Art of Deception (The Black Diamond Series Book 4)

by D. Camille

  “I want you to take me home with you Ray Parker,” she whispered smiling.

  He stared down at her. “You're planning to put it on me aren't you?”

  “You have no idea.”

  Ray laughed. “I can't wait.”

  He led her back to their seats and ordered drinks for them both. Placing his hand on her thigh, he kissed her behind her ear.

  “You brought me here to torture me,” she told him.

  “Only getting you ready for later,” he promised.

  She touched his face. “I'm always ready...for you.”

  “Enjoy yourself Goddess. We have all night.”

  He kissed her neck. “We're going to have some drinks and dance while every man in here eats their heart out because they wish they were with my beautiful Goddess.”

  Isabelle smiled. “You believe that's what they think?”

  He nodded. “I know it, because if I were them I'd be thinking it.”

  She leaned in and kissed him softly before he leaned back and touched her face.

  “I remember when I had to hypnotize you to do that,” he reminded her.

  “I'm still hypnotized.”

  He smiled at her as his phone buzzed. He picked it up from the table and frowned.

  “I need to take care of this. I'm sorry,” he said looking at her.

  “It's fine. I'll be right here.”

  He nodded and kissed her gently before standing and walking toward the door. Isabelle watched him walk away. Tall and commanding he walked with the ease and stride of a true god. She loved to watch his massive chest and strong back as he strutted on long powerful legs. Watching his firm backside reminded her of grabbing it when they were in bed. Their drinks arrived and Isabelle took a quick sip of hers to cool off before looking up to see a young man standing in front of her. He looked to be in his early twenties maybe.

  “Hello,” she said politely.

  He stared at her for a minute. “Was that Ray Parker?” he asked.

  Isabelle lifted a brow. “Do you know him?” she inquired.

  “Are you kidding? Every dude in LA wants to be Ray Parker,” he said in awe.

  She looked confused. “I don't understand.”

  “Ray Parker controls territories all around LA. Every area he runs has a community center, playground and daycare. There's no banging or slanging allowed or he will handle you, personally.”

  “What are you saying?” Isabelle asked leaning forward.

  Ray returned and looked at the young man standing in front of Isabelle. He glanced between the two.

  “I hope you work here little dude,” Ray told him.

  The young man's voice shook. “No, I...just wanted to meet you.”

  “What's your name?” Ray asked.

  The young man's eyes darted from Ray to Isabelle and back. “Kyle.”

  Ray took a seat next to Isabelle and put his arm around her. “Why did you want to meet me Kyle?”

  “Every dude from the hood wants to meet you. You're like a legend.”

  Ray laughed. “A legend? Damn.”

  “I used to play at your community center and playground,” Kyle told him.

  “They're not mine.” Ray corrected him.

  The young man watched him. “They're in your territories.”

  Ray nodded. “What do you do Kyle?”

  “I go to UCLA.”

  Isabelle watched the interaction with interest.

  “What are you studying?” Ray inquired.

  “Forensic Science,” he answered.

  Ray tilted his head toward him. “You're pretty smart Kyle.”

  The boy blushed and shrugged as Isabelle smiled at him.

  “You got a job?” Ray asked.

  Kyle put his hands in his pockets. “Nah, I've been looking though.”

  Isabelle watched as Ray pulled out his wallet and took out a card. He handed it to Kyle and the young man took it as if it was gold.

  “Call my office next week and make an appointment to see me.”

  Kyle looked stunned. “Really?”

  Ray laughed. “Yeah. You're smart and you've got heart to step to my woman when I walked away.”

  “Sorry. I just had to find out if that was really you,” he told Ray watching him cautiously.

  “You're good little dude. Don't do it again though,” Ray warned.

  Kyle smiled a little. “I won't.”

  He said a quick goodbye and made his way back over to where his friends were sitting as Ray turned to Isabelle.

  “I'm glad I didn't have to bust his young ass up.”

  Isabelle laughed. “He was in awe of you. He called you a legend.”

  Ray sat back. “I think that's an exaggeration.”

  She studied him slowly. “I don't think so.”

  “He just wants to get a woman as beautiful as you,” he told her.

  Isabelle touched his face. “Is this a part of the other Ray Parker?” she inquired softly.

  Ray stared into her eyes. “Yeah...”

  “I see that he's equally amazing.”

  He took her other hand. “I can tell you this about him...he's far beyond being in love with Isabelle Martin.”

  She smiled at him and placed her lips on his.

  The evening continued with Ray showering Isabelle with attention before taking her back to his house. Isabelle noticed on the ride that Ray was unusually quiet and seemed deep in thought. His demeanor had changed slightly after he'd had to deal with his phone call. Inside the residence, Isabelle took his hand and headed in the direction of the Temple.

  Ray halted her progress. “No Temple tonight Goddess.”

  Isabelle turned and lifted a brow in question before Ray scooped her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs into his bedroom. At the bed, he lowered her to her feet beside it. Looking down into her eyes, he captured her in a serious gaze.

  “Tonight Belle no competition, no games and no toys...I just want to love you. Will you let me do that?” he asked softly.

  She nodded watching him closely. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  He softly stroked her cheek. “I will always make sure you're taken care of Goddess.”

  Isabelle understood that Ray was telling her something. Just what it was, she wasn't quite sure but it was clearly important to him at this moment.

  Her hands went to his shirt and she began slowly unbuttoning his shirt. “Yes, I will let you love me Ray Parker.”

  When she finished with the buttons, she pushed it open to reveal his rock solid chest. Her gaze connected with the golden ankh lying in the center of his chest. She looked up at him.

  “What is this?” She took it in her hand.

  “It's an Ankh. It's for protection,” he explained.

  Her eyes widened. “Do you need protection?” she asked warily as her heart sped up.

  He smiled. “Yes, from a beautiful Goddess who wants to conquer me.”

  Isabelle wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest and caressing his strong back.

  “Who can conquer a Sun God?” she whispered.

  Ray lifted her face to his. “It's been done before...by my mother.”

  “Your father was a Sun God too?” she inquired.

  He nodded. “He had the same tattoo as well.”

  She smiled at him. “Will your son be a Sun God also?”

  “Of course...and his mother will be my Moon Goddess.”

  Isabelle smiled at him. “That's beautiful.”

  Ray slid the thin straps of her dress down her shoulders. “You're beautiful. So beautiful that the first time I saw you, you took my breath away and left me speechless.”

  He continued to slide the dress down her body exposing her naked breasts and black thong. It dropped to the floor in a swish before he pulled her against him looking down at her.

  “I couldn't stop watching you. The way you looked, the way you spoke, the way you looked at me.” His hands began to caress her body sl
owly heating her.

  “You turned me inside out and I couldn't understand why. I only knew that I didn't want you to stop,” he told her lowering his head to kiss her softly.

  Reaching into a drawer, he removed another pair of waist beads and slowly tied them around her waist. Isabelle watched as he stroked them slowly before meeting her eyes again.

  “Now you belong to me. All of you.” He took her mouth and savored her lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Ray laid her on the bed and stood looking down at her. He slowly removed his shirt and slacks while she watched. When he was naked, he climbed over her.

  “You belong to me Isabelle,” he repeated pinning her with bright brown eyes.

  Isabelle recognized that Ray did not want to spar tonight and for some reason this was something that he needed to hear right now, whether he knew it or not.

  She smiled at him and touched his face. “I belong to you Ray.” Isabelle saw what looked like a flash of relief in his beautiful eyes, so fleeting that if she hadn't been watching him so intently she would have missed it.

  Ray lowered his mouth to hers stopping just before he touched it. “You hold the Sun in your hands my Goddess.”

  Chapter 15

  The next morning Ray entered the waiting car dressed in slacks and a grey dress shirt. He joined Marc inside and took the seat across from him before he glanced over and nodded.

  “What's up Marc?” Ray asked.

  “Everything's good. I took care of all the security assignments this morning.” Marc said from behind his dark sunglasses.

  Ray nodded. “Thanks for taking care of that. I was running a little late this morning.” Primarily because Isabelle had decided to serve him breakfast in bed...and it hadn't been food. It had been her pure essence and the taste still lingered on his tongue while the aroma continued to fill his nostrils.

  “I see,” Marc commented before turning towards the window.

  Ray lifted a brow. “Is there a problem this morning?” he questioned.

  Marc turned back to him. “No.”

  Ray studied him for a moment. “You seem nervous.”

  Marc shook his head. “Not at all.”

  The car came to a stop and Marc reached inside his jacked and removed the weapon from his shoulder strap. As the door to the car opened, he pointed it directly at Ray.

  “I'm going to need that piece on your ankle,” he instructed Ray.

  Ray looked at him then at the man who joined them in the car...Salvador Esteban.

  “I hope you know what the hell you're doing,” Ray told Marc gruffly.

  “I learned from the best,” Marc responded.

  Ray slowly bent over and removed the piece dropping it on the seat next to Marc who still had his pistol aimed at Ray's head.

  “Senor Parker. We meet again, for the final time,” Salvador said smiling at Ray.

  “Esteban.”

  Salvador turned to Marc. “Good job Agent Graham. I could not have done any of this without you. You are a man of many talents.”

  Marc nodded still holding the gun on Ray. Salvador smiled happily at Ray who sat across from him quietly watching both men.

  “So you're playing both sides?” Ray asked Marc.

  Marc shook his head. “I'm only on one side.”

  Salvador smiled. “Sit back and relax Senor Parker. We're about to take a little trip and at the end all the Black Diamonds will be nothing but a memory,” Salvador said watching Ray.

  Ray sat back and made himself comfortable. He knew this was just the beginning.

  *********

  Trent was running late for class, primarily because he'd kept Callie at his apartment into the wee hours of the morning doing all kinds of things to her. He exited his apartment and headed to his car. Before he could make it there a black limo pulled in front of him. The door opened and a man with a gun exited.

  “Get in the car Senor Harris.”

  Trent looked around for his security or a means of escape.

  “Don't be foolish. I don't want to shoot you right here,” the man warned in a heavy accent.

  Trent still didn't move until Callie stepped out of the car with a pistol in her hand.

  “Get in the car Trent,” she told him.

  “Callie? What the hell is going on?” he asked confused.

  The man grabbed Trent and pushed the gun into his back.

  “Get in the damn car Trent!” Callie ordered.

  Trent slowly complied taking the seat across from Callie as the man joined them. He looked at her in question as she avoided his gaze.

  “Senor Harris. Thank you for joining us,” the man said watching Trent. “I can see why you fell for Senorita Jones.” He turned to Callie. “She is very...caliente. She can probably get a man to do anything.” He smiled at her and she looked away.

  “What's going on Callie?” Trent demanded looking at her. “What are you doing?”

  “Let me introduce myself Senor Harris. I am Pedro and I work for Salvador Esteban. He is anxious to meet the hermanito of the men who killed his own. Senorita Jones has been kind enough to help us rectify this wrong that has been done to the Esteban family, for which she will be greatly rewarded and her family's life will be spared.”

  “Just sit back Trent until we get to where we're going,” Callie told him quietly.

  Going? Trent's mind raced, where the hell were they going? Where was his security and what the hell was Callie doing to him? He raised troubled dark eyes to hers as Pedro's gun stayed trained on him.

  Callie fidgeted with the Ankh hanging around her neck. Holding his eyes she lifted it to her lips and placed a kiss on it before settling it back in place. Trent caught the action but was too angry to interpret any meaning at this time. Callie sighed and turned to Pedro.

  “Is everything on schedule?” she asked.

  “Si. It won't be long now.”

  She nodded at Pedro. “Good. Let's get this done.”

  Trent sighed. Get what done, he wondered.

  *********

  Milton Martin watched as Carl Harrison entered his work office. Carl took the chair across from him as they greeted one another.

  Carl smiled. “Today is judgement day,” he announced.

  “I know. They won't know what hit them,” Milton boasted. “That Esteban is no joke.”

  “Sean and Jordan have met their match.”

  Milton nodded. “I wonder if they've grabbed them yet.”

  Both men went to look at their watches and noticed they were identical. Carl frowned.

  “Where'd you get that watch Milton?” he questioned.

  “It was a gift. Where'd you get yours?” Milton asked suspiciously.

  “It was delivered to my house from Tiffany's.”

  Milton picked up the phone on his desk and buzzed his secretary. He instructed her to get Tiffany's on the phone ASAP. Replacing the receiver, he looked at Carl.

  “I'm not having a good feeling about this,” Milton told him.

  Carl shrugged. “What else could it be Milton? We're both very prominent men. What's the big deal?”

  Milton slammed a hand on the desk. “The big deal Carl is that we're working to get three men killed who are dangerous as hell!”

  “Why would they send us some watches?” Carl asked confused.

  “How the hell do I know?” Milton stormed.

  Carl sighed. “You're just paranoid as hell. Just like before.”

  “Shut the hell up!”

  Milton's phone buzzed and he snatched up the receiver. He launched into questioning about the watch with the representative on the other line. Ten minutes later, he hung up the phone and looked over at Carl.

  “They said they've never sent out any watches,” he informed him.

  Carl's eyes widened. “Then who sent them?”

  “It has to be Jordan and Sean!” Milton yelled.

  “We need to warn Esteban that they're up to something,” Carl told him.

  Milto
n reached for the phone when both watches started a beeping noise.

  “What the hell?” Milton asked looking at the watch on his arm as Carl studied the one he had on as well.

  Both men went to remove the jewelry and as soon as they unhooked the clasps, both were instantly knocked unconscious.

  A few minutes later, there was a brief knock on the door before Milton's secretary entered the office. Quickly she removed both watches from the unresponsive men. She left the room closing the door behind her. Back at her desk, she picked up her phone and sent a text.

  Got the watches and both are knocked out.

  Response: Good job. I'll be in touch.

  I'll be waiting.

  She replaced the phone and went back to her work. She hoped he was really pleased with her work because she certainly wanted to work on him.

  *********

  Ray watched Marc as he finished sending a text and placed his phone back into his pocket. They were seated on Esteban's private plane along with Esteban and two additional guards. He turned his gaze to Esteban.

  “So I see you've been very methodical in your plan,” Ray said glancing at Marc.

  Esteban smiled. “You, Jordan and Sean are very crafty. You're used to winning all the time, but you've become soft living your cushy lives, getting married and having babies. You let me plant seeds right under your nose.” He glanced at Marc then turned as Callie entered with Trent and Pedro.

  “Ray?” Trent called when he spotted him.

  Ray watched as the trio neared and Trent was ordered to take the seat next to him.

  “You okay Little Bruh?” Ray asked him concerned.

  Trent looked at him then at Callie. “Nah...I'm not.”

  “It looks like we're all here, time for the fun to begin,” Esteban announced.

  “What exactly is your idea of fun Esteban?” Ray asked.

  Esteban shrugged. “Watching you and your friends die.”

  Ray nodded. “They're not here though.”

  Esteban smiled. “We both know they will come to find you.”

  “Are you sure?” Ray inquired and Trent turned to him wondering if his brothers were indeed going to come.

  “Do not try to sway me Senor Parker. I know who you three are. I know what you do and what you're capable of.”

  Ray lifted a shoulder. “Then you should know to never underestimate us.”

  Esteban leaned back in his seat as the plane began to take off. “I haven't.”