Page 19 of Inadmissible

Tristan

Two Days Later

I felt like something was off with Taj the whole time we’d been texting today.

She said she was okay, but I knew when her responses were off.

I studied the woman to know when she was good, bad, and in between.

I needed to know what to say and do to make her smile, because it was the most beautiful sight to me.

I needed to know when she was sad, scared, or angry so I’d be prepared to handle whatever the problem was.

I knew her brother was used to being her protector, but once we made things official, that would be my job.

So when she sent me another text that seemed abnormal, I couldn’t resist going out to the patio to FaceTime her.

When she answered, she looked at me briefly and gave me a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she pecked away on her computer.

“Hey, angel. You ready for your flight home?” she asked.

We’d come to Atlanta to do the final fitting for our tuxedos. Since everything was everything, they were going to be shipped next week.

“Yeah, look at me.”

She sighed, and I laughed. Yeah, somebody had pissed my sweetheart off. Picking up the phone, she lifted it to her face.

“Yes, baby?”

“Who upset you?”

Her eyes rolled as she shook her head. I thought she was about to deny it, but she didn’t.

“Gregory. He told me I can’t take the week off for the wedding. I can come but just for three days, which sucks because I will have to make two days my travel days and just be there for the wedding. I wanted to tell you face to face when you came back home.”

“Did he give you a reason why?”

“Well, he said it’s because they are implementing a new policy for vacation time. Instead of us being able to use our two weeks how we want, they are limiting the amount of days we can use per quarter. So I can only use three days a quarter.”

“Have you signed something to that effect already?”

“No, but?—”

“Then that shit don’t apply to you. Don’t piss me off, Taj. You know better.”

She smiled, and that time, it was genuine. “Legally I know that, Tristan, but I already took off a significant amount of time last year. I also am barely in the office because I’m with you three days out of the week working on Martin’s deal. I kind of just accepted it to keep the peace.”

“I understand but no. You’ll be with us the full week, and I wish he would try and say no. I will handle it when I get back. I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable doing, and I’ve already peeped the way he talks to you, and I told you I don’t like that shit.”

She massaged her temples and shook her head. “I’m starting to think you’re going to be just as bad as my brother. If not worse.”

“Ain’t nothing wrong with that. I haven’t sat down with your people yet, but your brother is already good in my book because of how he looks out for you.”

“Fine, mister. I will request the full week, only because I don’t want him thinking there’s something between us. I think he already has his suspicions and that’s why he’s been a little moodier than usual. Gregory is smart. There’s a big chance he knows me and Emilia are making moves to leave.”

“That could be the case. I’ll let you handle it, but if he gives you a hard time, promise me that you’ll tell me.”

“I will, angel. I promise.”

“Aight. I’m about to get ready to have lunch with the guys and then we’ll be heading to the airport.”

“Okay. Will I see you tonight?”

“I’d love to see you, honey. Come to my suite. Spend the night with me.”

Her smile shot straight to my dick. “Okay. Just tell me what time you want me to come when you get here.”

“I will. Have a great day, and don’t let him or anyone else stress you out.”

“Yes, sir. Bye, baby.”

“Bye.”

After ending the call, I ordered lunch for her and Emilia to be delivered along with an electronic gift card for my sweetheart’s favorite spa.

I didn’t like the idea of Gregory stressing her out or being petty and childish, so I wanted her to treat herself to a spa day this week.

It took every ounce of discipline I had not to call him and tell him what would happen if he denied her request again, but I chose instead to let her handle it on her own.

But if he tried that shit again, he was gon’ have to see me.

Men like him bullied women because of the perceived power they believed they had.

Taj didn’t seem to share work situations with her brother, or I was sure he would’ve been pulled up on Gregory.

I needed her boss to know she wasn’t alone and that she had a few crazy niggas behind her, because my guys wouldn’t let me handle anything alone though I could.

All I could do was pray it didn’t come down to that, because knowing how Taj had been treated by men in the past had me overly protective of my sweetheart, and I refused to let anyone hurt or disrespect her again.

The Day Before the First Date

“I appreciate you reaching out,” Tyler said as we both got comfortable in our seats. I’d secretly gotten his number from Taj’s phone and asked him to meet me at Puff Cigar Lounge.

“Of course. When Taj told me she cared more about your opinion of the man she’s with more than anyone else, I knew I had to make it happen. We go on our first date tomorrow, and I plan to make things official when we go to Lake Como, so it was imperative that you and I meet.”

We took the time to cut our cigars and order our drinks before the conversation continued with me mentioning, “AK. Wassup with that?”

Tyler laughed before taking a sip of his whiskey.

“I knew that shit was coming.” He rubbed his palms together as he sat up in his seat.

“She told me about what you said to Destin about you knowing how to get away with murder. It reminded me of the show and Annalise Keating, so I told her I’ma call you AK since you a man and shit. ”

Hearing his explanation had a volcano of laughter erupting from my gut. By the time I was done laughing, I had tears in my eyes. I had been trying to figure out why he’d called me that, and that never would have crossed my mind.

“Yo, you’re crazy as hell,” I said as the last of my chuckles escaped me.

“Man, say. When she told me you said that, I was like yeah. He can be around my sister. I already had respect for you from helping her at the hotel that night. I know any nigga can have a noble moment from time to time, but I can tell it’s really in you, not on you.

You seem like a solid dude from what she tells me about you. ”

I told him a bit more about my background to build his trust in me.

I shared that my parents were still alive and married.

Most importantly, in a healthy marriage.

They raised me to be a man of integrity and respect .

. . for myself and others. In exchange, he gave me more understanding on their upbringing and their parents.

“I haven’t told Taj this, but I had to box that mane out last week,” he said, referring to their father.

“I took Ma to his house because she was upset that he’d let the deadline pass yet again without signing the papers.

She’s the one that filed for the divorce and hired the attorney, so every time he doesn’t sign, her lawyer charges her to do the paperwork all over again.

She was so upset I didn’t want her driving, and I was glad I went with her.

“The mane called himself getting in her face yelling and shit about how she didn’t run nothing, and he’d divorce her when he wanted to, if he did it at all.

When she tried to walk away, he grabbed her and yanked her back to him, and that was it for me.

Knocked his ass out with one punch, and I’on regret that shit either. ”

“Was he abusive toward her before that day?”

“Yeah, but we didn’t know until after the fact.”

“Damn. I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m glad your mom decided to finally walk away. I can see how their marriage affected the both of you.”

His head shook as he took a gulp of his whiskey.

“Yeah, Taj more than me. I just detached and decided I didn’t even want to get married.

Her taste in men got worse over the years.

At one point, she was dating an abuser that I beat so bad he left the city.

It’s refreshing to see her with you. You being good for her is good for me, because I don’t have to worry so much.

At one point I was sure one of her exes was going to make me catch a murder charge. On me.”

“I feel that, and I wanna make it clear I’m here to carry the load of being her protector. I know you’ll always be there for her and I’m not trying to stop that, but you can rest now. I got her, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt her—not even me.”

We ended up staying for another hour or so, and by the time we left, we made plans to hang out again. I felt good about the meeting. Not just because it gave me a better understanding of my sweetheart and Tyler’s approval, but also because I gained a new friend.