Tori and Jace Read online

  Tori & Jace: Trapped in his Love

  Na’Cole

  www.urbanbooks.net

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Song Lyrics Written By:

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  Urban Books, LLC

  300 Farmingdale Road, N.Y.-Route 109

  Farmingdale, NY 11735

  Tori & Jace: Trapped in his Love

  Copyright © 2022 Na’Cole

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  ISBN: 978-1-6455-6385-3

  ISBN 10: 1-64556-386-3

  First Trade Paperback Printing July 2022

  This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.

  Distributed by Kensington Publishing Corp.

  Submit Orders to:

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  Fax: 1-800-659-2436

  Song Lyrics Written By:

  Lance Robinson & Na’Cole

  First, I want to give thanks to the higher power.

  Without God and his glory, there would be no me. To

  my children, Nashira and Lance Jr., I love you two

  with all of me. You two are my life and the reasons I

  wake up every morning with the grind on my mind.

  To my love, Lance Sr., we’ve had a lifelong friendship,

  which led us to a seven teen-year-long relationship. I

  love you over and beyond the moon. To my mother,

  Ella, my little sister, Toni, and my big brother, Daniel,

  I love you guys so much. Our relationship means so

  much to me. Growing up, we only had us, and no one

  can take that away from me. To my beautiful friend,

  publisher, and mentor, Racquel Williams, I love you.

  Thank you so much for believing in me. You saw the

  potential in me when no one else did. I appreciate you

  so much. Thank you for taking me in as your little

  sister. Finally, my three bonus sisters, Iyisha, Carshina,

  and Tanesha, sistership through marriages and rela-

  tionships couldn’t make us any closer. I love you three

  as if we came from the same vagina. Lol. We are blood

  sisters for life.

  This book is dedicated to all the lost girls and boys, the lost women and men who are afraid to speak their truth.

  Prologue

  They say pussy has a distinctive taste, depending on how well you take care of your body. If you provide for it, please it, and pamper it correctly, trust me, you just might be every man’s main course meal. Personally, I love the taste of pineapples, and I make sure that it’s a part of my daily meal. At all times, I need my baby girl to taste sweet. That shit will definitely keep a man coming back for more. Any man I’ve chosen to give a piece of my honey, my cake, my love land, my twat, my good old kitty cat is guaranteed to come back time and time again. The proof is definitely in the pudding.

  Without even trying, I am able to nab a man. Do I want him? Maybe. I’m to the point now that I want to live, and how is that possible with a man on my heels every damn minute of the day? Don’t get me wrong. Jace is the type of man every woman would want in her corner if they were into that love shit. I’ve never known what love is, so don’t fault me for not appreciating a real man. He seemed to be sent down from Cupid himself, but the way Jace fell in love with me so soon was confusing.

  Look, I know most women dream about getting married, having a family, going on trips, making love to the same man every single damn night, etc. Well, I’ve never been one of those types. I had too much to share with the world. Plus, growing up, I was always taught sharing is caring, and that is why I’ve chosen to give every man I felt was worthy a piece of me. I want to give you guys a taste of my life. I need everyone to get a glimpse into the life of a ho. Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a ho per se, though I do enjoy sex. Google.com calls it a “sexual addiction,” but I disagree. I don’t absolutely need to fuck. For me, sex is therapeutic. It heals all pains and heartaches.

  I sometimes use sex just to get through a long, stress-filled day. For the love of sanity, it’s a part of nature, although I haven’t always taken advantage of what God has blessed me with. When the time was right, I did take full advantage. The power of a woman’s honeypot is undeniably something else. Pussy will have a man doing all types of dumb, belligerent shit. Trust me, I know . . . Flips hair. I will fuck your daddy and your uncle. What does N.W.A. say? Fuck the police. Yes, love, I will fuck their ass too if the price is right. If my grades in school are on the line, my teachers can get it too. I really don’t give a fuck. If that means getting my way, I’m down for it.

  Every woman reading this should know what the power of a woman is. It’s self-explanatory. I really don’t want to expose the power of the P-U-S-S-Y because there may be a couple of men lurking, but all you women catch my drift. Ronnie said it best in The Playas Club, and I quote, “You got to use what you got to get what you want.” Trust me. I’m down to do it all, and I know how to get exactly what I want. They say everything that glitters isn’t gold, and eventually, I will find that shit out the hard way. My sexual urges and desires will get me into a bunch of bullshit. Some shit I may not know how to handle, but I’m hoping to survive. If not, just know I’m not going out without a nut or without giving you my story. I’ll skip through my many nights of pleasure as a kid because I understand reading sexual things about a child is weird. I know that some people may not be able to stomach certain obscene and graphic shit. So, without further ado . . . Welcome to my world.

  Chapter One

  “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most beautifullest of them all?” Tori said to her reflection as it stared back at her. She stood in her most natural state. Hair curly and wet as it hung down to her shoulders, she stared into the mirror, hoping for a response. When she didn’t receive the affirmation she wished for, she frowned and recited the words again. “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the prettiest of them all?” she said, thinking she would somehow get a response if she used a synonym.

  Tori found herself talking to the mirror every single morning. Although she knew her parents loved her, she also knew her looks weren’t worthy. No one in her life ever called her pretty or beautiful—not even lovely. So, she found herself looking for validation from her own reflection.

  “Mirror,” Tori said in a sad, almost whiny tone, “you don’t think I’m pretty?”

  Tori was no idiot. She was actually very smart, and she knew she contr
olled her reflection. So, she knew if the mirror wasn’t speaking, then the pretty and beauty just weren’t there. Tori twisted her lips and bit down on her inner cheek. She wanted to cry aloud, but she was used to the disappointment of not being one of the beautiful girls. She placed her ponytail holder onto her curly wet ’fro and took a seat on the toilet lid.

  OK, so I’m ugly, she thought to herself. “I mean, I have to be. Mama doesn’t tell me I’m pretty. Papa doesn’t tell me I’m beautiful. The other kids treat me badly, and Jace won’t even look my way.”

  It was the start of eighth grade for Tori, and she figured she’d begin to look a little different by this time. To her, she’d always been an ugly duckling. With all the superficial people in L.A., Tori could never feel comfortable in her own skin. She knew she would never be good enough. Still, she felt that she would become like a fine wine with time. Instead, here she was, almost in tears over the way her skin and her facial features looked.

  Tori lived in Los Angeles, California, where everything, and everyone, for that matter, seemed to be so shallow. If you weren’t skinny, light-skinned, with straight teeth and pretty hair, you just didn’t belong. She was the opposite. Tori wasn’t your typical L.A. girl, although she was a native. Her skin was highly melanated, and her hair had nappy coils. Her body type was skinny and lanky, making her look awkward. Tori had the perfect set of teeth, and her eyes were the color of amber. She was stunning. She just couldn’t see it. Her eyes hid behind a pair of thick bifocals that made her look overly nerdy. The stereotype of what “pretty” should reflect had impacted Tori’s self-esteem.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  “Tori Savanna Givens, you are going to be late for school. Hurry up,” Mrs. Givens announced.

  Tori cleared her throat and sighed. She had to make sure her pain couldn’t be heard when she responded.

  Knock, knock.

  “Tori, did you hear me?” her mother asked.

  “Yes, Mother. I’ll be right out,” she finally responded.

  It was time to get her day and the school year started. There was absolutely no turning back. Tori was determined to get through this school year without any faults. When she finally made it to school, she felt the jitters in her stomach.

  “New Year with the same people who treated me like crap,” Tori said as she walked into Hollenbeck Middle School.

  The only thing that had Tori excited and smiling on the inside was seeing Jace, the boy she had the biggest crush on. She couldn’t help but watch him and follow his every move. Tori was only 13 years old, but her 13-year-old vagina tingled every time she saw him. Only having the opportunity to be in Jace’s personal space back in the sixth grade because he was failing math, Tori longed for the opportunity to present itself again. She remembered walking past her math class and hearing Jace tell their teacher, Mrs. Redd, that he didn’t understand division and fractions.

  * * *

  “So, what’s going on, Mr. Doss? You are really falling behind in math. Are you studying, or are you just looking online for the answers?” Mrs. Redd asked, not letting Jace get a word out. She knew his type so well. The popular boy in school who feels he can get through life without any real skills besides making silly young girls do his grunt work. “Are you making these little girls do your homework for you?”

  “No, Mrs. Redd. I’ve been studying. My parents don’t play. I just don’t understand the work,” Jace said as Tori moved closer to the classroom door.

  “Well, to pass the sixth grade, you absolutely must pass math. There is no way around it.”

  “I know, and that’s why I came to you, to see if there is anything you can do . . . or any makeup work I can do. My mother is going to murder me if I fail.”

  “I don’t know, Jace. You don’t seem serious about school, and I don’t have time to help a student who is only throwing himself at my mercy for sympathy. Regardless of whether you pass, I will still get paid,” Mrs. Redd said, looking at Jace as his head suddenly hung low.

  Tori silently peeped her head into the classroom and saw the hard time Mrs. Redd was giving Jace. At that moment, Tori decided she was going to help him. The following day, she mustered up all the courage she could to approach Jace during lunch. Tori was a little bit on the shy side, so, of course, she had to prep herself for this big event. Then, after the prepping, she had to pep talk herself all the way over to his table.

  “Hi, Jace,” Tori said as she approached him and his crew at their lunch table.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Jace said shortly. He briefly looked up at Tori before turning his attention back to his conversation, quickly dismissing her.

  Tori knew he wasn’t talking about anything serious. She heard him mention something about one of her fast classmates who apparently let him finger her the night before, so she decided to continue with her proposition.

  “Umm, Jace,” she said nervously while fixing her glasses and tucking imaginary hair behind her left ear, “I realize you’ve been struggling with the math lesson.” Jace’s head snapped in her direction. He looked up at her, into her eyes, and instantly, her glasses fogged up. She was so hot and afraid. Her body began to drip with sweat. She couldn’t believe she was actually approaching Jace, and he was looking into her eyes.

  “Nah, baby girl, wrong person,” he stunted. Tori’s eyebrows furrowed. This wasn’t the same Jace that sat in Mrs. Redd’s class not even twenty-four hours ago in tears over his grade.

  “Well, if you need help, I will tutor you—”

  “No need. I’m good on the tutoring, but thank you for offering,” he said.

  Tori walked away. She knew he needed her, and in due time, she knew he would be taking her up on her offer.

  “Aye,” Jace yelled across the room as he ran up to her. “What’s your name?” he asked as he smiled and reached out his hand.

  “Tori,” she said shyly. She took his hand into her sweaty palm and shook it.

  “All right, Tori, let’s meet up and get this tutoring going.”

  Tori agreed. She was happy she didn’t let her shyness get the best of her. She would’ve for sure missed this opportunity. She had to step up and volunteer her services. Tori couldn’t see Jace fail. She needed to be able to secretly stare at him in every class they occupied together. However, after being tutored by Tori in the sixth grade, Jace hadn’t uttered a word to her. Still, she lusted over him, drooling whenever she saw him. In her mind, Jace was a god. Tori wished she had a friend or friends to confide in about her feelings.

  Jace was always the man. Even in kindergarten, the swagger he possessed just dripped from his entire being. Tori needed him in her life. He would be the person to expose her to the finer things.

  * * *

  Tori walked down the hallway thinking about the so-called good old days. That was then. As she snapped back into reality, she realized this was now, and her life hadn’t changed.

  “Blackie, black, black,” Tori heard a girl yell out as she made her way through the halls, attempting to get to her sanctuary, the place where she found the most solace . . . the girl’s bathroom in the very last stall. Tori decided she wouldn’t respond. Instead, she kept her head down and walked as quickly as possible.

  “Look at her little scary self. Nappy head, scrubbing pad head,” another girl spat.

  Tori ran in the direction of the girl’s bathroom, almost in tears. One would think she’d be used to this by now, but being teased in school still hurt her feelings. As soon as she rounded the corner, she bumped right into Jace. To Tori, he was so gorgeous, a beautiful boy. She knew that he would grow into a beautiful man within the next couple of years.

  “Sorry,” Tori said with tears pouring down her face.

  “It’s cool,” Jace said. “Aye, are you OK?” he asked, but Tori kept it moving.

  She couldn’t face him. She didn’t know how, especially in her current state. Snotty nose, red eyes, and ashamed to be who she was. Hell no, she wasn’t OK, but she wasn’t about to give Jace this
part of her. The part that made her feel like a basket case. The days she tutored him, she always tried to look her best, but he never really acknowledged or paid attention to her. She did her best to look pretty for him, considering they were only 11-year-old sixth-graders at the time. Tori did whatever she could to catch this boy’s attention. They’d spent an hour together, Monday through Thursday, for two months straight. Tori gave Jace lessons in math, and Jace unknowingly gave Tori wet dreams. How could she cry in front of him?

  Every day, Tori made sure her ponytail was nice and neat. She made sure her glasses lenses sparkled, her clothes were OK, and her smarts were on full display. Confidence was key, and right there, at that moment, all confidence was gone with the wind. She ran into the bathroom over to her favorite stall. Tori slammed the door behind her and cried her pretty little eyes out.

  “Mirror, mirror, on the wall—fuck you.”

  After that day, Tori begged her parents to transfer her to a different school. She let them in on her being bullied for years. Her parents wanted to speak with school officials to get an understanding. However, they knew that wouldn’t do anything to better things for her. So, they transferred her, and that was the last time Tori had any type of interaction with Jace for years to come.

  * * *

  Tori had always been a go-getter in every sense of the word. Growing up in an African and American household, she was raised to always exceed in everything she set out to do in life. Her parents, Mr. Larry Givens, a California native, and Omeiha Jahja Givens, a South African immigrant, had always displayed to their daughter what hard work and dedication consisted of. They made sure she understood the great payoff her life could receive if she stayed focused.

  Tori’s parents worked seven days a week, owning an independent, successful cleaning service. Their money was long, but they were only willing to give Tori the minimum necessities. They lived by the Bible and didn’t believe in spoiling their child. “Spare the rod, spoil the child” was an everyday motto in their home.