“Marital,” Raven Saint corrected in a whisper, and the man’s eyes flashed to hers, narrowing slightly.She gave him a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Raven naa treat yu right, Kirani?”Sahil asked.
Jediah stretched his arm across the table, slipping his ring off and rolling it across the top of his fingers while Acacia pushed her chair closer to his.Kirani threw his arm over Raven’s shoulder, denying Sahil’s accusation while Raven stiffened.
Jediah stopped rolling his ring.
As he opened his mouth, Acacia rushed out, “I’m hungry.When’s the food coming out?”
Jediah dragged his eyes from Raven to Acacia.She was smiling too hard for his liking.Her stare was intense, speaking words her mouth refused to say.He looked away from her to press a button on the remote on the table.A server had handed it to him when they arrived, telling him to press it whenever he needed to break the requested privacy.
The door to the dining area burst open, and servers entered with trays of various types of food.Everyone at the table dug in while Jediah excused himself to stand in a corner and continue smoking.He looked back at the table, his eyes finding Acacia’s.She was already watching him, and she gave him a small smile.
Jediah didn’t return the gesture, but his shoulders relaxed as he looked away.
Chapter three
Standingbythedoor,Ashari waved at the little boy, who waved back before walking away with his mom.Her smile faded as they disappeared around the corner.Turning to enter the daycare, Ashari froze.
Jediah was across the street, leaning against a car with his feet crossed by the ankles.He had a cigar resting in the corner of his mouth, and a hand tucked into his pants’ pocket.Jediah’s white dress shirt sleeves were rolled up to the elbows.He removed the cigar from his mouth, blowing fumes away while easing off the car.Jediah didn’t look up or down the road before he stepped forward, walking until he stopped before her.“No glasses today, my Ari?”
“Contacts,” she lied, her heart palpitating.“How’d you find me?”she added, pausing as Charlie rushed through the door.
“Sorry!He left his hand painting, and he really wanted to show it to his mom.I’ll be back to help you close up!”Charlie said, and Ashari nodded.Charlie gave Ashari a sweet smile before running down the street with her bow bouncing at the end of her braid.
Ashari expectantly looked back at Jediah.He wasn’t supposed to know that she worked here.Not yet.Sure, this was Howie’s daycare, but her studies showed that only Elias and Iyana came here.
“You left your phone at the hotel,” he explained.
“I didn’t.”
A small smirk came on his mouth.“Yu leff yu mark pon me.”
Ashari scoffed.“That’s cringe, but a bit bold.Aren’t you?”
“The only thing cringe is when you speak Patois,” Jediah countered.“And I don’t beat around the bush, Ari.I know what I want.”
“What do you want?”
“You,” he said, moving the cigar back to his mouth.
Ashari fanned away the fumes, thankful all the kids were gone and didn’t have to see this man, who was a bad influence.“You don’ know me.”
“I’m about to.”Jediah stepped to the side, nodding his head toward the car across the street.“Get in.”
Looking around the restaurant, Ashari was glad she’d worn a nice dress to work.Jediah had asked her if she wanted to change before he brought her here, but she’d declined.They’d been cozying up in the booth for a little over an hour, and he’d managed to dodge most of the questions she’d asked him.His responses to the ones he’d answered were vague.Jediah was only interested in getting to know her.
Her eyes passed over Dimitri, standing by a wall, and the other guards scattered around the entrances to the establishment, before they settled on Jediah.She took a small sip from her alcoholic drink before placing the glass on the table.“You involved in a somet’ing illegal?”
Jediah raised a brow.“Why’d you ask that?”
“No normal somebody don’ walk with a bagga man a tail them.”
“Let’s just say I’m very important.”
She smiled and leaned in.“How important?”
“Important enough for you to have never heard of me unless I wanted you to.”