Art of Deception (The Black Diamond Series Book 4)

by D. Camille

Isabelle leaned back in the tub wondering who could think about food with someone as delicious as Ray Parker around. She didn't care if she never ate again as long as she could have him. In all her imaginings of making love with Ray, nothing had even come remotely close to the real thing. It had been mind boggling, breathtaking and the most incredible thing she had ever experienced in her life.

  Isabelle was glad that Ray hadn't treated her like the scared virgin because that was the furthest thing from the truth. She had become so comfortable with Ray that she didn't have a nervous bone in her body when it came to making love to him. She wanted him to give her all that she could handle...and he did. She smiled again recalling the feel and taste of his skin. Closing her eyes, she dipped herself underneath the water. Resurfacing she laughed out loud as the water cascaded down her face and flowers billowed around her. This is what happiness felt like...and she'd found it with Ray Parker. In the back of her mind the question surfaced…but who is Ray Parker?

  Chapter 10

  Sage looked up as she heard her daughter calling her name. Diamond turned the corner and entered the room running over to her mother.

  "Mama!" she screamed happily lifting her arms.

  Sage lifted her onto the bed where she was sitting and quickly had two little arms wrapped around her neck. She laughed and kissed the tiny face that she loved so much.

  "Where's Daddy?" she asked before Jordan appeared in the doorway smiling dressed in one of his patented Jordan sweat suits.

  He leaned against the doorframe. "I swear I don't understand where she gets all that energy from."

  Sage laughed. "What have you two been doing?"

  "She played and she ran. She sang, she swam and she ran. She ate, she talked and she ran some more. Now I need a nap."

  Sage shrugged. "She's a runner like her Daddy." She turned to Diamond. "You tired Daddy out huh? Daddy's an old man."

  Jordan came and laid across the bed next to them. "You know Daddy's not old," he told Sage with a wink.

  She laughed again as she sat Diamond on the bed between them.

  "What have you been doing?" Jordan inquired.

  "Thinking about how I'm going to kill Shana," she responded.

  Jordan frowned. "I don't think you have to kill her baby."

  Sage turned brown eyes on him. "I want to."

  He took her hand. "We only need you to find out who she's working with. We don't just kill people."

  She lifted a brow at him and he smiled.

  "Unless it's absolutely necessary," he amended.

  Sage shrugged. "There's always the chance I could overdose her. It is one of the hazards of the job."

  Jordan pinned her with a dark gaze. "Sage..."

  "I'm just saying Jordan. The human mind is a complex thing. If a person's constitution is very strong, they can counteract the drug, so I may have to increase the dosage."

  "Well I'm not worried about that. You probably could use a child's dosage for Shana," Jordan commented.

  Sage slid him a look. "She was smart enough to get your money."

  "Hey, we're done talking about that remember?" he pointed out.

  She smirked. "Yeah, because next time, there will be no talking."

  Jordan grinned at her. "I think you need some Black Magic. You know you start acting crazy when you don't get enough. Come here..." he said pulling her into his arms. Sage moved over the now resting Diamond into her husband's arms and laid her head on his chest.

  "Did you see my brother with Isabelle yesterday?" she asked.

  Jordan stroked her back. "Yeah...does it bother you?"

  "I don't know," she answered honestly.

  "Even though I know you don't want to hear it, Isabelle is a very sweet woman," he told her. "Ray could do a lot worse."

  "What if he forgets about me?" she questioned quietly.

  Jordan lifted her face to his. "Pretty girl, your brother loves you to the ends of this earth. He would never forget about you. Do you know how many times we wanted to kill each other over you?"

  Sage smiled. "Yeah, I do." She lowered her head. "I know it sounds selfish but for so long he was all I had and I love him so much."

  "I know you love him baby." He lifted her face back to his. "But you love me too and that doesn't stop you from loving him, so he can love someone and never stop loving you."

  She touched his bearded face. "I do love you Jordan."

  He began to loosen her braids with a wicked smile on his face and she laughed softly.

  "What are you doing?" she asked.

  He gave her a look. "I'm sure you know the answer to that by now." He continued until her hair was down around her shoulders.

  "I thought you needed a nap," she reminded him as he reached for her shirt and pulled it over her head.

  "Nah, we're going to put Diamond to bed and then...you're going to show me just how much you love me."

  Sage looked over at their sleeping daughter. "I guess you tired her out."

  Jordan smiled. "And now I'm going to tire out her Mommy."

  She licked her lips looking at him. "Okay."

  ********

  Sean answered his door to find Carolyn and Lavender. He smiled as he let their mothers inside before kissing them both on the cheek.

  "This is a surprise," he said showing them into the living room.

  Both ladies took a seat and turned to him. "Where's Lily?" Carolyn asked.

  Sean smiled. "She's sleeping. She should be up in about a half hour." He took a seat across from them. "Can I get you anything?"

  They both declined and watched him with smiles on their faces.

  "Does Lily often sleep this late?" Lavender asked slyly.

  Sean answered, "Yes."

  Carolyn laughed. "Leave my son alone Lavender. Your daughter is a very lucky woman."

  Lavender smiled. "Yes, apparently she is." She gave Sean a look and he laughed.

  "What exactly are you two up to today?" he asked.

  Carolyn sat up. "We want to help with Milton and his daughter."

  Sean frowned. "Help...how?"

  "We have a plan," Lavender told him.

  He shook his head. "No."

  Carolyn frowned at him. "You haven't even heard it."

  Sean shook his head again. "I don't need to hear it. The answer is no."

  "I know Milton better than anyone. We can find out who he's working with and who's out to get you and Jordan," she explained.

  "It's already under control. I don't want you two doing anything," Sean told them.

  "Will you at least listen to what we have to say?" Carolyn asked throwing her hands up.

  Sean looked at them both and nodded. He figured he should at least know what they were attempting to do so that he could stop them.

  "Lavender's going to seduce him," Carolyn told him and he was sure he had not heard her correctly.

  "What?"

  Lavender piped in. "I'm going to flirt with him and seduce him and then I'm going to learn his secrets."

  Sean ran a hand down his face. "Are you two out of your minds?" he asked staring at them.

  "She's not going to sleep with him Sean," Carolyn explained.

  Sean put a hand up. "Stop. Now. Please."

  They both watched as he took a deep breath before looking at them both intently. "No one is seducing Milton Martin. In fact, the two of you are going to stay as far away from him as possible. We already have this under control and we don't need you two making plans that will interfere with what we've put in place."

  "We want to help," Lavender told him.

  "You can help by staying out of the way," he told them firmly.

  Both ladies folded their arms and sat back on the sofa. "Fine."

  Sean studied his mother for a few moments. "You've been keeping a lot of secrets," he told her. "Is there anything else I should know?"

  Lavender looked at Carolyn who was staring at her son. "You've talked to Trent," she surmised.

  Sean nodded folding his arms.<
br />
  "No. I don't have anything else to tell you, except..." She turned to Lavender then back to her son. "I think Justin was murdered..."

  "And I believe that Milton had something to do with it."

  Sean lowered his head into his hand. Now this...this was definitely a problem.

  *********

  Ray returned to the bedroom with a tray laden with food. He found Isabelle in the bed with the sheets covering her. Placing the tray across her lap, he took a seat on the edge of the bed.

  "Did you enjoy your bath?" he asked watching her.

  She smiled at him. "Yes, I did, very much. Thank you." She looked over the tray. "This all looks delicious."

  Ray gave her a look. "So do you."

  Isabelle blushed. "I think you're trying to start trouble now."

  He laughed. "Eat your food Belle." Ray picked up a fork and proceeded to start feeding her when she stopped his hand and removed the utensil. She held on to his hand with her left hand and began to fill the fork with food from the plate with her other hand.

  Isabelle lifted the fork to his lips and he watched her silently. When he didn't open his mouth for a moment she smiled at him.

  "Do I have to make up stories about your food?" she asked playfully.

  Bright brown eyes held hers. "You're going to feed me?"

  She tilted her head. "Will you let me?"

  Ray studied her. "I've peeped your game Belle."

  Still holding the fork she asked, "What game is that Ray?" she asked innocently.

  He smiled. "Your strategy is formidable."

  "All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved," she quoted.

  He nodded. "Sun Tzu. The Art of War."

  She smiled. "I thought you'd be familiar with it."

  "You're planning to conquer me?" he questioned.

  Isabelle lifted the fork back to his mouth. "I'm simply learning lessons from a more experienced opponent."

  Ray accepted the offering opening his mouth and watching her as he chewed and swallowed.

  "One may know how to conquer without being able to do it," he quoted to her from the same book.

  Isabelle laughed and filled the utensil again before bringing it back to his lips. "The heat of the battle is as sweet as the victory."

  He raised a brow. "Bob Marley?"

  She nodded and motioned with the fork for him to open. He complied as she watched him closely. Ray realized he had been playing checkers while Isabelle was apparently a chess champion. He definitely had to get back on his game before it was too late and she really did conquer him.

  "I know that nothing is as sweet as you Belle," he told her before tasting her lips. He moved back and she smiled at him.

  "Well since our lessons are done now, I guess we'll just be acquaintances again," she told him before helping herself to the delicious food on the tray.

  Ray lifted a brow. "Our lessons were done a while ago."

  Isabelle sat the fork down and looked at him. "They're completely done now. You've done everything I've asked of you."

  "So you don't want to see me anymore? Is that what you're saying?" Ray asked tilting his head.

  "I'm saying that I have no desire to become one of your women," she clarified in that voice that he adored, that voice that yelled at you quietly while putting you neatly in check.

  Ray rubbed his chin. "There are perks to being one of my women."

  She picked up the fork again and began eating. "None that would ever make me consent to being one."

  "I think you would enjoy it," he told her watching her face begin to flame.

  "No, thank you. I would not," she said succinctly as she kept her head lowered while eating.

  Ray smiled to himself. "I would even put you in the top...five or six."

  Isabelle angrily dropped the fork and stared up at him before realizing too late that he was playing her.

  "I believe your strategy is formidable as well," she conceded becoming lost in those eyes.

  Ray moved the tray to the floor and climbed on the bed forcing her to lie back against the pillows. Taking her mouth in a torrid kiss, he took her breath away.

  "You're not one of my women Belle. You are my Goddess," he told her before removing the sheet from her naked body covering it with his own.

  Isabelle reveled in the feel of his weight on her as she wrapped her arms and legs around him.

  "I didn't finish my food," she whispered.

  Ray lifted his head and looked down at her. "Do you want it?" he asked.

  Isabelle slid her hand between their bodies and into his shorts to grab hold of his hardened flesh. "Oh my...yes."

  He touched her face. "The game has changed Belle."

  Looking into his eyes she told him, "The victory is the same."

  He sighed as she continued to stroke him gently. "Tell me what you want Goddess," he commanded pinning her gaze.

  "All that I can handle." She slid his shorts down his hips.

  He kissed her slowly. "I may never take you home."

  Isabelle gave in to all that he was. "I may never want to go," she whispered against his mouth.

  Ray reached into a nearby drawer and completed the procedure quickly before turning onto his back placing Isabelle on top of him. She looked down at him as she ran her hands down his massive chest. Isabelle lovingly ran her hands over the smooth brown skin.

  Ray guided her over his rigid member and she eased herself down ever so slowly, savoring every inch that made him male. She moaned softly as Ray caressed her breasts first with his hands then his mouth. She pressed into him as he slowly ignited her body. Isabelle grabbed his face and kissed him heatedly savoring his full lips and tongue as she grinded into his hips. He guided her motions by grabbing her ass and lifting her higher.

  Isabelle pulled her mouth from his. "If I am your Goddess, then you are my Sun God," she breathed against his lips in that voice that made him obey.

  He savored her lips for another moment. "Your wish is my command Goddess," Ray said before completely ravishing her.

  *********

  Trent returned to his apartment with Kent after having brunch with Callie and Lotus. Sitting on the sofa Trent turned to his friend.

  "I think Callie's hiding something from me," he confided.

  Kent looked over at his friend. "Like what?"

  Trent shrugged. "I don't know dude, but whatever it is, it's bad. I know it."

  "Did you ask her?"

  Trent sighed. "Yeah...sort of."

  Kent raised his hands. "Dude did you ask her or didn't you? All that damn talking and you don't know?"

  Trent stood and walked across the room. "She knows how to use a gun," he told him.

  Kent looked confused. "Okay, so what? You do too right?"

  "I don't know dude. Something's not right," Trent said rubbing his chest.

  Kent shook his head. "Trent, man I don't know her, but I can tell that she cares about you. She seems like she's straight up."

  Trent sighed. "I'm not saying she's lying to me. I said she's hiding something."

  "What could she be hiding man? You two work at a security firm. I'm sure she's been checked out by Ray," Kent explained. "And since she's your girl, I know your mafia brothers have looked into her."

  Trent looked at him. "I told you my brothers aren't the mafia."

  "Something is not adding up though and I'm going to figure it out," Trent said determined.

  Kent sighed watching as Trent took his seat again. "Look Trent, you love that girl. You say you've been waiting for her all your life. Don't go messing it up. It's okay to be happy dude."

  Trent wondered if he was making something out of nothing. Was he really trying to sabotage his own happiness? Maybe he just didn't know how to be happy. All he knew was if Callie was hiding something bad, it would literally kill him. His phone rang and he looked at the screen before answering.

  He smiled. "Hey Callie."
/>   "Hey baby. You okay?" she asked.

  "Yeah, I'm cool. Why do you ask?" He glanced at Kent who gave him a look.

  "You seemed off at brunch. Are we cool?"

  Trent stood and walked to the window. "I feel like you're hiding something Callie," he told her honestly.

  "Like what baby?"

  "Like the reason why you can handle a gun like an expert."

  Callie sighed. "Trent, I've had a rough past. One day I will tell you all about it, but for now just know it was imperative for me to learn how to use a gun and use it well."

  Trent remained silent staring out the window.

  "Tell me what you're thinking," she requested.

  "I'm thinking that I love you Callie and I don't want to be with anybody but you."

  Callie paused. "Trent you are my heart baby. I would do anything for you, believe that."

  Trent ran a hand along his hair. "Callie..."

  "Do I need to come over there?" she asked sexily.

  He smiled. "If you come over here right now Callie, it's going down, for real."

  "Please bring your ass over here!" Kent screamed in the background.

  Trent turned to him. "Shut up dude!"

  Callie laughed. "I forgot you have a guest."

  Trent frowned at Kent. "An unwanted guest."

  "We'll talk later baby," Callie told him.

  "Yeah, okay. Bye Callie."

  Trent disconnected the call glaring at his friend while Kent smiled at him with his green eyes full of mischief.

  "What?"

  Trent pointed at him. "You're going to make me hurt you dude."

  Kent laughed. "So you good now or what?"

  "Yeah, I guess." Trent smiled.

  "If you would just smash the damn girl you wouldn't be all in these feelings," Kent told him.

  Trent nodded and crossed the room quickly grabbing his friend and putting him in a headlock.

  "Now, what were you saying pretty boy?" he asked.

  Kent grabbed at his neck. "Stop playing Trent."

  Trent laughed. "See you been talking a lot shit since you got here. I need to remind you of what happens to dudes who keep running their mouths."

  "Dude, I can't breathe. For real!" Kent shouted.

  Kent continued to reach for his neck until Trent released him. "Now keep your damn mouth shut," Trent told him taking his seat on the sofa.