Luca (The Eisenberg Effect #1)

by Grey Huffington

Changed behavior was the only apology I was accepting, now, from myself or anyone else.

“That would sound like music to my ears if I didn’t have a two-drink alcohol tolerance and preferred clubs over lounges. There won’t be a light show, bottle show, insane entry prices, or unlimited shots. I can’t hang. Maybe I’m getting old.” “Lies. Because I can’t hang either, and I’m not old. We’re the same age. That just isn’t our thing. Never has been, or at least since I’ve known you. If it’s chill, we want in. That’s it. That’s all.” “The lounge life is my type of life,” I concluded.

He only gave me enough money to pay bills, and he knew how much each of them cost. Whenever anything more was needed in our home, he made me use his debit card. In a full year, I’d only been able to save four hundred dollars and that was not from his pockets. It was from birthday gifts that I’d returned and small amounts of cash that fell from birthday cards for the girls’ birthdays. Technically, not even that money was mine. It was theirs.

See smh

“We don’t need any change,” I told her. “It’s literally more than two hundred dollars, Ever. Ain’t no change.” Lyric laughed hysterically.

Lmao

“What did he do?” “Killed my ex-boyfriend.” “I’m sorry, what?” I sat up in my seat, trying to gather my thoughts.

Whew!!!!

“Alright, now, your mouth getting a little too sassy. How old do you think you are, honey? I will take out my belt,” jokingly, I warned. “Goodbye, Ever. I’ll beat your ass before you can beat mine.” “And she’s using profanity. Wow.”

Op

I was hoping to be the first meal on his menu. I wanted him to split me in two and suck on my private parts like oysters during fine dining.

girl

“When you’re accustomed to being controlled by material possessions and monetary donations, you tend to stray away from them,” she explained.

“You’re a grown ass, free ass woman, Ever. The only person here that will ever try to control you is you. I’m not that nigga, whoever the bitch may be. Laike ain’t that nigga, either. Anything that comes from us comes from here.” I pointed at my chest.

Period

“The watch you’re wearing. Take it off. It’s depreciating the value of your ice. Trash it,” I suggested.

Op

“Unlock your phone,” I demanded. “Huh?” she asked, truly baffled. To help her understand better, I explained, “Erase that nigga’s number you just put in your phone, Ever. Don’t play stupid.”

Op

My chest tightened as I closed my eyes to regain my composure. She’s fragile. What the fuck are you doing, nigga? I chastised myself.

“I’m not ready,” she responded, tightening my chest with each word she spoke. “I’m not ready for you. I’m still trying to find me.”

They were a match made in boredom.

Lmao

“Hmmm. Fresh out?” she figured out. “Something like that.” “Okay. Fresh out dick always tastes better.” “When you trying to find out?” I challenged, not giving a damn who she was referring to or how many niggas were considered in her statement. “Soon.”

Lol

couldn’t recall a single time he’d made either of them a priority, not even during their births. Because he swore that labor took far too long, he’d suggested I called him when I was almost ready to push.

Bruh... What?

When my water broke, I drove myself to the hospital and called Lyric while I was on the way. She boarded the first flight she could find and made it to my hospital room an hour before I pushed Emorey out. Dewayne didn’t return to the hospital until it was time for me to be discharged. He hardly even gave Emorey a second look and didn’t keep Essence during my hospital stay – neither did Pam.

Wow

There was food on our table five to six out of seven days of the week. The other days we went with leftovers.

So one day?

more to me than you know right now. I just left a man who made it easy for me to be a stay-at-home mom and not have to work, but not working kept me tied down to him for so long. I just got my freedom and it includes being financially stable, without a man’s help.”

“Did you lock the door?” “Yeah. I didn’t need any interruptions.” “They’re going to think we’re in here screwing.” “I don’t give a fuck what they think and if you want to make it happen so their chatter isn’t in vain, we still have time.”

Op

“Okay, because that doesn’t even sound like Luca. He’s brutally honest, but not mean. Not toward the people he cares about, at least. I can’t speak for the rest of Channing.”

“He did,” I told her. “Imagine me offering you the world but you’d rather have crumbs because another bird has access. You really not ready. That’s what he said to me.”

The Eisenbergs are no strangers to money. They’ve been the richest on the block since I can remember. The only reason they’re still in Channing is because they love to be surrounded by Black folk. They have long, old money. The kind the hairy white men have and hate to see Black people with. That’s whose level they’re on. They stick around us common folk because it’s us who they love and relate to most. Liam, their father, ask about him one day.”

Ohhhhh they got moneeyyyy

No one did and the same goes for his sons. No one knows what they do, yet everyone knows what they do.”

“Your ex ain’t an Eisenberg and the nigga sure isn’t Luca. Don’t even put the two in the same sentence.

mom asked, jealousy written all over her pretty face. “Her mother,” Laike butted in. “Nigga!” I turned and slapped his chest.

Lmao

“It wasn’t intentional. I was only stopping for food, and she so worked at Baisleigh’s House.” “But he’s been checking for her since she rode to pick him up with Lyric on Monday. If you gone tell it, then tell it all, Luca. Ain’t been home forty-eight hours and already in love.” “I’m not in love,” I confessed. “Then why have you been looking at this little girl like she’s the daughter you didn’t know you’d conceived before you went in and this is y’all first time meeting?”

Lmaoooooo get em

“There’s two of these?” Laike chuckled.

Brh lmao he funny

Seven. Nigga, you sound like a bitch. Stay off her page, stalking ass nigga.

Lmaoooo

wonder about wasn’t an option. I wanted her to know exactly what I thought and how I felt about how she’d shown up for our date. When I first laid eyes on her in the black skirt, I couldn’t determine which I liked better. The skirt and the romper were going head up in competition.

Period sir

conjured a glob of spit and let it fall onto my dick for lubrication.

Ew

jewelry around me. Never. If there are pieces you prefer, please let me know and I’ll see that you get them.”

Well damn okaaayyy

“Nothing really. But if I’m rocking an AP, I’ll be damned if my woman is rocking a Marshalls watch. If my necklace set me back a good fifty, then I’m not letting my woman walk out of the house with one that didn’t even cost her fifty dollars. I match energies, Ever.

We must match each others FLY!!

I refuse to let a man pay all of my bills because then I feel indebted to them and that is what doesn’t allow me to rest… at all. I always feel like I should be doing something to show my appreciation. Cleaning the kitchen, mopping the floors, dusting the ceiling fans… anything but sitting on my ass. For the first time, I can sit on my ass if that’s what I want to do. I don’t want that to stop.”

Period!!!!

“No matter what it is, I want to keep a job. I never want to be jobless. Having a job actually gives me the small break I need from my children on a daily basis. I’d much rather it be my own business that claims my time instead of someone’s clock, but that will come in due time. I have to stay employed. I can never and won’t ever depend on a man for everything anymore. He cannot be the sole breadwinner in the house.”

*claps*

walk on. He must give me the same love that I give him. When I’m in love, I’m limitless. I’ll always go above and beyond. I want that reciprocated.”

“Physical touch and quality time. Those are two of my love languages. I’m still trying to determine whether reassurance is the third.”

Coming into this with so many restrictions and preconceived notions — such as you even needing an emergency stash to leave — isn’t fair to me. I’m coming to you with a clean slate.

I guess she could have kept that to herself and moved accordingly.

“What about my desires? Because if they’re not met at all while yours are being met, then this simply turns into exactly what you just got out of. The only difference is, you’re not the one worshipping without reciprocation. It’ll be me. And instead of you taking the pain, you’ll be the one dishing it. You’ll always get the long end of the stick and what do I get?”

A word

“But, it’s human. It’s an honest response to the trauma you’ve faced

important to make Ever feel as if she was in total control. And I would, but only by giving her options that I was okay with and letting her choose. This way, she was still in control but I still got exactly what I wanted. It would always be a win for us both.

And thats how you handle that.

“I’m a provider. I understand you want to keep your job, but I also want you to understand that you won’t have to spend a red cent from now on. Your expenses are now mine. This isn’t a control method, Ever. Not for me. My father would kill me if I did things any differently. And you don’t owe me for shit.”

“Every other Wednesday, I’ll have the laundry service I used to use come get you and the girls’ things and have

them back by Thursday afternoon. Ever, if you don’t want to, I don’t want you to ever have to fold another piece. If you prefer being cooked for instead of the stress of cooking, we can hire a chef. With us living in separate places, let’s make it a habit to eat dinner together every evening.” “Okay.”

Me, however, I was a grown motherfucking man and I wanted my pussy equipped with its own unique scent I could sometimes replace my cologne with if things got wild. Or, wear it on my mustache and goatee as bird repellent for anyone who was confused about my relationship status.

Sir lmao

“Technically, I’m busting my ass to get both.” “Well, yeah,” he agreed with a shrug. “I’ve never paid for pussy but in this case, I’d have to agree.”

Lmao

“Who gives a damn? You’re sucking rich dick now, babe. Let him worry about the bill.”

I know thats right

“Y’all are pathetic. I just gave him your number. He’ll be calling soon.”

Lmaoooo

“I’m ready,” she proclaimed. “Ready for what, Ever?” I wanted more details. “For whatever your heart desires for me that don’t directly disregard

my boundaries or at least take them into consideration.”