Page 20 of Love's Most Wanted

“I do. The units go up to three bedrooms, but they’re all taken. Unless you want me to put a muthafucka out, which ain’t no problem, love.”

Was he serious? He didn’t laugh and I heard no smile in his tone, so maybe he was.

“No, of course not. A studio, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s a luxury building, but it ain’t gon’ compare to the shit you in right now,” he stated the truth.

The apartment I was in currently had three bedrooms and even an office. It was extremely nice, but I wasn’t about to be choosey right now. A studio was perfectly fine for a childless, single woman.

“It’s luxury, huh? How much?”

“Free.”

“No, Unique. I need to pay just like any other tenant would.”

“Any other tenant would be able to live there for free,” he retorted, making me scoff and chuckle slightly.

“Unique, it’s important to me that I pay for my own things. While I appreciate you trying to help me, if you can’t rent it out to me, then I can’t take it.”

“Oh, you one of them, huh?”

“One of what?”

“SBWs. Strong black women.”

“I’m working on it, yes.” I giggled. “That’s a problem?”

“Nah, I fuck with it. Every black woman ain’t like that, though, only certain ones. Remind me of my mama, though, so I can dig it.”

I simpered softly at his comment, glad he wasn’t one of those niggas who equated a black woman’s strength to her being manly or lacking femininity.

“Well good. So is there a price on the studio, or shall I look elsewhere?”

“It’s gon’ run you ’bout… five hundred.”

“Unique.”

“Kabrina. It’s a studio, and it’s five hundred dollars to rent. Have my one thousand for first and last in half an hour when I pull up or it’s yo’ ass.” He hung up on me, making my jaw slack as I snickered subtly.

I finished getting dressed, having brushed, flossed, and used mouthwash prior to showering. So by the time I was spritzing on my Another 13 perfume, Unique was knocking at my door.

“How did you get up here? You have to be on the list.” I answered the door, adjusting my purse with my free hand.

“I’m famous.” He shrugged nonchalantly. I could tell he wasn’t saying it to be braggadocios or cocky. It just was what it was.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to move up out of here then.” I grinned as he shook his head, turning to start back down the hallway toward the elevator.

We climbed into our own cars, and I followed him to the apartment building in West Hollywood, despite him supplying me with the address prior.

I nodded as I got out of my car because it was a very nice place, and I didn’t know why I was so surprised or taken aback by Unique owning it.

When we walked in, the woman at the front desk spoke to Unique with a lot of airiness and flirtatious eyes, making me roll my own on the low. He kept it cool, though, not engaging too much. It was obvious she had a crush on this six-foot-four chocolate nigga. Who didn’t?

“Aight, so, this is it. It’s brand-new, and you’d be the first to live in it since most people pass on this unit, preferring more space and shit.” He hit the lights as he talked.

The studio was spacious but small at the same time, with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side that let a lot of natural light in. This was just the amount of space I needed.

“This is nice, Unique. What made you buy the building?”