Page 26 of Emani's Way

Me: Wear whatever you want babe… You’ll be gorgeous either way.

Sugar: ??

Me: ?? lol don’t be mad…wear something sexy. I’ll be there at 8.

Sugar: K… see ya later. ??

My face splits into a massive grin at the thought of the sexy dress she might wear. We’ve been taking it slow since we officially started dating, but I can tell Emani is getting more comfortable the more we get to know each other. I can’t wait until she completely lets down her walls.

“What, or should I say, who has got you grinning so wide?” Jasper sits down in front of me with a goofy smile on his face.

“You already know. But what I want to know is who you ran off to talk to?” I question, turning the tables on him.

Jasper thinks he’s slick. He always wants to be in my business but never wants to tell me what’s going on with him. I can tell that something is up with him. He hasn’t been his usual playful self. And it’s unusual for him to step out and take a call from anybody, and I know it was a woman by the way he was grinning. Jasper doesn’t care about his conquests like that.

“A woman that finally has my attention.” He smiles, and it makes me pause.

“You finally found somebody to put up with your shit?” I raise my brow, waiting for his answer.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that. Hell, she hardly puts up with me at all. But I’ll wear her little ass down eventually.” Jasper has a crazed look in his eyes, and I believe whoever he has set his sights on is going to be in for a challenge.

***

I was entirely too wound up for my date tonight. After my drinks with Jasper, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being followed. I didn’t see anybody, but there is something in the air that has me feeling cautious. I don’t know how to explain it, but my gut is telling me to keep my wits about me. The feeling makes me think about the unexpected visit from my mother the other day. She popped up out of nowhere, catching me at work. I guess she got tired of being sent to voice mail.

“Maddox, I shouldn’t have to come here just to see you. I’ve been calling you for weeks!” My mother’s shrill voice is loud and dramatic.

“I’ve been busy, Elizabeth. What is it that you want now?” My voice is calm even though my irritation level is at its limit.

“Don’t you dare call me by my first name when you call that woman your mother!” Elizabeth screams, her face turning beet red.

“Keep your voice down. This is a place of business. Get to the point, or I will have you escorted out. And you know I will.” I raise an eyebrow in challenge, and she huffs and takes a seat.

My mother and I have had a contentious relationship since she came back into our lives when we were thirteen. She abandoned us when we were toddlers, not a phone call or a letter for years. Then, when she finally came back, she was cold, manipulative, and controlling—the exact opposite of my stepmother, Sarah.

“I want you to talk to your father about giving me back my shares in the firm. After all, it was my family money that got him started.”

The woman is delusional. “Elizabeth, I don’t have time for this. I have a meeting with a client.”

“Maddox! I’m your mother! But if you won’t do as I ask… I always get what I want.” An evil gleam was in Elizabeth’s blue eyes as she stood, straightened her dress, and smoothed her hair down.

The woman flew in like a hurricane, yelled about foolishness, and then left.

Thoughts of my mother vanish as I pull up to Emani’s house, and the street is quiet as usual. But I do notice a dark colored car sitting a few houses down. However, when a person wearing a hoodie gets out and starts up the driveway of the house the car is parked in front of, I dismiss it. I’m just glad that there aren’t any cars in Emani’s driveway this time. At least I know I won’t be ambushed by her parents and ex this time.

I have been looking forward to taking out Emani tonight since we made the date yesterday, so I damn near run to her door. We’ve been spending a lot of time together and it gets harder and harder to leave her.

After ringing the doorbell, it only takes Emani a second to open the door. I can tell by the bright smile and twinkle in her eyes that she’s happy to see me. She steps back inside, and I stalk toward her. I never take my eyes off her as I shut the door behind me. Neither of us says anything as we stare at each other.

We both step forward at the same time, and our lips smash together in a furious cloud of passion. Who needs to breathe when kissing this woman is life itself.

“Fuck, Sugar. Kissing me like that is going to get you in a whole lot of trouble.”

“Mmmm, but you are the best kind of trouble,” Emani purrs.

I swear this woman is going to make me lose my mind. I want to take her right up against this wall.Fuck going out, I’d rather eat her for dinner.

I lick my lips at the thought and Emani smirks. We’ve spent so much time together lately that I know that she knows what I’m thinking. Even though we haven’t had full-blown sex again, please believe I have licked and sucked every part of her body that she’ll let me touch.