Paris smelled the strong scent of cleaning products and bleach as she entered the house again. Xavier sat outside on the patio, a drink in his hand and he looked to be in deep thought ..
"You good ?" Folding her arms over her chest, she leaned against the door frame ..
Xavier's back was turned towards her so she couldn't read his face, but he was quiet .. The sun was coming up and they both had lone hell of a night. While Paris had been used to those type of things, X wasn't ..
He had became the person he was because he wanted to get away from the hood, but Paris was bringing it to his doorstep ..
Finishing his drink, he sat the glass down before standing up to turn to her .. He approached her, staring a hole into her brain as if he was trying to read her ..
"What was all that about ?" He asked
Sighing, Paris kind of new that conversation was coming. "What do you mean ?" She asked
Scoffing X felt like she was insulting his intelligence. She knew what he meant.
"So far I've learned that Shane owns a club, you own your own store, he runs a logistics company, and I just learned that apparently he owns his own cleaning services too.. now I ain't no fuckin genius but I'm pretty fuckin smart !!" He stated, throwing his hands up ..
Staring at him, Paris' facial expression never changed as she waited for him to go ahead and spit it out ..
"What is it he do Paris ?" He asked
"I'm done with this conversation .." She said
"Because you can't tell me .. but a quick google search would've helped from the jump .. huh ?"
He replied
"I found out a lot .." He said ..
Looking down at her feet, she thought back to the night she had met Shane .. "He's an entrepreneur, he's a business man Xavier .. Him and his brother just made some smart investments over the years .. and the businesses were hand me downs from their dad .. it's not that deep .." She replied, walking back inside the kitchen she dismissed herself ..
She spent the rest of her night on the couch, reading. Until she fell asleep. Trying to get all the Z's in that she could, she wanted to be well rested for her flight later that day. Shane didn't give her any details about where Bethany was staying but he knew where she was. And that was good enough for her.
Paris awoke to the smell of breakfast. Taking in her surroundings she noticed that she had fallen asleep on the couch. The curtains were still closed so she couldn't tell what time of day/night it was. Picking up her cell phone, she groaned as she realized she had overslept. It was going on 3 pm and she was to meet Shane, Shamar and Kelsey at the airport by 5.
She sighed, realizing she would have to take away from her and Xavier's quality time .. again !! The small gestures he made to get into her good graces didn't go unnoticed. She noticed. He was patient, he was caring, he was smart and he was a good man. The more she opened up to him the more she noticed they were alike in some ways . He made her laugh and he treated her good, and that was all she had wanted in the first place.
Walking into the kitchen, she watched as Xavier scrambled some eggs. In nothing but a wife beater and some basketball shorts she watched as every muscle flexed as he cooked up breakfast for the both of them. He had no tattoos, but his caramel skin was art all of its own. Rapping the lyrics to J-Cole's Power Trip, his AirPods had tuned the outside world out.
Sitting down at the bar, she tried to think of an excuse to leave without him objecting. She didn't want to tell him that she was going out of town with Shane because she knew he wouldn't like it. And the trip was strictly business, she knew he wouldn't understand. Shane would always be the competition to any man in Paris' life. Anybody being around Shane and Paris at the same time could feel it.
Turning around, he smiled as he took his air pods out of his ears. "I knew you would wake up once you smelled food.." He chuckled
Clearing her throat Paris smiled, "I didn't mean to fall asleep on the couch, it was just so late and I was so tired .." She said, but was interrupted by Xavier ..
"It's cool, I understand .." He replied, sitting a plate of food down in front of her ..
Pancakes, cheesy eggs, grits, sausage and biscuits. He had outdid himself and she didn't want to disappoint him.
Digging in, she glanced at the clock before taking a bite of her food. If she was going to stay and eat she would have to do it fast.
"I wanted to talk to you about last night .." Xavier said, leaning over the counter .. He intertwined his fingers and looked down as if he was about to deliver some bad news ..
Paris sighed "What about it ?" She asked, eyebrows raised ..
"That can't happen again .." He said
"I am who I am because I did it the right way .. and everybody has their own definition of what the right way maybe but my whole point is .. I don't need that to happen again .. I have a reputation to uphold .." He said
Looking down at her plate, Paris continued to eat as she took in everything Xavier was saying .. She knew if she agreed to what he was saying, she would be lying ..
"How are you gonna blame a home invasion on Shane ? Let's not make this about him .." Paris replied
"Paris.." He said, in frustration ..
He lived in a crime free, gated neighborhood .. He had no doubt the men who entered his house knew Shane in some way ..
He knew, that she knew, that he knew the truth.. but she wouldn't admit it .. The way she protected Shane made him envious.
"I have to go .." She said, trying to escape the conversation ..
Sighing, Xavier sat up off of the counter ..
"No more of that either .." He said
"No more of what?" Paris asked, starting to get annoyed ..
"Where you going ?" He asked
"Why !?" Paris asked again, this time her voice was laced with irritation ..
"Because your phone been vibrating since the moment you sat down, you been ignoring it .. you stuffing your mouth .. which means you gotta go .." He said ..
"Listen, we'll talk when I get back .. ok ?" She asked
Rubbing his beard, Xavier laughed in frustration .. "Okay .." He replied, his answer dry ..
Paris knew he was mad .. but she had no time to tend to his hurt feelings .. She kissed his cheek and headed out ..
COMMENT AND VOTE
