Page 22 of Phone On DND
“Your bitch ass baby daddy don’t try to help?” I couldn’t help but ask, and she cut her eyes at me like yeah fucking right. I’d only met the nigga one time, and although he was a bitch, I didn’t think he was that much of a bitch to let his baby mama and kids suffer. The shit had me wishing I’d done more than just knocked him the fuck out. “Don’t trip, I can?—”
“Look, don’t try to beIlyana, Fix My Lifenow, okay. I already told you I don’t need your help.” She glared up at me irritably like I’d done something besides tried to help her stubborn ass, but I knew she was just trying to hide her embarrassment behind that fake attitude. I put my hand ontop of hers and inched closer, already noticing her putting her defenses up.
“Key, baby, I respect you being on your independent shit, and I know it’s probably from you having to do so much on your own, but for the sake of the twins, let me help you out. Shit, if it makes you feel better, you can work it off if you want.” I laughed as her eyes narrowed. “Nah, it ain’t nothing like that. I had to fire my receptionist, so I actually need somebody to fill her spot ’cause I ain’t tryna be dealing with customers like that. I had to do that shit today. Shit had me ready to quit, and I own it.”
Her eyes softened a little, but she still twisted her lips up at me in disbelief. “So you just magically have an open position available?”
“On the guys, I do.” I held my right hand up to God. “Her and the manager had some crazy shit going on while I was out of town, so I let them muthafuckas go. At least if you fill her spot, then I can focus on getting my office redone. It’s a win-win, and you’ll be getting a competitive wage.”
“As a receptionist?”
“Yeah man, shorty was making like five grand a month,” I lied quickly. Tisha’s ass was barely making three thousand, but Keyani wasn’t Tisha. Plus, she had to get on her feet, so she needed the extra money more than anybody. Still, she didn’t seem to believe me, and I could see it all over her face. “It’ll just be temporary until you find another job and, in the meantime, take this and handle these. Consider it an advance,” I said, shoving a wad of cash into her hand before she could object. I folded her fingers around it and kissed them.
“Okay, but I’m going to pay you back, and as soon as I find something else, I’m giving you my notice.” She finally sighed and threw out those petty demands. Even if she did try to give that money back, I was going to figure out a way to return it to her.
“Bet,” I told her, releasing her hand and dropping a kiss on her full lips. “You think you can start tomorrow at nine?” I knew the kids were still out of school, so she’d probably need a sitter, and this shit was short notice. If worst came to worst, I’d pay for her to get a daycare though.
“Yeah, I should be able to do that.”
Relieved, I pulled a business card out of my wallet and handed it to her. “Be here at nine and I’ll meet you there so I can show you around and shit. Come on, so you can lock the door.” She’d been studying the card, but her eyes shot to me fast as hell.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yeah, you’re on dick punishment for trying to keep secrets from your man. You need to get to bed anyway.” She looked less than enthused, but she fought the urge to argue at the risk of sounding like she actually wanted me, and that only had my chest swelling as I headed for the door. Once I crossed the threshold, I tried to lean over for another kiss, but she turned her head, making me grin. “See you tomorrow, bae.”
My soft ass was grinning the whole way home, proud that I’d killed two birds with one stone. Not only would I be spending more time with Keyani now that she was working for me, but it also gave me another way to be in her and the twins’ lives. Shit was definitely a win-win. Instead of going to the bachelor pad, I decided to take my ass to my actual crib, and as soon as I stepped inside, I could smell the cleaning products that let me know my home staff had at least been on their jobs. The head maid, Natasha, was German and ran her crew like a drill sergeant, so I wasn’t even surprised.
Seeing a box in the middle of the foyer table, I started to just wait until the morning to open it, but something told me to do that shit right then, and I was glad that I did. It was an Amazon box, so I thought nothing of it until I reached in to find Raven’shead wrapped in plastic, and I already knew exactly who’d done that crazy ass shit.Damn!
Chapter 13
Keyani
It had been a couple of days since I’d started at Cruz’s detailing shop, and I had to admit I was glad he’d offered me the position. I was able to dress casually, and I basically got paid to sit on my ass and listen to music all day. Coming from two jobs where I had to stay on my feet the whole shift and kiss ass, this was a piece of cake. I couldn’t have been more grateful, especially with my bills paid, it gave me a lot of wiggle room for the twins’ upcoming birthday and school shopping. I’d already calculated that I’d still have plenty of money to plan them a bomb ass party, and I couldn’t wait.
“Damn, you got it smellin’ good as hell in here.” One of the techs named Mario came and sat on the edge of my desk with a cheesy grin. For the most part, all of the guys were respectful, and I figured that had a lot to do with Cruz letting them know not to fuck with me, but Mario always found his way to my desk for some friendly banter. Smiling, I pointed to the strawberry pound cake Bath and Body Works candle I had lit in the corner.
“Yep, they definitely know how to make a good-smelling candle.”
“Shiiit, thanks for bringing that muthafucka!” he chuckled. “I get tired of smelling grown ass men all day. The whole garagesmellin’ like dessert right now, masking them musty niggas’ body odor.”
“See, I’m not even bouta go there with you.” I laughed but made sure not to engage in shit talking. Besides, if I was being honest, he wasn’t the freshest nigga on the clock himself, so he really had no room to talk. He was one of the main reasons I’d brought the candle in the first place.
“You ain’t gotta say it, we all know them niggas—” The bell over the door jingled, alerting us of someone coming in, but before I could get to my greeting, Cruz’s voice filled the empty lobby area.
“The fuck you doing up here? I know damn well you ain’t finished at,” he paused to check the time and returned his heated glare to Mario, “one in the afternoon.” Cruz made it to my desk in a couple quick strides and stood over Mario, who’d jumped to his feet already. He hadn’t been in the office for any extended period of time since I’d started, only popping in here and there to make sure shit was running smoothly. My heart pounded as his scent overpowered my candle. He looked just as good as he smelled too, even dressed casually in a Henley, some dark jeans, and Dunks.
“N-naw boss, just taking a lil’ bathroom break.” The man backed away with his hands up like he thought Cruz was going to hit him, and honestly, I was a little worried about that myself from the way he was looking.
“I hope it’s to take a hoe bath, ’cause you mustier than a bitch! Fuck you sittin’ in her face smelling like that for like shit sweet? Move around before I fire your tart ass!” Normally, I didn’t like seeing people get embarrassed, but a snicker erupted in my throat when he said something about a hoe bath. He’d really done the most with that one, and as soon as Mario scurried to the back, I gave Cruz a pointed look.
“Now why you have to say all that? He’ll probably never speak to me again.”
“Good. His ass shouldn’t be talking to nobody smelling like that, let alone with his ass propped up on your desk.” I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing as he glared down at the mail in his hands. “How shit been runnin’ so far? You good, aside from that nigga burning your nose hairs?”
I lost the fight and cracked up at his sly ass comments. What made it even funnier was that he was dead serious. “Stop it! My nose hairs are fine, and no, no calls today,” I let him know while trying to distract myself with different papers on my desk.
“You talkin’ ’bout you and your nose hairs fine got me looking at you funny, Key baby. I know you smelled it if I did. Shit, his ass smelled that shit too.” He eyed me over the desk like he really believed something was wrong with me, and I rolled my eyes. We’d barely spoken since I started, and I still had a slight attitude about him putting me on dick punishment.
