Chapter Eight

 

 

 

Ahmad nursed a beer and, while everyone else watched the pre-fights before the main event, he inconspicuously watched Toni. He hadn’t expected to see her at Vince’s fight party. The few times that he’d met her she hadn’t given off the vibe that she liked to watch two grown men fighting in a ring for a heavyweight championship belt, but as soon as she came through the front door, his body instantly reacted. It was as if time had stopped and all he could focus on was her.

He wondered how he could’ve ever forgotten about a woman like her. She was beautiful. He’d spent his college years high on weed and drinking forty-ounce bottles of beer, and had only passed on his wits, because he sure as hell hadn’t studied. If he couldn’t remember a woman like Toni, then he knew he’d been as messed up as he feared.

He’d turned his life around basically overnight. After college, while living with a few fraternity brothers, he’d gotten a call from his mother. His father was out of jail and wanted to see him and Vince. His mother never talked bad about their dad, but she always stressed that if they weren’t careful and didn’t make better choices in life, they would end up just like him. Ahmad had never paid much attention to his mother’s grumblings—he didn’t have plans to commit any crimes. So when his mother had called him, that short sentence had changed his life for the better.

He’d picked up Vince in his beat-up Jeep and went to the address that his mother had scrawled across a piece of paper for him. The happy reunion he’d expected hadn’t happened. His dad, after spending most of Ahmad’s life in jail for crimes ranging from petty theft, arson, witness intimidation, armed robbery and domestic abuse, had met Ahmad and Vince at the front door with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and his hand entwined in his current girlfriend’s hair. The girlfriend, much younger than him, had been on her raw knees. She’d had a busted lip, bruises on her face, neck and arms and two black eyes.

His dad hadn’t seen anything wrong with greeting his sons while in the middle of a domestic violence act, no, he’d been…proud. He’d invited Vince and Ahmad inside where he’d introduced them to his other girlfriend who, much like the first, sported various bruises. Ahmad had realized then that if he didn’t turn his life around, he’d end up just like the very monster that stood in front of him. He and Vince had left and they’d never contacted their dad again. His mother had called him later and asked him how the meeting had gone—that was when Ahmad understood what she’d been talking about. She witnessed their dad’s treatment of women and feared Ahmad would follow in his footsteps.

Ever since that day he’d learned to appreciate women. They were something to behold, and the one sitting across from him was a lovely sight indeed.

Tonight Toni wore her hair up in a ponytail, making her look more like a teenager than a grown woman. She didn’t have on makeup as far as he could tell—all natural and clean was his first thought when he saw her face. Her skin was smooth and blemish-free her lashes were dark and lips were full … He couldn’t keep his eyes off of them.

She wore a green T-shirt with the words GI Joe written across the front. He’d laughed to himself when he’d first seen it. He remembered watching the cartoon religiously. The jeans on her legs fitted her well. They weren’t tight, like some women preferred to wear, they were regular jeans that just happened to mold to all of her curves perfectly.

Ahmad doubted that she was even trying to look sexy. It appeared as though she’d thrown something on, but to him everything about her oozed sex appeal, even down to the tan Converse on her dainty feet. She was carefree and refreshing. While he’d dressed down, he hadn’t gone as far as a T-shirt or gym shoes. He wore a crew-neck shirt and loafers—always camera ready, even though he hoped nothing from tonight would end up in a tabloid.

Vince slid into a folding chair by Ahmad and set his beer on the empty seat between them. “Man, I swear if you stare at her any longer someone is going to notice.”

Ahmad’s first reaction was to turn away and the next was to try to laugh it off. “Stare at who?”

Vince gave him a look that said he wasn’t buying it. “You can fool everyone else in the room but not me.”

Ahmad turned toward him and removed any emotion from his face. “What?”

“The same look you used to give Felicia Jones when she’d babysit us.”

Ahmad chuckled and shook his head. He hadn’t thought about Felicia Jones in a long time. She’d only been four years older than Ahmad and had lived down the street from them. When they’d been growing up, their mom had often had to work two jobs just to make ends meet, and hiring a teenager was in her budget. She used to go home with them after school and stayed until their mom got back from one of her jobs, but every now and then their mother had needed her to babysit on a Friday or Saturday night, which he and Vince had called ‘treat night’. On those nights Felicia made them go to bed early while she and her boyfriend made out on the couch. Ahmad and Vince had learned a lot about the birds and the bees from Felicia, even though she probably hadn’t a clue that she’d been their teacher.

“Am I being that obvious?” Ahmad asked, keeping his voice low.

“Extremely.”

He’d already told Vince that he and Toni had a history together, one that he couldn’t remember and one that she hadn’t forgotten. Ahmad took a sip of his beer. It wasn’t his favorite, but it wasn’t the worst either. “I asked her on a date.”

Vince raised his eyebrows. “Really? When’s the last time you went on a date?”

“Forever, and it looks like that streak isn’t going to end. She said no.” He still couldn’t believe she’d turned him down. That was brutal.

“You’re kidding me.”

Ahmad let out a heavy breath. “Turned me down flat.” Nope, Ahmad wouldn’t repeat any of this to anyone else.

When Vince peered across the room at Toni, Ahmad did the same. She was shaking her head at something Carson was saying. A twinge of jealousy pierced his heart. He’d rather that she sat next to him. From what he’d gathered the other night, she didn’t care too much for Carson, but ever since she’d entered the apartment with Gabby, he’d been on her like white on rice.

They were an item and Carson had made sure everyone knew he’d staked his claim. He’d gotten up from his spot next to her for a few minutes and one of Vince’s friends had slid into it and started rapping to Toni. When Carson had come back and the other man wouldn’t get up, a fight had almost ensued—Vince had had to break it up. Ever since then Carson was planted by her side, no matter where she went.

“I thought you said she accepted your apology,” Vince said.

“She did, but I guess I left so bad an impression on her that she doesn’t want to repeat it. I can’t really fault her for that.” How she felt about him stung a lot, but he wasn’t admitting that to Vince.

“Doesn’t she know how much you’ve changed since then?”

“Obviously not.” Ahmad just needed a chance to show her how much he’d changed. He could tell her until his face turned blue, but actions spoke more than words.

Carson said something to Toni that made her frown and turn away from him, but when she did, her eyes caught Ahmad’s. She inclined her head to Carson, as if saying, I can’t believe this guy.

Ahmad let out a chuckle then took another sip of his beer. “I don’t know what she sees in him.”

“Did you tell Cindy that you asked her out?”

Ahmad frowned. “Why would I do that? It’s none of her business.”

This time Vince rolled his eyes. “According to her, everything you do is her business. Sometimes I don’t know where the line is drawn between being your PR manager and being something else.”

Ahmad cleared his throat and adjusted himself in the uncomfortable folding chair. “Well, she isn’t anything else. She’s strictly an employee.”

“You’ve told her that?”

Ahmad glanced at Cindy, who was sitting with two of her girlfriends she’d brought with her. She was dressed in a black dress with knee-high, high-heeled boots. Her friends were dressed almost the same. Cindy and Toni were two completely different women. “I’ve told her once or twice when she hinted that we should give being a couple a try.”

“And she was okay with that?”

“She’s still my employee so I’m guessing yes. I told her if she wasn’t okay with it that I’d give her a nice letter of recommendation.”

“Ouch.”

“It’s not like that. Cindy does a good job at what I hired her to do, keep my image clean. But you’re right, sometimes—lately more than ever—she’s been inching her way into my personal life and it’s making me feel crowded. I’ll just have to set some clearer boundaries for her, that’s all.”

Ahmad’s phone beeped with an incoming text message.

 

Come save me.

 

He looked over at Toni, who had her back turned to Carson and her phone in her hand.

 

If you didn’t want to be with him then why did you agree to meet up again?

 

I DID NOT AGREE TO MEET UP WITH HIM. I’m here because Gabby didn’t know anyone here besides you and Vince and she didn’t want to look like she was clinging to Vince all night long. If I’d known Carson was going to be here I would’ve stayed home.

 

The constricting hold that jealousy had on his heart quickly melted away. He did his best to hide his relief and took a quick glance at Gabby, who was in a conversation with one of his female cousins.

 

She looks to have made a friend.

 

I know. I keep trying to wave at her to come save me but she’s not paying attention to me and her phone is in her purse. Are you going to help me or what?

 

Ahmad smirked.

 

If I save you, what’s in it for me?

 

She turned and glared at him. Then she typed furiously on her phone. A few seconds later, a message came through.

 

I thought you were the savior of the black community? Well, I need saving. He’s trying to get into all my finances. Not cool.

 

I’ll save you on one condition.

 

Name it.

 

Can you roller skate?

 

Yeah, why?

 

There’s a fund-raiser that my organization is holding. You be my date.

 

I already told you, I don’t think that’s a good idea.

 

He shrugged then turned away from her and pretended to be interested in something else.

“What’s that all about?” Vince asked him.

He kept the smile that was trying to force its way to his lips under control. “It’s Toni. She wants me to rescue her from Carson. It turns out she didn’t know Carson was going to be here and now he’s clinging to her.”

Ahmad’s phone beeped but he ignored it.

Vince started to get up. “Let me go rescue her.”

Ahmad stopped him with a hand. “Nope, give it a minute. We’re negotiating here.”

Ahmad’s phone beeped again.

Vince chuckled. “Are you sure you don’t want me to get her? She’s glaring at you and if looks could kill…”

Ahmad’s phone beeped again and again he ignored it. “I’m sure.”

“Dear Lord,” Vince said. “Carson just put his arm around her and I swear Toni cringed.”

“Just what I was waiting for.”

Ahmad’s phone beeped again. This time he read all the messages.

 

I thought you were a better man than that.

He’s your cousin. Come and handle him!

Ugh! You get on my nerves!

All right. One date and one date only. Come save me.