think about his trip to New York and an idea formed. He could go to New York and take care of some other, more personal business. He could kill two birds with one stone. He smiled, knowing that when he returned from his next business trip, life for him and Devyn would not be the same.
“You’re going to be gone for how long?” Devyn asked the night after their return. Nikola had just finished telling her he was needed away on business in New York. They lay in bed as they talked. He hated to leave her so soon after their trip, but it couldn’t be helped.
“A week. Maybe two.” She frowned.
“Well, if you have to go – you have to go,” she said on a sigh. “When do you leave?”
“I’ll be leaving Wednesday afternoon. I would ask you to come to the city for the weekend, but I’m sure I’ll be working through the weekend and won’t be any fun.”
“That’s okay, you know how I feel about New York anyway,” she said placing a palm on his bare chest rubbing it up and down. Devyn was not a fan of New York City; she said it was way too crowded for her liking. Growing up in New Jersey, and being just a train or ferry ride from the city, she’d made a lot of visits. Nikola had to agree, he didn’t particularly enjoy making trips to the city, but sometimes it had to be done. This trip was especially important for two reasons.
* * * *
As soon as Nikola got off the plane he had his driver take him to the famous Graff Diamonds on Madison Avenue. He’d made an appointment two days prior, and was easily accommodated. The only other woman he’d bought jewelry for was his mother, and he knew she loved the diamond bracelet he purchased for her a few Christmases ago. Entering the store, he was greeted by the man he knew would take care of him.
“Mr. Collins, how wonderful to see you again.” Renaldo, the head jeweler greeted. Renaldo had his assistant bring out a glass of champagne and hors d’oeuvres for Nikola.
“I’ve already set out some rings I think may be to your likings,” Renaldo said escorting Nikola to his office. When he made the appointment, Nikola asked to see the finest rings they had.
Examining the selection, Nikola couldn’t deny the beauty of the rings but they all failed to encompass what he felt. He wanted something that was a reflection of his Devyn. He wanted to be able to look at the ring and know it was made specifically with her in mind. That’s when the idea hit him.
“Renaldo, these are beautiful, but I’m looking for something else.” Nikola saw some of the shine leave Renaldo’s eyes.
“I want to design the ring myself and I have something special in mind,” Renaldo visibly relaxed, relieved to not miss out on a sizeable commission, Nikola was sure. For the next hour, Nikola and Renaldo went over ring designs, diamond cuts and sizes, and Nikola added a very special detail to the ring. He knew the final version would fit his woman perfectly. It would take some time to get the ring made, but he asked Renaldo to push to have it completed by the time he was scheduled to leave, confirming he would pay ex
tra for their speediness, of course. By the time Nikola walked out of the jewelry store, he was sure he’d made the right choice.
Chapter 34
“Pick your face up off the floor,” Devyn smiled and turned as Mercedes entered the gym’s locker room. It had only been a day since Nikola left and she was missing him already. The thought of returning to his empty condo pulled at her heart. She didn’t know why she was feeling so emotional, it wasn’t like he hadn’t traveled for business since they’d been together. She usually missed him, of course, but today she was feeling extremely melancholy. She hoped the rush of endorphins she got after her kickboxing class would help her mood.
“What are you talking about?” Devyn acted as if she didn’t know what Mercedes was referring to. Mercedes didn’t buy it for a second.
“Please. Don’t act like you’re not sitting here pouting cause your man’s not around,” Devyn laughed.
“I’m that obvious, huh?”
“Yes. Now snap out of it. This is the fun part of the day. We get to kick and punch shit,” Mercedes said as she stuffed her bag into the locker next to Devyn’s and began changing.
“I know. I know. I’m just missing him extra hard for some reason. I’ll be okay. Hey, you want to grab dinner after class?” Devyn asked, wanting to delay her return to Nikola’s lonely condo.
“Yeah, sounds good. How about the burger place around the corner?” Mercedes asked.
“Ooh, that sounds good. I could go for a bacon cheeseburger.”
Mercedes eyed her.
“What?”
“Nothing, it’s just you don’t eat bacon all that often.”
Devyn shrugged. “I have a taste for it today.” It was true, Devyn wasn’t a big fan of bacon, but the thought of a bacon cheeseburger had her salivating.
“Let’s go so I can expend those extra calories I’m about to consume after class,” Devyn said pulling Mercedes out of the locker room.
Ninety minutes and buckets of sweat later the two women sat in the burger restaurant, having just ordered their food. As promised, Devyn ordered the bacon cheeseburger, but not wanting to completely undo her workout, she opted to get a side salad instead of fries.
Mercedes was telling Devyn about the latest happenings at the school she worked for and what co-workers were already working her nerves. It was only a few weeks into the school year and Mercedes had already been forced to deal with some drama between the parent of one of her students and a new teacher. Devyn laughed at the animated way Mercedes retold the story, of having to wait until the parent left before lighting into the new teacher. Apparently the teacher told the student he wasn’t capable of handling some reading and his parent took extreme offense to the assumption. Turns out, the student was three reading levels above his grade level. Mercedes went on to say she wasn’t sure if this new teacher was cut out to work with their students, most of whom came from an underserved community. The teachers and administration at Mercedes’ school worked hard to maintain high standards for all their students regardless of economic or racial background of the student.
“I’m sorry am I boring you?” Mercedes intoned sarcastically. Devyn waved her hand as she covered her mouth with the other over her yawn.
“I’m sorry I’m just feeling really tired today. I didn’t mean to imply you were boring me.”
Mercedes waved her off, “I was just kidding. Have you no–.”
“Excuse me, you’re Devyn, right? Or should I say Black Pearl?” Devyn stiffened.
No one outside of the club called her Black Pearl and Devyn definitely did not know the stranger who stood in front of her. The man was approximately 5’9” with brown hair that nearly fell to his shoulders.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he stated looking like he had no intention of leaving without speaking with her.
“No problem. I seem to be at a disadvantage. You know my name but I don’t know yours. Have you attended one of my shows?” Devyn inquired.
“Yes, I have. I was at the club about a month ago. I asked Mistress Coco to speak with you, but your manager said you weren’t interested.”
“My manager?” Devyn asked confused.
“Yeah, tall, dark brown hair, blue eyes,” Devyn knew that description by heart. Her brows furrowed in confusion and anger. Why would Nikola present himself as her manager?
“And what did you need to speak to me about Mr.…” Devyn trailed off waiting for him to give her his name.
“Styles. Edmond Styles, but you can call me Edmond. Anyway, I was interested in having you audition for a burlesque show I’m putting on in a few months. I watched your show and was intrigued. You’ve got a real talent,” he said as he looked her over.
“Thank you Edmond, this is my friend Mercedes.” Devyn nodded at Mercedes, who gave the man a curt nod.
“Do you have a business card?” Devyn wasn’t sure she was interested in doing another show, but she could look into it. Besides, she was angrier about Nikola’s actions.
“And this man, who you spoke with, he said he was my manager?” Devyn asked taking the man’s business card.
“Well not quite, but he definitely told me you weren’t interested in whatever I wanted to speak to you about. He seemed a little hostile so I just left. Between me and you, if you’re interested in more work, you probably want to get rid of that guy.” He leaned in conspiratorially.
Devyn nodded. “Thank you Edmond. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Give me a call if you’re interested. Our show is starting in two months and we could use extra dancers,” he said before walking away. Devyn saw Mercedes eye him suspiciously.
“I don’t trust that guy,” she said
“Why not?” Devyn asked.
“Dev, I’ve worked in burlesque longer than you and have never heard of this Edmond Styles. He didn’t even recognize me, and I’m not saying this with any type of hubris, but I’m pretty well known on the Atlanta burlesque scene.” Devyn looked in Mercedes eyes and saw no hint of jealousy or contempt, just concern.
“Yeah, he seems off, but what about Nikola? Why would he scare the man off? Or, at the very least not tell me about meeting him?” Devyn shook her head knowing her answers could only be answered by one person.
“Maybe he was just looking out for you,” Mercedes offered
“Maybe,” was all Devyn said. She wanted to speak with Nikola about the issue, but that would have to wait until tomorrow night.
* * * *
By the time Devyn was able to finally get Nikola on the phone it was well after 10:00 p.m. the following night.
“Hi babe. I got your message. Is everything okay?” Devyn had only texted Nikola asking him to call her.
“Everything’s fine, I just wanted to know if you met someone named Edmond Styles?” She asked not wanting to jump to conclusions. The man could be lying and she did not want to automatically accuse Nikola of something he didn’t do.
“I don’t recall the name. Why?”
“I was out eating with Mercedes last night and he stopped by our table. Said he met you at one of my performances. He thought you were my manager when you told him I wasn’t interested in whatever he wanted.” Nikola was silent on the other end. Devyn would have thought he wasn’t there if she hadn’t heard his light breathing.
“Nikola?”
“Yes?” He asked in a tight voice.
“Did you tell him that?”
He blew out a breath. “Devyn, it’s no big deal. That guy looked like a slimeball.”
“So now you speak for me?” She asked tersely.
“What? No. I just...he didn’t seem on the up and up so I took care of it.” Devyn could feel her anger growing at the cavalier way he behaved as if he was her spokesperson. She was a grown woman and could make those kinds of calls for herself.
“You took care of it?”
“Yes. Look, this is ridiculous. I knew he wasn’t any good so–..”
“So you’re saying how I feel is
ridiculous? I don’t get to have a say in my own life?”
“You know that’s not what I’m saying, but when it comes to your safety or someone trying to take advantage of you, I won’t sit by and watch it happen. You know I won’t.”
Devyn was heated now. He was treating her as if she hadn’t walked this planet for thirty years before she dated him. She was nobody’s dummy and she would not stand for him treating her as if she was some incompetent imbecile. One controlling relationship in her life was already enough. She was not about to put up with another.
“Nikola I am a grown ass woman and have survived thirty years in this world without you. I am more than capable of taking care of myself!” She said angrily.
“Yeah, and you did such a bang up job of it before, right?” He asked in an equally irate tone. Devyn shot up from her seat on the bed.
“Are you...are you throwing my ex in my face. How dare–…”
She heard Nikola swear angrily under his breath.
“Devyn, I’m sorry I didn’t mean that.” He sighed. “It’s late and has been a really long day for me. I–…”
Black Pearl: a BBW, BWWM, Alpha Male romance Page 16
