Chapter 13-3
1580 Words
India
The evening was progressing well until Vivian walks through the door, and not only does she walk in through the door with a smirk on her face, she’s with someone I wasn’t expecting to see but knew was coming. Kai walks in with her and Ms. Park from the hotel. Kai looks uncomfortable, and Ms. Park has an enormous smile on her face when she notices Hae-in dancing with Erica.
“You and Anna seem to have drama follow you everywhere,” my father comments. We’re still dancing and of course, Daddy has his own opinions. Tiny Danvers is a smart man. Most people at first glance just see my dad as a giant with muscles. But what they don’t know, unless they take the time to get to know him, is that my father is not only observant, he’s also brilliant. Ex-military from West Point and graduated at the top of his class, despite all the hardships tossed his way.
“Daddy, I’m not trying to start trouble.”
“You better not, girl. ‘Cause your mother and I already have our hands full with the alternative version of Chanty and that took some getting used to. Just because life dealt you a blow, baby girl, doesn’t mean you need to act out against what nature intended.”
I stop dancing and look up at my father with a semi-stern look. “Daddy, what do you take me for? I’m not playing the victim here. The twins don’t listen, and I can’t help that I made a new friend.”
My father scoffs at me. “Girl, your daddy ain’t stupid. Vivian walks in here with a man who seems to only have eyes for you, yet one of the Singleton sisters has the other man that wants you. Not to mention Lyric and Rudy.” My father shakes his head. “Trouble is what you, your sister, and Annabelle over there are.”
“Daddy,” I whisper. “For starters, that man with Vivian was my therapist over in South Korea. He did a piss-poor job, but for reasons unknown to me he’s flown all the way over here to speak to me and…I don’t know, maybe finish my so-called therapy.”
“Shhiittt, that man is not trying to give you therapy, girl. I told you stuff like this is bound to happen. You and your sister both are beautiful women. That man is here searching for his own brand of therapy and if you’re smart, you’ll put them all in their place.”
What my father is trying to say is he doesn’t want the drama to come down to the bar. “Daddy, the only person starting trouble is Vivian.”
Kai walks over to where my father and I stand. “Miss Danvers, do you have some time to talk?”
Kai has a warm smile on his face, and if I didn’t know the type of person Kai is, I would have fallen into the trap of his sparkling brown eyes and smile. But I don’t. I step back from my father, who looks Kai over from head to toe.
“Mister, if you’re here to cause trouble for mine, I will introduce you to the exit.”
Kai bows. “No, sir, that is not my intention. I came here to check on Miss Danvers’ well-being.”
“It doesn’t look to me like you’re here about my daughter’s well-being.”
“I promise my intentions are honorable.”
My father places his hands on his hips and stares down at Kai. Behind him, I can see Hae-in and Erica, and Hae-in doesn’t look pleased to see Kai. The tension in the bar has more than thickened
How is it he came here with Vivian and Ms. Park? “Kai, I remember telling you I didn’t need you to come, but somehow you’ve taken it upon yourself to show up, anyway. How is that my problem?”
Kai doesn’t seem put off by my bluntness. Instead, he smiles wider, showing his dimples, and steps forward. “I’m here to check on you and, of course, finish the rest of our sessions.”
“I’m good on our sessions. But how did you know to come here with Vivian? Are you staying at your brother’s hotel?”
Before Kai answers, Hae-in is there. He has the strangest look on his face, but it doesn’t take much to figure out that I will not like what he has to say. His eyes are cast down and I can see him working his back molars fiercely.
“Spit it out, Hae-in,” I say between thin lips.
Hae-in steps forward and tries to take my hand in his, but I back away, almost bumping into Anna and Jackson, who are now standing behind me. It’s like the perfect setup, because the twins walk in, and they are standing behind Hae-in crowding him in.
“It’s all a misunderstanding. I swear, I wasn’t trying to keep anything from you and planned to tell you this evening.”
“Tell me what? And why wait?”
“Can you come with me so we can talk?”
“Go where with you, Hae-in? Why can’t you say what needs to be said right here? This is my family; we don’t keep secrets from each other.”
That isn’t entirely true. But I need them at my back. They will support me no matter how dumb Hae-in makes me feel for trusting him so completely.
“Hae-in, I hardly think this is the place for you and Ms. Danvers to have this sort of discussion here,” Kai says, but it doesn’t take long for dread to settle in my chest.
“What is it?”
“My parents are trying to match me.”
“Match what?”
“A wedding match?”
My heart sinks a bit, and I’m not angry, not yet. Hae-in said he wasn’t with anyone and I don’t think he’d lie.
“I knew there was something fishy about this bastard, and I told you to stay away from India. You should have listened.”
Hae-in turns to face Sawyer. “And I told you I had no intention of hurting her. My only goal is to see her smile.”
“Well, you done gone and f****d that up now.”
Shit. Lola’s here.
“Lo, stay out of this.”
“Heck no, cuz, you’ve been through enough. Let’s stop with all the bullshit. India doesn’t need any of you, so those of you not related to the Danvers, Macons, Stormes, and Singletons get the f**k up out of here before I have Tiny toss your asses out.” Lola walks over to Vivian and sneers. “Especially you, you raggedy snakelike b***h. Don’t think I don’t know you had something to do with Bear and that ho-a*s piece of trash he’s running around with. Ain’t she your new bestie now that no one in town wants anything to do with your ratchet-a*s?”
Lola steps closer to Vivian and whispers something in her ear that makes her eyes go wide. “Yeah, b***h, that’s right. I got all your dirt and if you don’t want me to put you on blast, I suggest you make like the wind and blow your stank a*s out of here.”
“Lo, what you say to Vivian?” my father asks.
“Oh, just that I saw her on her knees not two weeks ago…” Lola trails off and watches Vivian and Ms. Park leave with Kai and Hae-in in tow.
“All right, drama is over, folks. Someone turn back on the music and let’s have some drinks on the house. Rudy, start bringing out the shots.” My dad squeezes my shoulder before kissing me on the cheek. “It’s gonna be okay, baby girl. Better to find out now than later. I don’t like the twins either, but at least they didn’t lie to you.”
“Yes, Daddy,” I say in a whisper. He’s right of course, but I wish he wasn’t. Could he be lying? Is he just trying to get his last little bit of fling out before he commits to someone else?
Chantelle wraps her arms around my shoulder and pulls me back. “Come on, sis, let’s have another drink.” I walk over to the table where Lyric and Lola are talking. I really don’t want to deal with Lola’s s**t, but I know she’s about to hit me with something.
“Girl, that man is hot, and his brother is hotter. He can wear the hell out of a suit, too bad they both tried dipping their sticks in the cookie jar.”
“It wasn’t like that, Lo.”
“It wasn’t? Seriously, you think two men gonna fly across the ocean if they don’t want some a*s? I don’t care how good a therapist you got; they don’t sit on a plane for over ten hours to check up on you when we all know there’s video chat for therapeutic sessions. And whether you want to admit it, you were into at least one of them, if not both of them. It’s like the twins all over again. Girl, you greedy.”
I slam my hand down on the table, startling everyone. “Lola, I said it wasn’t like that. No matter what their aim was with me, it wasn’t like that for me. Do I like Hae-in, yes, and I don’t know what type of relationship we have because it’s too new to define. As for his brother, Kai, I told him not to come. I don’t control the man, if he wanted to hop on a plane, ‘cause he thought there was a chance of me giving him a*s, well that’s his bad. Not that it matters, but the man is engaged, and I don’t mess with men who are taken.” But the same could be said about Hae-in. All of this right now is too much for me.
“Well said, sis, well said. Now if you two are done arguing, let’s hit these drinks and leave right before the sun comes up.”
- Writer
