Page 2 of Rich & Decadent

She guessed they were wanting women who needed to depend on a man for everything and that was not Imani. She wanted a man to be her partner, her equal. Someone who would love her and share life experiences with her without judgement or jealousy.

“Kizzie said everything is a go from her end. Her brother-in-law doesn’t mind being your eye candy for the function,” Mykeisha said. Imani rolled her eyes at her friend’s snicker. Imani normally wasn’t one to allow herself to be set up on a blind date. The last time she had done that, it had gone horribly wrong.

The guy hadn’t been cute at all, but she was willing to get past looks. She wasn’t a vain person. But it was his attitude towards women, and wanting to be dominant over women. Imani had abruptly stood up in the middle of dinner and walked out.

“Eye candy?” Imani snorted.

When she found out about the black tie dinner, she hadn’t batted an eye. But then some of the comments being made in the office chats regarding who would be there led her to believe she should take a date.

There was nothing like being the only single person at a work event where everyone was bringing a plus one. She had mentioned it to Mykeisha who, in turn, had shared it with Kizzie.

The cousins had determined they would set her up with Kizzie’s brother-in-law. Imani had met Kizzie’s husband, Niko, and if his brother looked anything like him, then she wouldn’t have to worry about anything in the looks department.

Again, she wasn’t vain, but she needed someone to look just as good as she would be looking when she dressed up.

“He’s okay with putting on a tuxedo for the event?” Imani asked. From what she knew of Niko and his brother, they owned a motorcycle repair shop and she would imagine a tuxedo wasn’t something he wore often.

“According to Kizzie, he said he’s already got his ready. Everything’s going to be fine. Don’t worry,” Mykeisha said. Imani arrived at the baggage claim area and searched for her flight’s carousel. How did her friend sense her feelings? It was one thing being set up on a general date with someone, but this was for work.

“I’m not worried,” Imani muttered. She arrived at the carousel and noted it was still empty. She glanced around and recognized a few passengers from her flight. “I’m just making sure.”

“Well, I’ll text you his number. His name is Will and he’ll be expecting you to get in touch once you’re settled.”

“I really appreciate both of you for helping me out with this,” Imani said. She truly did have some great friends. Kizzie was just as cool as Mykeisha. Over the years she’d joined Mykeisha, Imani, and Carla when the girls were together. Imani made a mental note to try and make time to visit with Kizzie before she left. Hopefully Kizzie would have time. With a new baby, a husband, and helping run the family business, spare time was in short supply.

“It’s not a problem. What are friends for?”

Imani smiled and felt a little more confident in her blind date. The girls wouldn’t set her up with an asshole. If they thought Will would make a great date for her business function, then she would trust them.

The baggage carousel came to life and suitcases began to roll out. Imani quickly said her goodbyes to Mykeisha with the promise to keep her updated. She gathered her last bag once it came out and began making her way toward the exit. Thanks to her company, there should be a private driver and car waiting for her. She walked toward the exit and found a driver holding a tablet with her name on it.

“I’m Miss Bishop,” Imani announced, strolling up to the tall older gentleman. He confirmed her identity before escorting her to a dark luxury sedan parked outside the building. This was certainly the way to travel. First class flights, a private car waiting for her, and a cozy hotel room at the end of her journey. Thankfully this was all on her company’s dime. She had no problems arranging the same accommodations when she traveled for pleasure, but having someone else pay for it was always better.

It wasn’t long before she was safely tucked away in the back seat of the sedan while her driver, Milton, guided them to herhotel. Imani’s phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her bag and read the text Mykeisha had sent her. She stared down at Will’s phone number and experienced a fluttering in her belly.

Nerves? Why was she nervous?

It had been a long while since she’d felt nervous about a first date. But for some reason, this felt different than any other date she’d been on. She glanced down at his number again and blew out a deep breath. She’d check in to the hotel and get unpacked, then she would call Will.

Imani settled back in her seat and took in the scenery as it passed by.

Everything would be fine. There was nothing for her to worry about.

She was Imani Bishop, and this week in San Francisco was going to be an experience she would never forget.

two

Wilheim Rusek increased the speed of the bike between his legs. There was nothing like being free on the open road with the wind in his hair. He’d left work early, using a headache as an excuse, but nothing was wrong with him. Not really. His younger brother, Niko, had given him an odd look but didn’t question him. Today, Will just wanted to get on his bike and go. He wanted to ride along the coast, but before he did that, he’d head home change out his grease-covered clothing then jump back on the road.

It wasn’t often that Will missed work. He and Niko had busted their asses to make Precision Motors what it was today. They’d been given the chance to purchase the shop from George, the former owner. The old man had taken a liking to the Rusek boys when they were just teenagers. Will had first started working on motorcycles for George when he was around sixteen years old. He had fallen in love with the machines at an early age and he had been given a chance that many kids in his old neighborhood didn’t get.

Trouble seemed to follow him and Niko wherever they went and, thanks to George, they’d had a place to go to get off the streets. Niko always tagged along with Will, and George decided to hire his younger brother as well.

They had worked for George until he decided it was time to retire and sold the shop to the brothers. Will and Niko renamed the shop, renovated it, and with their savvy business sense and street smarts, they had become one of the premier motorcycle shops on the west coast.

The Rusek boys had come from nothing and Will was damn proud of what he and his brother had accomplished. Their father had been a drunk and their mother had always ignored the abuse the old man dealt out.

Will had left home at the age of eighteen. If he had stayed any longer, there would have been a high chance that he would be in prison for taking his old man out. But even with leaving, he hadn’t forgotten his little brother. He’d kept an eye on Niko who soon followed and joined Will when he was seventeen. They had left that life behind and last either of them had heard their father died from an overdose and their mother was on her fifth husband.

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