Prelude (An Alec Winters Series, Book 1)

by Chariss K. Walker

  “I don’t know what to do,” Sabrina confided in Chaz. “I think my dad has lost his mind. I can clearly see that Natasha is a gold-digger, but he can’t see it. She’s even told me to find a new place to live and she made him agree to that. It’s absolutely absurd.”

  “Holy moly,” Chaz said.

  “They’ve given me a week!”

  “You can live with my parents,” Chaz offered. “I’ve been staying on campus. You can have my room. They won’t mind.”

  “No, I have to figure out a way to take care of myself,” Sabrina was quick to respond. “I’d give anything to talk to Danaé right now. I bet she’d put Natasha in her place. She was always amazing at that. Have you heard from her?”

  “Not since she left for Brown. And, I really don’t expect to hear from her. I think she washed this place out of her memories, especially since her father was such a piece of work,” Chaz admitted. “What will you do then?”

  “I don’t know yet, but first, I’ll talk to Cassidy Winters. She’s been like a mother to me since Alec left. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her these last couple of years.”

  “It’s settled. You have to stay here, Sabrina,” Cassidy insisted. “There’s plenty of room in this big old house. We have several unused bedrooms, but you must stay in Alec’s room. Besides, I get lonely here all alone. Please, stay with me. Stay as long as you like. Continue your education while you live here. We’ll make it work.”

  After Sabrina moved into the Carrollton Avenue home, Cassidy began to get out more. She went to the grocery store and attended to other errands, but she was worried about finances. It began to disturb her peace of mind.

  When Cassidy had first inherited the home, it was mortgage free. Unknown to her, Buck had incurred a considerable debt to support his hedonistic lifestyle. After he died, his life insurance benefits from work were enough to pay off the debt. It also left enough for a small nest egg. Still, owning a home of that size incurred huge expenses. The savings was used up quickly.

  Cassidy had no marketable skills, but even if she had been employable, no one would’ve hired her. The community had a long, harsh memory about Cassidy Winters. She was the widow of Buck Winters. She was the mother of the monster who killed him and got away with it. She couldn’t find a job no matter how hard she tried.

  Alec had already added her as a dependent, which helped to support his mother throughout his military career. As a dependent, the military sent a monthly stipend that covered routine living expenses, such as utilities and groceries. Still, there was little left for spending money or extras.

  “I honestly don’t know how to make ends meet,” Cassidy confided in Sabrina one evening. “Although it’s true that the money Alec sends covers most expenses, there is hardly anything left over after the bills are paid.”

  “Cassidy, you are so gifted. You could teach classes on chakras, the auras, so many things that people are becoming interested in now. There is currently a metaphysical and spiritual boom. Have you ever considered that?” Sabrina encouraged.

  “No, I really haven’t. Do you honestly think that’s an option?”

  “Of course I do. You taught all of us so much while we were waiting for Alec’s trial. I know that others will be interested in those very concepts. Who better to teach them than you?”

  “You might be right, Sabrina. I’ll need some pointers on how to run my own business. I mean, how do I get started? How do I attract students? How do I get the word out? There’s just so much I don’t know.”

  “Don’t worry about a thing, Cassidy. I took some electives that will help me help you.”

  “After everything that’s happened, do you think anyone will come? I’m not the most popular person in town,” Cassidy worried.

  “I’ll post notices of your schedule on the campus bulletin boards. Fresh faces won’t know anything about our sordid pasts,” Sabrina teased with a grin. “You’ll be up and running in no time at all,”

  Soon, Cassidy taught several classes three times a week. As word spread, and her popularity grew, she had to limit the number of students in each class. A while later, she taught three classes each day, three times a week.

  “I’m so proud of you,” Sabrina acknowledged. “Now, everyone thinks of you as his or her personal ‘guru.’ Can you finally make ends meet?”

  “Yes. It has really helped. It’s great to have work that gives you pleasure and sustenance. Thank you for all the help and encouragement, Sabrina.”

  Most of the neighbors still maintained an obvious dislike for Cassidy Winters. They were none too happy to see a steady stream of visitors at the Carrollton Avenue home on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On more than one occasion, someone called the police. However, since the homeowner had invited the orderly group into her home, nothing could be done. In spite of ongoing neighborly vindictiveness, Cassidy and her teaching sessions thrived.

  As Cassidy Winters regained confidence, she became more receptive to more people and events. No longer downcast about community opinions, which had begun to die down a little, she went out more. With her current teaching schedule, she used Tuesdays and Thursdays for errands while Saturdays were reserved for visiting Catalina.

  While at the grocery store one Tuesday morning, she heard a familiar voice calling to her, “Cassidy, is that really you?”

  Surprised, she turned to see her old high school love, Zack Weaver. With trembling voice, she called out, “Zack, Zack Weaver? Where have you been all these years?”

  “I’ll tell you all about it. Let’s go next door to the coffee shop and talk,” Zack replied. “Could we do that?”

  Cassidy’s heart raced as she left the shopping cart with several items in it behind and followed Zack. After purchasing coffee, they sat at a back table facing each other. Neither said much at first. They only stared, looking deeply into each other’s eyes.

  “After you married Buck Winters, I moved to Baton Rouge. I couldn’t bear to see you with him or any man, but especially Buck. I wanted to be close, but the everyday stuff got to me. After I read that Buck died, I moved back home.”

  “But, but Zack,” Cassidy stammered. “That’s been several years now. Why haven’t I seen you sooner? I mean, New Orleans isn’t that big. Surely, we would’ve run into each other earlier…unless you’ve been avoiding me. Have you, Zack?”

  “No, I wasn’t avoiding you. I simply wasn’t sure you’d want to see me so I stayed away from the Garden District and places near your home. I got a little place over on Delachaise Street so that I would be close, but not too close. Honestly, Cassidy, I wasn’t avoiding you. I was avoiding how I still feel about you. I knew that, if we were face-to-face again, those same old feelings would be there. If you didn’t feel the same way, then I didn’t want to know. I couldn’t handle that. I couldn’t accept losing you twice.”

  “But, I do feel the same way, Zack,” Cassidy tenderly replied as she reached to take his hand.

  “Then, marry me, Cassidy,” Zack said as his eyes pleaded with hers.

  “I’ll never marry again, Zack…but I can promise to always love you. Is that enough? Can you live with that? Can we have a fulfilling relationship based on commitment, trust, and love?”

  “Yes. I’ll take whatever I can get, Cassidy. Let’s start with dinner tonight. My place, any time after six o’clock. We’ve wasted enough time already. Will you come?”

  “Yes,” Cassidy eagerly promised.

  Chapter 24

  With no one around to keep watch, Natasha worked every angle on Henry. Sabrina had been living with Cassidy for more than a year, when she finally understood Natasha’s real plans. By then, it was too late. Henry had allowed Natasha to destroy his daughter’s future goals and ambitions.

  “Sabrina, Tulane’s business office called today,” Cassidy cautiously gave the bad news. “The last check your father paid bounced. The school secretary called the bank and found out that your college fund account was empty and closed. You can finish th
is semester, but then you must figure out how to pay whatever your scholarship doesn’t pay.”

  “It looks like I lost everything when I lost my mother,” Sabrina sadly acknowledged.

  “We’ll figure it out,” Cassidy reassured. “You have to keep going to school. You have to follow your dreams. I don’t know how we’ll manage yet, but we will!”

  “I have to find a way to support myself and pay for college,” Sabrina courageously voiced. “I have to and I will.”

  One of Henry’s close friends, David Bonnet, suggested that Sabrina use her intellect, beauty, and talent to support herself in the world’s oldest profession. At first, she was terribly offended, but after researching and studying the ins-and-outs of the business, Sabrina discovered that some escort professions were more about meeting the emotional needs of a client rather than sexual fantasies and fetishes. It all depended on the client, but most just wanted someone to listen…even if it was only for an evening.

  “Cassidy, I think I have a solution to my financial worries,” Sabrina announced.

  “I’m listening, dear,” Cassidy said as she gave the young woman her full attention.

  “Without the college-fund, I have to make enough money on my own. David Bonnet arranged an introduction to Madam Tabby, that’s short for Thibodaux. We met yesterday for the first time. Madam Tabby, one of the most successful and discreet madams below the Mason-Dixon Line, has agreed to teach me her profession. If I work as her assistant for a full year, at the end of that time, I’ll already know the business. After the apprenticeship, I get to choose three of the ten best clients from her list and start my own service. All the while, I’ll set my own hours, which means I can continue my education at Tulane. What do you think?”

  “Oh Sabrina, I don’t know what to say…I don’t think that I would choose that life for you, but what do I know. My own life was in shambles. How can I possibly have anything to offer you in the way of advice?”

  “I respect your opinion,” Sabrina countered. “You’re making your own way now and you know the importance of that. Please tell me what you really think. Will you be ashamed of me? Will you object to your son loving me? I need to know how you truly feel.”

  “I will never be ashamed of you or the work you choose to do,” Cassidy firmly avowed. “You are family and I will always be proud that you love my son and that he loves you.”

  Chapter 25

  Sabrina’s new profession wasn’t the Clinical Psychology degree she’d planned to attain, but it did allow her to complete her undergraduate study at Tulane. The services she provided fulfilled two needs: to make her own way and to help others. During the day, she attended classes on campus. At night, she put the knowledge learned that day to practical use. Each class she took enhanced her ability and intuition as a successful escort. In a way, even before she had completed her bachelor’s degree, she was first and foremost a therapist.

  She actively listened. She asked pertinent questions and listened some more. Through her work, Sabrina discovered that a keen ear was the most valuable asset she could possess. It’s what most of the men she saw wanted and needed. That talent, along with a stunning appearance, made Sabrina most desirable.

  David Bonnet became Sabrina’s first client, and from then on, she was known only as the Goddess of Light. She only entertained by Madam Tabby’s referral. Living in the Crescent City, with its mystical appeal, certainly added to the allure of the persona Sabrina created. Madam Tabby was instrumental in the proper introductions as she tutored Sabrina on the lifestyle of a successful escort. Dressed in sequined gowns, and on the arm of powerful men, Sabrina quickly became the highest paid escort in the south.

  Unlike most professional escorts, Sabrina didn’t have a network. Madam Tabby had trained her to be a very streamlined operation. Sabrina didn’t hire a bodyguard or other protector. Although extremely security conscious and careful, she worked alone. Her address and phone number were unlisted. She used an answering service to arrange appointments and a car service arranged transportation. Sabrina kept her business arraignments simple by only accepting new appointments from a previous client’s referral and Madam Tabby’s prior approval.

  On occasion, a client became obsessed with her, but she knew how to handle that as well. To cool off such possessiveness, she kept a little photographic evidence locked in her safe. If she really needed muscle to set the client straight, she borrowed a bouncer from one of David Bonnet’s numerous strip clubs. That was all the security she needed.

  Sabrina supported herself as a high-end escort, but the job wasn’t only about sex; it was more about a woman who met the needs of her clients. Sometimes, the needs were simply a date for an important function. Other times, a powerful man needed a strong woman to listen, and only listen, without offering advice or criticism.

  Sabrina happened to excel at working with the richest men in the city and far beyond. Some of her clients, from Asia and Europe; regularly flew to New Orleans to spend an evening with the Goddess of Light. As a goddess, Sabrina’s nights were reserved weeks, even months, in advance.

  Her days remained free just in case Alec returned. She also used the daylight hours to spend time with Cassidy and visit Catalina. No longer having any family of her own, it was enough until her true love came home.

  Life was no longer either black or white to the young woman. Life was hard and painful. Living without Alec, and overcoming the many obstacles in her path, was a job…A job that took all of her inner fortitude. She knew Alec would understand the difficult choices she’d had to make. She trusted that his love for her was as strong as hers was for him.

  After the money and Natasha were gone, Henry could no longer afford the good stuff. In deeper despair than ever, he attempted to quell the pain of his personal hell by guzzling the cheapest booze he could find. It was an unsatisfactory substitute for that same high he’d once enjoyed with Natasha, but it was all he could afford.

  One night, Henry Devereux’s life came to a miserable end when he stumbled home and fell into an uncapped sewage drain. It was then that Sabrina was glad her mother was dead. She was relieved that Sue Devereux couldn’t see the miserable way her husband’s life had ended. The family home, already mortgaged to the hilt, and ransacked for any valuables by Natasha, sold at auction. Other than Cassidy and her new career, Sabrina felt completely on her own.

  As she stood at Henry Devereux’s lonely graveside with Cassidy and a few of her father’s work colleagues, Sabrina felt more destitute than ever. Just then, she noticed a tall dark-skinned man with long, wild dreadlocks standing under a nearby tree. He wore long desert robes and leaned against a tall ornamental staff. When her eyes traveled along his facial features, she felt a sense of déjà vu, but it wasn’t until she saw his eyes that Sabrina recognized him. Even such a creative disguise couldn’t hide Alec Winters from the woman he loved.

  Stifling a surprised gasp, she nudged Cassidy, and then nodded in the direction of the lone bystander. Sabrina’s heart beat wildly, and although she wanted to dash into his arms, she knew she had to be very careful. No one other than his family could be alerted to his presence. It was the way he wanted it. Sabrina looked around at the others to see if anyone else had noticed the stranger. No one had, but when she looked back, the man had vanished. She craned her neck to get some sign of him, but Cassidy placed a calming hand on her arm.

  “He’ll be at Zack’s waiting for us,” Cassidy whispered.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure,” Cassidy confirmed.

  Alec hugged his mother and then took Sabrina in his arms. It had been too long since he had felt her warmth and love. After he kissed her tears of happiness away, Cassidy motioned for them to follow her to a spare room. After the door closed, she returned to Zack’s welcoming arms. Cassidy understood true love better than anyone did and she wanted Alec and Sabrina to have the privacy needed.

  Chapter 26

  Chaz had started pre-med classes at Tulane the same
year as Sabrina. Alec, no longer in the picture, and denied his scholarship to LSU, had joined the army a year before they graduated. Although it seemed as if Alec had been gone for a long time, Chaz knew firsthand how firmly planted Alec was in Sabrina’s heart and mind. He knew Alec was the only man Sabrina thought about, wanted, and would ever love. He also knew that Alec returned on occasion to see his mother and Sabrina. He was jealous that they got to see him and he didn’t.

  Because of their lengthy friendship and long history, Chaz had always looked at Sabrina through eyes of love…and friendship. Of course, she was very beautiful. Sabrina’s was an exotic beauty that caused most men’s heads to swivel on their necks when they saw her. Chaz secretly admitted that he’d even thought about making a move on her, but that was before he figured out that Alec occasionally returned to the city. However, truth be known, he loved and respected Alec too much.

  Chaz didn’t make friends easily and he doggedly clung to the ones he’d made. His relationship with Alec was the deepest bond he’d ever had with another male, including his father. Chaz would never do anything to jeopardize that. He’d never betray Alec. He wanted to maintain their friendship and brotherhood at all costs.

  Besides, he wanted a relationship with someone a little less complicated than the dark-haired beauty that had turned professional hooker. Admittedly, he was ashamed to think that way about Sabrina, but he couldn’t help it. He figured that situation was a knot for Alec to unravel and he wanted to stay away from it. Chaz simply didn’t have the patience or time to devote to the dramas that now consumed Sabrina’s life. His studies at Tulane took all of his time and energy.