by H. H. Fowler
Hungry Hearts
(Real Love Series – Book 3)
Christian Novella
H. H. Fowler
Copyright © 2015 H. H. Fowler
Smashwords Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
All characters, names, descriptions, and traits are products of the author’s imagination. Similarities of actual people – living or dead are purely coincidental.
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Connect with H.H. Fowler on Twitter:
@fowlerguy1
Blog: www.churchboyz.org
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Dear Reader,
Off the coast of the Bahama Islands, there is a fictional place called Devin’s Cay. The series consists of seven books, which could be considered standalones, but are intricately tied to each other. My hope is that you will be entertained, inspired and illuminated.
If Only You Were Mine (Book 1)
Second Chances (Book 2)
Hungry Hearts (Book 3)
If Loving You is Wrong (Book 4)
Love the One You’re With (Book 5)
I’m Still in Love With You (Book 6)
Love Knows No Bounds (Book7)
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
From the Desk of H.H. Fowler
Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all of his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.
Song of Solomon 8:7 (NLT)
Chapter One
On impulse, Levi made a U-turn at the traffic light, not too far from the police station. He didn’t even know why he made the U-turn. All he knew was that he felt terrible abandoning Yasmine to face her demons alone. However, Levi wished he’d never laid eyes on Yasmine because he was now suddenly wedged between feeling sorry for her, while feeling an incredible amount of disdain for what she had done to Drake. Yet, the irony of the situation didn’t escape Levi. Because he too had almost destroyed Drake’s life by trying to steal Sasha away from him.
Granted, the motivation behind his and Yasmine’s actions was different, but in some ways they shared a common bond. And that bond was what made Levi abandon Yasmine in the first place. Levi didn’t even have the courage to stick around to see if Drake had been released of the false charges against him. Mostly because Levi felt it was his fault Drake’s life was the way it was. What could he ever say to the man who’d once been his best friend that could erase all the pain and misery he’d caused him? Levi was about to find out.
He saw Drake exiting the police station, his steps brisk with excitement. Now Levi expected Drake would have been released from police custody after Yasmine admitted to lying about the rape allegations. But what Levi didn’t expect was to see Sasha holding on to Drake’s arm as if they were about to enjoy a romantic evening together. Levi’s initial reaction was to stick his tail between his legs and scamper away like a frightened little mutt, but instead, he stiffened his spine, continuing his walk to face the inevitable.
Without question, Levi knew it would be harder for him to look at Sasha and pretend as if he still didn’t desire her, even after all the drama that went down between them. If anything, he desired her even more, especially within the last six months of her keeping her distance from him. However, mastering those inner pangs and intense gazes, which seemed to effortlessly drift in Sasha’s direction, was the least of Levi’s worries at the moment. Drake had moved a step ahead of his wife, as if ready to do battle.
Levi almost smiled, seeing how a man who was about six inches shorter in height to Levi’s six feet four, had rallied the courage to confront him. Physically, there was no way that Drake could tackle him. Levi had a black belt in karate. But it wasn’t so much Drake’s physical stamina that posed a problem for Levi, it was the disappointment in Drake’s eyes that broke Levi down to size. For the first time since the start of this situation, he got a full taste of what it was really like to betray a friend’s trust.
The used-to-be best friends stopped short within three to four feet of each other, sizing each other up. An intense moment it was, which had been building for the last six months of their not seeing each other. Drake suddenly extended his hand to Levi for a handshake, appearing to show signs of wanting to reconcile. Of course, Levi was wary of the move, but he was also eager to smooth things over with Drake. He assayed to accept the handshake, only to be taken off guard with an incredibly swift left hook to the jaw. Levi staggered back, stunned that a nonviolent man like Drake had had the courage to hit him.
“I promised myself,” Drake said, “that whenever I saw your face again, I would aim to knock your teeth down your throat. There is only so much a man can take, especially when you messed with his woman.”
Levi held his jaw, and also the urge to avenge his bruised ego. “I guess I deserved that. So now what? You gonna scrap with me out here in front of Sasha?”
Drake looked back at his wife, who was wide-eyed, watching his every move. It immediately caused Drake to relax and in turning his attention back to Levi, he responded quite glibly, “It isn’t worth making a scene out here with you. One of the lessons I learned while being incarcerated these past three days, is that the quickest way to deteriorate the health of one’s future is by holding on to grudges. By forgiving you, I free myself to love and to trust again, without the hurts from my past getting in the way.
“But know this, Levi, I may have released you from my heart, but with that comes a price that you know would probably be for the better. At one time, we shared everything and were as close as two brothers, but we can’t be friends on that level again. And you’ve got yourself to thank for that. However, if you need spiritual advice or counseling – something of that nature – I can do that. But for now, I think it’s best that you keep your distance from both me and my wife. We could do without the distraction as we try to make up for lost time.”
As if on cue, Hunter swung her late-model Jaguar up close, unlocking the doors for Sasha and Drake to get in. Sasha couldn’t be more relieved after thinking that Hunter was taking too long to bring the car up from where she’d parked it. While the two men stood there, staring each down as if there were something else to be said, she immediately made an attempt to escape into the back seat.
“Honey,” Sasha called to her husband, one foot hanging out of the door. “Let’s not keep Hunter waiting…it’s late.”
Hearing Sasha’s voice, Levi’s gaze skidded over to her, despite his fight to restrain the involuntary reaction. At the same time, Sasha was doing her best not to look in his direction, keeping her eyes pinned on Drake. It was an emotionless action that almost squeezed the life out of Levi’s heart. He was quick to chide himself for his inability to conquer this crazy obsession with Sasha. He had no business yearning for a married woman, especially now that she and Drake seemed to have worked out their differences. When Levi moved his gaze back to Drake, he was met with a good dose of suspicion, roving around in Drake’s eyes.
“It appears as if it is impossible for you to hide this blatant attraction for my wife,” Drake said, “much less
possess the strength to get over it. That is why I need you to stay away from us.”
Levi didn’t bother to confirm Drake’s assessment of the situation. Instead, he took in a deep breath to collect his thoughts. “You need not worry about me. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way. And this may or may not be of any consolation to you, Drake, but I feel terrible about what I did to you and Sasha. Even now, I still can’t believe the measures I’ve taken to betray your trust. I apologize to you both and also, thank you, for having the heart to forgive me.”
“Trust me,” Drake said. “It wasn’t me; it was all God.”
“Nonetheless, I appreciate it. You have no idea how much that means to me.”
Drake gave Levi one long stare before he turned toward the Jaguar and climbed into the back seat with Sasha. Levi watched as the car sped away until it disappeared from view. Grinding his teeth, he swung his gaze toward the entrance of the police station. He suddenly felt disinterested about going in to check on Yasmine. With her crying and sniveling for attention, she would only remind him of how alone and miserable he was anyway.
What could she offer him in terms of consolation, considering she too needed to be consoled? He felt sorry about the condition she was in, he really did, but he was not equipped to handle a battered and confused woman who’d lied about being raped. So, once again, Levi made a beeline for his mustang and escaped while he was able to fight off the sway of his conscience.
Chapter Two
It was near 1 a.m. Monday morning when Hunter turned through the gates of the affluent community of Paradise Blvd. And with her home being not too far down on the manicured strip, in no time she cruised the Jag into its parking spot. She was excited to get home anyway so that she could knock out something in the kitchen for Drake and Sasha to eat. It was time to celebrate and give God thanks for not only freeing Drake from those false rape allegations, but also for restoring the broken relationship between Drake and Sasha. It was more than Hunter could ask for from a God she was learning to trust for the first time in her life. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Sasha’s head was comfortably resting against Drake’s chest.
“Aww, that is so sweet,” Hunter teased. “Maybe I should have dropped you two off to get a room at the motel.”
Sasha sat up, grinning. “Maybe you should…I like the idea of a second honeymoon.”
Drake chuckled. “I second that…” He gave Hunter a hesitant look. “And since we are talking about finding a place to stay…”
Hunter knew where Drake was leading the conversation, so she shut him down right away. “Do you see this big old house that I have? Well, it’s not that old, but it has plenty of room, enough for fifteen people. I even have a two-bedroom guesthouse, where Sasha has been staying for the last six months. So Sasha, please tell your husband to relax and go with the flow.”
“My wife and I appreciate your kind gesture,” Drake persisted. “But we can’t intrude; you’ve done enough for us already.”
“Wow…you are such a gentleman,” Hunter singsonged. “But your nice manners aren’t going to win you huge points with me. You and Sasha can stay in the guesthouse as long as you want and that is final.”
“But…”
“No buts, Drake. Get out of my car before you really see the white side of me.”
Sasha let out a boisterous laugh. “Your white side? What in the world are you talking about? I’ve never known you to have any other side.”
Hunter was in stitches over her own corny little joke. “Well, now you know,” she quipped. “I love supporting the people I care about. So don’t you guys dare get in the way of that.”
“But seriously,” Sasha said, finally curbing her laughter. “We can’t stay with you forever. Drake and I will soon have to look for a place to call our own.”
Hunter waved Sasha off. “Honey, you and Drake have plenty of time to figure that out. For now, I just need you two to relax and enjoy this glorious moment. I am so happy for you guys that I could jump up and click my heels together.”
Sasha had seen Hunter get excited many times, but tonight, she was a bit bubblier than her usual self. And Sasha believed she knew the reason why. She cocked her head to the side and gave Hunter a perceptive smirk. “When is Kevin coming back to Devin’s Cay?”
There was a brief pause before Hunter suddenly burst into laughter. She couldn’t control it, couldn’t hide the fact that Sasha had hit the nail on the head as to why there was extra pep in her step. Hunter pushed open the driver side and quickly escaped to the pavement. She hurried toward the front door without looking back.
Drake looked at Sasha confused. “What was that all about?”
Sasha smiled, opening her side of the car door. “Come on, handsome, let’s go inside…I’ll explain it to you later.”
****
The guesthouse was more spacious than Drake could have imagined, looking to be well over 600 sq. ft. in size. With twenty-four inch Italian, porcelain tiles throughout the space and custom-designed furniture to match, Drake could see why Sasha had stayed in this place for six months. It was as beautiful as it was inviting. But even though Hunter had unselfishly extended her kindness toward him and Sasha, Drake knew he would not be completely at ease until he was turning the key to his own house. However, to avoid dampening the moment with his concern, he would wait a few weeks before he brought up the subject again to Sasha.
His gaze followed the gentle sway of his wife’s hips, as she walked ahead of him into the bedroom suite. So focused he was on admiring those two perfectly-formed buns of flesh that he almost collided into the wall. Sasha looked behind her shoulder as if she’d sensed what was going on behind her.
“Are you okay?” she asked in a coy manner.
“Yes…” Drake tried to clear the rasp from his voice. “This is a nice place your friend has here…reminds me of how you two met.”
Sasha turned to face her husband. “At a jewelry showcase in Lakeland, Florida…why is that of interest to you now?”
Drake shrugged and then confessed. “I caught myself staring at you from behind and I couldn’t think of anything else to say. You look good…real good.”
Sasha smiled. “That is so sexy of you to say.” She beckoned to him with her index finger. “Come here, let me reward you for being such a good boy.”
Drake chuckled. “We better not start something we can’t finish. Hunter is waiting on us to return to the kitchen.”
Sasha pulled Drake’s arm around her, giving him soft kisses on the mouth. “I haven’t been intimate with my husband for six months. I’m sure Hunter won’t mind waiting for a few extra minutes.”
“I love this audacious side of you, but I want to take a shower so that you can have a nice smelling man to feast upon.”
“Well,” Sasha grinned, “I have a better idea. Why don’t I join you? That way we can kill two birds with one stone.”
Those were the exact words Drake needed to hear – a reminder that Sasha had completely forgiven him every offense. He drew her in for a deep kiss, which seemed to last for a while. He eventually pulled away, unable to break his intense stare away from her.
“What’s wrong?” she inquired.
“Nothing’s wrong, babe…I just want to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For giving us another chance. Several hours ago, I thought my life was over, being locked up in that holding cell. It was hard for me to imagine this moment, you kissing me, loving on me like this.”
“It was hard for me too,” Sasha admitted. “But let’s not talk about that now. Forget the past. Forget what Yasmine did to you and just focus on me, because right now, I need to feel you in a special way…if you know what I mean.”
Drake did not need to be coaxed into his wife’s pleas for intimacy. He wanted it, dreamt of it and was now about to fulfill it in the deepest way he knew how. Their clothes were stripped off their bodies, way before they even thought about making it to the shower.
Ch
apter Three
About two days later, Officer Steve Mitchell showed up on Elder John Dewey’s doorstep, courtesy of Yasmine’s willingness to cooperate with the police. Had Mitchell not felt as if Yasmine needed a psychiatric evaluation rather than being detained behind bars, she would have been looking at six months or a hefty fine for wasting the police’s time in reporting a false charge against an innocent man. Because even though the law of the island treated false rape allegations as a misdemeanor, it was aggressive in making sure the penalty for such an offense was carried out.
Officer Mitchell, along with another officer drew near the front door, only to be met with strange ululations from the inside that sounded like someone was yelling for help. The sound made Mitchell uncomfortable, especially because of what Yasmine had told him concerning the deviant behavior of Mr. John Dewey. This man was alleged to be her stepfather who’d been sexually abusing her since she was fourteen. Maybe the aging preacher was using fear to detain another poor girl against her will, as he’d done to Yasmine. But Yasmine had lied about being raped and could be lying about this whole thing with her stepfather. However, despite his distrust of Yasmine’s claims, Mitchell connected his powerful fist to the front door.
“Mr. John Dewey! Devin’s Cay Police…open up!”
The ululations quelled immediately and within seconds, the front door creaked open, revealing the reverent expression of a genteel-looking man. His eyes appeared to be swollen from much supplication, which was soon confirmed by the first words out of his mouth.
“The blood of Jesus…”
Great…another bloody nut that I have to deal with. Mitchell was tempted to share his sarcasm with the accompanying officer, but instead, he kept a steady gaze on the man.