by D. Camille
He looked down into big dark brown eyes. "What else do you find you like doing with me?" he asked.
She blushed. "Lots of things," she whispered.
"I like doing lots of things to you Belle," he whispered back.
Isabelle stepped closer to him. "What are you going to do to me next?" she asked.
Ray tightened his arm around her waist. "Are you looking forward to whatever it is?"
She laid her head on his shoulder. "Oh my, yes..."
Ray laughed and kissed the top of her head.
Jordan delivered his daughter to her mother then went to the table where Carolyn was sitting.
"May I have this dance Mrs. Jackson?" he asked staring down at her.
It still took Carolyn a few minutes around him not to see his father, but it was getting better.
"Yes, you may. Thank you." Carolyn stood and Jordan led her to the dance floor.
"Sean was really happy that you were here," he told her.
Carolyn smiled, "I'm happy that I'm here." Jordan nodded.
"Jordan."
"Yes."
She looked up at him. "Milton says there is someone out to get you and Sean. It sounds like he's made a connection with someone else."
"You've talked to Milton?" he asked.
She nodded and kept dancing.
"How did you manage that?" he questioned.
"I told the security I was picking up lunch and I had him meet me there."
Jordan looked down at her. "Don't do that."
"I had to see him. I had to tell him to leave you all alone."
Jordan shook his head. "Leave Milton Martin to us, we have that under control. We can't have you going rogue on us okay?"
Carolyn smiled and nodded. "Will Sean and Lily be safe on their honeymoon?"
"Yes, he'll be fine."
"Okay. I know you wouldn't let anything happen to him."
"Never."
Carolyn smiled as she looked at her son with his new wife slowly dancing together.
"Promise you will stay away from Milton," Jordan told her. "Sean needs you to be safe while he's gone."
"I will. He's gotten the message."
Jordan smiled. "You threatened him?"
"Hell yeah," Carolyn answered and Jordan burst out laughing.
"I see some of the old Carolyn still remains," he commented.
She nodded smiling.
Trent looked down at Isis. Once upon a time, this would be the highlight of his day, being able to dance with her.
"Lotus was just trying to get at you Isis," he explained.
"It's fine Trent." She looked up at him. "I guess I should be happy that you even mentioned me."
He smiled. "Of course I mentioned you."
She smiled back at him as he looked down at her.
"You are hella jealous," he told her seriously.
"No I'm not."
"Yeah, you are." He moved her across the floor.
"Maybe you think that Trent because you're always with another woman?"
He shook his head. "Nah...you're just hella jealous. You don't want me to talk to anybody or anything."
Isis slowed down. "I don't think you're saying that as a compliment."
"It's not."
"So I'm just supposed to let you run around with other girls?" she asked incredulously.
"You don't let me do anything Isis. I do what I want," he told her firmly.
Isis sighed. "I'll be so happy when you do grow up Trent."
Trent stopped. "I have Isis. More than you realize."
"I think we should go back to the table now," he said before leading her quietly back to her seat.
Lotus had been watching them on the dance floor and assumed there was trouble in paradise. When they returned to the table, she looked up at him.
"Since you two are done, come and dance with me Trent." Lotus stood and grabbed his hand pulling him to the dance floor before he could respond. She turned to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What happened?" she asked eagerly.
Trent frowned at her. "You happened."
"She mad?" Lotus asked lifting a brow.
Trent laughed. "I swear there's something wrong with you."
"See I made you laugh. You didn't laugh the whole time you were with her."
Trent remained silent.
"I bet Callie makes you laugh."
Trent smiled.
"Of course she does. There's a reason why you think she's incredible Trent. Think about that."
Trent looked at her. "You're nothing but trouble. I can't wait until Kent meets you."
Lotus smiled. "I can't wait to meet him either."
Carolyn and Lavender sat at the table watching their children. They both smiled at the apparent love the couple had for one another.
“Are you leaving soon?” Carolyn asked her.
Lavender shook her head. “Lotus and I had planned to leave in a few days, but trouble is near. The family needs to be close together.
Carolyn looked at her. “What trouble?”
Lavender looked around the room at Sean, Jordan, Ray and Trent. “These men are going to need all of us to band together.” She turned back to Carolyn.
“Are they going to be alright?” Carolyn asked alarmed.
Lavender took Carolyn’s hand and smiled. “We have to make sure that they are.”
The festivities wound down until it was time for Sean and Lily to depart. They stood amidst their family receiving hugs and kisses. Sean, Jordan, Ray and Trent met outside while Lily changed into a traveling outfit.
"Everybody is on the plan?" Sean asked.
Jordan nodded. "We got it Sean. Go and have a good time with your wife."
"I don't want to come back to a firestorm," Sean told them looking between Ray and Jordan.
They both nodded. "We got it."
"There's no one here to referee you two."
Jordan gave him a look. "What, somebody to sit and watch us?"
"Right," Sean agreed. "And call security if necessary."
"Everything is cool Sean. Like Jay said, have a good time with your wife. There's plenty to do when you get back."
Sean smiled at them. "Thank you. I know you will handle it." He turned to Trent.
"Stay focused and check in on our mother," he told him.
Trent nodded. "I got you Bro." Sean hugged him and patted him on the back.
Jordan and Ray both gave Sean a manshake and a brief hug.
Lily returned and everyone walked them to the car and watched them drive into the distance. Trent watched Sean leave with Lily. He looked around at Jordan with Sage and Ray with Isabelle. His heart felt empty as he watched his brothers all with women who clearly cared about them, women who apparently made them happy. He turned to Isis and smiled.
"Can I walk you to your car?" he asked.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Trent took her hand and walked alongside her until they reached her vehicle where she turned to him.
"I don't want to leave angry with one another."
Trent shrugged. "It's cool Isis. I'm not angry."
She watched him for a minute then sighed. "Well, okay. I'll talk to you later?"
He nodded and she reached up and kissed his cheek.
"Bye Isis."
"Goodnight Trent," she gave him one last look before she climbed into her car.
Trent watched her depart and walked to his car. He got inside and sat staring out of the window. It was dark out now and the stars twinkled in the sky back at him. Trent decided to drive a while to clear his head. One thing he didn't like was turmoil. He'd lived his entire childhood that way and he had no plans to continue. He was naturally a fun-hearted guy who only wanted happiness in his life.
Trent pulled up an address and programmed it into his GPS before taking off. At the front door he rang the bell and waited. A beautiful girl with dark brown eyes and long dark brown hair answered the door and smiled.
Trent
smiled back. "Hi, is Callie here?" he asked.
"Who are you?" the pretty girl asked.
"Trent."
She smiled again then turned back into the room calling for Callie. A few minutes later Callie came to the door in a camisole and sleeping shorts.
"Trent? What are you doing here?" she asked taking in his designer tuxedo with the bow tie undone.
Trent shrugged. "I...uh...the wedding's over and I just wanted to be with somebody."
Callie lifted a brow.
"I wanted to be with you Callie," he clarified.
Callie looked at him. "How did you know where I live?" she questioned.
"Callie we work at a security firm and I'm a computer hacker."
"Come in," she said stepping back and letting him inside. Trent stepped into a living room where a few girls were sitting.
"Damn Callie, where you been keeping him?" one girl asked taking in Trent's attire.
Callie turned to her. "Mind your business okay?" She grabbed Trent's hand and led him to her bedroom. Inside she closed the door behind them and secured the lock she had installed.
"You lock your bedroom door?" he asked.
"I don't trust people that easily."
Trent nodded and looked around her room. It was very neat and tidy with everything put away in its place.
"What's up Trent?"
"Huh?" He turned to her.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Did something happen at the wedding? Did someone come after you again?"
Trent smiled. "Nah...everything was cool. Sean and Lily left for Kenya."
"So you have your brother's house all to yourself and you're on my doorstep?"
"I didn't want to go home," he said quietly.
Callie studied him before sitting on the bed and pulling on his arm until he sat next to her.
"What's wrong baby?" she asked concerned. "You seem upset. I never see you like this."
He turned to her. "Can I just hang out with you for a little while?"
She continued to study him and could sense something was wrong. "Okay. I was watching a movie for my class. You want to watch it?"
He nodded. "Yeah, that's cool. What's the movie?"
"It's called The Book of Negroes."
"What's it about?" he asked.
Callie climbed on the bed resting back against the pillows. "It's about a woman named Aminata Diallo who was taken from her village in Africa as a child and sold into slavery. Then later she writes a book of her life and how she was able to return to her village."
"Cool." Trent removed his jacket and placed it on the end of the bed. He unbuttoned his vest then sat and removed his shoes before climbing on the bed next to her watching as the movie played. After a period of time Callie turned to him and read his face. What she saw made her shut off the television and turn to him.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" she asked. "And don't say 'I'm cool'."
Trent looked away from her gaze prompting Callie to pull him into her arms.
"It's okay baby," she whispered holding on to him. Callie was really worried now. Trent was usually always laughing, flirting and joking. She wondered what had happened tonight to create this type of emotion inside of him.
Trent held on to Callie as if his very life depended on it. He had no words for what he was feeling right now. He just knew he needed her and only her. He needed the acceptance that Callie always gave him. He breathed deeply as he felt her hands rubbing his head and back while she continued to hold him.
Trent pulled back and looked into her eyes trapping her in that dark, dark gaze. Callie touched his face. "Talk to me," she told him.
Trent touched her face. "I think...I'm in love with you Callie." Then he kissed her and she returned his kiss completely.
Neither of them stopped when his phone went off playing the Wonder Woman ringtone. On the other end of the phone the woman wondered if she'd let something really good get away.
The end for now...
BOOK 4
ART OF DECEPTION
"It's going down for real..."
Isabelle Martin has come a long way to capture the heart of the Sun God, Ray Parker. Will she attain her dreams or will they be snatched out of her hands by an enemy out for revenge?
In Art of Deception true identities are revealed and all is not as it has appeared to be. Will they be able handle it or will their secrets will tear them apart?
The series finale does not disappoint in twists and turns. The family bans together but is it enough to save them all?
Find out in the finale...Book 4 of The Black Diamond Series.