Tainted Love Ch. 03

Zaire-

I heard my phone ring as I walked into my dad's house but I ignored it.

"Daddy it's me," I called out walking into the kitchen not surprised to see my brother Cameron and his wife Kim sitting at the table with my father.

"Oh Zai I didn't know you were supposed to be dropping by today," he said as I leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"I got off work early and figured I would come visit you. Cam, I figured you would still be at the hospital working." I said to my brother as I leaned up on my tippy toes to reach a glass from the cabinet.

"I work tonight. Kim and I just wanted to come and tell dad and I guess now you that we're having a baby!" he said proudly as he rubbed Kim's still flat stomach.

"I'm going to be a grandfather?" my dad asked excitedly as I rolled my eyes.

'Great the golden child strikes again,' I thought as I drained my glass and stuck it on the counter behind me.

"Yup, dad in 6 months you'll have a grandson or granddaughter to bounce on your knee." Kim said beaming from ear to ear.

As my dad and Kim discussed my niece or nephew Cameron came over to me probably looking to start an argument as always.

"So little sister you still working that shit job downtown?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

He loved to put me down because he got to finish college and go to med school. Hell it was his fault I had to drop out after 2 years.

My dad used up all his money sending Cameron to school which meant my dreams of getting my degree in public relations went out the door. I had to quit school and work as a receptionist at one of the law firms downtown and my brother never let me forget that fact.

"You know I am so I don't know why you bothered to ask." I said with an attitude.

"Zaire watch your tone." My dad scolded me like I was still a little child.

"Daddy did you not just hear Cameron" I asked in disbelief.

"Zaire let's not start this. Your brother just asked you a question it's nothing to get upset about" my dad replied brushing me off.

Once again my brother got away Scott free. "Whatever. I just dropped by to see if you were okay but you're busy right now with the golden child. I'll see you later daddy." I said picking up my new purse from off the counter and headed to the door.

"Zaire don't act like that" my dad said trying to get up out of the chair but my brother stopped him.

"No pop let her go. If she wants to act like a brat then let her!" I ignored the comment and kept walking outside I made it down the stairs and started walking back toward the bus stop when my phone started buzzing again.

I didn't recognize the number on the screen and was skeptical to answer but chose to any way, "Hello?" I asked continuing to walk down the street to the bus stop.

"Is this Zaire? Zaire Jensen?" The deep voice asked.

I stopped and tried to place it. "This is she may I ask who's calling?"

"This is Ty. I mean Tyler. Tyler Wright." He replied.

I pulled the phone from my ear to stare at my iPhone screen in shock. Did Tyler Wright really just call my phone?

"Hello? Hello?" I heard him call and quickly put the phone back to my ear.

"Sorry. Umm how did you get my number?" I asked him still a little shocked.

"When I knocked you down you dropped your purse. I uh I still have it," he stuttered.

'Is he nervous?' I thought as I answered him. "Thanks for calling. I thought I lost it forever. That's my favorite and most expensive purse" I gushed happy to find out my coach bag hadn't been stolen.

"It was no problem. I have been meaning to call you for a few weeks now and tell you that I had it but I got busy." he explained in a rush.

"You don't have to explain to me. I'm sure you're a busy man with your music and all. By the way I love the new song." I told him.

"Thanks. So how do you want to go about returning your bag?" He asked me.

"Well since you still have my ID you can just mail it to my apartment. I don't want to unconvince you though." I said getting to the bus tunnel just in time to make the train heading back toward my house.

"It's no unconvinced for me." he said quickly.

"Umm okay thank you Mr. Wright..."

"Mr. Wright is my father call me Tyler or just Ty." he grated out.

"Okay thank you Ty. It's nice of you to return my bag" I said at a loss of what to say to him at the moment.

"You're welcome. I'll send it out tomorrow. Bye gorgeous. Stay beautiful" he said.

I could hear his smile through the phone and couldn't help but start smiling myself.

"Bye Ty" I said sliding the icon to hang up my phone.

I sagged back in my seat and stared at my phone again. The only thing my mind could come up with to say to that whole situation was: 'No fucking way!'

Carla-

My phone rang while I was pedaling away on my exercise bike in my home gym. I quickly glanced at the screen before answering it and sticking it on speaker phone.

"Hello?" I puffed out not slowing my pace.

"C I need you to do me a favor. I need you to book me a flight out to Seattle for tomorrow morning," Ty said in a hurry.

I stopped pedaling in shock. "Ty you just got back from Seattle and you're trying to go back?"

'What's going on with him' I thought.

"I met this girl up there and we got into an accident- well I sort of knocked her down- and I want to go up and check on her. You know make sure she's okay so that she doesn't sue." he said trying to make a joke.

"Umm yeah sure what time you want to fly out? And is Raheem going with you?" I asked gritting my teeth while thinking 'he must be talking about the fat bitch he was holding in those pictures!'

"Any time tomorrow morning and naw I'm not going to be up there more than a day or two I should be fine without him" he said to me.

I could hear rustling in the background and I knew he was moving around in his closet.

"Sure I'll get right on it and email you your flight information." I said hoping of the bike.

"Thanks C you're the best!" he said and hung up leaving me standing there with the phone to my ear grinding my teeth. I had a habit of doing that when I was angry which was usually when Ty got a new play thing.

Calmly I got off the bike before throwing my phone at the wall, watching it shatter into itty bitty pieces enjoying the sound and sight of it breaking.

"One of these days Tyler Wright, you will be mine."

Zaire-

"Kyla I'm still in shock. I mean he really called me. Tyler Wright, the prince of R&B, called me!" I gushed on the phone as I jogged up the stairs to my apartment door.

"I told you he wanted you" she laughed.

I thought about the reality of the situation and lost some of my pep. "Ky he didn't call because he wants me. He called to return my purse that I dropped outside his hotel room." I said entering the empty apartment.

"Whatever the reason he has your number boo and he used it. That has to mean something Zai and you know it." Kyla reasoned with me.

"Your right. But I probably won't ever hear from him again after my bag gets back up here. He said he's shipping it up here tomorrow." I said throwing my keys and my bag on the table by the door.

"Whatever you say Zai. How's your dad?" she asked me.

I heard the front door close in the background and faint voices indicating that Kris was home from work on her end of the line.

"He's my dad. And my life got worse. Kim's pregnant." I muttered darkly walking to the fridge for a bottle of the sparkling water I kept around my house.

"What? They allow douche bags to reproduce?" Kyla asked snorting in disbelief.

"Apparently and you know he didn't waste any time rubbing it in my face that once again he's my dad's favorite."

"He's like that at work too from what Kris said. Always thinking he's better than everybody else" she said.

I heard more talking in the background "Zai, Kris told me to tell you that if he didn't need his job so bad he would have decked him a long time ago." Kyla laughed.

"Ky tell him thanks but no thanks. I don't want him to have wasted those 6 years of school and the 2 years of residency trying to beat the shit out of my dickhead brother." I said flipping on the TV as she repeated what I just told her.

"It's okay Zai at least you still got one nice caring brother," she said as she started giggling. "Kris stop!"

"And with that I'm off the phone. Good night you nasty's" I said hanging up before either of them could reply.

I walked into my bedroom to get ready for my shower. Rifling through my drawer for my favorite shorts and a tank top I found the magazine with Tyler and I on the cover that I had shoved into the drawer.

'Maybe Ky's right. Maybe he does like me.' I said picking it up staring at us on the cover before quickly shaking the thought off.

"Girl bye with all that. The man was just being nice. You probably won't ever see him again." I said out loud shoving the magazine back into its hiding place before grabbing my night clothes and headed to the bathroom.

Gabriel-

"Oh my god baby that was so good" Sasha said rolling off my chest to lay on her back next to me, the blanket falling off her exposing her B cup breasts to the air conditioned room.

I watched as her nipples hardened in the cold air as I came down off my sex high. The only reason why I had started fucking her in the first place was because she was Tyler's girlfriend.

I had an ongoing rivalry with him since before I could remember and I took pride in having affairs with all of his so called girlfriends. They were all too welcoming to screw another star to boost their own reputations and Sasha was no better.

Just because she had her own fame didn't mean she didn't want to boost herself higher. She didn't even give a shit that I was using her because she was using me too.

"How'd it go earlier getting information on the girl from the cover?" I asked her.

I had heard that Tyler was back in town and was curious to find out about the woman he was with on the magazine cover in Seattle.

"I have no clue baby. When I got there he immediately kicked me right back out after Carla got in my face. I never got the chance to ask him who she was." She explained.

"So you didn't do what I told you to do?" I asked her rolling away from her giving her the look.

"Baby I'm sorry!! I know you told me to do anything but what was I supposed to do he literally pushed me out the door!" she said scooting away from me.

"You suck his dick on the front porch that's what you do!!" I yelled slapping her across her face roughly, causing her nose to start bleeding.

"Gabriel I'm sorry please don't" she pled but it fell on deaf ears.

I glared back at her menacingly as I opened up the top draw of my nightstand. "Assume the position."

Tyler-

I sat in my rental truck staring at the cute little apartment building debating on if I was going to man up and go inside.

'Man, what the hell is wrong with me? Man the fuck and go give the girl back her purse!' I thought and quickly slid out of the jeep before I lost my nerve.

Jogging up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, I reached apartment 2101 and knocked. I heard what sounded someone stumbling their way to the door.

"Ugh it's too early in the morning to be dealing with you Kyla! Why the hell didn't you just use your damn key...?" I heard Zaire complain as she opened the door.

Her hair was a wild mess on top of her head, her face was void of makeup and she was absolutely beautiful.

Her eyes went wide when she realized I wasn't her friend. "T...Tyler what are you doing here?" she asked steeping back from the door way to let me into her apartment but I was frozen in place staring at her attire.

She was wearing a black tank top that clung to her chest and tiny waist in the chilly morning air I saw the outline of a plump nipple, and a pair of woman's boxer clung to her wide hips and ample behind, exposing her thick thighs to my sight.

'Damn!' I said to myself or at least I thought I did. She gave me a weird look. "What? Is there something wrong" she frowned moving her hand up to her wild hair.

"Uh nothing I'm sorry I woke you." I walked past her into the apartment. It was a quaint little place comfortable and homey only a few pictures: one of her by herself, two of her with a guy and another woman and one of her as little kid standing with an older Asian gentleman and an boy who looked to be a few years older than she was at the time.

"It's fine I guess it's only... 8:30 in the morning." she said sarcastically sitting on the couch.

I laughed before sitting down next to her "I take it you're not a morning person?" I asked.

"You're just lucky I haven't tried to kill you because of lack of sleep and coffee." She said to me with a grimace.

"I take it you're not a morning person Zaire?" I asked again laughing.

"No I'm not and the fact that I don't have coffee and it's my first day off in 2 weeks doesn't help." she said and I instantly felt bad for waking her up.

"I'll make this visit short so you can go back to sleep I promise. I brought your bag back to you." I said handing her the purse.

"I thought you were just going to ship it to me I didn't want to interrupt your busy R&B music star schedule but thank you." she said throwing me a radiant smile.

"It was the least I could do considering I knocked you down. And in all honesty the reason I came back up here was because I wanted to see you again" I told her truthfully.

She gave me a look that was half surprised and half shocked. "Me? You wanted to see me again?"

"Yeah I wanted to see you again."

"But why?" she asked still looking at me.

I flashed my 100 watt smile "Because beautiful I can't get your pretty face off my mind." she did the one thing I never expected her to do: laugh.

"Mr. Wright flattery will get you nowhere with me this early in the morning," she stood up and started walking back to the door. "But I thank you so much for bring back my bag."

I stared at her in shock as she opened her apartment door waiting for me to stand up and leave. "Your welcome I think," I said baffled over the fact that she was kicking me out.

"Look Zaire..." I started to say out in the hall way. "Thank you again Ty" she said before closing the door in my face leaving me standing there looking like an idiot.

Zaire-

'Did I really just slam the door in Tyler Wright's face' I thought leaning up against the wall.

I was surprised when he showed up at my door and even more shocked when he said he couldn't get me off his mind. I pushed off the wall and walked back to my living room when another knock sounded on my door.

"Who the hell is it now" I asked out loud before pulling it open to see Tyler still at my door. "I'm sorry but can we go get a cup of coffee from Starbucks? You know to make up for me waking you up so early" he asked nervously shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

I was once again shocked by his words. "Umm yeah sure just... just give me a minute to get dressed." I stuttered and noticed for the first time that I was half naked in front of a guy I didn't know.

I let him come back in the apartment and he reclaimed his place on the couch. "I'll just be here waiting" he said and I quickly rushed off to go get dressed.

'What the hell am I going to wear?' I thought to myself picking through my closet. It wasn't always easy to be thick and still look cute especially when you had a size 14(sometimes 12) bottom and a medium top.

I thought about wearing a skirt to show off my legs but then I stopped myself real fast at that thought.

'Whoa girl back the truck up this is not a date. The man is just being nice because he feels bad he woke you up this morning. He probably has a girlfriend waiting back in Cali anyway.'

With that I grabbed a pair of straight leg black jeans and a simple dark red t-shirt. I didn't want to keep him waiting too long so I snatched up my hair brush, threw my glasses on my face and grabbed my purse and padded back out to the living room.

"I'll be just one more second. I have to brush out what I used to call my hair." I joked referring to my curly hair.

"It's all good ma. May I ask what are you mixed with if anything?" he said striking up a conversation while I cringed as I yanked the brush through my hair.

"I'm half black, half Filipina" I replied pulling my long hair into a bun.

"Damn that's a sexy ass mix!" he said grinning at me again making my panties flood.

'This man is too damn sexy.' I thought turning away from him to put on my tennis shoes.

"I'm ready to go if you are." I said choosing to ignore his comment on my ethnicity. He unfolded his long body from the couch and stretched and it took all my will power not to drool at the sight of his hoody riding up his washboard abs.

'Get ahold of your hormones Zaire! You are not some teenage girl you're a grown woman.' I scolded myself as we walked out the door and down to the lobby in the elevator.

"Hold up Zaire I need to stop bye my car to get something." he said to me pulling his hood over his head when we got down to the main street.

"That's fine with me and could you please call me Zai?" I asked as he walked over to the range rover barked in front of my building.

'What on earth is he doing?' I thought as I watched him pull out a pair of Ray Bann sunglasses and a snapback then walked back over to me.

"What on earth is that for?"

"So that nobody recognizes me. I really don't want to be harassed today while I'm with you. Now on to the nearest Starbucks!" he said pointing down the street.

I laughed and started walking. "Yes she finally cracks a smile at me!" he teased.

"Oh ha ha. Like I told you earlier just be thankful I haven't tried to murder you yet." I laugh as we dodge the early morning joggers.

"I told you I was sorry for waking you up."

"I'm kidding jeez calm down." I laugh again at the look on his face.

We walked into the busy Starbucks and weaved our way through people waiting on their drinks up to the front counter.

"Hi Zai you want your usual?" Tina, my favorite barista asked me when we got up to the register.

"Yup and my friend here wants a..." I started off before turning toward Tyler who was staring at me.

"Umm can I have a tall drip, black, 4 sugars and a shot of caramel." he said to Tina who was writing his order down on the side of the cup.

"Okay that will be $8.63" Tina said. I reached in my bag for my card but Tyler's hand shot up with a $20.00 bill.

"Keep the change" he said glancing at me daring me to say something but I just kept my mouth shut until we were by ourselves at a table waiting for our drinks.

"Why would you do that? I would have just used my Starbucks card."

"But I asked you out for coffee. And last time I checked if I asked you out then I should be the one paying" he said casually walking over to grab our coffee from the back counter.

"But this isn't a date. This is apology coffee." I argued back.

"I don't care if this was I'm mad at you muffins I'm still paying" he said back.

I couldn't do anything but laugh at his last line. "Okay okay you win this time."

"Oh so you're saying we'll have other times?" He asked me and I almost choked on my mocha.

"Ummm..." I started

"Because I'm going to be completely honest I want to see you again." he said licking his bottom lip.

I watched as his tongue move across his plump bottom lip and desperately wanted to suck it into my mouth and nibble at it myself.

I didn't know how long I had been staring before I heard him chuckle bringing my attention back up to his eyes. He smirked which caused me to blush.

"Why me?" I was dying to hear his answer but also afraid of what it would be.

"Because you're the first woman that doesn't fall over herself trying to get me to notice her. You treated me like I was a nobody. Like I was Tyler, the man not Tyler, the R&B music star" he said looking into my eyes.