Page 21 of Love Me in the Light

I held my hand up. “Stop playing with me, Mem. The bar comes to you when you’re in here.” I motioned to my personal waitress to come over to gather any drink and food orders.

As I knew she would, my baby ordered our calamari and crab cakes with an amaretto sour. Sasha ordered wings and a Long Island Iced Tea. Once the orders were made, we all settled in. It was hard to ignore the eyes that I knew were on me from the salty female at the bar. If she kept it respectful, she could continue to stare.

The light music that played throughout the building silenced. Our in-house DJ cleared his throat on the microphone to catch everyone’s attention. My arm that was wrapped around Memoree Layne’s shoulder pulled her into me. My lips kissed her temple.

“Ladies and Gentlemen of Kryptonite Reserve, . . . I killed the music for a second to make a very important announcement and introduction. There is a woman in the building right now who doesn’t need an introduction, but she deserves one. She is a woman who doesn’t need the attention, number, drink, or invitation to dance from any man here. Why? Because she is the woman that Ledger Johnson chose, and she chose that man back. She’s all the things for him . . . his peace, favorite distraction, headache, heart quake, his first lady.

“When she is in the building, she is not a guest. This is her house, just as it is Ledger’s. She is the first lady of Kryptonite Reserve. I want everyone to stand and give it up for the beautiful Miss Memoree Layne. Fellas, admire respectfully, please. Ledger and his crazy-ass best friend are still in the building.”

After the short introduction, everyone in the building stood to their feet and applauded. I stood then reached my hand down to my baby. I knew she was embarrassed by the reddish hue of her face. She still took my hand. When she stood, I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her neck. Yeah, the announcement was necessary. I needed everyone to know who the fuck my baby was. I’d give it another two months before we did a formal photoshoot to announce her as the first lady in a much more public manner.

People came over to the section to introduce themselves. She shook hands with businessmen and women, government officials, and million and billionaires. Before she came, I told her to make sure she brought business cards with her. The lounge would be closed next week for lighting renovations. I told everyone that once they came back in, they would understand why I closed it for improvement.

She leaned into me. “I see why you told me to bring my business cards. I didn’t realize you were going to be The Lighted Layne’s hype man.” She tittered.

“You damn right I am. We are both going to be successful by our own merit as well as together.” My finger went under her chin to lift it so I could kiss her lips.

“Ledger, I get it. I didn’t realize you liked white women,” a sharp female voice said. I knew it was Melissa, but I wanted to believe it wasn’t.

Memoree Layne’s head snapped in the direction of Melissa. She sized her up, then smirked before her body turned to face her. “Hi, and you are?”

Melissa was too good for this interaction that was about to take place. She was the vice president of a fucking bank. Not a vice president, but the vice president. Melissa was a gorgeous woman with brown skin that was kissed by the sun. With all that being said, she took absolutely nothing away from my baby. No woman ever would or could.

Melissa looked my baby up and down in the most disrespectful manner. “My name is Melissa Dandridge. I am who Ledger played with before you came along. Seeing you makes sense as to why he never wanted to take us seriously. Had I known he was a fan of white cat, I would have stepped to the side a long time ago.”

Cole snickered behind us before he let out a quiet but audible wow. Yeah, she was doing way too fucking much. I hoped she felt that this little exchange was worth it for her. She wouldn’t like the outcome.

Before I could respond, Memoree Layne held her finger up. Her head slowly turned toward me. I didn’t see anger in her expression. Frustration, yes, but anger, no. She told me that she had it.

“Miss Dandridge, it’s actually nice to meet you. Ledger has told me quite a bit about you. One thing I can agree with him on is that you are beautiful in appearance, but your attitude leaves much to be desired, so that may be one of the reasons he never wanted to take you seriously. Let’s clear up a few things. I know that you know, just like everyone else in this room knows, that I am not a white woman. What are we, six? You have lived long enough to have seen in person, on television, or heard of albinism,” she said before she crossed her arms over her chest.

Melissa started to say something, but my baby held her finger up again. “I’m not finished . . . The children speak after the teacher. Now, you made the statement that you are who Ledger played with before me. I find that sad that you knew you were being played with and got up every day, still willing to be a contestant in the game. See, the difference between me and you is that this nigga never played with me. He knew from day one that I was the fucking prize.”

Welp, that does it. I love her ass. It could happen that fucking fast. Memoree Layne was a woman who would not allow anyone to treat her badly. I loved that for me, her, and us.

The Audacity of a Dumb Ho . . .

The situation was so unfortunate for Miss Melissa Dandridge. I thanked God that I had never been dick dumb. I already had the whole albino thing that people thought worked against me. I didn’t need the additive of being a ditzy bitch.

Ledger told me all about this woman. He never told me that she was a dummy, and I would never have picked that up, based on what he told me her profession was. She was the vice president of a major financial firm. For a Black woman, that was a major deal. Now, here she was, like a common gutter snipe, as my mother would have called her.

Renee Smith taught my sister and me that you don’t argue over a man. This exchange, in my head, wasn’t an argument. See, I had a right to make it understood what belonged to me. It was clear that Miss Dandridge knew what the deal was, but she just didn’t like it. That wasn’t mine nor Ledger’s problem.

“See, the difference between me and you is that this nigga never played with me. He knew from day one that I was the fucking prize.” I paused to allow my words to seep into her soul. “I have a bit of advice for you while you are looking for a new cigar lounge to call home. Don’t ever get comfortable enough with a man that’s not yours to think you can say anything about his moves.”

Sasha giggled. “Checkmate, ho.” She covered her mouth and took a step back when my eyes threw daggers her way.

When I turned back to Melissa, her face was torn up. “Wait. What do you mean, while I’m looking for a new cigar lounge home? You have no authority to revoke my membership. That power only lies with the owner. I swear, chicks get with a man that has something and automatically think it’s theirs too.”

Ledger cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m going to cut in right here.” Both of his hands went into his slack pants pockets. “Melissa, you were here for the announcement that was made not even twenty minutes ago, so I know you heard him say that Memoree Layne was the first lady of this establishment. The first lady has all the power and authority that I, the owner, have. Why? Because she owns my heart, mind, and this dick, so by extension, she owns everything else I own.”

There went that drooling between my legs. My pussy lips had absolutely no manners. With a mischievous smirk, I looked up at my man. “Have you ever fucked in your club before, baby?”

My voice wasn’t loud, but I was sure Miss Dandridge had heard me. If she didn’t hear me, she was in my mouth enough to read my lips. When her eyes bucked a little, I knew that she indeed heard my question.

Ledger’s arm went around my waist before he dropped his mouth to my ear. “Stop fuckin’ playing with me, Mem. I’ll take you in my office and fuck some melanin back in you.”

My head bucked back, eyes tightened, and head tilted. Did he really just say that? He did! My laughter came from the soul. I loved that he felt comfortable enough around me to joke about my condition. Earlier this week, he made a comment about my low eyes, and that didn’t mean that he would tolerate me acting like I didn’t see his calls and not pick up.