“Why wouldn’t I be? Early on, he was all too ready to do whatever it took to be with you. That kind of love isn’t something to be dismissed. Ask me how I know.” She flexed her left hand, displaying a gold wedding band. They both looked at Vikkas through the open slats of the blinds of Dani’s office. “You’d better recognize and give yourselves the chance you didn’t have.”
Vikkas stepped out of the office, looking every bit the successful businessman in a suit that draped his athletic build to perfection. His olive complexion, dark hair that grazed the tops of his shoulders.
“Get out of here,” Milan said to him when he approached. “I’ll stop by the hospital after I’m done here today.”
“One other thing …” He reached into his wallet and slid a credit card in her hands.
“Black card?” Toni said, gasping, along with a few others.
Low whistles and whispers of approval echoed in the office.
“I need you to pull up stakes for a minute and stay at a hotel if you’re not comfortable moving into my spot for a while.”
Milan glanced at the card, but his grave tone is what made her stiffen. “Vikkas, what else are you not telling me?”
CHAPTER 12
KALEB VALENTINE
A chill snaked up Kaleb’s spine then a slight smile split his sienna complexion, while he pulled a red pearl Genesis G70 into the circle drive of his cousin’s mansion in the heart of Gross Pointe Shores, the home resembling the castle he visited on his last trip to Chicago and what he witnessed.
“Okay, Z.” Kaleb stepped out of the vehicle, speaking to no one in particular. “I see you’re doing the damn thing.”
The sounds of jazz and the aroma of grilled chicken rode on the gentle summer breeze as Kaleb approached the sand-colored, three-story manor that had been festively decorated with lilac and gray balloon sculptures. A framed, hand-painted sign that read “Welcome the Babies Gray, Amir and Zarina” stood to the side on a door that was flanked by cut glass sidelight windows on each side.
Kaleb pulled a cell phone from his pocket and looked at the screen, trying to forget the last call he made to his best friend, Reno.
Khalil’s been shot.
His own voice echoed in his mind as images of Khalil and Vikkas haunted his thoughts.
Kaleb’s heart sank thinking about Vikkas Germaine and how he had reached out to him as a request from his father, Khalil. As kind as Khalil had always been to him, Kaleb strayed away from any involvement with him and his leadership, a decision that brought about an avalanche of turmoil on top of his already traumatic life.
He walked into the empty foyer prepared to follow the joyous laughter when, from the top of one set of the double staircases, a bouncy, blonde preteen stopped almost mid-air in her descent.
“Who are you?” she asked, the smile she wore dropping from a face the color of milk and honey before she backed up the stairs the way she came.
Kaleb flashed a warm smile at the girl, trying to hide his confusion for being questioned by someone who was not only a child; but also a stranger to him. Extending two large golden gift bags, he stated, “I’m Kaleb. And you are, young miss?”
The youngster tilted her head and narrowed a pair of bright hazel eyes, possibly noting Kaleb’s taller-than-average height, athletic build, freshly trimmed beard, and the tattoos that peeked over the top of his black long-sleeved t-shirt.
“I’m looking for my cousin, Zephyr Gray.”
With deliberate hesitation, the girl completed her descent, keeping an eye on Kaleb before running in the direction of the noise that echoed from the living room.
Moments later, Zephyr appeared in crisp, creased blue jeans and a white t-shirt, locs pulled back, while holding a slick-haired baby on his shoulder.
“Wassup, Special K?” Zephyr greeted Kaleb with a hug as he balanced his wide-eyed daughter.
“Not as much as you, cuz,” Kaleb retorted with a chuckle. “A man gets left alone for a minute to expand his empire, and you decide to get a whole wife and family.”
“You know I’m always on the move,” Zephyr said with an answering chuckle of his own. “When you know something is right, why wait?”
“And you’re not looking any worse for wear.” Kaleb adjusted his gifts so he could stroke the baby’s hair. “I can’t even hang with any of my boys because they’re talking and looking like old men after one child.”
“That’s because they aren’t doing it right,” Zephyr said with a hearty laugh. “I see you met Nadira.”
“Something like that,” Kaleb replied, following Zephyr toward the living area. “She just kept staring at me like she was trying to read my soul.”
“Nadira is a little intense,” Zephyr admitted, describing his young sister-in-law.
Kaleb stretched his neck to examine the entryway dominated by an oversized crystal chandelier. “Not too shabby,” he said, impressed by the three-story foyer.
Zephyr practically beamed. “It’s cozy, I’ll give you that.”
“You call a nine-thousand-square-foot house that backs up to the Detroit River ‘cozy’?” Kaleb gave a low, throaty chuckle. “Okay.”
“Come on. Mom and Dad are waiting to see you.”
Zephyr led the way through the busy main floor of the house that had been eclectically decorated with large, colorful floor pillows, tall greenery, and African and Persian art displayed on every wall.
Instrumental melodies of familiar R&B songs played while Kaleb followed close in step behind his cousin as they walked upon a two-tiered deck that spanned the length of the back of the estate. A buzz of conversation rose from below them. Men, women, and children milled about on the lower level, distracting Kaleb for a few seconds.
Zephyr took an opportunity to honor his wife with a kiss before peeking under a blanket covering his nursing son. His mother, Helen, hopped up from her seat on the patio.
“Kaleb, come give your auntie a hug.” Bright yellow chiffon floated as the woman opened her slender, but shapely arms wide to receive the young man she helped raise after unfortunate and deadly circumstances caused him to leave his home in Chicago.
“Hey, Auntie.” A boyish grin spread over Kaleb’s face as he lifted the woman off her feet with his embrace. “I see you’re working out,” Kaleb said, gently squeezing her bicep with his thumb and index finger.
“I’m trying to keep up with Angela Bassett.” Helen snickered at her reference to the gorgeous actress.
“Hey, Unc,” Kaleb yelled across the deck to Zephyr’s father, who was flipping chicken breast and turkey kielbasas on the grill. The salt-and-pepper haired man gave a brief nod.
“K, I want you to meet my wife, Aisha,” Zephyr said, drawing Kaleb’s attention away from his mother to place it on a Persian beauty with reddish-brown hair and brilliant green eyes.
Kaleb turned to Aisha, who had adjusted her clothes under the blanket, and lifted the covers from a curly red-haired little boy.
“Nice to meet you,” Kaleb greeted, extending a hand toward the woman who kept her attention on the baby in her arms.
Aisha stood, cradling her son. “It’s good to meet you, Kaleb,” she said with a warm smile. Turning to Zephyr, her eyes sparkling at the man who close family members knew had changed her once horrific story into something beautiful, she chimed, “I need to change and feed Zarina, Babe. Wanna trade?”
“It’s my turn with my grandson,” Helen teased, crossing Zephyr’s reach to receive the baby. “Always trying to keep my grandbabies from me.”
With a kiss, Zephyr handed the baby to Aisha, and she disappeared into the house.
“Your wife is lovely, Z, but what’s with the women in your house leaving me hanging when I try to shake their hands?” Kaleb inquired, placing the gift bags down near the chair Aisha had vacated.
“When I tell you it’s a long story, K, it’s a long story,” Zephyr explained with absolute ambiguity.
Kaleb’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
“So,
we have a little business to discuss,” Zephyr said, quickly changing the subject as they strolled to a private area of the backyard.
“Indeed.”
They each took a seat on a wooden bench at the farmhouse table behind the bustling preparation activity on the deck.
“First, let me thank you again for your investments in my projects here in Detroit.”
“First,” Zephyr’s gaze intensified on his cousin. “Let’s talk about what’s good with you. How is Special K handling life right now? Award-winning real estate developer and soon-to-be-married man.”
Kaleb’s eyebrows drew into the middle of his forehead as his face twisted as if he smelled something rank. “Soon-to-be married? I don’t know what anyone has told you, but Meme and I broke up over a year ago. Keep up, man.”
Zephyr’s eye grew large with the news.
“Let’s just say there was a disagreement with her business practices, and it almost cost me the company and some jail time,” Kaleb explained, pulling out his phone and tapping the screen. “I’ve kept things quiet while I processed the situation. However, this beauty right here...” Turning the device to Zephyr, the dark orbs of a copper-skinned woman covered the screen. “Skyler Pierson.”
“That name sounds familiar,” Zephyr said. “Didn’t I hear you mention her in a conversation about some business with Reno?’
“Yeah,” Kaleb said, the corners of his mouth lifting as he shoved the phone back in his pants pocket. “But enough about me. The business at hand …”
“The business at hand,” Zephyr repeated, beaming at his cousin.
“You’ve had an excellent return on our current investments, right?”
“The property on Jefferson still needs to be occupied. Other than that, I can say the return has been decent.” His gaze narrowed to slits. “Get to your point, K.”
Kaleb laughed at his cousin’s impatience. Zephyr was never one for dancing around a subject.
“I’m looking into a few properties in the Chi,” Kaleb stated while Zephyr flexed his long, tapered fingers before lacing them to settle on the table. “I’m already in line to work with Common on his vision for the renovations of the Avalon Regal Theater in South Shore. And there are a few properties that I think will be good for us to acquire before property values go up and they’re out of our reach. I’ve made a down payment on a small, three-door storefront complex on Stony Island and I paid cash for a house I want to renovate. The area is established but needs some fresh development. What do you think? Are you in?”
Zephyr sucked in a deep breath, glancing over Kaleb’s shoulder at Aisha, who sauntered onto the deck with the baby.
“Did I miss something?” Zephyr’s tone held a ring of concern. “There’s a reason why you’re not in Chicago now and haven’t been there for the last fifteen years.”
“I know, but this is a great opportunity,” Kaleb expressed, trying to ease an unspoken worry.
“That’s too close,” Zephyr warned, lowering his tone. “You may have walked away from that life, but I’m sure there’s at least one member of your crew who remembers what you did before you left. A six-foot-four, two hundred sixty-five pound, curly-haired dude is gonna be hard to miss whether you’re wearing Ralph Lauren or jeans and a tee—or not.”
Kaleb leveled a steely gaze on Zephyr’s hardened expression. “Most of my set is dead or in jail. And all of that ‘other life’ happened before my mom sent me to live with you,” he declared. “I don’t think I have anything to worry about.”
“K, what about the whole reason you had to come here in the first place?” Zephyr shifted on the bench. “It wouldn’t be hard for a surviving family member to find you. So I have something to worry about even if you don’t,” Zephyr explained. “You know I’m always down for a good investment, but what I’m not going to do is help you write your death certificate … or mine.” Zephyr nodded in the direction of Aisha and Nadira holding the twins. “Do you see the parts of my heart that now live outside of my body? I won’t take one step that could jeopardize their safety. I’m not even sorry to tell you this.”
Heat rose up Kaleb’s neck as he listened to Zephyr deny his request. The breeze from the river was the only thing keeping him cool at the current moment. Kaleb felt a vibration from his pocket. Grabbing his phone, he recognized the Chicago area code on the screen, but the rest of the numbers weren’t familiar.
“Valentine speaking.”
“This is Officer Washington of the Chicago Police Department. Your name was given to us as the owner of a home on West 89th.”
“What’s the problem, Officer?”
“The property in question is the focus of an arson investigation,” the officer clarified.
“Arson?” Kaleb’s elevated tone caused a few guests to turn in his direction. Zephyr’s eyes widened at the one-sided news.
“We need to have you come into the precinct to answer some questions about the property.”
Kaleb ended the call, giving Zephyr a wary glance.
CHAPTER 13
Jai swept a gaze across the nine men who were situated around the boardroom table. Their expressions matched exactly what the moment called for—solemnity. In his heart of hearts, he still couldn’t believe that one of the men he trusted would do something so … monstrous to one of their patients. Not them. Not when they had been given a second chance at life.
Chetan afforded them and so many others a chance to get into a field that had been off-limits because of their past mistakes. Jai had taken a gamble, even when the industry had come out publicly against his actions. The fact that his patients were healing and recovering at a staggering rate only proved Jai’s methods were sound. But it did not keep medical heavy-hitters from taking swipes at him during symposiums, in industry journals, and in the news. Success was its own brand of karma—good and bad.
Now it looked as though his detractors would have even more reason to attack him, this place, and his choice of employees. Each one of them sitting at the table, wearing bright blue uniforms and specially fitted sneakers, were well-groomed with everything from locs, braids, bald heads, and fades. No one could look at them and tell the hard life they’d had before walking through the doors of a place that had been Jai’s dream.
“Let me tell you what’s about to go down,” he said, landing a hard gaze on the men one by one. “The police were notified. The first thing they’ll do is question each and every one of you. I have several lawyers on the way to represent you, and they’ll have access to money to bail you out if it comes to that. Do not speak to the police without your lawyer.” Jai settled his thoughts, trying to think of every possibility so they wouldn’t be caught off guard. “Then, they’ll want a DNA swab. It should be no problem to clear yourself that way. Make sure to do it under the direction of your counsel.”
“Now you know they can change those things in a minute,” Hiram, the most vocal of the group, said. “That woman in Alabama owned a lab and messed up those drug and DNA tests—on purpose.” He shared a glance with his coworkers. “If they want one of us for the crime, they’ll find a way.”
Jai thought that over for a minute. The young man who had created some of the artwork on the center’s walls had a right to be concerned. Investigators were still trying to determine how many parents lost jobs and custody of their children because of what Brandy Murrah had done.
“You’re right,” Jai conceded. “I’ll have Kelly bring in an independent lab to do our own testing. Maybe two, if it comes to that and if their results come back a little strange. That way, we’ll have something to work with in proving they altered the results.”
“That’s straight, man,” Michael said, slumping his lanky frame down into the leather chair.
Falcon nodded, giving a toothy grin. “Thanks.”
“But how are you repping us like this and you don’t know who did it?” Kevin asked. A tense silence fell over the room.
“Most of you have been with me from day one,” Jai replie
d, leaning on the edge of the table. “There’s no way in hell you’d jeopardize your career by letting your dick do something that will destroy your life and everyone else’s.”
Mumbles of assent echoed from the men. A few nods and affirmative statements followed.
“Besides, if I’m wrong, then only one of you should be under fire. I’m not going to let the rest of you pay that price.”
“That’s what’s up,” Hiram said, scanning the ones closest to him. “This whole thing feels like someone is setting you up—us too.”
Jai rounded the table until he was standing behind an empty executive chair. “I hadn’t thought of that. It’s definitely something to consider. I can’t believe that my instincts were that far off.”
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