Cheaper to Keep Her (part 1) (4 page)

“
I think I will keep calling you Beautiful, it fits you so much better than Lynise,” Duke the stranger said. And with that, he walked away from the bar.

And I watched every step he took.

Cheaper to Keep Her Unique

Chapter 3-Sugar Daddy

“
Lynise Aaliyah Washington would you just pick up your damn cell phone and call the man already!” Diamond yelled at me.

We had just finished looking Duke up on the web. He had been right when he told me about himself. He was a well-known businessman in the Virginia Beach area. You name it, he was into it: real estate, landscaping, a few car washes, a couple of barbershops and beauty salons. Duke was a real entrepreneur. I read up on all his business ventures, but for some reason his style and swagger still made me feel that he was into something illegal. It was just a gut feeling I had.

“
Give me that damn number then. I’ll make a date with the nigga while Brian ass is laid up in the hospital useless as shit with broken ribs,” Diamond said jokingly. At least, I think she was joking.

“
Ok . . . ok . . . I’m gonna call him. He wanted to see me today and whatever we do has to be early before I gotta be at the club
for work,” I told Diamond.

“
Girl, fuck the club and Neeko! You ’bout to become the wife of a rich man and get us both up outta this hood,” Diamond sang, laughing afterwards. She seemed in much better spirits and more like herself than she had been in a while. I guess that was because that bum ass Brian was out of her life for a minute.

After a few more minutes of going back and forth with Diamond, I finally picked up the phone and called Duke’s number. When his sexy voice filtered through the phone I closed my eyes. Diamond was making all kinds of faces. I could feel her presence.

Duke and I spoke for a few minutes and he agreed to pick me up. I gave him the address of the Marriott that was a few miles away from my apartment. I wasn’t ready to let his ass know where I lived just yet. Duke said he would pick me up at five o’clock. That only left me an hour and a half to get ready. When I was sure he was off the phone I turned to Diamond with a panicked look on my face.

“
Ok Miss Bitch, I took your advice and called him, but now the nigga will be here in an hour. What the fuck am I gonna put on and do with my hair!” I yelled at my best friend. “That is not enough time to get something done and find something at the mall to wear.”

“
Girl, please. You know you got Indian in your family,” Diamond joked, putting her hand up against her mouth mocking an Indian call. We both busted out laughing. But my expression turned serious. I wasn’t one to panic, but I felt some mild anxiety coming on.

“
Seriously Diamond, what am I gonna do with my hair and what will I wear with a man like that,” I said, getting back to the issue at hand. “Not like he is one of these regular slouches from around here.”

“
Lynise, your hair is long and beautiful, put some water and gel in that shit and wear it curly,” Diamond told me, her voice of reassurance. “See, now look at my shit, this is gotta-have-a-perm hair.” She playfully patted her hair. “Not you. You got that curly girl shit and besides, I love when you take your hair down out of that ratty ass ponytail you wear all the time.”

I looked in the mirror at my reflection. Maybe Diamond was right. A little water, some gel, some make up and one of her hot outfits and I’d be set for my date with the businessman.

It took me close to an hour to get ready. I chose a black, fitted pencil skirt, a white collared shirt, which I left unbuttoned all the way down to my cleavage, and a threw on a pair of red pumps. Not too dress down and not too dress up.

“
How does this look?” I asked Diamond as I tugged at my skirt.

“
Nini, you look so gorgeous. I haven’t seen you dressed up in a minute,” Diamond said, faking like she was wiping tears of joy from her eyes. Her ass was hilarious and I enjoyed when we got a chance to spend time together like this.

“
Your ass is silly!” I exclaimed, laughing at her. Diamond had hooked up my make-up. The fire red lipstick was taking some getting used to. I usually wore tans and browns on my lips, because my complexion was a bit light for the red stuff. Diamond had succeeded once again in convincing me that the red lipstick was the right touch for my outfit. I took her advice, of course. If there was anybody I trusted with fashion sense, it was Diamond.

I paced the sidewalk outside the Marriot waiting on Duke. I hated that I was there before him. I wondered if that would make me look thirsty or desperate in his eye. Usually the man had to wait on the woman, but being that Duke was such a classy businessman, I didn’t want to have him waiting.

I stopped walking for a minute because my feet were already killing me in the pumps Diamond had loaned me. Cheap shoes were a bitch to wear. Just as I folded my arms impatiently and shifted my body weight from one foot to the other, I noticed a beautiful sleek, silver Porsche 911 pulling into the hotel’s driveway. My heart started hammering in my chest like a bass drum. The windows were darkly tinted so I wasn’t even sure it was Duke, but my gut told me that it was him. Sure enough, he slowly rolled down the passenger side window and leaned down so he could see me. He was flashing that sexy ass smile again.

“
Hey Beautiful, you ready to go?” Duke sang out. I smiled back. I had told myself I would let my guard all the way down with Duke. I wanted to give him a chance. I wanted to give myself a chance to be treated like a woman should be treated by a real man.

I climbed into the car and I immediately recognized the scent of my favorite men’s cologne—Platinum Chanel. I knew right then and there that if Duke played his cards right, he could have me, in every sense of the word.

“
Beautiful you look so gorgeous tonight,” Duke complimented me. I smiled and thanked him. “I have something real special planned for you. I know you work hard as hell at that little club, so a woman that works that hard also deserves to relax and play just as hard.”

I was quiet. Sitting next to a man who was nothing but a gentleman, smelling good, in a hot ass whip and looking like real money. I was in heaven. I just needed a minute to take it all in.

Little old me, a girl from the hood that had been treated like shit since she was a kid. My mother and father were fucked up and I had knocked around Virginia living with various family members. I used to run away all the time and I thought hustling, street niggas were gonna save me from my life on the streets. I was wrong.

When I met Diamond, she was going through the same shit. We instantly hit it off and got an apartment together. She put me on to the Magic City and Neeko had tried to get me to strip. I just couldn’t do that shit. So I started mixing drinks and became a full-time bartender.

Duke’s car rode smoothly down the streets. I couldn’t feel the bumps on the road. That told me the car was straight luxury. Duke was playing nice, easy going music and he was talking up a storm. I answered him if he asked me a question, but I didn’t make much conversation. I was just taking it all in.

When we pulled up to the Virginia Beach Elegance Spa my mouth dropped open. This place was one of the top, high-class spas in our area and mostly rich people and celebrities frequented it.

“
Oh my goodness. I can’t let you take me here, Duke,” I gasped. I knew the place costs at least a stack for just a massage. I looked over at him with my eyes stretched wide.

“
Nonsense,” he replied. “The entire staff inside knows me. They’re expecting you, Beautiful. Don’t worry, when you get inside they will take your clothes and hang them up. I selected the super deluxe package for you and it includes everything they offer. And that is only the beginning of our day, baby.”

I smiled.

“
I told you when fuck with me and you would see what it was all about,” he said as he climbed out of his car.

I started getting out, but he knocked on the window and put his hand up telling me to stop. I was confused and I shrunk back down into the seat looking at him like he was crazy. That’s when I saw him coming around to my side of the car. He opened the door for me and stretched out his hand for me to take so he could help me get out.

“
A real man opens doors for his woman,” Duke said smoothly. I was screaming inside of my head. I swear Duke could’ve had my pussy right then and there with that shit.

When I emerged from the spa I felt like a new woman. The massage was relaxing and my face felt silky and smooth from the sugar scrub facial I had received. Duke was waiting front and center for me.

“
You look gorgeous as ever, baby.” he complimented, extending his arms for a hug. I walked up to him, embraced and squeezed him tightly. I was had. At that moment, I could’ve stayed in his arms all day and night.

“
Thank you for everything. It was so nice and relaxing. I realize now why people with money always look so good. It’s this kind of treatment that keeps them on point,” I admitted, letting go of his broad shoulders so I could look into his face. I wasn’t into fronting. Duke knew I was a struggling bartender and I wasn’t trying to front like I was anything other.

“
It doesn’t stop there, baby. We are on our way to the next phase of the plan I have for you,” he said.

Damn! There was more! I thought to myself. This man had already spent some serious cake on me. What else did he have in store? We got back in the car and pulled out of the spa’s parking lot.

“
There can’t be more. You’ve done enough already,” I said and I was serious.

“
Beautiful, you need to eat, right? This place we’re going to is swanky and nice. I’m a gentleman, I would never send you home hungry,” Duke said laughing.

He whipped his ride down the highway and I kept looking at him out of the corner of my eyes. He was so damn fine. We pulled into a cozy little restaurant and went inside. They seemed to know him inside. Why wasn’t I not surprised? The waitress had me a little vexed the way she kept saying his name with this seductive little voice. That immediately made me suspicious that maybe Duke had something going on with her in the past.

Why are you jealous? You are here with him and she is serving you, I thought to myself, putting my mind at ease.

“
What’s wrong? You look a little distant,” Duke asked me.

“
Nothing. I’m fine,” I answered, trying my best to put my suspicious thoughts out of my head.

“
Good, because I have one more thing planned for you before I take you home,” he told me. I almost dropped my fork when he said he had yet another thing planned for me.

“
You’ve done more than enough Duke,” I said bashfully. Honestly, I didn’t want him to stop. My indifference was getting the best of me. I didn’t want him to think I was a sistah that wanted him to keep doing more and more for me.

“
I already told you, I planned our day down to the hour,” he replied. “It’s all good, baby. Trust me.” And I did just that. I finally put my defenses all the way down and made myself trust Mr. Duke Carrington, businessman.

After lunch, Duke drove me all the way to the mall near the Pentagon in northern Virginia. I was shocked yet again. I didn’t shop at that mall. I wasn’t modest. I couldn’t afford to shop at that mall. The mall had high-end stores such as Burberry and Saks Fifth Avenue. Diamond and I always talked about one day being able to shop at places like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus on the regular. I smirked to myself thinking about my fantasy of a personal shopper showing me dresses that cost a stack and better.

“
This is the last phase of my plan for us, baby,” Duke informed me. “I want you to go inside and get the prettiest dress and shoes you can find. I’m taking you to dinner tomorrow and you need the best of the best for the place we’re going.” I was giddy. I wanted to just throw my hands around his neck and kiss him all over his face. But I remained cool and collected as we both exited the car.

Once inside the mall, I tried to stay as calm as possible but I wanted to just run around and grab shit. We went into Saks and a lady immediately approached us.

“
Mr. Carrington, you’re back,” the old white lady said to Duke. He smiled at her.

“
Yes, Caroline. This is Lynise . . . will you help her find the perfect dress and shoes,” Duke said to the lady. I watched their exchange. It was crazy that Duke had a personal shopper and he was a man . . . that was usually for women.

“
Ah yes, the perfect dress and shoes,” Caroline repeated, laughing.

What the fuck is so funny bitch? I retorted silently in my head. I didn’t know why she was laughing and I started to feel like she was mocking me in some kind of way.

“
Go ahead, Beautiful, let Caroline work her magic for you,” Duke said and he took a seat on a leather chair in front of the fitting rooms.