by Amy Brent
I never knew that my life would turn out this way, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I had everything I wanted and needed, feeling the love in my life every day.
The End
Menage Romance Hot Nights Collection (Book 1-5)
IN TWO DEEP
“I hope you know what kind of chance we’re taking on you, Tamara. Jacob was a friend of ours and we’ve known you for as long as we’ve been in business with him. We sympathize with your loss, but this is a matter of utmost importance. These jewels are to be shown to the public for a limited exhibition of two days only. We have borrowed them from an anonymous source. They would like to be left out of it and we have graciously permitted them their anonymity.” Grady was one of those secretive types with a black suit and dark glasses to match
He was shadowed by two burly and strapping young men. I could tell that they were conditioned to follow orders to the letter. Their stance was the same and there was something strangely uniform about their posture. The obvious bulge in their jacket was not because they were happy to see me. These two were deadly and they had that expression of one of no emotion. I was worried for my safety and saying the wrong thing would end up getting on their bad side.
“I appreciate the kind words and his death has been a lot to adjust to. It’s been three months and I’m still trying to make sense out of many facets of the business. He had a method to his madness, but I’ve yet to determine the rhythm or what kind of code is used. I have everything that I need from you and I believe that I can be of some service.” I could see that Grady was looking at me the same way that he always did when he came to visit Jacob.
I did everything I could to accent the positives, which included low cut dresses that showed off a very prominent asset in my possession. I did not shy away from exhibiting my sexuality. I had in depth negotiations with Jacob and those clients that were fortunate enough to grace our shop with their presence. The eyes were the windows to the soul. They didn’t lie and you only needed to know what to look for to see if there they were truthful.
“In this metal case is $50,000,000 worth of jewels. It is quite instrumental that they never leave your sight for a second. If it was up to me, I would’ve denied the request to have them exhibited at the museum. Unfortunately those higher up felt it was good for their image to give into peer pressure. Don’t worry; there will be security on hand. These two men will never be too far away. You may not know they’re there, but trust me they will be overseeing the entire operation. Jacob was a good friend and I mourn his loss. I send a silent prayer to his family.” Grady was impeccably dressed and the only difference between him and the other two standing by his side was a blood red tie.
"I want you to know that I take this responsibility seriously. You can’t be in better hands.” I was seeing this exhibition as a way to display some of my wares. I had jewels that I found quite by accident in back. It was those in Jacob’s personal collection. They had a hefty price tag that would net me a small fortune if sold to the right party. I didn’t trust Grady and I never did and there was always something slightly off about the way that he smiled with no real meaning behind it.
“You are a sophisticated woman and you have the air of someone that was born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I know your background like the back of my hand. It’s amazing that you were able to climb out of your current position in life. You and I both know that you owed Jacob a debt that you could never pay back.” Being a woman, I felt like I was always struggling to make it, but being a black woman did not exactly afford me the opportunities like others.
I was an impressive female creature standing at 5’9, 160 pounds with all of that weight accumulating in just the right areas. My breasts were marvels of the natural variety. There was nothing fake or plastic about me, except for my eyelashes. I had an ass that just wouldn’t quit and I wore clothing skintight to make people stand up and take notice.
I escorted Grady back to the door and I watched him climb into a very distinctive black Tahoe with tinted windows. It was all very clandestine and made me feel like I was part of some secret that I didn’t know anything about. I locked the door behind them as they left. The camera overhead and the Security System in place were to keep these jewels safe, until the actual exhibition in two days. I’d tried to get my foot into the door, but being relatively unknown was making an obstacle that I couldn’t hurtle on my own. It was fortuitous that Grady came to me and gave me this window of opportunity.
I wore a purple dress with strategic cuts up each side to give a good look at my ebony curves. Each time that I moved a certain way, you could practically see heaven and beyond. I did have one guilty pleasure and that was lingerie that could have any man crawling on their knees for a chance to be with me. I never considered myself to be alluring, but the perception of what was acceptable these days had been changing significantly.
The ringlets of my hair flowed freely down over my shoulders and my captivating green eyes were that of a cat. I made men feel like they were trapped in my web of sexual desire. I carried myself with superiority, but underneath it all I was still that scared little girl growing up in the boroughs. Getting out from underneath that was a Herculean effort and made easier by Jacob giving a young girl a chance to make something of herself.
My parents were still alive and every Sunday, I would show up for dinner to be grilled about the same damn nonsense over and over again. My two brothers were already married and had kids of their own and now they were looking to me to provide them with a grandchild. I had no interest in getting pregnant and every guy that I had been with was a dismal disappointment. They made me think that all guys were after one thing. I was hoping for a lot more substance than something physical.
I did enjoy sex, but I wasn’t about to throw my affections away so easily on a fleeting moment that would be mostly a memory after all was said and done. The slight chill of the air conditioning above was causing my nipples to become so hard that they could probably cut through glass. I could see the chunky tips pushing up against the fabric and I grazed them with the palm of my hand to tremble at my own touch.
I’d been responsible for my own pleasure for as long as I could remember. It was nice to have the expertise at hand when it was needed the most. Usually it was in the dead of night and where the bed was cold beside me. It wasn’t about to take a lover just to have the companionship. I wanted more from my life than that and I wasn’t going to let anybody browbeat me into doing something that I wasn’t comfortable with.
My brothers teased me mercilessly and I had shrugged it off like it really didn’t bother me. Deep down, I wanted everything that they had and that jealous streak would always raise its ugly head at the most inopportune time.
I looked at myself in reflection of the glass leading out into the parking lot and I saw this desirable woman ready to live for the first time. I had allowed my father’s philandering ways to dictate my life choices. I could never look at my mother the same way knowing that she was accepting of his faults. He wasn’t exactly good at covering his tracks. Lipstick on his collar and late night phone calls not to mention long business dinners that went into the wee hours of the morning had always been a glaring sign of the inevitable. I thought for sure that my mother would kick him to the curb, but she apparently loved him with all of her heart. That was not the kind of relationship that I was looking for. I wanted something that was going to stand up to the test of time and not leave me with a bad taste in my mouth.
It was the last day of the exhibition and I was quite fortunate to say that I had paved the way for my future. Those jewels that were on display were only there as a conversation piece, but I also had the collection from Jacob becoming quite a growing concern of its own. I had spied the two bodyguards with Grady, but they were like ghosts in the machine.
“I’m just not sure and what kind of deal can you make me on this?” This guy had obvious of wealth and it was oozing out of his pores from the Gucci loafers on his feet all t
he way up to the custom made tie that probably cost more than my rent in one month. “I’m sure that the price tag can be negotiated. I always like to feel like I’m getting a deal.” He was a man that had the knowledge to navigate in the boardroom. His bald head was gleaming from the light overhead.
“Mr. Booth, I do believe that the price that I’m offering is fair. With that being said, I’m sure that we can come to some kind of reasonable solution that would benefit the both of us. I’m going to write down a number and you’re killing me with even taking it down a dollar.” I had learned from the best and Jacob was a consummate professional when it came to giving the client what they wanted. “I think that you should really take a good look at this and tell me that it’s not worth the money. The woman in your life will be thrilled to have this hanging around their neck.” I was careful not to mention a wife, because you never knew what their intentions were.
I was wearing a black and red dress flowing over my body like it was made just for me. I bent slightly at the waist to give a bird’s eye view of my cleavage and the treasures that was found within. I wore no bra I felt that my sexuality was my best weapon. My sultry voice and seductive tone was also a good way to seal the deal before the ink was dry on the paper.
He moved closer and with his face practically in my bosom, he was panting and staring, but he wasn’t looking at my eyes. I scribbled the number on the paper and let him look at it with a careful eye. “I believe that we have a deal. I don’t suppose that we could finish this transaction right here and right now. I would hate to lose out and I know how this business works.” I had the paper work already done up and all I needed was his signature and a credit card number. He passed me a wad of bills and I counted them under the counter out of the sight of prying eyes.
The museum was abuzz with the electricity of people walking around and perusing those little treasures that they couldn’t get enough of. I spied two men dressed casual in pullover black shirts that really did mold to their skin. I saw the accent of their muscles and the way that their blue windbreakers didn’t exactly hide what god blessed them with.
“I don’t think that you could’ve gotten a better deal anywhere, Mr. Booth.” This was not the first business that I had done in the last two days. I had enough to keep the business afloat for some time and even more importantly a bit left over for something special for myself. I had my eyes on these pair of shoes in the window of one of the higher class boutiques in the area. Being a New York native, I knew that those shoes would not be there long. I’d purposely hidden them in the store. It was just a matter of time before the proprietor found them and put them back on display where they belonged in the window.
I had my back turned when I heard a commotion. I whirled around with my dress following to see that one of those two guys that I had seen in the windbreakers was now getting into a tussle with the security guard. It wasn’t really the security guard, but it was the security that had been left to me by the government. This big guy had wrapped his hand around the man’s neck and I could see the color of his cheeks turning a deep purple from lack of oxygen.
I was the only one that could see what he was doing. They were hidden within an alcove and I think that was by design. “Please don’t do anything to attract more attention to yourself. We don’t want to hurt anybody, but we will if we have to.” I was shaking in my boots and the voice was behind me. “I’m sure you can feel what that is pressed up against your back.” I felt the hard substance of what I could only assume was a gun, but there was also something more. The revealing motion of something up against my ass had me wondering what kind of man could get excited about doing a broad daylight robbery like this.
“Please…don’t kill me. I promise I won’t say anything. I have a wife… I mean I have a husband and a child that I care for deeply.” My words were flustered and I was only trying to instill a bit of sympathy in the man that was holding me hostage.
“Who exactly are you trying to convince? I see no visible ring on your finger and no tan line to say that you took it off during this exhibition. My brother and I need to get out of here quickly. I’m afraid that we’re going to have to take you with us. Don’t be alarmed, because we only want you as leverage in case things go sour in a hurry.” His brother had dragged the unconscious weight of the man behind the counter and out of sight of any one that might be looking.
He had a black bag and from the sound of what was inside, I would gather to say that they had gotten what they had came for. Amazingly, there was still the collection of government jewels sitting there for the taking. It was guarded by an unbreakable case and a security alarm that would pierce the eardrum of anybody that wanted to break in. Whatever they had come for was by far something on a smaller scale than the jewels that the government had given me to show off.
“I don’t want anything to do with either one of you.” I felt like I needed to do something desperate and maybe that’s the reason why I felt a little overwhelmed. I looked around for anybody that could come to the rescue. I was hoping to see a police officer making his rounds and they had been quite prevalent during the exhibition. It was obvious that they didn’t have the manpower to fully cover the whole exhibition floor. They were mostly here as a courtesy to the museum.
“You don’t have any other choice. You can either come with this, or we can kill you very quietly. You’re the only one that has seen our face and not even that security guard was able to accomplish that feat. We can’t have you describing us to a sketch artist. When we are sure that we are safe, then we will gladly let you go.” The one behind me was being courteous and nice. The one in front was menacing and showing that he was willing to do what it took whether it be killing or otherwise.
“My brother tends to use flowery words. Just help us leave quietly and that is all that we will ask of you. Be nice to us and will be nice to you.” I had a glance over my shoulder and the shaved head and the kind eyes didn’t really go together. I saw the makings of a tattoo on his neck and that told me that prison time was part of his past.
“I don’t really condone violence, but there is always a time and place to use force when necessary.” The one behind me had a nice melodic voice. It was almost angel like.
“What exactly are you doing with these two hunks over here?” The security was lying at my feet and Jessica a buxom young blonde had decided to interfere where her nose didn’t belong. “You shouldn’t be hiding men like them. If it was up to me, I would have them both displayed in my bedroom. They would be that little toy that I could call upon when the need arises. Are you going to introduce me, or do I have to guess what their names are?” The one behind me nudged me with the gun making it very clear that I had to get rid of her posthaste.
“I would like you to meet Erin and William Erickson.” The last name made her eyes go wide. She cocked her head to the side like she was trying to place them from somewhere. “These are the infamous Erickson brothers.” I’d known for quite some time that the Erickson brothers were recluse and they barely ever allowed anybody to see them in the light of day. The harsh lighting around here was making it possible to make her believe what I was saying.
“No shit. I suppose it shouldn’t be all that surprising that they would come out for something like this. Did you already hammer out a deal or do I have a chance to get in on this?” She was always using her sexual charms to steal away clients from myself and Jacob. Jessica came from a long nine of jewelers and she was not about to let anybody encroach on her territory. “I think I should at least have a chance to show off some of my stuff. Give me a few minutes to gather some of the finer items in my collection and I’ll be right back.” She was anxious to make a sale and I could see the dollar signs literally dancing in her eyes.
“That should keep her busy for a few minutes. It won’t be long, until she’s back and I suggest that you get out of here while the getting is good.” I thought that I had done my part, but they didn’t see it that way.
“That w
as pretty quick thinking and it might be an advantage to have you around.” I didn’t want to go with them, but I felt like I was in an untenable situation. “Like I said before, we’re not usually one for violence, but I sometimes can’t speak for my brother. I do think that it would be better that you cooperate. Let these unsuspecting people go on with their lives not knowing what’s going on. You have to know that we will fight back if cornered. Do you really want to have their deaths on your conscience? How are you supposed to live with something like that when you could’ve done something about it?” He was obviously the one that was more a wordsmith, but there was something strangely enticing about all of this.
“Follow me and try not to do anything that’s going to get any one of us killed. I have too much to live for.” He had the gun pretty much concealed behind me. We made our way down the maintenance hallway to an exit leading to the back of the building. It was a good thing that the janitor was not around and I don’t think that they would have taken kindly to anybody getting in their way. “I’m not going to try and tell you what to do, but having a hostage is only going to make more problems than it’s worth.”
“She’s really not saying anything that we don’t already know, Cody.” I had more knowledge than I did before. The other brother had slipped. Cody was obviously the shy and quiet type with this strength in reserve. He was a gentleman, but if pushed came to shove, he would push back with the best of them.
“Nobody asked your opinion. I’m the one with the street smarts. Have you forgotten who took the rap for you when you got in over your head yet again? There would’ve been no way for you to survive long enough in prison to get out relatively unscathed. Your temper would have gotten the best of you. By the way, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me by name?” Cody was the voice of reason and we walked around to the other side of the building, until we came to a nondescript white car at the corner of the lot.