Page 9

“Praylah, Praylah. I feel like you really fucked up.” Looking him in his eyes seemed to be too much, the intensity and the way he didn’t blink while maintaining eye contact had me shaken. His black dreads hung loosely past his shoulders; they looked like he just had received a fresh retwist.

I blinked once, and when I opened my eyes, he was so close to me that I could smell Wrigley’s Five peppermint gum on his breath.

“Soon, you will end up being a prey of mine, Praylah.” I couldn’t even control myself. That stupid trembling shit I did when I was nervous started to happen. My bottom lip started shaking like it was below zero degrees in the kitchen. Holding onto the mop to keep me grounded, I finally found my voice.

“I’m sorry, sir the restaurant is closed and ummm… you can’t be back here.” Offering me a deranged smirk he grabbed the bottom of my chin and forced me to look right back into his chanting eyes.

“You nervous, but you crazy as fuck like me.” His low rumble of a laugh hit my core. “I think you a lil ditzy as fuck too. I just told you, that I’m making you my prey and you say some other shit that I don’t give a fuck about.” Stepping back from his closeness didn’t make a difference because his thick thumb and index finger held on tighter to my chin.

“I’ll call the police.” Ugh what the fuck was I thinking. “I’m sorry, I don’t want any problems but you’re making me uncomfortable sir.”

“You’re scared?” I nodded my head yes, hoping that he would get the picture.

“No sir, I’m petrified.”

“You like being tied up, don’t you? Shackles at your ankles with those thick thighs spread wide and all that freaky shit.” He bit into his bottom lip and kept it in place. Moving his hand from my chin, his rough fingertips traced over the makeup that I had piled on top of my birthmark.

“I don’t sir.” I spoke above a whisper.

“You keep calling me sir, making my dick hard as fuck. I’m trying to approach you on some grown man shit. I waited until the restaurant closed to get yo fuckin’ number. Now you keep carrying on with all this sir, sir, sir. It’s like you ready for me to take you home and tie you the fuck up.” He smirked and stepped closer; I stepped back. A look of frustration crossed his crazy-looking eyes. He huffed releasing a harsh breath and grabbed me by the waist pulling me close.

“Ahhhh!” I screamed and threw my hands up, only for him to catch my wrist and squeeze tight.

“I like that scary, timid shit. It’s how a prey suppose to feel when its predator is after it. Stop all that fucking screaming, I don’t take pussy, its given to me.” He released me with a slight push.

“Give me yo number, so I can talk to you outside of my place of business and I want to see you without all this clown shit covering your face.” He looked at his fingertips then back up at me accusingly. I felt embarrassed because I probably over did it with the makeup this morning. I was in a rush and really didn’t blend properly so I was sure a lot of my cheap foundation was on his fingers.

I was more stuck on him claiming that this was his business. He was the owner so that meant he was responsible for signing my checks. I licked my lips and fell into my thoughts forgetting that he was standing right in front of me. I was trying to chose my words wisely because I didn’t need my boss feeling compelled to fire me. Why the hell did Era not tell me this? Now it made sense why he was here so much.

He looked dangerous and very deadly, I took one glance at his massive hands and could tell they were made for destruction.

“You own Beastly Cravings?” I wanted to be sure as I stood in disbelief. He probably came just to spy and make sure people were running his five-star establishment like we were supposed to. He shrugged and looked at his fingertips then back up to my face like what I had said wasn’t something to be excited about.

“Yea, its one of my many franchises. Don’t tell anybody around this bitch what you just learned tonight though? You hear me?” I quickly nodded my head as he gave me a mischievous smirk.

“So, give me your number, so we can be out this bitch. It’s late as fuck and since you don’t have a car, I’ll drop you off at home.”

“How do you know that I don’t have a car?” I placed my hand on my hip not feeling scared like that anymore. Sure, it was evident with his approach and the way his eyes seemed to zone out every couple of seconds like he was conflicted about something showed that he was crazy. His crazy ass took a liking to me so now was my turn to not appear like some weak bitch in front of him. I think he took note of the change I was taking and he chuckled lowly, his voice dropping low and a guttural tone.

“My Maserati is the only fuckin’ car out in the parking lot. You ain’t got no car, now all of a sudden you bold but still ditzy as fuck. I don’t really want to ask you for your number again, this shit is crazy.” He mumbled the last part, rubbing his hands through his beard.

“I have a fiancé and a one-year-old daughter, to respect my man and myself I will have to pass on the ride home and giving you my number.” I swallowed down hard and made small eye contact with him as I took in the kitchen. It looked clean enough, so I guess it was time for me to get going. I needed to get far away from this man, I wouldn’t dare disrespect myself or Jarei for that matter no matter how bad our relationship was.

I was determined to get my relationship back on track and tonight was the night, that I planned on laying things out in the open for Jarei and I. I was tired of always holding back and being so timid and scared to speak my mind. If I could face a handsome and big scary man like the one and front of me than I could do the same with my own man.

“We don’t give a fuck.” Finally, he blinked twice like he had realized that he spoke as if it was two of him present. Clearing his throat and leaning against the metal countertop, he shook his head like he was battling with something other then me denying him of my time and attention. The caring side of me wanted to know what was wrong.

“I’m fucked in the head; whole mental be off. My apologies if I’m coming off like a creep and shit. I just think beyond all that shit that you got on your face, you beautiful as fuck. Like you, I don’t know, I feel like I got to get to know you.” It’s like he did a quick three-sixty in front of me. Ignoring the him wanting to get to know me part, I decided to dig deep and ask him some questions.

“What do you mean when you say your mental is off?” I asked softly, not really knowing why I was deciding to be so bold and walk a little closer to him. It felt like I was walking towards danger.

“I’m fucked up in the head, I be hearing shit, well a voice. I already feel like I’m soulless Ma. That voice sometimes sounds like the devil chanting in my ear. Like its constantly on go and want me to be crazier. I don’t even know how to explain that shit. I guess I fed that voice for so many years, its apart of me.” He shrugged his big shoulders then looked off momentarily.

“To be honest, I never expressed this shit to nobody. Something about you though that got me wanting to tell you my whole life. You wouldn’t be able to handle that shit though, if I started from the very beginning, in seconds, you’d be running out the back door.” He chuckled lowly and shook his head.

“Let me take you home, though. You don’t need to be on the bus this late. I know I started off aggressive with you. For some reason that fucking voice in my head is in love with you and don’t want to back down from having you.” He had a need in his voice that made me want to fulfil whatever the need was. Reality was his problems weren’t mine although I could see the emptiness and sadness evident all in his gray sexy orbs.

The logical side of me knew it would be wrong for me to even entertain and try to be close with this man. From what he said, he battled with some mental issues that he needed professional help with. A sane person would never say the things that he had just said. I felt like I connected with him in an instance due to my own mental problems that I couldn’t seem to help at times but forced myself to for the sake of my daughter.