Throwing my stuff onto the passenger seat, I squinted my eyes as I glanced over at her. This girl really was slow if she thought she was coming anywhere near my dick.
“Tamar, baby… you’re too pretty to be out here freaked out about some dick,” I told her straight up as I closed my door. “Find another nigga to play because Skip ain’t it.”
This girl had the nerve to look hurt as she dropped her head and made her way down the sidewalk. Glancing back at Wild’s store, I shook my head at this nigga with his face on the glass, watching our interaction. Giving him my middle finger, I hopped into my ride and wasted no time zooming down the street.
Making my way home, I thought about the encounter with Tamar and laughed. This is the shit I was talking about when I told Mimi I don’t take these women seriously. A hoe will be ahoe in any setting, and I don’t mind treating them as such. The thing is, to keep from killing them when the deed is done, I leave well enough alone. Thoughts of Mimi made me realize I haven’t talked to her in a while. While I’m not used to having friends of the opposite sex, I wasn’t the type to just reach out to her for no reason. Noemi was an engaged woman now, so I respected the invisible boundary that now resided between us.
She’d call me when she wanted to talk. Until then, I’d take my ass home. If I decided to get my rocks off later, it would be with a woman of my choosing, not one that’s obviously trying to get chosen.
“Good evening,Mr. Gourneau. Thank you for joining us. If there is anything I can do to assist you, please don’t hesitate to find me.”
With my arm looped around Chandler’s and a champagne flute to my lips, I rolled my eyes as the hostess batted her thin lashes at him. He tried his hardest to seem as if the notion didn’tfaze him, but I knew the real. He was mentally figuring out what he could move around within his schedule to meet up with her.
“I appreciate your kindness.” He nodded at her curtly before looking around the room for our table. “If you’ll excuse us, I need to feed my lady.”
With a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, Angelina finally acknowledged that he wasn’t alone. If it was left up to me, he would be. The last thing I wanted to do was spend my Friday night faking smiles and having pointless conversations with some of the most arrogant men I’ve ever met in my life. As it wouldn’t be a good look for the Chief Director of Gourneau Land & Harvesting Solutions to show up to such a prestigious event dateless, I put on the hat of a doting fiancée’.
“Oh, of course.” She held out her hand for me to shake. “Nice to see you—I’m sorry, what’s your name again?”
Removing the flute from my lips, I licked them slightly as I eyed the hostess. Angelina was a pretty woman. She was too thin but pretty, nonetheless. She was the type who thought her light skin and funny-colored eyes made her a hot commodity when it came to men of status. She could flirt with Chandler all she wanted, but what she wouldn’t do was play in my face as if she didn’t know who I was.
“Noemi Boudreaux. Head of IT Support to a billion-dollar corporation by day but will slap a hoe down for playing with her by night.” I gave her a bright smile and extended my hand as her face turned a vivid red from embarrassment. “Nice to meet you.”
Nervously, she shook my hand before excusing herself. Hearing Chandler chuckle lowly beside me, it took the strength of an ox not to roll my eyes. Taking my hand, he led me over to our appointed table. As I sashayed my way through the small crowd, I could feel eyes on us. We shook the corporate world with the news of our engagement, and we have been the talk of the town since.
“Now, baby… did you have to say all that?” He kissed my temple before pulling my chair back from the table, allowing me to be seated. “Maybe she didn’t know who you were.”
“Chandler, please. Be serious.” I waved him off as he took a seat across from me. “Even without being attached to you, everyone in this room knows me.” I motioned around to the people who were still glancing our way. “Noemi Boudreaux has always been a household name, and that wasbeforeany type of dealings with you.”
To someone who was unfamiliar with Chandler and me, our actions would make them think we were truly in love. We were always hugged up in public and attached to each other’s hips. You would think that by the way this man looks at me, I am the love of his life, but this situation had nothing to do with love.
Since my brother took over running Boudreaux Enterprises, it was vital to show those who tested him that he was the wrong one to fuck with. While I’m only privy to certain things that go down with the Family, I do know there are people who are no longer here because they thought my brother was incompetent. Sadly, Chandler’s father was one of those people. He didn’t have any physical proof that Rosier was behind his father’s demise, and even though he claimed to have let bygones be bygones, the tension was still there. Hence me being romantically tied to this jackass now.
“You know… you could act like you want to be here, baby.” He smirked as he reached over and wiped salad dressing from my lower lip. These events have the worst food selection, and I couldn’t wait to leave to get the juiciest burger I could find. “Is wifey-to-be unhappy?”
Watching him lick the ranch from his thumb, I couldn’t help but stare at him. Although I didn’t want this man, I wouldn’t deny that he was handsome. His rich chocolate skin was always moisturized, and so was his beard. His piercing eyes andbeautiful smile always made the ladies stop and stare. Chandler could easily bring any woman to their knees, but sadly, he didn’t do it for me.
“Does my soon-to-be hubby really care?” I raised my brow and asked as I picked up a piece of chicken from my plate. The murmurs around us could be heard as soft jazz played in the background, and the couple seated across from us paid us no mind. Taking the meat, I placed it at his lips as he eyed me darkly. “Open.”
Studying my eyes for a moment, he did as I asked and parted his lips. Easing it into his mouth, I gave a subtle smile. Grabbing my wrist, he brought my fingers to his mouth, sucking gently. He held on firmly as he leaned forward and brought his lips to my ear.
“Be careful, Noemi. Just because we’re in public doesn’t mean I won’t show my ass in here.” His idle threat did nothing for me. “Act like you have some sense before I take you out of here and show you who the fuck I am.”
Kissing my earlobe and then my cheek, I watched him as he leaned back in his seat and sipped his water. Chandler has threatened me time after time, but one thing I’m not worried about is him putting his hands on me. He may talk that tough shit—hell, he may even try it—but that will be his last day breathing. It wouldn’t be my brothers that he would have to worry about if he ever thought his violent tone would become domestic; it would be me.
“You two are so damn cute!” I snapped my eyes over to the couple across from us. Then, I noticed it was one of his business partners, Albert Morton, and his wife, Cecilia. “Have you two set a date?”
“Not yet…” Chandler smiled as he draped his arm around me. I wanted nothing more than to push him away from me, but as much as I hated this man, I wouldn’t embarrass us. “My girlwantsthe worksfor our big day, and I’m giving her time to get things done.”
“Not too much time, though.” Cecilia wagged her fork at me and smiled. “You want to get things moving quickly. There’s no need for the theatrics. Marry the man and have his babies. There’s no better life than that.”
“Cecilia, leave that girl alone.” Albert frowned as he took a sip of his cognac. I opted out of responding because, if I did, I was going to hurt her feelings. It’s been well over six months, and if I had it my way, this man would never touch me. “They have plenty of time for that. We’re here tonight to network and not give these people unsolicited advice on procreating.”
“It’s fine, Al.” Chandler chuckled and kissed my cheek as Angelina approached the table. “We’ll be working on that family soon enough.”
You want to bet, nigga?
“Excuse me for interrupting,” Angelina spoke, fighting not to make eye contact with me. “A few of our guests would like to meet you… if you’re free.”
