Page 113 of Rather: The Therapist

“I don’t give a fuck what she knows or what she thinks. I’m telling you it’s nothing.”

“I don’t need convincing, Kofi. You’ve made it clear that you’re n–”

“It’s nothing. If you saw the nigga that was deep in your guts three nights ago out with a woman, you might just be feeling a way, too. Yet and still, it’s nothing.”

“Nothing another night can’t fix, huh?”

Finally, I peeped in his direction. He shrugged, but the smile on his face made his intentions clear. Hailey was on his radar tonight. With slightly ruffled feathers, I returned to continue observing every move Kofi’s current fixation was making.

He doesn’t belong to you, Rather. Not yet, at least.

I repeated the words in my head once more before letting the discontent roll off my shoulders. When Hailey approached the second time, she had both drinks in-hand.

“Thank you.”

A tilt of Kofi’s head along with raised brows forced a handful of words from her mouth.

“You’re absolutely welcomed.”

“Welcome,” I corrected.

“Excuse me?”

“You added an unnecessary D to the word. It’s welcome.”

Chuckling, she tossed her head back in embarrassment. “Seriously?”

“You’re a very pretty girl, Hailey.”

I sipped from the drink she’d given me. It was divine. She made a damn good martini.

“This is a nice establishment. One day, one day you might come across a man that’s worth fussing about. Though, in my opinion, no man is worth fussing about. One day, you’ll run into him. Right here. That’s if you can manage to keep your feelings in your pocket and your employment status.”

I shrugged, taking the olive from the rim and biting into it. Before speaking again, I swallowed it.

“And, when you do, you’ll know the difference. You’ll feel the difference. You’ll understand the difference very quickly between a man that belongs to you and one that doesn’t. Because this one, he’ll belong to me in a few short months and the D he’s been giving you will stop.”

“You’ll, then, discover it was a waste of time. He was a waste of time. Waste of emotions. Waste of risks–like losing your job for being downright nasty to a very important, very influential customer. Which would be a shame, because you make a hell of a martini.”

I looked her square in the eyes and exposed at least twenty of my thirty-two teeth.

“So, instead of going low with someone who has seen the depths of hell and had a damn good time, let’s get along. Kofi will be yours for the night. I promise. But, for right now, he’s mine. Deal with it, babe. Fix your pretty face like he advised and keep making me pretty drinks.”

“I tip well and it’s not dick that I’ll be paying you with. I hope you’ve managed to acquire more than that from him, too. If not, then we have more to talk about, girlfriend.”

A wink and a swipe of the tongue across my lips and I was over the antics. If all went well, I’d finish a second martini before my departure. However, if Hailey couldn’t comprehend what I’d just explained, I’d leave after finishing off the glass in my hand. By morning, she wouldn’t have a job.

When her precious features began to relax, I got an inkling we were going to be just fine.

“You’re hell, man. Goddamn.”

“And, you’re a heartbreaker. Why would you suggest a bar you know–”

“In my defense, I didn’t know until we walked in. Her mouth is always full. She never told me where she worked.”

The same smile that peeled my lips backward pushed his up with a curve.

“She knew what you wanted to drink. Sucking your little dick wasn’t all she does when you’re together.”

---