Unexpected Turn Read online

  “You two are for real, right? You’re not out here looking for new meat for your sandwich or some other wild freaky, kinky shit in an attempt to add some spice in your marriage, are you?”

  “What?” I ask, dumbfounded.

  Shrugging, she says, “Rich people are freaks.”

  “We’re quite serious,” Nichole says in a determined voice.

  “If that’s so, then maybe. I’m like sixty to seventy percent sure I’ll say yes, but I need to think about it some more. By the way, my name is Jade.”

  “Fitting,” I mumble, looking at those green eyes.

  “I’m Nichole and this is my husband Grayson. It’s nice to meet you.”

  3

  Jade

  “How about you let us take you home? Grayson will deal with your car and deliver it to you when it’s fixed. You can consider it a good faith gesture,” Nichole says and I weigh my options. I can turn them down and be stuck with the issue of how to get back to Jersey or I can let them take care of it for me. Even if I decide not to be their surrogate, I’ll have a fixed car. No harm, no foul.

  “I live in Jersey,” I tell them .

  Hottie Husband mutters, “Of course you do.” I get the feeling he’s not as on board with all this as his wife is.

  “Is that a problem?” I ask, raising my brow in challenge.

  “No, it’s fine,” Nichole jumps to answer before giving her hubby a dirty look. She links her arm in mine then leads me over to a shiny black and chrome Beamer. The car had that new car scent, but it also smelled a lot like Mr. Grumpy Pants, so I figured it was his car. I wanted to rub my nose in the leather and bask in his scent, but I figured I’ve done enough weird shit for the day and he’s already caught me sniffing him once. I don’t want him throwing me out of the car and leaving me stranded. Sitting back, I rattle off my address before turning my head toward the window.

  Making conversation, Nichole asks,“Do you have a boyfriend?”

  “No, I’m not a relationship type of girl,” I answer.

  “Any family here? Jersey is a long way away from South Carolina.”

  “Nope, just me,” I reply.

  “What about your dad? Is he also from the South?”

  “Is there a point to all these questions?” I ask, agitated. If I knew this car ride came with the third degree, I would have taken my chances with the parking garage.

  “Sorry, like I said earlier, occupational hazard,” she replies sheepishly.

  “And what exactly is that occupation?” I ask, turning the tables on her.

  “I used to be a defense attorney,” she answers. Well, now I know who to go to when I get in trouble.

  “And him? What does he do?”

  “He’s a prosecutor,” she replies.

  “So you’re both lawyers. Wow. That’s impressive.”

  “Yes, we met in law school. I know it’s cheesy but it was love at first sight. At least it was for me. Grayson had a whole campus of girls chasing after him, but he was solely focused on his schooling.” Her smile is beaming and you can practically feel the love vibes she was giving off. It was very gag worthy.

  “If he was so focused on school, how did you land him?” I ask, intrigued.

  “I kicked his ass in a debate and finally caught his eye. After that, I played hard to get until I couldn’t outrun him anymore.”

  “That’s some story,” I say, before turning my attention back to the window. I wonder, if I went to college, would I have found my soulmate like they did? They were so perfect for each other, which made me wonder more and more about their crazy proposal. Curious, I ask, “How would all this work anyways?” Again it’s her who answers. If I didn’t hear Grayson speak before, I’d think he was a mute.

  “Well, you’ll meet with my husband twice a week until you become pregnant. Once it’s confirmed, we’ll pay for your medical bills as well as your living arrangements.”

  “Hold up,” I say, throwing my hand up, interrupting her. “You’ll actually pay for the roof over my head?”

  “Why yes. Once you become pregnant, we’d like for you to be closer to us in the city. We’ll find you a nice apartment and pay for your expenses until the baby is born. Afterwards, when all the proper documentation is signed, we’ll cut you a check and you can go your own way.”

  It all sounded nice and tidy. While I’m pregnant, I wouldn’t have to worry about keeping a roof over my head and where my next meal will come from. I’d be their made surrogate, making their dreams come true or whatever. It all sounded too good to be true, and that, if anything, made me suspicious. Just because it’s a sparkling unicorn doesn’t mean its fart doesn’t stink.

  “Any other requirements?” I prod.

  “Well, ideally, we would like for you to stay in shape, so we’ll set you up with a personal trainer, and if you don’t mind, refrain from any sexual intercourse while you’re pregnant. We don’t want you to catch anything or have something happen to the baby.” She blushes when she says this, her cheeks tinted red. Great, no sex except with the hubby before I get knocked up. Well, it’s not like I’m getting any now. Billy was a pity fuck and that was over three months ago.

  “Anything else?”

  “Jade, you’re free to live your life. We just ask that you’re mindful of the baby. If you’re not working, it would be better for you to stay in the city, so if you did get in trouble, we could get to you quickly.”

  “So, let me get this straight. I’m free to live my life as long as it’s not in Jersey?” I say sarcastically.

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” she huffs.

  “You act like Jersey is Afghanistan or something, but whatever. Is that all of your list of demands?”

  “I’d also like a weekly dinner, let’s say every Friday. I would like us to get to know each other,” she replies.

  Both Grayson and I yell, “What?” at the same time.

  “Jinx,” she teases, but neither of us smile.

  “Why do we have to have a weekly dinner? What’s the purpose of it?” I question.

  “I would like to get to know the mother of my child,” she answers.

  “Why? After I push the kid out, I’m going my own way. The kid will never know I’m it’s mother and you two can play happy family. You don’t need to know me.”

  “I don’t need to but I want to, plus it’s non negotiable, so if you take us up on our offer, know that’s a requirement.”

  I can tell Grayson wants to say something but he stays silent. Instead of arguing myself, I focus my gaze back to the window. We’ve already crossed the bridge and soon we’ll come upon my neighborhood. I can tell by how shitty the buildings are getting. The sun was setting and it was starting to get dark. But as we drive past, people still turn their heads to watch the car. I didn’t live in the nicest of neighborhoods and this car stood out like a sore thumb. Left out for five minutes alone, it would be stripped down to the studs. Finally, we pull up to my shitty apartment building and just like I thought, Billy had my shit piled up front. By the looks of it, it’s been out here for a while, the scavengers having already picked their way through it.

  As soon as Grayson parks, I pull out my phone and ask Nichole for her number. Storing it in my phone, I jump out of the car without saying goodbye. I have a dickwad whose nuts I need to kick in. Giving my stuff a quick glance, I march straight into the building with fire in my eyes. I have to take the stairs all the way to the third floor because the elevator has been broken since I moved here. Covering the peephole with my finger, I pound hard on Billy’s door, like I’m the police.

  “Who is it?” he calls out.

  “Open the door, dickface.”

  I hear the dragging of the chain and then the bolts from the two locks on his door slide open. Overkill much?

  “Jade,” the slimy fucker says, giving me a saccharine smile. “What can I help you with?”

  “You know why I’m here, you asshole. Why the fuck did you throw my shit out on the curb?”
<
br />   “I’m sure John told you if you didn’t have your rent, you were being put out.” He’s enjoying the fuck out of this. God, I want to throat punch him and then stomp on his small nuts.

  “You could have held my shit in the office. You didn’t have to leave it out on the curb to get picked over. From what I can see, you owe me money from what was stolen.”

  “Get real Jade; I don’t owe you shit. You’re two months behind on rent. That’s nineteen hundred bucks, plus interest. That worthless shit we threw out probably didn’t even come up to fifty bucks.”

  “Fuck you, dude. You’re an asshole,” I spit out angry.

  “Fucking, now that’s something I can get with,” he says moving closer to me. He runs his finger down my chest to my cleavage and I grab it, pulling it hard until it bends backwards and snaps.

  “You crazy bitch,” he roars, crying like a little bitch. He moves forward like he’s about to hit me and I knee him in the balls, watching in sick satisfaction as he falls to the floor, holding his junk.

  “What the hell is going on?” McHottie yells and I turn to face him.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you left,” I ask instead of answering his question.

  “Nichole wanted me to check up on you after she caught you eyeing the junk on the curb.”

  “That’s not junk, that’s my stuff, you asshole,” I shout. “How did you find me anyways? It’s not like I gave you an apartment number.”

  “Sound travels in this building. I heard the commotion and knew you were the source. Now, you still didn’t answer my question.”

  “This jerk threw my shit out because he was mad I was one and done with his two pump ass and didn’t call him back afterwards.”

  Wheezing on the floor, prick-dick stands on shaky legs before pointing his obviously broken finger at me. “This psychotic bitch is two months behind on her rent. She was informed earlier today that if she didn’t come up with the money she was getting thrown out. Next thing I know, she’s pounding on my door and assaulting me.”

  “Is this true?” Grayson asks.

  “I like my version better,” I mutter.

  “So it is true,” he replies.

  “Ignore him, he’s a limp dick asshole. I hope your junk turns blue and falls the fuck off.” I shout, tempted to knee him again.

  “I don’t know who you are but get the fuck off my property and take this crazy bitch with you before I call the cops.”

  “Come on, let’s go,” Grayson says, pulling on my elbow.

  I let him drag me half way down the hall before I turn back to Billy. “You’ll pay for this,” I threaten.

  Pulling harder on my arm, Grayson practically drags me down the stairs. “Are you always this volatile?” he growls.

  “Do you always leave your wife alone in the car in shitty neighborhoods?” I counter.

  “Well, I wouldn’t have if I didn’t have to prevent your volatile ass from killing your super. Are you sure mental illness doesn’t run in your family?”

  Pulling my arm out his grip, I narrow my eyes and growl, “Low blow. You know, I liked it better when you didn’t talk. Just keep standing pretty, it’s what you’re good at.” Before I know it I’m picked up by the front of my dress and thrown against the nearest wall. He holds me there with his face mere inches from mine. I would think it’s hot if I wasn’t slightly frightened by the storm brewing in his grey irises.

  “You’re nothing but a ball of trouble. Turn my wife’s offer down and go on your way. I’ll even pay you to.” Crazy as it might be, I’m mesmerized by his lips. They're so close. If I move just the briefest of centimeters, I’d know what they taste like. His closeness, and the scent of him, left me dizzy with want.

  “Put me down or I’ll make what I did to him look like a holiday.” He studies me with a hard stare, but I see something more in those grey eyes of his. A forbidden lust that he’s keeping a tight hold on.

  Slowly, he lowers me to my feet and I bump him hard with my shoulder as I move past him. I’ve lived here long enough to know how to handle myself. Once outside, I go to the curb to pick through my shit. Pulling my pillow out of the case, I start stuffing what I can inside it. Billy wasn’t kidding about the value of my shit. I really didn’t have much, but it was mine.

  “Are you okay? What’s going on? Grayson won’t tell me anything,” Nichole asks standing behind me. She must have gotten out of the car when her hubby wouldn’t feed her the answers she wanted. I guess he’s not as whipped as I first thought.

  “I’m fine. You should go. This isn’t the kind of neighborhood to hang out in at night. This isn’t Park Avenue.” I’m being bitchy, but between Billy and her hubby, I was feeling some kind of way.

  Grabbing onto my arm, she says, “I’m well aware of what neighborhood I’m in and as tough as you act, you don’t need to be out here alone. Let us help you.”

  “I don’t think your hubby wants that. If you really want to help, just go,” I reply, shaking her off. I don’t bother to look at her reaction. Once the pillow case is stuffed with as much shit as I can get in there, I exchange my heels for my Chucks and cross the street away from the shiny couple. McHottie is right about one thing. I am nothing but trouble.

  Grayson

  “What the hell did you say to her?” Nichole asks once she’s back in the car.

  Thinking carefully on how to answer her question, I start the car to buy time. It doesn’t matter what I tell her. She’s going to flip as soon as I admit I told Jade to turn her offer down. I’m still trying to forget how close she was to my body. How good she felt and the irrational thought that crossed my mind of what her lips might taste like. I’m angry as hell because I’m ashamed I’m attracted to Jade. As always, Nichole is all that matters, but Jade tempts me with her darkness when I'd rather stay in Nichole’s light.

  “When I found her, she was beating the shit out of her landlord because he threw her stuff out on the curb.”

  “That’s understandable. I’d be pissed too if I were in her shoes,” she scoffs.

  “She owes him two months’ back rent. What else did you expect the man to do?” I shout, throwing my hands up, exasperated.

  “Still, he could have handled the situation better. You should have seen the destroyed look on her face as she picked through her things. It was heartbreaking.”

  “Babe, she’s not a puppy. You can’t adopt her, furthermore no way in hell is she stable enough to carry our child.”

  “Is that what you told her? When I offered her help, she said you wouldn’t be happy with that. What did you say to her?”

  Running my hand across my face, I turn to face her. Nichole’s eyes light up like blue fire ready to run rampant like a blazing wildfire and I fear I’m about to be the brush burning under her feet. “I told her to turn your offer down,” I admit.

  Her jaw clenches but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she turns away from me and faces the window. I’m in deep shit I know, but I won’t take my words back or apologize. How much love I hold for her is why I don’t need Jade anywhere near me. Pulling back on the road, I leave behind this God forsaken neighborhood and hopefully Jade too.

  Jade

  A week has passed since my interview at the fertility clinic. Since then, I have been living on the streets. During the day, I go place to place, applying for jobs. At night, I take turns sleeping on the bathroom floor at the bus and subway stations. Going to the shelter was out of the question, unless I wanted to stay up all night with my Swiss Army knife held tightly to my body. Not like the bathrooms were any better. I’d only get a couple hours in before I have to move on to avoid detection by the janitor or some random John looking for easy targets. My life was officially a big pile of steaming shit. I also haven’t eaten anything in days. My last fifteen bucks was gone three days in. When my cell rings, I look down and frown when I see Billy’s name flash across the screen. What the hell does this dickwad want? He better not be calling me about the rent.

&nbs
p; “What do you want, dickface?” I ask, answering the phone.

  “Don’t get hostile with me, your fuck buddy wanted me to get in touch with you about your car,” he replies.

  “Fuck buddy? What the hell are you talking about?”

  “That dude you were with when you broke my finger. He says your car is fixed and for you to come pick it up here at the building.”

  “How do I know you’re not trying to set me up?” I ask suspiciously.

  “Your boy toy paid your rent and gave me a nice little bonus for my troubles. If you weren’t such a shitty tenant or fucking violent as hell, I’d give you your apartment back.”

  That’s interesting. I wonder why Grayson even bothered to do all that. He made it perfectly clear how he felt about me. Maybe Billy boy is lying, but I don’t think he’s smart enough, and how would he know I don’t have my car. “Fine,” I huff. “I’ll be there when I’m there,” I say, hanging up. At least with my car, I’ll have a safe place to sleep until I can land a job. Maybe I can get a job at a diner and sleep in my car in the parking lot like a camper van. Pulling an empty cup from the nearest trash can, I stand panhandling until I get enough cash to catch the bus. It’s not until late afternoon when I stroll into Billy’s office. He’s sitting at his cluttered metal desk and I get a sick satisfaction when I see his finger wrapped in a slant.

  “Enjoying your handy work?” he snarks.

  “Yes, actually I am. If you tell me your dick fell off too, I’d be over the moon.” He gives me a nasty look but my smile doesn’t falter.

  “You’re lucky your little boy toy is some hotshot lawyer or I’d sue your ass. My balls are still blue.”

  “Keep calling him my boy toy and your dick will match. Now, where are my keys?” I ask, holding my hand out. When he doesn’t move, I snap my fingers to move him along. “Come on now, I don’t have all day.”

  Growling, he practically throws my keys at me. When I catch them, I stare at the sleek black key fob, confused. “What’s the deal, Billy? Where the fuck are my keys?”