Chapter 6: My Doubts...

I was sitting on a table for two in a 5 star hotel West invited me to. He was dressed in an expensive navy blue suit, a designer writer watch and black tuxedo. To be honest, he was astonishing plus his neatly shaved beard and shiny afro. One thing West never stopped doing was keeping a firm smile, he was not the burger man I knew, he was way too classic for for that.

 He wasn't the only one shaking tables though, I decided a change remember? I had my nude make up on to not want to look too extra, wore a pitch sleeveless dinner gown, exposing my slender curves, and a pitch colored purse covered in shiny diamond-like stones, then my golden color high stilettos.

  "I knew you'd make it." He beamed laying a soft kiss on my right knuckles.

  "Sure. I keep to time" I replied like those old classical times

  "What's your fancy?" He asked more serious still keeping a faint smile

  "Now he acts way too classy, burger man!" I teased and we laughed

  "Yes I love my job......" He got a bit defensive

  "Speaking about jobs, how did we get here? Burger can not be a way, can it?"

I asked laying more emphasis. ordinarily, burger sales couldn't or could actually take a long while to stack up something. He scoffed & adjusted his tie and cleared his throat then continued

  "Waiter?" He motioned

  "At your service!" The waiter seemed professional and friendly

  "Ask my lady?" He looked at me smiling, I could see questions floating his mind

  "Oh! I'd like Hennessey mixed with cranberry for a start" I smiled

 West was shocked or surprised, I couldn't tell it was a mixed impression.

  "Ok ma'am. Sir?" He turned to West For affirmation

  "I'd like what she has, for a start." He smiled looking directly at me

 The waiter left immediately, West continued

  "You fascinate me, I feel there's something I'm yet to know about you" he added

  "Sure West. So what's new? There's a knew you right now....."

The waiter interrupted again

  "There you go" he served and smiled then left

  "Who's the man in your life?" He got serious

  "A man? There's no man but there are lots of men drooling." I fired

  "Then I hope to be exceptional" we clinked our glasses and sipped on the drinks and there! Our eyes met, I turned away

  "How does it feel like losing a good friend, its inevitable somehow," I stirred up 

  "Yeah it is, I must confess. Just yet to find the killer."

  "Seems personal." I added coz it felt strange

  "Its my brother, so tell me what other way that's Humane  to avenge his death without taking a life for a life?" He frowned

  "No other way than forgiving" I said calmly, though I knew I wrong

  "Wow....you'd do that?" He asked again

  "Not really. But there's no other humane way."

My phone rang immediately vibrating on the table, it was Jamal's call. His photo popped up as it rang. West on the other hand peeped slightly and gave a not accepting impression, then I figured something was really up

  "Hey?" I snapped

  "Where are you at please?" He sounded restless

  "Dinner with West." I affirmed

  "Can I come over? I'll tell you about  it please, Danni. I need your help."

  "I'll text you." I smiled hanging up

I didn't want West noticing any abnormalities, if he knows Jamal would be at my place then its a wrap. I just have a hunch that West is after something, and maybe using me as bait. Even if not me but he'll get Jamal thru me.

  "Your man?" He smiled halfway

  "Its my best friend. His car broke down so he needs my help" I lied

  "You're leaving so soon? We just started" He looked disappointed

  "Not at all. I just texted him my engineer's contact" I smiled

We ordered grilled chicken and red wine after few shots of henny, we talked over and over about childhood to our present state. There was this connection drawing me closer to him like a magnet, the feeling is genuine but one thing kept drawing me back, his dark side.

We headed to the pool, then sat beside it. West held my knuckles and looked at me in the eye

  "Did I ever tell you that in a short while I like the man I am right now?" He said

  " you're a good man, do you have to push the.....

  "Does it matter right now?" He tried to end the conversation

  "Just curious. Why did you have to serve burgers? I mean, a lot could be done" I pondered

  "Maybe burgers bring peace and it led me to you, I don't regret" he added

  "I like the way you choose your words, you're crafty" I was impressed

  "That's a man. You don't intend to hurt a gem. Dinner by 6pm, tomorrow?" He pleaded

  "I'll see about that!" I grabbed my purse and then he followed from behind.

We were walking to West' sports SUV when we bumped into Eric and Ada. I noticed West was irritated, it seemed like he didn't like people around him.

  "Look who we have here?" Ada said smiling and we hugged

  "Sweet heart!" Eric and I hugged as well

I turned to West to introduce them to him

  "West, this is Eric and his fiancee Ada..." I motioned

  "Eric and Ada, this is West!" I motioned as well and they all smiled

  "Bro!" Eric offered a hand shake

West seemed lost and far away

  "Oh, err! I'm West!" He accepted the hand shake "and Ada! Hi" he shook her too

  "Errrr uhm.... Are you not Zafar's brother?" 

  "Zafar? Who's he?......

  "Maybe I mistook you for him though" Eric ignored and smiled

  "Ok, well just go ahead while y'all catch fun....and Danielle, still waiting on my IV tho!" She teased

  "Oh sure.... How could I forget that Addy!"

  "Ok y'all.... Bro, keep my Auntie safe!" Eric said to West as they hugged and we, the ladies did same then they parted.

I got home, taking off my heels walking straight to the fridge to get chilled water, Jamal came forward in a fendi sweat shirt and pants and a black slides, his hair was neatly trimmed. He looked nice not as he sounded earlier then we hugged tightly, to say the truth, I felt very comfy in his broad arms.

  "I'm so sorry I came thru this way." He apologized heartily.

  "Nah! Its ok. Are you ok?" I rubbed his face swiftly

  "I made dinner for us, come eat" we headed to the counter and sat.

Jamal had cleaned up the kitchen and the house entirely. He made noodles and sauced chicken coupled with carrots and peas. He was indeed a great chef.

  "I love this, guy. You are amazing"  we continued eating "what's the matter?" I asked in concern

  "Let's eat up first!" He opted

  "Ok sir" I said sarcastically

After few minutes, I finished eating and cleared the dishes as well. I went into the room to change into something more comfortable then had the dishes done, while Jamal was using his laptop for business transactions. That's what he never stopped doing, work. Just like his father, Dr K. Khaleefa. Jamal just happened to be in a crazy situation, mixed with bad people. 

  "Danni?" He screamed from the living room

  "Ah huh?" I answered from the bedroom

  "Can i have your payroll sheet, I need a sample.

  "Oh ok!

He bumped into me while was I just out the shower. In a white towel that  stopped on my thin thighs, and another towel wrapped on my head

  "Oh! You were in the shower?Where's it?" His eyes traveled round my body

  "Mm-hmm." I took out a neat file from the dresser's drawer and handed it to him

  "Maybe it'll help." I said smiling

  "Ok great!" He glanced through and left hastily

I closed the door immediately he left. Gosh, I should be more careful next time, what if he saw me nude? I almost forgot that I couldn't walk round naked like I always do. Lola and I would do that if we were in a haste to work or church or a date sometimes, its just a girl thing for us. I quickly lotioned my skin and powdered my face, wore a white baggy shirt and a black sweat pant, then my flip flops. I oiled my hair and headed to the living room holding my cell and laptop.

  "Seriously, what's wrong?" I sat beside him while focused on his laptop, then he sighed

  "Someone was after me, I was just out to get some cash and boom!"

  "Did you see his face?

  "No! He wore a hoodie. I was just lucky enough to escape" he closed his laptop and kept it aside

  "I'm really sorry to be this helpless and disturbing to you. I regret getting into this mess" he confessed

  "You did it for us too. When we sold drugs and all that, you came through so why wouldn't I help?"

  "Thank you!" He beamed "and Lola?"

I expected this question anyways

  "Uhm! She left, like for good. She ain't coming back, she's upset over nothing. She feels left out and its really because of you....

  "How?" He was amazed

  "You called me not her, we are close--real close." I said

  "That's not an excuse, we've been close ever since, even before we met her, so? That's not it."

  "Maybe she likes you?" I figured

  "Don't be crazy, she has a boyfriend.....

  "And which law states that you can't love another even with someone? That totally explains it. She thinks we have a thing going on  between us, when there's nothing...

  "Are you sure we got nothing at all?" He asked softly, looking into my eyes, it was too intensed

  "No we don't." I said defensively

Could Jamal be right about that? Hell no, we couldn't

  "Maybe! I'm really sorry about that! She's a friend tho" he added

  "No, she was really rude to me, really rude Jamal." I had a long face on then scoffed

  "And your date?" He asked

  "Went awful. Something is off about him....

  "Why? Don't you like him?"

  "I like him as a good person but he's keeping something....huh! When you called me, your picture popped up and he glanced through and had this face...like he knew you or so......

   "What are you talking about?" He sat up looking serious

  "Yeah seriously! We bumped into Eric and Ada, Eric specifically Mentioned Zafar asking if he was his brother.....

  "What?" He became restless

  "He denied, so maybe just maybe West is...

  "Vinnie?" He added

  "Just maybe! I might be his bait, maybe that's his brother.....

  "Why are just telling me this?" He almost yelled

  "I had to make sure I was right. I fear for me, for you......

  "Danielle?" He called softly "I'm sorry?"

Before I could say a word, Jamal hugged me tightly this time not letting go, he was really sorry, I could fee it. Did I just say I could feel it? Seriously what's wrong with me, I cared for him too much, more than usual, maybe Lola was right.

There was a knock on the door, Jamal ignored the knock, not letting me go for once.

  "Jamal hide.... Go to my closet now...." I whispered

  "Why?" He asked

  "Just go!" I almost yelled

I went over to the door and opened it still adjusting my shirt, West stood there giving a suspicious look

  "Did I interrupt something?"

  "No, why?" I lied 

  "Can I at least come in?

  "I'm being a jerk. Please come in"

I motioned him to the sofa, so he sat and I brought a glass of red wine 

  "Seems like you are busy?" He looked at the laptops

  "Oh no! I have multiple of them. One for work, the other for socials, another for movies....

  "Are you really ok?" He asked again like he suspected something odd

  "Not at all. Why did you come?" I asked finally

  "Oh that." He brought out a golden 24 carats bracelet, and put it on me

  "Oh my! This is much, you deserve better." I said again

  "No, you deserve better."

He looked round and continued

  "Can I use the rest room, I think I need to pee. I know its embarrassing, but I can't help it. We had so much to drink, and now I'm pressed.....

  "Oh sure! This way!"

I was confused, I've never been confused in my life like I am right now. I have two men in my home, not just men but a killer and maybe a hitman.I motioned him to my bathroom. Maybe i should have shown him the guest room instead, Jamal is in my closet and West in my bathroom, oh God.

West came out and sighed in relief

  "That was glorious, thank you!" He appreciated

  "Its nothing at all." I smiled

West fixed his eyes on me for a minute and then I spoke

  "Hello? What's on?"

  "You were gorgeous at dinner, and still gorgeous." He complimented

He drew closer, placed his hands on my face, trying to lean forward

  "West? What's going on?" I was lost and not expecting that, maybe.

  "I won't hurt you, just be mine alone. I'd protect you, show you love and affection like no one ever did...

  "Hold it.....

He leaned over and kissed me, I tried to let go but he was almost letting his demons over ride him

  "West!!!" I screamed, I kicked his cork to escape his grip. That moment I wished Jamal was out to give punches, like he was on my mind, Jamal tried to surface I motioned for him not to come out yet. I could see his disappointed face. Left to him, he'd act soonest but I guess I was his hindrance.

  "Why?.....i-i-i...." He stuttered

  "Its ok. I need to free my mind and work." I looked at him looking not impressed

  "I'm so sorry! I couldn't help it either, I'm so sorry." He turned to leave.

I followed behind and made sure he drove off then I turned and behold, Jamal was behind me. My heartbeat was fidgeting and I was startled.

  "Err! Jamal? (phew www)That was close, I had to make him believe..."

  "What was that 'bout?" He had this jealous and mad look altogether

  "I can explain!" I replied

First time, I became lost in words.

Like what have I done to myself? West kissed me and Jamal was just behind the door. I felt like I was cheating on them both, very absurd.

 Did I really have to let West or Jamal in?

I guess I'd have to deal with this alone.