by Blue Saffire
We moved quickly out of the building once we came out of the staircase. Victor had his hood back on from the time we got to my front door. He pulled me quickly to a black Lexus parked in front of the building. Not the Benz he was in this afternoon.
When we got in, to my relief, Juan was the only one in the car this time. Juan pulled off as soon as we were in the car. Victor pulled me over to him and placed his hand under my chin so he could lift my face to his to kiss me. I didn’t object. I like kissing him sober as much as I did when I was drinking.
A huge smile spread across Victor’s face as I kissed him back. He began to stroke the side of my face while I kissed him, which took me back a little. It was a gentle gesture, I thought, considering the way he talks to me, and the rumors I’ve heard about him. He pulled away to stare at me, looking me up and down as he reached to curl his finger around a lock of my hair.
“I missed you,” he said. He looked like he surprised himself with the words. “Taliyah, don’t make me have to come for you next time. I don’t need to be in your building. Just do what I say, alright.”
“Don’t make me wait all day for you,” I pouted and folded my arms across my chest.
“See that,” he said as he narrowed his eyes, “I don’t like it. I know you’re not like your friends. Stop talking back. I told you, I had something to do.”
“So, Victor, you could have called and said something. I’m not your child; I can speak when I want. If you want to see me, you need to do better than this.” I was not going to let him boss me around. I am not La Mafia, I don’t have to listen to him.
He sat staring at me with that angry look on his face again. He was thinking about something and I was bracing myself to open the door and jump out if I had to. His eyes scanned me and he released a deep sigh. He leaned to kiss me again.
“I want you, Taliyah,” he breathed in my face as he rubbed his nose to mine. “I don’t want anyone else to have you. Stop making this hard for me.”
“How am I making this hard for you?” I was so confused. Was he that used to people just doing what he wanted?
“Be a good girl for me. Listen to what I tell you,” he said against my neck as he dragged his nose across my skin.
I didn’t get to protest, he reached for the back of my thigh and pulled me to sit across his lap. He wanted me to straddle him so he could kiss me. I placed my arms gently around his neck and forgot all about what I was going to say next.
The grin on his face was back in place as he unzipped my jacket. He slid his hands under my t-shirt and began to caress my breasts. The moans that were escaping from him were not helping me stay focused. I needed to think, we were driving somewhere. I hadn’t asked where to yet.
“Victor, where are we going?” I panted.
“I want to take you home with me,” he moaned as he kissed my chin.
“No, I can’t.” I had no idea where he lived. I wasn’t going to his place. “Please take me back home.”
“Ma-me, please come home with me,” he whispered in my ear as he grabbed my waist.
“I need to be home when my mom gets there,” I replied. It was part of the truth.
“Tali, come home with me. Take care of your poppy Mama,” he moaned and started to unzip my pants.
“No, Victor don’t.” I grabbed his hands to stop him.
“Relax, Ma-me,” he whispered and pulled the zipper down. Once he had it open he slid his hands in the back of my jeans and started to squeeze at me. He was sucking on my neck and we were both breathing harshly. “Don’t you miss me? Come home with me. I’ll make it worth it.”
Feeling his strong hands squeezing at my skin and the way he was kissing me did make me want to go with him. Images of last night and how he made me feel once I relaxed were playing in my head. But I just knew I couldn’t go home with him.
“Please take me home,” I whined.
“Tali…”
“Please take me home, Victor,” I asked again, this time looking him in the eyes.
He looked back at me and pressed his lips. “Fine,” he sighed. “Juan go back to the building.” He released his hold on me and I slid back onto the seat and fixed my clothes.
“So, what now, you going to find someone else to take care of you?” I asked feeling a little jealous. I didn't know where that came from.
He turned to look at me with a frown on his face. He leaned toward me and pulled me down underneath him. He crushed his lips to mine and grabbed a tight hold of my thigh. “I don’t want anyone else,” he breathed in my face sounding annoyed. “I want you. I don’t play games, Taliyah. I get what I want. I want you to trust me, so I’m taking you home, but I want to see you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” I answered breathlessly and smiled at him. “You’ll call me?”
“Yeah, I’ma call you and you better answer,” he said then smiled at me and pecked me on the lips.
When we got to my building, I jumped out of the car and ran upstairs. Victor made me promise to call him as soon as I got upstairs and in the house. I did as he told me, but I was surprised when he didn’t just hang up once he knew I was safe. He wanted to talk to me.
We talked for a long time about nothing. It sounded like he was getting high on the other end. I was sure of it once the conversation went to what he wanted to do when he saw me again.
By the end of the conversation, he got really sweet though. It was a side of him I liked. He wanted to know where he could take me that I would like. What kind of things I liked and little things like my favorite color? I was shocked that the conversation ended that way.
I kind of liked Victor, he wasn’t as bad as I thought. Other than being bossy, he had a sweet side to him when he wanted to. I had no idea why I wasn’t trying to avoid him instead of encouraging him. There was my next mistake.
Chapter Four
In too Deep
Victor did call me the next day and the next and the next. He was frustrated because he wanted to see me, but I had school and he was busy. He wanted to take me out, but I didn’t have the freedom or the time to stay out with him. It was my busier half of the week.
I talked to him mostly at night. He would call during the day to make sure I was in class or in the house. If I wanted food from out, he had Juan bring me something. He really didn’t want me hanging out in the neighborhood. It wasn’t that big of a deal at first, I didn’t have time to hang out and I really didn’t hang around the neighborhood that much anyway.
Queeny was annoyed that I wasn’t coming to see her though. She was annoyed with the whole Victor thing period. She couldn’t believe I got in the car with him that day and left her. She and Layla never did run into Belinda and Janice, they have been laying low.
Victor wanted me to come to his place and see him. I told him I would think about it and we got into one of our things, because he wasn’t really asking. He knew I didn’t have classes this Friday and he was taking me out and we were going to his place after. All according to Victor’s wishes, I was to listen to my poppy as he put it.
Despite him bossing me around I was kind of looking forward to going out with him. I was waiting for him to call all day to tell me what time we were going out. He promised to call ahead, so I would be able to get ready. Victor never has a definite time for anything.
I was stretched out on my bed, ready to claw at the walls. I had finally had enough of being in the house. I wanted to go out. Victor was going to have to call soon or I was really considering the club Queeny wanted me to go to. Just when I went to text Queeny to see what time she was leaving my phone rang.
“Hello,” I sighed into the phone.
“I’ll pick you up in an hour,” Victor announced into the phone.
“Okay.”
He hung up the phone and I got up to get dressed. Victor was always dressed nice and so were the girls you would see him with. I went to my closet and pulled out the first dress I had bought and planned to wear to get Alex’s attention at the warehouse party.
Queeny and I thought it was too much and would get Victor’s attention for sure. So I decided to get something else. That really didn’t matter now.
I ran in the bathroom to freshen up and got out of my mother’s way. She was getting ready for a date and that was for the best. I took my time oiling my skin, while I was waiting for her to go in her room.
When I heard her close her bedroom door, I slipped on the skintight peach dress, with the cowl neck that stopped just below the bust line. I slipped on the matching peach heels and got out the vintage Louis Vuitton bag my mother gave me for my high school graduation.
I was ready just in time to take the elevator downstairs before my hour was up. I walked outside and stood in front of the building, waiting. After ten minutes, I was just annoyed. Guys were lining up to stand at my building and watch me.
I started trying to call Victor to see how long he would be but he was not answering. After twenty minutes, the guys were making comments in my direction. My feet were hurting.
I couldn’t go back upstairs because that meant questions. At this point, if he didn’t show up soon I was going upstairs and staying there. I would just have to hang out with my mother and her dopy boyfriend. I had already texted Queeny and she was gone already. Thirty minutes passed and I tried Victor one more time. I was pissed off by now and just my luck one of the guys that were lurking decided to be the brave one.
“What’s up Ma, your man late? You can forget about him and let me show you a good time,” he said as he approached me and reached to touch my hair.
“Ill, please don’t touch me,” I grumbled.
“Yo son, don’t ever touch my girl,” Victor growled as he walked up and grabbed my waist.
“Yo Vic, I ain’t know fam. My bad,” the guy said and backed away.
“You are late,” I hissed, “I’m going upstairs.”
“Ma-me chill, I had to take care of something right quick. Let’s go,” he said, as he looked me over.
“No, I’m not going anywhere. You had me standing here looking like I’m waiting to turn a trick or something.”
He laughed at me and kissed my cheek. “You need to stop being like that.”
I had no idea where he just came from. He did not get out of any of the cars I knew of and from the direction he came from it seemed like he was walking. I was not walking anywhere in these shoes.
I looked him over and he looked really nice, different I thought. He was in the crisp white button down shirt and a pair of grey slacks. It was not the look I expected to see Victor walking around the hood in. I raised an eyebrow at him.
Just then a black Escalade pulled up in front of us. I was still pouting and not moving. Victor grabbed my hand and pulled me to the truck. He opened the door and helped me up into it.
I sat in the truck with my arms folded still pouting. He got in and watched me as he started to laugh. I didn’t think it was funny. He leaned over to kiss me on the cheek.
“Taliyah, this is my boy, Juan,” he said as he tapped the driver. “And this is like my brother, Alex. These two are the only ones I would ever send to come get you. If someone else ever tries to say I sent them you run and you call me. You got that.”
“Yes,” I murmured. It was hard to be so close to Alex and know I was still so far from what I wanted. Victor was growing on me, but it didn’t change the fact that I really liked Alex.
“Good. You look pretty dressed up for a happy meal,” he teased.
I crossed my legs tight and leaned toward him. “I’ll be sitting just like this all night if you plan on taking me to get a happy meal,” I breathed in his face.
He smiled and ran his hand through my hair. “You think you can tell me no.” Victor is so arrogant.
“Try me,” I warned and rolled my eyes.
He reached for my face and kissed me as he placed his hand on my thigh. I never kissed anyone else before, but I was sure Victor was a great kisser. This time I did forget that Alex was in the car with us. I put my arms around Victor’s neck and released a moan as he sucked at my bottom lip.
“Trust me, you giving it up,” he whispered in my ear and laughed.
“Don’t be so sure,” I teased and kissed him.
The ride to the restaurant we were going to took a little while. Victor was asking me all types of questions on the way there. He wanted to know why he never noticed me at the building or in the neighborhood before.
He seemed annoyed when I told him it was because I didn’t want him to. He wanted to know how old I was, something I thought he should have asked the night we first met. He was pleased with the answer to that question.
Victor was twenty-one. He asked about my family and quizzed me about my mom. He didn’t seem to like that I rely on my mom for money, since I’m in school.
When we got to the restaurant we all went inside, but Alex and Juan didn’t sit at the table with us. Victor ordered a bottle of hard liquor and was trying to get me to drink with him. I didn’t want any parts of that. I didn’t like the way I felt the morning after just drinking beer. I wasn’t going any further than that.
It was a very nice restaurant. There were huge chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings and the walls were wrapped with plush seated booths. There were pieces of sheer fabric draped between the booths that assumed a sense of privacy. There were round tables filling the centers of each section. The lighting was muted despite the chandeliers. The section we were in was more private and sectioned off from the front half of the crowd in the place.
It was a nice place for a first date. This was not just my first date with Victor, it was my first date ever. When I told Victor it was my first date, he got all proud and cocky about it.
He let me order anything I wanted from the expensive menu and he had a huge steak with a lobster tail on the side. I’m not big on seafood, so I could not go crazy and order a lobster or something. I ordered the chicken parmesan and I had plans for dessert.
“You good, Ma-me?” he asked as we started dinner.
“Yes,” I replied as I covered my mouth.
“Good,” he said as he smiled at me. “I missed you. You look really pretty tonight.”
“Thank you.” I wasn’t sure how pretty I was trying to respond to him and eat too. I was busy trying not to eat like a slob in the first place.
He reached to pour another drink as he ate his steak. The bottle was getting low mighty fast. “Can I ask you something, Taliyah?” he quizzed as he finished his drink.
“Yup.”
“You said you didn’t want me to notice you. Why not?” he asked, in sort of a boyish tone. I never thought I would see Victor looking shy.
“Oh, don’t take it personal. It’s mostly your lifestyle. I’m not into chasing guys for money. Then there are all the rumors about you and the way you are with girls. You already know you’re my first. I didn't want to get evolved with someone that would take that from me and then not be interested.”
“Why didn’t you say something that night?” he asked while locking eyes with me.
“I don’t know, I was afraid to, I guess. It all happened so fast. I wasn’t thinking straight,” I was answering a question I had myself.
He watched me for a minute, then leaned to kiss me on the cheek. “I’m interested, Tali,” he whispered in my ear.
I couldn’t help the smile on my face. It did make me feel better that I was with him after what happened. He didn’t just get what he wanted and leave.
We talked more about me being his girlfriend. He wanted to make sure I was clear that I was his and no one else was to breathe on me. I was cracking jokes about it, but I knew he was serious. He was drunk before we made it through dinner. Which totally changed the conversation and the mood he was in.
He slid closer to me in the booth we were sitting in and started to kiss my neck and feel on my legs under the table. He would only stop when I poked him with my fork. I was a little embarrassed at first.
I wasn’t sure if the tablec
loth was enough to hide what he was doing. He didn’t seem to care one way or another. I was happy we were in a more private area of the restaurant. I got up to go to the bathroom and he promised to order my ice cream and brownie so it would be there when I got back.
My phone was ringing when I got in the bathroom. It was Queeny. I answered as I tried to multi-task. I laughed as the toilet made a loud flushing sound just as I picked up.
“Hello.”
“Okay, where are you? This club is hot, come meet me.” Queeny called into the phone. I could hear the music muted in the background.
“Victor took me out to eat.”
“What’s with that?”
“What?” I asked puzzled.
“You haven’t been doing squat with me. He calls and you’re at dinner?” She sounded hurt. I know she knows Victor is the reason I haven’t been with her as much as usual.
“Sorry, he is a little possessive.”
“You think?”
“Possessive and a bit crazy I think,” I chuckled.
“Listen, we ran into Belinda and Janice. Pricilla handled them tricks for you.”
“Oh seriously, I wanted to get at Belinda myself.” This was the one thing I was upset about when it came to me not going out. I wanted to handle my own business. I was sure Victor would have been pissed though, to find out I went out and to beat someone down none the less. That would have gotten back to him in no time. Knowing our neighborhood, he would know before I finished getting in my first two-piece.
“She is pissed, so you may get a chance. That’s the other reason why I’m calling. I want you to have your eyes open.”
“Thanks, but I have bigger fish to fry. I think Victor wants to… you know. I’m scared he is not going to want to use a rubber. Something he said to Alex the other night.” Victor was making it clear at dinner what he wanted when we get to his place. A part of me wanted him too. I just didn’t want to take the same chance as before.
