Naughty 2: My Way or the Highway (2 page)

Mackenzie took her arms from around me. “Daddy, why didn't you pick me up today? Did you go make up with your wife that left you at the church yesterday? You were so mad and it looked like you wanted to cry.”

Damn
, I thought.
Now, why did she have to go there?
“No, Mackenzie, I didn't spend the day with her and she's not my wife. Daddy was just tired today. I kind of... got my feelings hurt and wanted to be alone. I know I should have called you, but I slept most of the day.”

“Did you cry when you got your feelings hurt?”

“A little bit, but, uh... Let's talk about something else, okay?”

“Okay, but your wife looked really pretty yesterday. Will you buy me a dress like hers?”

“Mackenzie, I told you that she's not my wife. And yes, she did look pretty. I promise you I'll buy you a dress prettier than hers when you get married.”

She hugged me again and scooted underneath the covers so she could get back to sleep. Bottom line, she kicked me out after I told her I would buy her a dress. But I didn't care; she was definitely one person who could get anything she wanted from me.

After I closed Mackenzie's door, I went into Scorpio's bedroom. She was lying naked across the bed, flipping through a cookbook. Her sexiness always gave me a rise. The shapely mountain of her backside couldn't be ignored. I gazed at her perfect moisturized body, but played down my desire for her. “Hey, I'll let myself out. I just wanted to say thanks for not making a big deal about me coming here to see Mackenzie.”

She pulled her long hair over to one side and teased it with her fingers. “You're welcome. I'm glad you came because she was really upset when she didn't hear from you today.”

“Well, we worked it out.”

Scorpio closed the book and rolled on her back. She bent her knees and rubbed her thighs. I awaited her next move. When she massaged her breasts together, she looked in my direction. “Are you possibly in the mood to work out something else before you go?” she whispered.

I folded my arms, enjoying her performance. “What kind of workout do you have in mind?”

She turned sideways and slid her hand between her tightened legs. “Do you have to ask? I was hoping to get one of those all-nighters that I haven't had in a long, long time.”

“Um, I see where you're going with this. But, uh, I don't have all night. I gotta get up early for work because my secretary ain't going to be there. So, I'll take a rain-check.”

“You're just saying that because I left you hanging—aren't you?”

“You're damn right I am. And you know what else?”

“What?”

“I'm going home to call this sweet young tender who's been begging me to fuck her. So, that allnighter you just asked me for, I'm going to have the pleasure of giving it to her.”

“Tuh, yeah right. You're crazy but you're not that stupid to rely on somebody else to give you only what I can.”

“You're not as good as you think you are, Scorpio, so don't be so sure of yourself. As a substitution for the night, you might want to make sure the batteries in your vibrator are working because my dick has other plans. Goodnight, and I'll see you whenever.”

Scorpio turned her back to me and I left. As soon as I got home, I called Brashaney and she was there in a flash. I couldn't give her that all-nighter I'd promised Scorpio I'd give, but I damn sure made Brashaney's visit worth it.

Scorpio rang the phone several times throughout the night, but I was busy fucking and sleeping. It was almost six o'clock in the morning when I asked Brashaney to reach over and answer it. “Hello?” she said in a soft tone. Her eyes widened and she grinned as she gave the phone to me.

“What?” I yelled.

“You are one low-down, dirty, ignorant, stank Negro, Jaylin. I can't believe how trifling you are. If you want to play games, then hey, let the games begin. I guarantee you—”

“Some other time, Scorpio,” I said, casually. “I'm sorry that your vibrator didn't do the job you thought it would do, but I'm busy. A trifling man like me doesn't want to disrespect my company so I'll get back with you when I can.”

I gave the phone to Brashaney and asked her to hang up. When she did, Scorpio called right back. I snatched the phone and told Scorpio if she wanted to listen to what was about to go down, feel free. I laid the phone on the nightstand and rolled on top of Brashaney.

“Jaylin, why don't you hang up the phone? I don't care to let another woman—”

“In a minute,” I said, placing her legs high on my shoulders. I inserted myself and Brashaney let out a loud moan. She closed her eyes and sucked in her bottom lip.

“I . . . This would be so much better if you'd just hang up on her.”

I dug deeply into Brashaney, and, figuring that Scorpio had heard enough action, reached over to slam down the receiver. I quickly wrapped up my business and tried to get some rest before going to work.

 

I had mega explaining to do. Daddy was so furious with me for not marrying Stephon that he wasn't even speaking to me. Mama, on the other hand, understood what I was going through. She told me to take some time for myself and use the days I had set aside for my honeymoon to relax. Knowing how messed up I was, she told me she'd keep LJ until I got myself together.

No doubt, I was so screwed up. The only person who was really happy about the whole thing was my best friend, Pat. She didn't want me to be with Jaylin or Stephon. Right after I'd escaped from the church, she'd left a message on my voicemail and thanked me for not making the biggest mistake of my life.

Still, I felt terrible for leaving Stephon at the altar. And I'd never forget the look on Jaylin's face. I spent hours trying to make sense of the whole thing, and had gotten a room at the Ritz Carlton in Clayton just to clear my head. I'd been there since Saturday night; my mind was starting to feel at ease. But Jaylin wasn't returning any of my calls. If I talked to Stephon first, I was afraid I'd say something I really didn't mean. My true love, Jaylin, was the one who deserved an explanation of why I couldn't marry him. Knowing him, though, he'd probably never want to speak to me again.

After a long bubble bath at the Ritz, I went downstairs to have breakfast. When I finished, I went back to my room and held the phone in my hands. I called Jaylin at Schmidt's Brokerage Firm, where he works as an investment broker. Expecting his secretary to answer, I was speechless when he did instead. I was silent.

“Jaylin Rogers,” he snapped again.

“Hi, it . . . It's me, Nokea.” No response. “Jaylin, are you there?”

“I can't talk right now.”

“Okay, then can we talk later? I'm at the Ritz in Clayton. Will you stop by after work?”

“Yeah.”

“Listen, if you're not going to come just tell me. Please don't have me waiting for you. We really need to talk.”

“Damn, I said I'll be there,” he snapped. “Gotta go.” He hung up. I hated this side of him, but I knew his attitude was because of me.

I picked up the phone again and called my parents' house to check on LJ. When Daddy heard my voice, he gave the phone to Mama. I couldn't believe how he was treating me, like it was his life or something. But I also knew he just wanted the best for me.

“How's LJ?” I asked Mama.

“He's doing fine. Stop worrying so much, you know your baby is in good hands.”

“I know, Mama. I just miss him, that's all.”

“I understand. Have you spoken to Jaylin yet?”

“No, but I plan to speak to him later.”

“Okay. If you need me, I'm here.”

There was a knock at the door so I hurried to end my call. “I know, Mama, and thanks. Give LJ a big kiss for me and I'll see you soon.”

We said good-bye, and when I opened the door, I was so glad to see Pat. She came in and we held each other tight. I couldn't help crying on her shoulder. “I know, sweetie, I know exactly how you feel,” she said, comforting me.

I wiped my tears and we walked over to the couch to take a seat. “Why don't this bad dream just go away, Pat? Why is it just one thing after another?”

“Because, that's just how life is. God never said it was going to be easy.”

“I feel like I'm failing Him too. I can't seem to get anything right. Tell me, where did I go so wrong? All I want is to be happy.”

“Nokea, I didn't come here to give you one of my lectures. I'm here as your best friend and not a psychiatrist. You didn't sound well when we talked yesterday, but I at least wanted to give you time to think about what you need to do. Have you eaten anything yet?”

“Yeah. I just had breakfast not too long ago.”

“Good. 'Cause if you hadn't, I was hoping we could order one of those pizzas we ate when you were pregnant.”

We laughed.

“Girl, wasn't that a mess,” I said. “We should have been ashamed of ourselves.”

“We? No, you should have been ashamed of yourself. I wasn't the one who was pregnant. I worked mine off very well,” Pat gloated, holding her waistline.

“And so have I,” I bragged.

“Oh, be quiet. You've always had an awesome petite body. I knew that pizza wasn't going to do a darn thing to your figure. Me, I had to work hard to get those pounds off. Chad and I were at it day in and day out trying to work off those pounds.”

“I'm sure the two of you had fun.” I chuckled, and then went into a daze, thinking about the last time Jaylin and I made love.

Pat snapped her fingers in front of my face. “What grabbed your attention that fast?” she asked. I smiled. My best friend knew me all too well. “Forget it,” she said. “I don't even want to know. When are you going to forget about him and move on, Nokea?”

I stood up and walked toward the window with my arms folded. “I can't forget about him, Pat. I've tried so many times to move on, but I can't. I love him so much that it scares me.”

“Well, why didn't you just marry his sorry ass? When he stood there making a spectacle of himself, you should have just married him.”

“Because the timing wasn't right. That's why.”

“And the timing ain't never going to be right, if you ask me. I wish like hell you'd just find someone else.”

“I know you do, but I don't want anyone else. As a matter of fact, I've never wanted anyone else, and being with Stephon was a big mistake. I wish everyone would realize that the love Jaylin and I have for each other is deep and it will never go away.”

“Your love or his love? Honestly, I can't see Jaylin wasting anymore of his time on this. You'd better wake up and smell the coffee, because I'm sure he's making up for lost time right now.”

“No, he's not. Actually, he's coming over to see me after work today.”

“For what? Nokea, I know you ain't going to sleep with him.”

“No, no. We're just going to talk. Talk about why I did what I did, about our future, and about LJ.”

“Girl, I don't know what to say. I'm staying out of it because all Jaylin is going to do is hurt you again. Don't even mention his name to me anymore; I don't want to hear it, okay?”

“Okay, I won't discuss Jaylin with you anymore. But, will you promise to be there for me?”

Pat cut her eyes at me and smiled. “Of course, you know I will.”

We chatted for a few more hours, then went downstairs to the lobby. As we shared good-byes, Jaylin came through the revolving doors with his cell phone to his ear. I rushed Pat off and made her promise not to say anything to him. She didn't, but when she walked by him, she rolled her eyes.

“Hello to you too, Pat. Nice to see you.” He grinned, closing his phone. Pat kept her promise to ignore him and made her exit.

Nervous, I stepped up to Jaylin, holding my hands behind my back. “Thanks for coming. I know you didn't want to, but I guess you figured we needed to talk.”

“Yeah, yeah, but keep it short. I have somewhere I need to be within the hour.”

What an attitude
, I thought as we headed up the steps. He walked in front of me like he knew where he was going. I didn't mind; it gave me a chance to check him out from behind. He was looking and smelling good, as usual. Leather squared-toed shoes were shining, haircut was fresh, tailored suit was well-fitted. But a smile wasn't there.

When we reached the third floor, Jaylin turned around. “What's your room number?”

“I thought you knew. The elevator would have been quicker, but you seem to know everything, so I'm just following you.”

He stepped down and looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Nokea, I don't have time for the bullshit. I told you my time is minimal so—”

“So, go up one more flight of stairs and turn to your right.” He moved to the side and motioned with his hand for me to go in front of him.

“Thank you.” I smiled and led us to my room.

It was obvious when we walked inside that Jaylin wasn't in the mood to waste any time. He didn't even sit, just stood by the doorway with his suit jacket pulled back and his hands in his pockets. I took a seat on the couch, and when I asked him to sit next to me, he declined.

“You're so upset that you can't even sit next to me? That's taking things a bit too far, Jaylin.”

“Nokea, cut the act. What do you want from me?”

“I'd like for you to relax and come sit next to me so we can talk.”

He removed his jacket and put it on the coat hanger by the door. Then he loosened his tie and headed toward me.

“Now what?” he said, sitting back on the couch with his arms on top of it. “What else do you want me to do, Miss ‘I'm calling all the shots around here'?”

“Please stop with the attitude, and this is not about me calling the shots. It's about what's in our best interest, and what the future holds for us.”

“Can I answer that question? You know, the one about our future.”

“Sure. I'd like to know what you think we should do.” I had a feeling he was about to tell me what I really didn't want to hear.

He propped his feet on the table in front of him and rubbed his trimmed goatee. “Nokea, we don't have a future. It's time we go our separate ways for good. I suspect you love me and I for damn sure still love you. But we are a prime example of two people who love each other and just can't be together. I'm hurting. Bad. I've never felt like this in my entire life, even when I was in that jacked-up orphanage. Right about now, you definitely don't need a man like me in your life. It's only going to get worse for us if we try to be together, and I don't see this thing working out any other way.”

“Wait a minute, you . . . You lost me. What do you mean it's only going to get worse? We have a child together and that's going to keep us together forever.”

“Right, right, oh, you're so damn right. It's going to keep us together as being loving parents for our son, but that's it. From this moment on, Nokea,” he said, pointing his finger at me, “you, your mama, your daddy, my cousin Stephon, Pat, N-O-B-O-D-Y is going to keep me from being with my damn son. I mean that shit and if you want to make plans, start making plans for me to see him. If you don't, I'll get with my attorney to make sure this works out for me.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I'm just telling you like it is! I've been without my son long enough, and it was foolish of me to let you control this situation.”

“I have no intentions of keeping LJ from you any longer. He's your child and you have every right to be with him as I do. I just need to know about us. Are we going to work through this or are you making preparations to end this again?”

“Baby, don't you see? You ended it when you left me standing at the altar. Nobody has ever humiliated me like you did. All you had to do was say yes! Simple as that, and we could be married right now. You had a choice and I gave you nothing but time. So, now, fuck it! I don't give a shit what you want right now, and what you want doesn't even matter anymore.”

Jaylin stood and removed his tie. He put it in his pocket and reached down to lift my lowered chin. “You really hurt me, Nokea. I know I did a lot of shit to you in the past, but none of it compares to what you did to me.”

I stood and hurtfully looked into his eyes. “Jaylin, I wanted to marry you more than you will ever know, but my wedding with Stephon was not the time or place to do it. There was no way to continue the ceremony with you, and you put me in a very uncomfortable position. Stephon would have been crushed, my parents would not have understood, and let's not talk about all of my friends and family who came out to support me. Marrying you that day would have been a complete disaster, and that's not what I wanted for us. Please, let's take this one day at a time before we go making any critical decisions about our future.”

“I had plans to marry you Saturday. You shattered my damn dreams, made a fool out of me, and I have to live with that hurt for the rest of my life. I begged you to marry me, Nokea. I stooped to an all-time low and embarrassed the fuck out of myself.” His voice got louder and words were stern. “You chose Stephon, your parents, and your friends over me! Don't stand here and tell me what you wanted when you could have damn well had it!”

I followed him to the door. “Please don't leave under these conditions. I understand how you feel, but now is the time for us to heal together. Haven't we hurt each other enough?”

Swinging the door open, he said, “I want to see my son on Sunday, Nokea. Make plans for me to do so, or my attorney will deliver papers to you by noon.”

He slammed the door behind him.

I wanted to go after him, but I knew he needed time to cool off. I just wished he wasn't so darn stubborn and would realize we were meant for each other. Couldn't he see that the more time we wasted trying to convince ourselves any differently, the more mess would come between us?

In an effort to clear my thoughts of disappointment, I decided to change clothes and go downstairs to mingle. As soon as I got down to my lime-colored lace bra and v-string panties, there was a knock at the door. Jaylin asked me to open it. When I did, I didn't bother to cover up.

“Yes” I said.

His eyes were glued to my cleavage. When I noticed my hard nipples, I folded my arms across my breasts and rubbed my shoulders.

“I . . . I forgot my jacket,” he said.

I reached for his jacket and gave it to him. “Here you go.”