“I’m just asking, cause maybe if you did you would understand why the sales tripled. People must have bought one of her books because they were curious about her, I did too. But trust me when I say I don’t think they kept buying her books just because of me. She is a talented writer,” Bryan said, making Jeff’s lips twitch with an amused smile. He wondered if Bryan realised that he was defending Sonia.
“Still the sales of her books would never have tripled had she not met you. I think you should break up with her before she causes you any trouble. What if she starts blackmailing you or something?” The CEO asked.
“Listen, I understand your concern, but nobody is using anybody. I approached her first after all, so don’t worry about it. Plus Sonia isn’t the type to blackmail anyone,” Bryan said confidently, making the CEO sigh wearily as he walked over to one of the sofas and lowered himself on it in defeat. Bryan was stubborn, so he was going to allow him to do as he pleased, but if he so much as noticed any suspicious move from Sonia, he was going to have to step in and take care of things.
Jeff who had been quietly following the conversation grinned to himself. It seemed like Mia had been right after all. Sonia was gradually getting under Bryan’s skin, and he doubted that Bryan was aware of it. It was amusing to watch Bryan talking about a lady this way.
“When is the production team coming over for us to discuss the details of the show?” Bryan asked, wanting to change the subject. He looked at Jeff with a slightly raised brow when he noticed that Jeff was staring at him with an amused expression on his face as if he knew a secret Bryan wasn’t aware of.
“They are already on their way. When will Sonia be back? Have you both sorted out your love story?” The manager asked curiously.
“Yes, we have. I don’t know when she’s coming back,” Bryan said and glanced at his phone when it beeped with a message notification from the green-eyed witch once again.
“Then perhaps I should make you miss me?” The text read, and the next thing he knew several photos came in at the same time, causing his eyes to widen in surprise when he noticed the different sexy gowns she was wearing in each of the photos. In each of the photos, she struck different provocative poses like she was a model, showcasing her ass and boobs in most of the photos.
The accompanying text read, “I’m having a difficult time picking my dress, and since you said I can’t ask Mia, you are all I’ve got. Which do you prefer?” She asked, and then flooded his inbox with more provacative photos making Bryan groan inwardly when he felt his member twitch between his legs.
Whether she was with him or not, she was trouble to his body and mind.
He quickly typed a response, “None. I don’t like any of them.”
He wasn’t going to be able to think straight or control himself around her if she walked around his house dressed in such provocative clothes. He was bound to make a fool of himself, and then there would be cameras around to capture his madness. So no! He didn’t want any of those clothes.
“What did he say?” Mia asked when Sonia giggled.
“As expected, he doesn’t like any of them,” Sonia said with a grin.
“So you are not taking them?” The sales clerk asked with a worried frown, since she had been excited that Sonia had picked so much clothes.
Bryan was so done for.
“Pack them all. I want all of it,” Sonia said with a wink at Mia, who giggled excitedly, while the sales clerk happily did as she was told.
“Now that we are done with shopping, let’s go get the makeover!” Mia announced.
Matt adjusted the collar of his shirt and looked into the rearview mirror to be sure he looked okay before stepping out of his car. He knew that Candace was probably going to be upset when she sees him, but there was little else he could do. He wanted to see her, and he wanted to talk to her.
The following evening after the private performance she had given him, he had waited at the back area of the club where he knew she would leave through, until he saw her walking out, looking completely different from the lady who had just given him the best lap dance of his life. The wig was gone now, and she was dressed in a faded jeans trouser and white turtleneck top.
He discreetly tailed her to find out where she lives. He had watched as she picked up her little blonde boy who looked like he was seven years old from the nanny’s place, and had then followed them down a couple of blocks to their apartment while watching them talk and laugh.
Seeing the neighborhood she lived in, he could tell that she was earning well from her stripping job to afford it. He watched as they walked over to a white-painted building with a picket fence surrounding the little garden in front of the house. The place looked so homely and one would never guess that the occupant of the house was a sensational stripper.
He had kept asking himself all through the previous evening why he liked her or wanted so desperately to be with her.. He had come to the conclusion that it could be infatuation, or maybe because of his bruised ego at her rejection, or maybe it was because she was very interesting and aroused his senses. Whatever it was, he wanted to get to know her and find out himself without being judged simply because he was a celebrity.
Standing in front of the white oak door, Matt took in a deep breath before raising a hand to rap the knocker on the door. What was the worse that could happen? He was either going to be welcomed or thrown out and even if he was thrown out, he intended to keep visiting her until she gives in to him.
“Mom? There is someone at the door. I think aunt Andy is here,” Matt heard a little boy’s voice from behind the door followed by the patter of his little feet running towards the door before it was pulled open.
He watched as the happy smile on his face transformed to disappointment, “Oh!” He exclaimed when he realized it wasn’t his aunt Andy as he had expected, “Who are you?” He asked cautiously, looking at Matt warily before glancing behind him.
Matt looked at the cute little boy and noticed that the only resemblance between the kid and Candace was the brown eyes and bow-shaped lips. Apart from those the kid looked nothing like his mother.
Matt flashed him a friendly smile when he noticed the distrust in the kid’s eyes, “Hi! I’m Matt, your mom’s friend. What is your name?” Matt asked as he squatted in front of the kid so that they were both at the same eye level, before extending a hand to him for a handshake.
“Jamal…”
Candace who was dressed in a bathing robe, coming towards the door with a towel in one hand and a hairdryer in another hand, stopped halfway when she caught a glimpse of the man talking to her son, “Jam!” She called out sternly.
“Mom,” Jamal said, turning to look at his mother before taking some steps away from the door.
“What did I tell you about answering the door and speaking to strangers?” She asked in a scolding tone, while Matt looked at her as he straightened up.
She looked pretty as usual with her rough wet hair looking like it needed his fingers to comb through them. She looked fresh out of the shower and he wanted to bury his neck in the crook of her neck and drown himself in her scent.
“I’m sorry mom. You were in the shower and I opened the door because I thought it was aunty Andy and I didn’t want to keep her waiting for too long. Besides, he says he’s your friend, so he isn’t really a stranger, is he?” Jamal asked, looking back at Matt, and then to his mom again.
What was he doing here? She thought she had made it clear that she didn’t want anything to do with him, so why did he keep showing up around her? “Go to your room,” Candace ordered in a sharp voice.
“But mom…”
“NOW!” Candace snapped at him, making Jamal run off immediately in what Matt suspected to be the direction of his bedroom.
“How did you know where I live? And what are you doing here?” Candace asked as she hung the towel around her neck and adjusted her bathrobe self-consciously as she tried not to remember the previous evening.
“What do you think?” Matt asked without bothering to step inside the house. He couldn’t do that without her invitation. Although he wanted to talk to her, he also wanted her to invite him first.
“Did you follow me last night? Are you stalking me? Why are you doing all of this? I really don’t understand why you are being so stubborn,” Candace said irritably.
“Me neither. But I would like to find out why if you give me the chance, don’t you want us to?” Matt asked, making confusion flicker in her eyes as she wondered what he was talking about.
“Don’t I want us to what?”
“Don’t you want us to find out why I’m being so adamant about seeing you and talking to you?” Matt explained as he dipped his right hand into the pocket of his trousers while staring at her curiously.
Candace swallowed, “Look, I’m not ready for any of this, so maybe you should leave,” Candace said impatiently as she walked towards the door, wanting to shut it in his face.
“How can you judge me simply because of my career?” Matt asked before she could shut the door in his face, making her scoff.
“Are you really asking me that? We both know the reverse is the case here. No one is judging you, so stay away from me and my son. Don’t ruin the life I have worked so hard to build here,” she warned as she reached out to shut the door again.
“I know who you are!” Jamal exclaimed excitedly as he ran out of his room before his mom could shut the door, making both Candace and Matt glance at the kid curiously.
“You are the bad man in the movie mom watched last night. I thought you died?” Jamal asked, making Matt’s lips twitch in amusement as he knew the movie the kid was referring to
He then glanced at Candace who was no longer meeting his gaze. So she had watched a movie of him before going to bed?
“I thought I asked you to stay in your room?” Candace asked her son through gritted teeth, making the smile on his young face fall.
“Sorry. I got excited when I remembered him,” Jamal said sadly before waving at Matt and turning to return to his bedroom.
“Do you like playing games?” Matt called out to the little boy before he could disappear. He read that the quickest way to the heart of a single mother was being nice to their kids. So maybe if Jamal liked him, he would stand a better chance with Candace.
Jamal turned around, glancing at his mother who was glaring at Matt, before looking at Matt, “I suppose I do,” he said with a small shrug.
“Why are you still standing there talking to him?” Candace asked her son impatiently.
“Thought you said not to be rude to adults? He asked a question so I had to respond, right?” Jamal asked his mother innocently, making Matt’s lips twitch with a smile. The kid was smart. He liked him.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.