Life After Heart Break

Outspoken

I couldn't trust my brother to do anything right. He pissed me off the other day, and he knew it, but I didn't mean for Asia to see that part of me. There wasn't no need to hide it, but I hoped she didn't see it so early in our relationship. Now she had been keeping her distance from me, but today that was going to end, plus the swearing-in was tonight, which meant she had to talk to me whether she wanted to or not.

That's why I was about to walk into her apartment. I gave her space, now it was time to stop this bullshit ass game and act like a grown woman. There was no need to act like a child. She was twenty-five and should have been acting like it. So, I walked into her apartment and found Princess lying on the couch. She was lonely after we took Bandit to the sanctuary, but he was with other raccoons and loved it. We all missed him, especially me, because the little thief was my buddy.

"Asia, the swearing-in is tonight, so this is not going to work. I understand that you are mad, but it's a time to be mad and a time to let s**t go."

"I'm not mad. You're the one who hasn't been talking to me... well, I am mad with the way you handled things with your brother. You didn't have to hit him for doing his job. It wasn't like he told the man to try to kill me. Besides, you were the one who sent me in there to do a job, and I did."

Sadly, she had a point, but Quinton was told to stay by her side the whole time. Instead, he got in there and watched as she handled something that could have gotten her killed. Yes, I was mad. The woman I loved could've gotten herself killed while he stood back and watched. Most of the time I believed he did that mess to make me mad, or he was jealous of what Asia and I had.

I didn't see the problem; he had a girl who had been around for the last three years, but he seemed not to like how I decided to change my life. It was something the two of us had to talk about, although that would have to wait until after tonight. The swearing-in was going to be big, with most of the American mafias being there. It had me nervous, and I didn't get nervous.

Plus, Asia and I had to do rounds to talk to them and convince some of them to be our allies. It was something I didn't understand, given that most of them were our allies anyway. The way my grandpa explained it, we had to convince them to work for us, or why should they continue working with us? It was a whole lot of bullshit, if you asked me, but if Asia didn't hurry up, we'd be late. She had been in her room for over an hour, and I was about to get her until she walked out in a sexy little red dress with makeup that matched.

She didn't do this for the first gala we attended, but tonight I had to say she was beautiful. I always thought she was a beautiful woman, but tonight I saw her in a different light, and all I could do was walk over to her and pull her into a kiss as my hands roamed her body, until I realized what I was doing and pulled away.

Asia was going to be the death of me. I always lost myself around her. I keep telling myself that it's good to wait for s*x until after we are married, but the things she did made me want her and every way. It wasn't like either of us was a virgin; it was right to do so. Asia needs to know that I loved her and that waiting for our wedding night would be the best. It was only a month away, and I was sure we could wait until then.

"Damn, you're looking sexy as ever tonight. Forgive me for my actions. I talked to my brother, but the s**t pissed me off because he ignored my words."

"I know that you were scared that I could've died, but I didn't, Sevyn. I'm still here even when I wish that I wasn't. You make me want to live for myself and you. Thank you for that."

"No problem, Shorty. That's why I'm here to give you strength, the same way you give me mine. I know it's hard with how you lost your children, but you have to know none of that was your fault." She nodded against my chest as I held her for a moment, then pulled away so we could leave for the swearing-in.

*

*

*

By the time we got to the gala, everything was in full swing. There were so many people there that each made me want to run back out the door, but Sevyn held my hand, pulling me inside the building when the man on the stage announced that he had arrived with his date. Everyone in the building started to clap as I stared up at him, scared.

"Breathe, Shorty, nothing's going to happen to you as long as I've got you."

"You're not funny, Sev, but I know and thank you, Babe." I smiled as he kissed my forehead after we made our way through the crowd, where his Grandfather was. The man was with a group of women, flirting his ass off as they giggled and laughed. He was single, I know, but he had no legs, and they seemed to love him either way or his money, which was what it was.

"Pa, this is a swearing-in, not speed dating. Now, ladies, if you would excuse us, we have business to attend to."

"Oh damn, Sevyn, I hadn't seen you since we were teens, and you're still sexy as ever. If you're looking for a Donna...."

"He's not, so you can take your fake ass on to wherever you were going. He's mine and not on the market, hoe." I smiled as the woman looked from me to him. If she was waiting for Sevyn to say something. She was going to be standing there for a while because he was mine, and I wasn't dating him for almost a full year for nothing.

"Then the rumors are true. Those dreads must be pulling at your brain for you to pick someone you can’t see when the lights are out...."

"You f*****g b***h!"

"OKAY! That's enough from you, Taylor! And you better be happy that we are here on business... my family business, or I would have let her beat your damn ass. But if you ever disrespect my woman again, it will be the last f*****g time. I don't care who you are, the daughter of. He will be finding your body in pieces."

That was new. Sevyn never threatened someone like that in front of me, and it was sexy as hell. His face stayed neutral, although you could hear he meant every word that left his lips. I liked it. I liked it a lot, and he noticed it because he c****d a brow with a little smirk.

"You're a naughty little girl, aren't you? You like it when I get all serious... does it make you wet?"

"Sevyn, don't do that when all you're going to do is refuse me s*x. You like to talk dirty to me, then when I'm dripping wet and ready for you. Your b***h ass walks away."

I hit a nerve because, when I tried to walk away, he gripped my arm, pulling me back to him with a look that said,' Watch your mouth.' We were around other mafias; that much I knew he wanted them to know he was in charge, but some of the stuff he did pissed me off. How was it fair for him to talk dirty, then refuse to let me touch him, or want him to touch me?

"I'm Sorry. What do I need to do before we meet back up with Pa?"

"Walk with me and stay quiet. These are mafia bosses, most of them don't think their Donna should outspeak them. So, don't talk unless you are spoken to, besides following my lead. For example... do you see him? That's Don Isaiah Booke and his wife, Lily. They are the oldest out of all the Dons in this room, and he's an asshole."

That was good to hear. It seemed like I couldn’t get rid of them because every time I turned around lately, I was dealing with an asshole. I was almost ready to quit my job after my last client, who acted as if there was no bathroom in the basement. I didn't design the house; it wasn't my damn fault. Men were so hard to deal with sometimes. I suppose that’s how they were… However, I followed Sevyn over to the other Don's as he held out his hand.

"It's the young Don himself. Here I was thinking it was going to be your Grandfather doing these rounds, but I'm surprised. This must be your bride-to-be? She's lovely... If he hadn't told you. I'm Isaiah, and this is my lovely wife Lily."

"It's nice to meet both of you. I'm Asia Roberts."

"I love the name..."

"Lily... sometimes my wife gets a little too happy at these events. She doesn't know her place in a man's world sometimes."

"I think that you should let her explore the world without you then. There's a whole lot she can learn to help you. Haven't you heard the saying that real women make the world go around?" I spoke without thinking as Sevyn's arm tightened around my waist. I knew what he told me not to do, but my mouth sometimes got the best of me, and he knew it.

"Is that so. Then tell me, Ms. Roberts, what does she need to do to help make the world go around?"

"Don..."

"No... No, let your future bride speak." He said as I looked up at an angry Sevyn. I didn't mean to do it, but I know he didn't see it that way. So, I swallowed hard, looked back at the man sitting before me, and smiled.

"Okay, well, I'm a real estate agent, and I work with a lot of different people. I try my best to learn about others' cultures to understand who I'm selling to... knowledge helps... it helps with my job and some of the things that I help Sevyn with. I'm good with numbers, writing up documents, and I can speak in two different languages."

"Well, s**t! You have a woman who's worth something. Lily, you need to take a few pointers from her and go back to school. I'm not saying anything wrong with you, but I think it would be good for you. However, Sevyn, you need to teach your wife to control her mouth. She's lucky that I was in a good mood today. I know why you are here, and we are still allies."

Both men nodded at each other, and then we walked away. I knew Sevyn was going to fuss about what I did, but he didn't say a word, which scared me more. He was never the one to hold his tongue, and when he did, it was never pleasant. I remembered what he did to his brother and some of his men when they did something he didn't like.

"Sevyn..."

"The next Don is Jordan Freeman and his wife Abigail. They are a little more upbeat with the world and around our age group, but a year older than me. You are free to talk around him." I nodded but decided not to say too much to the other two tables that we stopped at.