Ayla was still reeling from her breakup with Qassen, and Kong was older, wiser, and more patient. He was a man in every sense of the word, and she watched how he handled her most of the night. The eldest Blackmoor brother was definitely feeling her baby sister.
“Look, you heard him last night during hot seat. The man is still scared.” Inari waved her cup in front of her. “He lost the mother of his children.”
“He has no problem engaging in sex with other women. Just not me.” Ayla pouted.
“Now, don’t let me find out you thinking about popping that thang open for him!”
“Shut up!” Ayla hissed. “And it gotta be something wrong with me. I damn sure can’t seem to pick a man interested in me.”
“Listen, don’t do that! I saw him with you. While he might be having a physical connection with somebody else, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want something of some substance with somebody else,” she pointed out. “Give yourself some credit. You’re beautiful, single, and can cook. Whatever Kong is going through is on him. You can’t let it rule your life, and you better not be sitting around, waiting for the nigga to pick you! We are Jacobs women.” She sat up straight in her chair.
“Yeah, so what’s up with you and Moose? You know he’s a few years younger than you.”
“I’m not thinking about him like that. We had fun.” Inari shrugged.
“Fun? Orfun?”Her sister teased.
“I mean… I would be open to it again, but I’m not taking him seriously.” She denied, even though hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since leaving the shop that morning. There was no renouncing the impression he’d left on her and her walls.
“Why not?”
“Trust me, a man like Moose is nothing but heartbreak. You can’t give a nigga with dick that good any kind of access to your heart.”
“You are crazy!” Ayla snickered.
“I’m serious!” Inari’s eyes stretched wider. “It’s better if whatever it is remains casual. I can’t go falling in love with somebody like that.”
“You deserve some happiness, Nari. If it’s with Moose, then that’s all that matters.”
“See, you talking crazy. I gotta go.” She waved her off the camera. “I’ll be here doing inventory until late tonight. It’s some ridiculously priced pieces coming in tonight, and Mrs. Vernon wants me to triple check everything.”
“Okay. Call me later. Love you.”
“Love you too, Lala.”
Inari glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was almost nine pm. The shipment she was expecting would be arriving at any time now. She finished her smoothie and decided to head downstairs and wait. The auction house could be creepy at night when she was inside alone. She swore up and down some of the pieces they acquired were haunted too. Sliding behind the computer at the counter near the entrance, she signed in and waited for the home screen to load. She peered out a nearby storefront window, watching the gray clouds shift as thunder rumbled the ground under her feet.
“Great,” Inari grumbled, watching a set of headlights flicker over the windows as the delivery truck wheeled around to the back door.
She was already only running off a few hours of sleep thanks to Moose, and all she wanted was another shower and her bed. Business casual in black skinny jeans, a white bodysuit top, and a black and white plaid print open front blazer, she moved from behind the counter to the main floor. Her black patent leather Jimmy Choo pumps clicked across the tile of the building until she reached the rear exit. The auction house was like a maze, with different pieces arranged all over, usually by era. Mrs. Vernon was very particular about her shit. Although it might look like an unorganized flea market to some, if something was moved or taken, that woman would be able to tell.
As she neared the door, she listened to the heavy patter of the rain suddenly hitting the roof. She pushed the crash bar, cracking the door at first, and was met with a young, bearded, fair skinned man in a hunter green jumpsuit. Nunez Trucking Co. was embroidered in his shirt.
“You Inari?”
“I am.” She nodded.
“We’ve got some pieces to bring in. Where do you want us to place them?” he asked, looking over a tablet in his hand and popping the gum in his mouth.
“Uh, right through there.” Inari pivoted and pointed to her right. “There’s a space ready and waiting.”
He nodded and stepped away from the door. Moments later, he and two other men loaded various crates and boxes inside. Inari groaned every time she thought they were done and they came back with more. As they were wrapping up, she hung back in the initial inventory room and went over the printed list of items that she received and checked over it.
Raised voices drew her attention to the exit, and she paused with her pencil in hand, prepared to check off an item. Frowning, she set the clipboard down and sauntered to the hallway. The door was left wedged open with about a two-inch crack, allowing a summer breeze to blow through along with a little of the downpour happening out there.
When Inari pushed it out further, opening the doorway further, she was greeted with the barrel of a chrome nine-millimeter. She should have been scared, and although a flicker of panic shot through her eyes, and her heart stuttered, she didn’t back down. The masked man in front of her studied her closely, his brown eyes squinting briefly before inching closer. Inari took that as her cue to back inside since he hadn’t uttered a word.
“Take whatever you want.” Her arms went up in surrender.
