by Stacy-Deanne
“I’d better get to work.” She stood. “The traffic can be murder this time of day. Thanks for telling me about Preston’s company.”
He smiled. “Thanks for wishing me well on it.”
“Hey.” She snapped her fingers. “Would you like to come over to my place tonight for dinner?”
He exhaled through clenched teeth. “Don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? Just because we used to date means we can’t have dinner together?” She swiveled her hips, and he wondered if she did it for his benefit. “Aren’t we friends?”
“Yeah—”
“Friends cook dinner for friends, right?”
He snickered. “Yes, they do.”
“Then it’s settled. Tonight, we’ll have dinner at my place at eight. Lasagna.”
“Lasagna.” He moaned, dreaming of gooey cheese and homemade sauce. “I loved your lasagna.”
She winked as she left. “I remember.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Three Days Later
Osana took her shades off and scanned the patrons of the cozy coffee shop.
An older, medium-built black man sipped from a mug in the back booth at the corner window as Osana approached him.
“Hey.” Fifty-nine-year-old Teddy Spears smiled with his shades perched in his kinky, salt and pepper hair. “How you doing?” He stood and kissed her cheek. “Haven’t seen you since your birthday party.”
“You can’t be surprised, right?” She sat across from him. “After what you’ve done to the family.”
He ate a piece of coffeecake with thick glaze. “Am I ever gonna live that down?”
“I still can’t wrap my head around how you could scheme against Anthony all those years. Your own brother. And, Georgia is your niece, and you hid that she was Anthony’s real daughter. I’ll never understand that.”
“I can’t change the past.” He twisted his gold watch around his dark-brown wrist. “But I can’t make things right if you don’t give me a chance.”
Osana swept her fingers through her straight strands.
“We’ve never been each other’s biggest fans, Osana.”
“That’s because I could always see through you. Even when Anthony gave you chance after chance.”
“I’m your uncle, Osana.”
“You’re not my uncle.” She moved a napkin out her way.
“I love you, and I miss being around the family.”
She set her purse in the seat beside her.
“It hurt you didn’t invite me to your wedding.” He wiped crumbs from his mouth. “That you haven’t even introduced me to Max. I’m getting all my information from Wanda.”
“Why is Momma talking to you about me and Max?”
“Because she’s worried like I am.” He tore off another bite of cake with his fork. “We know something’s up. You’re not the type of person to marry a man in three months.”
Osana glanced at the giant, diamond wedding ring Max had given her that she’d bought.
“And from what Wanda tells me Max isn’t your type at all.” He lowered his head, glaring. “She walked you down the aisle, but that was my job.”
“Says who?”
“Me, damn it.” He dropped the fork on his plate. “I’m the closest thing to a father you got left.”
“God help me if that’s true.”
“If you can’t stand me so much then why did you call me here?”
“Because as much as I hate to admit it, I need a favor from you.”
He propped his arm on the back of the booth. “Really?”
“I need you to investigate Max for me. I want a thorough investigation. Anything you can find.”
“Um…” He scratched his ear. “Why do you want your husband investigated and you’ve already married him?”
“Don’t worry about why. Are you gonna do it?”
“I’m retired in case you’ve forgotten. Why don’t you hire another private investigator?”
“Didn’t you just tell me you’re the closest thing to a father I have left? But, now you don’t wanna help me?”
“I didn’t say that.” He flattened his hand against the table. “Your mother already investigated Max.”
“She did a Google search.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m talking about finding out things no one else can from just clicking a website. Max could hide anything.”
“Why would you marry someone like that?”
She ignored the question. “You were one of the best investigators in California. I wouldn’t be asking you if I had other options.”
He chuckled. “Amen.”
“Will you do it? I’ll get you anything you need to start.”
“I’d do anything for you, Osana. Anthony would want me to protect you, and from here on out I’m gonna do good by him.”
“How come I feel a ‘but’ coming on?”
“I’ll do this and keep it a secret. I won’t tell anyone, but you gotta tell me the truth.”
She sat back, shaking her head. “I can’t.”
“I can’t do this not knowing what the hell’s going on.”
“What difference does it make?”
“You’re in trouble.” He picked at the glaze on the cake. “Let me help. The only way I can is if you tell the truth.”
“Then forget it.” She stood, yanking her purse. “This was a waste of time like I thought it would be.”
He chewed cake. “Suit yourself.”
“You’re not gonna help me?”
“Not without the truth.” He moved the end of the fork around in the air. “Why did you marry Maxwell Ace?”
She glanced around, sighing. “I can’t tell you here.”
“Okay.” He stood and left tip money on the table. “Let’s go to my place.”
****
“Lord, have mercy.” Teddy and Osana sat in the living room of his two-story condo an hour later. “This can’t be true.”
“I wouldn’t lie about it,” Osana murmured, sipping from a glass of ice water.
“I can’t believe this.” He sat forward, legs wide open. “Turn Max in not just because he killed Kinard but for your own safety.”
“I can’t.”
“They say Preston was beaten so bad his sister could barely identify him. You and Leslie are living alone with the monster. How do you know you’re safe?”
“Max wouldn’t kill me because he wants my money. I’m the golden goose. He’d protect my ass to the end to get what he wants.”
“You should’ve gone to the police right after Kinard attacked you, girl.” Teddy swiped his hand across his forehead. “Then you wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Well, I didn’t. It’s easy to tell someone what to do when you’re not in their shoes. Max can make it look like I killed Kinard.”
“You sure you didn’t?”
“I swear.” She lifted her hand. “Kinard was fine when I left.”
“How much does Max want?”
“He says half—”
“Half?” He yelled, standing. “Half? Who does this motherfucker think he is that he can pop up and get half your money?”
“A man who can ruin my whole life.” She set the glass on the coaster of the coffee table. “I don’t care about the money. I want Max out of my life. There’s gotta be something in his past I can use against him. You gotta find something, Teddy.”
“I can’t keep this a secret.” He paced, swinging his arms. “No way.”
“You promised.”
“That’s before you mentioned murder!” He slapped his palm. “Do you realize how serious this is?”
“You can’t go to the police,” Osana sniveled. “I don’t have evidence against Max and he has everything to put me away.”
“If you tell the truth people would believe you over him. We have the best lawyers in the state. They’ll make this go away.”
“Can they make evidence go away? Max has the security footage and the weapon. The weapon that the
video shows I hit him with.”
“Lord have mercy.” Teddy exhaled into his hands.
“You wanna make things right then start now.” She stood. “Help me. Anthony would want you to.”
“He’d want us to go to the police and be honest.”
“I can’t afford to be honest damn it!” She burst into tears. “I’d go to prison. Is that what you want? Please help me.” She held her hands together. “You’re my only hope.”
“I must be out my mind.” He glared at her. “Okay. I’ll try to find out all I can about Max.”
“And you promise…” She pointed her finger at him. “That you won’t tell anyone what I told you?”
“I promise.” He cracked his knuckles. “Think it’s time I meet Max’s ass.”
“No. He can’t know I told anyone. Let me handle this my way, okay?”
“No offense but you haven’t been doing a great job so far, Osana.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Leslie flew into Osana’s home office the next night. “Osana?”
“Hm?” She typed on her wireless PC, half-listening.
“Your mother and Georgia are here.”
“Well, I’m working.” Osana plucked keys. “What do they want—”
“Osana?” Wanda click-clacked into the room in backless, Italian heels.
As usual, Georgia followed behind like a puppy.
“We need to talk.” Wanda stood beside the bookshelf, stacked with business manuals and computer tech books.
“Momma, jeez.” Osana took off her reading glasses. “Spears Corp. has a lot going on right now which means extra work for me, and I’m already up to my neck.” She gestured to her desk. “Whatever this is, can’t it wait?”
“Fuck no it can’t wait,” Wanda snapped.
“Um…” Leslie gaped, appearing as surprised as Osana at her mother’s choice of words. “This seems like a family matter.” She rushed out the room.
“I got a call from one of the lawyers.” Wanda’s face coiled into a portrait of extreme anger, her body gyrating as if she were a rocket blasting away. “He told me you called him about adding Max to the deed of your place? I’m convinced you’ve lost any sense you ever had.”
“First off, pipe down in my house.” Osana sipped from her tropical cocktail. “And it’s not unusual for a person to add a spouse to the deed of their place.”
“Stop playing us like fools, girl,” Wanda said. “Under California law if you add Max to your deed then he can clean your ass out if you divorce.”
“We’re not gonna divorce.” Osana swallowed past that lump that always formed in her throat when she spewed her lies about Max. “We love each other.”
“I think you need a mental evaluation,” Georgia said.
Osana guffawed. “Look who’s talking.”
“You’re not acting like yourself and you’re not even talking like yourself.” Georgia touched Osana’s desk, leaning forward. “Are you brainwashed?”
Osana cursed under her breath and continued on the computer.
Wanda moved from the bookshelf. “Max is blackmailing you isn’t he?”
Osana jerked her head. “What?”
“He has to be!” Wanda approached the desk. “How else do you explain why you’re doing this?”
“Momma, you’re a part owner of Spears Corp. With all the work that needs to be done with the company you have better things to worry about.”
“Nothing is more important than you.” Fire ignited in her hazel eyes. “I love you more than anything on this earth. The last thing I want is for you to be hurt. Now, we haven’t had the closest relationship, but we agreed to work on things, didn’t we?”
“Yes.”
“I’m your mother.” Wanda stood next to Osana, stroking Osana’s hair like she used to when she was a kid. “Let me in.”
“What does he have on you, Osana?” Georgia propped one hand on her curvy waist.
“I keep telling you both everything is fine.” Osana moved her reading glasses out the way. “Max isn’t blackmailing me, and I love him. You busybodies are gonna have to accept that.”
“Do you realize how devastating adding his name to the deed of your house can get if you guys divorce?” Wanda asked. “He’d have access to your inheritance, your income from Spears Corp., your stocks, your properties.” She closed her eyes as if she were trying to control her temper. “Max could get the bulk of everything you have.”
Osana tightened up at the horrendous thought. It’s not like she didn’t think about that every moment of the day.
“Max won’t do that.” She put her glasses back on and typed. “Because we won’t be breaking up. We love each other. How many times do I have to say it?”
“You can say it until you turn purple,” Wanda said. “I won’t ever believe this nonsense.”
“You’re not fooling me.” Georgia watched Osana as if she felt she knew everything. “I can recognize a desperate woman a mile away because I’ve been desperate my whole life.”
“Listen, because I’m sick of this conversation.” Osana glared at them. “I can do whatever I want with my home and my life.”
“Osana—”
“Momma, shut up.” Osana stood. “You went thirty years not paying attention to what I did so don’t start now.”
“That’s not fair.” Wanda’s jaws filled with air. “I was always there for you.”
“We’re not getting into that again.” Osana held her breath. “I won’t tolerate you two bashing Max every time I turn around. He’s my husband and you gotta respect that.” She sat, wanting to slap herself for defending the asshole. “End of discussion.”
“Hear this, baby girl,” Wanda stood beside Georgia, jabbing her finger in Osana’s direction. “I’m not letting you add Max to the deed and the lawyers will side with me.”
Osana snickered. “They’ll side with whoever pays them.”
Wanda leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. “I pay them.”
“They’re the family’s lawyers.” A groan traveled through Osana’s words. “I’m family, aren’t I?”
“You are,” Georgia said with stiffness. “Max isn’t and he never will be.”
“Fine,” Osana said. “I’ll go with another lawyer. That’ll be better anyway because I hate how the Spears lawyers report to Momma like I’m a child every time I contact them.”
“They do that because they want your best interests at heart,” Wanda said. “You can stop this lie about you loving Max. During the wedding it was obvious you can’t stand him.”
“When Shad walked into the room, it was more than clear,” Georgia said. “Your face lit up like a Christmas tree when you saw him. You can lie all you want, but your eyes tell the whole story.”
Max breezed inside the office with a tall, curvy blonde-haired woman in a skintight blue dress.
“Well, hello.” Max stood in front of Wanda and Georgia. “I didn’t realize you two were coming by tonight.”
Wanda and Georgia switched their eyes to the bouncy woman beside him.
“Mrs. Spears.” Max took her hand. “It’s always lovely to see you again.” He latched his lips onto her hand. “Mm.”
Wanda squirmed.
“Max,” Osana said.
“Oh.” He pulled his lips away with a loud smack. “Sorry if I got carried away.” He let Wanda’s hand go. “I gotta say, Mrs. Spears. I hope that saying about a woman aging like her mother is true. If so then I can’t wait for Osana to age.” He winked.
Wanda wiped his kiss on her pants. “You think I’ll stand by while you play this game, Max?”
He stood back with that plastic stare he used whenever he tried to play innocent. “Um, what game?”
“Who is this?” Georgia gestured to Max’s guest.
“This?” Max put his arms around the hippy woman. “This is my sister, Karen.” He introduced Karen to everyone.
“Nice to meet you, Karen,” Georgia grumbled, observing her. “Why weren’t you at
the wedding?”
“She was out of town.” Max smiled.
“You think we’re idiots, Max?” Wanda scowled. “This woman is no more your sister than I am.”
“Mrs. Spears.” He fidgeted and Osana loved watching him squirm. “Why so suspicious? I heard you had me investigated, and it disappoints me you felt you had to do that.”
“Well, you’re gonna get even more disappointed because I’m not done with your ass yet. As long as you and Osana are in this farce of a marriage, I’ll be around.”
Max’s eyebrows rose. “Farce?”
“Watch your back, Max,” Wanda said. “No matter what it takes I’m not letting you get your slimy paws on one dime of my daughter’s money.”
Max pushed his hands in his pockets, smirking. “I’d love nothing more than having you on my ass, Mrs. Spears.”
Osana tossed a threatening glance his way. “Max.”
He licked his lips, watching Wanda as if she were a turkey on Thanksgiving. “With all due respect, Mrs. Spears, what Osana does with her money is her business.”
“And you trying to bilk my daughter out of millions is mine. Move, boy.” She shoved him and flounced out the room.
“Woo, wee.” Max watched Wanda leave. “Osana, I see where you get your sex appeal from. I bet she’s a tiger between the sheets. Your mother is one hot piece of—”
“You’re disgusting,” Georgia barked.
“Hey.” Max rubbed his hands together. “I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t mind some three on one action with the Spears women.”
Georgia’s mouth fell open.
“Max, shut up,” Osana said.
Georgia shuddered as if to shake off her disgust then turned to Osana. “Despite how you feel about me I’m here if you need me.”
Osana cut her gaze to Max who had his gaze locked on Georgia’s ass. “I’m fine.”
“Keep it in mind.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Ooh,” Karen squealed through the walls, forcing Osana awake.
“Please, God.” Osana turned over in bed, covering her head with the pillow. “Not now. I gotta work tomorrow.”
“Oh, Karen,” Max shouted, followed by thunderous pounding of the headboard. “Karen. Yes!”