“So what happens when we choose love? Do we get the fairytale, Kasim?” Dallas asked desperately, desiring his response.
The question caught Kasim by surprise, so he didn’t have a rebuttal. The room fell into a complete silence that made Dallas slowly nod her head. When she realized Kasim was trapped in his own selfish imagination, she walked out of the door. All he had to do was assure her, but he couldn’t even do that.
Kasim’s heart sank. He watched the door as if this had to be a joke. Dallas was gonna come back because she wasn’t like the girls his father obsessed over. As much as Mr. Kingly hated paying the winners, he was thrilled to watch women choose money over his child. It was like atold you sosituation that Kasim didn’t pay too much into.
However, with Dallas, he expected things to be different. Kinda like with Sable. Sable chose love, which was why Kasimwas always so delicate with her. Although he admired parts of Sable, her infidelity was what made Kasim realize the one thing in the world we learned many moons ago; that bitches wasn’t shit.
Kasim began pacing, disappointed with himself. It had only been seven days and he had fallen in love with a girl he would never see again. At this very moment, he hoped the bitch took her money, got into her car, and drove off a fucking cliff. He hated Dallas. He hated the way she made him feel. He hated the way she just played him by running back to her nigga.
Kasim stopped pacing, stood in front of the mirror, and began staring at his reflection. He looked like a monster, a creature from the depths of hell.Was this the reason she left?He thought. He wasn't a monster. He was a man with feelings and emotions.
Kasim let out a mighty roar, slamming his fist into the mirror. The glass shattered, falling to the floor in a thousand pieces. He stood there, chest heaving as the anger slowly began to drain from his body. He was left feeling empty, hollow. Kasim took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. If he got the chance, he would make her understand. He would make her see that he was more than just a Kingly.
18
DALLAS
Finally freed after being held captive for a week, Dallas's emotions ran wild. Despite the trauma she endured, she surprisingly found herself developing feelings for her captor, Kasim. As she grappled with her complex emotions, Dallas couldn't deny the bond that had formed between them. Some might call it Stockholm syndrome, but for Dallas, it was a genuine connection that transcended their circumstances. It was Mama's voice that played in her head and helped her decision. She knew everyone had to be worried. And especially Big Boy.
When she made it into the room where Mr. Kingly and two guards stood post, Mr. Kingly was the first to crack a smile. He stared at Dallas in disbelief because he figured a young, naive, hood chick like Dallas would fall for Kasim, and he couldstake claim in her earnings. Dallas fooled the hell out of Mr. Kingly, so he had no choice but to commend her.
One of the guards handed her the purse she had come with. She opened it slightly and realized she had no cellular phone. Too afraid to ask, she closed the purse and faced Mr. Kingly.
"The money is yours. You have yourself a great and wonderful evening. Just remember, any word of this to the cops and you're dead. Oh, and one more thing, if you ever feel like some fun, swing by. That loser of a son is always available." Again, he smiled as Dallas shook her head.
Her eyes fell down to the money then back to Mr. Kingly. Kasim's words began to play in her mind about Sable, and the doubt in his voice inflated the guilt. Dallas turned to leave, and when she made it out of the door, she quickly walked down the hall onto the elevator. She remembered exactly how she had gotten up to the 11th floor without missing a beat. She was trying to get far away from these insane mothafuckas.
Mr. Kingly had just threatened her life as if it wasn't shit. She knew he was serious, but because of Kasim, she wouldn't dare go to the law. Not only for the love she gained for him but because she also gave him her goodies. What would she tell the law?
“Excuse me, some psycho people are luring women in and killing them, and by the way, I fucked one. Oh, and it was good.”
Wasn't gonna happen, so she was gonna keep the details of the Kingly Dynasty to herself.
Once she stepped off the elevator, the sounds of machines, chaos, and partygoers filled the air. She looked around the establishment as her eyes warned everyone of thetrouble that lurked. Dallas released a very exhausting breath then began power walking for the door.
As she stepped into the bright sunlight, Dallas felt a mix of emotions, relief, and a hint of sadness. She knew she should be fearful, angry, or resentful toward Kasim, but instead, she couldn't shake off the feeling that a part of her would always belong to him. And it was just that.
Her captivity had been a twisted dance of power and vulnerability, but amidst the fear and uncertainty, Dallas had glimpsed a deeper side of Kasim. He wasn't like the typical niggas she met in the hood. She saw the pain, the scars, and the humanity behind his tough exterior. With Kasim, she felt a connection that went beyond a twisted Kingly tale. It hurt her to walk away from the darkness. She wondered if she could ever reconcile her feelings with the reality of her situation.
Was it possible to love someone who had held her hostage? And would Kasim ever be able to let go of his demons and be the man she had come to know?
The questions swirled in her mind as she took her first steps toward freedom, but one thing was certain, Dallas's heart belonged to Kasim, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to decline the feelings.
With one last look at the casino, Dallas turned then ran, not stopping until she was out of the gate. She noticed her car was in the same spot, and it made her wonder if it was always right there? If so, this meant no police had come looking for her or even Norah because she would have known she was here. Either that, or the Kinglys had a great way of covering things up which didn't surprise her. Two things she knew that she would never forget were the secrets she had uncovered there and never disobeying Mama's warnings again.
Dallas climbed into her car, and the first song that began to play was "Burning Blue" by Mariah The Scientist. She turnedup the song as she pulled out of the lot without letting her car warm. Just listening to the lyrics made her think of Kasim, so she released a few tears that had been trapped. She knew she would never encounter him again and that shit was killing her slowly. She wondered if he'd think of her just as much as she would think of him, but she figured the next contestant winner would replace her.
“I got that blue fever Cold as ice 'til you came near
You're like another fire-breathing creature
But it don't burn how it appears
It's true you could make me melt
But don't you forget it if the person you fell for ever do, freezes
It's only because you ain't here . . .”
