Rapture 2: a BWWM, Alpha Male Romance (9 page)

ELEVEN

Offices of Illusion, Downtown San Francisco

Monday morning, November 10, 2014

T. McKinney had just plopped down into his office chair. If he didn’t like gossip so much, he would have long ago left his position as contributing editor for the popular sports blog. He wanted to do way bigger things with his life like move to New York or Los Angeles and meet a pretty boy like himself and sit cute by the pool all day long. He looked into the mirror affixed to the side of his large screen monitor, into blue eyes, courtesy of his optometrist, and his naturally curly sandy brown taper. He turned his head side to side to see as much of his profile on either side and smiled at his approval.
I’m too pretty for this bullshit
, he thought to himself.
I need to be somewhere in front of the camera, hunny! Yasss! All fuckin’ 6’2” of me and my fineness! Givin’ the scoop firsthand, live and in living color!

Snap out of it, girl and get to work
, he convinced himself.

While his computer loaded, T scrolled his Facebook timeline just to see what the basic people were up to. He was something of a celebrity on Facebook and Twitter. Shit, LinkedIn and Instagram too. Everybody and their mama’s wanted to be his friend because they knew he had the juice on just about every athlete from San Francisco to Florida and even abroad. They hung onto his every word. He actually had a small six-figure stash in a separate bank account for the pieces of dirt that he’d been paid to not print. That’s how in-the-know he was. So as much as he complained that he wished he was somewhere else, he’d never leave. Well, maybe to take a better offer. But not just leave. No, not with the power he held.

After he had clicked the like button on a few photos, and added a few one-liner responses, he placed his phone back onto this desktop and cranked up Pandora to his Marsha Ambrosius’ station, snapped his fingers and rolled his neck, and sang the lyrics to
Late Nights
&
Early Mornings
:

♫

Hop up out the bed … Take a shower then get dressed … Gotta go to work but I wanna lay with you instead, baby … Softly kiss you there, make you say Ooooh yeeeaahhh … I’ll be coming back to you boy you just tell me when, ooh baby …

♫

He clicked on his Microsoft Outlook icon and watched his email load, and continued happily singing.

♫

Gonna be a late night, early morning when I get you home … Gonna give you good love, give you what you want and … Gonna do it all—

♫

“
Awww
, shit!” he exclaimed, in the middle of his lyrics. “
Helll
naww!”

As soon as his screen showed up, two images appeared in the preview pane and his interest was immediately piqued. He looked at the “from” field and saw that it was from some obviously generic email address, [email protected]. T shook his head side to side. Somebody was all set to throw somebody under the bus.
When will these people learn about the company they keep
? he questioned himself, with a smile. He knew the scenario all too well. Friend gets mad at friend and then friend goes to tabloids under an assumed name and tells all the business. Because who the hell has an email address with some damn rinkrink-rink?
Yeah, okay
. But T wouldn’t ever get tired of it because for every one of these there were many who funded his lavish lifestyle in an attempt to keep their business out of the news. He double clicked the message so that it could move from preview pane and into full view. As he read through, all he could say was, “Shit just got real.”

I have some morning tea for you, and I know you’re not the one to turn down a good story. So here goes a freebie for your nosy ass!

These two images you’re looking at are y’alls All-American boy, Hunter Michael Cambridge, more commonly known as Rush Cambridge. The image of the beautiful little girl is his illegitimate child. Her name is Hunter Michaela Lawson, and she’s what you call a best kept secret. Now, if you notice, she doesn’t bear his last name and that’s because when she was first born, Rush’s family paid top dollar to keep her a secret. His father, the great Lance Cambridge, wanted nothing to do with a
black
child and so the mother, Janae Lawson, sister of former NFL star Jacob Lawson…was paid a hefty sum of money to stay away.

Let’s remember that Jacob is awaiting trial. Sip on that while I tell you the rest…

Now, sources tell me that nine years later, Rush has decided that he wants to meet this daughter that he
claims
to have never had knowledge of. I’m still on the fence about whether or not I believe his story, but there you have it.

I know a few people who grew up with Rush and happen to know that he used to eat and sleep at the Lawson’s house and was very good friends with the entire family. So, it’s really kinda fucked up that he fucks the sister of his once best friend and then dismisses her as though she was just some random piece of ass, I just don’t know. These rich people ain’t shit if you ask me so I don’t put this shit past anybody.

So there you have it. I’m sure you can blow the lid off this piece of info. If you don’t want the story, there are plenty of others who’ll run it. I just know you have the furthest reach, and that’s my interest. The world needs to know.

T stopped at the final sentence and his mouth propped open. This was tea for real!
But this person is a real piece of work
! Somebody was pulling out all the stops to drag this man to the most-hated side of the racist fence with the public. Shit, him
and
his father!
Whew
!
This is all bad
!

As much as he had always loved Rush, and as many times as he had frequented his clubs, business was business, and so T had to do what he had to do. He replied to the sender and let them know that he’d run the story. Immediately after hitting the send button, he proceeded to format the post, and then set it go live at eleven o’clock that evening.

“Fuck”
, he said aloud to himself, before deciding to run to Starbucks for a sweet tea and morning bun.
These hoes ain’t loyal
!

TWELVE

Alika

“How are you holding up, girl?” Gigi asked me, on the other end of the line.

“I’m good, Gi. What are you doing today?”

“Working. What else? I have so many emails to answer and phone calls to return. Luckily, my man is out of town for a few days because I’m gonna be in a raggedy ponytail, no makeup, and beat up shorts for the next two days. Working from home today, and then tomorrow is a holiday, so I’ll be here lounging for real!”

“I heard that. Maybe we could get out for some eats and drinks tonight or something. Maybe even tomorrow.”

“That’ll be good. Because then when you’re in my face, you can’t lie to me about being
fine
, with everything that’s going on.”

I swear there were times I would be talking to Gigi and know without a doubt that she could read my mind. We had to have been connected in another life. When I became quiet, Gigi used that as an opportunity to dig a little bit.

“Struck a nerve, huh?”

“Uhh,
no
,” I lied.

“Yeah, right. So let’s cut the shit. Your boyfriend just found out that he has a child…with another girl. If you’re not affected by that, then you’re a special kind of woman. Unfortunately, I don’t think that chick exists any fuckin’ where. I hope you’re not thinking that you don’t have a right to feel a certain way because that’s bullshit. Do you hear me, Alika? That’s bullshit!” she exclaimed.

“I don’t know, Gigi…”

“Yes you do. You know exactly how you feel. And I know the you that I’ve come to know is more concerned with being there for Hunter than paying attention to your own feelings.”

Damn this girl with her fuckin’ insight!

“You’re right,” I confessed.

“I know I am. That’s a lot of the time,” she playfully boasted, causing me to laugh a little.

“I just don’t want any detection from him that I’m bothered because he might take it the wrong way and I can’t afford for that to happen, Gigi. He’s been through so much in a short period of time. I
have
to be there for him right now. I just do.”

Out of nowhere tears began to swim out of my sockets and trickle down my cheeks. I didn’t even realize that my emotions were running as high, and so close to the surface. I quickly jumped from the bed with the phone still in my hand and ran into the restroom. I couldn’t risk Rush coming back and finding me in tears. Not on the day that he was so excited to meet his daughter.

“I’m sorry, Gigi,” I remarked, through sniffles. “I don’t know where that came from.”

“I’m coming over there, Alika.”

“No, Gigi. Don’t. Rush’s daughter and her mother will be here in a little bit.”

“That’s fine. And while they’re spending time, you can spend time with me. I’m not gonna leave you alone. Were you going to hang out with them?”

“No. I was thinking that the group of them need this time together. She’s just meeting her daddy for the first time. She doesn’t need to meet his new girlfriend too. I think that’s a bit premature.”

“I’ll be there in a little bit. We can even hang out at your old spot if you want and make some drinks and eat and laugh and all that good stuff. Okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed.

After Gigi and I had ended our call, I took the opportunity to hop in the shower. There, I allowed myself to sob just a little bit more to fully cleanse my soul. I don’t know how I found myself thinking about it, but Curtis came to mind. I was here with a great guy because of him, and in some twisted kind of way, the revelation about Rush’s daughter paralleled. Rush had been surprised with finding out he had a daughter just like he had been surprised with finding me in the backseat of his car. I couldn’t help but smile just a little getting a quick visual of that moment. And it was only because of Rush and the way that he was with me that I could even look back on that time and not want to die. A whole lot of bad, ultimately led to something good for me—because of Rush. And his daughter was about to have the same experience. Not that her life was bad; I had no way of knowing that. But what little girl doesn’t need her daddy? I know I did. Had I had one, I probably would never have been looking for love in all the wrong places. And with Curtis of all people! A low down, dirty pimp! Yet for as bad as he was, it was because of him that I was even connected to my new beginning at all. As the tears continued to fall, I couldn’t help but wonder if at the end of it all, there would still be a Rush and Alika.

There has to be, God
!
I love him
.
There has to be
!

Close to half an hour later, I was emerging from the shower all cried out and with a fresh attitude outlook. I rounded the corner pulling my braids through an elastic band once more, and wrapping it around itself into a bun atop my head. “
Ahhh
!” I shrieked, when I spotted Rush standing there with a boyish grin on his face. “That’s not cool, you! Scaring people and stuff!”

Seeing him smile, prompted one from me as well.

“You were in that shower for a while, baby.”

I leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. “I know,” I said, moving past him to get into the jeans and hoodie I had laid across the stand in my closet.  “How are you feeling? Not that I need to ask, I’m looking at your face.”

He followed me into the closet and leaned against the door’s opening. “Are you okay, Alika?”

I was turned away from him tying my scarf around my head so that I could slide my hoodie on.

“Oh, babe…yeah, I’m good. Just getting dressed so that I can head down to the guest house and hang out with Gigi for the day.”

“Some girl time, huh?”

“A little bit.”

“Okay, well after you get dressed, I’ll walk down there with you.”

“Sounds good. Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll be ready like Freddy,” I laughed.

“Baby, Freddy’s dead, remember? Jason killed him,” he laughed.

“Pssh! You wish! Freddy gave Jason the business!” I exclaimed, turning to him fully dressed.

“Damn, you’re hot even when you’re dressed down, girl.”

I playfully swerved my hips side to side. “You like, huh?”

“Hell yeah, I like. Later on I’m gonna show you just how much too.”

“Action speaks!” I teased, walking past him and out of the closet.

“Oh, you’ll see,” he commented, swatting his hand across my butt.

“You really shouldn’t do that. You just awakened all kinds of desires with that shit. You might wanna keep your hands to yourself,” I grinned.

On the way down to the guesthouse, we joked around a lot and I subtly threw in that Jamie had called, and Rush quickly ushered the conversation right out of the way. He still had no interest in visiting anything that had to do with her or his father. I didn’t fully know the family dynamic, but I knew Rush, and if what I knew about him was true, then if he decided to take those people back into his life, it would take a whole hell of a lot. I was actually surprised when he was so forgiving of Bart after all that had happened.

Of course Bart no longer worked as his business manager, but he came around often. I figured it was more about Bart having been left with so little after the dust settled. Jillian left him for good, he no longer worked for Rush, and a few of his other clients had opted out of working with him as well. On top of that, he barely escaped charges of distribution of a controlled substance. He only made his way out of
that
because he helped take Jacob Lawson’s operation down. So, he really did need all the friends he could get.

“Well, baby, here we are,” Rush said, pulling me close to him. “I really hope I get to see you again. This was the best date ever.”

I began laughing hysterically. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“I’m just reenacting. Since we never had the official guy takes girl out on date then brings her back to her place and tries to act like he doesn’t wanna come in, I figured now was as good a time as any.”

“You’re so special,” I kidded with him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his lips to mine.

And though I knew I’d see him later, I let that kiss linger until I couldn’t feel my lips anymore and until my middle screamed so loud for his touch that I had to do a few kegel exercises to calm the scream.

After we kissed, my head was spinning like it was the first time I’d been kissed by him. I didn’t want it to end, but we both had things to do. I leaned my head into his chest trying to settle my equilibrium.

“Okay baby,” Rush whispered into the top of my head. “I better get going before neither of us makes it outta here.”