“This and one more,” I reply.
“Really?!” They remark in unison.
“Yes,” I frown.
“What’s the second one? A Lambo?” scoffs Tia.
“You really think the worse of me, don’t you,” I tsk. “It’s a classic 1971 Ford Bronco, black, no spinning rims before you ask…just a regular truck,” I smile.
Yeah, shut you up, didn’t I? That’s right roll your eyes and snake your head around to look out the window.
I take note of Brit’s shirt.
“Don’t tell me you like Nautro?”
“You watch anime?”
“Of course, a young man such as Johnny watches cartoons,” huffs Tia.
“Ma likes Bleach and One Piece, but I think Naurto is better.”
“Baby, didn’t you say you were sick?” grumbles Tia.
“Yeah,” whispers Brit, dropping her head.
Brit tugs on the sleeves of her sweatshirt. She can barely contain her excitement. Honestly, I don’t want her too. She such an innocent and sweet girl, which are both rare and dangerous.
“I can’t take it being quiet. You can turn on the radio, Brit,” I offer as I nod my head towards the buttons on the console.
“Okay,” she beams.
Tia eyes her daughter when the girl leans into the front to mess with the satellite radio. She switches it on, listens for a second, then goes on to the next channel. Suddenly the smile on my face slips at the sight. I can’t hide the shock that registers on my face. Brit is clueless, but Tia catches me staring.
“I like this song,” she remarks as she places her hand on Brit’s. “Leave it here. You need to sit back, baby before he gets a ticket.”
I know it’s her way of getting Brit to hide her arm from my gaze. I steal a glimpse of the girl as she sits back and begins to sing along to the Fugees, Killing Me Softly. A million questions flood my mind. None that I would dare ask with her here.
“Are you working on any new music?”
Her question pulls me back into the here and now, thankfully.
“Yeah, I am. I had to push back my studio time for the show, but I have something cooking and a few awards shows and specials to close out the year.”
“We have all your records. Actually, Ma has the records. I just have you on my playlist.”
I laugh at her honesty. She has no way of knowing she’s throwing her mother under the bus.
“You look so much better in person than on the TV. Not that you look bad,” Brit reassures me with a touch on my shoulder. “It’s that, you know, some people need all that retouching, lights, and makeup to make them look good, not you though. We thought you looked so good at the Met Gala, didn’t we, Ma?”
Tia shifts in her seat, refusing to comment.
“Thank you,” I chuckle.
“Can I get a picture with you?”
“As soon as we get to the house, yes,” I promise.
“House?”
Tia must be going through by the way she rubs her forehead. “I left my car at his house, one of his houses, the one we’re working at,” she changes her answer to clarify.
I bite my lip. Tia suddenly looks tired to me. I take mercy on her by taking control of the endless chatter on the way to the house.
CHAPTER SEVEN
TIA
What is this man doing? I should just give in, fuck him a few times so he can lose interest and move the hell on. All I wanted to do was the show. Now, he’s becoming fast friends with Brittany. I know my baby isn’t slow by no means. She completely understands that we’re riding in this car all because of the show, and from what Mom dropped yesterday, because he thinks he has a chance. Even still, she’s a teen that’s going through and is hanging with a celebrity.
I’m like a caged animal by the time we reach the house. The car hasn’t even come to a full stop before the door is open and my foot is planted on the cobblestone driveway. We are not friends. They are not friends. This isn’t our life. Yes, I’m trusting that after the cameras stop, Brit and I will be better off, but we will never be at this level. Johnny isn’t the cure-all to our mounting problems. He’s just a means to an end, a hand to open the door. That’s it.
I haven’t been following the conversation thus far. My main focus is getting to my car and getting the hell out of dodge before Brit is drug further down the hole. I can tell he wants to pump me for answers that frankly are none of his damn business.
“Can I see what you’ve done?”
I go ramrod straight with my hand dangling over my car door latch. Why the hell she can’t just shut up and get her ass in the car?
“You wanna go back to school?”
“No need to be nasty, damn Tia. Let the girl see your handy work. Come on,” he whispers to Brit as he waves her up the steps to the front door. “You can wait in the car,” he shouts over his shoulder before heading inside.
“That motherfucker,” I groan with a stump of my foot. “I’m gonna, oh, Lord,” I mumble as I cast my eyes towards the heavens.
I lean on the doorway to the first room we’ve tackled. Johnny, being the showman, he is, takes time to point out every detail and answer Brit’s questions. I shift my weight on my feet while I listen to him give me all the credit when he and I know that he had a say in the design, too.
“Ma, you did an amazing job,” praises Brit.
“What he didn’t tell you was that he did some of the remodeling.”
“I remember you saying that he was going to get his hands dirty,” she smiles in his direction. “I really like the house.”
“Hell, you’ve only seen a little bit. You can take a quick tour,” he offers.
“Nope, I have to get her home, so-“
“When is the next time she’s going to get a chance to look around,” he hisses. “Go on. Oh, in one of the rooms is a mini-bar with sodas, snacks, and a PS4 with games and its’ hooked up to Funimation Network.”
I guess I have no power whenever he’s around. Brit doesn’t even pay me any attention as she speeds walk out of the room.
“This is Heaven. Take your time, Ma,” she tosses back over her shoulder as she jogs away.
I know what he’s setting me up for, and I’m not falling for it. I turn fast on Brittany’s heels to play tour guide only for him to jerk me back by the arm.
“Why does she have those marks?”
Damn, jumping right in, huh?
“It’s nothing we talk about outside of the family.”
“I swear I’ll shake your teeth loose if you don’t tell me,” he snarls. “Is she a cutter?”
I hold my hands up to tell him to lower his voice. “Yes,” I hiss, “But not in a long time,” I add.
Hands on his hips, Johnny turns to walk a few steps away from me as he curses.
“Is it because of those bitches at school? She fuckin’ herself up over that?”
“The cutting phase was in middle school. The bullying started this year, her freshman year.”
“Middle school? She was just a kid. How she even knew about doing that? W, where’s her dad? Can’t he help you?”
How did I get to this point with him? When did my life become the main topic of the day? We aren’t friends. I should just drag Brit out of here. I don’t have to answer him. So, why is my mouth moving while my mind is screaming for me to do the opposite? It’s not like he cares about anything other than what’s between my legs.
“I don’t know who the father is?” I admit, shamefully.
His gaze rakes over me. In their depths is the assumption I knew he would have about me.
“Look, even the hoe of the neighborhood knows what a DNA test is, and you are a lot smarter.”
Anger that I really shouldn’t have towards Johnny bubbles to the surface. Maybe it’s the fact that he thinks so lowly of me. Then again, why the fuck do I care? He’s a kid compared to me. We’re not on the same level.
“I was raped asshole.”
A shock and pity mixture transform
s his handsome features. My heated response steals his ability to speak.
“It happened at the end of my first semester in college. I was so careful at parties to make sure I didn’t become one of, ‘those’ girls. Then it happens to me while I was walking back from the library. I told nobody for months. I guess I’m happy the fucker only left me with a bad case of crabs and a baby. I could have gotten aids.”
I can tell he doesn’t know what to say. Things are changing between us. I can feel it. His eyes are looking at me in a new way. He’s thinking as he is processing. I’m betting his desire for me has just ran its course.
“Plan Parenthood on-campus help me. They got me connected with a counselor that helped me work through the emotional aftermath.”
“You got balls for having the baby,” he commits at last, after finding his voice.
“I thought about killing her, but…I don’t know,” I shrug. “I’m happy I didn’t,” I smile.
“How did your family take it? Were they okay with you keeping it?”
“Shit, I didn’t tell my Mom. For her to throw in my face, she was right about me not going away to college? ‘See, I told you. You thought you were so smart, better than everyone, but Life showed you that you are just like the rest of us.’ That’s what she said when I came back with Brit after I graduated.”
All he does is nod his understanding. Casting his eyes above my head in the direction of the open archway, “Does she know?”
“It came out when my Mom and I were arguing.”
“Just a slip of the tongue, huh? Yeah right,” he grumbles.
My heart clinches. I blink rapidly over the concept that he might understand me.
“Have you seen a professional to help her?”
There it is again with a flutter in my stomach added. Why can’t he just be an asshole? Fuck!
“We’ve done therapy, yes. Then we stop-“
“Your Mom had something to say about it?”
I don’t answer. I just stare into his eyes.
“Tia, you need to do what’s right for your baby,” he suggests, softly.
“Which is what I’ve been doing by busting my ass with the show and doing what’s right concerning you,” I pause to hold up my hand to stop him from talking. “I’m hanging on by a thread, Johnny. I’m in debt. I got bills. I don’t have the time to fuck around…and I can’t afford to let Brit see you and me as more than what we are, which is nothing. Johnny, you are a dangerous fantasy. You aren’t like the real estate guy in my building that I fucked around with. At least with him, there was a chance that we could have become more than bumping buddies. With you, I got no future. You’re young, got money, and hoes to keep your balls from ever turning blue. You’re still living your best life. Now, do you understand? Know what, I don’t really care if you do or don’t because it’s just the way it’s gonna be.”
I’m not staying to listen to his response.
“Brit! Brit, baby…time to go!” I shout at the top of my lungs.
I bite my lip to keep from speaking. She wants to stay. I’m kinda thankful that Johnny doesn’t try to use his pull to let her. Instead, he tells her he has things he needs to do, which could be a lie or not to get her to leave without too much drama. As he promised, he poses for a picture. What I don’t expect is to be included. At the last moment, he reaches out to pull me close in front of him to face the camera. I should fight to put space between our bodies, but for once, I let it happen. I don’t fight the warmth of his rock hard body. I sniff the air to inhale his scent of pure man, sandalwood, and evergreen. He wraps his arms around me. Cheek to cheek, I fight the urge to rub my face against the stubble of his chiseled chin.
“Say cheese.”
Not a plastered smile, but a genuine one, I smile. Standing there in the yard of my dream home that would never be mine, Brit captures the moment in a flash of her cell.
Fantasies can come true.
The voice speaking in my mind causes me to break from Johnny. It had been years since I’ve heard the familiar, deep, calming voice of my grandfather. I’m rattled, and it shows.
“Thanks for the ride,” I remark already at my car.
**
JOHNNY
For the rest of the day, I was in a foul mood. My time in the studio was a total waste yesterday. The beats I had created and sampled before I had been so excited to record to, were now lacking something that I couldn’t figure out. The calls I received from artists in need of my personal touch have gone unanswered. After coming home, no bottle of vodka, whiskey, or beer could give me relief. No bowl of grade A weed could mellow me out. Sensing the truth, my staff and Chana stayed far away from me. Noticing that I was creating a dangerous mood in the house, I took it upon myself to stick to my rooms or to walks on the trails on my acreage.
I can’t move on from meeting Brittany and what Tia told me. Shit! Fuck! To know all the shit they both have gone through has kept me from closing my eyes. Then the way Tia read me my rights before walking out pissed me the fuck off. How the hell she knows what I’m gonna do? I’m so goddamn tired of her telling me that I’m not good enough, that I can’t be and do right by her. Yes, yes, I know that all I’ve said was that I wanted to fuck her, so I shouldn’t blame her for her reaction, but she hasn’t even given my ass a fuckin’ chance. A fool can change his mind once he gets in deep to see that there’s more, right?
The thing is…am I that fool? According to her, I’m nothing but a pipe dream that can’t offer a woman nothing more than the eleven inches currently sleeping against my thigh. To be honest, now that I think about it, my ass has never really been in love other than one time in my life. The affair ended on a good note, but it was a relationship that changed my life forever.
“Damn,” I growl as I jerk my shirt off the hanger.
The hanger can’t stand up to the force and breaks to fall to the floor. Maybe I should leave Tia alone. If my pride wasn’t so hurt by her words, I could admit she was right in her fears about me. Yet, those seconds I want them back. I’m talking about the seconds my heart stopped along with the world when I held her in my arms. Jesus, she felt so good…smelt so good, fit so fucking right next to me. Like I said, only once have I ever experienced that kind of heat and delirious excitement with a woman.
If I hadn’t pulled her into my arms, I might have backed off after getting such a clear picture of all the shit and drama Tia has strapped to her back. I’ve given her the gift of a major come up with this show. It’s now up to her to turn it into a dollar out of fifteen cents. Yet, I fucked myself touching her yesterday. I fucked myself meeting Brittany. I fucked myself by listening to the point that I feel for Tia to now see her as more than a cum bucket. That was the turning point.
“Johnny?”
I slow down enough for Chana to catch up.
“If it’s not important, it can wait,” I huff.
Making a sharp turn, I head down the hallway leading to the garage.
“It all depends on your view of important,” she smirks.
Quickly, she shoves her cell in my face. My eyes widen, then narrow on the screen. Slowly, I pluck the phone from her hand. I swipe up to take in the media report. Without a word, I pass her the phone back.
“Care to release a statement?”
“When have I ever done that?”
“Are you saying that out of habit or because you don’t want to?”
I glance down at Chana’s phone one more time.
“I have some personal business to attend to.”
“The press is going to be on you,” warns Chana in hopes that I’ll tell her what’s been on my mind.
With a nod, I walk away. Now, I can finally stop hiding the smile tugging on the sides of my lips.
**
“M, M, Mr. Th-“
“I know you know who I am,” I snap, cutting off the tomato face, sweaty, thin man that bruised his knee on his desk trying to reach me.
His fearful eyes fall upon the other staff member
s that have followed me into his office. I’m in full effect this morning. In a crisp Hugo Boss suit, I’m the picture of money and power. My tattoos on the parts on my skin that can be seen only adds to the dangerous vibe that I’m giving off.
“Come stand over here with the rest of your lazy ass staff,” I order as I point my finger along the wall where the other men and women are lined up.
Backing up, I allow my angry eyes to settle on one person before moving to the next. Once I’ve made it down the lineup, I take the chair in front of the desk.
“You all know me, but it’s this man’s name you should be remembering. He’s my lawyer,” I gesture with my hand to the man standing behind me. “Mr. Cohen.”
Shifting feet, side-eyes, and hard swallows are the staff’s reactions.
Clearing his throat the leader of the pack speaks, “Nice to meet you…um, what brings you into-“
“You really have to ask that,” I pause to read the shiny, gold plaque on his desk, “Larry. Don’t tell me you all don’t gossip in the teacher’s lounge when you should be working,” I reply, sarcastically. “I’ll cut through the shit, okay. I want to know what is going to be done about the issues surrounding Brittany.”
Thankfully, one of the teachers has the brains not to play dumb with me.
“Sir, we have taken many steps to handle her issues.”
My glare causes the woman to step back, closer to the wall.
“What fucking measures? If that were the case, she wouldn’t still be suffering every fucking day in your halls. All of you know damn well she isn’t making up being bullied. Is it because she’s black? Or is this school favoring the people responsible because they have money?” I sneer.
“W-what? Wait, Sir, I can promise you that-“
“I said I wanted to cut the shit, Larry,” I warn. “She didn’t toss milk on herself yesterday for shits and giggles. You called the girls in, but you didn’t put a stop to what they are doing. Why?”
The man exchanges glances with the teachers in the room.
There’ll be no help from them, asshole. If any head was going to roll, they were going to make sure it’s going to be his.
“Well, the girls said sorry and explained it was an accident,” answers Larry, weakly.
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