by Tiana Laveen
He tapped on her chest. She must know he was laying it all bare, putting his heart on the line. “That’s what I understand. That’s what I talk to. This skin means nothing!” He pinched his arm. “Take this off, this flesh, and we’re all the same underneath. This is a uniform. Just like the shit in my closet!
“The knight outfit, the wolf, the latex, leather, it’s just a damn costume! It makes us unique. We can decorate it with tattoos and piercings, we can apply special lotions to make it softer and look younger, dye our hair all kinds of crazy colors and paint nails in all shades. We can do all kinds of body modifications, but at the end of the day, none of that shit means a damn thing. In fact, I have done the opposite of what you’ve implied. Who sent you those emails to use for your meeting today? I used my ‘White privilege’, which I acknowledged I have, and gave them to you. That was ME! Your White boyfriend! Not every White person wants to destroy you. You can’t do this, Yasmine. I know this is coming from a place of hurt. But I’m not ashamed to be White and I’m not apologizing for it, either. I have never used my Whiteness against you; I’ve used it for you!”
She rested her forehead on her knees and rocked her body as she sobbed her pain away, finally releasing it. He kept smoking his cigar and gave her some time.
“Yasmine…” He lay back against the headboard and slipped a hand behind his head. “Baby… you did everything you were supposed to do. You were told to share your notes with Camden, with the understanding that you two would work on the case together. Come to find out, that was a lie. Instead of blowing up at your boss like many would have, you approached him calmly to talk about what happened. He basically ignored you. You attempted to do it again. No luck.
“You spoke with Camden directly. That was a disaster. You then went back to Terrell with evidence to back up your concerns and realized that you were fighting an uphill battle and there were no plans to make this right. Your colleagues did nothing, though they seemed to support you at first. Then you told me on the phone that an email went out, with Camden cc’d, that there would be no disciplinary action or any further internal investigation related to the complaint. Now, you are planning to escalate. They’ve left you no choice. You have my full support. Never second guess that.” She nodded and laid her head against his chest, curling her legs up. “When are you planning to contact the State Bar?”
“I made some calls regarding an appointment. Looks like the following week on Tuesday. I am going in person to file the complaint.”
He nodded in understanding, then leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“I’ll be there with you.”
They intertwined fingers and the silence stretched between them for a long time.
“I’m sorry for making you feel like you’re the enemy.” She sniffed. “It felt that way for a split second, but you’re right, you know. What you said was right. You’re not like them, and that wasn’t fair of me. I was just… expressing myself. I know deep down that you’re not against me, Nix. I’ve just been waking up over and over, trapped in a nightmare.” She shrugged. “One minute, I know what to do; the next, I am struggling with my anger – trying to not be that ‘angry Black woman.’ But I have a right to be pissed. I’m just tired. And tired of being tired. Tired of going through shit like this…”
He took a drag of his cigar and set it down. After a few moments, he got up from the bed and retrieved the whipped cream and chocolate syrup he’d left on the dresser earlier in the night. She giggled at the sight.
“What are you about to do?”
He drew closer, a big smile on his face.
“Lay down.”
She did that, and he crept on the bed, between her supple thighs, then slipped to her side. Lifting up her shirt to her breasts, he squeezed a generous dollop of the whipped cream over her pelvic bone. She burst out laughing, twisting and turning, going crazy.
“Oh my God, that tickles!” He laughed and grabbed the bottle of chocolate syrup, then squeezed it all over the whipped cream, making zig-zag designs. He eyed his sweet, delicious dessert, then bent down to slide his tongue along her pussy, wiggling it up to her clit. “Ohhh… shit…”
A little at a time, he left her pussy to lap up the cream, back and forth. The woman bucked beneath him, gyrating, pumping her body against his roving mouth. He cupped her ass with both hands and squeezed. Her essence dripped down his chin.
“Put your feet against my back.”
She draped her legs over his shoulders, and did as he asked. He started up again, gripping her hips and going faster, making a delicious feast of her pussy. She moaned and squirmed against the sheets until she burst into a million climatic stars. Her cries of ecstasy radiated – filling the room with the harmony of her orgasm. Once she’d settled, he wiped her sticky skin clean with a warm washcloth, then rolled over to his side of the bed and picked up the remote control to watch a little television. His work was done… and what a damn good job he’d done, if he said so himself.
“Do you feel better now?” he asked with a smug grin. She was panting so hard.
She nodded, then disappeared under the sheets. As he casually flipped through the channels, he felt a tug at his jogging pants. She worked them down to his knees, and a gentle sway of her damp hair caressed his thigh as she leaned over him. He flipped the station again when her luscious mouth surrounded his hard cock. Up and down she licked and sucked, her palms soft against his flesh, and he met her motions, delivering shallow thrusts against her tongue. She worked up to an impressive rhythm, sucking the living daylights out of his dick. He turned the channel again, then threw the remote on the floor to grip the sheets. He sighed and groaned, then gritted his teeth as she worked his rod, giving him immeasurable oral pleasure.
“Am I pleasing you, baby?” she asked between slurps.
“Yes… Suck it just like that!” He closed his eyes tight when she emerged from under the sheets and tossed them aside. He opened his eyes and his gaze fell on the mass of long black hair draped across his thighs as she put her all into giving him complete gratification. He grabbed the back of her head and twisted that hair in his fist, pumping his dick in and out of her mouth until he reached the point of no return.
“Ahhh!” He released an explosion of cum in quick-fire spurts. The woman kept sucking him, making his toes curl and his hips buck. He went crazy. She pulled back from him and opened her mouth… His creamy cum gleamed on her tongue, then she swallowed and smiled. Damn…
Soon after, she headed to the bathroom. The music played softly and muted sounds of the television also reached his ears. He sat up, satisfied and spent, grabbed the almost-empty bottle of wine, and made his way to the kitchen.
He collected two wine glasses and a new bottle of wine, then returned to his bedroom. By the time he arrived, she was back in the bed, messing around on her phone, a cute little smile on her face. He poured them both a glass and handed her one.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Are you hungry? Had any dinner?”
“Damn. I’ve been so angry today, Nix, that I actually forgot to eat.”
He got back in bed with her and grabbed his phone.
“I’m callin’ Pat’s Pizza. You want your usual?”
Adoration rained from her gaze. He could see love pouring out of her. His stomach knotted… just as it had over his mother’s house when he’d discussed this woman, and each time he’d mentioned her name.
“Yes… please.”
He dialed the restaurant.
“Thank you for calling Pat’s Pizza! Will this be pick up or delivery?”
“Delivery. Let me get one order of the chili spaghetti, and an order of your BBQ baby back ribs. I’d also like a side of toasted bread and butter and two spinach salads.”
“Great. Will that be all?”
“Yeah, that’s it. This is Nixon Rossellini by the way. I order from you guys at least twice a month, and have now for over two years.”
“Okay, yeah. Looks like,
according to your number, we have your address and billing information on file. Someone should be there in about thirty minutes, Mr. Rossellini.”
“All right, thanks.”
Yasmine was busy on her phone once again, looking at photos of pretty sunsets and beaches on Instagram. He took a sip of wine. They’d eat soon, probably make love again, then fall asleep…
This woman has no fucking idea how pissed I am on her behalf. I can’t just let this shit go. If my baby isn’t happy, nobody gets to be happy… She went about things the right way. She did everything correct, and they showed no appreciation. In fact, they threw it back in her face. She plays by the rule books, but I don’t always follow the rules. And I don’t have to. You hurt my baby, you get the ugly side of me… that beast… the ferocious animal, horns and all. I won’t be offering wine, dancing and playin’ music like some happy-go-lucky drunken Satyr in the damn forest. I tried to prevent it from coming to this. I thought about going up to her job several times before this blew up, but convinced myself to stay out of it and let her handle it or she’d be upset with me. Well, we’re beyond that now. They should’ve heeded her advice. Now they’ll have to deal with ME, and I’m coming for their fuckin’ heads…
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Law and Order
The soft teal V-neck, long-sleeved blouse from a day of thrifting with Goldie proved a perfect choice for the chilly evening. Yasmine had paired it with black slacks and some comfortable and cute Chinese Laundry teal mules she’d managed to snag on sale from Bloomingdales. Her tousled hair was arranged to fall over one shoulder, revealing a ten-dollar pair of silver teardrop earrings she’d purchased from a street vendor on her twenty-third birthday. All she knew, as she sat there on the 95th floor of the John Hancock skyscraper in the bar on Michigan Avenue was that, for the first time ever, Nixon was late for a date.
They’d agreed to meet there after work for drinks. The last few days had been tumultuous to say the least. She’d tried to act as if all was well at work, though the tension could be cut with a dull butter knife. She and Terrell kept their interactions short, and Camden had the audacity to ask her for clarification on a few of her notes. She ignored his calls, deleted the emails he sent without even reading them, and erased his voicemails, too. He didn’t have the nerve to come to her office, thank goodness – not yet. A few more minutes passed, and she glanced at her phone.
Now he’s fifteen minutes late…
She attempted to call Nixon but it went straight to voicemail. I hope nothing has happened. This isn’t like him. She picked up her glass of chardonnay, crossed her legs, and enjoyed the spectacular view of the skyline, with the setting sun as a backdrop. People milled about the restaurant, relaxing after a long day. One guy in a group of three had a camera hanging from his neck and an equipment bag strapped over his shoulder. His companions carried other photography-related tools. Not too far from them stood an elegantly dressed young woman with a short, black hairdo that sorta reminded Yasmine of Spock from Star Trek. She had glowing olive skin, high cheekbones, and a tall, lanky build like a model. By her side was a handsome guy, with whom she shared kisses and flirty looks.
“Oh!” She jumped and looked over her shoulder. “You scared me. You’re here, good.”
Nixon kissed her on the cheek before taking a seat. Clad in dark brown dress pants and matching shirt that contrasted beautifully with his skin tone, he looked good enough to eat. The waitress approached them, and he ordered a gin and tonic.
“Sorry for runnin’ late. Had a last-minute phone call to wrap up before leaving the office. How was your day?” He fidgeted with his pinky ring, rotating it back and forth, then steepled his hands.
“How was pretending to be content and acting like the happy negro?” She laughed dismally. “As good as could be expected. I’ve just been trying to keep busy today, as much as possible. How about you?”
“I was in meetings for most of the day.” He leaned forward, grabbed her glass of wine and took a sip. Just then, the waitress brought him his beverage.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can get you?” The woman was actually simpering, her coy demeanor coming across as if she were selling something and wanted it to shimmer and shine.
“No. He has what he needs. You can move along now,” Yasmin spat.
Nixon looked her way and burst out laughing. “I’m fine, thank you.” The waitress sauntered off, a look of bewilderment on her face. “You’re jealous, aren’t you? You noticed she was flirting…” He sported a shit-eating grin, his eyes filled with delight at such a notion. She rolled her eyes, smiling. “You are! I love it!” He giggled, like the sick person that he was. But she refused to confirm his suspicions. “You know that likely wasn’t real, Yasmine. She just wants a nice tip.”
Yasmine grimaced, unconvinced. But her reaction was a little too over-the-top. Although the woman had been a disrespectful twit, typically she wouldn’t let such a thing get under her skin. Today, however, she didn’t have much tolerance. My patience is thinner than a crackhead on a low-carb diet running twenty miles a day.
Nixon checked his phone for a moment then put it in his pocket. He then casually stood and turned to take in the skyline.
“Isn’t it beautiful tonight? A little cold outside, but still pleasant. The city is stunning this time of year.”
“It is. I was just admiring the sunset before you arrived.” She sipped on her wine while he scooted close, swallowing up all of her personal space. “Nix, what the hell are you doing?!” She laughed, pulling back. This man was crazy. “Get off me!” Ignoring her, he bent down and layered her neck with kisses. Stepping a few feet away, he took out a small, crumpled piece of paper.
“Today, Yasmine, you won’t believe what my daily word was.”
“The affirmation?” He nodded. “What did it say?” she asked, curious. She always enjoyed when he shared that with her.
He cleared his throat.
“It says, ‘What is your greatest desire today? What do you want to say or accomplish? You have 24 hours to make a difference. That’s a blink of an eye for some, an eternity for a few. Make it count.’” He then slid it back into his pocket and looked at her, proudly, as if he’d just given her the keys to the city.
“Uh, well, that’s very nice. Uplifting. What did you decide to do today to achieve that?”
“I went to work and got some business taken care of.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. She turned away for a spell for his gaze felt as if he were staring into her very soul. Something about the way he looked at her, the intensity, pierced her heart. it was as if he was unsettled, or perhaps it was the opposite. Maybe something amazing happened that he wished to share with her.
“And then I opened my desk drawer, Yasmine, and took out this piece of jewelry I’d bought for this lady I love.” He retrieved a black box from his pocket and twirled it about as if it were a Rubik’s Cube. “It was in a little container… a box that was so perfect, ya know? It had a light on the inside, and her name, too. So I opened it. Looked at it. Closed it. Opened it. Looked at it. Closed it. This went on for quite a while, like I was tryna create a pattern of some sort, but I was just thinkin’…” He ran his tongue along his lower lip, his eyes so focused and then, a cool kiss of air came out of nowhere and crept up her spine. “I was thinkin’ about how I’d planned this from the moment I began to pursue her. I prayed for her. I wrote her name down on paper, in invisible ink, then in blood. She was a swimming pool and I dived in and drowned, knowing I had to take that chance because she was worth it. I manifested this. I had met the woman of my dreams… she replaced the nightmares, and then, I came up to the surface of the water, and I could breathe again.”
He dropped down to one knee before her and the three men she’d seen earlier who looked like photographers suddenly drew closer.
“…Oh my God.” She gasped.
“I met this lady one d
ay, and… she was amazing. Beautiful. As strange, obnoxious, and wonderful as me.” The other patrons started to notice what was going on. “I told ’er to give me two months to make her mine. That time came and went, and we didn’t make a big deal about it because we knew before the deadline had even arrived that we were in deep. We were too far gone to ever be the same again. Because of her, I put my fears aside. I opened up. I have a long way to go, but right here, right now, I am forever changed.”
He took a deep breath, then opened the box. Inside sat an emerald cut diamond with aquamarine diamonds all around it. The most beautiful piece of jewelry she’d ever seen. It sparkled like tiny stars on fire, in shades of white and sky blue.
She placed a shaky hand up to her forehead and leaned forward, her hair falling in her face. When she swept it away, she noticed Goldie approaching to her right, her parents, Terri, her sister Chinle, and several of Nixon’s associates that she recognized from his firm’s website and photos he’d shown her of his large troop of friends. When she spotted his mother and his sister Tonya, she burst out laughing, her stomach in knots.
“So, to the woman I can’t imagine not having for the rest of my life, the lady who has my heart in a cage,” he winked at her then, their little secret shared in a fleeting gesture, “I say you are on the witness stand. Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? So help you God?”
“I do.”
“Oh, great! She said, ‘I do!’ It’s all over, folks. We’re now pronounced husband and wife!” The crowd erupted in laughter and she adored how Nixon’s complexion deepened as he chuckled. “Nah, seriously… all right, all right, back to business…” He drew serious once again. “Yasmine Skye Prince, will you marry me?”
