Page 11 of Seek & Destroy

“Did you love her at all?”

“I wanted to. Charlene was a beautiful woman, but her need to be with other men was overbearing. She would constantly lie to me and try to butter me up whenever I asked her if she was sleeping around on me. After a while, I just gave up and moved on with my life.”

I picked up my glass of wine and took a big gulp.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure you were hurt.”

“Not hurt. Just disappointed. But enough of that. Why areyousingle?”

“I don’t know. I guess I haven’t found Mr. Right yet. Just a bunch of Mr. Right for the Moments.” I lied. I was still on the fence about him, so I kept my reply vague.

“Well, I’m hoping to change that,” he said as he stared at me with those beautiful bedroom eyes. I cleared my throat and diverted my eyes to the stage at the woman with the guitar in her hands.

“We shall see,” I all but whispered.

The music began to play as the woman, who I now knew as Kindred, began to serenade us with her sultry voice.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Esa. I’m not looking for a cheap thrill. I want a love that will last a lifetime and stay solid so that our children and grandchildren can look at us and admire the love that we exude. I may be speaking too soon, but I see that with you. I’m not trying to scare you off, so I hope that this won’t be the last time I see you. I’m just trying to paint the image of what I want.”

“That sounds beautiful, Kwame, but how do you know you want that with me? Do you see something in me that gives you that type of vibe?” I asked.

He was starting to scare me, but for some reason, I started to entertain the picture he had painted. It was one of the most beautiful paintings I had ever seen.

“I see a woman who is afraid to love. I don’t know who hurt you, but I’m willing to put in overtime to fix what he’s broken. I’ll take the broken parts of you and create a masterpiece for the world to see what a gem you are. Don’t ever believe you’re unworthy of having love, Esa. The person that I see beyond that wall you have built up is just a gentle lion deserving of love.”

I was speechless. I knew Kwame was a different breed, and being the woman that I was, I wanted to see just how far I could go with him. Smiling, I turned my attention back to the stage.

For the rest of the evening, we had good conversation with him finding some kind of way to touch me. By the end of our date, we headed back to his place.

“This house is beautiful. Do you own it?” I asked once he pulled into the long driveway.

“Everything I have I own. God blessed me with parents who could afford to give me a legacy. Although I own everything, I’m very humble and appreciative of my wealth.”

“I love that.”

He smiled at me then turned off the engine.

“Come on. Let me give you a tour.”

He got out of the car and came around to my side to open my door. I stepped out and followed him, looking around at the green pastures of his property. Marc’s home was similar to this, but clearly, Kwame’s was bigger. We walked inside, and I was in total awe of the place. It looked like something that belonged inBetter Homesmagazine with its high ceilings and modern décor.

“Wow. It looks even better inside. One day, I want to own a home like this.”

“I’m sure you will. I have faith in you.”

I blushed slightly as he led me into the sitting room. Kwame poured us some Casamigos then took a seat next to me on the couch.

“So, what is it that you do exactly?” I asked.

“Mostly investments. I have shares in our home team, McDonald’s, and a few nightclubs with Tropicana being one of them. I like to invest in things I know will bring a return.”

“Tropicana is nice. I like the vibe of it.”

“My best friend owns Tropicana, and although he has a little gambling problem, I know he will make sure I have my money at the end of the day.”

“Do you really believe that? People with addictions tend to fall short. Can you trust him?”

“Of course, I can, and if there ever comes a time when I can’t, I have no problem with pulling out.”

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