Chapter 1
“You cannot fix everything with just your mind, you’ll have to put your body on the line as well.”
“What do you mean the store is about to be shut down for good? I thought you said we were ahead with all the payments and didn’t have to worry?”
Nala’s voice quivered with distress as her father faced away from her, mahogany pupils locked onto the flickering lights of the television. “I meant exactly what I said,” he responded sternly, a slight irritation wavering in his tone.
“Tommaso has decided he wants to buy the store, and you know there is nothing that we can do to change his mind. We might as well take the offer and move somewhere else to start a new business.”
Despite how well he attempted to cover his emotions, she could sense his discomfort about the subject. He was unhappy with the decisions that were being placed upon him, and she could sense the defeat by simply looking at his slouched, tensed posture. He was right though when she thought about it. There was absolutely nothing they could do, except take the offer and leave, considering that the man who was buying their store could truly make their lives a living Hell, not that it was not already.
“Move? Away from Michigan? Are you insane dad? Where are we going to go? If you aren’t going to talk to him then I will, because I refuse to leave my home!” Her voice bounced off of the wall of their home as she glared at her father. Regardless of the outcome, she refused to just be taken away from the home she grew up in, the home she was raised in. She could not and would not stand for such a thing, and she would never be okay with it, so she could not understand why he was. Her father had never been a man to simply change, no matter how difficult life was for them coming up, she had never witnessed her father at such a loss. The newness of this emotion sent a chill of disgust down her spine. She would not allow him to just give up on his dreams for some ‘man’.
Her father only reciprocated her shouting with a heart-piercing silence, his eyes mirroring the actions portrayed on the television as he blatantly ignored her. Anger boiled within her abdomen as she rolled her sable-toned optics, disgusted by his new profound attitude. If he was not going to speak up, then she was. She refused to grant Tommaso the ability to just snatch away her father’s livelihood, as well as her own. It was unacceptable.
Storming off from the living space, she rushed upstairs to her room, the thundering sound of her loud stomps echoing in the upstairs hallway. It was a Saturday evening, and she knew her best bet of being able to talk to Tommaso would be at one of the clubs he owned in downtown Deer Creek. She had seen him there a few times when she went out with her girlfriends, always shadowed by bodyguards, hidden in the corners of the clubs. Tonight, would be the night that Mr. Tommaso caught Hell, and she was going to be the one to give it to him.
As she walked into her room, Nala stopped at her mirror, eyeing her reflection as she thought about what she was going to wear. She was not a hideous woman, but she surely did not consider herself beautiful either. She did not fit in with the other women that surrounded her, and she knew that, and while she did not like it, she accepted it, and had been doing so for twenty-one years now. She was a mere five feet tall, with ample hips and full thighs, as well as a supple amount of stomach, all of which her mother had cursed her with. Her cinnamon stained flesh was adorned in faint dark scars that she had obtained from her past, tracing from head-to-toe. Stretch marks spoke in cursive around her rear and inner thighs, as well as her armpits and chest, the bright tiger stripes extremely prominent no matter how much cocoa butter she tried to cover her skin with. 4c curls were pulled snuggly into a bun upon the surface of her crown, abundant baby hairs swooped around her forehead with as much hair gel as she could possibly use. Pale yellow glasses hung over her doe-like optics, and an intricate raven-colored cut embellished her left side.
She stood out immensely, and glancing over herself entirely, she held a hatred in her heart for it. She was an embarrassment.
Most of the women in her town were thin, or “slim-thick” as most people put it, with radiant, clear skin. They did no wear glasses, they wore cute clothing, 30-inch bundles, and acted completely different from her, so how exactly was SHE going to be able to get the attention of one of the richest men in Michigan? It was going to damn near be impossible, but either she did it and possibly got to save her father’s business, or she failed, and they would have to move. To her, there was no option but success if she wanted to remain where she was.
‘So…what am I going to put on? What could possibly get his attention, if even for a moment?’ she thought as she walked over to her closet, knowing there was not much to choose from. She was a mundane woman with a love for black and crimson alternative wear, so most of her clothing did not fit normal society wear, but she somehow managed to purchase a raven-toned, satin dress a while back, strictly for special occasions. “I suppose this is counted as a special occasion...” she murmured to herself as she stared at the ankle length, form-fitting dress, a slight wave of disgust traveling across her features. Never in her twenty-one years of living did she think that she would be dressing up to impress a man, but she had to do what she had to do in order for her father to gain his business back. “Well…Let’s get this out of the way...”
The building was warm, the smell of recently smoked marijuana hovering in the air, smooth and sweet to the nose. Chatter was hushed, and the music pulsated throughout the club, vibrating the tables ever so slightly with every new rap song being played, all eyes averting to the woman at the door before slowly shifting back to their drinks in front of them. “Why did I even want to come here? I should have just called and attempted to get a meeting instead...” Nala mumbled quietly as she walked slowly into the club, enjoying the aromas that wafted toward her nose. The smell of sweet alcohol tickled her nostrils as she made it to the bar, the gaze of the man beside her, catching her own. He was attractive, stocky, and from the looks of it, quite tall. Exactly how she liked her men. His skin was a smooth chocolate tone, black locs reaching mid-back, a few strands hanging over his right eye. As she looked closer, she noticed a scar etched over his eyebrow, the skin dark and ragged, an old cut most likely. “Girl we are here on a mission, not to ogle and admire, relax,” she thought to herself as she sat beside him, a small smirk coming across her features as she waved at the bartender. She was going to need a drink before she tried her shot at getting Tommaso’s attention.
“May I ask what a woman like yourself is doing in a club like this?”
The voice was deep and smooth, like melted chocolate being drizzled over the skin, sending chills through her entirety. Turning her head slightly, mahogany hues met one another, and she stared at the man once more, looking at the glass being held strongly in his grasp, an Apple Martini from the looks of it. “Is this not a club for all people, or am I missing something?” She responded with a sense of fake sarcasm laced in her tone, her fingers tapping the counter very quietly as she stared at the nice fitting button up shirt he had on, the top button left undone, showing off definition and soft chest hairs. There were so many gorgeous women in this club and yet he spoke to her, an oddball amongst this crowd. The chuckle that emerged from his maw made her silently question her reason for being here, the soothing sound reverberating within her soul. “I’m not saying it isn’t ma’am, just saying I have never seen a woman of your caliber here. It’s a bit strange.”
His gaze was intense, mesmerizing even as he never broke eye contact, a quality that she found extremely attractive. It showed that he was paying attention, that he was listening to everything she said, and she did not know how to feel about it. She rolled her eyes playfully as she spoke back, the tapping of her fingers stopping as she kept eye contact with him out of newfound interest. “I suppose I’m not fine enough to be here, you may be right.”
“No ma’am, the issue is…you’re too fine to be here…”
That was the first time she had seen his gaze shift since they had been talking to one another, watching his heavy gaze shift from her face down over the curves of her figure, lingering on the obsidian polish adorning her toes in the black wedges she had decided to put on, before traveling back up to match her gaze. Her face felt warm, the sensual anxiety he created, heavy, thick in the air like cold molasses. She had his complete attention, and truthfully, she did not know what to make of it. She had never experienced the full and undivided attention of someone with such grace and attractiveness, it was almost supernatural in a manner. A bubbly giggle surfaced from her lips as she averted her eyes from his gaze, a moment of silence passing before she spoke. “Fine is a strong word to use when you don’t mean what you say.”
Her tone was hushed and almost unheard as she twisted the material of her dress through her fingers in an attempt to distract herself from her nerves. “You’re right, gorgeous is a much better word. I have no reason to lie to someone I don’t know love.” With every word, she could sense that he spoke not a single lie to her, nothing but his own truths came from his lips, and she did not know how to feel one bit. She felt embarrassed and unsure, not used to compliments being thrown her way without some underlying meaning, or cause. There was no way he meant what he said, not someone as handsome as him anyways, so she would not let it dwell on her conscience for much longer.
“I am pretty sure you say these exact same words on any pretty lady that walks in here, so you don’t have to waste your compliments on me,” she responded as she waved her hand at the bartender, knowing she would need a drink for what she planned on doing next. “I have a question for you as well mister…What are YOU doing here at a place like this?” Looking around at the crowd that was here, she could tell that this was not a place someone like him would be regularly. Everyone was so stuck-up, and the thick air of judgment wafted around, dragging those around within it. The smell of cigarette smoke suddenly filling the air made it no better, a dull ache starting in the center of her head from just the scent alone. At least everyone around was visually pleasing to look at, even the bartenders looked like they had come straight off the model runway, elegant facial features representing favoritism from the Heavens.
The quiet chuckle that came before he opened his mouth made her roll her eyes, the bartender coming up right as he began to speak.
“I am simply here to have a–”
“Excuse me Madam, but would you care to order a drink?” His voice was elegant, each word sharp with precision, as if he went to school to speak in such a proper manner.
“French 45 with a lime please, and an extra splash of wine if possible.”
“With pleasure ma’am, I shall be right back.” A small smirk danced across her lips as she watched the elegantly dressed man briskly walk away, as if he were on a mission. It made her feel a little light on the inside, as if she were someone of importance for once, which made her rather happy. Glancing over at the man before her, she watched a slight glimmer of annoyance dance across his features before that seductive smile of his returned, a worrisome sight indeed. “Before I was so rudely interrupted…I am simply here to have a drink, enjoy the view, and make my way home.”
A loud laugh came from her lips as she looked at him, shaking her head slightly in disbelief as she waved her hand around the club. “Out of all of the places to go have a drink, you decided to come to the most popular night club in the entire city, dressed to the nines, and expect me to believe that you are just here for a drink? Please say sike, sir.” Her dark hues peered at him, watching as his dark hues shifted around the club instead of being locked with her own. She was correct, he was definitely at the club for more than just ‘views and drinks,’ but anyone in their right mind could tell that. As she spoke, the bartender came and handed her the drink she had ordered, the man’s quiet voice breaking through their conversation as she reached for her wallet. “No need to pay ma’am, the man in the corner already covered your drinks for the rest of the night, so enjoy yourself.” Her head lifted in surprise at their words before she glanced in the area the bartender had pointed to, brows furrowing in shock as she looked at the individual in the corner.
She was left in awe as her dark hues met smoldering green ones, which caused her face to heat immediately. She had never seen a man so attractive in all of her years of life, and she doubted that she would meet a man of the same caliber ever again. The warm smile that he gave her caused her stomach to twitch, but there was no way that she could simply take free drinks from a stranger all night. He would definitely want something in return, and that was not her goal while she was here. “Well, it looks like you’ve caught someone else’s eyes tonight, I told you that you were stunning.”
