Inviting KNIGHT

By Whitney James

Kadence Freeman had never had a positive example of what love and marriage should be. Having spent her childhood watching her mother desperately cling to a toxic marriage, she'd sworn off the institution completely. After her mother unexpectedly dies in a car accident, Kady moves to Washington, DC, seeking a fresh start. Just as she's settling in t

• Language: English
• Publisher: Whitney James
• Release date: Sep 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9781088068540

Whitney James

Whitney James is a wife, mom and corporate hostage with a passion for centering Black and POC characters in genres where they don't traditionally appear. Her debut novel, Inviting Knight, is a cross between urban fiction, romance and crime adventure. A NC native, that did a brief stint in the DMV, she currently resides in the Richmond, VA area with her husband and son.

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Prologue

Burying my mother, Tressie May Edwards-Freeman, was filled with more drama than it should have been. First off, my so-called father, Lou, showed up to my childhood home drunk. Lou was never a good dad. Part of the reason my mother had thrown him out when I was three years old was because he spent more time trying to be a musician than a husband, or father. Mama had always supported his musical ambitions, even when choosing a name for me and my sister. My mom chose Kadence and Melody, respectively, to honor my father. But, Lou never grasped that children can’t be fed from your hopes. He was unwilling to balance his responsibilities with his dreams. Despite his flaws, my mother was still madly in love with him. They’d been high school sweethearts, after all. As a result, she put up with a LOT - including adopting his newborn daughter when his mistress decided she wasn’t ready to be a mom. My sister was never treated any differently than me. As far as my mother was concerned, she had two daughters. It could never be me. If that was love, then you can keep it.

The other source of drama was, of course, my sister. Even though my father didn't contribute to our family financially, my sister and I never wanted for anything. But in high school, Melody started hanging with the wrong crowd and running the streets. My parents had always hoped she’d straighten out eventually, but it has yet to happen. Right before I left for college, my mom decided she’d had enough. She put Mel out for good. Anytime my sister came home, for a visit or dinner, she came with a new man on her arm. Fayetteville has always been a medium-sized city with a small town mentality. Word got around fast. Which is how I knew Melody was sleeping with whoever was willing to give her a place to lay her head – and would supply her with her drugs of choice.

The actual funeral service went smoothly, despite the rocky start in the beginning. Lou managed to stay sober for the service itself, which was a small blessing. Mel brought her latest benefactor, Benny, to the funeral. He looked like he was no good. I could tell just from the brief time I spent with him that he was manipulative and an abusive jerk. My sister's story was that he was discharged from the army because he was unable to get along with his superiors. Being a military brat, that raised red flags for me. All the white boys I knew who enlisted, but constantly bumped heads with authority, typically weren’t happily ever after material. But, she’s an adult. I had long decided to love her from afar. Lou seemed to like Benny well enough. I’d seen them chatting it up a few times, having some laughs. He even had a few beers with Benny and his cousin, Jay, when they came over the night before the funeral.

Mom's attorney invited us to his office for the reading of the will three days after the funeral. That's when shit really hit the fan.

I didn’t know what to expect out of Mom’s will. We’d never had conversations about her finances or final wishes. There was no need; she had everything taken care of. Plus, she was young and healthy; the drunk idiot who ran a red light and crushed her SUV with his eighteen wheeler was not part of the plan. It was no surprise that Lou would get her social security survivor’s benefits and retirement. What we didn’t anticipate was my mom leaving everything else to me and my sister. The house, with all of its contents, and both cars were left to me. Her life insurance was split fifty-fifty between me and Mel. Lou was visibly annoyed by this, but that wasn’t the biggest shocker.

It was revealed that my mom had a secret inheritance that no one had ever known about. She hadn’t touched the money, ever. It sat in an account, collecting interest, and she left it all to me and Mel. I had access to my share immediately, but Melody's came with contingencies. Mama left me with the ability to release it, with the instruction that she had to finish getting a degree or hold down a steady job for at least five years. When the attorney shared the very sizeable amount of the inheritance, Lou flew off the handle; he was drunk again. He destroyed that poor attorney’s office, then stormed out without another word. For her part, Melody just sat silently, staring off into space. She seemed to be handling things well. Or she was high. I could never really tell these days.

Two days later, still raw from losing my Mama, I was in my old room packing up my bags. I was more than ready to head back to school. I startled at the light knock on my bedroom door.

Hey, sis, how you feeling?

Melody stepped into my room, biting her bottom lip. Mama always joked that Lou could never deny her if he tried. She'd inherited his light brown skin and reddish-brown hair. Having never met her bio mom, I assume the lack of any hips, boobs or curves was in her DNA. Even before she started running the streets, she always looked like she could use a happy meal or two.

Um... I’m hanging in there. I think it’s still settling in that I’m never gonna talk to Mama again, ya’know? I said, avoiding her stare.

She wanted something from me. I wasn't in the mood to deal with her begging.

Yeah, I hear ya. You know, if you need more time, you could stay here in Fayetteville for a while? I’m sure you can finish out the school year remotely. Are you still thinking of moving back this way after graduation?

I think I need to just get back to normal, as much as possible. If I stay here, I know I’ll have a hard time focusing on school. I’ll decide my next move after graduation, when my mind is clear. We both have to learn to live without Mama, Mel. To stand on our own two feet.

"That we do. We’ll be alright. I’ll be alright, she added, seeing the look on my face, anyway, I just was wondering what you planned to do with the house? I mean, I’m not upset that Mama left the house to you. It makes sense. I just was hoping that I could maybe stay here for a while. Just until I get myself together."

The way she kept saying how she just was wondering or thinking told me she was nervous about my response. She avoided looking at me directly, choosing instead to stare at the wall behind my head.

Mel, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. Aren’t you staying with Brandon, Brian...what’s that nigga’s name again?

Benny. His name is Benny. I think I’m ready to get away from him. I just don’t have anywhere else to go. She whispered.

She had a look on her face that told me she was legitimately looking to me for love and support. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt anything to let her stay. Especially if she was trying to get away from this Benny character. Something about him didn’t feel right.

Let’s make a deal. You can stay here for a few months while I get set up with a property manager. But, you’ve got to look for a job. Get yourself cleaned up! This 'bucking the system' routine is old, Mel. Think of this as a fresh start. Also, that shifty ass Benny dude is not allowed to stay here. Otherwise, you’re gone. Do you understand?

I understand. Thank you, Kady. I really appreciate it. Anyway, I can’t wait to come see you graduate. Mama would be so proud. I’m proud, too.

The way she shifted the conversation almost made me regret my offer. But, I was going to give her a chance. With Mama gone, her and Lou were all I had left. And, damn if I didn’t still love them, despite everything.

Thank you. That means a lot. It really does. It’s going to be bittersweet, though, not having Mama there. Anyway, I’d better finish packing, so I can hit the road. I said.

I love you, Big Head.

For the first time in two weeks, I genuinely smiled.

I love you too, Sissy.

I quickly crossed the room to where she was standing by the door. As I wrapped my arms around my big sister and pulled her into a tight hug, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the beginning of a new nightmare.

Tre leaned back in his chair and propped his left elbow on the arm of the chair. Resting his temple on the tip of his left pointer finger, he cleared his throat. He was wrapping up an interview with a potential new accountant, and he was wrestling with the best decision for the firm. While he debated with himself internally, his external demeanor was the picture of relaxation. A few months back he’d mentioned to his lead analyst, Leila, that it was probably time they hired a full time, in house accountant. Allen & Associates had grown much faster than he’d anticipated. Some of the staffing decisions he’d put off in the beginning were now coming back to bite him in the ass. He spent just as much contracting with an accounting firm as he would if he just paid the salary and benefits for a new associate.

Something about the young woman in front of him was compelling, but he was hesitant. She was smart, that was clear. She’d graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Accounting and Economics, but she didn't have a CPA license yet. During their conversation, she indicated that she was open to getting her license, but he knew it wasn't a guarantee that she'd pass the exam on the first one, or two, attempts. Truth be told, she was one of the best candidates he’d interviewed so far. The CPA issue was minor, and something that could be easily overcome. Leila had spoken very highly of Kadence Freeman. Not only had they been best friends since childhood, Kady had helped Leila take on an internship by sending her money whenever she needed it. Clearly she’d grown up upper middle class, but it was clear that she recognized her own privilege, and was committed to looking out for her community.

Giving people opportunities they may not otherwise have is the entire reason he started the firm. Most of his employees were young Black and brown kids, who the more established firms would never think to give an entry-level role. It was even worse if you went to an HBCU versus an established Ivy League university. He was reaping the benefits of having people around him who were capable of thinking outside the box. They were passionate and committed to his vision. Kady probably could have gone to just about any school, but she chose to attend an HBCU. Even better, she'd gone to a publicly funded state school. Hearing about her father and sister's struggles with addiction, and the untimely death of her mother, reminded Tre that he shouldn't judge on sight.

At the end of the day, it was important that he built a firm with diverse talent. A large majority of his clients were working class Black folks who were investing for the first time. They were trusting his firm with everything they had precisely because he looked like them. They came from the same kind of neighborhoods that he'd grown up in and had a shared background. The faces they saw when they stepped off the elevator and walked through those doors, told a story. Chad, whose parents supported him during his four years at American University, and who was just looking for a stepping stone to some big venture capital firm, was not the story Tre was trying to tell.

Tre's only hesitation was his own sexual desire. He’d been fighting an erection since she walked in the door. As she stood at the front desk checking in with his office manager, he couldn't help staring at her perfectly plump ass. It jiggled in the navy blue dress she was wearing. It was obvious she'd tried to take a conservative approach to her attire. Despite how loose fitting the dress was, there was no hiding her natural curves. The first ten minutes of their conversation consisted of her introducing herself, and Tre daydreaming about plowing into her as she moaned his name. Tre could easily admit he was a womanizer, his current thought process was evidence of that. But, denying a qualified woman a job due to his inability to control his hormones was too misogynistic, even for him. Besides, he was a firm believer in only pursuing women who wanted to be pursued.

Fuck it, he’d be stupid not to offer her the role.

I have to say, Leila was right about you. Your passion and enthusiasm are evident. Plus, you've managed to build an impressive resume for a recent college grad. You would be a welcome addition to Allen & Associates.

Thank you. I really appreciate that. I assume this means you’re leaning toward offering me the position?

That would be a correct assumption. You will need to work on getting your CPA license before the beginning of the year. I would love to have you assist our current outside CPA with this year’s audit and taxes so that you’re prepared to take that on in the future.

That’s not a problem. I can easily get that done within the next few months.

Why am I not surprised? I can have the formal offer drawn up and over to you by the end of the day tomorrow. Take some time to look it over. I try to be as fair and equitable as possible, so please feel free to counter if you feel the salary and benefits are not in line with similar roles. My assistant can also get you salary data for the other employees here if you would like.

Oh...ok. She mumbled, while biting her bottom lip.

She clearly wasn’t expecting that. Everyone was always taken aback by his transparency. Tre was adamant about being as fair and equitable as possible. Happy employees were loyal employees. Plus, it just was the right thing to do. He wrapped up the interview with a promise to get the offer letter sent as soon as possible. He also invited her to the quarterly employee outing, provided she decided to join the firm and was interested in baseball. On the way out, Kady stopped by Leila’s office to chat for a bit before heading out toward the elevators. Something about her made him feel uneasy. Well, uneasy might not be the right word. He just had a sense that Kady Freeman’s presence in his life was setting him up for the ride of a lifetime.

One

I roll over and look at the alarm clock sitting on my bedside table. Rubbing my eyes to bring the numbers into focus, I groan when I realize that I am, yet again, running late. This was starting to become a daily occurrence. I’m not going to pretend like I’m a stickler for being on time, but showing up late to work every single day is not a good look. Although I don’t need the job, thanks to Mommy’s inheritance, I do like it. Plus, getting fired because I can’t make it a few minutes up the block on time is not cute. There’s also the matter of the annoying ass office manager, Tina, who Leila calls Hettie in private. She can’t fire anyone, but damn if she can’t drive you to the point of wanting to quit. If I lose this job, after Leila stuck her neck out for me, she'd kill me.

Leila Miller is the whole reason I came to DC. We've been best friends since third grade. We both left Fayetteville for college and ended up in different cities. While I ended up in Greensboro at A&T, Leila left NC completely and decided to attend Bowie State in Maryland. Of course, we still kept in touch the entire time. We partied with each other during our respective homecomings and made sure we saw each other at least once every three months. Leila had graduated a year early and immediately found a job as an investment analyst. When I graduated, Leila asked me to come to DC, where she had secured me a job interview with her boss. They needed a staff accountant. When she told me about the pay and benefits, I was immediately on board. The opportunity to live and work in Chocolate City, for a Black owned business, was just an added bonus.

What I didn’t expect, was for the CEO of the company, John Allen III, to be so fucking fine. Leila had conveniently left that part out when she was telling me about the company. Imagine my shock when I walked into the office for my interview expecting a nice, distinguished older gentleman, only to find a fine, buff, drool worthy beast sitting on the other side of the table. The way he'd looked at me was laced with desire - and he’d been occupying my thoughts ever since. It has been a hot minute since I’ve had a good roll in the sheets, and so far, the options in DC have been less than desirable. But, John, or Tre as he preferred to be called, was certainly a man among boys. His standard office attire of navy blue slacks, white shirt and brown shoes made him look like a proper businessman. There was an edge to him that was clearly evident. Every now and again I would overhear him on the phone in a tense conversation and instantly my panties would be soaked. One night with him and I’m sure I could die a happy woman.

Speaking of Tre, if I don’t get moving, I’m going to be late for our weekly meeting.

After a quick shower, I decide I don't have the energy, or time, to take out my two strand twists. I have an appointment early next week to get my hair braided anyway. I open the accessory drawer and pull out a black head wrap. This is just going to have to do. Opening the doors to the massive walk in closet in the bedroom, I do a quick stretch. Today feels like a sweater dress kind of day. Late March in DC is still fairly cold and balmy. With the addition of tights and thigh high boots, I would be more than warm enough to make the three minute walk from my apartment on Eighth Street, in DC's Shaw neighborhood, to the office, which shares a building with the United Negro College Fund on Seventh Street.

Once a clothing decision has been made, I perch on the edge of my vanity chair and grab my jar of shea butter. I can't be out here walking around looking like I've been rolling around in flour. As I run my hands over my smooth, dark cocoa thighs, I take a quick glance in the mirror.

Damn, bitch, you look good. Goodt! I giggled.

There was a time when I didn't appreciate my curves. In my younger years, I did ballet, and I was always the chunkiest girl. Joining the marching band in college, and being surrounded by girls whose bodies looked like mine, did wonders for my self-confidence. I was finally at the point where I appreciated just how well my hips and thighs could fill out a pair of size ten jeans.

Standing up, I slapped my ass and did a little mini twerk. I just wanted to watch it jiggle a little bit.

After getting dressed, I stop by the kitchen to grab my water bottle and a banana. I drop both in my tote bag. I contemplate grabbing a cup of oatmeal and making coffee, but decide instead to stop at the café, Beanz In The Trap, downstairs on the ground floor of my apartment building. The owner, Blake, has become a good friend over these past few