Destiny heard a knock on the door and hesitated to open it. She didn't want to act on impulse by jumping to the door like she wanted to so Matthew wouldn't suspect anything. She then heard the knock again and this time it was louder. She then walked to the door and saw Mark standing there with Ashley.
"Hi Mark, Ashley," she greeted kindly.
"Hi, Destiny. Where's Jayden?" Ashley asked.
"He's in the bathroom still getting ready. He's on the football team at school and things got a little dirty, so he's just getting freshened up."
"Okay, I'll wait inside." With that, Ashley just waltzed right past Destiny and went into her den to wait.
"You can come in too, Mark" Destiny said.
"We need to talk," he said gruffly.
Destiny stepped outside the apartment after telling Matthew she'd be back soon. She tried looking into Mark's piercing green eyes to see what he wanted, but her gaze kept going over his body. He had on a short sleeve red shirt that did nothing to cover his tattoos. He had on black jeans and a red bandana over his hair which was flowing blended right in with the colors in her apartment. She was no longer trying to look in his to see what he wanted. She was trying to maintain her composure because her knees wanted to give out.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" Destiny asked tilting on her heels back and forth, averting his gaze.
"You probably know that I know you broke my girlfriend's nose," Mark stated and gave Destiny a frightful glare when she started snickering.
"Yeah, I know. I'm only kinda sorry though," Destiny tried to avoid the rage in his eyes and continued, "You probably know that Layla was also there. They basically tried to jump me, until Mickie came to my aide." Now, Mark was confused. Layla just told him Destiny pounced on Michelle. He was never told Layla tried to get in a sucker punch, which was one of his pet peeves. He'd let Michelle slide on this since she was in such bad shape.
"I didn't actually, but that's not why I asked to talk to you. Ashley and Jayden spoke for a long time outside my locker room. I think they really clicked considering Ashley spoke a lot about him after you two left. I have an injury that I need to recover from. For Ashley's sake, I've decided to stay in New York, so she could spend more time with him." Just as Mark said that, Matthew opened the door to leave the apartment. It made Mark's blood to boil to the temperatures of hell to see another man have his hands over a woman he still had feelings for. As irrational as it was to think that, Mark felt Destiny should still be stuck on him while he was be able to move on freely.
"Matthew, where are you going?" Destiny asked worried.
"I have to go home and finish a presentation for work. I'll see you tomorrow," he responded and then kissed her on the lips. He noticed Mark glaring at him and matched his gaze until he turned on his heels and left.
"Ummm, what were we talking about again?" Destiny asked, completely losing focus after Matthew's lips kissed hers. He wasn't Mark, but he could sure as hell give Mark a run for his money.
"Me staying in New York so Ashley and Jayden could be more friendly with each other," Mark reminded her.
"Ok, I see nothing wrong with that. Our past has nothing to do with either one of them. I think this could happen," Destiny agreed.
"Maybe I should get your phone number. So, I could call whenever Ashley wants to see Jayden."
"Does Ashley have school?"
"No. I hired a teacher to travel with us so she has an education. Though, she knows too much for her own age," he joked.
"Same with Jayden. They grow up so fast. And back to your question, you can have my number." Mark held out his cell phone for her to put her number in and Destiny did the same. Both of them had intentions to use this to try to rekindle an old flame, but Destiny's poker face was just as good as Mark's so it wasn't obvious.
"What do you think they're talking about out there?" Jayden asked Ashley after finally stepping out the bathroom.
"I don't hear yelling, so not about her breaking Michelle nose," it was damn near impossible for Ashley to conceal her excitement.
"Maybe they're talking about us."
"Probably, I asked him if we could stay in New York while he recovers from an injury. Hope you don't mind I used you as a cover-up for my true intentions."
"No, and what would those intentions be?"
"Get those two back together. When I told him I saw you two at Madison Square Garden, that was the happiest I seen him since, well, when he was with your sister."
"So, will you and I be Cupid?"
"No, I'm Venus, you're Cupid. You're still a little confused about the ins and outs of love. Ashley Steele will help you fill in the kinks."
"Steele? Your last name isn't Callaway?"
"No. Mark isn't my dad, he's my godfather. My parents died when I was younger so he took me in. the experience with your sister isn't his first time dealing with island people. My parents are from Jamaica."
"You're very light skin, almost pale."
"I do have some Irish in me from my dad. You know they say Irish people are drunks and my dad died of liver cancer. My mom took her life soon after."
Jayden couldn't believe she wasn't in tears. The girl standing in front of him was strong and he wanted be her shoulder to cry on just in case she did want to cry. He pulled her into his arms for a hug and she embraced him back. Before he knew what he was doing, he pulled Ashley in for a kiss. She pulled back at first but then she went for the kiss the second time. Just then, Mark and Destiny walked backed inside the house.
"What the hell?" Mark exclaimed, while Destiny just laughed like she was a hyena.
"We were just….uhhhh, talking?" Ashley said.
"Talking, my ass. I agreed to stay in New York. Don't make me regret it," Mark threatened.
Destiny tried to quickly diffuse the situation. "Umm, Mark. How about we go in the kitchen for a drink," she noticed Mark, Ashley, and even Jayden raised an eyebrow, "I mean something to drink."
Mark nodded and they started walking into the kitchen. Jayden turned his attention back to Ashley.
"So, Venus, how do you propose we do this?"
Ashley placed a hand on his shoulder and a kiss on his cheek. "Cupid, you have so much to learn. I already did what I can. Now, just let human nature take its effect. If the wicked bitch of the South wants to interfere with true love, that's when we step in."
"You're evil. I like that." Jayden placed a kiss on her cheek.
Jayden took the liberty of going through his sister's CDs and didn't find what he was looking for. He noticed her iPod was in sync on the computer in the den and started looking through the songs on there until he found a song that would suffice. He turned up the speakers on the computer so that Destiny and Mark will be able to hear through the closed kitchen doors.
Come on, Rude, Rude Boy
Can you get it up?
Come on Rude, Rude Boy
Are you big enough?
Take it, take it
Baby, Baby
Take it, Take it
Love me, love me.
Ashley and Jayden laughed as they song while played while Mark and Destiny cringed at the song.
Do you like it?
What I want, want, want
What you want, want, want
Give it to me baby, like boom boom boom
It took nothing but sheer willpower for Mark not to drop the orange juice in his hand and play tonsil hockey with her in the kitchen while her brother and his goddaughter were in the other room. Also, while his girlfriend was in the hospital at NYU because of an injury she caused.
