All they saw was rage, but he saw everything else. Memories of him and Aphtan were replaying over and over in his head, and it just wouldn’t stop. So, he killed her mother, he had a moment of weakness, and now she was getting her revenge unknowingly, torturing him with those ignored calls.
Though he could see they were shocked and afraid, they had no reason to be. He was angry at himself, his stupidity, and his weakness. He deserved every minute of her ignoring him. Every tear that fell from her eyes that night was like a dagger, and inside he deserved it all. The self-loathing and rage was so intense. He had been holding his breath. He exhaled, breaking the tense silence between them; his sighs shook with emotion, and cold bullets of sweat trickled down his face.
“What the fuck are y’all looking at?” Scooter screamed at the onlookers before he sat back down.
“Are you done with your temper tantrum?” Money asked.
“I’m just going through some shit.” Scooter wiped his forehead.
“You can’t let your personal mix in with the business.”
“I know, Pop.”
“The fact remains that Boss has to die.” Buggy took a sip from the new beer that the waitress had set in front of him.
“I’ll handle it,” Scooter assured the table. “I’ll get it done.”
* * *
Aphtan yawned as she looked around the guest bedroom, which was furnished in rich Persian jewel tones. She squirmed around the king-size bed draped in a luxurious satin bed skirt with flowing cherry reds, burnt oranges and golds, with splashes of midnight blue. Solid blue silk sheets carried through the blue splash, and an oversize comforter shimmering with paisleys that reflected the colors of the bed skirt rested underneath her.
Dancing against the west wall were flames from a crackling fire in a fireplace studded with historic tiles. Flanking the fireplace were two Victorian-era crystal sconces. Aphtan wiped the morning out of her eyes as the sun greeted her face with its rays. She got out of the bed and dragged herself into the bathroom.
She cut on the light and stared at herself in the huge mirror above the sink. Bags had found a home underneath her eyes. Her skin was pale and breaking out. Her hair was untamed, which was rare for her. She was depressed, and as she grabbed the toothbrush to brush her teeth, it finally hit her.
“Aphtan?” Mila called from the door of the room.
“I’m in the bathroom,” she called out as she cut on the faucet.
“Look who wanted to see their auntie this morning.” Mila entered the bathroom as she held her son up so that he could face Aphtan.
“Look at my fat man.” She put the toothbrush on the sink and grabbed him. “You’re getting so big, aren’t you?” She gave him kisses on the forehead as he smiled from hearing her voice. “You will never hurt auntie, will you?”
“I still can’t believe Scooter killed Simone.” Mila cut off the faucet and leaned against the counter. “I know your head has to be fucked up right now.”
“It is,”—she cradled the baby in her arms—“look at me.”
“I see.” Mila ran her fingers through Aphtan’s hair. “I haven’t seen your hair like this in years.”
“Tell me about it.” Aphtan walked past her to go to the bed. “My heart is broken. How can I love my husband after something like that? How can I trust him again after he kept something like that from me? This is my mama we’re talking about. The woman who gave me life, and he killed her.” Tears began to form in her eyes.
Mila grabbed her son and sat next to her on the bed. “You’re going to hurt. That’s normal. Simone is gone, but Scooter is still here. I don’t know what I’d do in a situation like this. I just know that Scooter is in love with you. If Levi treated me half as good as the way Scooter treats you, I would have a football field full of kids.”
Aphtan thought about how she felt about Scooter. She started to question whether she could live without him. She tried to remember anything else that he had done to make her question him. There was nothing else. When she couldn’t answer the one question that she asked herself over and over, she realized that she needed to talk to him.
“I still love him.” Aphtan fell back onto the bed. “I’m still in love with him.”
“Then go talk to your husband.” Mila got up as the baby started to go to sleep. “I’m going to go put him down for his nap. You should definitely call Scooter. You need to go home.”
“I know,” she agreed as Mila walked out of the door.
Aphtan let Mila’s words run through her mind like a marathon runner. She needed to talk to Scooter. Forgiving him wouldn’t be easy, but she had to try; she owed him that. Crashing at Mila’s wouldn’t solve anything. She gathered her things and left with hopes that whatever was broken could be fixed in her marriage.
CHAPTER 19
Tsunami stood on the porch with her hands behind her back. Her eyes dazzled with the amber glow of the porch light as it reflected against her gray eyes. She peered into the darkness surrounding the brightness of the light and smiled.
Emerging from the darkness was Scooter, one hand in the pocket of his jeans and with chiseled features that looked as if they were shaped by the sculptor Michelangelo. He ambled up the stairs and towered over Tsunami.
“Hey,” he said gently.
Tsunami’s inner soul was infiltrated with warmth that made her feel alive. His voice was sufficient to make her feel comfortable. Hiding on the outskirts of town made her feel anything but safe. With Scooter, she felt safe, secure, and loved.
“Scooter.” She looked up and gazed into his eyes. “What took you so long?”
He put his hand underneath her chin and looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry. You know I had to handle business.”
Her eyes watered as she put her arms around his waist. “I’m just happy that you’re here.”
“I know.” He wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’ll make some moves to get you two out of hiding as soon as I can.”
Scooter leaned forward with closed eyes and placed his rosy lips on Tsunami’s. A strong surge of electricity commenced and loosened the tightness of her muscles. Her doubt was suddenly consumed in an instant.
“I know, baby,” she said, withdrawing from his face.
“Where’s little man?” He looked through the open front door.
“Inside playing.” She kissed him again.
“Chris,” Scooter yelled as he put his hands to his mouth, “your daddy is here.”
Scooter stepped closer to the door to see his son sitting on the floor. Chubby and pale, he sat on the marble floor playing with his trucks. His light gray eyes and thick shaggy hair reflected the light in the room. He was enjoying the loneliness as he made “vroom” and “chooo” noises. Scooter giggled, and his head snapped up. He looked at his father with happy eyes as he stood up to run toward him.
As he ran with full passion and speed, joy spread across his face with every step. As he leaped in the air into Scooter’s arms, a look of pure happiness crossed his face. As he landed with a soft thud, shrieks of laughter filled the air.
“Hi, Daddy,” he said as he grabbed his neck.
“Hi, son.” Scooter kissed him on the forehead. “Have you been good for your mama?”
“Yes,” the little boy answered, then giggled.
“You sure?” He kissed him again.
Scooter looked at his son as the moon’s beauty lit his face. It was his seed; there was no denying it. They were identical. He hadn’t been happy when he first found out about Tsunami being pregnant. It was right before he and Aphtan got married, and the last thing he needed was a child from his side piece ruining them before they started.
He didn’t want the child at first. He gave Tsunami a slew of options for getting rid of the child. But, when he was born, and he looked into his eyes, it was a feeling he had never felt before. He promised Tsunami that he would always take care of them, under one condition: that she disappeared. She obliged.
No one from around the
way had seen Tsunami in years. Rumor had it she had moved up north. Little did anyone know, she had been closer than they thought. With designer everything and unlimited money available at her whim, she didn’t mind being the side piece. Scooter would never leave Aphtan. She had come to terms with that. As long as she had given him something Aphtan couldn’t, she was happy.
“Do you love me, Scooter?” Tsunami laid her head on his shoulder as she tickled their son.
“I care about you,” he answered honestly.
Tsunami watched the man that she loved, the man she had given a child to, look at her with regretful eyes. He didn’t regret their son; however, he did regret having him with her, and she could feel it. She went in the house to let them spend some time together. When Scooter left, there was no telling when he would be around again.
* * *
Boss removed the bags from Danny’s and Buggy’s heads as one of his lieutenants threw water on their faces to wake them up. They tried to move, but their bodies were bound to the chairs that they were in. Their faces were wounded, and it was apparent that someone used them for punching bags.
Boss slid a chair in front of them before he took a seat. One of his workers handed him a glass of Hennessy as he leaned back to look at the two men he had grown up with. He shook his head at the way they had betrayed him as their mumbles echoed throughout the abandoned warehouse.
“Snakes.” Boss took a sip from the glass. “There’s nothing I hate more than a motherfucking snake.”
“Boss—” Danny tried to explain.
“Save it.” Boss held up his hand, cutting him off. “I already know everything. We were like family.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe y’all would do me like this.”
“You didn’t give us a choice.” Buggy coughed as blood spewed from his mouth.
“Life is about choices.” Boss stood up. “Y’all just made the wrong one.”
Bullets flew into their bodies at the command of Boss. They took their last breaths as the bonds they once shared severed and they left the earth. Their bodies slumped over, lifeless. He simply drank from his glass without a hint of remorse on his face.
“I knew these niggas all of my life.” Boss eyed the room. “Take a good look at them. Loyalty is loyalty, and if you’re disloyal, this is what will happen to you. I won’t lose any sleep over it.”
Boss tossed his empty glass to one of the workers as Cole walked through the door. He signaled for him to come over to where he was standing. Cole approached him as the Timberlands on his feet pattered calmly. He unbuttoned the top button to his polo as he observed the dead bodies bound to the chairs in front of him. He looked at Boss. “Why am I here?”
“You’re here to see this.” Boss put a blunt to his lip.
“I see it.” Cole put his hands inside of his pockets.
“You see what happens when you’re disloyal?” Boss asked.
“Boss,”—Cole’s shoulders tensed—“what is the moral behind this?”
“I need to know you’re loyal. Your father and brother are coming for me. How do I know you’re not in on what they are planning?”
“I haven’t talked to them to years,” Cole protested. “I don’t give a fuck what they do.”
“I believe you.” Boss lit the blunt. “Just keep running the projects, and I’ll let you know when I need you.”
“All right.” Cole walked out of the warehouse, and the man guarding the door handed him his guns back.
He put the guns back on his body as he walked to his Range Rover. He opened the door. The leather seats felt perfect against his skin as he got inside. He started the car and drove off as he thought about how his life got so off track.
He drove through the city, imagining how different his life would have been if he had gone to college and never got in the game. Thoughts of Aphtan invaded his mind as he came to a red light.
It had been years since she had seen him. He’d seen her, all of the time, but he made sure to keep his distance. She didn’t know if he was alive or dead, and probably didn’t care, yet he still thought about her every day. Those few months he had spent around her were special to him. It infuriated him that she ended up with Scooter.
The relationship between him and his brother stopped the moment Scooter and Aphtan moved in together. He didn’t want to seem like a sore loser, but he couldn’t deny he was bitter. Scooter would bring her nothing but pain and misery. He hated that Scooter was going to ruin her life.
Cole parked in front of his condo as he shook the thoughts of Aphtan from his mind. He got out of the car and walked up the sidewalk as a small breeze hit him in the face. Staying loyal to Boss meant that he would always be on the side that protected Aphtan. That was all the confirmation he needed. Money and Scooter were blood, but he would do anything for her. Even if she didn’t know it.
CHAPTER 20
Aphtan pulled into the circular parking area in front of her home. The size of it was breathtaking. It was an older mansion with renovations that would make it on par with any newly built one. It shined in different shades of brown with canary yellow offsets to complement the style. The home was of high value. It was simply gorgeous.
She got out of the car as her maid, Madeline, met her before the door could close behind her. Aphtan walked into the house with Madeline following. Everything looked opulent, from the gleaming wood floors covered in lovely throw rugs, to the sheer curtains billowing like mist on the walls.
The furnishings were old, but had a story to tell, so they had to be antiques with what looked like hand-carved workmanship. Each area of the room melted into the beauty of the next with some delicate settees next to more heavy bookcases and fireplaces that mated with the walls.
Aphtan walked into the kitchen as light gleamed through the window onto the shiny utensils in the kitchen. High-tech appliances strangely fit in with the traditional feel of the old house. She sat down at the island as Madeline poured her a drink.
“Where have you been, Mrs. Dixon?” Madeline set a wineglass down in front of her. “You haven’t been home in days. Is everything okay with you and Mr. Dixon?”
A florid, corpulent woman, Madeline stood in front of her with heavy breasts and an ample bottom. Her chest mocked her stout frame. One’s eyes wavered around the bosom as they followed the contours of her body that curved pleasantly inward, lightly cinched at the waist, before moving outward as the invisible line caressed the thickness of her thighs and the large, rounded derriere.
“No.” Aphtan put her elbow on the top of the island and rested her head on her hand. “I’m really angry with him right now, Madeline.”
She poured some more chilled red wine into the tall glass. “Whatever it is, it will be okay. You two were meant to be together. After working for you for all of these years, I know that for sure.”
“Are you two talking about me?” Scooter walked into the kitchen and stood on the other side of the island.
“Sí,” Madeline replied as she put the wine away. “I’ll let you two talk,” she said before she left the room.
Aphtan sipped on the wine as she and Scooter stared at each other. He played with his beard, waiting for her to break the ice that they had both formed. She set the glass down and twirled her wedding ring around her finger. She held it out in front of her to see if she still got butterflies just from looking at it.
“Aphtan—” Scooter walked around the island.
“I know,” she cut him off and stood up to hug him. “I know you didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“I didn’t know it was Simone.” He wrapped his arms around her. She could tell from his body language that her smell drove him as crazy as it always had.
“I believe you.” She kissed his lips over and over again. “I know you wouldn’t do anything like that to me.”
“Never.” He reached down and put his hand inside of hers. “We in this thing for life.”
“Until the casket drops.” She hugged him with passion. “I’ve mi
ssed you.”
“What did you miss about me?” He bit his lip and slowly felt on her pussy through her jeans.
“Everything.” She rubbed on his manhood, and it began to grow in her hand.
Her body begged for his touch as the air that allowed her to be conscious exited her mouth at his presence. Aphtan couldn’t picture anywhere better to be at that moment. She was enjoying every second of his hands on her body and vice versa. The passion between them was so raw, so real, that they almost couldn’t contain themselves.
Scooter picked her up, turned her around, and sat her on top of the island. He kissed her as his hands slowly trailed down to the buttons of her pants. He sucked on her tongue as he used one hand to unfasten her jeans and the other to fondle her breast. He rose up her shirt and whirled his tongue around her erect nipples one by one.
“Scooter,” Aphtan moaned as she tried to lift his head, “stop it.”
“Why?” He continued to taste her flesh.
“Because we have three maids.” She tilted her head back in ecstasy.
“Don’t worry about them.” He pulled her pants down. “This is our house.”
Scooter pulled his shirt off with an urgency he had never known before as Aphtan groped his member and fumbled with his pants. He kissed the lips of her identity, sucking slowly on her pearl. She moaned and grabbed at his head with pleasure, begging him to continue. His tongue played peekaboo with her opening as he went in and out. Sucking and slurping constantly, it wasn’t long before she had creamed inside of his mouth.
She took his hands and placed them on her breast while kissing his face and neck. Upon disrobing in the commotion, there was a pause filled with peace only, to be broken with the pain of entry. Their bodies collided and danced in the motions of delectation while reaching for the unattainable, only to fall in the abyss over again.
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