“I don’t like you, or your sons. Don’t get comfortable around me. I am not your safe nigga! And I assure you, as soon as the opportunity presents itself, I am going to dismantle your portion of my company. So, if by some miracle thing one and thing two standing next to you give you grandchildren, they can stand in the unemployment line with their effeminate father’s. Now, get out of my office and don’t ever assume you can just show up uninvited again. You will make an appointment like the rest of my employees, is that understood?” All three of their mouths hung opened in surprise. Peterson recovered first.
“Where is your compassion?” He asked. That angered me more.
“You should have done your homework before you agreed to my terms. I have no compassion. Now, do you understand the rules about walking into my home and my office?”
“Then you are the beas—” I had reached my patience limit.
“Do you understand?” I roared.
All three of the men jumped. Peterson mouth snapped shut before he nodded.
“Now get out of my office and take those two reprobates with you!”
I was so angry at his audacity that as soon as that trash left my office I began considering profitable ways of shedding the dead weight.
Needless to say, my mood had not improved much and Stacy was not helping. She had Yasmin closed in the damn bedroom for hours and refused to let me in, so I had to get dress for this damn party I did not want to attend in another room. She was my best friend’s little sister and I loved her as if she was my own little sister. Growing up she was always underfoot, but sometimes I wanted to put duct tape over her mouth because her voice grated on my nerves.
I looked at my watch.
“Damn it, she had her in the room for hours, why the hell are they late?”
“Cause they women, women are always late.” Mac responded dryly from where he and Jerome sat playing a game of Call of Duty on the PlayStation.
“Okay boys get ready!” Stacy called coming down the stairs. I looked up and frowned when I saw she was by herself.
“Ready for what?” I grumbled. She came to a stop looking at me.
“Can you erase the frown from your face? You’re going to scare the heck out of her. Tonight is supposed to be a special night for Yasmin. She doesn’t need you being a grouch ruining everything.”
“Stacy!” I snarled getting ready to lose the last of my patience.
“Okay! Okay!” She called holding up her hands. “Calm down, there she is.” She pointed up toward the top of the stairs. I looked up and—
“Damn!” Was all that I could say, or something that sounded a lot like it.
Mac paused his game and turned to look at what had caused me to make that noise.
As she slowly walked down the stairs, several things became crystal clear to me in that moment. The first, I don’t know who had foolishly let this rare jewel slip through their fingers, but now that I had her, I will never let her go. I pride myself in being a smart man, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to see that I had found myself a good thing.
And two, the whole world was going to see my good thing in that damn dress and that just really rubbed me the wrong way.
Mac stood watching Yasmin come down the stairs and for a moment his mouth hung open. Slowly, he turned to watch me watch her.
“Oh sh*t, this nigga gon’ kill somebody tonight!” I heard him say to Jerome under his breath, and I couldn’t agree with him more.
* * * * *
Yasmin
When Gabe’s eyes met mine, everything else faded to black. Slowly, I walked down the stairs taking small steps just like Stacy had shown me, the whole time his heated gaze washed over me. I never had anyone look at me the way that he did right now. There was no part of me that he didn’t see. His eyes raked over my hair, my face, my neck, and then they fell to the valley between my breast, and he didn’t even try to hide his hunger.
He was not the only one amazed at what he was seeing. I bit my lip as I took in everything that was Gabe. This brotha was dripping fine in that tuxedo. His hair had been freshly braided into cornrows that fell below his shoulders, and my goodness, what big shoulders he had. That suit lay on his muscled body perfectly.
He didn’t wear much jewelry, but the few pieces he wore caught the eye and the light just right. The diamond stud in his ear was not ridiculously big but it was big enough to send the message that he was a very wealthy man. And if one didn’t get that message from his earring, then when they took in his gold watch it would become clear. And if just by happenstance one still didn’t understand when their eyes fell on the soft Italian leather boots on his feet, then they would have no more doubt.
He was so tall… so strong and so capable, that it just stirred something deep on the inside of me. And I would be willing to bet that there wasn’t a warm blooded woman out there that his pure raw uncut masculinity would not have the same affect on. Just like when I first laid eyes on him, he oozed power from every angle.
And did I mention how handsome he is. His full beard was lined to perfection. And although he wore his long hair freshly braided, his barber was not to be outdone because his lining was flawless.
