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Chapter Forty-Seven

LA LEALTá

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

As Cyro parked the SUV, Jazzy’s light brown eyes glanced out the tinted window. She was running a little late when she arrived at La Lealtá, but it was definitely intentional. She had finally given Cameron a chance to take her out, but she didn't plan on it being a typical date where he thought he would sweep her off her feet.

For one, she suggested he take her to a restaurant that she practically owned. Secondly, she was about thirty minutes late because she had Cyro circle the block a few times just to keep Cameron waiting and to allow Cyro to make sure she was completely safe.

"You okay here, Ms. Barrette?" Cyro asked.

Jazzy let out a deep breath before nodding. It wasn't like this was her first date or anything. Tonight just felt different. She for sure wasn't going to get in over her head, but no matter how much she pushed Cameron away, he seemed to become even more attracted to her. She liked that about him.

"Yeah, Cy. Thank you." She smiled as he climbed out of the car to assist her out. Placing her hand into his, she stepped out of the vehicle with her bag in her other hand. "Remember, Cyro. Don't mention any of this to Priest. If he asks, tell him we went to the club," she coached Cyro once more.

Cyro, who wasn't comfortable lying to Priest about his sister's whereabouts, had a look of hesitation on his face that replaced the usual unapproachable mug he usually wore. "If he asks, I'll direct him to you," he said.

Jazzy stale faced Cyro before rolling her eyes. "Fine," she muttered defeatedly. "I appreciate it, Cy. I'll call you when I finish here."

Cyro nodded. "I'll be out here waiting," he assured her before getting back into the vehicle.

Jazzy chuckled at the thought of how seriously Cyro took his job. Whenever he was around, he literally never let her out of his sight. She waved goodbye to him, and he responded with a simple curt nod of his head. Jazzy entered the doors of La Lealtá with a smile on her face as everyone greeted her. She really hadn’t been around much since she had spent most of her time in Paris, but that didn't stop Priest from giving everyone the rundown on how she was to be treated when she came through. Priest nor Jazzy expected to be put on a pedestal, but if requests were made, they were to be granted.

The wait for a table at La Lealtá was usually pretty long during the evening, but Jazzy was handled with care and appointed to her requested table in the beautifully decorated outside portion of the restaurant. As she was ushered to the table, she could see Cameron sitting, glancing at his watch, anticipating her arrival. At the sight of her, he politely stood up from his seat.

"You look gorgeous," he complimented Jazzy as the two shared a light hug.

"‘Preciate that, Cameron," she thanked him as he pulled out the chair for her to take a seat. Underneath the glowing lights that flowed through the outside dining area of La Lealtá, Jazzy's golden skin radiated. Tonight, she kept things simple and natural as her hair flowed down her back in its natural curls, and her makeup was minimal. She graced her body with a couture silk dress she purchased straight from the runway during Fashion Week the year before.

"Can I start you two off with anything? Wine, champagne?" the server asked with a warm smile.

Cameron’s eyes trailed from Jazzy to the drink menu that was presented before him. "We will have—" he began, causing Jazzy to screw up her face in distaste.

"Excuse me?" she interjected, causing Cameron's eyes to ascend from the drink menu to her. "We won't be having anything. I didn't ask you to order for me," she corrected him with a screwed face.

Cameron cleared his throat before licking his lips as a tactic to keep him from clenching his jaw. "My fault," he apologized with another one of his charming smiles that put his dimples on full display.

"Yeah, it is," Jazzy said while nodding her head. "Anyway, I'll have the coconut milk mojito." She turned her head to smile up at the server as she handed in the drink menu. "And separate checks, please."

"That won't be necessary." Cameron shook his head, not liking the fact that Jazzy was attempting to pay for her half of the outing on her own.

Jazzy’s orbs shifted from the server, who was standing in the midst of their awkward interaction, to Cameron. "Let's leave here tonight not expecting anything from each other," Jazzy encouraged. "The checks will be separate.”

"You can't think I'm gonna let you pay for your own dinner when I'm the one who asked you out." He shook his head.

"You gonna sit across from me wasting the night arguing about who's paying for what, or are you gonna save our server from feeling awkward by allowing her to do her job and take your order?" She presented the ultimatum with a smirk.

Cameron cleared his throat once more. At this point, he felt like Jazzlyn was toying with his masculinity. She was grappling the reins in her hands and taking charge. He didn't like that one bit. It was making her unattractive. The fact that she could just so comfortably challenge him in front of others disgusted him. However, it wasn't about to repel him. The stronger she played to be, the more enjoyable it would be for him to finally break her down to the nothingness of her innocence.

He masked his clear irritation with a smirk. He then detached his eyes from Jazzy and placed them into the server. "I'll have the Moscow mule," he finally ordered before handing in his drink menu.

The server assured them their drinks would be right up before leaving them to decide what food they would be indulging in for the night. "You were really gonna order a Moscow mule for me?" Jazzy scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"Actually, I was gonna start us off with wine," he corrected.

"I ever told you I liked wine?" she asked him as she glanced up from her menu to eye him.

Cameron licked his plump lips while shaking his head. "All women do, though."

Jazzy was amused by how stereotypical he believed her to be. "Again, who raised you?" She tilted her head to the side.

Cameron chuckled before running his hand down his face. "You’re impossible to please," he countered.

She shrugged with an amused smirk on her face. "Maybe you're just not doing it right."

"Teach me," he urged her, willing to put in the effort and work to get her to the point of ease.

Jazzy couldn't help but find Cameron amusing. He seemed clueless for the most part, but that didn't turn her away. It made her feel bad for him, actually. She couldn't imagine how many weak bitches he'd messed with before her. That just had to be torture! There was no excitement when dealing with a female who let you do as you pleased with her. He was finally getting the excitement and entertainment she just knew he craved.

"I shouldn't have to do your mother's job," she said to him.

"Just as I shouldn't have to do your father's job," he fired back.

Jazzy laughed. "Nigga, please," she waved him off.

Cameron shrugged. "I'm serious. You really don't know how to let a man lead.”

"Is that what you want, to lead?"

"Is that not what any man wants?"

"To a certain extent. Only the weak ones obsess over it," she clarified just as their drinks were being placed in front of them.The two halted their conversation to order their food.

"I have to disagree." Cameron shook his head, resuming the conversation.

"If you have to find strength for yourself in treating your girl like a young child, then you’re weak," she concluded.

"Women should just let men be men," Cameron went on to say.

"And what goes into being a man?" She furrowed her brows together.

"Y'know, taking charge, taking care of home," he listed.

"I don't mind a man who does that," Jazzy clarified. "However, if I wanted to be bossed around and disciplined for having my own mind and wants, then I would have just dated my father." Her response drew a laugh out of him since it was clear they would never see eye to eye.

She wasn't too amused by it, though, since she stood by what she said. "Cameron, if you think for one second I'm gonna be some push over girl who lets you be a man," she lifted her hands, putting finger quotations around the word man, "you're sadly mistaken. If you want to have control, go have a child or get a pet."

Cameron eyed Jazzy. A part of him wanted to put an end to this whole thing due to her being so persistent about taking control, but he couldn't fight his attraction to her. She was different. She wasn't vulnerable. She didn't need him.

Their food was placed before them. He watched as Jazzy prayed over her food before indulging in it. She wasn't going to force him into praying over his food since she wasn't sure whether he was religious. Jazzy, who thought she was being very respectful by doing so, was unaware that she once again rubbed Cameron the wrong way. He thought he should’ve been the one to lead the prayer. After all, he was the man.

Dinner continued, and fortunately, the two stayed away from the heavy conversations they were having prior. Instead, they were spending time getting to know each other.

"How long have you been single?" Jazzy asked him with a light smile.

Cameron chuckled before letting out a sigh, his mind instantly traveling to his wife and daughter he had at home. "Just a few years," he lied to her as he rubbed his hands over the thighs of his jeans, feeling his wedding band that he stuffed into his front pocket. "You?"

Just as Jazzy was about to respond to him, his phone went off, and she lost interest in telling him how long she had been single. Instead, she eyed him, observing how well he handled his phone going off in front of her. Cameron glanced down at the screen, realizing that it was his wife, Avery, calling.

"Answer it," Jazzy urged him.

He chuckled while silencing the call and shook his head. "It's not important." He proceeded to sit the device down on the table.

"Looks to me like it is important." She pointed at the phone, which began ringing once more. "Answer it."

Cameron licked his lips before glancing down at his still ringing phone. "You answer it," he offered with a shrug.

She laughed while shaking her head. "You're not my man," she reminded him.

"Consider it as you doing me a favor," he bargained.

"One of your clingy hoes?" Jazzy hiked her brow up at him.

He let out a laugh before shrugging. "You can say that."

She reached over the table, grabbing the phone. She answered the fourth call that had come in, placing it on speaker.

"Cameron, where are you?" Avery sighed tiredly, frustration webbing her voice. Hearing the tone in her voice immediately stripped away all the amusement Jazzy had prior to answering the phone. She planned on telling the woman that Cameron was busy on a date with her, and he would call her once they wrapped up, but she just couldn't. Jazzy wouldn't want anyone doing that to her, so she just hung up and handed the phone back over to Cameron.

A smirk plastered his face as he eyed Jazzy with a smug look. She seemed shaken. "I found your weakness," he told her as he turned his phone off completely before sliding it into his pocket.

"Weakness?" Jazzy rolled her eyes.

Licking his lips, Cameron's orbs seared into hers as he nodded confidently. " Competition ."