His Games, Her Rules

“One Diet Coke for you…” Monique places the coke in front of me. “A milkshake for you, Tiwa.” Monique plants a cup of milkshake on the table in front of Tiwa.

“Thank you,” Tiwa says, her attention focused on the Jenga tower that we’ve built.

“And… an extra large box of pizza for all of us.” Monique drops the pizza on the table as she sits down.

“Easy or you’re gonna make all our hard work topple to the ground,” I say, slowly slipping out a Jenga block and grinning.

“How the fuck are you 26?” Monique asks me, opening the box of pizza.

“Go fuck yourself,” I say with a big smile on my face as I watch Tiwa pull out a block and everything comes tumbling down.

“Oh shit!” I chuckle, both palms covering my mouth.

“Oh, my God.” Tiwa giggles.

“And I just fucking won. Come on now, pay up, hon.” I smile, palms open for my winning prize.

“You guys bet on this?” Monique asks, a slice of pizza in her hand as she takes a bite.

Tiwa groans and pulls out a hundred-dollar bill from her bag and she slams it down on my palm.

“A hundred?” Monique asks, surprised.

I hold the dollar bill in both hands as I examine it with a huge grin before rolling it up and tossing it in my purse.

“You’re eating without us?” Tiwa asks, dragging the box of pizza so it’s sitting in the middle.

“I thought you guys were playing Jenga,” Monique says, rolling her eyes as she stuffs the remainder of her slice into her mouth.

“Heard from Noah yet?” I ask Tiwa. “Has he returned from his mom’s?”

“Nope. He’s returning tomorrow, I think.”

“Mm-mm.”

It’s Saturday and our day off. Tiwa dropped by our apartment with her daughter Lola and I suggested we go out to eat and maybe do something fun. Monique didn’t show up until this morning. Tiwa and I were about to leave when Monique showed up and she insisted on going with us.

We decided to visit a skating rink since Lola, Tiwa’s daughter, desperately wanted to visit one.

“Mommy, look at me,” Lola calls from the skating rink, effortlessly skating with a big smile on her face. I blow her kisses and she catches it.

Damn, I love that kid.

“Say cheese, baby,” Tiwa says, with her phone camera on as she takes pictures of her daughter.

“She makes me want to have kids,” Monique says, taking a sip from her bottle of water.

“You’re just bluffing,” I say, turning away from Lola who’s skated away.

“I fucking hate you,” Monique says.

“Right.” I chuckle. “By the way, how was your date?” I ask Monique, taking a slice of pizza from the box.

“She went on a date?” Tiwa asks.

“Yeah. With this hunk from the gym.” I say, smirking and wriggling my eyebrows.

“He’s a pig.” Monique spits with disdain.

“It didn’t work out?” I ask.

“He stood me up. That motherfucker fucking stood me up. The nerve. He couldn’t even call or drop a text, the asshole didn’t give a shit. I blocked him instantly.” Monique says every word with venom. She’s sure mad.

“Why would he do that?” Tiwa asks.

“I don’t care. I’m glad I dodged that bullet.” Monique scoffs, grabbing her bottle of water again and taking a gulp.

“So why did you come home this morning and not last night?” I ask.

“Oh. I forgot. I said I was gonna come home and tell you everything,” Monique begins with a big smile on her face. “Last night, I was waiting for that piece of shit to show up and when he didn’t show up, I was so infuriated I was ready to leave. Then this really hot guy…”

“Oh, boy,” I mutter.

“No, let me finish.” Monique cuts me short. I wave for her to continue. “Well, he came up and asked if he could sit at my table. I said ‘sure’. He sat down and we got to talking, he was really interesting. His name’s Dave…”

“Dave?” I scrunch my face at Monique.

The name Dave is a total turn-off. Dave sounds like every married dad with kids who are obviously going to lie about it just so they can get in your pants.

“Yeah, Dave, duh.” Monique rolls her eyes. “We started talking and we found out we were more alike than we thought. Dave and I took a walk and then…”

“He took you home?” I ask.

Knowing Monique very well, she must have followed him home. She’s a sucker for romance. If you want to get her attention, be nice to her and be sweet and romantic, I don’t see anything stopping her from giving you her attention and her heart.

“Yeah. And we… fucked.” Monique whispers, biting her bottom lip as she avoids our gaze.

“Girl. You’re bad.” Tiwa says, smiling.

“You ain’t kidding?” I ask.

“Nope. I ain’t kidding. Damn, he was so good, we went all night. I think I’m in love.” Monique smiles, biting her bottom lip.

“You mean with his D?” I point out, smirking as I grab another slice of pizza.

Monique rolls her eyes and smiles.

“What about you?” Monique asks.

“What about me?” I ask, chewing the piece of pizza in my mouth as I wash it down with my Diet Coke.

“Did something fun last night?”

“Fun? You’re just trying to be annoying, aren’t you?” I ask, shaking my head at my friend. Monique smirks as she wiggles her eyebrows.

Last night felt like a dream. I mean I know it happened, I just don’t want to think about it. I mean what was he trying to prove by doing what he did, acting all possessive and shit? I was having a great dinner with Doctor Sanders until he came and ruined things. Provoking me with his words and his damn calm exterior.

When Doctor Sanders drove me home last night, he brought up the altercation between Dominique and me and I simply told him we may have come across each other before he became a stockholder. The next thing he asked me was if Dominique was bothering me and if I needed help putting him in his place. I simply told him no and that I could handle him myself.

Dominique Gray is not a threat, he’s just an arrogant billionaire who wants what he can’t have.

And also, I don’t think Doctor Sanders is any match for Dominique. If they had gone into a fighting match, I’m pretty sure Doctor Sanders would not come out with his face the same. And when it comes to power and rank, Dominique can get away with anything, even murder.

I don’t know what’s more infuriating about him. Is it his arrogance or his cockiness? Or probably both?

I think it’s both his cockiness and arrogance that makes me hate him so much it’s becoming exhausting. I mean how can one man annoy me and make me feel strange emotions at the same time? I’ve never met a man who easily got under my skin as Dominique Gray. I want to fucking strangle him every time I see him.

All of this shit is obviously hormones and maybe because I’m sexually repressed. I need to get out there and get off. It’s high time. Maybe this will help keep my head straight.

I mean, think about it. When did I start getting sexually excited because a very attractive man whispered in my ear or challenged me? And not just any man, a man like Dominique Gray that I’m supposed to be staying away from.

God help me.