Coveted (27 page)

“Seven is good, see you then.”

Tiffany & Co. in Tysons Corner, VA definitely gets my vote for customer service. The sales people are always very informative and they do everything with a smile.

Since I made the decision to be committed to Amber, I figured there was no better way to seal the deal than to propose marriage. I looked at it as if it were a business deal more than anything else and one thing I can give myself credit for is being one hell of a businessman. Logically it just made sense. Marry Amber, raise my children, it was a win, win situation for all. I dated her for a whole year for a reason. She was extremely smart, sexy, and man, I can’t lie, I was attracted as hell to her. She might not rock my world like Naima but she was going to be the mother of my children and that made her sexy to me in a way I hadn’t noticed until today at the appointment.

Gazing through the glass display, I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for. The sales woman seeing the obvious confusion in my face was amped and ready to share her insight and expertise with me.

“You seem to be having a tough time. Can I help you with anything?”

Smiling at her, “Yes, you could help me a lot actually. I’m looking for an engagement ring, and I have no idea where to start.” I looked around the store. I felt like a man in Victoria Secret alone shopping for panties for my girlfriend. Out of place.

“You have come to the right place, Mr.?”

“Collins,” I said reaching my hand out to shake hers.

“Mr. Collins. Please call me Shelby.” She paused as she began pulling out cases of diamond rings. “Ok let us see here. What type of lady is the lucky woman that will be receiving one of our fabulous rings from you?”

“Well, she’s extremely sexy, and classy. Confident in who she is, most of the time. I need something that looks like it belongs on her finger.”

“We certainly can accommodate that request.” Shelby said as she went to a different glass casing and pulled out one of the shiniest diamonds I had ever seen. “This,” Shelby said while locking the case and bringing the ring over so I could see it up close, “is our Tiffany Legacy diamond engagement ring. It is a patented custom cut Tiffany diamond and,” she turned it in her fingers so I could see the side, “it is surrounded by bead-set diamonds.” Handing the diamond over to me so I could get a feel for it, Shelby sat back and waited for my reaction.

She had chosen a beautiful ring. I could see Amber sporting this rock on her finger and loving the status it held with it. This ring was definitely made for her finger. Shelby had hit it right on the money.

“So, how much does a ring like this go for?” I asked as I handed the exquisite diamond back to Shelby.

“Well at two point five carats, which is what this one I’m holding is, it retails at about fourteen thousand dollars.” I almost choked on the gum I was chewing when I heard the price. Fourteen thousand dollars, damn for a ring? What the hell? It wasn’t that I couldn’t afford the ring; it was the fact that that’s just it. It was only a ring, I looked at it again, but a ring that Amber would absolutely love. I felt the headache coming on as I reached for my wallet, pulled out my platinum card, and nodded in verification for Shelby to go ahead and wrap up the ring. Mind made up, I made the purchase.

Emeri 27

Walking into Exclusively Divine Events at a quarter till eight, I was feeling great. Naima had finally informed me that her receptionist slash assistant had to resign due to graduation obligations. So here, I was to begin my first day working for the Queen. My sole purpose was to find out as much information as possible about Damir. He had me barred from his office. I couldn’t even enter the building because it would have been considered trespassing. Last time I went by security very firming set my ass right back outside and made me painfully aware of the consequences if I was to even get within five hundred feet of the building. Damir was crazy if he thought he could get away from me that easily. I was here to stay.

Glancing around the lobby, I was begrudgingly impressed. I didn’t have time to look around long however, because as soon as my eyes readjusted to the lighting I could see Naima standing at the front receptionist desk with her arms folded. Shit. What had I gotten myself into?

“What,” I was immediately on the defensive. I had just gotten here and she was already glaring at me all hard. “First off, you will not what me. When you are in this office, you are to address me as Ms. Vaughn. Is that clear?”

I looked her up and down slowly. Was this bitch for real? It took everything, and I mean everything in me not to slit her throat. What did the world really need with her fluke ass for anyway? She was a constant thorn in my side and the sooner I could get her out the picture the better, for everyone involved.

I shrugged my shoulders indifferently, “Whatever you say,
Ms. Vaughn
.” She heard the emphasis I put on her name and narrowed her eyes. Doing an about face, she strolled out of the lobby. Good, now with her out of my hair I could take the time to figure out some things around here. Sitting at the reception desk and cutting on the computer, I was amazed by all the files that the former receptionist had under her desk. They must have kept her working like a slave around here. Looking back up at the screen it was asking me for a password. Damn. I would have to call Naima and ask her. Searching around for a phone log that appeared to be non-existent, I had to get up and walk down the hall I had seen Naima take not too long ago. She was the last office on the hall and had her door slightly cracked open.

I was about to knock then thought for what. I hadn’t been following protocol with her yet, why start now? Pushing the door open, I could see her staring hard at her computer screen. She didn’t even look away when she heard me come in.

“Emeri, what do you want? You’re desk is in the front, or did you forget?”

“No, I did not forget. But thank you for unnecessarily reminding me.”

“Ok,” She finally looked away from her computer screen and softened her tone a little “We are really getting off on the wrong foot.” She made a gesture towards the chair in front of her desk, “If you would like to have a seat you can, and tell me what it is I can do for you.”

“I don’t need to have a seat. I just came in here to ask you what the password to the computer was so I could log on. That was all.”

“You’ll have to sign in as me until the IT tech can come in and give you your own username and password.” Taking a post it note and writing down her information she handed it to me and pretty much sent me on my way.

I mumbled a short “Thank you.” As I strolled, out of her office and shut the door. Practically running back to my desk I was ecstatic. I could not believe my good fortune. Naima had actually given me her personal login information. This day was beginning to shape up to be a great day indeed.

I felt like a child on Christmas morning when I typed in the login information and the computer opened up for me. Laid out on the screen in front of me to roam to my heart’s content were all of Naima’s files. I smile toward the heavens. There really was a God. Just as I was about to go into a serious search on the computer, Naima came up behind me and handed me the best present ever.

“Emeri,” I looked up as she handed me a file, “I am in the process of finalizing a birthday party for Damir, you remember him don’t you?” I nodded affirmation as she continued.

“His party will be taking place next Saturday, so what I need you to do is call the following vendors to confirm that everything is paid for and in order. All the phone numbers should be in the file. If you need anything this is the number to my office,” she handed me one of her business cards, “just give me a call ok.”

“Ok.” I told her as she retreated to her office. I could not believe my good fortune. I had all Damir’s information in the palm of my hands. Now I had a way to see him, finally. I could surprise him at his party. This was a wonderful day indeed.

My first day at Exclusively Divine Events hadn’t gone as bad as I thought. Turns out Naima had a soft side. Too bad for her, I did not. I think she really thought that someday we would be friends, or dare I say actually develop a sisterly bond. She was sadly mistaken; we would never be able to have any form of relationship. She had everything as it was. She couldn’t have me too. The first rule of the streets, never under estimate your adversary. But if I had to be nice to her to further accomplish what I was trying to do, I could maintain that small act for the time being. It was all going to be more beneficial to me in the end.

The only downside was that I had been unable to find out any useful information on Damir. With the exception of the actual party information and the timeline for the party, I already knew the rest about him, which is what had brought me to be sitting across the street out front of his home. This is the first time I had done this in broad day light. I usually did it at night, but I had been slacking off lately. The last time I was out here, I had seen a woman knock on his door and leave a white rose on his front step. I wanted to get out and follow her, but when I was going to get out the car Damir came to the door, so I had to duck so he wouldn’t see me.

Now here I was trying to get a glimpse of him. It was hot as hell today. I had been out here for almost two hours already, sitting in my car baking like a Thanksgiving turkey. Wiping the sweat that was beginning to run down my neck and chest, I was about to forget the whole thing and head home when finally there was some activity.

I saw Damir’s car pulling into his driveway. Scooting further down in my seat so as not to reveal myself, I was squinting to see, but it looked like he had a passenger with him. Sure enough, as soon as his car door opened, so did the passenger door, out came the chick that had left the rose on his doorstep and from the way that she was walking, she looked pregnant. Damir went over to help her, when they got close to the front door he scooped her up in his arms and kissed her as he led her into the house. I was in shock. What in the world was going on here? He was just dating Naima recently. How the hell did he manage to get someone pregnant? And she appeared to be in an advanced stage of pregnancy. Let me find out Damir was the creeping kind. He knew that he and I had something going. What the fuck was this shit? I couldn’t hold back the tears. He was supposed to be mine. If anyone was having babies by him, it should have been me.

Starting the car, I drove around the corner to park and wait. The sun was beginning to set, thank goodness. It would be dusk soon. Changing into a black tank top, putting a black wrap around my wild array of curls, and downing a black hat, I was all set. Slowly making my way back around the corner to Damir’s house, I was ready. The nerve he had. It had taken work for me to break him away from Naima. Now he had a pregnant girl friend. Doesn’t he understand that I am the only woman he was allowed to be with? This shit had to stop.

Walking around the house, I began to scope the premises. I am trying to figure out where they are in the house exactly. Everything downstairs was dark, which meant they were probably upstairs somewhere. Not caring either way, I grabbed the brick that I had brought along just for an occasion such as this one and heaved it with all my might through one of the upstairs windows, heard a female scream, then ran and hid behind the shrubbery that lined the outskirts of Damir’s property. I see throwing the brick got an immediate reaction. Every light that could possibly be turned on was on upstairs in Damir’s home. From where I was, I could hear Damir cursing loudly. There seemed to be panic in his voice. What the hell was he panicked about, it was just a silly window, I mean come on. I was about to move from behind my shrub, when suddenly the front door was thrown open and Damir was running out carrying the pregnant chick whose head was slumped to the side.

That is when I became aware of the sirens in the background, which were steadily getting closer. Oh shit, I was trapped. Pulling up into the yard there was an ambulance and about three police cars. How in the world had they assembled here so quickly? The medics came down and took the slumped over female out of Damir’s arms and put her into the back of the ambulance. He readily got in behind her and the driver tore off down the street. The policemen however, were beginning to investigate. There was nothing I could do but sit back, wait and pray that they didn’t see me hiding out in the shrubbery.

I wonder what I did to that woman. The brick must have hit her. I seriously doubt it did any real damage to her. I mean really. The way Damir was acting with the whole ambulance and everything, you would think she was on her deathbed. I would never be so lucky as to have that happen. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn’t see the policeman inspecting the shrubbery until it was too late.

“Well look what we have hear boys.”

“What you got over there Cee?”

Grabbing me by the arm, “It looks like I gots me a culprit right here,” “Let go of me you bastard.” I yelled at him. He laughed and turned to his partner, “What does it look like to you?”

The officer named Cee’s partner came over to stare me in my face. “Yup, that’s what it looks like to me.” Continuing to gape at me, “now what is a pretty thing like you doing hiding in the bushes at the very place a woman was assaulted with a brick to the head?”