into the valet section of the Omni. We kept our distance and watched as she got out of the cockpit of her luxury car and walked through the crystal clear glass doors of the hotel.
“You think she ’s stayin’ here?” Angelique looked at me.
“Yep. Lemme see them driver’s license pictures again.”
Angelique pulled the paper out of her purse and passed it to me. I unfolded it and studied the three faces in black and white. I knew Jax’s government name was Lamont Jackson, but his license read James Fuller. I stared at his dark face and small eyes committing his profile to memory. Next, I scanned over Bishop’s face taking in his busy eyebrows and strong jaw line. His given name was Clinton Sawyer. I didn’t need to focus on Rachael’s picture after seeing her in person. There was no mistaking her slender physique, or her lustrous red hair.
I decided I would go inside and give the lobby a look. I’d been here many times before in my single days however, I’d never really waited downstairs. When I checked in back in the day, I usually stayed in my room and sweated up the sheets with a woman…or two. But today was about business…not pleasure.
“I’ll be right back.” I put my Benz in park.
“Where you goin’?” Angelique touched my arm lightly.
I sensed a hint of worry in her voice.
“I’ma go inside for a minute.”
“I’m comin’ with you then.”
She grabbed her purse , and gripped the door handle.
“No you’re not.”
“Why not?” Angelique’s face twisted up in protest.
“Come on now babe, you said you didn’t wanna get involved in any wild shit, and I don’t know who is in there. It could be Jax, Bishop, and Rachael. I can’t risk them seeing your face alongside mine. Niggas like Jax try and go for a man’s weaknesses. I ain’t tryna have you and Khari in another fucked up situation like you were with Khalil. I told you, I need you backing me up on this one.”
Angelique let out a deep sigh. “How am I supposed to back you up if I’m sitting in the car?”
I held her hand tenderly. “I got this babe. I’ll be right back.”
Angelique reluctantly agreed to fall back and let me handle the Omni solo. Not that she had a choice in the matter because I wasn’t having it. As I crossed the street and walked between the huge palm trees towering above my head, I thought back to the car conversation I just had with Angelique.
Did I just call her babe…twice?
What the hell was going on? That shit just slipped out, but it seemed so natural when I said it. Being around Angelique minus all the tension and bullshit felt good.
I walked up to the front desk and put my palms on the high shiny counter.
“Welcome to the Omni sir , may I help you?” The young woman gave me a warm smile.
“How ’re you doin’ today? Look here, my friend Ben has a few questions to ask you if you don’t mind.” I lifted up my right hand revealing a folded up hundred dollar bill.
The dark haired neat looking woman looked down at the money and smiled. I kept my gaze on her freckled face.
“And what might those questions be sir?”
I smiled back and leaned my chest toward her as I covered the bill. I watched her eyes focus on my pecks through my fitted red T-shirt, and then her light brown eyes flashed left to right peeking at the large diamonds sparkling in my ears. She licked her red lips and shifted her weight to her left leg.
“ I was wondering if the red head woman that jus’ walked in here a few minutes ago is a guest here?”
The desk clerk paused briefly. “No , she’s not staying here. She’s visiting one of our frequent customers on the upper floor.”
I slid the bill toward her. “Is the person she’s visiting named Lamont Jackson by chance?”
The helpful woman turned her attention to a computer screen, tapped a few keys on a key board, and then looked up at me.
“Yes , it is. He’s
“You think she ’s stayin’ here?” Angelique looked at me.
“Yep. Lemme see them driver’s license pictures again.”
Angelique pulled the paper out of her purse and passed it to me. I unfolded it and studied the three faces in black and white. I knew Jax’s government name was Lamont Jackson, but his license read James Fuller. I stared at his dark face and small eyes committing his profile to memory. Next, I scanned over Bishop’s face taking in his busy eyebrows and strong jaw line. His given name was Clinton Sawyer. I didn’t need to focus on Rachael’s picture after seeing her in person. There was no mistaking her slender physique, or her lustrous red hair.
I decided I would go inside and give the lobby a look. I’d been here many times before in my single days however, I’d never really waited downstairs. When I checked in back in the day, I usually stayed in my room and sweated up the sheets with a woman…or two. But today was about business…not pleasure.
“I’ll be right back.” I put my Benz in park.
“Where you goin’?” Angelique touched my arm lightly.
I sensed a hint of worry in her voice.
“I’ma go inside for a minute.”
“I’m comin’ with you then.”
She grabbed her purse , and gripped the door handle.
“No you’re not.”
“Why not?” Angelique’s face twisted up in protest.
“Come on now babe, you said you didn’t wanna get involved in any wild shit, and I don’t know who is in there. It could be Jax, Bishop, and Rachael. I can’t risk them seeing your face alongside mine. Niggas like Jax try and go for a man’s weaknesses. I ain’t tryna have you and Khari in another fucked up situation like you were with Khalil. I told you, I need you backing me up on this one.”
Angelique let out a deep sigh. “How am I supposed to back you up if I’m sitting in the car?”
I held her hand tenderly. “I got this babe. I’ll be right back.”
Angelique reluctantly agreed to fall back and let me handle the Omni solo. Not that she had a choice in the matter because I wasn’t having it. As I crossed the street and walked between the huge palm trees towering above my head, I thought back to the car conversation I just had with Angelique.
Did I just call her babe…twice?
What the hell was going on? That shit just slipped out, but it seemed so natural when I said it. Being around Angelique minus all the tension and bullshit felt good.
I walked up to the front desk and put my palms on the high shiny counter.
“Welcome to the Omni sir , may I help you?” The young woman gave me a warm smile.
“How ’re you doin’ today? Look here, my friend Ben has a few questions to ask you if you don’t mind.” I lifted up my right hand revealing a folded up hundred dollar bill.
The dark haired neat looking woman looked down at the money and smiled. I kept my gaze on her freckled face.
“And what might those questions be sir?”
I smiled back and leaned my chest toward her as I covered the bill. I watched her eyes focus on my pecks through my fitted red T-shirt, and then her light brown eyes flashed left to right peeking at the large diamonds sparkling in my ears. She licked her red lips and shifted her weight to her left leg.
“ I was wondering if the red head woman that jus’ walked in here a few minutes ago is a guest here?”
The desk clerk paused briefly. “No , she’s not staying here. She’s visiting one of our frequent customers on the upper floor.”
I slid the bill toward her. “Is the person she’s visiting named Lamont Jackson by chance?”
The helpful woman turned her attention to a computer screen, tapped a few keys on a key board, and then looked up at me.
“Yes , it is. He’s
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