Page 3 of Giving Him Something He Can Feel

I made real eye contact with her before I spoke. “What position?”

“Being forced to choose between your marriage and yourself.”

My tongue glossed my teeth as the question she asked jumped around in my head. “All the time, but in the grand scheme of things we’re put in certain situations to learn from them, right?”

She nodded. “And what do you feel like you learned?”

“Feelings, love and all that other shit all seems to end one way. I’m not trying to feel or be felt, I’m tryna touch as much paper as possible and stay in my fucking lane.”

“Was that really a lesson though?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Probably not for you, but damn sure for me.”

I went back and forth with the doctor for a while longer before it was time for me to leave. I was meeting Linny and my brother at some lil’ bar and grill. Of course the nigga Linny chose a public place because he owed me a lot of fucking money. Being that I was a businessman, I was up to hearing him out. I mean I couldn’t kill that nigga, especially if I wanted my money. Dead men didn’t pay their debts.

When I arrived at the bar, I parked my car and got out, meeting my brother at the entrance. I’d told him I had it but let him tell it my anger would have me behind bars. He was probably right, especially since the good doc couldn’t cure a nigga. I had been in therapy for about two years, something about needing to work on my anger and get my head together.I only stayed because I saw the changes in my anger, and most of the shit she said made sense. Plus to keep it a buck I fucked with the idea of paying somebody to listen to me talk, and it not leaving that space. For obvious reasons I didn’t tell the good doc everything, but it worked.

“Thought I told you I had this?”

“I never said you didn’t. You’ve always got things big bro, but your temper is what takes things further.” He gave me a knowing look.

I chuckled, entering the spot. It wasn’t like I was gonna beat this nigga over the back with a chair in here. Upon entry we were immediately seated. Then as if he had been watching the door, Linny approached our table a few seconds later.

“You like the place? It has nice food, and it’s a goldmine,” he stammered, before taking a seat in the chair furthest from both of us.

“Okay and, what the fuck you bring us here for?”

He was about to speak, but his attention caught somebody behind our table. Before I could turn around and see what, she was standing before us. The beauty from the café earlier. I can’t even lie, this female was gorgeous, standing at about five feet two inches, clothes that snugly hugged her figure and those fucking lips.Lord, those fucking lips.

“Good afternoon gentlemen, your server will be with you momentarily. Can I get you both started off with something to drink?”

Neither myself nor my brother had the chance to respond before Linny spoke.

“Sis, this is Trek and Cartier. I brought them here because remember I asked you for a favor?”

The beauty looked skeptically at Linny. “You never told me what the favor was, because I never asked.” Her expression transformed within seconds. Though her eyes looked pissed and lips were tight it didn’t take away from anything about her. She had these big brown eyes, protected by thin lids, and naturally curled lashes. I could tell those were her shitsbecause they didn’t look like they were about to fly away and kidnap her eyes. Speaking of her eyes, they were a chocolate hue with what looked like specks of honey to compliment her warm complected skin.

Linny’s annoying ass voice interrupted my mental noting of his sister.

“It’s small. I did the math and I need you to fork over about 30 percent of your profits to them so that it’ll pay off my debt within the next six wee?—”

The shit spewing off his tongue had even my ass floored.

“You are out of your monkey ass mind if you think I was gonna say yes to that. Me nor my business have nothing to do with whatever the fuck you owe these niggas. As a matter of fuckin?—”

He grabbed her arm forcefully, with desperation in his eyes. “Virtue, I need you. If you don’t help me?—”

“I said hell no. You’re tryna take food out of my child’s mouth just so you can…” her sentence trailed off as she shook her head. It was as if she realized she was in a space full of people and calmed herself down.

She then looked at us, before her eyes landed back on her brother. “I don’t know what this nigga has told you, but my business has nothing to do with any of his dealings. Now if that’s what you were here for, have a nice rest of your day. If not, I’ll have someone come take your drink order.” Without another word, she cut her eyes in Linny’s direction before turning to walk away.

“I’ll take whatever you’re about to go to your office and take a shot of.” Leave it to Cartier to speak when it wasn’t a speaking moment.

She didn’t respond, or even acknowledge what Cartier said. She was pissed, and I didn’t blame her, but I didn’t know her, so it wasn’t my problem. What I did know was that Linny still owed me. So, my eyes landed right back on his scandalous ass. Though on my mama I wanted to know what was up with her fine thick ass. Her and thatpeach.

Virtue

I could’ve stole off Linny out there, but I kept my cool. I held my composure for the most part, but I swear I didn’t know why I even let him around. Not only was he always borrowing money, but always in need. My brother and I didn’t grow up in the same house, because we had different father’s, and my mother was a drifter. She drifted to whomever was taking care of her at that time. My father took me from her, shit didn’t even let me visit her as a child because it was that bad. His wife, Amelia, was the closest thing I had to a mother, because Eva was no such. Eva was for self. For a while we had no contact, but about a year ago they started reaching out to me. I was skeptical at first, and for good reason. But this shit right here was a different ballpark… I mean had this nigga really just tried to use my business to pay his debt. The better question is why he believed that it would fly. I’m not his mother, which meant I wouldn’t be sinking myself to keep him alive. If he couldn’t stay away from gambling houses, that was on him. Eva could barely take care of herself because she was piddled with carrying this fool. Not to mention she still hadn’t grown the fuck up, still calling me with the same I’m your mother kick. She hadn’t been my mother in years.

---