AllFreeNovel
Share Us
14
Seth
Two Days Later
“What's up man? I've been at your door for the past twenty minutes and I called so many times, voicemail kept popping up to leave a message.” Justin declared.
“Yeah. How did you find me?” I asked as I poured some drink into a glass I got from the mini house bar for him.
He threw a worried glance at me and took a straightened posture on the couch he sat. “I went to the office and your secretary told me you left a little after noon, called the club too with the same talk of you being away so I thought to check up on you here. Is there a problem?”
“Oh no, no, no. There's no problem.” I said flatly, hoping he doesn't push but I knew it wouldn't work when he resumed talking again.
“You've been avoiding the club for days, Jane is worried you're becoming neglectful. Plus, I saw Ashley at the mall with some guy yesterday. What's up with the both of you?” Justin bombarded me, and I knew he wouldn't rest till he got his answers.
“Well, we went our separate ways.” I Gave him the bare details. I didn't think it necessary to aggravate him with the entire story or the embarrassing part of what Ashley stole from me.
I had found the whole place ransacked that night I returned home and a note where she boldly advised me not to look for the 1.5 million dollars I kept in my safe, saying gibberish about it being her pay off money. I stopped wondering how she managed to know the code and changed the whole lock into a new one. There are things a man doesn't just know sometimes.
“But I thought you guys were cool with each other.” He stated his observation as he received the glass I was handing him.
“Nah... Forget about Ashley.” I said with a wave of my hand to complement how unimportant I thought the whole discussion about her was.
“Then what is this whole thing about you hiding from the world?”
I winked at him as I took a sip from my glass instead of proffering the answers he waited for.
“How's the club since you last saw it?” I enquired, trying to change the subject of discussion even though I already knew what the answer was. Jane was reliable, and I knew I could count on her to keep the place running even though I decided to stay away for a full year. Not just Jane, but my employees that managed the other businesses I owned within and out of Virginia.
Justin eyed me suspiciously as he pushed the glass out of his mouth. “Hold on, hold on! Don't tell me this is all because of that black singer of yours.” His expression automatically changed from that of worry to intrigue. There's no way he'd let me be now that his suspicion was aroused.
“Well, partly.” I said in a factual tone and turned to glance out the window.
“What do you mean, man?” Justin asked.
“My mind has been occupied with thoughts of her, I don't know man.” I vented my frustration to him in the few words I thought could really delineate my feelings and how confused I was.
I turned to face Justin. “No that's not who I am. I'm no fucking quitter, I muttered, running my hands over my face. I haven't been able to sleep well. I tossed and turned most nights with Khadejah weighing heavily on my mind. “I think I need a drink or maybe a dozen. Slowly I lifted my gaze back to Justin. The thought of getting drunk might help me quit from thinking and aching for Khadejah.
“Drinking never solved problems dude. I think you are running scared. You are afraid for the first time in your life a woman will turn you down.”
“You're fucking right I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'm not good enough for Khadejah. Hell, she deserves better than me but that doesn't stop me from wanting to make her mine.
“Seth, don't tell me you're giving up that easy? Even if Khadejah does deserve better,” Justin added but he has a teasing glint in his eyes. “Seriously, you’ve changed since you met Khadejah. You deserve a good woman in your life.”
“I love her man. I fucking love her. I can see a future with her, kids, a home. You know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I got it,” my friend grinned from ear to ear. “Then what are you waiting for man? Go get your woman before it's too late.”
“If only it were that easy; things happened, and I need to repair the damage.
“Then do what you have to do to fix things. You’re the CEO of you own businesses for fucks sake.”
I would have my time alone with Khadejah. I would make her listen to me. Maybe not tonight but before tomorrow ends, I promised myself she would be mine again. Until then I had to get to the Lounge and handle business.
I could easily decipher the sound I heard emanating from the inner walls of the Diamond Class Lounge as I stepped into the dim lit building. I looked around once more to see if there was anything out of place, but all was very much intact, like I left it and still expected it to be. I was glad that what I boasted to Justin about my employees being competent and reliable held true. I smiled inwardly and nodded my head in satisfaction.
“Good evening, Mr. Redding,” Randy greeted as he held the door ajar for me to go in.
