PAPER VOWS Novel Chapter 22

“Are you okay?” Denzel asks, handing me an ice pack to put on my face. My lip is busted, and my nose is bleeding. Denzel is the only person who was near that I could call after Dante’s security manhandled me. I don’t understand why they would be so rough with me like this over a woman. I am a regular here, and they treat me like I’m not one of the reasons 4th Street is still in business. I have brought Dante many customers to Dante’s club, and they treat me like this?

“What happened for you to end up like this?” Denzel asks. He should be giving me alcohol and not questioning me.

“It doesn’t matter what I did. How can these people treat me like this? And where the hell is your brother?”

“There is no way these people just attacked you for no reason. You have to have done something. Here, have a short,” he says, handing me a bottle of Jack Daniels.

“You know what, f*uck you and f*uck your brother.”

“What did I do? I wasn’t there when they were beating you. These people know you, there is no way they just attacked you for no reason,” says Denzel.

“Help me up, I am leaving this place.”

Denzel helps me get off my feet. My head is throbbing, not even the alcohol is helping, so I take another sip. Denzel says, “Give me your keys, I will drive you home.”

“Don’t act as if you care.”

“I don’t care, but I am still offering to drive you home. Give me your keys before I change my mind. I left a cute babe in there to come help you. I am not about to beg you to accept my help,” he says, seeming uninterested in being here.

I dig in my pockets and pull out my car keys, and toss them to Denzel. He helps me walk to my car and then drives me to my house. My house is about thirty-five minutes away from 4th Street Club. As Denzel is driving me there, I ring Dante Lyon. He has a lot of explaining to do.

Dante: Clark.

Me: Don’t Clark me, do you know what your people did to me?

Dante: Only you can tell me that. I don’t talk to those people.

Me: Your security handled me like I was some drunk who was trying to sneak out without paying.

Dante: What did you do to be treated like that? There is no way they could just approach you and assault you for no reason.

Me: Dante, I have brought you so much money and clients to your club. Today you treat me like this.

Dante: What are you saying, Clark?

Me: Your people manhandled me. I have a busted lip and bruised eye.

Dante: Sorry.

Me: F*ck you Dante!

Dante: Drink painkillers or something. I have other things to do.

He hangs up, and Denzel bursts into laughter. Maybe I shouldn’t have put the phone on speaker. Denzel says, “He kind of has a point. You have to have done something to earn that busted lip.”

“I swear it’d be your people turning on you. And f*ck you too.”

“Are you sure you don’t need someone to help you take that anger out? I know a lot of hot women,” says Denzel and I turn up the radio. I am done listening to him talk. If we were not in business together, this would be the last time talking to him.

I turn the music down and say, “I don’t have the energy for a woman. I think these people broke my rib.”

“You will be fine, this is not your first time getting your ribs broken,” Denzel answers, driving into my yard.

“And give me back my keys.”

“Stop being bitter, this is why you have busted lips. I am sure you were being stubborn and harassing people, that’s why you are like this,” he says, gets out of the car and comes to help me out too. I wish I could say I don’t need his help, but I need it. I also need painkillers and more alcohol.

I wish I could take a shower, but I don’t have the strength for it, so I go straight to my bedroom. Denzel gets me painkillers and says, “Are you going to be good?”

“Yeah, you can go.”

“I will tell you how everything goes with the merchandise. Don’t piss off Dante, leave him alone,” says Denzel and leaves. I reach for my phone on the bed and dial Nicholas’s number. I want to know who that woman is that I now have busted lips because of.

Nicholas: Hey, I heard what happened. Are you good?

Me: I am not good. Who is that girl anyway? Why was she protected like she was the president’s daughter?

Nicholas: That’s Dante’s woman.

Me: No sh*t! That’s Dante’s woman? Now I get why she was so protected. What’s her name?

Nicholas: Jade Marshal.

Me: I see…okay, man, take care!

Jade Marshal! Here I was thinking no woman wants Dante Lyon, but I have just been proven wrong. I log into my Facebook and look for Jade Marshal. It seems I live under a rock because Dante and his woman are the talk of GoldenRock. I send Jade Marshal a friend request, then browse around looking at her photos. She is gorgeous.

‘So Jade Marshal is the reason you are treating me like a stranger?’ I send a text message to Dante Lyon.

I toss my phone on the bed and get off. I need more alcohol before I go to bed.

ARIA WILLOW

“Come on, Aria, why are you looking like you are carrying the whole of GoldenRock on your shoulders?” Paula asks.

I am not sad or anything along those lines. I’m just tired and ready to go home. Paula and I have been at the club since eight pm – it’s now almost midnight. I am tired of dancing in heels. Maybe I am growing old – when the clock hits eleven, I want to be in my bed.

Paula and I decided to go out and forget about Dante and his woman. We usually go to 4th Street on the west side of GoldenRock, today we decided to go to the east side to avoid bumping into Dante. Everyone knows that Dante is more on the West side, and that’s where more people hang out.

Paula and I decided to leave what we wanted to do about spreading speculations on Jade Marshal. Knowing Dante Lyon, he was going to make sure he silenced the rumours. If she is really pregnant, then time will tell. If Dante really loves her, then time will tell. Knowing Dante Lyon the way I do, he is just using her. I was with that man for two years. I know him very well, and all this showing her off is for show.

“Don’t tell me you are thinking about Dante,” Paula snaps her fingers in my face.

“I have better things to think about. I told you that Dante can go to hell.”

“Do you think you would be able to say that to his face?” Paula asks.

I tell her that I would gladly say that to Dante. I am the price – Dante lost a diamond. As for what happened that day, with me driving to his place, that was just alcohol making me crazy. Paula holds me by my shoulder and makes me turn so I can look at what she wants to show me. There he is, Dante Lyon – he is wearing blue jeans and a white tee. This isn’t like Dante; he is more of a formal guy, but he still looks good.

“I need to get out of here,” I say to Paula. I have had a lot of shots. The next thing I know, I will be going to Dante. That man is my past, and I have already embarrassed myself enough.

“Sure, let me go to the bathroom first.” Paula walks away, heading to the bathroom. I see Dante walking away as if going to his office. I was sleeping with that man. I know where his office is – we used to go there and do what lovers do. The thought of him doing the things he used to do to me to that woman pains me.

I gulp down the remaining of my alcohol and walk to Dante’s office. I don’t knock, I just barge in. He quickly lifts his head when he hears the door opening. “Hey Dante.”

“Hi, Aria.”

“Can you please drive me home? I am failing to find an Uber,” I say with my back against the closed door.

“We both know that’s not true.”

My phone vibrates in my purse. When I check it, it’s Paula asking where I am. I tell her that I will be back in a few seconds. “Are you driving me home or not?”

“In what universe would the answer to that question be yes?”

I walk towards him, stop when in front of him and say, “You and I didn’t end on bad terms. I figured you could help out an old friend.”

“Can you leave my office? I am busy.”

“Give me a hug then, for old time’s sake.” I don’t wait for his response; I launch myself into his arms.

“What the hell, Aria?” he pushes me off him.

“It’s just a hug, Dante, nothing we haven’t done before. We have been here before, in this office and done things you and your new woman would never dream of doing.”