Full 1st chapter - Complications of a Sneaky Link - Deshon Dreamz

ICYMI: Complications of a Sneaky Link by Deshon Dreamz is now available! Here’s a look into the first full chapter…

Onyx

It wasn’t slowing down. 

Glancing out the window of my apartment, I watched as the rain came rushing from the sky in a manner that halted any plans I had to go outside. 

That was my dilemma because for some weird reason, I was craving the hell out of some ice cream.

The only thing I wanted to seal my night was a pint of Butter Pecan Ice Cream and some Hot Fries. I know that combination sounded weird, but I wouldn’t knock it until you tried it. 

My eyes rolled shut as I allowed the sound of the rain hitting the window to mix in with the sounds of Sir. The combination was honestly making me sleepy, but my insomnia would not be denied. 

My eyes rolled open as I pushed my hair out of my face, lifting my body from the couch to walk into my bedroom. Grabbing the bonnet I left on my bed, I gathered as much of my hair as I could and lazily stuffed it inside of the bonnet, sealing my fate for the evening. Once my bonnet was on, there was no way I was hitting the door. 

I grabbed my phone from my bed before walking back into the living room, knowing that if I stayed in the bedroom long enough, I’d be fighting another losing battle with trying to go to sleep. My living room had no real walls, just glass from the floors to the ceilings with brick lining each to act as anchors to hold everything in place. The layout acted as a surround sound for the rain to rang out louder than it needed to. It was disruptive, but in the most pleasant way. With it almost being one o’clock in the morning, the street below was silent. The city was resting yet the rain had no chill at all. 

I flopped down on the couch, listening to it ping and knowing that even at this rough hour, it was work. It was always work. 

Nothing else. 

Well, nothing else at this hour. 

My friends weren’t late night people, so I knew it wasn’t them. 

I rolled my eyes as I looked over the messages, surprisingly not seeing one from the office. 

Instead there were back to back messages from a number that I didn’t have saved. 

That made me frown being that I never gave my number to anyone without saving their number in my phone. I had too many contacts to not have numbers saved.

WYD? - Unknown

You there? - Unknown

Damn, did you give me the wrong number? - Unknown

My brow lifted as I typed my reply. 

Um Yeah. I think you have the wrong number.

This ain’t Onyx? - Unknown

I frowned harder.

Who is this? - Onyx

Omar - Unknown

“Omar?”

My brain began to back track, trying to recall a moment when I gave my number out and didn’t save their number.

Oh you prolly don’t even remember giving me yo shit. We were at the bar a few nights ago and I kinda stalked yo ass until you gave it to me. - Unknown

I blinked, trying my hardest to think back on when I gave my number out. I leaned back on the couch, tucking my legs underneath me as I glanced up at the ceiling, my eyes widening when it hit me.

I moved my purse from its position beside me and placed it on the bar, grabbing my debit card to pay for my drinks. I looked at the empty shot glasses, trying to process what I owed. I had one too many, or maybe it was two too many, but I knew I needed to get my ass home. 

I called for the bartender as he serviced someone else. I kept my eyes on him, waiting for him to give me his undivided attention. 

I waved him over, trying to get my ticket paid so I could go.

He smiled down at me, his dimple poking clearly even with the distance between us. He was handsome, very handsome, and I wasn’t the only lady at the bar who had noticed him. I wasn’t big on sharing at all, so I gave up the idea of giving him my number within the first ten minutes of me sitting here.

I had been fantasizing about him long enough to last me a while, so I was ready to go. 

“My bad, beautiful. What you need?”

My shoulders lifted as I handed him my card. “Can you close out my tab?”

His eyes sparkled as he looked me over. “Oh, your tab has already been handled.”

My eyes cut to the left. “Um by who?”

His dimple deepened. “I can’t blow up the homie’s spot like that. Just know it’s been handled. Have a good night, beautiful”

I blinked as he moved to walk away. “Wait…”

“Did you call a Lyft?” he questioned over the low sounds of jazz playing. It was early, far too early for me to be this tipsy, yet here I was. 

“You didn’t tell me who paid for this.”

His head fell to the side, causing his dreads to brush across the middle of his back. “I told you that I couldn’t tell you.”

I glanced around quickly before looking back at him. “Well, is he going to tell me?”

“I’m sure he will.” He winked before walking off again.  

I sat there for another moment, waiting for Casper to make himself visible but after a good ten minutes of nothing, I stood from the bar and walked towards the exit. 

It was then that I felt someone looking at me. My eyes shot up in the direction of the heated glare. The figure wasn’t clear to me at all and I wasn’t sure if I could contribute that to the lighting or my inebriated state, but I could feel him. I could feel his eyes looking through me and as intrigued as I was to know exactly who he was, I was holding up the line to the exit. 

So I threw a smile in the direction of the figure that was staring before pushing the door open. The night air rushed to greet me as I pulled my jacket together, grabbing my phone from my purse. I checked to see how far the Lyft was from me. The moment my head lifted, he was standing beside me. His heat rivaled the coldness of the night as my eyes shut. I gave myself a moment to adjust to his presence. 

“It’s early.”

His voice demanded that I turn to him and when I did, I was appreciative of the view. Very deeply appreciative. I had to look up to see him, and the moment our eyes connected, he smiled. His smile was so bright and perfect that it was actually the first thing that I noticed. Perfect thick lips moved back to reveal beautiful teeth that seemed to glow against his smooth caramel skin even in the fading sun. He pushed smoke through his lips as his thick brows dipped on his face. He licked his lips slowly while his dark eyes travelled over me. His allure was mysterious but there was also something very light and laidback about his energy. He was sexy as hell too. It was a lot to deal with on very short notice. 

Something about him felt familiar but I couldn’t place exactly what it was.

He was distractingly handsome though, I could give him that.

“You don’t speak?” he questioned with perplexity lining his features. 

“I speak well.”

He turned to face me, causing me to stand up straighter as I looked out at the cars passing by.

“Why you ain’t reply to me then?”

My brows dipped as I glanced at him. “You asked me a question?”

His eyes narrowed as he leaned over to look down at me. “I guess I didn’t.” He paused to hit his blunt. “What’s your name?”

I tucked my lips before glancing up at him. “Onyx. Yours?”

“Onyx.” He repeated as his eyes darkened. “I’m Omar.”

My eyes lightened. “Oh, hey Omar.”

His jaw tightened as he hit his blunt again. “Why you leaving so early?”

His words slurred slightly, letting me know that he was inebriated in some way. He lifted the blunt to his lips again.

Envy.

I’d never been friends with that emotion but the idea of having his lips wrap around mine the way they so effortlessly wrapped around his blunt made that emotion and I become acquainted.

But why?

I didn’t even know this man.

If I did know him, I couldn’t recall his name. 

That didn’t stop me from admiring his lips or the rest of his gorgeously intense face. “I have work.”

His brow lifted. “On a Sunday?”

My head dropped as a smile played on my face. I returned my gaze to him as he waited.

“Uh yeah. Things that I didn’t handle during the week have to be handled tonight and in the morning.”

He nodded his understanding before looking towards the street. 

I didn’t understand why I felt the need to explain to him why I was leaving early as if I didn’t have the right to operate on my own grown ass time.

Deciding that I no longer wanted to skirt around my thoughts, I shifted to turn to him. “You bought me a drink?”

His eyes moved over my face slowly as he let smoke seep from between his lips. He didn’t speak for a moment, only stared at me for what felt like forever. His glare caused heat to travel all over my skin, there was something disarming about him, something that chipped at every ounce of defense I had. I didn’t know where this man came from or how he was able to disable me so easily, but I already felt vulnerable to him. As if he could easily read and unravel me, it was unsettling as hell. I was suddenly feeling exposed in ways that I shouldn’t be.

“Why you leaving so early? I asked you a question that I never got a real answer to.”

“I answered it.”

“The answer wasn’t no shit that really would cause you to leave early.”

“Work is a good enough excuse.”

He shook his head before exhaling smoke. “Not when you just admitted to putting it off. Why can’t you just put it off again and come kick it with me?”

I glanced back at the bar before looking up at him. “You came out here to find me?”

His expression shifted before he smirked. “I came out here to see the street. Same streets I see everyday.”

I giggled. It wasn’t hard to place his sarcasm. 

“I guess I can accept the fact that you’re leaving but can you give me your number before you go? It would be deeply appreciated.”

I didn’t even think about, which should have been the first sign that I was losing my shit, but I grabbed the phone he was handing to me and programmed my number into his phone. Shortly after that, my Lyft arrived, providing me with the perfect escape.

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