I looked at my watch. “Sure, who hasn’t?” He nodded.
“Tell me, what do you know about the man who attacked your wife?” I frowned.
“What do you know about the man that attacked my wife?”
“I know that he’s not what you think he is.” He had my complete attention.
“Oh yeah. And what else do you know?”
“I know that you’re not going to be able to defeat him by yourself.” I laughed, shutting my computer coming to my feet. I had given The King enough of my time.
“Well your highness, that’s where you’re wrong. The man who attacked my wife is no longer with us.” I gestured toward the door.
“You can see your way out, can’t you? Like I said, I’m running late for an event I must attend.” With a sly grin on his face he nodded, coming to his feet.
After walking up to me, he came to a stop a few feet away. Now that he was closer I was able to see that he was an older brother. He was beginning to show the first signs of graying. He stood there for a moment taking me in.
“Look man, you making me uncomfortable. I ain’t with that homo sh*t!” This made him laugh good. He threw his head back and barked toward the ceiling. He was laughing so good he had to clutch his sides. I think I was going to have to knock this cat out.
“You know, I thought I had seen the worst of our kind in Gideon.” He said drying his eyes. “But let me tell you little brotha, Gideon ain’t got nothing on you.” I frowned.
“Who’s Gideon?”
“Your brother.” I was shaking my head before he could finish talking.
“I told you, I have no brothers. I’m the only child of both my parents. However, I do have two very good friends that are like brothers. You, Gideon and whoever else are not my brothers… or my friends.” His laughter died down completely. And for a moment a look of sadness crossed his face.
“A friend loves at all times, but a brother is born from adversity. There ain’t nothing wrong with having friends ahk. However, you have some difficult times ahead. You’re going to need your brothers.” He put his hand on my shoulder and I tensed, ready to strike. He didn’t seem worried. Obviously, he was foolish as well as arrogant.
“Before you interrupted me earlier, I was telling you that I came a little early to try and prevent you from a painful fate.” He removed his hand shaking his head.
“But alas, that don’t look to be the case. Sometimes we have so much that it’s hard for us to see what the Ancient of Days is trying to show us.” He snapped his finger. “Just like that, he’ll strip it all away.”
“You talk in more riddles than the black cowboy.” He chuckled.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He paused for a moment, thinking about something. “Listen, I’m only going to be in town for the night. You don’t mind if I stop by the party to have a little drink before I head back to my hotel to get a little shut eye, do you?”
“Why don’t you just go to a bar and have a drink?” He looked at me as if my statement was nonsensical.
“Well, because I won’t know anybody there.”
“You won’t know anybody at my wife’s party either.”
“Yea, but… I feel like you and I are practically brothers.” My nostrils flared. The problem with this fella is that he thought he was clever. My phone rang at my hip just as I was getting ready to let him know just how unclever I thought he was.
“Yeah!” I said bringing it to my ear.
“Man, where are y’all?” Kenny’s irate voice came from the other end. “How you going to be late to your own surprise party?” He exhaled loudly. “This is why I don’t mess with black people.”
“We’ll be there in fifteen.” After hanging up the phone I pointed at Solomon.
“You can come, but I don’t want any trouble out of you.”
He smiled. “I’ll be like a fly on the wall. You won’t even know I’m there.”
Chapter 20
The Death of an Angel
Gabriel
When Yasmin stepped out of Stacy’s bedroom, all thoughts of kings, brothers and mystery men who wore cowboy hats were forgotten. At first, the only thing I could do was stare at her. Never in my life have I met a woman more beautiful. She was dressed in an African print gown that hugged her curves at the top, but bellowed out slightly at her hips falling to the floor around her feet.
Her beautiful hair was piled high on her head and it looked as if somehow the hairdresser had weaved a delicate golden crown into it. I nearly dropped to my knees in front of her and bowed, because I was clearly in the presence of royalty. And it was in that very moment that I understood clearly that I didn’t deserve this woman. And yet… she was mine, and I was never letting her go. I would fight to the death to keep her.
“Yas, there are no words.” And there wasn’t. She smiled at me looking bashful for a moment.
“Do you like my dress?” She asked, before she nervously bit down on her plump bottom lip. Damn, Kenny was going to kill me, but I needed to taste her so bad.
“Your dress is amazing…. my very own African Queen.”
“Aww, Gabe, you should see the way you’re looking at her. That is so romantic!” I frowned as Stacy’s squeaky voice pierced through the bubble my wife’s beauty had cased over me. Hell, I forgot she was even standing there. That’s what Yasmin did to me. She made other women fade to black.
I reached for her hand, now in a rush to get her into the limo so that I can
