The Enclave of Jyme (G Street Chronicles Presents) (16 page)

I took a deep breath and rubbed my hands together.

“Okay, okay. Do you have her phone number?”

I gave him her number and he wrote it down as well.

“Tell me about her.”

“I don’t know anything about her,” I said.

“Didn’t we have a discussion about this?”

I closed my eyes and took a breath.

“We agreed she would have to make your heart start beating before we would pursue,” Zedd watched me as I just sat there like an idiot. He closed his little green book and waved toward the waiter.

“She made my dick hard,” I admitted too loudly. A couple of gasps and stares met my ears and gaze.

“Excuse me,” Zedd eyes widened.

“I was aroused by her,” I whispered, leaning over the table some, moving in closer to him. There were still a few wondering eyes on me.

“So you contacted me because you’re horny?”

“No, it’s not like that; it’s different.”

“How?”

“I don’t know.”

“Explain,” Zedd demanded.

“I can’t.”

“How, sir?” Zedd asked me. I just sat there not knowing what to say. “I think we’re done here, Mr. Samson.”

“Why? I need more training, Zedd; I’m not ready,” I clenched both of my hands into fists and I could feel my blood starting to boil inside of me. I took some breaths and told Zedd everything that happened from A to Z. After I finished, Zedd nodded.

“I can’t teach you anything else, Mr. Samson. You know everything.”

“Zedd, I want this woman and I need your help to get her. You have to tell me exactly what to say to make her fall for me.”

“Mr. Samson, from the reaction she gave you, I’m sure she’s just as lost in you as you are in her.”

I sat there rocking with fury. I mean…what the fuck was I paying him this small fortune for if he wasn’t going to help me? I sat there with my arms crossed as tightly as I could stand them. I looked everywhere but at him. I wanted to punch something, and the only something in front of me was Zedd. I didn’t want to hurt Zedd; I looked up to him. And I wanted to be a gentleman just like him. I relaxed then and released my arms from their self-made prison.

“Thank you, Mr. Samson,” Zedd said.

I looked over at him and he pulled out a handkerchief and patted his forehead and neck.

“For what?”

“For not punching or killing me,” he took a couple of sips of his water and I slumped over.

“Zedd, I would never hit you.”

“Now Mr. Samson, let’s be honest. You thought about it,” he said with a grin. I grinned back and turned away from him. Zedd started laughing and I joined him.

“I pity the man who stands between you and her,” Zedd gave me a small smile and patted my arm.

After we finished our drinks, we walked out to the parking lot. “The front desk at your new condo has all of your information and paperwork. Here’s my business card and personal cell number and address on there. Mr. Samson, contact me anytime, day or night, no matter what it is. I’m always available for you.”

“Thank you, Zedd.”

“No, Mr. Samson, it has been my absolute pleasure. Now I must bid you adieu.”

“Zedd--”

He interrupted me. “Everything you need is in your condo, Mr. Samson.”

“But Zedd--”

Zedd interrupted me again. “Everything, I assure you, Mr. Samson, is in there. I haven’t missed a thing.”

I shook Zedd’s hand and walked toward the truck.

“Mr. Samson, what are you going to do?” Zedd called out to me.

“I’m going to be me, and I hope that’s enough.”

“You’re more than enough, Jyme; and you would be a most perfect companion for any deserving woman.”

“Thank you, Zedd.”

Zedd’s eyes were glossy. He turned quickly and got into his car. I turned away too; not looking back. Zedd had never called me Jyme before, and it felt good that he did. It felt more like we were friends than teacher and student.

Chapter 9

I drove through downtown and ended up in front of my new building. I pulled up to the box and pushed the buzzer.

“May I help you?” a voice from the box called out.

“I’m a new tenant and I have a package with paperwork that I need to sign that’s at the front desk.”

“And your name please?”

“Jamerson Samson.”

“Oh, Mr. Samson, we’ve been expecting you. Please come through.”

The gate opened up. I drove through and parked close to the front entrance. I walked in and saw a freakishly tall man behind the counter. He had olive skin and dark hair. He was sitting, but he was tall enough where you couldn’t really tell either way. I walked over to the desk, reaching for my wallet in my jacket pocket.

“I’m Jamerson Samson and I have some paperwork I need to sign,” I told the man behind the desk.

“Yes, sir. I’m the person from the security box. My name is Cameron and I’m the weekend night attendant. Fabian is the weekend day attendant. We both live here in the building.”

Cameron placed a stack of papers in front of me. There were red tabs where I needed to sign. I saw Zedd’s name was on each page right underneath mine. When I finished reading and signing the pages, Cameron collected the pages and placed them on a copier underneath the counter. I heard the machine copying when he reached underneath the counter and opened a drawer using a key. He pulled out a large box and set it on the counter. He placed a set of keys on the box and reached for the papers from the printer below. He put the papers in a folder and placed it on top of box, pulling the keys from underneath. He handed me the keys and shook my hand.

“Welcome to The Nolo, and Welcome home, Mr. Samson,” Cameron told me with a smile. I shook his hand before he showed me to the elevator. I got on the elevator with the large box and folder. Cameron pressed seven and waved as he walked back to the counter. The doors closed and I took in a deep breath. I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. My new life was about to start. No matter the new truck, clothes, look, and attitude…there was no turning back now. I was here and this was me. The elevator doors opened and I stepped off. The envelope read
710
, and I remember seeing that number on the papers I signed. I walked down the hall from
705
to
709
. I turned the corner and there was only one door left on the hall. 710’s door was staring me in the face.

“Hello 710,” I spoke to the door and stood there like an idiot. I guess I was waiting on the door to greet me back. I slid the key in and pushed the sliding door open. The door reminded me of a barn door, but classier. It was made of thick steel and made a deafening sound while it was opening. Once I stepped into the threshold, I slid the door shut behind me. There was a lock and two latches on the door. I locked all three locks and then unlocked and then locked them again. I set the box and folder down on the black granite counter. The kitchen was stainless steel and I quickly noticed there was a steel theme throughout the condo.

The cabinets were stainless steel and the floor was laid with gray, rectangular tile. A large range hood hung over the large island. There weren’t any barstools along the back of the island, but there was plenty of knee room for very tall people to sit and be comfortable. The black granite almost looked like it was a mirror image, and against the stainless steel cabinets, the color of the room was dark. I walked through the kitchen and found a steel, four-seat table in the corner. The table and chairs had a futuristic look to them with the same black granite top as the counters on it. The chairs had black leather cushions with steel legs.

Around the corner, there was a living area. The main wall in the room had a stainless steel, tiled wall with several shades of steel together. The furniture was all black leather with stainless steel accent pieces. The glossy concrete floor looked slippery, but it was safe.

I walked down the hall exploring the rest of the condo and passed a bathroom. It too had the same steel and black theme. The hall had votive lights in the ceiling and art on the walls. I passed a bedroom to my right with black and chrome-themed furniture. A few steps down the hall to my left there was another bedroom with white and chrome furniture. I turned on the last corner to another bedroom, obviously the master. The bed was the first thing to catch my eye. Four steel posts with flat rectangular panels for the foot and head board. The bedding was light and dark gray. The wall behind the bed was black and gray brick. The nightstand and dresser matched the bed’s foot and head boards.

An envelope lay in the center of the mattress.

I walked over to the bathroom which had the same feel. The door right next to the bathroom was the closet; and it was already full with all of my things. The closet had shelves, and it was about the same size as my bedroom back home. The closet had a leather chair sitting in the corner. I went over and sat down. I pulled out my phone and texted the guys to let them know I had the keys and was at the condo. After that, I just sat there. I was trying to think of what I could say to her when I called. I wanted it to be perfect; and I wanted her to know I wasn’t a racist. Kanoke texted me and told me they were outside. I told him I’d be right there and went back downstairs. I got the guys clearance to come through the gate and gave them my visitor’s code passes to get in and out.

When we made it back upstairs and walked into the condo, Kanoke and Sheen stared at the large room.
WE
busted out laughing and couldn’t stop. Kanoke kept slapping the granite counter in his laughing fit. Once we settled down, I gave the guys the grand tour. I found that I had a working laundry room and a pantry full of expensive and healthy snacks.

The condo had everything already stocked. There were pots, pans, flatware, dishes, bath towels, soaps, razors, combs, hair brushes, tooth brushes, sheets, blankets, extra pillows, and even lounge gear in the guest bedrooms. The guys took full advantage of all of that.

Once I got the guys settled in, I took the large box and folder to my bedroom. I lay in my bed, opened the box, and unfolded the black tissue paper. There was a honey brown leather satchel with a matching belt. The bag was big enough for a laptop, and it had a dozen compartments on the inside. It reminded me of something Zedd would carry on the weekends with his coffee. I looked in the box again and saw a card. The card had,
Mr. Samson
written in an elegant calligraphy. I opened the envelope.

Mr. Samson,

You have been one of my favorite pupils. I don’t know where to start, but you amaze me. I’ve been helping and teaching boys to become men for over twenty-five years now. My grandfather and father taught me how to be the perfect gentleman. Interacting with you this past month has been an absolute pleasure. To have the opportunity to help shape someone into himself is a pleasure that I enjoy. But Mr. Samson you were different. You didn’t want this; you needed this. I normally teach spoiled rotten brats who, by some chance, have fallen in with the wrong crowd or who are themselves that poisonous crowed. You, sir, learned quickly, and you sucked everything up like a sponge. I looked forward to having our heart-to-heart conversations daily. I think you will do just find in the world, my son. You already had the heart, but now you have a polished craft.

Good Luck to you,

Zedd.

I placed the card back in the envelope and put it in the top drawer of the nightstand. I shut off the lights and fell asleep in my brand new swanky condo.

The next morning I woke up before the guys and decided to take a run through my new neighborhood. My playlist pounded loudly in my ears. I had a mixture of Drake, Usher, Jay Sean, Jay Z, Timberland and DJ Khaled. I passed The Confectional, but it wasn’t the same location Zedd and I visited. But on my way back, I stopped by and ordered a half a dozen of the cupcake cheesecakes.

When I got back, the guys had showered and were dressed for work. I grabbed a cupcake then hopped in the shower. We made it to the market and hit the ground running. We were busy as hell all day. I ended up staying until the market closed. We ended up closing with $7,500 for the day. Loon said that was a really good day for us and that we almost ran out of fish. I volunteered to take the left over fish to the men’s shelter over on 2nd. We always donated any extra fish we had to them or to the women’s shelter over on 45th.

As I was turning on Freemont on my way to the shelter, I saw a blue convertible that was almost identical to my chestnut-eyed goddess’s car. I got a lump in my throat and I knew I had to come up with something really good. I made the drop at the shelter with my mind on nothing but her.

Sheen and Kanoke were waiting on me when I got to the condo. “Food??” Kanoke asked.

“Let’s order in,” I told them, exhausted from the day. They agreed, and we ordered a shit load of Chinese food. We shot the shit for the rest of the evening. Later on that night when we all were getting ready for bed, I pulled the leather chair I was growing to love into the closet and swiped my phone on. I went to the contacts and scrolled down to the C’s. I tapped the screen and the phone started ringing. It rang three times and then a sweet voice chimed in my ear.