An Unexpected Love (Women's Fiction/BWWM Romance)

by Stacy-Deanne

  He crossed his arms and rocked. “Let me see your titties, and then you can go.”

  “No!” She touched her blouse. “Get out of my way, or I’ll scream so loud—”

  “You’re not gonna do shit, lil’ mama. Not a damn thing.” He touched her blouse. “But you are gonna show me them titties. Then you can leave.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “You know what?” He grabbed her when she tried to pass. “I think I like that idea much better.”

  “What?”

  A wave of fear flooded over her, reminding her of the ominous feeling she’d had all night that something horrible would happen…only she assumed it would be to Aliyah and not to her.

  “Yeah, I like that idea.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I like that idea a whole lot better.”

  He tried to kiss her.

  “No!” She turned her head left and right. “Leave me alone!”

  “Shut up!” He shook her. “I know all about girls like you, but you are the ultimate tease.”

  She shook her head. “No…I’m—”

  “Yeah, you’re the kind of girl that says ‘no’ but means ‘yes.’”

  He held her tighter.

  “No…if…if you think I’m that type of girl, you’re wrong. I just want to leave. Please, just let me leave.”

  She tried to push him away, but he held her steady in his grip.

  “I’ll let you leave.” He threw her on the bed. “When I’m finished.” He crawled on top of her.

  “No!” She fought as he pinned her arms to the bed. “Someone help! No!”

  “Shut up!”

  He forced his mouth over hers.

  “Mmm!” Shanti writhed and kicked underneath him. “No!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  “Here we are.” Cross showed Layla into his place and walked into the living room on the right. “Mi casa is su casa.”

  He turned on the lights. Layla entered the ultra-neat room with the flesh-toned walls and shiny, brown-tile floor. It looked like he spent his time mopping and cleaning. He’d kept his room at Wellington spotless, so his home being so immaculate wasn’t exactly a surprise.

  “What do you think?” Cross stood by the navy-blue couch that didn’t exactly match the curtains, but brought flair into the room.

  “It’s so clean.” She walked around, glancing at several pictures of Cross and his son. “I bet you can eat on the floor. I like a clean house, but this is something else.”

  He grinned. “Guess I can be a little obsessive about cleanliness. I just don’t like clutter. I never have.”

  “I can understand that,” she said, eyeing the white, dust-free ceiling fan.

  “You want something to drink?” He rubbed his hands together. “How about apple juice?”

  She sat down. “You love apple juice.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You remember?”

  “Hell, it was all you complained about at Wellington.” She took off her blazer and laid it beside her. “You kept whining about them not having your precious apple juice.”

  “I don’t whine.” He chuckled. “I’ll be right back.”

  As he left the room, Layla finally let go of the breath she’d been holding since he asked her to come back to his place. She’d longed to be alone with him from the moment she’d left the center. Now she was.

  She stroked the soft armrest. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been alone with a man besides Patrick. It seemed like nothing before her marriage had ever existed.

  She inhaled, enjoying the lasting aroma of Cross’ cologne.

  What happens now?

  They were no longer at the center barred by rules or regimes. They were alone now, outside the walls.

  Layla’s crotch tingled.

  Before Cross, she’d forgotten how just the thought of a man could send her body into ecstasy. Her passion for Patrick had died a long time ago. When they had made love, she did it out of duty instead of zeal or desire.

  She patted her hair.

  Sometimes she felt like an outsider looking into some other woman’s life. How could she let a man change her from who she longed to be? From who she was? She found nothing scarier than needing a man so much that she gave up who she was in the process. She had no idea where things would lead with Cross, but she’d walk away and never look back before sacrificing herself again.

  Never again will she let a man take who she was away from her.

  Cross walked in with two glasses of apple juice with ice. “There you go.” He held one out to her.

  She took the glass. “Thank you, sir.”

  He sipped and exhaled. “I could drink nothing but this stuff for the rest of my life.”

  “Goodness.” Layla flinched as the sugary drink stunned her taste buds. “Been a long time since I had apple juice. I forgot how sweet it is.”

  Cross gulped until he got halfway to the glass. “How about some music?” He gestured to the stereo on the back shelf.

  “Sure, that sounds nice.”

  He turned through the radio channels and stopped on an R&B slow jam that Layla liked, but she couldn’t remember the name of the song. He returned to the couch and started laughing.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I’m just thinking about you singing.” He sat beside her. “You didn’t lie when you said you sucked. I think you’re the worst singer I’ve ever heard.”

  She crossed her legs. “I told you.”

  He leaned over, laughing. “The host offered you five dollars to stop singing.”

  “I wasn’t stopping.” She stuck her head in the air. “Shit, he made me do it. So I was gonna make him suffer.”

  “I guess now I’ve been proven wrong about you.” Cross sipped from his glass. “All this time, I thought you were perfect. But you can’t sing.”

  She shivered with delight. “No one’s perfect, Cross.”

  “You sure are close to it for me, though.”

  “I had so much fun tonight.” She got her glass and held it to her lap. “I don’t think I’ve had this much fun in…I can’t even remember when.”

  “Surely you and Patrick did things together.”

  “It had been a while since we went out. When we had actual dates, it wasn’t like what you and I did tonight. Karaoke?” She curled up her nose. “You’d never catch Patrick doing something like that. He’d be too busy worrying about how it looked to people to see him acting silly.” She giggled. “That’s what I like about you. You don’t mind being silly and showing that part of yourself.”

  “I don’t?” He crossed his eyes and made another funny face.

  “Cross.” She laughed. “See? You’re always making me laugh.”

  “Laughter’s the best medicine.”

  “At first I thought it was some kind of defense mechanism, but then I realized that you really do just like to have fun.”

  “When you grew up like me you had to have fun. Layla, I went through so many hard times as a child that laughter soothed me. It became my friend.”

  “That’s how I feel about cooking.” She nodded. “I fell in love with it from the minute I could walk. My mom is a retired chef, and she taught my sisters and me how to cook before anything else. She used to say, ‘If a woman can’t cook she’s useless.’ Kinda old-fashioned thinking these days, but I see her point.” She sipped apple juice.

  Cross squinted. “I think that’s so sexy.”

  “What?” She moved the glass from her lips. “Cooking?”

  “No. Watching your lips on that glass.”

  “Cross.” She turned away, chuckling to herself.

  “I had a wonderful time tonight too.” He took her hand. “It’s been so long since I felt such a connection. I felt it the minute I first saw you.”

  She tangled her fingers within his.

  “At Wellington, I almost forgot anyone else was there because I was so focused on you.” She scooted closer to him. “It was the first time I’d ever enjoyed being ther
e. I didn’t wanna leave.” She stared into his sensuous eyes. “I didn’t wanna leave you.”

  “You don’t know how I wished to have you alone like this, Layla.” He laid his hand in her lap and caressed her thigh. “I can’t believe it’s finally happening. We’re once again in our own little world and nothing else matters.” He touched her cheek. “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m wondering if you’re gonna ever shut up and kiss me.”

  That is all that he needed to hear. He set his glass down and pulled her into his arms.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  “Damn.” Aliyah followed A.C. back inside the party. “It’s more people than when we left.”

  “Shit a brotha can’t even walk through.” A.C. squeezed through people. “You sure you don’t wanna hang a while longer?” He looked back at her. “Dance a little bit?”

  “Haven’t you had enough of me for one night?” Aliyah put her arms around his shoulders.

  “Nope. I could never get enough.” He kissed her. “I don’t wanna sound like no punk or nothing, but I think you getting to me, girl.”

  She smiled.

  “Seriously, I’m really into you, Liyah. I hope you feel the same way.”

  “Why you think I wouldn’t?”

  Some dudes bumped into them.

  He shrugged. “I’m just saying, you’ve had a lot of guys and—”

  “No more,” she said as she kissed him.

  “What?”

  “I only wanna be with you. I…I think I love you, A.C.” She moved her hand down his shirt. “I wanna be with you and you only.”

  “Come on and let’s dance.”

  “No.” She let him go. “I gotta get Shanti and get home.”

  “All right, but the night’s still young.”

  “Believe me, I’m gonna be in enough trouble when my mom finds out we went to this party.” She checked her watch. “Shit, it’s almost eleven-thirty.” She rushed through the crowd, saying, “I don’t see Shanti.”

  A.C. glanced around. “Me either.”

  Aliyah thought of shouting her name. But with all the music, she doubted Shanti would hear her. “She’s gotta be here somewhere.”

  “Hey, dude.” A.C. pulled on one of his friends. “Have you seen her sister?”

  “Yeah, I saw her.” He smirked. “She’s fine.”

  “No, I mean do you know where she is?”

  “I think she’s upstairs.” He pointed up. “She was up there with Khalil in that back room.”

  Aliyah glanced at A.C., and then tore through the crowd on the stairs. “Shanti?!” She hurried down the hall and ended up at the last door. “Shanti?!” Aliyah opened the door.

  Shanti lay on the bed, with her knees to her chest. She was barefoot and shivering.

  “Shanti?!” Aliyah ran to her. “Oh my God!”

  Shanti’s blouse hung open. Her skirt was pulled over her knees, and she wasn’t wearing underwear. Her hair lay over the pillow in disarray. Her face suggested she’d been crying but had stopped long ago. She kept her eyes straight ahead, as if she were in a trance.

  “My God.” Aliyah dropped to her knees. “Shanti what…what happened?”

  A.C. walked in and shouted. “What the hell?!” He ran to the bed, asking, “Yo’, what happened to her?”

  “I don’t know.” Aliyah tried to raise Shanti’s head. “Shanti, what happened? Did someone hurt you?”

  She pulled Shanti’s skirt down.

  “Damn.” A.C. knelt down and pulled a pair of torn, white panties from under the bed.

  “Oh no!” Aliyah jumped up. “Oh hell, fuckin’ no!”

  “Calm down.” A.C. laid the panties on the bed.

  “Calm down?!” She bucked up to him. “Calm down?! Look what happened to her!” She burst into tears. “Oh God, please don’t tell me she was raped.” She leaned over Shanti. “Shanti, what happened? Please honey, tell me. Who did this to you?”

  “K...Khalil,” she whispered.

  Aliyah balled fists. “That son of a bitch.”

  “Jesus.” A.C. put his hand over his mouth.

  Aliyah stomped around. “That motherfucker!”

  A.C. held her back. “Hold on, all right?”

  “I don’t believe this shit! I thought he was cool!” She waved her arms. “He’s supposed to be your fuckin’ homeboy!”

  “I didn’t know he was fucked up like this! I swear, Liyah. I don’t know him like that. We just hang out sometimes.”

  “You said he’d look after her!” She pushed him. “Look at her!”

  “Fuck.” A.C. held his head. “I can’t believe this shit. I can’t believe he’d do this.”

  “What did he do to you, Shanti?” Aliyah sat beside her. “Tell me what that motherfucker did.”

  Shanti looked at Aliyah for the first time. “Every…everything.”

  ****

  Layla lay flat on Cross’ couch while he snatched her shoes off and threw them on the floor.

  He unbuttoned her belt buckle, unsnapped her pants, and slid them off.

  Yes. Layla panted. God yes.

  “I want you so much.” Cross spread her legs and ran his warm tongue up and down her thigh.

  “Oh.” She leaned up. “Umm.” He slipped off her panties and pushed his head between her legs.

  “Jesus.” She lay back with her arms spread wide. Her heavy breathing drowned out the low music. Cross gently spread her wide with two fingers and lapped his tongue over her opening, sending deep chills through her body.

  “Ah.” She writhed against his gyrating face. “Oh…Cross.”

  He licked up, down, and sideways.

  “Whoo.” Layla held his head to her. “Yes.” She rocked against his masterful tongue. “Don’t stop.”

  He moved his tongue faster, licking, probing, and sucking.

  “Yes.” Layla threw her legs over his shoulder. “Ooh…right there. Ah.”

  “Mmm hmm,” Cross mumbled. “Mmm.”

  “Uh-huh…” Layla flung her arms around. “Yes…oh…Cross.”

  He placed his finger on her clit and rubbed as he sucked. Layla flung her arms left and right with Cross’ head planted firmly between her legs.

  “That’s it…” She held on to the couch. “Yes, Cross. Yeah. I’m…”

  He sucked harder.

  “Shit!” She kicked out her legs. “I’m coming. I’m coming!”

  He licked harder.

  “Ah fuck!” Layla fell against the couch like a deflated balloon. “Shit.” She huffed and puffed.

  Cross sat up with his lips glistening and his hair sticking up over his head. Seeing him gratified from satisfying her almost made her want to come again. He slid on top of her and unbuttoned his pants.

  “Yes.” She spread her legs wider to accept him.

  He slid his pants and underwear to his knees and lifted her leg just as Layla’s phone rang.

  Cross sighed. “Shit.”

  “God.” She slapped her hand over her face. “It’s times like this I wanna kill whoever invented the cell phone.”

  Cross began kissing her, saying, “Just ignore it.”

  “No.” She sat up. “I gotta answer it. It could be my girls.” She got the phone from her purse and checked the ID. She answered, “Liyah?”

  “Momma,” she said in a muffled voice, like she’d been crying. “Momma…”

  “Liyah, what’s wrong?”

  “It’s Shanti.” Aliyah sobbed into the phone. “Momma, I’m so sorry. I should’ve protected her.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Layla straightened up. “Is Shanti all right? Girl, you better answer me.”

  “You gotta come down to Herman Hospital.”

  Layla’s heart did flip-flops. “What is she doing in the hospital?!”

  “She’s…she’s in pretty bad shape.”

  “What the hell happened?!” Layla yelled. “Is she okay?”

  “You need to just come down here. I already called Dad. Just hurry
.” Then Aliyah hung up.

  “Jesus!” Layla jumped up and grabbed her panties. “Something happened to Shanti! She’s in Herman Hospital.”

  Cross stood. “Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know.” She burst into tears. “I don’t know.”

  “Shh.” He hugged her. “It’s gonna be all right. I’ll come with you.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Aliyah paced outside of the exam room. “What’s taking them so damn long?”

  “It takes time to do an exam, babe.”

  A.C. sat on the chair by the room, holding his baseball cap.

  “Did you see how she looked?” Aliyah sobbed. “She looked like all the life had been drained out of her. She wouldn’t even look at me, A.C. She blames me.”

  “I’m sure she doesn’t.”

  “Bullshit. I know she does.” She tried to see into the little window of the door, but paper covered it. “It is my fault.” She plopped in the chair beside him. “This happened because of me.”

  “Neither of us knew Khalil would do something like this.” He patted her back. “I wouldn’t have been hanging around his trifling ass if I knew it.”

  “He still hasn’t called you back?”

  “I doubt he will.” He leaned forward. “He knows his ass was wrong for doing this shit. I called his momma’s house too, and no one answered.”

  “You think he’s there?”

  “I don’t know.” A.C. exhaled. “I don’t know nothing anymore.”

  Then Liyah could hear her mother’s frightened voice. “Liyah!”

  Layla and Cross rushed toward them.

  “Momma.” Aliyah ran to Layla and hugged her. “I’m so sorry, Momma. Please don’t hate me. I never would’ve thought this would happen.”

  “What are you talking about? Where is Shanti?”

  “She’s in there.” Aliyah pointed to the exam room. “Momma, she was raped.”

  Layla held her stomach. “What?”

  Aliyah wiped tears. “At the party.”

  “What party?” Layla shook her. “The one I told you not to go to?”

  “I’m sorry.” Aliyah cried into her hands. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I need to see her.” Layla rushed to the door and knocked on it. “Hello? This is Shanti’s mother. Open up the door, please!”