by Ju Ephraime
“I’m not pretending. I know I’m good, but I didn’t know.”
“Now who’s the one being obtuse?” she said, laughing. “So much for knowing everything there is to know about a woman.”
“I’ll never profess to know everything there is to know about a woman. To be honest, I don’t believe even a woman knows everything about herself. Hence the reason we men are always floundering to guess, to interpret.”
“You think it’s so easy for us. We’ve got just as much or even more self-doubt when it comes to men.”
“Well, hear this and hear it well. I love you. I’ve never loved any other woman. I used to think my brothers were loco the way they carried on with their wives, and here I am behaving even worse, and I’m not even married. Will you marry me, chérie, and take me out of my misery?”
“Are you sure you want to marry me, Raymond? We haven’t known each other that long.”
“I know. But I know how I felt when I thought I’d lost you. I know how I feel when I’m with you, and I know how I feel when I’m making love to you and buried deep inside of you. My heart rejoices.”
“Oh, darling, oh sucré, that’s exactly how I feel about you. Yes, yes, I will marry you.”
“Will you, sweetheart? I’m not rich. I won’t be able to keep you in the style you are accustomed to, but you won’t go hungry.”
“How do you know what life I was accustomed to?”
“You are a famous model.”
“How do you know I’m a famous model? Did you investigate me?”
“Not me. Wolfe. He’s like that, very suspicious about everyone. And he probably sensed how important you were to me.”
“Well, being a famous model can in no way compare to the way you make me feel, so you win hands-down.”
“Come here, darling. Let me thank you properly.”
“Can you thank me after we have eaten? Our breakfast is getting cold.”
“See the effect you have on me? You make me forget that I’m hungry. After we’re done eating, I must call my family to let them know I’m bringing my wife to meet them.”
“Must you tell them right away?”
“Yes, you don’t know my family. This is a reason to celebrate, and if I deprive them of the opportunity to plan properly, I’ll never hear the end of it. But more than that, I don’t want a long engagement.”
“You don’t? I haven’t even got a ring yet.”
“We can pick one out here or back home.”
“Here,” she said, “and speaking of home, where will that be, Paris or Martinique?”
“You know, home is where the heart is. So we’ll talk about it and discuss both the pluses and the minuses. We won’t make this decision lightly. Now let’s eat.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
They sat and ate the breakfast, which was almost cold due to all the banter and fooling around they’d done before eating.
They went back to bed. They both agreed they were too tired to be running around in the heat of St. Barth.
Gabrielle slept long after sunset. She awoke for only an instance when Raymond eased from the bed. As soon as he brushed her lips with his, she went back to sleep again.
Raymond went to relieve himself, and after returning to the bed, he drew the sheet up over Gabrielle’s breasts. The temptation to lie down next to her and make love to her was overwhelming. The only reason he did not act on his desire was the dark circles visible beneath her eyes. She evidently needed to sleep a bit more.
Raymond lifted his hands carefully from the sheet for fear of waking her. He knew if he kept on looking at her he would touch. If he touched her, he would end up making love to her. If he made love to her, he would take her again and again until he lacked the strength even to raise his head, for she was both a wild passion in his soul and an addictive virus in his blood.
Just the thought of feeling the heat of her sweet sheath had him hissing through his teeth. One minute, he was flaccid, and the next, he was hard and throbbing. He’d never made love to any woman who suited him so perfectly the way that Gabrielle did.
He wanted to share his life with her and everything that went along with it. He loved watching her while he made love to her. To see her flush with passion—to taste her—to watch her surrender to him without any hesitation, holding nothing back, loving him as he loved her—lovers joined together by their very souls.
He must have made some sort of sound because the next thing he knew she was watching him watch her.
“We’re like vampires. We wake with the dusk. I believe we should be getting ready to go to Pierre’s party.”
“You want to go to Pierre’s party?”
“Sure, why not? I would like to meet the famous Pierre before I marry you.”
“I hate to tell you this, Raymond, but I don’t believe you care two hoots about whether or not you meet Pierre, and I don’t care two hoots either.”
“Now what would make you say that?”
“Could it be the way you refer to him?”
“What way do I refer to him?”
“You never ever refer to him as my brother. It’s always just Pierre.”
“That’s because he’s not your brother, Gabrielle. Not only because he’s not related to you by blood but the fact that he has placed you in harm’s way, with no regard to what could have become of you, had you been caught. This disqualifies him as your brother.”
“I know Pierre was wrong, and I’ve told him to stay away from me, but he treats me as his little sister, even though I’m older than him. I guess I allow it because I have a soft spot for him.”
“This isn’t something a brother does to his sister, Gabrielle—to any woman, period. The law frowns on this type of thing, and they don’t make exceptions for women.
“When I think of the trouble I could have landed in had I been caught with those diamonds on me, I see red. If word of this gets to anyone in my family, your Pierre is dead, especially if Wolfe gets wind of it. I purposely didn’t tell anyone about it. Neither did I tell my family why I was coming to see you. Now I’m glad I didn’t.”
“Thanks, Raymond. I appreciate your not ratting on me because I’ve seen how close your brothers are. I didn’t think they would look well on anyone who tried to harm one of you, especially Wolfe.”
“I told neither Wolfe nor Foxx. You must know if I told one it would be just as if I’d told both.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“This could have ruined my career and my life if I was caught with those illegal diamonds on me. I’d have ended up in prison. The customs officials are very tough on anyone smuggling illegal stuff, drugs, diamonds, gold, anything. The French government doesn’t fool around. They imprison you first and then may or may not hear your explanation later.”
“Oh, my God, Gabrielle. Come here, ma chérie.”
She was crying hysterically. “The sad thing is, Pierre knows this. He’d seen what happened to a friend of his in prison. She went crazy when they’d finally released her. She was held in prison for six years, and all she’d done was carry a small amount of drugs for her boyfriend. And to think he would take the chance and expose me to this.”
“Don’t cry, ma chérie. Please stop. You’re killing me.”
“I’ve been so scared, going through the customs with the stuff on me. I was so devastated when I saw you had seen me with it in my hand and wouldn’t talk with me, wouldn’t let me explain. I couldn’t tell my parents. I felt so alone, but I had to pretend that everything was all right and continue with the shoot.”
“I feel terrible for jumping to conclusions and not giving you the benefit of the doubt. Please forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive, sweetheart. If there’s any forgiving, it should be the other way around.”
He hated seeing her like this. This man had almost destroyed his own sister. What kind of monster did this to a defenseless woman?
He would make certain that Pierre didn’t do anything like this again, especially not
to Gabrielle. “Let me look at the message for the party. You said it was in your phone?”
“Yes.”
Taking up the phone, she brought up the message and gave it to him.
He made note of the address and phone number and handed it back to her.
“It does say what time the party is starting.”
“Parties on St. Barth begin late and continue into the next day. So there is no reason to arrive early if you are still bent on going.”
“I agree,” he said.
“Are you hungry? Let’s order some dinner from the hotel or from one of the restaurants that deliver.”
They went over the hotel menu and, in the end, decided on Chinese. He ordered a pupu platter, and she ordered moo goo gai pan.*
The good thing about Chinese food was they delivered quickly. In no time, their dinner arrived, and they sat down to eat. After dinner, he left the room, telling Gabrielle he had to go pick up something to wear to Pierre’s party.
“Where will you get anything at this hour?”
“At the Men’s Boutique. They close at 10:00 P.M., and it’s only a couple of blocks away.
“How do you know what time they close?”
“I called them. I’ll be back in a hurry.”
He called for a taxi. He didn’t have to wait long because there were always one or two taxis on the premises that remained on call.
Taking his luggage bag into the bathroom, he retrieved the thing he had in there, and after removing his shirt, he wrapped it around his waist. Replacing his shirt, he kept it out of his pants and didn’t leave the bathroom until he heard the telephone ring, telling him that the taxi was there.
Rushing out of the bathroom, he stuffed the items he was carrying into his pocket, gave her a quick kiss, and he was gone.
*****
Stepping into the taxi, he gave the driver the address.
In less than twenty minutes, he was ringing the bell at 585 Pigeon Street, Pierre’s address. He was wearing a knitted hat he had concealed in his pocket and fake beard he had placed on his face before he exited the taxi.
Pierre opened the door to him at 8:45 P.M., no doubt believing him to be one of his guests. This was why he knew this was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up on. It would have presented a problem had he walked up to the door any old time, but tonight, the night of the party, it was perfect.
“Come in, old chap.” He was greeted by Pierre, extending his hand in greeting.
Raymond took the extended hand, pulling him into a hug and, at the same time, whispering to him that he’d better come to see what he’d brought to the party.
As Raymond had expected, Pierre didn’t hesitate to accompany him. Taking Pierre to the corner away from prying eyes, behind a clump of bushes growing at the corner, Raymond released his hand as he pulled out the weapon he had wrapped around his waist.
Putting all his strength behind the blow, he wrapped the dried bull’s penis around Pierre’s back. He wasn’t disappointed to observe the shock on Pierre’s face when he felt the sting of the weapon.
Pierre was standing there, not even defending himself, when he gave him the second blow. He gave him, in rapid successions, a blow for every syllable in Gabrielle’s name, as he lashed into him in mindless fury.
It was only when he realized Pierre was no longer moving, lying on the ground as if he was dead that he had a moment of clarity. He did not want him dead.
Standing over Pierre’s still form, be told him, “Consider that a warning for messing around with a LaCasse. The only reason you are not dead is because of Gabrielle. You stay away from her. You are a poor apology for a brother.” And he was gone.
He didn’t feel bad about giving Pierre that beating. Truth be told, the only reason Pierre was not dead was because of Gabrielle. He knew killing him would devastate Gabrielle, so he’d forced himself to stop. He hoped Pierre could still host his party, although he doubted it.
Pierre was not moving when he left, but someone would find him. The bull’s penis was the most lethal weapon used on all the islands if you wanted to injure someone without killing him or her. But, if not used properly, it could prove fatal.
He was certain he’d not killed Pierre because he’d whipped him on the parts of his body to create enough pain, but not to kill.
He was certain Pierre would not forget this beating in a hurry because it would have lasting effects.
His adrenaline was pumping; he needed an outlet to release some energy. Walking down to the beach, he went for a run. He ran until he was dripping wet and barely able to walk. By then it was 10:30 P.M. He called Gabrielle to let her know he was on his way back. He was grateful to hear that she had gone back to sleep.
“I’m evidently more tired than I thought, darling, because I fell right back asleep. What time is it?”
“Don’t worry about the time. I went for a run. I’ll be there in a couple minutes. We don’t have to go to the party.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. You need your beauty sleep, and I’m on my way to keep you company.”
“That’s great, Raymond. I really did not want to go to that party. I was only going to go because you seemed bent on going. I’m glad you changed your mind.”
*****
Pierre remained in the same spot where Raymond left him until 3:30 A.M. the next morning when the street sweepers came around. No one went to look for him because everyone assumed he was too busy partying. For one thing, most of his guests were not close friends of Pierre. They were more acquaintances and out for a party. He was taken to the hospital because he couldn’t walk and couldn’t see out of his left eye. Both his hands were mangled from trying to protect his face from the mad man who had attacked him.
That man was insane. He’d lost consciousness and didn’t know when the man had stopped hitting him with that weapon. He couldn’t tell what sort of weapon it was, but it couldn’t have been a belt. It stung too much, but it also wrapped around his body similar to a belt, only to feel as if his skin was being ripped from his body every time it was pulled back.
He had been trying ever since he regained consciousness to figure out who it was that had given him that beating. It must have been someone he’d done a deal with that had gone wrong, but who?
He thought of LaCasse and Gabrielle, but it seemed too far-fetched to be possible. But that was the only recent thing that came to mind. And this was something, from what he’d read of the LaCasses, they could do. It had to have been this.
But this would mean Gabrielle had sold him out. He couldn’t believe she would sell out her own family for a man she didn’t even know.
Ordinarily, he would have called her already, but his assailant had been giving him a message. He was sure of it. He had taken great pleasure in talking to him while he beat him, unconscious. The pain was so excruciating, he didn’t understand a word that was said, but he could’ve sworn he caught the name Gabrielle before he blacked out.
He was being taking in to have an X-ray done. He hoped there was no internal damage, but somehow he doubted it.
Sure enough, he had a consult with the doctor, who told him both lungs were bruised. He had three cracked ribs and some internal bleeding. They had to give him an ultrasound to find the source.
Shoot. He didn’t even know if the party had gone on last night.
He had an appointment with the two men who were going to buy the diamonds. He’d have to call the only close friend he had on St. Barth and throw himself on his mercy. He couldn’t tell him about the diamond buyers, but he could get him to tell them he was involved in an accident and was hospitalized. Yes, he would tell everyone who asked that he’d been involved in an automobile accident.
It appeared he would be on St. Barth for a very long while.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Just as his taxi pulled up to the hotel, his cell phone rang. It was Wolfe.
“When will you be back, Raymond? Maman is worried about you. You know
how she gets when she has one of her dreams. She had a dream about you and called me frantic for information about you.”
“I’m fine. I’ll be home later today. I’ll call you with my flight details so you can meet me at the airport.”
“Great. You know, I too, was worried about you. You sound much better. Are you really all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I’ll be bringing Gabrielle back with me. She has agreed to marry me.”
“Are you telling me the reason you were in such a funky mood was because you wanted to ask Gabrielle to marry you?”
“Well, I could’ve told you she would say yes if you had taken the trouble to ask your older brother.”
“Pray tell, oh great god of knowledge, how did you know something about my woman that I didn’t know myself until a day ago?”
“I saw the way she looked at you.”
“What way was that?”
“You sure you really want to know?”
“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t want to know. Come on, out with it.”
“Okay. She looks at you like a hungry dog looks at its favorite dish—mouth open, tongue hanging out, salivating.”
“You are sick, Wolfe. You are so in for it comparing my woman to a hound dog, but I love it!”
“I thought you would. Hurry home so I can get Maman off my back.”
He was still laughing when he got out of the taxi and walked into the hotel room. Gabrielle was sitting there waiting for him. She was all over him as he closed the door. He found himself looking at her more closely to see if he could spot the hound-dog look. He didn’t see it. Wolfe was just imagining things. If there was a hound dog, it was more than likely him.
“Are you ready to leave today?”
“Where to, Martinique?”
“Where else? Are you?”
“Yes, I’m ready to go to the ends of the earth with you.”
“I’ll hold you to that, but in the meantime, I’m going to take a shower to get the sweat off me. Call the airline and see if you can get us seats.”
“I will right now, and then I want to help you wash the sweat off your body.”