CHAPTER 26

“Toi, I have to go. If you were my employer, how would you like me showing up late on my first day?”

“Well as sexy as you are, I’d probably listen to your explanation and give you a pass. You would not do it again, though.”

“Cute, but you’re not the boss. I am leaving this dorm, now.” Kareem kissed her passionately and within seconds he had second thoughts about being to work on time. He had plenty of money and did not need a job. He wanted to ravish her sexually. He was patient with her being a virgin, as he knew that New York would turn her into a sex pot.

Kareem exited the dorm room and hopped into a taxi. Life was on track. First summer semester in college, in one of the top cities in the world for advancement. He had passed eight SAT II exams, and shaved 24-credits from his pursuit to earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He also had an eighteen credit course load and a part time gig at Chemical Bank. The track had a fast train on it.

Laura Masters, the bank manager, greeted Kareem when he arrived to his new job. “Glad you made it,” she told him smiling.

You have no idea, how I almost did not to make it, Kareem thought. “New York traffic is amazing. I had to take a taxi and then abandon it, for the train.”

“This is NY; such is life, but call if you think you’re going to be late. Let me give you the tour, and the get you set up with Beth McAllister for training.”

After he was shown around, Laura introduced Kareem to Beth. The two shook hands and settled into his office. Beth was beautiful—a twenty on a scale of 1-10. He imagined getting into her tight little Chanel skirt.

“Go ahead, Mr. Bezel, take a seat. It is yours.”

Boy is she sweet. I can taste her perfume, he thought. Toi would have to lose her virginity soon, before he went and did something crazy like have an affair at the job.

Rather than take a seat, Kareem pulled Beth close to him with one arm and yanked her hair with the other. “I can see in your eyes that you want me to fuck you.”

Beth simply mustered, “Ummmm. Oh! Um,” as he lifted her skirt up and pulled her panties down.

He spun her around, and with his best Billy Dee Williams impression, he smoothly told her, “Bend over and grab your ankles, Beth.” She complied and he slid deep into her guts from the back. He dug into her quickly and violently. He knew that they were pressed for time. Just as he was about to climax, he heard a finger snap.

“Mr. Bezel,” Beth said. “Snap out of it. Is this your first office?”

“Uh—yes. Just caught up in a thought. Sorry. Where were we?” He prayed that she did not observe his erection.

***

After work, Kareem stopped at the Cartier shop. When greeted by the salesman, he expressed his desire for a gold- plated pen, and possibly a credenza to decorate his office.

“Really,” the salesman responded. “Well, where do you work?”

“Saatchi and Saatchi.” Kareem lied. Saatchi was a top New York advertising firm, usually responsible for the biggest Super Bowl commercials.

“Oh, in that case, I have the perfect décor. One of the top execs of the firm was here an hour ago.”

Kareem loved when the plan came together. He said, “So, you have instructions to bill everything to the Saatchi account?”

“Sure do,” the salesman replied joyously. “Follow me.”

***

Nine-thousand-dollars was charged to the Saatchi account to buy a credenza, desk calendar, two gold desk picture frames, a pen holder, tape holder, briefcase, and two 14-karat gold pens.

Back at his dorm, the smooth criminal called Jean-Mary to see how she was doing.

She asked him, “How was your first day at work?” “Lovely. I also picked out a condo.”

“So, when am I coming to visit?”

“Give me a month, or two to decorate and I’m going to

invite the entire family up. I do not want any jealously.”

“Yeah, I hear you,” she replied. Jean-Mary was very familiar with Kareem’s maternal family being jealous of their bond. What they did not understand was that they all had each other and all Jean-Mary had was Kareem, despite her having five living children, other than the arrested James Bezel.

They chit-chatted for a while, and he told her, “I was just checking in on you. I’ll call you later.”

“Okay. Behave, baby.”

“Impossible,” he replied smiling, and hung up.

AUGUST 2003 (Two Months Later)