Black Rose (The Life of Bliss Book 1) Read online

  “No.”

  “No?”

  Rome stared at her. “Why are you here, Bliss?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about you.” She whispered. “I can’t sleep in my bed without remembering you there. I can’t take a shower…”

  He frowned. “You haven’t been showering?”

  “It’s not even remotely funny, Rome.”

  “I’m sure your co-workers aren’t appreciating that.”

  “I swear, I will leave right now.” Bliss went to stand and Rome placed a restraining hand on her waist.

  Smiling, he said, “I’m sorry, but I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one having some issues.”

  Bliss looked at him. “You’re having issues?”

  “Yes, Bliss Marshall withdrawal...”

  “What is that?”

  He stood to his feet. “Let me explain it over dinner.”

  Bliss also stood. “Do you have time?”

  “For you, I have all the time in the world.”

  Rome led Bliss into the dining room, then over to a private area. He seated her, then took the chair across from her.

  “This is really nice,” Bliss commented. “You’ve done an excellent job here.”

  “Thank you.” Rome smiled. “I’m just glad I don’t have to poison your date tonight.”

  She chuckled. “That’s how you get down?”

  “Just enough to have him spend a few hours getting his stomach pumped.” Rome told her.

  “You’re a bad man.”

  Rome lifted a brow. “You don’t know how true that is, Bliss.”

  “Is or was?” She questioned.

  “Depends on the situation.”

  The waitress arrived with menus for the couple.

  “I’m going to trust your judgement since this is your spot.” Bliss told Rome.

  Rome placed an order for both of them along with a bottle of wine, and Bliss agreed. The waitress left with and smile and Bliss stared at Rome.

  “Now tell me about these issues,” she urged.

  “You want to hear how I’ve missed you?”

  Bliss smiled. “Yes and don’t leave out one thing.”

  He laughed. “And that’s why I’m stuck on Bliss…”

  “This is so crazy Rome. I’ve never had this happen.”

  “Me either…”

  “So what are we going to do?” she asked.

  He leaned forward. “I think the fact that you’re here answers that question.”

  ******

  Over dinner, the couple talked and laughed as they sipped on the fine wine.

  “I see why this is the spot around town.” Bliss said satisfied.

  “We have the best food, drinks and service,” Rome said proudly.

  Bliss toyed with her wine glass. “Tell me about your classes.”

  “At the end of this term, I’ll graduate with a B.A. in Business.” Rome told her. “I took as many online classes as I could, then a few evening ones, since I’m usually up late at night at one of the venues.”

  “Tell me the truth,” Bliss began. “How many women do you pick up at your venues?”

  “I’m there for work, not hookups. I’ve got enough shit on my plate, to be out here smashing random women every night.” Rome explained, sipping his wine.

  “You came on to me.” She pointed out.

  “Is that how you remember it?”

  She nodded. “Hell, yeah…”

  “I admit when you walked in, I was shook. I don’t have many women who come through like they own the place.” He teased.

  “I did not.”

  “You probably do that everywhere you go. It’s just who you are.”

  Bliss agreed. “I don’t have any confidence issues.”

  “That’s what makes you stand out.” Rome said softly. “It’s spellbinding.”

  She digested his words, while staring into his handsome face.

  “Thank you for finding it attractive.” Bliss told him. “Most call it being a bitch in my circle…”

  Rome reached for her free hand and covered it with his.

  “Is that part of the presentation?” he asked.

  “It’s me, but it serves the presentation well…” Bliss answered honestly.

  “The presentation is flawless.” He complimented.

  She laughed ruefully. “I hope so. I’ve spent the majority of my life perfecting it.”

  “What goes on behind the presentation?” Rome asked.

  “It’s a whole ass mess sometimes…”

  Rome smiled. “That’s honest.”

  “No need in trying to hide it. You’ve already witnessed it the night you stayed at my apartment.” Bliss explained. “I was all over the place.”

  “You were trying to process the situation.” Rome said supportively.

  She sat back and looked at him. “I like how you do that.”

  “Do what, baby?”

  “Make me feel all good inside.”

  “Literally?”

  Bliss laughed softly. “Yeah...literally.”

  “I’d like to take a special interest in making you feel good inside.” Rome said slowly, and Bliss moaned softly.

  “See, that’s what you do.” She rubbed her neck. “In addition to those other things…”

  “Would you like dessert?” Rome asked.

  Bliss lifted a brow. “Where are you serving it?”

  “On your naked body.”

  “Yes, I’d love some.”

  “Let me do a final check.” Rome said standing. “And then we can go…”

  Bliss picked up her glass. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Rome went to take care of his business while Bliss sat at the table. Looking around the venue, brought something to her memory, and she took out her phone. Making a call, she waited until it was answered.

  “Bliss…”

  “Hey, Drea…”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Bliss swirled the drink in her hand.

  “I met Eric tonight.”

  “Oh, Bliss...you didn’t do anything to him, did you? We told you that he didn’t know…”

  “Apparently, he did know and your husband has been talking shit behind my back.” Bliss told her.

  She heard Drea gasp. “What?”

  “You tell Len, I’ve got something for him when I see him.”

  “Bliss, I’m sorry.”

  Bliss frowned. “All of you were wrong as two left shoes...and you know it.”

  “We were,” Drea agreed. “But, Kris said that you found somebody anyway…”

  “Y’all still gossiping about me?”

  “I’m done. I promise…” Drea told her. “I’m just going to go nest with my baby.”

  Bliss smiled at the mention of Drea’s news. “Congratulations on the baby. I”m really happy for you and Len, even though I don’t like either of you, right now.”

  Drea laughed. “Thank you, Bliss. I just want you to be happy, too.”

  “I know, but let me find it on my own, okay?”

  “You don’t have to worry about me...now Kris?”

  Smirking, Bliss said, “I’ve got Kris, and I’m going to make her go half with me on the most expensive baby shower gift I can find.”

  “Poor Kris,” Drea said.

  Bliss saw Rome approaching and ended the call.

  “I’ll talk to you later, Drea. I’ve got business to take care of…”

  “Bliss, always working…”

  Smiling, Bliss said, “Yes, I’ll definitely be working all night.”

  When Rome got to the table, Bliss was putting her phone away.

  “Everything cool?” he asked.

  “Yes, everything cool with you?”

  Holding out a hand, he nodded. “Yes, are you ready?”

  “Can I take you for a drive?” Bliss asked, putting her hand in his.

  “You love taking me, don’t you?”

  She stood and looked up at him. “You s
eem to like it.”

  “I have no complaints yet…”

  “You won’t tonight either.”

  With a hand on her back, Rome led her out past the bar to the door. Eric looked up and waved at them both with a smile. Bliss waved back as Rome gave him a head nod before walking outside. Bliss’ car was ready and when they were both inside, she turned to him.

  “Just a little tour.” She told him. “Since you’re not from D.C.”

  “Nope, I’m a country boy.”

  Bliss began driving. “I was surprised to see that you were originally from the south. You don’t have an accent at all.”

  “I’ve been here a while.”

  “How’d you end up here?” Bliss asked, maneuvering the traffic.

  Rome looked at her. “Honestly, I came to make money and I had someone here who could set me up to do that.”

  “So you came and contributed to the narcotics problem in our community?”

  He turned to look out the window. “I guess you can say that.”

  “Hey, I’m not judging you.” Bliss told him. “At least you’ve committed to changing…”

  Rome turned back to her. “It’s like you and J.P Morgan….” he began. “You know that they’ve mistreated our people and profited substantially from it, yet you’re using their organization to now turn that around and better us.”

  Bliss listened as he spoke with meaning.

  “Back then, I had no way of transporting drugs into this country. I didn’t set up these channels and I sure as hell didn’t make it so that as a young dude, I thought the only way to come up was to push weight. I heard it in every damn rap song, saw it in every movie...hell, read it in popular books. That’s who I was supposed to be, that was my destined path as a young black man, with no other hope.”

  Bliss glanced at him, and heard the pain deep in his voice.

  “You don’t like what you did…” she said softly.

  Rome shook his head. “It didn’t matter if I liked it or not, back then...I felt that I had to survive.”

  Bliss reached for his hand. “I didn’t want to dampen the evening.”

  “I don’t mind talking.” Rome held on to her hand. “That’s how you really get to know somebody.”

  “You want to really get to know me?” She asked.

  “I’ve let you take me and drive me around, not knowing where the hell we’re going,” Rome replied. “I think I need to get to know you.”

  Smiling, Bliss kept driving.

  “You’re safe with me, Romeo.”

  “You’re safe with me, too, Bliss.”

  Bliss drove to a spot and parked. “Let’s get out,” she told Rome.

  He checked outside the window before exiting, then walked around to help Bliss out.

  “Are you strapped?” Bliss asked.

  “Yeah, do I need to be?” Rome looked around the area that didn’t look like the safest. “Where are we?”

  She took his hand. “You wanted to know me. This is my history.”

  “You grew up here?” Rome questioned, looking down at her.

  “My ancestor designed this...and this entire city.”

  He looked confused and Bliss explained, “I told you that Benjamin Banneker is one of my ancestors. You know he designed the city of D.C.?”

  “I actually looked that up after you told me he was your ancestor,” Rome admitted as they began walking.

  “Look at you, being all studious.” Bliss held on to his arm. “Smart and sexy…”

  “Just trying to keep up with you.”

  Bliss began to walk Rome around, pointing out the historical aspects of the design. When they stopped, he looked down at her.

  “How does that feel?”

  “What?” Bliss asked.

  “Standing in the same place as your ancestor who is responsible for all this. That has to be crazy.” Rome said in awe.

  “It is,” Bliss agreed. “And everytime I drive through here, I’m reminded of the greatness that preceded me, and I’m pushed to be great myself.”

  Rome touched her jaw. “I don’t think Bliss realizes that greatness isn’t just what you do...it’s who you are.”

  “Depending on which role I’m in...sometimes it gets fuzzy.” She admitted.

  “One day, you’ll have to find the one that makes the black rose flourish,” Rome told her.

  “Why do you call me a black rose?”

  “That’s what you are to me…” Rome answered. “The black rose doesn’t only mean death and mourning, it also means rebirth and a new beginning.” He lifted her face to his. “A true black rose is impossible to find in nature, and it emphasizes the utmost devotion and exclusivity in a relationship. So, I need for my black rose to fully bloom quickly.”

  Chapter 5

  Bliss woke up in an unfamiliar bed, hearing a familiar voice. Rome was talking with someone in another part of the house. Slipping from underneath the covers, she grabbed his shirt that was thrown over a chair and covered her body.

  Making her way toward him, she passed a few other rooms, and her ears began to pick up on his conversation.

  “I told him when he called me that I’m not in that shit.”

  Bliss stopped and leaned against the wall as he continued.

  “I don’t care.” She heard Rome say. “I’ve got too much at stake to have my name in that.”

  She bit her lip.

  “What do you mean, I don’t have a choice?”

  Putting a hand to her heart, Bliss held her breath.

  “I’ve broken those ties and nobody’s going to make me do a damn thing.” Rome told the person. “And however it goes down..it goes the fuck down…”

  After a few minutes of silence, Bliss heard him begin to move and stood frozen when Rome appeared in the doorway. Their eyes met and she waited for him to speak.

  “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”

  “Not really…uh, who were you talking to?”

  He leaned against the doorjamb. “How much did you hear?”

  “Enough to be concerned…”

  Rome nodded. “Okay, so come in here and let’s talk.”

  He held out a hand, and Bliss moved closer to take it. Inside the office, she looked around and saw a computer and textbook on the desk.

  “You were studying?” she asked.

  “I have an exam coming up, but I got a phone call.”

  She sat in a chair across from the desk, while he sat behind it.

  “Do you usually get threatening phone calls in the middle of the night?”

  “Sometimes…”

  “What’s going on Rome?” Bliss asked. “Are you in trouble?”

  “Bliss, I left trouble a while ago...but it keeps chasing me down.”

  She put a hand to her face. “Do I want to know this?”

  Rome leaned back. “Do you?”

  “Yes, tell me…” she sighed.

  “Some old acquaintances want me to lend my name and funds to something.” He explained. “I’ve refused, and so I’ve been told that if I don’t change my mind...I’m a mark.”

  “I know what that means, Rome.” Bliss told him. “They’ll try to kill you.”

  “They won’t try, Bliss. They’ll succeed.”

  “What are you going to do?” she asked.

  “Get my shit in order, before it all goes down. That’s why I needed a Private Wealth Manager.”

  Bliss put a hand to her face. “I don’t understand.”

  “I want you to take my money and make a difference with it, for the young dudes coming up after me. Give them an alternative.”

  “What are you saying, Rome? You’re going to die?”

  “I’m not going out without a fight, but that’s usually the end game for a cat like me.”

  Bliss looked at his desk. “But, you’re going to school...you’ve changed your life.”

  “Some things you can’t walk away from, no matter how much you want to…”

  She jumped to her feet. “
Why did you get involved with me knowing this?”

  Rome also stood. “I didn’t plan to get involved with anyone.”

  Bliss watched him come to stand before her, then Rome tilted her chin with a hand.

  “But, I told you...as soon as you walked into my spot, I knew that I had to get to know you.” He said quietly.

  “I don’t know what to say…” Bliss sighed. “I didn’t expect this.”

  “Listen, I have ninety days before they need this deal done.” Rome told her. “They won’t move until I miss the deadline.”

  “And you plan to miss it?”

  “Hell yeah, because I’ve worked too damn hard to build my businesses and make my name...to throw it all away over some bullshit.” Rome said with passion.

  “Can you negotiate with them?” Bliss questioned.

  “You don’t negotiate with these people.”

  She stared up at him. “Ninety days?”

  Rome nodded slowly.

  “A lot could happen in three months…” she said optimistically.

  He stroked her cheek. “It could.”

  “Let me help you,”

  “You can help me by getting my money straight and using it the way I want it used.”

  Bliss swallowed, then said reluctantly, “Okay…”

  “And in return, I promise you the best three months of your life…”

  ******

  “Fuck!!!” Bliss screamed walking inside her penthouse. “Fuck my life today!”

  Throwing her bag on the sofa, she kicked off her shoes and stomped into her bedroom.

  “Why Universe? Why?”

  Bliss fell face forward on the bed, spreading her arms and legs. With her eyes closed, she tried to breathe.

  “Why would you send me someone so handsome, wealthy, ambitious and sexy? Somebody who could make me think about having those things in my life that I’ve put out of my mind?”

  She groaned and balled her fists.

  “Three months? You send him to me for three months?” Bliss yelled. “What am I supposed to do in three months?”

  Sitting up, she took a few deep breaths.

  “This is a test, because apparently my entire existence is just to see if I can be broken.”

  Hearing her phone ring in the other room, Bliss stood and went to retrieve her purse. Snatching the device out of the bag, she answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Are you okay?”

  Hearing Rome’s voice, she sat on the sofa.

  “No.”