Jaded

by Rhonda Sheree

  Syeesha believed in red flags. She believed in the seemingly inexplicable signs that God set before humans to test the usefulness of their built-in alarm system. Would the mortal trust her gut and act upon the faint warning bell that only she could hear or would she use the power of reason to dismiss the ringing as a false alarm because it serves her purpose?

  She looked about the luxurious apartment that was now her new office and the surrounding quiet that carried the promise of new opportunities in her life.

  “Maybe there’s a logical explanation for it.”

  “She likes to toy with me. Remind me who’s boss. In fact, it’s Mr. McCann, not her. In your case, it may be different.”

  “Have you asked him?”

  “Haven’t seen him. Maybe you look for me? The accountant usually sends it over in an envelope.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Maria gave her a quick tour of the place. A cream limestone floor gleamed in a high shine as Maria led Syeesha past the short bridal staircase. In the living room, a twelve-foot hand-carved stone lion’s head dominated the room. Its open mouth served as a fireplace. Above it was an oversized photograph of Jade.

  God, these people love themselves.

  “It’s awful, no?” Maria coaxed.

  “I’m in awe,” Syeesha replied carefully. “This apartment, this building . . . I’m speechless. I think I just saw Robert Pattinson in the elevator. You know that kid from Twilight?”

  “Likely. Apartment next door for sale.”

  A sofa that looked as if it had come directly from the set of a nineteenth-century period piece like Dangerous Liaisons sat beneath an elaborate chandelier. The room, overly perfumed by the presence of fresh flowers, was crowded with furniture and art throughout. Twin chairs covered in a zebra pattern sat on either side of an antique table; a four-foot Oriental vase brimming with yellow roses stood near a window; Indian-inspired burgundy throw pillows and a bear rug rested at the foot of the lion’s mouth. The home was crammed with so many individually exotic pieces that, as a whole, the end result was nothing more than a beautiful mess. Syeesha wondered if the money used to decorate the penthouse would have been better spent on an interior decorator who valued old-money elegance over nouveau-riche flashiness.

  As Maria guided her through the apartment, Syeesha noticed an eclectic mix of art on the wall, most of which were of African-American subjects.

  “This is Jade’s office. Have a seat. She’ll be with you soon.”

  “Thanks, Maria. I’ll see what I can do about your check.”

  ***

  Alone in the office, Syeesha was taken aback by the photographs surrounding her. Models—a few she recognized as having the “super” moniker—adorned the walls in a variety of poses. The subjects were from many different ethnic backgrounds. Syeesha stepped closer to the walls to admire the gallery. Some of the photos were taken in exotic beach locations with the models purring on wet sand or emerging from the water in near-naked glory; one was of a totally nude model lying on a velvet couch with an emerald stone the size of a plum draped down her back from a diamond necklace, while a black panther lounged casually at her foot. One young girl, in particular, caught her attention. It was a close-up shot of a black girl, no more than sixteen. Her tongue seductively licked her top lip. She had one eye closed. She looked familiar to Syeesha but she couldn’t place her. Her face and body—at least what Syeesha could see of it—was as pure and unblemished as fresh cream.

  “Joy Sinclair.”

  Syeesha turned with a start to see Jade standing in the room in a sleeveless silk dress.

  “She was fourteen when that picture was taken. Up-and-coming pop star.” Jade stood next to her beneath the striking photograph. “At the time, anyway. She’s dead now.”

  “That happened about two years ago,” Syeesha recalled. “I’d forgotten about that.”

  “She had four popular songs on the radio and then decided she liked her hits up her veins. Too much money is squandered on the young.”

  When she was finally able to refocus her attention, Syeesha took in the rest of the office. The individual pieces of art—vases and statues—were elegant, but the clutter spilled over into that room as well. The beauty of the tall vases, nude statues, and printed throw rugs were lost among the abundance of things. As Syeesha followed Jade to the sofa, she glimpsed the desk. A closed laptop peaked out from beneath paper like a pinecone buried in snow.

  “Would you like any coffee? I’m sure Maria didn’t even bother to ask.”

  “She did, but no, thanks. Did you do the makeup of all of these models?”

  “I did. Let’s get down to business. I want to show you around the house–“

  “Maria just did. It’s very . . . eclectic.”

  “Good. Saves time. The majority of your day will be spent here, ordering supplies, keeping my calendar. . . . Write this down.“ Jade tossed the yellow notepad she was carrying on the table. Syeesha fumbled with a pen and began writing as Jade continued, “Responding to e-mails, answering my business line, that sort of thing. Do you have plans for tonight?”

  “I have class and–”

  “Cancel. My husband will be home for dinner and I think it would be the perfect opportunity for you to meet him.” Jade walked toward her desk.

  Syeesha felt her throat tighten. She opened her mouth and heard the words quiver as she spoke. “Jade, about my classes. I told you–”

  Jade whipped around on her high heels, apparently breaking her own house rules.

  “Syeesha.” Her voice oozed honey. She took a seat next to Syeesha and clasped her hands. “I’m so glad you accepted this position. I knew when I was in that room with you that you were a special kind of woman. Anybody can see an opportunity but it takes a lot of guts for someone to go for it. Most people are too scared to take on new challenges. Most people aren’t like us.”

  Syeesha wasn’t sure if the comparison was a compliment. Jade’s demeanor had vacillated from sweet to stinging to sweet again in the space of a nanosecond.

  “I know you don’t see it yet but this job is going to open you up to a whole new world of possibilities. But you have to be brave enough to step into the light, so to speak.”

  “Law school is a priority for me.”

  She hoped Jade couldn’t hear the doubt in her voice. From the hint of a smile on Jade’s lips, Syeesha guessed that she had.

  “Maybe my husband will be able to help you with some of those priorities. He’s a very influential man and could probably get you into a law office of your choosing when you graduate. Please stay for dinner tonight.”

  There was something about Jade that intrigued her. And it wasn’t just her lush lifestyle or obvious talent that made her remarkable. Jade looked at her with eyes so endearing, Syeesha almost felt as though she had no real choice in the matter.

  “Sure. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to use your computer to e-mail my teacher.”

  “Later.” A broad smile dawned then disappeared again. Jade curled her forefinger in a gesture for Syeesha to join her at the desk. “Invoices here. A couple might be overdue so I’ll need you to get on top of that. You know how to use QuickBooks, right?”

  Quick what?

  “Yes,” she replied. “I didn’t know I’d be privy to your financial information.”

  “I can trust you, can’t I?”

  “Of course,” Syeesha replied quickly, then shut her mouth.

  Jade wrestled with a small file cabinet. After a spirited fight with the latch, Jade freed the drawer. Every drawer was stuffed with papers. She touched the bottom drawer with the toe of her shoe.

  “This one is locked. Or stuck. Eventually you’ll need to figure out how to get it open. I’m not even sure what’s inside.”

  “Kim never took care of this for you?”

  “Nope. She just went on assignments with me.” Jade sighed and looked at her desk. “Is it that bad?”

  Syeesha nodded.

  Jad
e laughed. “You were hoping for something a little sexier?”

  “A bit more challenging, maybe.”

  “You might be in luck on both fronts. Here’s the checkbook.”

  Syeesha opened it and glanced inside. The last check had been written over two months ago. And that was assuming that all the checks had been correctly noted on the ledger.

  Syeesha thought about her sketchy relationship with math. “Don’t you have an accountant to help you with this?”

  “Not for my accounts. I like to be more in control.”

  This is being in control?

  Jade tucked some loose papers back into the drawer and shoved it until the latch finally caught and the drawer was snapped shut.

  Opening it again is gonna be like opening a jack-in-the-box, Syeesha thought, noticing a few pages sticking out the top of the drawer.

  “Uh, Maria mentioned that she hasn’t been paid.”

  “Her check should be here somewhere.” Jade twirled her a French-manicured finger around the desk. “Pretty sure Rodney’s accountant sent it over. He’s never here to give them to her so he leaves that to me. Also, write her a check from my account for five hundred dollars. Quarterly bonus. I’ll square it with Rodney later. He usually has his assistant handle that but I’m sure he forgot.”

  Syeesha wrote the instruction on her notepad. “When will you be able to sign it?”

  “You can sign for me.” Jade walked to the door.

  Syeesha followed her, scribbling some of the other instructions she hadn’t jotted down earlier.

  “That way she’ll get it quicker. There’s a credit card in the top drawer for petty cash. Five-hundred-dollar limit. Be sure to keep all receipts from purchases. And Syeesha?”

  Syeesha looked up from her yellow pad. “Yeah?”

  “See you in the dining room at seven.”

  After Jade left, Syeesha immediately sent Christian a text that she was going to be absent for class. He sent back a flip remark, I’m sure u r heartbroken, before setting up a time to meet at a bar later that night.

  When that was done, Syeesha turned around and looked at the closed drawers.

  This mess is enough to keep me busy for the rest of the year.

  Syeesha opened the top drawer and picked through a mass of loose papers and envelopes, a few stamped with a red “Past Due Notice,” then threw them all back into the drawer.

  She opened each of the other drawers of the cabinet. Each was bursting with paper, except the last one. Syeesha pulled on the handle to no avail. Yep. It was locked.

  Not like I don’t have enough to keep me busy.

  And she promptly put the locked drawer from her mind.

  ***

  Chapter 17

  Christian moved easily through the crowded bar and wedged himself between the narrow space between Syeesha and another patron. Before he dumped his backpack on the floor or asked her how her day was, he cupped her face in his warm hands and kissed her. Syeesha savored the aftertaste of the pink bubblegum that lingered in his mouth, fruity with a hint of mint. His kiss, firm and eager, surprised her every time their lips met. The notion that he was an inexperienced nerd had been eradicated the day he boldly leaned over on the carousel and kissed her. Christian may have been young, but he was still very much a man.

  He pinned his forehead to hers. “How was your first day?”

  “Not nearly as delicious as the past ten seconds.”

  Proud of himself, he grinned and wiggled out of his backpack.

  “What about the dinner? You get to meet the superstar?”

  Syeesha took a sip of her drink. “How ’bout I buy you a drink first?”

  Christian flagged down the bartender. “I’ll have what she’s having.”

  “There was no dinner. Apparently, Rodney had to work late so the housekeeper sent me home.”

  “The housekeeper?”

  “Maria. I guess Jade was too embarrassed to tell me herself. Before I forget.” She slid a napkin across the table. “I want to give you the address in case you ever feel the need to send me roses at work.” She winked at him. Christian stuck it in his back pocket and leaned against the bar, keeping a hand on Syeesha’s thigh. She gestured to the recently evacuated barstool behind him. He shook his head. Gently, he stroked her leg. Syeesha felt heat rush through her gut, but she kept her cool.

  “So my impression is that all is not well in the McCann household.”

  Christian took a sip of his drink then looked at his glass as if it were filled with petroleum. “What the hell is this?”

  “Diet Coke.”

  “I thought it was rum and Coke or something.”

  “Sorry. Don’t want to get tipsy tonight. Might do something I’ll regret.”

  He set his glass on the bar. “You think we’re moving too fast?”

  She smiled, sufficiently intoxicated by his touch. “If I say I think we’re moving too fast, I’ll sound like a prude. If I say I think we’re not moving fast enough, I’ll sound like a slut.”

  “How about you remember that when you’re with me you’re in a no-judgment zone?” He moved in closer and whispered in her ear, “Tell me the truth.”

  She bit her lip. When she’d managed to gain control of her face muscles she said, “I think the pace is just right.”

  It wasn’t the truth at all, moving to third-base was an enticing idea to Syeesha, but saying that to him made her flush with embarrassment.

  He looked at her with hooded eyes.

  “I’m not too sure I buy that answer, but I’ll accept it.”

  “I get the impression that her husband is either rarely home or comes in late and leaves early.”

  “You think you’re going to like working for her?”

  Syeesha shrugged. “I don’t know. Once I’ve got her desk cleaned up I’m not sure there’s going to be much more to keep me busy all day. But I’ll figure something out.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why do you need to figure something out? I mean, you said the money is good but if it’s a job that’s underutilizing your talent, why don’t you get back into a law office that will keep you engaged in the legal community? That’s your real future.”

  Syeesha shook her head and looked around the bar. A group of guys stood around a pool table, while others played darts. Even when they were off the clock, they were still competing. Life was just one long pissing contest to men.

  “You remind me of my father in a way.”

  Christian spread his arms wide. “Help a brotha out here. Is that good or bad?”

  “He was in the military. Very controlling in nature. My sister rebelled. I played by the rules. I’m getting sick of playing by the rules.”

  He made a production of looking around the room. “Where are these rules? And I’m still not seeing the connection to your dad.”

  “I didn’t go to school tonight and you know what? I didn’t miss it. I was working in a gorgeous penthouse on the Upper East Side. I’m networking with people who can help me no matter what career I choose to have. Maybe I’ll have time to do more writing while I work for her. And maybe it’ll be years before my book is done. Working for a rich, powerful couple isn’t the worst thing that could happen to a girl.”

  Christian stood straighter, removing his hand from her leg.

  “Are you trying to say I’m like your father because you think I’m controlling?”

  Syeesha became uneasy. She didn’t want to piss him off, but it seemed as if she was well on her way to completing that unintentional objective. “All I’m saying is that I don’t want advice on law school or my career. I’m not competing with anyone. As long as I end up rich, I’m kinda open to how I get there.”

  True to form, Christina chuckled. She felt the tension in her body ease when he cupped her face again and planted a quick kiss on her lips.

  “You sweet girl. If getting rich by any means necessary is your mission in life, I can give you the names of some
very rich porn stars.”

  She slapped him on the chest. “Now you’re just being silly. I’d never take off my clothes for cash.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “Damned sure.”

  “Would you take off your clothes for another Diet Coke?”

  “Okay, now I’m going home. Alone.”

  “It was worth a shot.”

  ***

  Chapter 18

  “Oh God!” Jade gasped, swiveling her hips in perfect rhythm to Rodney’s thrusts. As he moved beneath her, his fingers dug into her waist, balancing her and pulling her down harder. Their simultaneous cries erupted in a crescendo, then lingered in their throats like the final notes of a mournful ballad. Jade craned her head, panting, and looked at Rodney. His eyes were closed, lips parted. Labored breaths escaped him. She slid off him and rested her chin on his chest.

  She said, “That felt like old times.”

  “Mmm . . .”

  It was good to see him look so thoroughly satisfied.

  “Are you up for round two?”

  “No.” He wiped sweat from his forehead. “I’m going to be late enough as it is.”

  “Stay home with me.”

  “Can’t. There’s a vote on the House floor today.”

  “I remember a time when you would be two hours late to the set because of me.”

  “The House of Reps isn’t a Hollywood production. Though sometimes I wonder.”

  Finally, Jade thought. A conversation with my husband that doesn’t involve insults.

  “And what happened to your plans of getting back to work on a movie?”

  “I will. I’m just not sure it’s the right time. Which reminds me. It’s time you pulled back on your spending.”

  Jade propped herself up on one elbow. “Why?”

  “Because I’m a government worker and no longer earning half a million dollars to make movies, that’s why.”

  “How much are we worth, Rodney?”

  A smiled touched his lips as though she’d just made a joke.

  “What’s running through that pretty little head of yours, Jade?”