Page 46 of Cause When You Love Someone
“I guess I have to let you go.” The brat huffed. “Are we still meeting for dinner at your place tonight?”
“I’ll never tell you a lie.”
“I believe you.” I watched her tongue sweep across her bottom lip before she peeled open the white robe that swallowed her body. “That’s why you get all of this.”
“Damn. We may have to skip dinner. I want to eat you.”
Right as I entered the lobby, Durk groaned like I soiled his ears. “Eww! This is a place of business. Go back outside with that shit. Nasty nigga.”
Clarke snickered at his outburst as she waved goodbye, then ended the call.
“About time you made it inside.” Durk spoke. “I thought you planned to sit in the parking lot forever.”
“And you were a loyal dog and waited for me by the door. Good boy.”
His fists smashed into my chest before I could step out of the way.
“Fuck you,” he spat out. “Bring your ass. We’re already late for the meeting.”
“We?”
“That’s what I said. Y’all are working with folks with deep pockets. I could use the money to open my next shop.”
We entered the meeting area right as Shiloh walked to the front of the room. He gave us a sharp stare like a teacher silently scolding tardy students, but he continued to address the other men in the room.
Less than five minutes after I sat down, my phone was flooded with risqué pictures of the superstar I liked to put my mouth on. The more messages she sent, the more disengaged I became from the meeting.
“The latest contracts have been sent to those selected for the jobs. If you didn’t receive any paperwork, you’ll have something in your email by Thursday.”
I glanced up, hearing the office chairs slide across the hardwood floor.
“Oh, shit,” I mumbled as everyone except Durk and Shiloh dispersed. “The meeting is over already?”
“Already?” Shiloh chuckled. “I been up here for forty minutes. I started to snatch that fucking phone out of your hand for being a rude nigga.”
I placed my phone face down on the table like the damage wasn’t already done. “My bad, Shiloh. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
“I know, and that’s why I left you alone. I’ve been around you for a long time, and I have never seen youthisred in the face over a woman.” Shiloh sat back and smiled proudly. “I still can’t believe you started messing with your client. I would expect that from Durk or Loso, but not you.”
“Yeah. It came out of nowhere, but I like her. A lot.”
“Then you know you need to quit.”
I nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it.”
I knew Shiloh wanted me to quit because our situation was a conflict of interest, but conversations I had with Clarke made me reconsider my decision about Eshu’s Shields altogether. My savings account allowed me time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, yet my thirst for money had me in limbo.
A hearty laugh erupted from Shiloh, invading my thoughts. “All that zoning out is probably why I received complaints about you.”
“You can’t be serious. From who?”
“Your girlfriend’s mama. She called twice. Once when you and the princess went missing, and again last night.”
“That woman needs to find something else to do besides hover over her daughter. Clarke isn’t perfect, but her mama is her biggest hater.”
Durk lifted a brow. “And you’re her saving grace?”
“I think she’s mine.”
