“Well, I won’t keep pressuring you, but you know how to find me when you get tired of using your finger to pleasure yourself.”
“Wow, I see you hold nothing back.”
“Never. It’ll kill you if you let it.”
I couldn’t even respond. He was so bold about it that it was almost scary. The thing about it, though, his confidence was a turn-on. I didn’t want to make a mistake and do something that I would regret but I could honestly admit since Black was away I’d needed sex, I’d yearned for it, but I held it together feeling like I had no other choice.
“I’ll let you rest, if you need anything make sure you call me,” he said as he got up and walked toward the door. I still sat there in shock. I didn’t know what to do. The phone rang and startled me out of my stare.
“Hello?”
“Hey it’s Trice, just called to see how you were.”
“I’m okay, thanks for calling. How are things with you? If you need any money for Keshawn I’ll have someone drop it off for you.”
“I didn’t call you for that. I actually believe we’ve grown to be friends and I wanted to check on you to see if you needed anything.”
“No, I’m fine, I just want to come home but I can’t bring the baby anytime soon so I’m a little sad about that.”
“Aww, Keshawn is so excited, he wants to see her.”
“Well, she’ll be out of here soon enough. I have to stay for two more days then I’m going to stay at my dad’s for a week or two before I go home.”
“That’s good. Well, I will call you again later to check on you, I just wanted to see how you were.”
“Okay thanks a lot.” I said before hanging up.
Immediately my mind drifted back to Money and what he’d said. I still didn’t know what I planned to do but either way I had to do something because he wasn’t going to give up until I either went through with it or I made it clear that I wanted nothing to do with him. Option two I wasn’t so sure of. There was a part of me, the old me, the part that loved danger and attention. I still got a high from doing what I knew I had no business doing and resisting was one of the hardest things I’d ever have to do.
Two days later I was packed and ready to leave the hospital. I sat and held Dior for an hour before I left. My father had come to pick me up and take me over to their house. I wasn’t too excited about it but I knew that I needed all of the help that I could get. I was surprised when I was wheeled out to the car and Javan was there as well. I knew that it was him because he looked exactly like my father. He was standing on the side of the car leaning up against it, looking around when he noticed me.
“Wow, you do look like Mom,” he said, walking over and bending down to hug me.
“I’m so glad you came, this is such a surprise.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about the accident. I didn’t want us to meet up this way but now that we have no choice we’ll make the best of it.” He laughed as he helped me into the backseat.
“Well, look at it this way, now I have a lot of time to catch up with my family.” I smiled. Now that Javan was going to be around I felt better about spending time with them. He made it that much more interesting. We began the drive over and engaged in conversation on the way. Once we reached the house Javan and me sat in the living room and talked for what seemed like an eternity.
“So how’s school?”
“School’s great but enough about me, let’s talk about you. What do you do? Where’s your job?”
“I don’t work, I have a lot of businesses that I inherited from my husband when he died.”
“So you’re like rich or something?” His eyes grew wide.
“Something like that,” I laughed.
“That’s great, I always hoped that you were doing good. Though we never met I felt close to you. Mom never stopped talking about you. I even had your baby picture in my wallet. I waited for the day that we’d get to sit down and talk like this.”
“I’m sad that I never knew about you but I have the rest of my life to enjoy you now.”
I learned so much more about him as well as my mother and father and their families. I couldn’t wait to meet them. I was losing the anger more and more each day and gaining love. I didn’t stay but a week before I went back home but in that week a new world opened up for me. I was getting back on my feet and I planned on making a lot of changes for the better.
Chapter Forty-eight
Diamond
Money on My Mind
I was headed up to the sixteenth floor of Hahnemann Hospital as I did every morning to go visit Dior. I could get around on crutches against the wishes of my doctors but I had to go. I wasn’t the type to lie down and let other people take care of me. I’d always been able to get up and do whatever it was I had to do for myself no matter what condition I was in. I waited on the elevator and as I stood there I saw a familiar face. It was Deidra, Mica’s cousin. I almost wanted to avoid her; in a way I felt guilty about what I did, but then when I thought about the reason I did it, I didn’t feel so bad. She caught a glimpse of me and walked over to where I was standing.
“Diamond, is that you?”
“Wow, Deidra? I thought that was you. How are you?”
“I’m good, I haven’t seen you in so long. How have you been? I see you on crutches—what happened?”
“I was in a car accident, unfortunately, but I’m okay.”
“You’re all grown up now, last time I saw you, you were a teenager.”
“I know, time flies.”
“Yeah, I wish Mica was still here. I know she would have loved to see you.”
I stood there quiet. I assumed that she didn’t know what happened between her and me. Did she even know that she was still alive? I didn’t know how to approach that question so I decided not to even mention it at all.
“Well, I don’t want to hold you up, it was nice seeing you,” she said in my moment of silence.
“You too,” I quickly responded to avoid any suspicion. She waved and walked away. I pressed the elevator button and waited for the next one to come. I stayed for my normal one-hour visit before going home. I was surprised when Money’s car was parked in front of the hospital rather than JB’s. JB was supposed to pick me up and give me a ride home because my mom and dad were both working.
“Where’s JB?”
“He had to take care of something so I offered to come pick you up.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to, why are you making things so difficult? A nigga can’t be nice to you, I see.”
“I didn’t say that a nigga can’t be nice, but we both know that you are not just being nice. You have an ulterior motive.”
“That’s not completely true.”
“Well, what part of it is true, then?”
“Well, of course I’m aiming for something but it’s real. I’m not gaming you up, though, if that’s what you think.”
“Honestly, I do.”
By this time we were in the car and heading the short ten-minute drive to my house. I was practically staring a hole in the side of his face. He hadn’t even blinked. I didn’t know what it was about him but I was definitely drawn to him and I knew that sooner or later the shield that I had up would crack. Right now, though, I had to focus on getting my health back.
“Well, what do you need? I’m here at your feet, your wish is my command, if that’s what it takes.”
“You’re really serious, huh?”
“As a heart attack. I’m a pretty straightforward dude and I hate to keep repeating it, but your man Black ain’t going to be around and you’re going to need somebody to help you run those businesses. Who better than me?”
“So that’s it? You just want to take his place with the business—it really has nothing to do with me?”
“You’re misreading me, it has everything to do with you. I’m trying to be that strong nigga that you’ll need when you come to your senses and see that this shit ain’t a game. He’s
not coming home.”
“Why are you so sure that he’s not coming home?” I was beginning to get annoyed with him again. I wasn’t giving up on Black until I knew that for fact. Even then I still wouldn’t stop loving him. No one could take that away. It didn’t matter how much game he spit or how much attention he gave he wasn’t Black and he’d never be no matter how hard he tried.
“I’m sure of it because I know how that shit works. It’s okay to have hope—don’t get me wrong. Who wouldn’t in your situation? That doesn’t mean I’m going to sit in the background and not go for what I want. Yeah, I want his spot but it’s his spot with you. It ain’t all about the money. I got plenty of that.”
I sat there still staring at him. I was so confused. My mind, heart, and body were all being pulled in different directions. Maybe what he was saying was the truth and Black would never be home. What the hell was I supposed to do, lose everything? Or find a strong man to take his place? Then I thought that this could all be too premature. I was known in the past to let my body run my decisions but would it be the worst thing to give him a chance?
“I hear you, but you have to understand that until that’s a proven fact I’m not going to just give up on him.”
“And I don’t expect you to.”
“So what is it that you expect?”
“I expect you to let me in.”
We were pulling up in front of the house at that moment and I felt that it was perfect timing. I wasn’t ready to give him a decision. Once he parked I still sat silent. He looked over at me and didn’t say anymore. He exited the car and walked around to the passenger side to help me get out.
“Thanks a lot for coming to get me.”
“No problem, I can come in and help you out if you want me to.” He smiled. He knew damn well I wasn’t going to let him in.
“I’m fine, I can manage.”
“I figured you’d say that but don’t forget that I’m here,” he said, walking back toward the car after I made it to the steps.
He got in his car and drove away. I made it inside and though he was gone he still lingered on my mind. I was trying extremely hard and it wasn’t working. He’d made a mark and now that it was down it wasn’t going to be easy to erase. Money, can’t live with it, can’t live without it. That statement was ringing louder than a school bell at eight A.M.
Chapter Forty-nine
Diamond
Two Temptations
Letters weren’t enough and I still hadn’t been able to see Black. I missed him desperately and I didn’t know how long I could hold off. My knee was healed enough to get around without crutches. I’d gone back home and was doing pretty good. I was just on my way to head out to Gia’s when the doorbell rang. I opened it to find Money standing there with flowers in hand.
“Wow, you’re back to normal, I see. I wanted to come by and personally drop these off.”
“You don’t have to keep doing stuff like this, Money, you really don’t.”
“I know I don’t have to but I want to. Is it all right if I come in?”
“Well, I was just on my way out, actually.”
“Just for a minute, just long enough for you to put these in water.” He passed me the flowers.
“Okay, I guess that’s fine.” I walked into the house, letting him in behind me. He followed me into the kitchen. I grabbed a vase from the cabinet and turned on the sink to fill it up as I took the flowers out of the plastic. “So how are things going at . . .” I hadn’t even finished my sentence. I turned around and was met by a kiss. His lips were soft as cotton and they felt so good against mine that I couldn’t resist. My mind was saying that this was wrong but my body was saying you need this. His arms had since wrapped around me and began caressing my back. It was sending chills through my body. You would have thought this was the first time that I’d been kissed. I was nervous about moving forward because I didn’t know what would become of this. I wasn’t ready to move on from Black but I was ready for the attention that Money wanted to give me. I closed my eyes and instead of fighting my body any longer I gave in and relaxed. He continued to kiss me intensely. His thick tongue was massaging mine as his hands moved from my back to my hips then the front of the jeans that I’d be wearing for only a few more seconds. He’d unbuttoned them, pulled them off, and placed me on the kitchen counter all within one minute or less. His face was then buried in my pussy and his tongue was massaging my clit as it had done my tongue before. My legs were wrapped around his head as I leaned back with both hands on the counter, bracing my body.
I moaned continuously. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was deprived for so long or if it just felt that damn good but I was so loud the neighbors could probably hear me through the walls. I grabbed hold of his head just as I was about to erupt.
“Oh, shit, I’m about to cum,” I yelled as my body shook uncontrollably. If I’d wrapped my legs around his neck any tighter I might have smothered him. He kept up the pace and I continued to shake, I couldn’t stop. I wanted him to keep going but I wasn’t sure how much more I could take. I had never been one to run away from some good loving but this felt different and maybe because it was so wrong. He stood up and licked his lips as if he’d just got finished eating a good steak. I smiled for the first time since we’d begun. He stared at me without speaking. His eyes were piercing with a sort of unknown agenda, but it continued to turn me on. I was still sitting in the same position as he removed a condom from his pocket, dropped his pants, and put the condom on his large, stiff dick, which was pointing in my direction. He walked over to me, opened my legs wider, making the path he was going for more accessible. I let out a sigh as he entered me. I was tight as vise grips and I could tell that he was enjoying the feeling of my tight pussy being wrapped around him. He grabbed hold of my waist and used his grip as leverage to push harder and harder. I could feel the juices coming out of me and running down onto the counter beneath me.
“You like this shit?”
“I love it,” I moaned.
“Tell me again.”
“I love it.”
“You love what?”
“I love this dick,” I yelled. I was in heaven and I realized how much I’d been missing with each passing second. He continued to move seamlessly in and out of me, picking up speed. I could feel myself reaching yet another climax. When I reached the peak, he suddenly stopped. The throbbing of his dick against my G-spot finished the job for him. I bit my bottom lip as I trembled in his arms. He stared at me for a few seconds and then starting pounding all over again.
I was exhausted but it felt too good to give up now. I sat there moaning and taking every inch of it for the next twenty minutes when he finally let go of me and pulled away, giving me the same silent stare that he’d given me before he moved in on me.
“The bathroom is at the top of the stairs to the left.”
He didn’t respond but walked away and headed up the steps. I didn’t get it but I wasn’t going to worry myself trying to figure it out. Money was definitely different than any of the other men that I dealt with in the past. Here he went from talking all of the game in the world to silence. I got down off the counter and began to clean it off when I heard him coming back down the steps. I continued to clean, waiting for him to come back into the kitchen. I heard his footsteps and then I heard the front door open and close. Did he just walk out of here? What the hell was up with this dude? I went into the living room and called out his name. I didn’t get an answer. I walked over to the window and peeked through the blinds. He’d gotten in his car and drove away. I felt used. I felt angry. I also somehow felt like I deserved it. I shouldn’t have let the temptations get the best of me. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking and if Black found out he would be furious. I hurried up the stairs to the bathroom and into the shower. I needed to clear my body of any scent that he may have left behind. My mind was wandering, I hadn’t seen the baby and now I felt guilty about what just went down. Maybe going up to the hos
pital would make me feel better than I did now. I went out to the car and was just about to get in when his car sped around the corner and stopped next to mine. He jumped out of the driver’s side, walked over to me and kissed me. He held on to my waist and stared into my eyes. I was too caught off guard to react. I wanted to slap him and yell for the way that he left out with not even a good-bye. Instead I let go of the tension in my body and enjoyed the kiss. He backed away with a devilish grin on his face.
“I’ll be here tonight at nine, we’re going on a date.”
“What?” I threw my hands in the air I couldn’t figure this guy out for the life of me.
He didn’t respond, only smiling as he got back in his car and drove away. I didn’t know what to say or think. I knew that I still felt used and that was something I wasn’t used to dealing with. I drove down to the hospital and spent about an hour visiting before I went to the mall to find something to wear. I didn’t want to get too jazzy because if anyone saw us out together I could play it off as a meeting. I didn’t need word getting back to Black for fear that I’d lose him. What the hell was I thinking? I had to think about the situation logically. Was Money really into me or was he just into what he could get from me? I was going to figure it out one way or the other and going out with him would be the perfect way to do that.
I was dressed and ready at nine. I was actually ready by eight because I needed to give myself time to get my nerves together. I didn’t want to seem like a teenager on her first date nor did I want to seem like a detective so I had to calm myself down enough for this date to go off without a hitch. Nine o’clock came and went. It was almost ten and I was pissed. I should have known better by the way he acted earlier in the day. I was just on my way upstairs when I heard a horn beeping. I walked over to the window and pulled the curtain and saw his black Mercedes double-parked in the middle of the street. I grabbed my bag off of the sofa and walked out of the door. I wanted to give him a piece of my mind as soon as I got out of the door but then I figured that would just give him the impression that I was really interested in him. I was interested but not solely in him. I was more interested in finding out what the hell he was up to.
The Black Diamond Trilogy Page 32