Tainted Love Ch 04

Raheem-

"When the fuck are you going to tell them it's been 25 years and you still haven't told your wife!" I yelled at the man sitting across from me. I was beyond mad at that point.

"Look son I know I should have done this a long time ago but you have to understand how hard it's been on me trying to juggle both, making sure that you had the best of everything while she had to suffer. Do you know how much that tore me apart?" He spat back at me.

"Don't you dare put the blame on me you fucker. Maybe if you had kept your dick in your pants you wouldn't have had that problem. But no you couldn't do that so deal with the damn consequences!!" I screamed as I felt my blood pressure rising.

I couldn't afford to get sick now especially since I was so close to getting what I had always wanted.

"Look I'm done playing games with you. You're on my time now. If you don't tell her soon I'm telling them for you. Got that?" I said to him.

I watched his jaw clench as he nodded. "Good"

Tyler-

"Hey mama," I said with a huge grin on my face.

"Hi baby I haven't seen you in a while. When are you going to come see your mother?" she scolded playfully.

I loved both my parents but my mom was my biggest supporter and when it came down to it I was a mama's boy through and through.

"I know mom things have just been really busy. Between working on my new album and then my two trips to Seattle I haven't had time to do anything let alone come visit my favorite girl." I said trying to sooth her.

"Ty I know your busy baby but you need to slow down before you make yourself sick. And two trips to Seattle Ty what's going on?" She questioned.

"Well the first one was for business and the trip I'm on now is a personal trip" I said vaguely.

"Who's the girl?" she asked me.

I smiled knowing she would get my drift. "I bumped into her on my first trip and honestly mama, I couldn't get her out of my mind so I came back to find her" I said thinking of Zaire.

"She must be some girl if she made you come back up there. Tell me about her," she said as bowls clanged around in the background.

"That's the problem mom. I don't know anything about her really. She's the first woman that has ever run out on me and tell me no. She actually slammed the door in my face this morning and walked out on me in the middle of our coffee date." I said shaking my head.

"Damn I like her already. She's not one of them stick women again is she?" she asked and I rolled my eyes.

My mom was by no means a fat woman but she wasn't skinny either and she hated when I dated women that were too skinny and didn't eat. "No mama she's not all skin and bones like nana would say."

"Good it's about time you found you one that's sturdy. I like her already. When can I meet her?" she said getting ahead of herself and I told her so.

"Mom you're getting way ahead of yourself. Right now she doesn't even like me." I said sighing.

"Baby then you make her like you. I did not raise you to give up like that." she said with authority in her voice.

"Yes mama I know" I said laughing.

"Good. You need to call me when you come back so I can make you your favorite dinner" she said as a door closed in the background.

"I will mama. Who just came in the house?"

"Your daddy and nana just came in the house... No mama it's just Ty... Tyler, nana said you need to come see her before she gets old and dies. And daddy hi," I rolled my eyes at the message my mom relayed to me.

My nana wasn't a day over 68 but she always said that to me when I hadn't seen her in a while.

"Tell nana that I'll see her when I get back and tell dad I said hi. I gotta go mama."

"Alright baby I'll talk to you later." She said as she hung up the phone.

I thought over what she had said to me. "Make her like me huh?" I said out loud to myself as I picked up my phone to send the text.

Zaire-

"You did WHAT?" Kyla yelled over the phone after the words left my mouth.

I shook my head as I repeated myself. "I walked out on Tyler Wright,"

"You walked out on Tyler Wright AGAIN? The Tyler Wright that you have been in love with since he came out when we were all at the tender age of 16? The same one who bumped into you in front of his hotel that Tyler Wright? ARE YOU CRAZY?!" she yelled again.

I sighed as she pointed out my love for all things Tyler. I was 15 when he first came out in the music world. A gorgeous, baby faced 16 year old Tyler immediately captured my heart through his music and Kyla never missed the chance to tease me about it especially now since I've come face to face with my musical obsession and ran out on him twice now.

"Ky what was I supposed to do. He was being a cocky unfeeling jerk. Do you know he had the nerve to say he wanted to see me again then acted like an ass" I told her before smacking my forehead realizing that I had opened up a bigger can of worms that I wasn't ready to deal with.

"He asked you out? Have you been snorting coke? Your crush of the last 10 years asked you out and you walked out? I don't know you anymore." Kyla moaned out.

I got up from my perch on the couch and walked to the kitchen, sipping from one of my sparkling waters.

"Ky it was the principle. For half a second I thought he was completely serious and was actually contemplating saying yes then he started that whole 'famous music star' shit and it pissed me off." I said as my phone beeped letting me know I got a text message.

"Zaire Marie Jensen the man of your dreams not only called you, but came to your house this morning, took you out for coffee and asked you out and your pissed because of that 'famous music star shit'? I swear I don't know you anymore. Most women in your position would have had their clothes off as soon as they saw him at their door. Truth to be told I would too shit." she said laughing.

I heard Kris say something in the background. "I was kidding you big dope," she said back to him.

"Well actually he said he likes me because I treat him like a regular guy and don't do that for him," I pointed out.

"Seriously Zai? The man likes you because you're different and you turn him down? This is priceless," she said.

Before I could answer my phone beeped again. "Hold on Ky someone is texting me," I said pulling the phone away from my ear.

I frowned at the number not recognizing it as I read the Imessage:

"Hey Princess"

'Who the hell would be calling me Princess?' I thought as I replied to the message.

"Who is this?"

I faintly heard Kyla calling me through the phone and quickly stuck it back up to my ear.

"Sorry I had a message." I said walking to the trash as I finished the last of my water.

"Ooh who from?" she said excitedly.

Knowing her she was probably thinking I was holding out on her.

"Don't know who it is. It's nobody saved in my phone," I said walking to the fridge to snatch a bottle of water. My phone beeped again in my ear.

"Well what do they want?" she asked trying to pump me for whatever information I knew.

"I don't know I haven't checked the new message yet" I told her flopping back on the couch.

"Well what are you waiting on! Go look so that I can know."

I didn't reply as I pulled the phone away from my ear to look at the screen.

"You've forgotten me already I'm heartbroken Lol."

My eyes went wide as it clicked who it was and my fingers flew across the touch screen to receive confirmation.

"Tyler?"

I pressed the phone back to my ear.

"Kyla you will never guess who's texting me," I said squealing like a little girl.

"By the sound of that squeal and the shit eating grin that's probably a mile long I'm guessing you have on your face it is the one and only Tyler Wright,"

"You take the fun out of everything Kyla Ann but yes I think it's him." I said grabbing the remote of the table in front of the couch.

"Good that means that when Kris drops me off in a few I won't have to kick your ass," she said seriously.

"Yeah yeah whatever hold on I just got another message."

"You know it. Did you enjoy your coffee?"

I laughed at the thought of me leaving him sitting at the table earlier.

"Sure did. But it still doesn't make up for sleep,"

I sat there with a stupid grin on my face as I waited for him to reply forgetting about Kyla waiting on the phone line.

"HELLO? Zaire I can hear your damn fingers hitting the screen of your damn iPhone! Find your head set!" Kyla screamed I quickly snapped out of my daze.

"Damn you act like you weren't just scolding me to talk to the man now you're screaming at me to talk to you. Make up your damn mind." I joked.

"Oh hell no. Kris baby you better get Zai cuz she has lost her mind," Kyla said.

"Aww whatever bitch you know you love me. I'll see you in a minute."

"Love you pooh bear when I get there I want to see these texts that has you ignoring me, Kyla Ann Rogers, your sister." she said over dramatically like always.

I snorted "Bye Kyla," and hung up the phone without giving her a chance to respond knowing that she hates when I do that.

My phone buzzed in my hand and I instantly glanced down to read the message.

"What can I do to make up for waking you beautiful? You won't go out with me so I'm out of ideas since you did a drive by with the coffee this morning"

"So you got jokes now. I'll figure some way for you to make it up to me. How long are you up here?"

"It took you 10 decades for you to reply only to say that? God I need to teach you how to flirt with men," Kyla said in my ear reading over my shoulder, scaring the shit out of me.

"Kyla you know I hate when you do that. Why can't you make noise like a normal person when you come through the door?" I yelled shooting up off the couch dropping my phone on the floor, "Shit" I muttered as it hit my foot.

"We have been friends since we were 1 years old and you don't know how quit I am? I get Kris all the time catching him with the whipped cream nozzle in his mouth." she smiled plopping down on the couch.

"I just figured you would grow out of that 'quite as a church mouse' stage as we got older. Apparently my pleas fell on deaf ears." I said darkly bending over to pick up my phone.

During the time it fell I got another text from Tyler

"As long as you want me to be ma ;p"

"Ooh I'm telling. That stupid grin on your face means lover boy texted you back. Dish, dish before I break your hand trying to get your phone." She said to me reaching for my phone snatching it before I had a chance to pull away.

"As long as you want him here? Girl that man just gave you power over when he goes back to Cali. You better take advantage of it. Woman would kill to be in your position and you know it."

I contemplated her words before I snatched the phone from her and quickly replied before I could let myself over think it.

"I give up Ty. We can do dinner tonight but you better not mess up. I don't believe in giving 2nd chances so you must be special"

?????-

'How the fuck did I let it get this far? What the hell am I supposed to do?' I thought to myself pacing in my office.

My life had gone to hell and I couldn't blame anybody but myself for putting it there. If only I hadn't argued with her that night, if only I had kept my ass home I wouldn't be in this situation now.

'You dumb fuck it's too late for if only's now so there's no use in wishing,' I thought to myself still pacing in the room.

I contemplated what I was going to do. I knew I had no choice but to tell them but I knew the outcome. I sank into the chair behind my desk and put my face in my hands just as a knock sounded at the door.

"Dinner's ready honey come on out to the kitchen," The voice called breaking me from my panic attack.

I cleared my voice before calling out "Coming baby." I shook off the bad fore brooding feeling I had in the pit of my stomach and stood up, putting on a fake smile as I opened the door.

Zaire-

"You look fantastic! There is absolutely no way Tyler won't choke on his own tongue after seeing your curves in that dress," Kyla gushed as she put on the last touches to my eye shadow.

"I look like a slut," I said glancing into the mirror we were standing in front of.

When I told Kyla that I had a date tonight she immediately went in to my closet trying to find the sexiest outfit I owned and came up with my little black dress that I had bought a few months ago. It was strapless and the lace, black bodice clung to my breast before loosening around my flat stomach then clinging to my ass before finally stopping a few inches above my knees. She paired the dress with a pair of 4 inch stilettos the "show off my legs" and straightened my naturally unruly curly hair making it fall around my shoulders to the center of my back.

The topped off the whole look with a smokey eye shadow that mad my hazel eyes pop and clear lip gloss. As sexy as I looked I felt out of my element.

"Zai you do not look like a slut you look hot. If I was single and swung that way or was even questioning I would do you in New York minute. If you never listen to me again ever in our life time listen to me when I tell you Tyler Wright doesn't stand a chance when he sets his eyes on you tonight."

Tyler-

I knocked on Zaire's door for the third time today before reaching up to fix my tie nervously.

I didn't know how tonight was going to go considering the fight I had with her just trying to get her to say yes. I went to knock again just as the door flung open and the black woman from the pictures in Zaire's apartment stood in front of me.

"Hi I'm here to..." I started to say before she cut me off.

"I know who you are trust me and I know why you're here. Let's just get one thing straight if you hurt her you have to answer to me." she said poking me in my chest.

I was surprised by her attitude because it reminded me of Zaire's- or at least what I had seen- attitude.

"Kyla stop you're going to scare the poor man off before we even leave." I heard Zaire say to her friend as she walked up to the door.

In that one moment my mind went completely blank and I lost all conscious thought. 'Hell I barely remember my own damn name!' I thought as I stared at Zaire.

She literally took my breath away at the sight of her in that black dress. "Damn," I said out loud looking her up and down.

What really got me were the heels that adorned her feet. They took her from her normal mid chest height to my shoulder.

"Well hello to you to handsome," she smiled at me causing my heart to pound harder than normal. "You ready?" I asked holding my hand out.

"Yeah sure let's go. Ky can you do me a favor and lock up for me?" She asked the woman who was still leaning against the door jam.

"Yeah I'll lock up. Remember what I told you Tyler." she said again before stepping back into the apartment and closed the door.

"Please ignore anything she says. She's just trying to look out for me" Zaire quickly explained to me.

I chuckled "It's okay I understand."

We stopped in front of the elevator waiting for it to reach her floor, "She's like my sister and if her boyfriend had of been there it would have been worse."

"It's okay Zai, I'm a big boy I think I can handle your friends," I said cockily.

She stuck me with a look before saying, "Why can't you go five minutes without bringing your cocky attitude to into the mix? Or is that too much work for you to do?"

"Alright alright I'm sorry I'll try and be good tonight." I said to her taking her hand as we walked out of the elevator.

Her small hand felt right in my larger one as we walked through the small lobby out to my car. "So what do you have planned for us tonight Mr. Music Star?" she asked me as I helped her in to the jeep before jogging around.

"That's for me to know and you to find out. But trust me beautiful your outfit won't go to waste." I wiggled my eyebrows at her before I pulled away from the curb.

"Come on Ty just tell me. Please?" She begged batting her eyes and poking her bottom lip out and I knew right then that she could ask me for the moon and I would find a way to get it for her.

"How'd you know I'm a sucker for woman who pout?" I joked.

"No you're not because if that were the case all of the woman in the world would have had their evil wicked way with you. Now can you pretty please tell me where you're taking me on our 2nd chance date?"

"So you admit that this morning was a date?" I asked her before laughing as she shot me a look that told me to shut up.

"That is completely beside the point. Just tell me already. You are worse with suspense then a scary movie," she said rolling her eyes at me.

"We're going to dinner then we're going to this dance club downtown. Happy now that you know?" I teased her as I turned the corner.

"Where are we eating?" She asked turning her body toward me as best as she could in the seat belt.

"You'll see when we get there."

Zaire-

'There' happened to be down on the water front. Tyler helped me out of the car and took my hand again as we walked down the boardwalk.

"Where exactly are we eating?" I asked as we passed boat after boat before stopping.

"We're eating here," he said pointing to the yacht tied up at the end of the dock.

I looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. 'Holy shit he's taking me to dinner on a yacht?'

"That's where were eating?" I asked for confirmation and I saw him tense up.

"Yeah I hope you don't mind I just thought..." He started to explain but I stopped him.

"Of course I don't mind, but you didn't have to do something this extravagant for me," I said watching the tension drain from his body and he smiled again.

"I wanted to now come on let's go eat." He took my hand again and led me up on to the boat where our waiter for the evening was waiting for us.

"Mr. Wright we're ready to take off as soon as you and you beautiful guest are situated." He said taking my hand from Tyler's to help me on to the boat.

"Thanks Marcos. Tell the captain we're ready any time." Tyler said climbing on before reclaiming my hand from the waiter.

"Of course sir. I'll be down in just a moment to get you started." He said walking across the deck of the boat before disappearing into the control room.

"Come on love lets go down to our table," Tyler said steering me down below the deck where it was set up like a restaurant dining room.

He pulled my chair out for me before taking his own. 'He wins points for being a gentleman,' I thought to myself.

"So Zaire tell me about yourself. This time you can't run from me," he said smirking at me.

"Is that why you chose a boat?" I laughed.

"I pled the 5th."

"What do you want to know about me?" I asked him as Marcos came bounding down the stairs with a bottle of wine in his hand.

"Whatever you want to tell me but honestly everything." He said truthfully.

Once again he managed to surprise me with his words. I waited until Marcos had poured the wine and went back up on deck.

"Umm okay I was born on October 31st so I'm a Halloween baby and I'll be 25 this year. I have an older brother named Cameron whose married and about to have his first baby. I was raised by my dad and I don't know my mom. She ran off when I was two. I have two best friends, Kyla, whom you met tonight and her boyfriend Kris. I love to read and write poetry so I'm a bit of a book worm. I work downtown Seattle as a receptionist at a law firm and I want to go back to school so that I can finish getting my degree in business." I said in a rush before blushing.

"That was a mouthful but surprisingly I understood it all. I was born December 25th so I'm a Christmas baby and I'll be 26 this year I don't have any siblings but I do have my best friend Raheem. I was raised by both my parents and my grandmother I also love to read and write poetry obviously. I went to school for business as well and I want to open up a restaurant for my mom so that she can share her good cooking with the world." he said right before Marcos came back down.