Chapter 9 What About Talia

Present Day Aria’s POV

Nia twirls her fettuccine Alfredo and says between bites, “Okay, girl, so was that the one and only kiss before .....," Nia lowered her voice. "The bang bang? Or was there more?”

I sigh, eating a shrimp from my scampi pasta, and mutter, “Oh, there was much more.”

She drops her fork, eyes wide. “Bitch, how did you hide this from me for so long?!”

I shrug, chewing slowly. “I don’t even know. It was hard as hell not to tell anyone. But I do know it stopped being a one-time thing real quick.”

Flashback

Tuesday, Third Week of October – Library, 9:36 PM

“So what did your dad say after you pitched the Royal Cruise Line idea trying to market to a younger, more diverse crowd?” I ask as I munch on Cheetos, still scribbling ideas for our campaign.

“He brushed me off like I was an intern,” Jalen mutters, frustration deep in his voice. “Didn’t even consider it.”

I glance at him. “Some people treat their business like their babies. And nobody wants to be told how to raise their baby.”

“Yeah… maybe you’re right. But if I’m supposed to run the damn thing one day, he’s gotta start trusting me at some point.”

I reach into my bag and pull out a spare water bottle, handing it to him. “Here. Hydrate, future CEO.”

“Thank you, love,” he says, taking the bottle.

That word. Love. He’s been calling me that since the kiss in the kitchen last week. I try to ignore the way it makes my stomach flip.

We get back to brainstorming mock-ups, slogans, packaging ideas. We're in our zone until Mark, the assistant manager, walks over.

“Hey, Aria. I know you're off, but can you close up tonight? My roommate's having another episode. Cops are already at our place.”

I sigh but nod. “Yeah, of course.”

“Thanks. Just write down three extra hours on your card and leave the books on the restock shelf I’ll take care of them tomorrow. You’ve got your keys, right?”

“Yep.”

Mark rushes off. I glance at the clock. “Almost ten. I’m gonna start picking up unshelved books and cleaning up.”

Jalen stands. “I’ll help. No way I’m leaving you here alone.”

I smirk. “Chivalry isn’t dead, huh?”

10:50 PM

Last call, I announced over the speaker. The library is closing in ten minutes. Please make your way to the front desk if you need assistance.

By 11, the building is empty except for us. I finish the walkthrough and check the cameras clear. Just me and Jalen.

As I walk toward the front, two shelves away from the door, I feel a hand grab my wrist and pull me between the aisles.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I say breathlessly as Jalen pulls me against him.

His arms wrap around me. His voice is low, intense. “I missed you. I missed your lips. I missed your taste.”

I lick my lips instinctively. “What about Talia? You had sex with her last night. I literally heard you two.”

He exhales. “That was just sex. But this...” he leans in, hand brushing my cheek, “.....this is different. This is us.”

His lips trail from my neck up to my lips. One hand grips my waist; the other slides up to gently hold my throat as he kisses me harder.

“Jalen…” I breathe out, barely audible.

He presses himself closer. I can feel how hard he is, thick and pulsing through his jeans. My breath hitches. God, how big is he?

I break the kiss, heart racing. He smirks, eyes dark. “Shhh… Don’t worry. It’ll fit, it always does.”

“What?” I manage, eyes wide.

Before I can say another word, his mouth is back on mine, hungry, desperate. His hands move to my chest, cupping me over my my shirt.

“Can I see them?” he asks between kisses. “Just a peek.”

“Here? Now?”

“Yes. Just unbutton your shirt. Halfway.”

My hands tremble, but I undo the buttons, stopping just under my black balconette bra. His gaze is molten as he runs his thumbs over the lace. “Damn, love… your tits are perfect.”

“Jalen…”

He swallows the rest of my protest with another hard kiss. We lose track of time, tangled in heat and temptation.

But eventually, I pull away. “I can’t. You have a girlfriend. And she’s actually my roommate.”

He closes his eyes and nods. “You’re right. I need to stop.”

I quickly re-button my shirt while he continued to rub his cock over his pants, biting his lip, clearly struggling to calm down.

Then, he grabs my hand and places it over him. “This is what you do to me, love.”

I gasp. His hardness twitches under my palm. I feel dizzy. He kisses me again, lips bruising.

I pull away firmly this time. “No, Jalen. I mean it.”

“Okay,” he whispers, stepping back.

We grab our bags. I lock up, and we walk in silence. Before we reach my building, he stops then turns and walks away without a word.

Just like that.

Flashback Ends

Nia fans herself dramatically as the server drops off our to-go boxes. “Fuck, girl. That was hot.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “You don’t even know the half of it.”

Present Day

Jalen’s POV

“Hey bro, what time are you leaving?” Patrick asks from the doorway, sounding way too casual for someone who barely speaks to anyone in this family except Mom.

I glance up from my screen. “In about an hour. Why?”

He shifts against the wall. “Was wondering if I could catch a ride with you over to Parker’s.”

“Sure,” I reply. “But just so you know, Talia’s riding with me. That’s why she’s at the office today.”

He immediately cringes. “Never mind. I’ll ride with Dad… and that says a lot.” He chuckles, but there's an edge to it.

I smirk. “I wonder what this ‘big announcement’ is about anyway.”

“Probably that he and Sybil are getting married or maybe having a baby,” Patrick sighs.

“Honestly? About damn time. They’ve been dating for like four years.”

“And living together for two,” he adds, tone a little more bitter than expected.

I glance at him. “What’s with the energy?”

He shrugs, then mutters, “ They love to make a big production out of everything. You don’t hear shit about me and my girl, and we’ve been together for two years.”

My brows raise. “Wait… you have a girl?”

Patrick rolls his eyes. “Yes, Jalen. Her name is Amara Childs. Early childhood educator. I introduced her to you last Christmas.”

I blink. “Shit… Sorry. I don’t remember. That might’ve been the night Talia flipped out on the waitress she thought was flirting with me, but the poor girl was just nervous on her first night and spilled wine on me. She was trying to help.”

Patrick snorts. “Yeah. That night was a whole-ass disaster.”

I shake my head. “Unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.”

“Well,” he continues, “Amara’s already over at Parker’s place, helping Sybil with setup. So you’ll get another shot at being a decent big brother.”

I smile a little. “Sounds good, little bro.” I pause, then add, “Got a meeting next week with Bright Initiative Group.”

Patrick’s head lifts. “No shit? Sybil’s been talking about them a lot lately. And you know what’s wild? Amara’s the one who told her about them.”

I raise a brow. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. She’s all about the work they’re doing.”

Right as I’m about to respond, the air shifts, and she who must not be named walks into my office like she owns the place.

Patrick takes one look at her, then at me. “Welp, that’s my cue. See you tonight, bro.”

“Talia,” he says with a sigh.

She tosses her hair back. “Little baby brother,” she sneers as Patrick walks out, unbothered.

“Soooo.... what car did you drive today?” she asks, walking around my office like she’s looking for something to judge.

“The X6,” I say without looking up.

She scoffs. “Why can’t you ever act like you’re wealthy? You walk around like you’re some middle-class peasant. A BMW X6, Jalen? You really think that’s a luxury car?”

I suppress a sigh and reply calmly, “You’re welcome to take a car service if that’s more your style.”

She waves it off. “No, I’ll ride with you. Might as well film some PDA for my blog to show the world I still have a husband. Gotta grow that engagement.”

I ignore the jab and return to my laptop. “Let me finish this prep for my Bright Group meeting.”

Her eyes narrow. “Wait, you got a meeting with them?”

“Next Wednesday. 10 AM.”

She huffs. “How the hell did you swing that? Vlade doesn’t take meetings from anyone—I’ve been trying to pitch them for months. Can you sneak me in?”

I look up and meet her eyes. “No. Maybe next time.”

Her nostrils flare. “You’re such a shitty husband,” she screeches.

I barely blink. “Okay. Just meet me by the car.”

At this point, her words are background noise. I’m already back in my head… thinking about Aria. That first real kiss in the library. The taste of her still lingers, even after all this time.