“Where is my bag, Lewis? And do I even wanna know why you’re driving around with that much money in a carry-on?” I asked him, shoving the handle over in his direction. I looked him right in his flustered face as he took the handle.
“Don’t worry about it. If you’re going out later, drop Chanel off at your aunt Debbie’s. I’ll have to work late,” he muttered under his breath as he walked away, rolling the carry-on behind him. Placing my hands on my waist, I looked at him in disbelief.
“Lewis, where the hell is my bag? What did you do with it?” I walked behind him, demanding to know where my item was.
“It’s somewhere where it’s not supposed to be.”
“That’s all I get?” I shouted after him as he opened the trunk and placed the suitcase inside.
“I’ll see you later,” he waved me off before hopping behind the wheel, slamming the door. He wasted no time driving away, speeding off, almost hitting a car in the process.
I had no clue what that was about, and now I was stuck without my belongings, with no idea when they would bereturned to me. I muttered a barrage of curse words under my breath. All I knew was Lewis had better get my shit back. I made my way into the house and to my sister’s room to tell her about my trip and help her get ready for my aunt’s house.
On everything, I believed that was the end of the suitcase and money fiasco…but I was so fucking wrong. That was only the beginning.
*****
“I mean you fine as fuck, shawty. Let me be the man in your life and take care of you,” I cringed as he used the tip of his tongue and dragged it over his gold grill. God damn, is this what the dating scene has turned into? I counted the time down in my head, waiting patiently for the bell to ding.
Ding!I released a sigh of relief when the host hit the bell, signaling that the men needed to get up and rotate.
“It was nice meeting…Raw Dog, was it?” I said his ridiculous name, and he smiled at me before he stood up. I watched him walk away with his jeans hanging halfway off his ass. What is this, the year 2000? Who even wears sagging jeans anymore? I sighed softly and looked over at Mia. She lifted her hands, waiting for a sign.
Placing my index finger at my neck, I ran it across my skin as though I was slitting my own throat. She used her hand to suppress a giggle. The bell dinged again, and I took a deep breath, awaiting the next train wreck that was about to be seated.
A well-dressed male sat and smiled at me. He reminded me of the rapper Cam'ron when he acted in the moviePaid in Full. I smiled back at him, looking forward to asking him questions.
“Hi,” was the only word I was able to get out when, out of nowhere, a tall looming figure stood next to the table. I looked up, and my breath caught in my throat.Who the fuck was this?
His aura was dark and dangerous, almost frightening. He stared down at me with an unreadable expression on his face. He was tall as hell, maybe even close to 7ft. His hair was tied to the top of his head in a man bun. The sides were low and tapered. Around his neck was a platinum chain with a huge B pendant. Pulling his eyes from me, he looked at the young man seated.
“I’m next…move,” he spoke with authority as though no one ever told him no. Everything about this man was intimidating; without so much as one word, the guy got up and walked away.Wow, he didn’t even put up a fight. I could have been his future wife!
I wasn’t quite certain if I took a breath since this strange man approached my table. I kept looking at him as he sat down, waiting for him to introduce himself. He did no such thing; all he did was keep staring at me. I wiggled uncomfortably in my chair.
I damn near passed out as he leaned forward and gently brushed my hair away from my name tag attached to my white tank top. He read my first name silently before he looked at me again.
“Dior Marcano, I presume?” He said my entire government name, even though it was only my first name on the tag. His voice was deep and heavy. I frowned as I studied him, wondering if we may have met before. However, a man like this I would have surely remembered.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” I creased my forehead as I again tried to place his face.
Slowly, very slowly, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile that did not reach his eyes. Placing his elbows on the table, he came forward, closer to me.
“No, but you’re about to,” that’s it, that’s all he said before he pushed the chair back, stood up, and walked away and out of the bar. I noticed he took his phone out and appeared to makea call as he left. I expelled a loud, exaggerated breath from my mouth because I could breathe normally again.
I looked over at Mia, and she mouthed the words,who was that niggato me. Her eyes were wide with curiosity. I gave her an exaggerated shrug of my shoulders because her guess was as good as mine. He didn’t ask anything about me, just my name, and that was all. It was very strange, but I couldn’t help but blush at how handsome a man he was.
My phone began vibrating in my handbag on the table. Unzipping the small LSV bag, I took my phone out and saw it was Lewis. I had been trying to reach him for the past three hours. I needed to know whether he would pick Chanel up from his sister’s or if I had to pick her up. No matter how many times I called, he never answered. I sighed with relief that he was finally returning my call.
“Hey, Lewis,” I answered on the first ring. Just as I was about to enquire about Chanel, he cut me off.
“Dior, are you alone?” Lewis asked, but there was something about his voice; he sounded different somehow.
“Uhhh, no. I’m at a bar with Mia. Why do you sound like that? Is everything alright?”
“I-I need you to walk outside so I can talk to you without all that noise in the background,” I stood up to do as he requested, even though the bar was not that loud. “Go, go outside in the parking lot, maybe,” Lewis suggested. Picking up my handbag, I looked over at Mia and mouthed thatI’d be right back. Doing as Lewis said, I walked right out of the bar.
“What’s going on?” I asked once I was away from everyone inside.
