Page 37 of 10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace

She offered me a weak smile. “I’ve heard conversations in passing. Why save your father and friend? You’re sacrificing your life and the chance to find real love to save people that don’t seem like they deserve it.”

I tossed myself back on the mountain of pillows behind me and sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“Doesn’t seem that way. I get wanting to save your father, but the friend? She offered up your virginity on a plate.”

I shot back up. “How do you know so much?”

“I sit in on meetings with Jeffie and Menace at times, and she was pissed about your friend doing that. Can’t say I don’t agree because that is very messed up. Why are you a virgin anyway?”

“Safer that way. You give a boy your virginity, and then things change… some only want it for that reason.”

Greene looked at me briefly before she spoke. “Men.”

“Huh?”

“You said boy… you would be giving a man your virginity, not some boy. It’s scary giving something so precious and sacred to someone, however, you can’t hold onto it forever.”

“Who says?”

“Um, you… you’re going to marry Menace Caselli. Do you honestly think you wouldn’t want to have sex with him?”

Menace was the epitome of sexy with his tattooed covered toffee skin, lush beard, menacing eyes, and that smirk that he wore. If you watched him long enough, you could catch a quickglimpse of the gold teeth he wore on the left side of his mouth. One of which was an outline of his actual tooth.

He towered over me and his body was muscular because he worked out every morning. I was never up when he was working out and never ventured down to the basement where the gym was. I knew he worked out because the few times that I had been up before noon, he was coming from that direction with no shirt on and a towel around his neck.

Lupita would always be right there with his red smoothie, and he would nod and continue up the steps, making sure to snatch his sneakers off before he made it to the bottom of the steps. Menace Caselli was every woman’s wet dream, and I was supposed to marry him.

Greene wasn’t wrong.

How could I deny a man that damn beautiful of taking my virginity? Especially because I wanted him to when I looked at him.

Then again, I didn’t know Menace enough to even consider those things, which was crazy because I was supposed to marry him. “We barely know one another, and I’m pretty sure I trigger the hell out of him.”

She stood up with her iPad in tow. “I’m sure we will see when he arrives tonight. He and Jeffie are in route back to the United States, and he should land tonight. Jeffie never comes back with him to the house; she goes home and probably takes her head off after dealing with him non-stop.”

“Why does he travel so much?”

“Businessman… he owns a lot of things, Stevie. Aside from Case House, the man has his hands into everything… either way, I will go and get your lunch for you and your cousin.”

“Chicken nuggets for Estella… she loves them.”’

She held the doorknob and smiled. “Noted.”

By the time I dragged myself out of the bed, showered, and got dressed Skyler was beginning security clearance through the front. I pulled my hair into a messy bun, switched my glasses to my favorite round pair, and then pranced out the room, down the hall, and stairs until I got to the foyer.

Even though I was lying to her, I missed both Estella and Skyler very much. I was used to seeing them every day and the fact that I had gone weeks without seeing them was strange. Me and Alex kept up through text message or calls.

Alex was alright as long as he knew I was safe and was fine with me not being home. I was trying to figure out a way to tell him that I was getting married. He knew I was a little out there and supported me, so I was nervous to see what his reaction would be.

Washington, the head of security of the home opened the front door. Soon as he opened the door, Estella looked around like she was in the White House, while Skyler was used to it. She had mentioned she had been here a few times.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” I held my arms out and spun in the massive foyer, while Skyler shook her head and laughed.

“Stevie!” Estella dropped her bags and ran full force into me, as I bent down to hug my little Sour Patch Kid.

The reason she’s a Sour Patch Kid is because she stuck her gum in the back of my head last year, and Skyler had to cut a few curls to get it out. Then, she kissed my cheek and said that her mama said she’s not supposed to have gum.

“Hi, my favorite girl. I’ve missed you so much.”

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