I turned abruptly to find this beautiful light complexioned woman with long silky hair parted down the middle. She wore bold orange-red lipstick and donned a cute, off-white maternity blouse that exposed her cleavage, white capri pants and white stiletto slide-in heels. She had handsomely-sized diamond stud earrings, a beautifully decorated diamond brooch above her left breast and wrists full of shopping bags. I could tell she was a diva. My question was how recent a lover was she of Azmir’s with her belly bulging the way it was.
My heart raced, mouth dried and eyes immediately flew to Azmir to find his reaction to this bitch calling me a hoe. Azmir didn’t appear ruffled at all. His demeanor was calm and very well anchored, per usual. Azmir always possessed the ability to remain placid during less than favorable events. I guess it was a characteristic required for a man of his caliber. He took a cursory glance at her and turned his head back to what he was doing as if her being the donor of such callous jargon didn’t surprise him at all.
“Tara…” he said extremely deadpan as he placed the item he was eyeing back on the shelf.
I could tell he was very familiar with her, but I was still waiting to judge where he was going with this so that I could decide on my follow up. Secretly I was panicking. This couldn’t be happening to me. Not now. Not after I allowed my feelings to run wild for this man. The suspense kept me on edge.
“Is that how you introduce yourself to the next woman?” Azmir continued, still browsing the shelf. “And are you expecting me to top that indecorous rant with an insult? Because if you are, I’ll pass.”
I think I saw a hint of a mocking grin on his perfectly sculpted face. Even in the midst of my anger I couldn’t deny Azmir’s impeccable features.
Tara wore this addling expression and I could tell she was ready for a verbal war, but wasn’t provided a cue.
And that’s when I came in feigning a puzzled look on my face, “Tara…Tara? Ohhh, Tara!” as if to say I finally realized who she was from a previous conversation with Azmir about her.
I wanted her to know that I wasn’t a garden variety chick on his belt, but that we had informative conversations about our previous relationships. Azmir mentioned the “next” woman. He’s not the one to consider just any woman his, which led me to believe she was his most recent ex—an ex he’d never informed me of being pregnant, but that was neither here nor there. I had to verbally jab this bitch right back for her unprovoked and cruel outburst.
After a thorough once-over of her—complete from head to toe—I noticed that Tara was beautiful and well suited. That intensified the sting. Fuck that—I felt a burning sensation course through my chest. Immediately, I felt out of place, as if this moment of her and Azmir sharing air somehow made me the intruder. I don’t know the last time I’d felt a twinge of jealousy. And I was damned pissed that I felt it here with her.
I followed with, “You’re right, sweetheart. She is narcissistic,” with a giggle in my tone. I then took his hand and strode off. She and her two cheerleaders looked like asses! I could tell she was caught completely off guard.
After we were a few feet away she screamed, “Bitch, you think you got him!”
No response was necessary on my behalf. Had she not been pregnant that story would have had a different ending. My violent tendencies still laid dormant waiting for the right opportunity. But for now I had to collect myself. I felt the walls of self-preservation elevating all around me. Survival.
As we waited for the valet to bring the car around, I seethed in silence. Azmir had a whole other world that I wasn’t privy to until now. Pain seared through my chest and it took every bit of strength that I could muster not to break down.
He broke the ice once in the car. “Okay. Go.”
Azmir didn’t even look me in the face, he just braced himself, cowardly thinking I would discuss this casually in his car after having discovered a pregnant ex. Is he out of his mind?
“I’m sorry…?” I asked with an even breath, baffled by his direction.
“I know you have questions about her. I’m prepared to answer them,” he clarified in his CEO mien.