Beating the Odds

by Sherrod Tunstall

  She walked back over to Desmond, putting her arms back around him and kissing him.

  Sandino smiled. He loved seeing his niece happy now, and he knew she was going to be in safe arms now. Sandino cleared his thoat. “Well, I see you two want to be alone. I’ll be downstairs.”

  Taylor waved him off as she continued to kiss Desmond.

  Sandino left the room, and Taylor and Desmond continued their little love fest as they sat down on the bed.

  “Pinky, baby, I can’t believe we did that shit.” Desmond was hyped up with excitement now that he had his lady.

  Taylor laughed. “I can’t either. But did you enjoy the show?”

  Desmond laughed also. “Pinky, baby, you are wild as hell, but I’m glad you got rid of his ass.”

  “Anything for you, Dez. My Dez. Now make love to me, ’cause my body needs it.”

  She tried to kiss him again, but Desmond blocked her.

  “What is it, Dez?”

  “Baby, I have something I want to tell you,” said Desmond.

  “What?” Taylor was so horny.

  “Look, Pinky, I don’t care who your family is. I loved you the first time I saw you in person. You’re the only woman for me. I love you.”

  They shared a passionate kiss and a lovable embrace.

  “I love you too, Dez.”

  “Do you love me enough to be my wife?”

  Taylor was stunned, even though she always knew that they would one day be married.

  “Well, Pinky, will you?”

  Tears flooded from her eyes. She nodded. “Yes, yes, yes, yes.”

  He kissed her. “Tonight!”

  “What?” Her eyes grew wide. “Tonight?”

  “Marry me now. Tonight. Let’s go to Las Vegas in the North America.”

  Everything was moving so fast for Taylor. “Las Vegas? Tonight? That’s a very long flight to get there. I have on this, and—”

  “Let’s go like this.”

  “What? Me and you in theses ancient Rome outfits?” Taylor laughed.

  Desmond laughed at himself, realizing he sounded foolish to say they should go to America with nothing but crazy-ass costumes.

  Taylor had a better idea. “Well, first, let’s make love and take a hot bubble bath. Then I’ll buy a new dress, and we’ll take my private plane to the Americas.”

  That was the plan. Taylor grinned before laying Desmond down on the bed. She got on top of him, rubbing his chest and teasing his nipples with her long fingernails, removing the top of his outfit. She leaned down to kiss him seductively. She could feel the hardness underneath his garment, and she sure wasn’t going to let a good hard-on go to waste. She helped him get out of his emperor outfit fast, admiring his naked physique.

  “Before I become your wife, you have to give me my medicine for these pink lips. They have been suffering from withdrawals without your Johnson inside me,” she said.

  Desmond looked at her, confused.

  “I said give my pussy its medicine. That dick of yours makes mama want to cum right here, right now.” She pinched his nipple.

  Her actions really turned Desmond on.

  “Now, screw me like a little slut!” Taylor said, pinching his nipple even harder while she was grinding her ass on his penis. It was definitely making Taylor wet, and pre-cum was seeping out the top of Desmond’s penis.

  “A slut, huh?” he said.

  “Yeah, daddy, turn this slut into a housewife.” Taylor removed her outfit, throwing it to the side. The only thing she had on was her panties.

  Desmond looked at her breasts, licking his lips. He was so ready to suck the life out of them, but he was ready for the main course. He put his hands on her hips, flipping her over. Now he was in control.

  Taylor laughed, loving the fact that Desmond was a man that took charge. They kissed roughly. Then Desmond navigated his way down, taking one of her breasts in his hand, caressing it. He started to suck and lick on the other one like a newborn baby.

  “Ohhhh,” Taylor moaned, feeling the wetness between her legs. “Yes!”

  That aroused Desmond more as he licked her flat, toned stomach. He then used his strong hands to rip off her panties like a kid on Christmas day opening a present. He definitely liked his toy. He smiled while gazing at her wet, pink lips.

  “Damn, Pinky, you’re so wet. You really missed daddy, didn’t you?”

  “Oh, yes. This is yours and nobody else’s. Now eat, Dez, eat.”

  Taylor didn’t have to tell him twice. He dove right into the center of her pink walls. He did every possible trick with his mouth and tongue. He spelled out her name, his, and the whole alphabet—making her cum three times and causing her whole body to shake like she was having a seizure.

  Taylor was breathing heavily. “Damn, Dez.” She massaged the back of his head, not wanting him to stop. “I missed this tongue. Give me more! I want more.”

  Desmond was tired of tasting her. He wanted to feel his future wife. He lifted her and gave her a juicy kiss before sliding his manhood inside of her.

  “Ohhhh,” Taylor moaned as she was unable to catch her breath. This was total satisfaction to her. She had missed her man’s cinnamon stick inside of her.

  He worked his woman like there was no tomorrow. He loved to hear her moan and groan. That let him know he was doing his job.

  “You’re going to be my wife, ain’t you?” Desmond said, digging deep for a yes.

  Taylor massaged her breasts and licked across her lips.

  “Oh, yes, I will . . . be . . . your . . . oh, yes . . . wife!”

  “Uhhhh!” Desmond grunted with a smile while thrusting fast inside of her like he was trying to make a baby.

  Taylor was in total ecstasy, feeling like the queen of the universe.

  What a damn day. I saved two young lovers, I watched my husband—or should I say ex-husband—become dinner and dessert for the real Lion Kings.

  While thinking about all of that, she rubbed her titties, still on a natural high with Desmond rocking her world. She warned him that she was cumming, and seconds later, they screamed in pleasure together.

  Desmond fell on top of her, trying to catch his breath. Even though he was heavy and sweaty, Taylor didn’t mind. To her, it was just a great feeling having her man’s body next to hers. She rubbed his sweaty back then kissed his earlobe and neck. She whispered in Desmond’s ear.

  “Get your ass up so we can get married in Las Vegas.”

  He laughed as he raised his head to look at her. To him, Taylor was even more beautiful than the first time he’d seen her. Even though she was fourteen years older than him, he thought she looked like a young, attractive lady. He kissed her.

  “Yeah, let’s go, especially before you change your mind,” he said.

  “Not a chance in hell.”

  * * *

  After their lovemaking session and bubble bath, Taylor and Desmond came downstairs, fully dressed and ready to go to Las Vegas. Sandino was in the living room, looking at the happy couple.

  Taylor smiled at him and looked back at Desmond. “Dez, darling, can you wait in the limo while I talk to my uncle for a second?”

  “Okay, Pinky,” said Desmond, smiling. They kissed.

  Desmond looked over at Sandino and nodded. Sandino nodded back, and Desmond exited the home.

  Taylor went over to Sandino and sat next to him.

  Sandino smiled. “Don’t worry. Someone will be around to get the lions and clean up this mess.”

  “Thank you, Sandino. But just one more thing,” said Taylor.

  “What’s that?”

  “Get the lions out and burn this shit of a house to the ground.” Taylor had a serious look on her face.

  “As you wish.”

  Taylor smiled and kissed him again. “Thanks again. Now, I’m off to Vegas. Take care, Sandino.”

  She got up, heading to the door. As she was about to walk out the door, Sandino yelled out.

  “Taylor!” She turned to look at him.
Sandino walked over to her and took her hand. “I just wanted to let you know that if Desmond doesn’t treat you like the princess you are, you know you can come back to me. I’ll take care of you. I love you. I’ll cherish and protect you with my life.”

  His words brought tears to Taylor’s eyes. “Oh, why, Sandino?” She knew that he had a genuine soul like Desmond. “I will, but if I don’t,”—she softly tongue-kissed him down—“use that to remember me by. And call Milena. She’s totally digging you.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Good-bye, Uncle Sandino.” She walked out of the house toward the limousine, smiling about her life with the one man she loved.

  Good-bye, Brazil. Hello, America.

  Chapter 36

  Beating the Odds

  While in the helicopter, Brad sat by the window, looking at the night sky and enjoying a full bottle of Dom Perignon. The helicopter could fit at least fifteen people, and it had a mini bar, a refrigerator with many snacks, and white interior leather seats. Brad took time out of his “I’m a king” moment and started to think about the last twenty years of his life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. He thought about his grandmother, who by now was rolling over in her grave, seeing that her only grandson had become a fugitive; his father, who had made it clear that he wasn’t thinking about him; his former boss at the restaurant; and his ex-girlfriend, who had dissed him. He didn’t have good thoughts about her, but he now knew why things had turned out as they had. He thought about his boys, not knowing if they were dead or alive. He especially thought of the main thing that would bring him nightmares, his boy Stan. Brad knew he would one day have to pay for that betrayal, but he asked God to go easy on him.

  Thinking back to what seemed like yesterday, when they were all together and hanging out, he shed a few tears. He looked at one of the stars, feeling so sad that he was leaving everything behind just to have a better life. He looked down at Carter Marie, who was sound asleep with her head on his lap. He smiled, because if he was going to be on the run, there was no one that he would rather be with. He saw it all as God’s plan. They had beaten the odds, but Brad was sure that there was so much more to come.

  Epilogue

  Taylor and Desmond Diaz

  Months Later

  With Armand out of the picture and her family reclaiming Brazil, Taylor was living life to the fullest. Only this time, she was now sharing her happiness with her new husband, Desmond Diaz. When they eloped in Las Vegas, it had shocked the media and pissed off Desmond’s father.

  Later, they did have a big Hollywood wedding at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, with a celebrity guest list of thousands, including Beyonce, LeBron James, and all the Kardashians. Surprisingly, Desmond’s father showed up, but with his new girlfriend, Kitana. All Taylor thought was that Baron Diaz was a dirty old man, trying to get some of that young punany. At her wedding, all she could do was smile at him and think, Good luck with your lifelong prescription for Viagra.

  Taylor and Desmond shared a beautiful life in Los Angeles, where they were living the good life. Also Desmond signed a seven-figure deal with Jay Z’s company, Roc Nation Sports, making him the highest paid mixed martial artist in the world and the first mixed martial artist in the company’s mixed martial arts division. Also, he had inked a deal with one of Hollywood’s hottest directors to star in his new epic film.

  Taylor, now known as Taylor Monroe-Diaz, was enjoying the limelight that her hubby was getting. With the extra publicity she received for being his wife, she was getting guest spots on TV shows, from Project Runway to the Steve Harvey Show to Ellen. She was even a frequent guest co-host on The View, talking about love, marriage, fashion, dating, modeling, and getting the man of your dreams. She was also a freelance writer/guest editor, writing about fashion, modeling, and being an athlete’s wife in publications such as Vogue, ESPN, and Vibe. Taylor even appeared on The Real Housewives of Atlanta as a guest speaker/ modeling coach for one of the RHOA businesses. After her appearance on the show, Bravo offered Taylor and Desmond their own reality show. The network was willing to pay them whatever they wished. They both turned down the offer very quickly, not wanting the whole world in their business, but Taylor got the media’s attention even more when she invested three million dollars into a fashion blog called Gal Fab. The blog was started by four young ladies who had been best friends since college. The blog was about makeup, the latest trends, food in the St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas area. Also, Taylor was planning to open up her modeling agency.

  Her first client was going to be her sister-in-law, Milena, but Taylor learned that Milena put modeling on hold to be a good wife to her husband, Sandino, who was now the kingpin of Brazil. Milena was pregnant with their first child. Even though Milena gave up the dream of being a supermodel, she remembered the hustling tips Taylor gave her, and never depended on a man.

  Taylor put the idea of a modeling agency on hold, and instead, she inked a six-figure, three-book deal with Random House. Her first book was going to be Fashion & Blood, which was somewhat inspired by her own life and the shit that had happened in Brazil last year.

  Taylor sometimes just smiled as she looked at the sunset outside one of her and Desmond’s million-dollar homes in Hollywood Hills. She couldn’t help but think that life was so sweet. The next thing that would make her life complete would be a baby. She was ready for one, and as often as she and Desmond made love, she was sure that a baby was coming soon.

  * * *

  The Fellas

  Swag, Travis, and Tyler were living it up in Costa Rica, sharing a mansion on the beach with Paco’s men. Paco lived with King in her downtown loft in San Jose, where they were both loved, respected, and feared.

  Tyler and Travis were being trained to be smugglers for King and to smuggle diamonds to a big spender in Russia. Travis learned to live without the pinky finger, but he was still on King’s shit list until he could prove himself in Russia. Tyler, on the other hand, who remembered some of his hairstyling skills, was hooking King up. She almost hated making him one of her smugglers.

  Swag was in training to be one of King’s many assassins. She was his teacher of seduction, and she taught him how to get his prey and also the art of killing. He had been a stick-up guy back in St. Louis, but he never killed anyone. Killing someone frightened him, but the way King seduced him turned him on and made him feel like he was on fire.

  Paco, however, wasn’t too happy about that, and he wasn’t going to let Swag ruin his good thing with King. He was going to be the number one man in King’s bed. Once Swag’s training was over, he was ordered to assassinate all the members of the Hernandez Cartel and the Bello family, but Paco knew he had to take care of Swag before King ordered him dead and made Swag her main man.

  But that, however, was another story....

  * * *

  Brad & Carter Marie Carter

  After a few months of being in the countryside of France, the two lovers had made new friends. People didn’t know who they were, because many of them didn’t own a television. They mastered the language to a T. Brad even lost fifty pounds by using the basement gym, making him look very different than most of the most wanted pictures they used to show on CNN. The news about him and his boys had started to die down, but Brad knew not to sneak back into America. He wanted to wait a good five to ten years, but they did plan on going to Paris in a few months. Hopefully, they’d feel more comfortable.

  The main thing that made Brad happy was seeing his wife, Carter Marie, happy. She was living life to the fullest, running, planting flowers, dancing, smiling, and laughing more and more every day. Even though he could never give her back her childhood and erase her past, he was going to make her happy and make her want to live life again.

  The beautiful thing was that she was a few months pregnant with their first child. Brad knew they really had to be careful and keep their secret, in order to keep the child safe from the evil of the world. They had beaten all of the odds to be together, but they suspected that in t
he near future, trouble was going to strike. Until that time, they were going to live in love’s bliss, knowing that they couldn’t change their pasts, but they could damn sure build a better future.