The Roof is on Fire (8 page)

He reached for my hand, trying to stop me from moving away from him. “Baby, don't go. I need you right now. I thought we were in this shit together, and you know how I feel about you, don't you?”

I batted my lashes, wanting to cry. But the way Kiley was looking at me, I wouldn't dare shed one tear. To show him how sorry I was, I dropped to my knees and prepared myself to give him head. That would surely put a smile on his face, but Jaylin and Roc weren't too happy.

“Don't do it,” Jaylin said softly. “Baby, please don't do it. If you do, save some for me.”

“Gon' ahead and let that ho do her thing,” Roc spat. “All she gon' do is bite that shit anyway.”

I'd just about had it with Roc, and as I stood to go after him, the door opened again. Prince strutted into the room. He was also naked. It was now time for me to wake the hell up before something popped off that I didn't want to.

“Get out! Now!” I shouted to Prince.

“Why should I leave when I hear there's a head hunter in here? You got plenty mo brothas outside of that door waitin', so you need to speed up yo game and get busy.”

They all laughed and charged toward me. I screamed “no,” and that was when I jumped out of my dream.

I sat up in bed with a heaving chest. Roc was lying next to me sound asleep. Jaylin was sitting up in his bed with the nightlight on, reading. He was in his boxer shorts and the book was propped up in front of his dick.

“What in the hell is wrong with you?” he asked.

I squeezed my achy forehead. “Nothin'. Just had a bad dream, that's all.”

He ignored me and got back to reading his book. I wasn't sure where Chase was, but that was one messed up dream. I couldn't even go back to sleep. I lay there wondering what the purpose was for all of that foolishness.

“Say, Jaylin. Do you like grapes?”

All he did was stare at me, and then his eyes returned to the book. Oh well, I suspected he didn't like grapes. I reminded myself to ask Roc the same question later.

I needed an A for effort and an A-plus for succeeding at making Jaylin feel differently about me. I didn't care what anybody said. The most powerful, rich, handsome, spiritual, and successful men on this earth could be brought down by the power of one thing. I knew that thing to be pussy.

I pretty much knew I'd have my work cut out for me with Jaylin, but my aggressive approach was well worth it. Roc, on the other hand, he was mad at me right now, but he'd soon be singing a new tune.

To me, it wasn't that much love one could have for another, particularly love for the woman Roc had been in a daze about. While no one was looking, I was doing my research. I saw several pictures of Desa Rae tucked inside of his sweat-suit jacket. There was another picture of the two of them with their daughter. There was something about Desa Rae that was interesting to me, so I dug further. I found out that she and Roc were engaged. She was much older than he was, she had a darn good job, and she lived in an upscale neighborhood outside of St. Louis. She was divorced, had a son who had recently graduated from college, and she was considered a plus-sized woman.

Nowhere near as cute as I was, she still had it going on. I understood
Roc's attraction to her. What I didn't understand was his love that was holding him back. Of course I was upset with him about how he'd spoken to me during the tennis game, but my anger with him had been stirring way before then. I didn't like being rejected. I felt as if we had too many opportunities to get down and dirty with each other. I had put myself out there way too much, so at this point, I was considering blackmail. Not because I was interested in a relationship with Roc, but simply because I took issue with men who teased me. From day one, that was all he'd been doing. One day he'd be up, the next day down. He needed to stop pretending that he was so in love with Desa Rae. And more than anything, I saw his flirting as pure disrespect to me. It was also an insult, especially if he wasn't serious about hooking up for real.

Pertaining to the blackmail thingy, I didn't have access to any cameras or cell phones where I could take pictures of him in the act doing something inappropriate. I wasn't even sure if Desa Rae would trip, but what did I have to lose? In the end, I'd have a piece of her man and she'd have a headache.

As for Jaylin, don't think for one minute that I didn't do my homework on him. He was a piece of work, so I wasn't about to touch the madness he had going on. There were too many women—baby's mamas, a wife, several mistresses, Facebook companions, too many kids—but a whole lot of damn money. With him, what you see is what you get. I couldn't believe how much he was worth, but his money wasn't what I was interested in. A good fuck would do me fine—case closed.

At two in the morning, I sat in the living room by myself thinking and watching TV. Everyone else was asleep, or so I thought until Jada came out of the bedroom. Dressed in an oversized T-shirt
for pajamas and a scarf tied around her head, she sluggishly made her way to the kitchen. I wasn't sure if she saw me or not, until she snatched a bag of cheese puffs from the closet and turned around.

“Shoot,” she said, coming into the living room and plopping down on the couch. “I got hungry. I couldn't sleep for nothin', and my stomach kept on grumblin'. I need a loxtative or somethin'.”

I didn't bother to correct her; those days were long gone. If she didn't care about her incorrect usage of words, neither did I.

“I don't know if those cheese puffs are going to help your stomach. You may want to try something like a banana or some yogurt.”

“No, thank you. I'll stick to my cheese puffs and figure out my bowels later. Meanwhile, what you doin' up so late?”

“I'm watching a good movie on cable. I also had a lot on my mind and couldn't sleep.”

“Like what?”

“You know, like what's up with this house. I wonder how all of it will end. I also have some ideas in my head to make it end sooner. I guess my question for you is what's your take on all of this? What do you expect to gain and how serious are you about being the last person here? More than anything, are you staying for the money?”

Jada didn't hesitate. “You're damn right I'm here for the money. Ain't you?”

“At first I was. Now, I'm not so sure.”

“Then, why else would you stick around? If it's not for the money, then you may as well leave.”

“No, I don't want to leave. I'm kind of enjoying myself here. Roc and Jaylin are a trip. I'm intrigued by both of them.”

“I am too, but I'm more intrigued by winnin' that money.”

I paused for a moment to look at the TV. Truthfully, I was in deep thought again. “Let me ask you another question, Jada. Is there any way possible that, if I win, we can split the money? Or if you win we'll split it?”

“No, ma'am, I'm sorry, there ain't. I remember how it went down in that movie with Larenz Tate playin' Frankie Lymon. He had all them wives, and after they agreed to split the money, Vivica Fox wound up takin' the money and runnin'. Women can't be trusted, and you know that I ain't got no reason to trust you.”

“No you don't, but I guess that's something I'll have to earn over time.”

“Good luck with that.” Jada stood up. “I'm goin' to the bathroom, then I'm goin' back to bed. I had a weird-ass dream. Do you know what it means when you find yourself caught up in a bedroom with four men?”

“It means that you're a freak with some serious sexual desires.”

“I don't know about all of that, but let me tell you what happened in my dream.”

Jada started telling me about her dream. I cracked up and covered my mouth in disbelief. What kind of person had a dream like that? I couldn't even picture Jaylin dancing to that song and begging her to be with him. Nor could I visualize Roc swinging on a pole and smacking his ass.

“Were the grapes sweet?” I jokingly asked. “That was too funny.”

“The grapes were real sour, but, girl, the men showed up and showed out in my dream. Do you think I should tell them about it?”

“No, Jada, please no. They would think you're out of your mind.”

“That's what I figured. By the time Prince showed up, I was happy to get out of there. I started runnin' for the door and they all came after me. Even the men in the orchestra chased me.”

“Wow. I don't know what to say about that dream. The message behind it is so confusing. Have you had sex with a lot of men?”

Jada looked up, seeming to be in thought. “Not really, but I don't know what you might consider a lot of men. I'm sure I haven't had more than you, but I could probably count the number of men I've had on both hands.”

“Well, good for you. Believe it or not, I could probably do the same.”

Jada stretched and yawned. “Just so you know, I don't believe you, 'cause you come across as a woman who done had a lot of experience with dick. No offense, I'm just sayin'.”

“And I'm sayin' that it hasn't been as many as you think. I'm picky and it takes a lot for a man to get this. Trust me on that.”

Jada wasn't buying it, but I didn't care. More than anything, I used men to get what I wanted. Sometimes it revolved around sex, and sometimes it didn't.

“Whatever you say. I'll see you in the mornin'. If I feel up to it, I'mma cook us some omelets filled with sausage, bacon, ham, and cheese. You and Jaylin ole funny actin' selves can eat whatever. Roc and me gon' throw down.”

“I love omelets too, so count me in.”

Jada nodded, then left the living room. She spent about twenty minutes in the bathroom, and after she finished, I went in. I sprayed Lysol and quickly changed into a turquoise lace nightgown that showed my goodies. I moisturized my skin with Forever Red lotion from Bath & Body Works, and then I stepped into a pair of comfortable house shoes. Afterward, I left the bathroom and went out back to entertain the man who had been giving me all of the information I needed, especially since I was forced to switch to Plan B.

“You look awesome,” Jeff said with pure lust in his eyes. He
wrapped his arms around me. “I've been dying to see you again.”

“It's a good thing the wait is over.”

I took the envelope with more information in it from his hand. He followed me to a cozy spot in the far back of the game room. As he sat on the couch, I stood in front of him, touching myself. My nightgown hit the floor and his eyes scanned me from head to toe.

“I want you to hurry up and leave here, Chase. I don't know how much more of this sneaking around stuff I can do. It's been no picnic watching you with Jaylin and Roc. I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't a little jealous.”

A jealous man couldn't even get it, but Jeff was sitting on too much information that I needed to win this challenge. He was willing to do just about anything for me, and with him being in charge of this whole thing, I could already taste victory.

“Be patient,” I said. “Doing so will benefit both of us, and remember that Jaylin and Roc are only part of the plan. I need your help with this. When all is said and done, we will be able to spend as much time together as you want us to.”

I stepped forward and straddled Jeff's lap. He loved to suck my breasts and his hands roamed all over them.

He removed his curled tongue from my tiny, hard nipple and looked up at me. “What about Jada, sweetheart? Are you concerned about her at all?”

“Not one bit. She's a loser, so ignore anything that she does around here. I'm going to use her to take care of a few things for me. Then she'll be sent packing like everyone else. Now, if you don't mind, my breasts kind of liked the attention you were giving them. Please resume. Let's save the questions for another time, especially since I've waited all day for this.”

Jeff smiled, but my smile was forced. I had to stroke his ego, and I knew that one fuck up from me could turn this whole thing around. He could easily turn his back on me. I didn't want that to happen, so I was determined to put something heavy on his mind.

He leaned in and took tiny bites on my lips. He didn't even know how to grip my ass the right way, and I would bet any amount of money that Roc wouldn't have a problem with it. I erased the thoughts of him from my head and laid Jeff back on the couch. I helped to remove his clothes and laughed to myself at the size of his package. In no way was it capable of satisfying me, but I pretended that it was the best. Jeff was my ticket to pulling myself out of debt. And if this wasn't proof that a woman could get anything she wanted, I'd be happy to say it again. Never, ever underestimate the power of pussy. Well, not mine for sure.