The Enclave of Jyme (G Street Chronicles Presents) (20 page)

Moly finished with Kanoke and handed him a robe. He then scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Trevor. He spoke to Trevor in his language and Trevor nodded. Trevor handed Kanoke the piece of paper and Kanoke got the wallet out of his pants pocket and handed Trevor his AmEx card. I made sure we all had AmEx cards a while back. Loon told me this guy told him years ago that AmEx was like the key to Heaven. I didn’t really believe in God; but if there is a place better than this, I believed in that. Trevor left the room and Moly went behind a curtain.

“Where’d you find this place?” Loon asked.

“A friend of mine introduced me to Moly a while back.”

“And the salon?”

“Same friend.”

Loon looked at me and then turned away. “I’m proud of the man you’ve become.”

Trevor came back with a rack of clothes and shoes. Most of the garments were denim and dark colors. I saw two leather jackets and one pair of black trousers. Most of Kanoke’s shirts were pullovers. He had one button down and three sweaters. Moly ended up putting Kanoke in a fitted t-shirt with dark denim, a pair of Michael Kors boots, and a Michael Kors leather jacket. Trevor handed Kanoke his credit card and receipt.

I had exactly one hour to shit, shower, and shave. At the light around the corner, I noticed Kanoke was looking out the window like a kid who didn’t get what he wanted out the candy store.

“What’s with you?” I asked him. Loon looked back at him and he shrugged.

“Well?” Loon asked.

“I don’t want to sit at home and wait for you to get back from your date like some loser,” Kanoke said. Loon was silent and I was obviously on my own.

“Man, you know I’m trying to impress this girl,” I told him.

“You act like I don’t know how to act and I’m sure she has friends. If you’re as serious about her as you say you are, she needs to meet us anyway,” Kanoke explained.

I blew out a long and hard breath.

“Man, stop being so stingy with that damn girl. We’re all grown around here,” Kanoke said.

Loon laughed and I cut my eye at him. “Oh so you’re on the little pouting baby’s side?” I asked Loon.

“The baby has a point,” Loon said.

“Alright, I’ll call her and see what’s up.”

The truck fell silent.

“Wah!” Kanoke made a crying baby noise and we all started laughing and couldn’t stop. I sent Cricket a text message.

Hey, I hate to do this to you, but I have two friends who popped up, and now we would have two joining us for dinner if that’s okay. You can invite a few friends too, if you like. Just text me back if there’s a problem. If you’re cool with this then, I’ll just see you at 7:
00.

I decided on a cream knit sweater, medium wash denim, Zedd’s belt, and my brown polo boots. I pulled my hair back down and ran my fingers through it. It still looked good from Moshi’s cut and blow dry.

We were on our way to Cricket’s building, and the navigation was giving us the directions to get there. I lived thirteen minutes from her and that excited me.

“We look like a bunch of mobsters in all this leather,” Kanoke said.

“There is nothing wrong with our leather. You’re wearing Michael Kors. I’m wearing Diesel and Jyme has…” Loon sat up and reached from behind me to look at my tag. “Oh, Armani. He’s on some other shit.”

They laughed aloud.

We pulled up to Cricket’s building and I took my seatbelt off, grabbing my phone from the passenger seat.

“Shit, this is a nice building too,” Kanoke said.

“Fuck me, is that her?” Loon stared at the entrance of the door, and it was her. She wore the tightest pair of jeans I had ever seen with the highest pair of heels. She had on a leather jacket with a scarf around her neck. I slid out of my jacket and put it over my headrest. I knew I would need to sit it in my lap. The beast would be knocking to get out tonight.

“Yeah, that’s her.”

I got out of the truck and went around and held the door open for her. I grabbed her hand and helped her in. Once she was settled, I shut the door. I had to tell her how fucking good she looked, but I couldn’t be so open in front of the guys. I opened my door and climbed in. I was just about to tell her she looked awesome, but everything inside the truck went to shit.

Cricket unlocked her seatbelt and jumped out of the truck in a nano second. She left the door open behind her and she was strutting back to her building.

“What did you say to her?” I asked the guys.

“Nothing, we just sat here. We didn’t say anything,” Kanoke swore. I slammed the door and ran over to her. She turned around to face me but was still walking backwards just as fast as she was when she was walking straight forward. This girl could seriously walk in some heels.

“I’m not sure what sick games you had in mind, but I don’t get down like that,” she yelled.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…wait!” I ran over in front of her, not wanting her to reach the door. I was begging and pleading with her now.

“I told you that two of my friends popped up, and now we would have two joining us for dinner. You didn’t get my text?” I asked her.

“What?” she yelled back at me.

“I texted you forty minutes ago,” I explained.

She pulled out her phone and touched the screen. She did it again and then she frowned at the phone. She pushed the button on the side and then she frowned again. “Ohhh.”

I just stood there and stared at my caramel goddess. She looked confused and pissed at the same time and I hadn’t ever seen any other person look sexier than this creature in front of me.

The door attendant opened the door and looked over at us.

“Is everything alright, miss?” he asked her.

“Yes, I’ll be right there,” she answered him.

Fuck! Why was she leaving me? Why was she going back into that god dammed building? I wanted her with me.

“Why?” I asked, not giving a fuck how desperate I sounded.

“I need to go and get my other phone…” she hesitated.

“I have a micro USB charger in the truck. You can charge it there,” I assured her.

“Look, you are seriously shadowing my comfort zone right now. I will meet you at the restaurant,” she popped off at me.

“I can ditch them if you want me to,” I told her.

“It’s not a problem. I would just rather drive myself that’s all,” she gave me that fake wide smile. I hated that fucking smile.

“You will be there?” I asked her, looking dead into her eyes.

“Yes, I’ve already told you that,” she was clearly a little annoyed.

I ran my fingers through my hair and walked back toward the truck. I got in and slammed the door behind me. The guys didn’t say shit, and they knew better than to fuck with me right now. We drove in utter silence to the Mondello’s. I got out and the guys followed me in.

“I have reservations. The name is Samson. I need a table for four instead of two, please.”

“Just a moment, Mr. Samson. I need to check with Cal.”

I nodded and she left the podium.

“How did you find this place?” Loon asked as he took the restaurant in.

“I came here a month ago.”

“With who?” Kanoke asked.

“I’ve been to over forty-one restaurants in Seattle in the last month.”

“Why?” Kanoke asked.

“Trying something new.”

“Were you by yourself?” Loon pried.

“Most of the time,” I lied. I didn’t want to go into details about Zedd. If I did, they would really have some questions for me. After the hostess came back with the clearance from Cal, she had us follow her to our table. She was just about to walk away when I pulled her to me.

“There would be one more joining us, and as soon as she arrives, please bring her straight to the table,” I told the hostess handing her a fifty. She nodded quickly and I had a feeling my intense look and voice of Dracula made her understand how serious I was. A waiter walked up, and I gave him a slow shake from left to right. He walked away and didn’t come back.

“She’ll show, man,” Loon assured me. I placed both hands on the table, locking them together. I was itching to call her, but she said I was in her personal space too much, and I didn’t want to scare her away.

“I’ve never seen you like this before. It’s hard to watch,” Kanoke said.

Another waiter came over and took our drink order. I brushed him off, and I heard Loon order me a coke. I had my eye on the walkway, waiting and watching for her. A waiter was coming down the aisle with a chair. He was blocking my view and I couldn’t see behind him. I was just about to stand up so I could, and then there she was. I stood and so did Loon and Kanoke. Cricket walked right past me with a devious smirk. I watched the back of her, and it was just as good as the front. She said something to Kanoke and then he looked at me and scooted over. The waiter set a chair down and I was about to move down when a familiar face dropped down into the seat next to me.

“Ayashe,” Kanoke and Loon greeted her. I looked over. What the fuck was she doing here and with Cricket? How does Cricket know her? Has she told Cricket about me? Does Cricket know I have a monster in my pants? Fuck, does Cricket know about Elle and me? I watched Cricket and she didn’t even give me a second glance. A new waiter came over to get the drink orders. Cricket pulled off her jacket and I almost lost it. I could see her almost see-through lace bra peek-a-booing underneath her arms.

“What types of white wines do you have?” she asked the waiter. She slowly unwrapped the extra-long scarf from around her neck. She was giving all of her attention to the waiter while slowly seducing me with that fucking scarf. She unlopped the last loop from around her neck, and now she was free and so were those two big luscious lumps on her chest. The waiter was probably getting the same view I had last week when I accidently looked down her shirt. Loon and Kanoke stared at them too; but quickly looked everywhere but at Cricket.

“A glass of the Mandrarossa,” she told the waiter. Ayashe ordered and then Cricket pondered on her order.

She held a hand around her neck and the other was flagging down the waiter.

“Excuse me. Can we get a bottle of the Delle Venezie instead?”

They exchanged a few more words and then the waiter was gone.

I sat there staring at her. I was trying to will her to look at me, but she never did. I couldn’t stand it anymore. She wouldn’t look at me and I needed her attention. I pulled out my phone and sent her a text.

“Are you mad at me?” I heard her phone beep and she pulled it out of her small purse. Ayashe introduced Cricket to Loon and Kanoke, and then Ayashe gave me a dirty look. I knew I should have introduced everyone, but I couldn’t get my thoughts straight.

Cricket tapped her phone and texted me back. “No. Why?”

She leaned over toward Kanoke and they were talking. It pissed me off. She wouldn’t even sit next to me, but she was over there chatting it up with Kanoke.

I sent her another text message. “How do you know Ayashe? And why did you bring her?”

When her phone beeped this time she looked up at me and our eyes locked. She looked back down at the phone and tapped the screen. She started texting me back and I just stared at my screen waiting for her message. “She’s a friend of a friend, and she was bored.”

The waiter came back with their bottle of wine. He took our food order and then he was gone. Cricket leaned back over to Kanoke and they were talking again. I could tell it was a more friendly conversation than anything, but it was still pissing me off. I sent her another text.

“You’re making me jealous.”

Her phone beeped. She stopped talking to Kanoke and tapped the screen. She grinned and that made me happy.

“You’re the one who wanted to have a party tonight,” she teased. She turned to Ayashe and started talking to her. She stopped talking to Kanoke and that made me happy too.

“Jyme, what made you pick this place?” she asked me from across the table.

“You don’t like it?” I asked her.

“No. I think the ambiance is amazing.”

“I came here a few months ago and I liked the food,” I lied. The last thing I needed was for them to know I had just recently come here.

“Well, after that fabulous lunch today and then that amazing cheesecake, I’m starting to believe you are the food whisperer,” she said from the end of the table.

Ayashe went to bathroom and I couldn’t get in her seat fast enough. Cricket was about to get up and I placed my hand on her forearm stopping her. Kanoke and Loon both got up and gave us some privacy.

“Leave with me now,” I tried to convince her.

“Where do you want to go?” she whispered in a cracking voice. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to touch her. I had to put my hands on her some fucking where. Her breasts were just sitting there all perky and ready to be licked and sucked. I settled for her face since we were in public.

I placed a hand on the side of her face. Her skin was soft like silk. It was much better than I had expected. I felt the beast stir below. I placed my fingers on the back of her neck. I gently pulled her closer and buried my nose into her hair and took in a long whiff. She smelled of soap and fresh laundry. I didn’t know if this was just her fragrance or if it came from a bottle, but I loved it.