Page 21 of Renovating The Heart Of A Beast

“I’ll sayyyyy, it’s giving, he loves your filthy fuckin panties baby. Did he smell the towel when he was done?” I frowned my face up at Ju’well, she always took it too far.

“See bitch, you going to hell.” I bust out laughing because the look on Ju’well face told me that her crazy ass was seriously asking and waiting for her question to be answered.

“I’m already going to hell but it’s worth it chile. I love bumping coochies too much to stop. Now answer me, Praylah!” We couldn’t stop laughing to save our lives, this is what I loved about us. We could be having a heart to heart then be laughing the next couple of seconds.

“I don’t think he smelled the towel. My goodness, I hope he didn’t smell the towel. I mean he was really deep in my booty scrubbing.” She shivered like she had the chills. “The way he looks at me and how he talks to me, makes me feel a way y’all. I know I don’t need a relationship anytime soon, but I just feel like he’s something special.” Her face got back serious.

“I hope I am something special.” All of our eyes snapped in the direction of Mr. Brownston, like fire being attached to my ass, I hopped up and greeted him like a solider does its captain.

“Mr. Brownston, we came back here to uhh, go over some things for tonight’s guest.” He gave me a blank uncomfortable look then focused his gaze to Praylah. It was very weird because we all remained silent watching their stare off. Without being told, Praylah stood and walked up to him. He placed his hand at the small of her back and kissed her temple, she laid her head on his chest like he was her savior.

“I’m here tonight, celebrating with my boy Soulful. I want you to come out with me tonight, you can bring your friends. I just want to chill with you, I missed you sugar mommy.” Me and Ju’well looked at each other and smiled, I really wanted to laugh because why the fuck was he calling my best friend sugar mommy. All these years that I worked for him I never saw him so gentle with anyone.

“Okay and umm, I missed you too Matthew.” She placed her small hand on his chest, and I could see him inhale then exhale hard like her touch did something to him. Wait… did she just give us a hard time going out but now she was all game since he walked in? Did she just call Mr. Brownston aka Debo by his government. I was really standing her throwed the fuck off, but I loved this for her. I know I said they were moving too fast but shit if y’all could see the way my best friend and boss was looking right now, y’all would call it love at first sight.

“Era, it’s time to sing happy birthday now.” My stomach tightened as my mouth went dry. I wanted to be a celebrity and sing for millions of people. I didn’t understand why now at this very moment, I felt myself freezing up and not really wanting to sing for Soulful. Each step that I took towards the door had me feeling queasy. I made my way to the front of the restaurant clearing my throat hitting high and low notes preparing myself to sing. My eyes landed on Soulful and in person, photos from social media did this man no justice.

Handsome was an understatement. Sitting in his chair looking nonchalant like he didn’t too much care for all the attention to be on him. His butterscotch skin glowed under the lights, everything on him seemed perfect down to the crispy line up and waves covering his head. His massive hand closed around the entire glass cup as he knocked down whatever dark liquid that was inside of his cup. His eyes landed on me and stayed on me, my heart sped up and I couldn’t believe that Soulful Hurtz had stolen my breath away from a great distance.

Chapter Eleven

SOULFUL HURTZ

My eyes felt heavy and it was starting to feel like a struggle to keep them open. A couple of my teammates and friends sat around the table toasting and celebrating my birthday. Each time I looked up at Sovereign or Roberto, I felt some type of confliction. A strong confliction regarding Jocelyn, she proved them right each time and also, she proved my assumptions right as well. This whole marriage of ours had been a one-way street.

Truth was, I always felt like I liked and loved her way more than she did me. My mind wondered so much about Jocelyn that I struggled sitting at my own birthday dinner party; I was tired mentally and physically. I just wanted my wife here with me, I wanted her to show me that she gave a fuck. Looking at the time, it read seven, fifty-five. Even though she was upset with how the way things went down today. She still didn’t offer me two words, ‘happy birthday’. Why the fuck was that shit so hard for her.

Did she loathe being with me? Was it the money that kept her posted up, sometimes acting like she was happy? Was she just too comfortable? I tried all type of shit that a nigga like me would never try to make it work. Dates, romantic dinners my last resort that I tried months ago was marriage counseling. None of that shit worked. I loved Jocelyn too much to just kick her to the curb with nothing. Nothing was working, I didn’t feel the spark the romance or nothing with her any more.

This shit had me feeling drained and tired as fuck. I was ready to push on and move the fuck around. I didn’t like this feeling like I was forcing some shit that didn’t even have to be in the first damn place. She got jealous at the mention of me moving on but never did anything to try to make me feel like I should stay in this marriage. The way I saw it, we were both still young not even in our thirties yet.

I didn’t want a failed marriage under my belt but it was looking like we both needed something different. Scanning the restaurant, I tuned out all the side conversations that was happening at the table and picked up my cognac and knocked it back. Tired of thinking about Jocelyn, I needed the perfect distraction.

As if God had answered my prayers, my eyes landed on a chocolate beauty that had a magnetic sensation traveling through me at a persistent pace. Sexy as fuck! I thought as my eyes fell down to her wide hips, feeling like that was disrespectful, I gave her my eyes. Our gazes never wavered, I never blinked and I don’t think she did either.

“That’s top shelf booty.” I stopped looking at her and looked at Roberto, I don’t know why I was feeling conflicted by his flirtatious remark towards the stranger female that was now getting closer to my table. I didn’t like the fact that he was eyeing her the same way that I was a couple of seconds ago. I reminded myself that I was married and needed to let that shit go but then she started singing, sounding like Jennifer Hudson. Her vocals were strong and she held the fuck out of a note.

She demanded everyone with her voice to shut up and listen. All I knew right now was that nothing or no one seemed to matter at the moment but the sound of her voice. Her low soulful eyes fluttered and landed on me.

“Happy birthday, dear Soulful…Happy birthday to you!” She changed her voice and let it soar. Her smile showed in her eyes as she gives me those white perfectly aligned teeth. When her mouth turned upward, I noticed the small dimples in her chubby cheeks. The confidence in her posture as everyone clapped and cheered as her posture remained upright. My eyes traveled with a mind of their own and landed on her perfect sized cantaloupe breasts, they were mouthwatering, I could’t stop eying her entire form that was now standing right before me.

That nervous girlie laugh showed that she was a little shy but did she know the gift that she had. Why is she working at a restaurant when she should be on somebodies’ stage and making millions.

“The fuck wrong with you Soul?” My teammate snaps me out of my daze. I look at him with disgust only because I can see the white substance in his nose canal. I hated people that did hardcore drugs because it reminded me too much of my mother and how she selfishly didn’t decide to get her shit together for me and my sisters. Drugs took her out of this world, so seeing anyone else ruining their selves had made me judgmental. Substance abuse was big in the NFL, coaches and team owners ignored that shit, as long as players did what they were supposed to do on the field.

Dion was cool when he wasn’t on that shit, I invited my whole team and only a couple of them showed. Most niggas were just jealous and hated the fact that I was a star player. My name got a lot of buzz and because of that, niggas felt challenged like they were in some sort of competition. I let niggas beef with themselves, as long as they didn’t push that shit my way disrespectfully. Dion and the niggas that came with him were cool to me, they never acted like they were jealous or like they had a problem. That was why they were here, only thing I made clear was to never come around me high off a substance. I didn’t rock with that shit at all.

“Go clean yo nose, my nigga. My sisters and family are here.” He offered a remorseful look and stood to excuse himself. My eyes return to… “Era.” I read her name tag allowed and everyone takes notice including her. Placing her eyes on me, I licked my lips and coolly complimented her but, on the inside, it felt like she had struck a match in the pit of my gut.

“Your voice is beautiful, so beautiful that I can’t allow it to go to waste here at this restaurant. Not trying to offend you, Debo.” I looked over at him and his eyes seemed to be somewhere else, he didn’t even acknowledge what I said. Its like the nigga couldn’t even here me, I followed where his eyes were and they were focused on a light skin chick that looked to be the same height and size as Era.

Focusing back on her, she kept that beautiful smile on her face remaining professional and sexy as fuck. I wanted her to come closer so I could see what she smelled like. Fuck was wrong with me, deep down I knew I wouldn’t disrespect my wife like that no matter how bad and far off we were. I just couldn’t deny this magnetic organic pull that Era had on me.

“Shelby, she is a good friend of mine. She manages a few big artists in the industry. She used to be my publicist, until she gave all of her dedication to the industry and finding good talent. If you can give me your number, I can reach out to her and then shoot you a text with her information.” I felt guilty as hell because I didn’t know what other way to get her number. I didn’t want this to be our last encounter for some reason. It felt like I needed to be connected to her in some type of way.

“Oh my gosh, that’s so sweet of you.” She neared me with a stunned expression. I lick my lips at her curvaceous silhouette approaching me. My dick reacts to the soft sweet scent her body reeks of. It was something about the confidence in her eyes as she pulled a pin from the pocket on her shirt. She cautiously reached for the napkin careful not to bump into me as she wrote her digits down on the napkin.

Her aura was intriguing, and it made a nigga want to get to know her immediately. The uniform she wore did nothing to hide her voluptuous curves. Her hips were wide as hell and I loved the way it was well portioned to her waist that dipped in a little.