Page 39 of Almost Paradise

“The happier I am, the brighter my clothes get,” she admitted to me once.

Whoever she’s going out with is not getting the real Nia.

But before she leaves her room, she pulls out a small purse from her closet and my heart sinks. It’s a hot pink clutch. Color is creeping in, and I don’t like that. The purse and its color are more upsetting than the idea of her going out with a man, but maybe I don’t need to be upset. For all I know, maybe she’s going out with Audrey and some other women for a girls’ night out.

I follow her to the front door and watch her tight ass the entire time. With each step, I realize that my heart pounds louder and the blood in my veins has turned ice cold. I’m not delusional. I know she’s not going out for a girls’ night. She’s dressed to go out with a man, and I know he’s on the other side of that door. A man who’s probably as hypnotized by her body as I am, but her body is the least of it. It’s her light and her energy that have haunted me all these years.

She opens the door to a tall, dark-skinned man who’s holding a bouquet of daisies. Her favorite flowers. His eyes light up with an appreciative gleam when he sees her. She spins around for him, and he whistles. I physically restrain myself from punching his face when he pulls her into his body and hugs her.

He holds the flowers to her, and she blushes. I try not to snort at the cheap bouquet, and I manage to succeed. He stares down at her, and I know what he’s experiencing. I’ve felt it too. She’s like a damn witch the way she can hypnotize a man with just her eyes.

I clear my throat, and he looks up and takes notice of me. I stand at my full height, which is taller than him by several inches. He looks from me to Nia for an answer.

“That’s Carter’s father. He’s on his way out,” is all she says. She shoos me as if I’m nothing more than a minor nuisance.

“Let’s put those beauties in some water.” She reaches for the flowers, but he moves them away. He walks past her and heads to the kitchen. It’s as if he’s very familiar with this house. I follow them and get there just in time to see him open a cabinet, pull out a vase that he fills with water, and put the pathetic looking flowers in. He holds them up to her and when she inhales, she looks up and gifts him with a smile that should only ever be for me.

“I’m ready to go.” They return to the front of the house, and he helps her with her coat, all the while admiring her body. I can see the appreciative smile on his face. Fucking asshole.

“I’m Drake Paradise,” I say, interrupting the eye fucking that he was doing to Nia. I don’t miss her dismissive eye roll.

“I’m Jelani Harris.” He shakes my hand, but I notice that he looks me up and down. I do the same to him. “Carter’s a good kid,” he throws in.

That should be a compliment because Carter is a great kid, but hearing it come out of this guy’s mouth is like a punch in the gut.

“You know my son?” I ask him. Nia huffs and narrows her eyes at me.

“Yeah. I’ve known him since he was born. I grew up next door,” he says as if that would explain his familiarity withmyfamily. “I’ve known the Nashes all my life.”

He gives me a friendly smile, but I don’t return it. This man not only knows my son but is familiar with the entire family. He’s comfortable enough to just walk in here as if he owns the place.

“Nia’s never mentioned you to me,” I toss out.

“Let’s go, Jelani.” Nia gives me the side eye. “I’m starving. Don’t make me go in there and cook,” she teases. My nostrils flare when he groans. I cross my arms and lean against the wall to watch them. Jelani puts both hands to his head as if the idea of Nia cooking is unthinkable. He’s right. It’s a horrific thought, and how dare he know such an intimate detail.

“Please, don’t. Remember that time you caused a fire inside the oven?” They both giggle at the memory as if there’s anything funny about a kitchen fire.

“It didn’t catch fire. Whatever I was trying to cook only exploded,” Nia says as if that’s some kind of defense.

“Oh, is that all it was?” I ask, interrupting their little private moment. Her smile disappears, and she frowns when she looks at me. She purses her lips as if I’m a putrid odor.

“Drake was just leaving,” Nia says while looking directly into my eyes, then she turns to the clown in the room and says, “You ready?” She tucks her arm through his, and I follow them out of the house. The cold weather does nothing to cool the fire burning inside of me. If anything, the bitter winds stoke the flames.

My driver steps out and holds the door of the Maybach open for me. Jelani almost misses a step when he sees it. He looks into my eyes, and I stare back at him. I almost wish he’d say or do something so I can take some of this rage out on him.

“Call first next time,” Nia says, dismissing me.

“I called,” I tell her. “Three times,” I add with my jaw clenched.

“And I didn’t answer. That’s not an invitation for you to drop by.” She scoffs and cuts her eyes at me.

I move away from the car and take two slow steps toward her. Jelani whispers something in her ear, and she laughs. It’s one of her carefree laughs. The one she does when she’s unguarded and comfortable. I take another step closer, and she stands tall as if she’s daring me to do something.

“I know some time has passed, Nia, but you seem to forget exactly who the hell I am.”

“Who the hell are you supposed to be?” she snaps. “You’re no one to me. You are of no consequence.”

“Maybe it’s time I remind you,” I whisper.

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