“Mr. Connolly told me she didn’t have a boyfriend when she died. Why is that?”
“She was lying to him. He hated Rocco and he didn’t want her around him. He knew he was bad news.”
“It seems like he was right.” I nodded. I felt so sick to my stomach. But, I needed to do this. It had been months in coming.
The detective’s eyes perused me.“Why didn’t you tell me all of this before, when we talked after Bree died?”
“Rocco threatened me. I was scared to death for my brother’s life and Cain’s and my own. If he would kill Bree so heartlessly, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill us all.”
“Did you see him after that, the night he threatened you?”
“No, not at all until today. He showed up telling me he needed money. I told him I’d given Bree my life savings to give him that night…”
“Is that why he got angry and put his hands on you?” He tilted his head.
“No…I told him I knew he took the money the night he killed her. When I said that, he snapped and grabbed me by the throat.”
“And that’s when Connolly jumped on him?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Was he fighting back, or did Connolly just keep hitting him?”
“Who are you trying to prosecute here?” I asked, getting angry suddenly. “Cain saved my life.”
“Don’t get upset. I know that. I’m just asking questions that his defense attorney is going to throw out there. I want to make sure that you and your brother both saw Rocco throwing punches once he was on the ground….”
He was looking at me and nodding. I was going to say whatever I needed to make sure Cain didn’t get charged with anything. He’s not the bad guy here. Not even close.
“Yes, Rocco was kicking and twisting and throwing punches.”
“Did he try and pull out that knife the officers found on him.”
“Yes, I think I heard him say he was going to stab Cain.”
Murphy wrote that down. “Good, thank you. I’m going to head over to Rocco’s apartment and see what kind of evidence I can find there. If God is on my side today, I’ll find the gun that killed your friend.”
As I was leaving I turned back to him. “Detective, thank you for your help. I’m sorry…about not telling you the truth. I really thought I was doing the right thing.”
He nodded. “I believe that you did. You had gone through a trauma and you were frightened not only for your own life but two others. Rocco is a slime ball and he’d do anything for a buck. I’m sorry you had to go through all of that. I just hope if anything like this ever happens again, you’ll trust the right people to handle it.”
I nodded again. Trust the right people. Cain is one of the right people and I do trust him…with my life. I’m just not sure he’ll ever give me the chance to prove that again.
***
I was in and out of the gym all week. When Cain was there, he wouldn’t even look at me. Julius said he was fighting like crap again, the way he had after Bree died. I was physically ill, thinking that he’d never want to have anything to do with me again…and that he was going to lose his fight, because of me.
When Rocco was finally charged with Bree’s murder I was ecstatic. It had taken way too long, but it was finally going to be over. Detective Murphy told me that they found a gun in his apartment and they matched it up with the one that killed her. I wondered if Cain knew but I couldn’t ask him, so I asked Murphy,
“Did you tell her, brother?”
“Yes, I let him know.”
“I bet he was happy.”
“With Connolly, it’s hard to tell,” Murphy said with a chuckle. “We’ll be in touch about the trial, okay?”
“Sure,” I said. I felt sick again at the thought of having to testify…but I would do it if I had to. I stayed away from the gym for a few days after that. I wanted to give Cain time to celebrate this victory on his own.
On the day I finally went back, I saw Smith and Danny and a few other fighters working out, but Cain wasn’t among them. I was instantly worried. He always worked out at the same time every day, even after Bree died. I went into the office and found Julius behind the desk, working on some kind of schedule.
“Hey, where’s Cain?” Julius always knew where he was; especially now leading up to his big fight. I guess it was good that Cain was at least still talking to him.
“He called a while ago. He’s not coming to workout today.”
“Why? Where is he? Is he okay?”
Julius smiled at me sadly. “He’s okay. Murphy called him and told him Rocco is taking a plea deal. Cain is at the courthouse. He wanted to be there when they sentenced him.”
“A plea deal? Does that mean he’ll get off easy?”
“No, just that he agreed to plead guilty if they took the death penalty off the table. Cain’s okay with that…as long as he stays behind bars for life. He wants a chance to talk at the hearing. He wants Bree’s voice to be heard he said.”
I was shaking again. I knew how hard that was going to be on him. “Should I go and be with him?”
Again, I got the sad look from my big brother. “Sit down Jas.” I sat and he looked at me with understanding.
“Cain is still hurting. He hurts because he thinks that if Bree would have come to him, she would still be alive…and he’s scared to death of losing you too.”
“What do you mean? He threw me out. He won’t talk to me. He doesn’t want me.” Even though I knew I deserved it, his rejection still stung me deeply in the place where my heart used to be.
Julius rolled his eyes sighed heavily leaning back in his chair . “Damn! Why am I the only one that can see how much that man loves you. He’s hurt and he’s angry and like I said…scared to death of losing you the way he lost Bree. He has to know that you trust him enough - that if anything like this ever came up again, you’d turn to him instead of trying to handle it on your own.”
“I would!”
“I know. I think down deep he knows too. He knows that you thought you were doing the right thing, but you know better now…and he still loves you like crazy. He just needs some time, Jas. Give him some space. He especially needs it now. The next three weeks are going to be intense leading up to his fight.”
I nodded. “Okay, I’ll do my best not to bother him.” Julius stood up when I did and he hugged me.
“He loves you, Jas. Keep the faith.”
I smiled. It was something my father always said. Some woman was going to be so lucky to have my brother someday. He’s a good man.
“I’ll do my best,” I told him.
CAIN
I watched a plane streak across the clear blue sky and disappear over the horizon. A perfect Boston summer day. My gaze fell on the leaves resting above the headstone and I reached up to brush them away before sitting back down. I’m still trying to come to terms with everything.
It’s been two weeks since Rocco pled guilty to Bree’s murder. I was ecstatic that Rocco was finally behind bars where he belonged. I was grateful to Julius for calling the cops that day because I may have beaten him to death if they hadn’t shown up. I was still torn up over Jasmine. I still love her so much that I ache inside….but every time I look at her I think about how she kept this from me for so long.
“I wish you were here, Sis. I need you. You always kept me grounded no matter what was going on in your life. I know you loved Jas and I think about her giving you all of her money that night and urging you to stay away from Rocco…she loved you too… I believe with my whole heart that she thought she was doing the right thing. But can I forgive that? I wish you were here to tell me what to do, Bree. I’ve never been good at this romance and love stuff. Hell, I’ve never loved anyone but Jas. I don’t want to love anyone but her. Shit, I can’t even fight anymore…
“Because you lost your lucky charm.”
I turned around to find Julius standing a few feet away with a bouquet of flowers. It’s the anniversary of her death. When I
got here there were already a bouquet, I figured they were from him or Jas. I smiled sadly at him and moved over. He sat down next to me and laid the flowers across her gravestone. We were quiet for a few minutes.
“Can I ask you a question, Cain?” I nodded and he said, “Bree wanted your love and respect so badly that she hid most of her life from you. Do you love her any less because of it? I mean…if you’d found out when she was still alive, would you have cut her off?”
I knew exactly what he was getting at but the truth was that was an angle I hadn’t thought of. I shook my head.
“No, I would have never cut her off, J. I loved her too much.”
Julius didn’t say another word. He clapped me on the shoulder and stood up and left me there alone with my thoughts and my sister. Jasmine made a mistake.Although fucked up I understood why she did. She did it to protect the people she loved.
I stood up and brushed myself off before walking to my bike. I headed for the gym. Jasmine was nowhere around. Only a few scattered fighters working and stretching alone. I knew we needed to talk, but I also needed to get ready for this fight.
I pulled my shirt off and slipped on the practice gloves as I stretched. I ran a few combinations before throwing down the gloves and reaching for my rope. I had bounced in place for a few minutes when she walked in.
She was carrying another box of supplies and as I watched her my heart swelled in my chest. I miss her so badly. I no longer had to try to forgive her. I already had. I saw her almost stumble with the box she carried and I jogged over and took it out of her hands. She peered around the box with a thank you when her eyes stilled on me. I’m tired of seeing her so sad.
“It’s detergent. Laundry room in back...” I nodded and turned with the box. My breath hitched when I saw the button on her blouse had pulled to the side revealing a succulent bit of caramel cleavage. My tongue moistened, remembering what she tasted like. God, how long had it been? The quiver in my heavy balls told metoo long.
She followed my eyes down to her blouse and quickly reached for the button with a breathless apology. I gave a small wink and her brown eyes widened in surprise.
I carried the box to the laundry room as I tried to organize my thoughts in my head. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. I want her to know how much I love her…and that I’ve forgiven her…but that I need her to trust me. I want to say all of that without upsetting her again. I don’t want to make her cry again. Jesus Christ, she’s gorgeous.
What I want to do is put my hands under her breasts and push those ripe tits up to smother my face. I want to taste her full lips. I need to feel the way she pulsed around me when I gave her every inch of me…
I sat it down next to the dryer. For a second I stood there, trying to decide if this was the time, and if it was where to start. I turned and saw her watching me, her eyes watering with tears.
“I’m sorry, Cain.” She choked on my name.
That was it. This was the last time I wanted to see tears in her eyes because of me. I moved in and put my arms around her and pulled her tightly into me. I heard her suck in a deep breath and I quickly pulled away and covered her mouth with mine. I kissed her and licked her lips and tasted her sweet tongue. I felt her mouth make its way to my ear.
“I love you Cain. I’m so sorry.”
I reached back with my foot and kicked the door to laundry room closed. I pulled her into me again.
“I love you too. You don’t have to apologize anymore. I understand and I love you so fucking much.”
This time it was her that brought her lips down on mine. She sucked my tongue into her mouth and as we kissed I picked her up and sat her on the dryer behind her. I was running my hands all over her body…God, I’d missed her. She was making sexy little sounds as we kissed and my cock was instantly rock hard for her. I physically ached for her. I pulled my mouth back.
“I need you.”
She nodded breathlessly. “I need you too.”
I pulled at the straps of her tank top and she shrugged out of it. I tossed it aside, unhooked her bra and let my hands cover those beautiful breasts and hard, dark nipples. I moaned as i brought my mouth down to them and let my tongue trace along the edges of first one and then the other nipple.
My hands found the button on her shorts and I ripped it open. I lifted her up so she could pull them and her panties off and as soon as they were gone, I buried my face into her sweet pussy. She was soaking wet for me and God I had fucking missed the taste and the sweet smell of her. I lapped at her outer lips, licking the juices off there before parting her lips with my tongue and plunging it inside.
I felt her hands in my hair as I fucked her with my tongue, shoving it in and out as deeply as it would go while I pressed hard against her clit with my thumb. I rubbed in circles while I sucked on her lips and when she was just about to come I replaced my thumb with my mouth and sucked on her clit.
I felt her muscles tighten up and that’s when I bit down on it softly, sending her hurtling over the edge of the cliff. It was a good thing the laundry room was way in back because she didn’t come quietly.
“Aw fuck Cain! Oh my God! Baby I missed you! Jesus that was so good. I need to taste you.” She tried to drop to her knees but what I needed at that moment in time was to be inside of her.
“I have to fuck you baby girl. I need you so bad it’s killing me.”
She turned around and put her hands against the dryer. That sweet, beautiful ass was pointing in my direction and I had to bend down and kiss it before taking my cock in my hand and guiding it to the entrance to her pussy. She was soaked and I was throbbed painfully, my heart pumping loudly in my ears.
I didn’t waste any time shoving it inside of her. We both cried out as I began to move, slamming my body into hers so hard that we made a jolting noise against the dryer. I reached around in front of her with both hands.
In one of them I took a ripe breast and I began to tweak and pull on her nipples. With the other one I found her clit and I did the same, drawing every ounce of pleasure from her. I pinched and rubbed and twirled around with all my fingers. She was whimpering and whining and panting and calling out my name and I knew she was close. I put my mouth close to her ear. “Come for me beautiful. Come on this fucking cock.”
“Oh God! Cain!”
“That’s it gorgeous. I’m about ready to come deep inside of you. Let me feel your warmth run down over me.”
“Fuck!” He bucked against me.
“That’s my sexy girl. Come for me.”
“Rub my clit harder, Cain! Faster!”
“Like that baby?” I asked as I pressed my fingers into it and rubbed.
“Oh God yes! Fuck me harder now. Take me Cain, I’m yours.”
That’s what put me over the top. She’s mine. I pressed and rubbed on that sweet clit like my life depended on it and I drove my cock into her deeper than it had ever been before. Within a minute we were both coming. The orgasm hit me like a hurricane and took my breath away. We held onto each other, sweating and panting and speaking in unintelligible words until we both came back down to earth.
“I love you so much. I’m never letting you go again.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for forgiving me.”
I pulled back and looked at her face. “A good friend of mine helped me remember something today.”
“What is that?” she asked.
“That when you love someone more than you crave your next breath…there is no such thing as the unforgivable. I love you so much.”
She had tears in her eyes again, but these looked happy. “God I love you. Can we gohomenow?”
I kissed her again and said, “Yeah baby. Let’s go home.”
JASMINE
I sat in a cageside seat front row at Madison Square Gardens and held my breath as the defending champ Jackson “The Axe” Hanks and Cain circled around each other in the octagonal cage. It would be the first round and they were warming up to a packed house.
Cameras, coaches and ring girls flittered everywhere. The crowd was massive and loud, bright signs flailing with cannonballs and axes. “BOOM! Cannon!” chants echoed loudly filling my heart with joy. It seemed everyone loved an underdog story. I beamed with pride. My man!
Jackson had unruly blonde hair that he wore longer than the other fighters. It mused to one side like he’d just rolled out of bed and decided to show up. The way his light blue eyes scanned the crowd reminded me of a dangerous predator. If he wasn’t about to fight Cain I would have even called him sexy. I had no idea how Cain could be friends with a guy who was about to attack him.
I had stood next to Cain and the team for weighins so I knew the two men were exactly the same weight. Although they were both in the light heavyweight class, something about the way Cain was carrying himself today made him seem a lot bigger. Every day he’d looked like a brand new fighter. He was even more confident than before. His shoulders were straighter and his head was higher. The Irish celtic cross winged across his massive back glistened under the beaming center lights. My hands itched to touch him later.
It had been a few weeks since that day in the laundry room and every day had brought us closer together. We talked about Bree now…the good memories and each time it was getting easier. He worshipped my body and would always wake me up in the middle of the night with a rough fuck before he rocked me back asleep against him. He tells me everyday how lucky he is to have me… He calls me his lucky charm…but if you ask me, it’s the other way around. I feel so blessed.
The referee brings the fighters to the center and I see the murderous look in Cain’s eyes. I shiver. Damn, I would not want to face that in the cage. They tap gloves and returned to their side, each man bouncing and stretching. Julius is behind Cain, his voice steady as he encourages him.
“This is what you’ve worked for right here baby! Breathe. Nice and steady bud. Relax… relax...”
Cain wiped at the sweat on his brow and stilled. A lithe and powerful animal ready to strike. The crowd silenced and the only sound I could hear was thethud thud thudin my chest.
BWWM: BEFORE I WAKE: A Bad Boy Billionaire Book Collection (African American Interracial Series) Page 278