10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace (Caselli Family Book 1)

The automatic blinds that have become my enemy opened and I switched my position in the bed, so the sun didn’t beam into my eyes, causing me to howl in absolute pain.

Maybe I was dramatic.

I kept the room dark, so when the automatic shades opened, the sun felt like a stab to the eyeball every morning. It was hard waking up when I felt like I was going blind in both my eyes. I tried everything to figure out the system the house ran on, especially the one in my bedroom. I felt stupid trying to figure it out, so I had a system to switch positions and bury my head under my covers.

One day turned into two, and then one week turned into two weeks. Menace wasn’t around much. He had been out the country, so it was up to me to entertain myself and not die of boredom. Security popped their head in every once in a while to see how I was doing. Green, Jeffie’s assistant was here, too.

Her name was strange, and I was still trying to figure out why her mother waddled into a hospital, had a painful labor, and then decided on the name Greene for a little girl. Each time she checked on me, I wanted to ask her how she felt about her name.

The soft knock on the door caused me to further bury myself under the covers. “Come in,” My muffled voice called out.

I could hear the doorknob turn and the slight creak of the heavy wooden door. “Good morning, Stevie, am I disturbing you?”

“No… the automatic blinds always wake me up around this time.” I remained under the covers, not wanting to chance a migraine because of the brightness of the room.

She giggled. “I can fix that for you.”

After a few presses of the keypad, I heard the shades lowering, making the room dark again, and under my blankets even darker. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t mention it. Skyler called and said she should be here within the hour. I can have the chef prepare lunch for you guys on the back patio if you would like.”

I removed the blankets from my head. “Do you think we can get some Chinese takeout? I really would like some Egg Foo Young with fried rice… gravy on the side.”

She reminded me of Jeffie with the way she took notes on her iPad. “And for your cousins?”

I smiled. “She’s bringing Estella, too?”

“Yes.”

Sitting fully up in the bed, I looked at Greene. “You don’t have to be super professional around me, Greene. We’re probably the same age.”

It was like my words released a boulder from her shoulders, as she looked at me. “Jeffie told me I have to always be on… I have to earn the right to move comfortable around Menace… Mr. Caselli.”

“That’s Menace. I hate when people act stuffy around me, and it’s very lonely around here… Lupita speaks to me, but she is also in her fifties, and we have nothing in common.” I gestured for her to take a seat on the edge of the massive bed.

Greene wasn’t sure if she should sit or follow the advice Jeffie had given her. “Are you sure, Stevie?”

“Positive… I’m not sure you know the ins and outs of this arrangement, but I’m going to need a friend. Jeffie is very busy and doesn’t have time and my future husband doesn’t have time. He’s been gone a week and a half, and I haven’t heard from him once… a girl can get lonely.”

She offered me a weak smile. “I’ve heard conversations in passing. Why save your father and friend? You’re sacrificing your life and the chance to find real love to save people that don’t seem like they deserve it.”

I tossed myself back on the mountain of pillows behind me and sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“Doesn’t seem that way. I get wanting to save your father, but the friend? She offered up your virginity on a plate.”

I shot back up. “How do you know so much?”

“I sit in on meetings with Jeffie and Menace at times, and she was pissed about your friend doing that. Can’t say I don’t agree because that is very messed up. Why are you a virgin anyway?”

“Safer that way. You give a boy your virginity, and then things change… some only want it for that reason.”

Greene looked at me briefly before she spoke. “Men.”

“Huh?”

“You said boy… you would be giving a man your virginity, not some boy. It’s scary giving something so precious and sacred to someone, however, you can’t hold onto it forever.”

“Who says?”

“Um, you… you’re going to marry Menace Caselli. Do you honestly think you wouldn’t want to have sex with him?”

Menace was the epitome of sexy with his tattooed covered toffee skin, lush beard, menacing eyes, and that smirk that he wore. If you watched him long enough, you could catch a quick glimpse of the gold teeth he wore on the left side of his mouth. One of which was an outline of his actual tooth.

He towered over me and his body was muscular because he worked out every morning. I was never up when he was working out and never ventured down to the basement where the gym was. I knew he worked out because the few times that I had been up before noon, he was coming from that direction with no shirt on and a towel around his neck.

Lupita would always be right there with his red smoothie, and he would nod and continue up the steps, making sure to snatch his sneakers off before he made it to the bottom of the steps. Menace Caselli was every woman’s wet dream, and I was supposed to marry him.

Greene wasn’t wrong.

How could I deny a man that damn beautiful of taking my virginity? Especially because I wanted him to when I looked at him.

Then again, I didn’t know Menace enough to even consider those things, which was crazy because I was supposed to marry him. “We barely know one another, and I’m pretty sure I trigger the hell out of him.”

She stood up with her iPad in tow. “I’m sure we will see when he arrives tonight. He and Jeffie are in route back to the United States, and he should land tonight. Jeffie never comes back with him to the house; she goes home and probably takes her head off after dealing with him non-stop.”

“Why does he travel so much?”

“Businessman… he owns a lot of things, Stevie. Aside from Case House, the man has his hands into everything… either way, I will go and get your lunch for you and your cousin.”

“Chicken nuggets for Estella… she loves them.”’

She held the doorknob and smiled. “Noted.”

By the time I dragged myself out of the bed, showered, and got dressed Skyler was beginning security clearance through the front. I pulled my hair into a messy bun, switched my glasses to my favorite round pair, and then pranced out the room, down the hall, and stairs until I got to the foyer.

Even though I was lying to her, I missed both Estella and Skyler very much. I was used to seeing them every day and the fact that I had gone weeks without seeing them was strange. Me and Alex kept up through text message or calls.

Alex was alright as long as he knew I was safe and was fine with me not being home. I was trying to figure out a way to tell him that I was getting married. He knew I was a little out there and supported me, so I was nervous to see what his reaction would be.

Washington, the head of security of the home opened the front door. Soon as he opened the door, Estella looked around like she was in the White House, while Skyler was used to it. She had mentioned she had been here a few times.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” I held my arms out and spun in the massive foyer, while Skyler shook her head and laughed.

“Stevie!” Estella dropped her bags and ran full force into me, as I bent down to hug my little Sour Patch Kid.

The reason she’s a Sour Patch Kid is because she stuck her gum in the back of my head last year, and Skyler had to cut a few curls to get it out. Then, she kissed my cheek and said that her mama said she’s not supposed to have gum.

“Hi, my favorite girl. I’ve missed you so much.”

“You come home.” She looked into my eyes as I kissed her cheeks and rubbed my hands through her curls.

“Um, not yet… soon, okay?”

Greene came around the corner and smiled at Skyler. “Hey Greene, how has it been since Jeffie has been gone? You can tell me… peaceful,” she teased her.

I watched as Greene smiled. “Less tense, and I’ve been flowing through my work easier. Jeffie is tense… she doesn’t play when it comes to things being in correct order.”

“Well, you met your boss… I listened to that man throw a fit over how a woman used the toothpaste… that’s who you’re so in love with, right?” Skyler looked over at me.

“Yes, he’s my little apple dumpling butt,” I forced a smile, picking Estella up and walking further into the house. “Zip it,” I mouthed to Greene as I passed by her.

She was smart, took the hint and went to do whatever she was going to do. I led us out to the backyard where our lunch was already set up on the concrete outside table. The waterfall from the pool was going, and it was a warm summer day.

The shade from the house gave us a slight relief from the brutal sun. “I haven’t had anything to eat today. This morning, we had mediation with Keyshawn and his mama… why nobody told that lady that those braids aren’t for her… I could put four of my fingers in each part… old bitch.”

“Bad word, Mama,” Estella corrected her mother.

Skyler smiled. “Mama is upset, and I am very sorry. Want to eat your nuggets over there with the TV?”

Estella nodded her head as Skyler took her over toward the outside TV. Menace had his home set up where he never had to leave. I had been in the house for two weeks, and although I was bored, he did have everything.

I was the kind of person that never sat still for long. Sitting still for too long forced me to think, and I didn’t like my thoughts all the time. They weren’t a safe space for me all the time. It was better to keep myself busy.

Greene told Skyler she would get Estella set up. Skyler held her bag to her side and then smiled at me. “Stevie, I love you.”

“Love you more, Skyler… always will. It’s us against the world.”

She smiled at me. “Then be honest with me and tell me why you’re here… I’m not stupid. Menace is an acquired taste and the both of you are like oil and water. Jeffie has been avoiding me because she is holding something in, and Core who calls me every damn day, has dialed back on his calls which tells me that he’s hiding something too.”

I lowered my head and then looked up at her. “Promise me that you aren’t going to lose your shit, Skyler.”

She got settled into her chair. “I promise.”

“No… really promise.”

She sucked her teeth and then looked at me. “I put that on our old ass granny’s life.”

Satisfied with her reply, I took a deep breath and looked at her. “Priscilla was stealing money from Menace. The money she put into my acco⁠—”

Skyler shot out of her chair with that infamous pointer finger in my direction. “I fucking knew it, Stevie Raye! I knew she was up to no good and we all felt the same way… Cindy included.”

“You promi⁠—”

“I don’t give a fuck about that old hoe… what did she get you into, Stevie? And why are you alive and not stinking somewhere?”

I heaved a sigh. “She was sleeping with Raye.”

Skyler slumped down in the chair and looked across the table at me. “Your father, Raye? My uncle, Raye?”

“Yes. He didn’t know that she was my friend, and she didn’t know he was my father.”

“Find that hard to believe,” she snorted.

“And she offered her virginity up to toss Stevie under the table,” Greene blurted, placing both hands on the concrete table and taking a breath like she was so relieved.

I looked at her and she mouthed sorry before scurrying away. “Wow.”

“Wow?”

“Wow,” she repeated for the second time while her mind was wandering. Skyler was trying to find a way to fix this, and I didn’t need her help fixing this.

“I know that look.”

“What look?”

“The one where you want to fix everything for me… I love you, but no. I should have listened and now this is my mess to clean up.”

Skyler folded her arms. “And how do you plan on fixing this mess?”

“Menace needs something, and I need to keep my father and Priscilla alive.”

Skyler choked on her spit because she hadn’t touched anything since sitting down. “You want to keep them alive?”

“Well, Raye didn’t know the money was going into my account. He’s kind of innocent in all of this when you think about⁠—”

“Innocent? I understand that he’s your father, but he was stealing. Not only stealing, but he also stole from a powerful family like the Caselli’s. That’s like me walking into the Delgato’s compound and slapping Jean Delgato… dangerous and stupid, Stevie.”

I put my face in my hands. “What do you want me to do? Give the word for him to kill my father… I don’t care about him, but damn, I can’t live with knowing I didn’t do something to save him.”

She reached across the table and grabbed my hands from my face. “Would he do the same for you, Stevie?”

“I can’t think like that, Skyler.”

“You should though, Stevie.” She took a deep breath and then looked at me. “Raye aside, you want to save someone that offered your virginity up. What if it wasn’t Menace they stole from and some sick fuck that would have taken the offer.” Skyler had tears in her eyes as she looked at me. “I love you, Stevie, and I know sometimes you like to live in this world of make believe, but this could have ended bad for you. What would I have done if you were….” She couldn’t get the words out as she broke down crying.

Estella saw her mother start crying and ran across the yard to console her while I came around the table. Like we’ve done before, we all hugged each other as Skyler tried to stop crying.

“Love you, Mama,” Estella kissed her mother’s arm, as I kissed her temple.

“Love you, Skyler.”

She sniffled. “Love you three the most… it’s us against the world.”

“Always. Nothing changes with that. I promise it will not change,” I assured her, not knowing if I could keep that promise.

Estella went back over to her half-eaten nuggets while I returned back to my seat and Skyler dabbed her eyes. “Why does Menace need to marry you?”

“I don’t know… assuming it’s something business related.”

“Stevie, what the fuck,” she held her face in her hands as she peered at me through her fingers.

“This is my mess, and I will clean it up. You wanted the truth, and I gave it to you… allow me to do what needs to be done.”

“By marrying Menace Caselli?”

I leaned back in my chair. “I’ve done a lot of thinking on this, and the arrangement isn’t that bad. No more being late on rent, I can live in this big ass house and not have to work unless I want to.”

“What about the actual marriage, Stevie?”

I paused and thought about it. “One thing at a time… did you bring my nail stuff?”

She handed me the second bag she brought, and I smiled. “I’ll take a fresh set for the emotional trauma.”

“I promise if I’m not alright I will let you know.”

“I put that on our old hoe.”

She broke out into laughter. “God forgive me.”

“Uh huh.”

For so long I struggled with my purpose and what I wanted to do with my life. It was a struggle before my mother passed away, then became an even bigger struggle once she was gone. I didn’t know what my purpose was, and I was floating around the world trying to figure out what’s next for me.

When was the change supposed to happen for me? Menace needed a wife for whatever reason, and maybe my purpose was to be the best damn fake wife in the history of fake wives. Living in this home and being taken care of by him wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

I sat in the main living room with the huge TV displaying my favorite movie. ‘Grown ups’ was my favorite movie, and I had watched it so many times I could put on a one woman show. It was dark throughout the house with the small spotlights that illuminated the floors.

Greene left for the night, so I ate dinner and went upstairs to shower before bringing my blankets and pillow downstairs and making myself comfortable on the couch. Lupita looked at me like I had called her mother a bitch when she saw me stretching out on the massive couches. Either way, she excused herself for the night. I put on my favorite movie and enjoyed the snacks I had accumulated on the coffee table in front of me.

I recited one of my favorite parts and laughed as if I hadn’t watched this movie a million times. When my mother passed away, I slept on the couch and kept this movie on a loop for weeks. There was no one there to stop me, aside for Alex, and even he couldn’t get me to shower or leave the house.

His wife tried her best and then decided it was best to allow me to have my process while grieving. As long as I promised her to eat and shower, and unlock the door when she came, she allowed the process.

The movie was so nostalgic for me. You ever listen to a song, smell a fragrance, or watch a movie and you feel the exact moment when you first heard, smell, or watched it in your chest? You could envision the memory so vividly that it almost hurt to reminisce?

That was how I felt about this movie. Me and my mother loved Adam Sandler movies, and we would have movie marathons when we were burned out from life. She would take a Friday off, order our favorite Chinese food and watch movies all day.

Although we had seen the movie a million times, we laughed like we hadn’t. Every time I watched this movie, it hurt for a bit, then I smiled because I could hear her laugh, feel the little shove she did when something was too funny to her, and see her smile.

God, I missed her smile more than anything.

For a while she lost her smile because of life and having to raise a child alone. My father got to keep his smile while hers slowly faded because she had to step up and do what needed to be done. She had to raise me, and I can admit I wasn’t the easiest child to raise. I remember I joked once that I wasn’t the easiest to love, and she sat me down and told me to never say those words. That I was her biggest blessing and raising me was her absolute honor.

Even as I sat here wiping the tears from my eyes, I remember seeing her face. Some people you could tell that they were lying.

Not her.

I could see the pride, honor, and love exude from her face down toward mine. I used the blanket and dabbed my eyes as I watched one of our favorite scenes in the movie.

“Why are you crying, Wonder?”

I jumped and slowly turned to see Menace standing there. “Christ, were you there the entire time?”

“You’ll never know… answer my question.”

I wiped my face and looked at him real good. He was dressed down in a pair of sweats, white T-shirt that was too crisps for someone who just got off a long flight, and sneakers.

“Do you ever wear anything aside from sweats? Jeans, perhaps?”

“Don’t like ‘em.”

“So, sweats and suits.”

His hands were clasped in front of him. “Only when I have to wear suits, I wear ‘em.”

“What’s so wrong with jeans?”

He looked at me. “What’s wrong with a bra?”

“Makes me feel constricted.”

“Same.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “You wear bras?”

He laughed, and I noticed he had only one gold cap today. “Wonder, why the fuck were you crying?”

“Personal.”

“I’m gonna be your husband. Don’t you think I should know your personal shit?” His hands started to move, and he rubbed them in circular motions.

“This is business… right?”

He didn’t reply, just watched me. Menace had this thing where he observed you, right in front of you. That glare was enough to make you never sin again in life. “It doesn’t have to be.”

“Well, you made it business when you went out of town and never called me.”

“Don’t have your number.”

I shoved my blankets into my arms as I removed myself from the couch. “You had ways to get my number, and you didn’t call to check on me once. Jeffie called me every day, and I heard you in the background and you never asked for me.”

“Are you mad at me because I didn’t ask how you were, Wonder?”

“My name is Stevie. I get this marriage is something that helps us both out… mostly me because you can marry anyone you want. We don’t need to pretend this is something that it’s not. Just let me know when the wedding is so I can show up.”

I stomped away, my blanket trailing as I headed to my bedroom, and he stood there. No emotion, rebuttal, or anything. It was like he was content with pissing me off and would sleep like a baby because of it.

When I made it to my room, I hated that I had blown up like that. The truth was that he had scared me and saw me vulnerable about my mother. I didn’t feel comfortable enough telling him about her.

This was fake and my mother’s death was very much real. The two should never mix, and I needed to check my emotions at the door.

It was business.