by D. Camille
“The Gods!”
******
“Xavier, my dude!” Justice greeted his best friend.
Xavier smiled. “Justice, what’s going on?”
The two men hugged then took seats at the outdoor bar.
“Waiting to see my big headed sister,” Justice teased. “You want something to drink?”
Xavier shook his head. “I’m good.”
“I can’t lie though, I’m glad she’s back home,” Justice admitted. “But don’t tell her that…”
Laughing, Xavier replied, “I think everybody knows how much you love your sister.”
“My Little Pretty Girl,” Justice said, as Diamond walked out on the patio. “Here she is!”
Diamond saw her brother and smiled, before the two embraced one another. She was then greeted by the rest of her family and relatives. The group finally settled down to enjoy the food and festivities.
“You all didn’t have to do this,” Diamond told them.
“You’re home,” Sage told her. “And we’re so happy to have you here…”
Diamond smiled. “I’m happy to be here.”
She walked over to Tara, who was holding her new baby, Dana. The oldest Diamond cousin had met and married her sweetheart a few years ago. “Can I hold her?” Diamond asked.
Tara grinned. “Yes, I’ve been telling her all about her cousin Diamond, and not to curse like her.”
Diamond laughed and took the little girl in her arms. She smiled down into the little face, then looked over at Tara’s son, three-year old, little Steph.
“I can’t believe that you have two beautiful kids!” Diamond told her. “It seems like, I was just hooking you and Stephen up.”
Tara gave her a look. “You did not hook me and Stephen up.”
Diamond shrugged. “If it wasn’t for me, these two little angels wouldn’t be here.”
Tara’s husband laughed and kissed his wife’s cheek. “I still owe you, Diamond.”
“See, listen to the man,” Diamond told her bestie.
Across the patio, Xavier sat now drinking sodas with his twin, Alex.
“You should be glad that I’m the only one here that can read minds,” Alex told him and Xavier smiled.
“Certainly glad that Uncle Jordan can’t…”
Alex smiled. “You’d be dead right now.”
Xavier continued to watch Diamond. “Probably...”
“What’s up with you and her, now that she’s home?” Alex asked.
“She still doesn’t want to admit it, so I’m going to let her chase me,” Xavier told him, sipping from his glass.
“Diamond Black is going to chase you?”
Xavier nodded. “Yes, and I’m going to enjoy it.”
“And what if she doesn’t?” Alex asked. “Diamond is a Black. They’re as stubborn as they come.”
“Diamond still sees me as a cousin or a family member. She needs to open her mind and see me as a man,” Xavier said firmly. “A man who loves her…”
“How are you going to do that?”
Xavier laughed. “I won’t…the Universe will.”
Diamond glanced over to where the twins sat, still holding on to the baby. Her eyes met Xavier’s and they held for a moment, before she pulled her attention away and back to the bundle in her arms.
“Dude, stop with the thoughts…” Alex complained.
Xavier turned to him. “You don’t have my permission, then.”
Alex frowned. “Right now, I don’t want it.”
Sipping his drink to cool off, Xavier agreed. “No, you probably want to turn it off…because it’s about to get worse.”
Alex stood and took his drink as he went to get as far away from his twin as possible. Xavier took the time alone, to study the woman he’d waited for…Diamond Black. Beautiful, didn’t come close to describing her, in his mind. Natural, dark hair hung around a dark cacao colored face with startling, bright brown eyes and full, luscious lips. Professionally arched brows, led down to perfectly symmetrical nose. And when those full lips spread, they revealed a brilliant, white smile, that had made his heart melt, all of his life.
Diamond at twenty-six, had filled out into a very sexy package. Her five-foot-seven-inch frame housed an abundance of curves, that were well toned. He could tell that she’d trained very well, while she was away. He sat back and let his imagination run wild…
Soon, Xavier was joined by Six, the new leader of the Heirs.
“What’s up, Xavier?”
“Hello Six,”
Six took Alex’s empty seat and Xavier turned his attention to him.
“We’re meeting on the mission tomorrow, now that Diamond is back,” Six informed him.
“She’s on this one?” Xavier inquired.
Six nodded. “Everybody is…all eight of us will be needed.”
Xavier lifted a brow. “Will any of the girls be in danger?”
“No, they’re more involved to complete the cover,” Six explained. “And provide logistics…”
“Uncle Ray approved the mission?” Xavier asked.
“He can’t wait to see all of us together,”
Xavier sipped his drink. “I can’t either…” He turned back to look at Diamond.
“Be at the office at ten in the morning, and I’ll brief everybody,” Six informed him.
“I’ll be there.”
Across the patio, Sage joined her daughter, who was still holding the baby. Stephen had taken their son to the bathroom, and Tara had gone to make a plate of food for their youngster.
“Do I have one of those to look forward to?” Sage asked Diamond.
Diamond frowned. “You would like me to have a husband, right?”
“That’s a requirement for your father and your Uncles…” Sage told her.
“Well, right now…I’m not focused on either one, a husband or a baby.” Diamond told her mother.
“I wasn’t either, at your age,” Sage told her. “I’d come to LA to start my life on my own, near my brother. I didn’t know that I’d be married with a baby a year and a half later.”
Diamond smiled down at little Dana.
“That was fast,” Diamond commented.
“Sometimes it happens like that,” Sage counseled.
“I’m home to work on our mission, not to find a husband and make a baby,” Diamond told her.
Sage looked at her daughter. “Have you been practicing making babies?”
Diamond frowned. “No! Nobody has moved me like that.”
“I understand,” Sage said, softly. “No one moved me until Jordan.”
“I know,” Diamond smiled. “I admired you for that. It taught me not be pressured, but to wait for the man that I want to love forever…”
Sage smiled and put an arm around her daughter. “The Universe will smile down on whoever that man is…”
They both looked up as Xavier stood in front of them. He smiled down at the women and they smiled in returned.
“Aunt Sage, it was wonderful to see you, but I need to take off, now.” Xavier told her.
Sage stood to her feet and hugged him. “You know it’s always a pleasure to see you, Xavier.”
Tara returned and retrieved her daughter from Diamond as Xavier watched.
“Congratulations, again Tara. Your daughter is a little beautiful Goddess.” Xavier told her.
She grinned at him. “Thank you, Xavier.”
“I’m glad you can tell us apart now,” he commented.
Tara laughed. “I saw your badge when you walked in.”
He nodded. “I’ll be sure to wear it all the time.”
“I’m not as good as Diamond,” Tara told him. “She never had a problem.”
Xavier looked at Diamond. “I know.”
Diamond stared at him, digesting his simple words.
“I’ll see you all soon,” he announced.
“I’ll walk you out, Xavier,” Diamond said, and he nodded.
“If you like,”
She
looked from her mother to Tara. “I’ll be right back. I really appreciate Xavier picking me up from the airport.”
They both nodded and started talking about the baby, oblivious to the two standing and watching one another. Xavier waved Diamond in front of him and followed her outside.
At his truck, he looked down at her. “Yes, Diamond?”
“Don’t kiss me again,” she warned.
“Okay.” He agreed. “Even when you ask me?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I didn’t ask you.”
“You did.” He corrected. “I touched your face and you whispered, ‘Kiss me’…”
“You read my mind!”
Xavier shook his head. “No, you said it out loud,”
Diamond fell silent, trying to remember what had happened.
“I wouldn’t just kiss you without your permission,” Xavier told her.
She scratched her head and looked at him.
“I’m glad that you’re home Diamond,” he whispered. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too…” Diamond replied softly, then quickly amended. “Just like I missed everybody.”
He smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the Heirs meeting.”
Diamond stood looking up into his handsome face.
“You should go inside, because if you ask me to kiss you again…I will.”
Chapter 2
The next morning, Diamond ran up the hill, keeping pace right behind her father. They reached the top in time to see a spectacular sunrise.
Breathing hard, she turned to Jordan. “You’ve still got it old man.”
He looked at her. “Call me old man again.”
She laughed and walked over to hug him. “I missed my Daddy.”
“I missed my Little Pretty Girl,” Jordan said, returning her embrace. “How did you like traveling the world?”
Diamond smiled. “It was fun. I learned a lot, but I’m happy to be home.”
“I worried about you,” Jordan confessed.
“I know you did, but you had like fifty agents following me.”
“Forty.”
Together they walked to a bench that overlooked the city. “What are you looking forward to, now that you’re home?” Jordan asked.
“Working with the Heirs,” Diamond began. “And starting my life here in LA…”
“You sound like your mother when I met her,”
She grinned. “She was my age.”
Jordan studied his daughter. “You remind me so much of her, so beautiful and strong.”
“My handsome Daddy, swept her off her feet and gave her this incredible daughter,” Diamond told him and he laughed.
“Yes, I did.” He agreed. “I remember the day you were born, and I held you in my hands. You opened your eyes and I knew a love that I’d never imagined I’d feel.”
Diamond laid her head on his shoulder. “You’ve been the best Daddy any girl could ask for…you even wanted to get me a lion.”
“I wanted to give you the world,” Jordan replied.
“You did, and I want to make you proud.” Diamond looked up at her father, gazing at the still handsome man with a few strands of gray in his dark hair.
“I am proud,” Jordan said firmly. “Of all of you…”
“I’m meeting with the Heirs today to go over our new mission,” she informed him.
Jordan nodded. “Ray has briefed us. Are you ready?”
“Yes, I’m ready.” Diamond looked out over the sky.
“Something on your mind?” Jordan asked.
Diamond turned to him. “Momma says that she came here to start her life, but a year and a half later, she was married with me. How did you make her change her mind?”
Jordan smiled. “I’m Jordan Black and the Black Magic is real…”
She chuckled. “Yes, I know.” Diamond agreed. “I mean, but what happened that made you pursue her so hard, even with the threat of Uncle Ray?”
He shook his head. “That woman put a spell on me,”
Diamond’s eyes widened. “How?”
“She told me that she wanted to make love to my mind, and she stole my heart.” He confessed. “After that, I was determined to make her my wife, even if it meant getting her pregnant.”
Her mouth flew open. “You didn’t!”
“Not consciously, but I knew that I’d do whatever it took to have Sage Parker, because I couldn’t let her go.”
Diamond put a hand to her face. “My Daddy was shooting up the club…”
“Diamond.”
Chuckling, she sat back and Jordan frowned at her.
“Nobody had better be shooting up your damn club!” He warned.
“Not a single gunman,” she admitted. “No one has made love to my mind and stolen my heart.”
He joined her, relaxing on the bench. “Good. Keep it that way.”
“Daddy, I’m twenty-six. The same age Momma was, when you started putting that Black Magic on her,” Diamond reminded him.
Jordan nodded. “You’re right and the man who wants Diamond Black, will have to go through ten times what I did, for Sage Parker.”
Diamond looked at him. “I heard you and Uncle Ray were fighting all the time over Momma.”
Frowning, Jordan answered, “Because your Uncle Ray was an overprotective ass brother.”
“I’m glad that I won’t have that problem,”
“What do you mean?” Jordan asked confused.
“Justice won’t care who I’m dating,”
Jordan looked at her. “Are you serious? Your brother Justice is going to handle any dude that comes for you. He loves you and Jade more than anything…”
“Justice Black?”
“Justice and Jade look up to their big sister, and will kill for you,” Jordan informed her.
Diamond smiled. “I’ll do the same for them.”
“They know that.”
“It’s going to be fun working on a mission with all of them,”
Jordan turned serious. “Missions are dangerous. Don’t let your guard down, and take care of one another.”
She nodded. “Okay…”
“You’re going to be Xavier’s cover, and he’s going to need you to be his eyes and ears, while watching his back.”
Diamond paused. “I’m Xavier’s cover?”
Jordan nodded. “Yes, you’re the most experienced…his life will be in your hands.”
She looked back out at the sky. “Don’t worry Daddy…I’d never let anything happen to Xavier.”
******
Xavier arrived at the Parker Security building prepared to discuss the Heirs new mission. His contacts at the CIA had sparked the involvement of the Heirs. He’d taken the information to Ray and Six, then the two of them had come up with the plan.
Inside the building, he stopped at the desk of Six’s assistant.
“Good morning, Lace.”
She smiled. “Good morning Xavier. The conference room is set up for all of you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She responded. “By the way, the photos…” Lace gave him a thumbs up sign.
Xavier paused. “You’ve seen them?”
“They’re in your packets on the table,” she informed him. “I had no idea…”
He smiled and headed toward the meeting room. Lace watched him walk away in a confident stride, wearing a lightweight beige suit and muted tie.
Inside Xavier took a seat at the empty table before Six joined him.
“Xavier, you ready to do this?”
“I was born to do this,” Xavier answered as the two men greeted one another with a brief pat on the back.
“The photos came back great,” Six told him, taking a seat next to Xavier.
“Lace told me.”
Six frowned. “I almost had to fire her ass, acting like she’d never seen photos before.”
Xavier shrugged. “You can’t be mad at her.”
“Yeah, okay…” Six gave him a look. “Let�
��s stay focused on the mission.”
The others began to pile in… Xavier’s twin, Alex, who specialized in weapons. The twin’s younger sister, Lilac, who was determined to be the female Benjamin Rucker. The other two Black children, Justice, specializing in hand-to-hand combat and weapons, and Jade who was the tech guru. Ray’s daughter, Skye, the dangerous African princess, who was skilled in anatomy, and Diamond. They all arrived on time and took the empty chairs, joining Xavier and Six.
After greeting the rest, Xavier looked across the table. “Good morning, Diamond.”
She smiled. “Good morning, Xavier.”
“Let’s get started,” Six announced and received everyone’s attention. At twenty, Six was proclaimed the leader of the group, with his father assisting as necessary, until he would handle things completely on his own. Despite his youth, Six was the fiercest of the group, inheriting his father’s traits.
“Diamond, you’ve just arrived, so I’m going to take a minute and fill you in on where we are,” Six told his cousin and she nodded.
“Xavier came across some missing person reports that spanned along a particular area,” Six began and Diamond looked at Xavier, as Six continued.
“He was able to match these disappearances up with a scheduled music tour last year. When he went back to the previous year, that same tour turned up more missing persons during that timeframe, and the year before.”
Diamond looked confused.
“Three years back, and the same thing,” Six told her. “Now the authorities think it’s just a coincidence, but we think there’s more. All the missing are black males…all trying to break into the music business.”
“I don’t understand, do you think they’re being kidnapped or trafficked?” she asked.
Xavier piped in. “That’s what we need to find out, but there’s another twist.”
“Another twist?”
He nodded. “A few of the men reported missing have been found.”
Diamond waited and Six gave her the additional information.
“Dead…with their body parts missing.”
She gasped. “What the hell?”
“It’s called organ trafficking,” Xavier explained. “And it’s a big money business on the Black Market…”
“What are we going to do?” Diamond asked Six.
“We’re getting on this year’s tour,” he answered.
“How?” she questioned.
Six pulled his packet toward him. “Lace has put together the information for the team.” He waited until everyone had opened their files.