Chapter 3
The next day found me in a hotel room off of Southlake. I didn’t even bother to travel far. I had plans to go to my lover’s place, but she’d been more of a headache than it was worth as of late. I skipped all my classes and stayed locked away in the suite I’d booked at Hampton Inn. I only needed a place to lay my head for the night before figuring out what it was I’d do next. To be honest, I never thought my mom would let me walk away, let alone kick me out. I guess Frank meant more to her than I thought, although I doubted it. She was the type that didn’t want a man but wanted no one else to have him either.
I rolled over in bed and looked at the time. Realizing that I didn’t want to check out, I called down to the front desk and booked the room for an extra day. Afterward I simply closed my eyes and went back to sleep, not wanting to think about the fact that for the first time I was homeless. Another reason I didn’t have my old place was because I’d let my lover talk me out of keeping it. She wanted me to be done with the man I’d been seeing, period. And, because she’d told me that she’d purchased that condo for us, I’d agreed to it. I’d probably end up at her condo, but just needed the time at the hotel to clear my head and get my thoughts together.
I was young in age and had been through a hell of a lot, shit most people wouldn’t survive. The one thing I’d never forget was watching my daddy try to kill my mama. That day, I’d thought he’d end her. My daddy was a good man, too. He’d never raised a hand to me or my mother, and he let me get away with anything. He’d loved my mama, too, but my mama had demons, real bad ones. Since the day Daddy found out just what my mother liked to do when she wasn’t with him, he’d never been the same. He left and never looked back. He tried to take me with him, but I couldn’t leave her. She begged me not to leave her and I couldn’t. She’d always taken care of me, never done any harm to me, which was why I was shocked that she actually kicked me out.
My phone vibrating alerted me to an incoming text. It was my lover asking me to come see her. I ignored her. Although she claimed to love me, every time she wanted to see me, it involved sex and, not that I was complaining, but I wasn’t in the mood. After her texts went unanswered she called over and over until I simply turned my phone off. I must have fallen asleep not soon after because I woke up seven hours later. I looked at the clock, realizing that I only had thirty minutes to make it to the session my teacher was having at Barnes & Noble. I quickly jumped up and got dressed. It took me fifteen minutes to get myself together. Good thing Barnes & Noble was right down the street. As I drove, I remembered his warning about not being late, but I couldn’t care less. My mission was still to get him. No matter what was going on in my personal life, I wouldn’t allow it to stop me.
Needless to say, by the time I got there everyone was packing up to leave. I spotted Mr. Rodriguez as students were leaving and rushed over to him. He spotted me from the corner of his eye as he sat at the table, gathering his things.
“Ms. Dixon, nice of you to show up. I didn’t spot you in class today, either,” he said as he looked up at me.
He was so sexy. Those honey-golden eyes looked up at me, waiting for me to give him a plausible excuse.
“I tried to get here on time, but things at home just aren’t working too well for me—”
“Excuses are for people looking for a way out, Ms. Dixon. Now, I opened the spot for you in this group because you’re one of my best students and because you said you needed help. There were many other students whom I told no when they asked to join after the deadline who needed to be here more than you.”
I watched as he stood and grabbed his leather laptop bag and threw it over his shoulders.
“I know and I’m really sorry, but some things can’t be helped, Mr. Rodriguez—”
“Still making excuses, Ms. Dixon. If you want to be here tomorrow then be here; if not, I will carry on and you will not be allowed another chance. This session is over. See you tomorrow.”
And with that, he left me there looking like a fool. I sighed and shook my head. I should have just stayed in my hotel room. All of this to get some dick was not what I was used to. Usually it took me no time to hook and snare a man. I picked up my face and walked out to my car, but realized I was hungry. Quickly turning back around I went inside the café at Barnes & Noble and ordered myself a sandwich and a red velvet muffin, with a white chocolate mocha. I did all of that to get to the register and realize I’d left my damn wallet in my hotel room. Feeling embarrassed, I cursed myself and just walked away from the counter.
I wanted to scream, but just walked to my car, shaking my head, then realized I’d left my keys on the damn counter at the register. I laughed at the craziness of it all, but before I could turn around and make my way back in the store, Mr. Rodriguez called my name. I turned around and he stood there with my keys and the food I’d ordered.
“Thank you.” I smiled and shook my head. “You didn’t have to buy the food.”
“It was nothing,” he said as he passed my keys to me and the bag with my food in it.
I watched as he looked past me to my car. I’d just realized that clothes were still thrown haphazardly across the back seat. I laughed to myself at how it must have looked and was about to explain that it wasn’t as it looked when I stopped myself. Maybe this can work in my best interest if I play my cards right, I thought.
I gave what appeared to him to be an embarrassed smile. “Have some things going on at home ...”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain anything,” he said as he looked at me and we both stood silent for a moment. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
I quickly shook my head. “No. I’ll get it figured out in a couple of days.”
“Are you living in your car?”
I looked up at the concern etched over his face. He’d probably go home and tell his wife about how it was sad to see one of his students live such a way. That only made me want him more. Lots of things attracted me to a man, not just his pockets.
I shrugged and looked at him while I fumbled around with my keys. “Technically,” I answered. “I have a hotel room, but tomorrow is my last day, then I have to figure out my plan B.”
“You have no family that could lend a hand?”
“My mom is the one who put me out. All my family that I know of is back in New York.”
He put a hand in his pocket and we both pulled our jackets closed when the wind came barreling through.
“Look, I have to get going to pick my wife up from work, but look on the class Web site and take my cell down. Call me and let me know you’re okay and I’ll see what I can do to get you some help. You shouldn’t be living in your car and you need to figure out where you’ll sleep after tonight. My wife works with a women’s shelter. I’ll talk to her and see what we can help with.”
I was surprised when he took my keys from my hand, unlocked my door, and held it open for me. I got in and took my keys when he held them out to me.
“Thank you. I really appreciate this. I’ll pay you back.”
“You worry about getting a roof over your head. Maybe you can go back and talk to your mom. Maybe you and she can work something out?”
I shook my head. “I’ll take my chances in a hotel. Thank you again. I have to go.”
I pulled my door closed and waited for him to back away before starting the car and backing out. I’d made up my mind already that there was no way I was setting foot back in my mom’s home. That was her first and last time putting me out.
I made it back to the hotel and showered, all the while thinking of ways to get out of this hotel and find me a suitable place to live. I could have gone out and found me another sponsor, but I wasn’t in the mood. I hadn’t been touched by a man in six months and I needed to be touched badly. I always waited before jumping to another sponsor so as not to get anything mixed up. I needed to make sure one was completely out of the picture before stepping to another. While I loved men, sex, dick, and money, I was not about to possibly get caught in the crossfire of two men fighting. Yes, my pussy was just good.
It didn’t take long after I got out of the shower for my phone to start ringing.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?”
“Why?”
“Because I want to see you, Vix.”
“Why? So you can start another fight?”
She sighed. “No, baby. I miss you and I’m sorry. You know I just hate to see you give my love away.”
“Give it away? I’m not seeing anyone but you.” I sat down on the bed and began oiling my legs.
“I know, but I see the way you look at him. He’s married and he barely pays you any attention anyway, Vix. Why do you throw yourself at these men?”
“I don’t throw myself at any man and even if I did, it’s my prerogative.”
She was silent for a moment. Her voice was beautiful, very smooth and feminine, the kind that could make any man weak at the knees.
“They’ll never love you like I do.”
“I don’t want them to.”
“Fuck you, Vix.”
I’d known that would make her mad.
“You can if you want to.”
Just like I knew what would make her mad, I knew what would calm her down.
“Really?”
I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“Yes, really. I’m horny and need a fix. Where are you?”
“Our place.”
“Okay. Be there in an hour.”
It was nothing to get her to calm down and it meant that I could get out of that hotel room. I finished oiling my skin and pulled on a sweater dress with no underwear. The wind against my yoni felt good to me. On the drive over to her place, I thought about my life. Ever since I could remember I’d been a fighter except for that first time being touched by a man. Even when I knew he was violating me, I didn’t fight back hard enough and that shit always bothered me. I couldn’t tell you why. I never had the urge to be a victim of my circumstances like most of the people from my hood. Most of those motherfuckers were okay forever being what they called “hood.” Not me. I was so happy when my mom finished school and pulled us up out of there.
I remember one morning stepping out of the building we’d lived in. I was on my way to school, and my friends and I stepped right over a dead body. The sad part about it was we’d gotten so used to it that we stepped over it just as if it was a piece of trash in the street. Police, sirens, and crime scene tape, those were our Christmas decorations at one point in time. Used needles, condoms, and crack pipes seemed to be our Christmas ornaments. Never again would I go back to that.
My car started beeping. I looked at the dashboard and shook my head. I never remembered to put gas in my car until the last minute and it’d finally caught up with me. My car was threatening to cut off on me and before I made it to an exit I ended up having to pull over on the side of the road.
“Damn.”
I looked behind me at headlights, shaking my head as other cars passed me. I was about to call my lover when I remembered Mr. Rodriguez telling me to call him. I believed in a thing called fate and I liked to think fate had something to do with the situation I was in. I’d taken the time when I got back to the hotel room to take his number from the school Web site. I dialed his number and waited.
“Hello,” he answered, sounding as if he was sleeping.
“Hi. Is this Mr. Rodriguez?”
“Sí. Who’s calling?”
Damn, that simple yes in Spanish made my yoni thump.
“This ... this is Vix Dixon. I was calling—”
“Hold on,” he said before I could finish.
I heard him speaking to someone in Spanish in the background and it sounded like covers rustling, like he was getting out of bed. I could tell he had gone somewhere quiet because I could no longer here the TV that had been blaring in the background.
“What can I do for you, Ms. Dixon?”
I put on my best damsel-in-distress voice. “I called because you said I could if I needed anything. I’m kind of stuck on the side of the road.”
“What do you mean kind of stuck?”
“My car ran out of gas. I was driving around to see if I could find a cheaper hotel and I forgot I needed gas.”
I heard water running as he talked. “Still no help from anyone who could let you stay with them?”
“No, I don’t have friends like that.”
He sighed. “Where are you, Ms. Dixon?”
“I’m stuck on 75 North just before exit 246.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in thirty. Stay in the car, keep the doors locked, and turn your blinkers on. I’ll call this number back when I think I see you.”
“Okay and thank you.”
I smiled to myself as I pressed the end call button on my cell. I was beyond excited and felt my nipples harden at the thought of him being near me. His wife had to be dumber than a box of rocks. No way would I allow my husband to come out alone and help some random woman. I pulled down my visor and made sure my lips were still glossy and my hair still had its fluff. I love the way my hair flowed down my back, and its natural auburn color always got compliments. I was only a couple of exits away from my lover’s condo, but was in no hurry to get there. I looked at my cell as it rang. I ignored it and got out of the car after pushing the button to pop my trunk. Although the sweater dress was warm, it wasn’t warm enough to keep out the chills.
It wasn’t too long before the horns started blaring as men caught the sight of my heart-shaped ass bent over in the trunk of my car. I had to search in a few bags before I found a coat. Just as I was pulling it on, my cell rang and I rushed back around to the front seat to grab it.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Ms. Dixon, I asked you to stay in your car until I got to you. It’s not safe for a woman to do what you’re doing.”
I saw his headlights pull in behind me and looked over my shoulders with a smile. Excitement rained over me.
“I was cold. Just got out to get a coat.”
“It was still a bad judgment call, Ms. Dixon.”
He didn’t say anything else and a few seconds later he appeared at my driver’s side door. I had one foot in and one foot out of the car as he kneeled down and immediately looked at my gas gauge.
“Start your car if you can.”
I did what he asked, and it had just enough juice so he could see that I really had no gas. Him being so close to me in such an intimate way made me lick my lips as I looked down at him.
“I always do this and it finally caught up with me.”
“Do what?”
“Wait until the last minute to put gas in my car.”
He made the mistake of looking straight ahead and caught a glimpse of my bare essentials. I wanted to smirk, but quickly played coy by pulling my dress down and pulling my other leg into the car. The fact that it made him nervous because he rubbed the top of his head and looked away quickly turned me on. His Spanish heritage gave him black, shiny, silky hair that sat in a low cut on his head. He smelled good and he looked even better. He smelled like a spicy musk and Ivory bath soap. I was about to make my move when the horn blared from his truck. I quickly turned around, then looked back at him.
He looked up at me. “I brought my wife with me.”
I wanted to laugh to myself at the way he said it. It was like he knew what I was up to and he was sending a message, but his wife I couldn’t care less about. I heard a door slam behind us and looked to see a woman walking toward us with her arms folded. It was clear that she was cold even underneath her coat, scarf, and hat. Even I was surprised at how cold Atlanta’s weather had gotten.
“Is she okay?” I heard her ask.
He quickly stood and walked to meet her halfway. I listened to him tell her that they would have to take me to get gas. Not wanting to be rude, I stepped out of my car to introduce myself. His wife’s nice demeanor immediately faltered.
“This,” she stated firmly as she pointed at me. “This is your student?”
Trouble in paradise, I thought as I walked over to introduce myself. I watched as he closed the gap between them as he talked to her.
“Sí, she is my student, Maria. Nothing more.”
“Motherfucker, you must think I’m stupid or something ?” Her Spanish accent was thick. She reminded me of the Puerto Rican chicks from back home.
“Maria, calmar los ánimos. No hacerlo aquí. I brought you with me. Do you think I would have done that had it been anything else?”
He was holding her arms as he spoke to her, searching her face for some hope that she believed him, but she kept her eyes locked on me. I smirked.
“Nigga, get your hands off me. You think I’m stupid, Alex? Huh? Think I’m gon’ sit my ass at home this time and pretend that I don’t notice your shit starting to stank?”
He stepped closer to her and, although I couldn’t make out what he was saying, I could tell he was speaking through clenched teeth. Whatever he said to her calmed her down enough to stop her from talking. I waved at her and walked back to my car and a few seconds later he came back.
“I can take you to a gas station just off this exit and get you some gas. I have a container in my truck.”
I was about to respond when, much to the surprise of us both, his wife started his truck and pulled off into traffic. To be honest, I didn’t know whether to jump for joy or be embarrassed for him. Some women are so fucking stupid and her stupidity just put her husband right into the lion’s den.
He pursed his lips and cursed in Spanish.
I sat with my mouth open in mock shock and surprise. “Oh my God! Did she just leave you out here?”
I got out of my car and walked back to my trunk. I pulled off my thigh-high boots and grabbed my Nike Shox, throwing them on.
“Look, I’m sorry about this,” he said to me as he watched me. “You can sit in your car and I’ll walk to get you some gas. Do you have a gas container?”
I shook my head as I pulled my coat from the car, then my purse and cell, before slamming the door closed.
“If I’d known this would have been such a hassle for you, I wouldn’t have called. I could have just walked myself.”
He grabbed me by my arm to turn me to face him after I hit the button to set the alarm on my car.
“Look, just relax, okay? I said I would go and get the gas for you. Stay here until I get back.”
“No. It’s cold, and at least when we get to a gas station I can warm up.”
He looked at me for a moment and then nodded. “Okay, but walk on the inside. I don’t want you to get hit.”
I nodded and we began to walk. Judging by the looks of things it would be a minute before we found a gas station. We walked in silence for a while. My phone kept ringing. My lover was probably furious that I wouldn’t answer the phone. In this case, she could wait. I was cold and pissed.
“I’m sorry about the thing with your wife. I didn’t mean to cause any problems,” I finally said to him after we’d walked a mile or so.
“Trust me, you’re not the real issue,” he responded. His tall frame towered over me and even with his shoulders bunched up and hands deep in his pockets, he was still sexy.
“Well whatever it is, I triggered her outburst and I’m sorry.”
He looked at me as we walked, both almost frozen stiff. “It’s my own issues and shit that caused that. I guess seeing you opened old wounds for her.”
As cars zoomed past and some blew their horns at us in annoyance, we kept walking, having this mild conversation to taper away at the awkwardness of it all.
“May I ask why?”
He simply looked at me for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. “We shouldn’t be having this conversation. I shouldn’t even be out with you, but I couldn’t just leave you there. I could lose my job for this and although you and your mom are at odds, I’m sure she wouldn’t be pleased with your teacher out like this with you.”
“Probably not, but it’s not like I could have called her.”
He didn’t say anything after that. We turned the corner coming off of the exit and he sighed realizing we should have walked the other way, but we kept walking anyway.
“Look for a sign that may lead us back to any expressway. They usually have gas stations not too far away from them.”
I nodded and kept my eyes open as we walked Pryor Street SW. It took us a while, but we finally found a Chevron after he stopped and asked a police officer. The officer was nice enough to take us to the gas station. I was damn near frozen as we slid into the police car. He allowed me to sit in the front seat and I noticed his eyes stayed on my thighs most of the drive. I sat there thinking about how I’d gotten myself into the situation. My lover kept calling and I knew she was probably pissed, but she’d still have to wait, regardless.
I got out of the car once we pulled into the station, and went into the store. I was thirsty and wanted water but needed to warm my insides, so I grabbed myself, Mr. Rodriguez, and the officer some cappuccino. I also grabbed a couple bags of chips and Snicker bars. I paid for it all along with gas and walked back to the car.
“Thank you. I appreciate it,” the officer said when I handed him the cup of cappuccino.
“You’re welcome. We would have still been walking and searching if it wasn’t for you. So thank you.”
He was an older gentlemen but it was clear that underneath his uniform he worked out faithfully. He had a deep voice, like Barry White, with a low-cut fade that made his angular face even more attractive. On any other night he would have been my next catch. My phone rang out again and again; I ignored it. I waited until Alex, as his wife had called him, finished pumping the gas into the container and handed him his cup.
“Hold it for a second. Need to run into the store for a minute.”
I nodded and watched as he briskly walked while pulling out his cell. It was no secret that he was probably calling his wife. I watched as he bypassed the counter and headed for the bathroom. It wasn’t all that long before he came back out and stopped at the counter, probably thinking he had to pay for the gas. I sighed and shook my head as I set the bag down and finally picked up my phone.
“Hello?”
“Where the fuck are you?”
I was silent as I watched Mr. Rodriguez walk back over to me. “You paid for the gas? You have enough money to do that?” he asked me.
I covered the phone. “Yeah, it’s nothing. Thank you though. You want your cappuccino now?”
He looked at me and for the first time I realized that he was checking me out. His eyes were roaming my face and he gave me a brief once-over before taking the cup from my hand.
“Let’s get you back to your car, Ms. Dixon,” he responded once he realized that my eyes stayed locked on his for a little too long.
I put the phone back to my ear knowing she’d heard the whole exchange.
“Vix, for real? You playing me to the left for a nigga? Again?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I can hear the motherfucker in the background, bitch!”
“What you heard is someone helping me get gas to put in my car.” I slid into the front seat of the cop car and sighed while rolling my eyes.
“You’re such a liar. Why didn’t you just call me?”
“Because it’s your fault anyway.”
She didn’t say anything for a while after that. Anytime I hit her with a dose of the truth she got quiet.
“You’d better not be with who I think you’re with. I heard his voice. Don’t make me ruin his career because you want to be a whore.”
I hung up the phone and she called right back. I ignored her. It didn’t take long to get back to my car. We thanked the officer and he went on about his night. I stood by the passenger side of my car while he poured the gas in, and thought. As much as my lover claimed to love me, her words were harsh, that of a woman who just wanted to be in control of everything. She’d threatened his career when I held hers in the palm of my hand. I had no doubt she would make good on her threat, but then if she did I would turn her world upside down, starting with telling her husband about her past life and the relationship she and I carried on. It’s not like I even cared for Mr. Rodriguez’s wellbeing, but more so that I was tired of her having the upper hand in our relationship.
My attention was brought back to the current situation when I heard my car start. I turned and looked before walking around to the driver’s side. He sat there with one foot in the car and one foot out, so I walked between his legs and stood there. He stopped looking at the gas gauge and looked up at me, scratching the bridge of his nose before getting out of the car. We were so close I could smell the cappuccino and peppermint on his breath.
“Let me tell you something,” he said before putting his hands on my waist and turning us around so that my back was against the car and his back was facing traffic. “I know what you’re doing.”
“Excuse me.”
“I know what you’re doing, but I’m not going there. Understand? I’m not cheating on my wife and I’m not going to fall for the little game you’re playing.”
“Game?”
“Yes, game. I know your type. I know what you get off on. Been there, done that. It’s not happening, so stop. The looks you give me in class, the way you claim to need help with class work when I know you don’t, even this little thing you did with calling for my help when I’m sure you could have called someone else. Stop it. What you want, I’ll never give. Comprende?”
I could have just pretended as if I didn’t know what he was talking about, but why prolong the game? I took one of his hands and placed it between my legs.
“I always get what I want. Always. You’re telling me that you haven’t thought about it?”
He snatched his hand away. “No. Now get in your car and go.”
“You’re lying. Otherwise how would you know about the looks I was giving you in class.”
“Get in the car, Vix.”
I took his hand and placed it to his nose. “Smell good, doesn’t she?” I took his same hand and licked each of his fingers. “I’m not leaving you on the side of the road. I’ll take you home.”
I slid in my car and waited for him to move so I could close the door. His mouth may have said one thing, but the growing bulge in his pants told another story. It didn’t take him long to close my door—well, slam it—and walk around to the passenger side to get in. Once we were both buckled in, I pulled off into traffic and got off on the first exit to turn around and go back to 75 South.
“Where do you live?” I asked.
“Not telling you where I live. I don’t trust you.”
I laughed out loud and quickly looked at him. “I’m seriously no threat. If you say no, I can’t make you fuck me.”
He cut his eyes at me. “I know your kind. It’s not happening and I think it would be best if you asked if you could transfer to another class. That would be in both of our best interests.”
I shrugged. “Not going to happen. I told you I won’t be a problem unless you make me one. If you know you have no intentions of getting between these thighs then I can’t force you to do so. Problem solved.”
I could feel him watching me every so often as we got off on the exit going back into Jonesboro. I made him uncomfortable for some reason and the only reason I could think of was because I was his student. Honestly, what could I do if the man I wanted didn’t want to do me? Obviously, he was fighting with his own demons. I had put two and two together and figured that maybe he’d cheated on his wife before and that was the reason for her outburst.
“Where’re you going?” he asked.
“To my hotel since you won’t tell me where you live.”
He didn’t get a chance to respond since his cell rang.
“You’re really tripping over nothing,” he said as soon as he answered the phone. “You left me on the side of the road, and do you honestly believe I would bring you with me to help someone I was cheating with? Ella, es mi estudiante for crying out loud!”
The insecurities of women always worked in my favor. There she had a good man and she was accusing him of something that he wasn’t doing and obviously had no intention of doing. Women like his wife always pushed their men further and further away and into the arms of women like me. The only person’s happiness I cared about was mine. As he sat and argued over the phone with his wife, I pulled into the back of the hotel I was staying in. By the time I had parked the car, he had hung up the phone. His eyes had watered over and he was visibly angry, which meant to me he was even sexier.
“Thanks for the lift. I’ll wait at the Waffle House for my brother to come and pick me up.”
He said all of that as he exited the car and slammed my door again. He quickly walked away, not even giving me a chance to say thank you or good-bye.