by Ashley
He turned to leave.
“You don’t like?” Yasmine asked.
“Its not my thing,” he responded.
“What is your thing?” she asked curiously. The moans that filled the air caused him to look over his shoulder. Two of the most beautiful designed women he had ever seen were feasting on one another. One of them capturing the other’s swollen clitoris in her mouth, sucking gently. Carter definitely needed a stress reliever but this wasn’t his idea of a conquest. These women were following orders for the sake of a dollar. They weren’t his type. Physically they were flawless but mentally they were weak.
“I’ve got a thing for a woman with aggression,” he replied.
“Well I’ll have to see if I can accommodate that?” she said. “Since this isn’t your type of party, maybe you’ll join me for the evening. I can show you around.”
Carter reluctantly agreed. The last thing he wanted was to offend Baraka’s daughter. They were his hosts and if it hadn’t been for them he would be in police custody by now. He nodded and followed her out of the room. She led him to the front of the resort and out to the valet where an armed body guard waited for her.
“I don’t think I’ll be need you tonight Aki,” she said to the Six foot nine inch, threatening presence. “I think Carter can protect me just fine. Although you will have to drive.”
“Why is that?” he asked.
“Women aren’t allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. I have an SUV and a driver to escort me at all times, but I thought you would like to test out my Lamborghini?”
“Your father instructed me to escort you whenever you leave the property Ms. Baraka,” her bodyguard spoke. He was a mammoth of a man and Carter didn’t doubt that he provided excellent protection. His menacing looks alone would probably deter anyone from pushing up on Yasmine.
“I’ve got it homie,” Carter said coolly as he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her into the car. He walked around and jumped into the driver’s seat before speeding away from the resort.
“Why do you have a lamb if you can’t even drive it?” he asked.
“Because I can ride it,” she responded seductively. “Big toys, fast toys, they’re my thing. I get off on the finer things in life.” She maneuvered in her seat as if her thighs were on fire and in actuality they were. She yearned to be touched by a man like Carter. The darkness of his skin, the confidence in his stride, the smoothness in his words . . . it all made her panties wet. She wondered what it was like to be the girl on his arm, to feel his hands on her ass as she rode him slowly. Saudi men were too damned docile. She wanted a man that would pull her hair as he slid into her from the back. One who would bust his gun if another lusted after her too openly. She desired a man with swag and Carter Jones was dripping with it.
“You’re bad ma,” he said with a chuckle.
“I’m so good at it too,” she replied.
He shook his head and increased his speed, feeling the horsepower of the engine. “These ain’t the kind of problems you want ma, trust me,” he said, his thoughts flashing to Miamor. She was a live wire and he loved it. It was her touch, her companionship, her wit that he was craving. Even if he used Yasmine in the bedroom, she could never make up for the other roles that Miamor served in his life. Without her he felt a void . . . sexually and otherwise. He was missing his lady and it showed.
Yasmine noticed the look of concern on his face and couldn’t help but to pry. “Did you leave a girlfriend behind? Perhaps a few?”
“There’s only one,” he responded. “And she’s not up for discussion,” he replied vaguely. He didn’t want to bring Miamor into his thoughts too much. She was his weakness and he didn’t want to expose that fact.
The look of pure adulation in his eyes couldn’t be hidden. A man who truly loved his woman couldn’t deny it if he tried. Yasmine didn’t know Miamor, but she couldn’t help but envy her slightly.
She’s not here. What a fool of a woman to let him venture so far away from home. Especially when there is a woman like me, waiting for her to slip up, Yasmine thought.
Yasmine guided him to the local market where rows and rows of the cities finest craftsmen set up shop each day to sell their goods. Carter stood out amongst the sea of cloaked men and women. The heat beat down unbearably on him, causing him to remove the jacket to his Gucci suit and unbutton his Oxford shirt slightly.
“I should have warned you about the temperatures,” Yasmine chuckled. “This isn’t America. Its like a melting pot in this desert climate.” She removed a linen scarf from her purse and reached up to wipe the sweat from his brow. Their eyes connected and she gave him a coy smile before withdrawing her hand and leading him through the rows of vendors.
The people of Saudi Arabia flocked to him as he walked the streets. Barefoot kids ran behind him offering to sell him goods that he didn’t need, or even wanting to perform tricks for tips. Carter’s heart went out to all of them. He purchased from every one who stopped him because he knew that the small change he was spending meant nothing to him, but so much to them.
“America! America!” they called to him, trying to lure him over to their shops and small stands. They spotted him from a mile away. His ritzy Rolex and shiny shoes gave away his wealth. He didn’t mind spreading it however. He was having the time of his life. He held babies, and shook the hands of the local men as if he were the president himself.
“They like you,” Yasmine said. She was highly impressed by the humility of this man. Not only was he a boss, but he had compassion and it only made her infatuation for him thicken.
He shot her a smile as a little boy behind him fell down suddenly. “Oww!!” his yelp was ear piercing as Carter turned his attention toward him. The kid couldn’t have been older than six or seven. He had been trampled by the older ones trying to keep up. He was holding his bare, dirt covered, feet in agony. Carter bent down, resting his elbows on his knees so that he was eye level with the kid. The rest of the kids circled around the two them as Carter helped him up. “You okay li’l man? Looks like you could use some shoes,” he said. The boy looked at him in confusion and Yasmine quickly stepped up to interpret for Carter.
When the boy responded, Yasmine relayed the message. “He said his mother doesn’t have money for shoes.”
Carter picked up the young kid and placed him on his back, not caring that his thousand-dollar suit was now soiled in sweat and dirt. “Tell them all to follow me,” he said.
Carter took over the streets of Riyadh Providence as he led a bunch of street kids from booth to booth picking them out whatever they wanted. He made sure that each child left with a pair of shoes.
He was so distracted by the crowd that had accumulated around him that he never saw the men that had been lurking in the distance. Saudi Arabia was known for its oil. Many households lived in extreme wealth because of the industry but in this part of the city they were surrounded by nothing but poverty. It was where the poor resided and with him coming around flaunting his money, he became a quick target. Kidnapping was the name of the game. Wives of rich men were often held for extreme ransoms and with Yasmine as his escort she was in jeopardy. As the crowd thickened he lost sight of her. It wasn’t until he heard her screams of distress did he realize that something had gone drastically wrong.
“Carter!”
Her voice broke over the crowd as Carter instantly turned to look for her. He spun left then right as he pushed through the crowd. It wasn’t until he broke the edge did he see her being stuffed inside a raggedy van. She was fearless as she resisted the entire time, kicking and screaming as the man tried to force her into the car.
“Shit,” he uttered as he ran, full speed back to the lambo. If he lost sight of the van there would be no getting Yasmine back. This wasn’t his country, he didn’t know the land or the language. All it took was for them to get away from the scene of the crime for her to be lost forever. He couldn’t afford to have her abduction on his conscience. He would be solely
to blame and the hospitality Baraka provided would quickly turn to hate, putting not only himself but his brothers at risk. He hopped into the car and sped off recklessly, burning rubber as he pushed the gas to the floor. Carter was sweating like a pig and he was slightly irritated. It had been a long time since someone had come at him on some rah rah shit but even though he was out of practice it was like riding a bike . . . he always remembered how to pop off. His temper flared as he caught up with the van with ease. There was no way the raggedy contraption could outrun the half-a-million dollar car. He passed the van and cut it off, stopping sideways in the middle of the deserted street. The van came to a screeching halt and before the driver could reverse in the opposite direction Carter hopped out the car and let his canon bark.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
He couldn’t really see through the nasty windshield of the van but he knew exactly where the driver was supposed to be sitting and when he heard the horn blare out of nowhere he knew he had hit his mark. Suddenly a second man hopped out of the van, holding Yasmine at gunpoint.
She was already gagged and bound as the man held a pistol, point blank range at her head.
His face was wrapped in Arabic garb, concealing everything but his menacing eyes. He screamed at Carter, making demands that Carter couldn’t understand. There wasn’t time to think, no time to do anything but react and as Carter pulled his trigger his heart stopped momentarily.
The bullet lifted the man off his feet and laid him flat. He rushed to Yasmine’s side, snatching off the blindfold to find her hysterical underneath. It wasn’t until he looked down did he see that he had hit the man between the eyes. Yasmine clung to him as he picked her up and carried her back to the car. “Let’s get out of here,” he whispered as she hugged his neck tightly. She pulled back and looked him in the eyes before placing her lips on top of his. His adrenaline pumped as sparks flew between them. A few seconds passed before Carter turned away.
“I can’t,” he whispered as he placed her in the passenger seat. He cupped her cheek. “You okay?”
She nodded and turned her feet inside as he closed the door. Carter ran his hands over her neatly waved Caesar cut and blew out a sharp breath. What the hell am I getting myself into? He thought. He hopped inside and pulled away from the bodies that he had left leaking in the middle of the street. He was supposed to be lying low, not adding to his body count. As he glanced over at Yasmine he realized that he was putting himself at risk in more than one way. Its time to press chill, he thought. Today could have ended badly. It could have easily been me circled in chalk.
“Please don’t tell my father,” she whispered as they pulled back up to the resort. “I just want to forget that today even happened and if he finds out he’ll increase my security. They suffocate me as it is.”
“How old are you ma?” he asked, curiously.
“Twenty-five,” she responded. “Too old to have a babysitter.”
Carter looked at her seriously and replied, “Men protect priceless possessions. You’re irreplaceable. It’s important to keep you safe.”
She blushed and replied, “Thank you for saving my life today. If you hadn’t been there . . . ”
“You wouldn’t even have been there if it weren’t for me. I appreciate you taking me down there and showing me your city, but don’t jump out of character for me. I get the feeling that you’ve never shook the hands of a poor person in your life. You were put in danger because you were out of your element,” he replied.
“Yeah well everything about you is out of the ordinary for me Carter,” she said. “and I don’t plan on staying away.”
Carter sighed and began to respond but was interrupted when the valet opened his door. He exited as did she and he guided her back into the comforts of luxury. As soon as they entered the sound of slot machines rang out in the air.
“Have a good night,” she said. She wanted to kiss him and he knew that she wanted to, but they both also knew that he would stop her.
“You too,” he said before retreating to his suite.
Chapter 9
“I’m attracted to the bad boys.”
—Leena
BANG!
The sound of the loud bell sent the beautiful horses bolting as the race began. The beautiful stallions were like well oiled machines as their strong bodies darted around the track. Dirt kicked up from beneath their hooves as each jockey swatted their individual beast, pushing them to their limit. The crowd was loud, rowdy, and watching in pure marvel Miamor and Aries sat back, watching anxiously as the jockeys rode the horses with expertise around the track. Timmy “Two Times” Bono stood to his feet as he and his cohorts cheered along the sidelines, in the first row of the stadium seating. Miamor had no doubt that they stood to make a pretty penny on the race, or at least they would have if she hadn’t tampered with the odds. Despite the 85-degree weather, various members of the Italian mob were dressed to the nines in expensive suits. Miamor’s heart raced in rhythm to the sound of the the hooves hitting the dirt. She could hear the stampede in her ears and feel adrenaline pumping in her chest as she fisted the guardrail in front of her. Mona Lisa was in the lead and Miamor had to admit it was an exquisite animal. It was strong and determined as its nostrils flared while its legs moved swiftly. Miamor was enthralled. She anxiously stood to her feet. “Why isn’t it working?” she wondered as she watched as Mona Lisa neared the finish line. “Aries . . . its not . . .”
Before she could finish her sentence Mona Lisa suddenly bucked and raised on its hind legs. The entire crowd stood and gasped as the horse seemed to freeze in mid-air, kicking its front legs in distress. The jockey struggled to hold on but was thrown off as Mona Lisa fell with a loud thud to the ground. The stampede of other horses raced right by the champion bred animal, but no one seemed to focus on the winner. As an underdog stole the race and emergency team rushed out onto the track.
Miamor glanced at the Italian mobsters and saw not a trace of jovial excitement in their expressions. They each had lost a fortune, as had most of the people in attendance. She had to force herself to keep the sly grin off her face. “Let’s go Mia,” Aries whispered.
Miamor tore herself from the scene as she thought of the next part of her plan. Now she had to set-up the proposition to get Broome to drop the case against The Cartel.
Leena sprayed her Dolce Blue perfume as she stared at herself in the mirror. The emptiness that occupied her eyes was undeniable. As much as she wanted to tell Odom he was wrong, she knew that he was right. He could see through the fancy clothes, chauffeured cars, and queen on the throne, persona. Leena craved normality. If she were a normal girl in a normal world, her man would still be with her. He wouldn’t be faking his death or running from federal cases. Sadness was paralyzing and she had been forcing herself to live in a fog ever since Monroe had first disappeared from her life. Mecca and Monroe had consumed her with lust, with love, with money, and power . . . she had been sucked in by it all. Like a moth to a flame it all was so enticing. Now she had been burned and Odom was there, saying all the things that she wanted to come from Monroe’s lips. No, she didn’t want Odom, but she would love to experience life on the right side of the law. She stepped into her Donna Karan dress and maneuvered her arms awkwardly to zip it to the top. She placed a blazer over it and slid into six-inch heels. She exited her bedroom and descended the steps to find her son playing boisterously with Breeze.
“Thank you for keeping him,” Leena said.
“He’s my nephew Leena. This isn’t considered a favor. We are family,” she replied. She turned her focus to Monroe’s son. He looked so much like him, but his demeanor was mischievous like Mecca’s. Li’l Money might have been Monroe’s seed, but he had a piece of Mecca inside of him as well. Breeze recognized it even at such a young age. “What did auntie teach you? Huh? Diamonds are . . .”
“Forever!” the three year old quipped loudly with nothing but youthful innocence. He had no idea how deeply rooted that statement was or ho
w true it rang. He was born, Monroe Diamond II, he would grow into a powerful man. “We’ll be fine. Just get the money, finish this business and tell Odom to quit stalling you.”
Leena nodded and then kissed Breeze on the cheek before leaving. The attention that Odom showered Leena with was flattering, but instead of making her feel good, it made her feel uncomfortable. She wanted Monroe to do those things, she wanted him to say the things that Odom said so eloquently. She wanted a square life. She could not endure any more of the streets. Although they came with many perks, if Monroe wasn’t there to enjoy them with her, it wasn’t worth it. Leena smiled at her driver as he held open her door and she slid into the back seat.
Her thoughts were so plentiful that they distracted her and made the thirty-minute drive fly by. Before she knew it she was pulling up to Odom’s office. Passersby stopped as they attempted to see who was pulling up as the driver hit his hazards and hopped out to open her door. All they saw was legs for days as she stuck her Manolo out first to steady her balance. Leena exited smoothly, ran her hands over the fabric of her dress to smooth the wrinkles and then double stepped it into the building. Oddly, butterflies filled her stomach. So much weighed on her shoulders. She had to be coy enough to not disrespect Monroe’s legacy but open enough to Odom’s flirtation to keep him from turning snake. I’ll be glad when he come up off this money, she thought to herself. She was tired of the charade because honestly it left her confused at the end of the night. Odom seemed to spot the empty spaces of her life and put them under a magnifying glass. He made her question Monroe’s love for her. If he truly loved me would I even be in this position? She thought. “Stop it, of course he loves you,” she whispered, scolding herself. “This man is about to stop playing with my money. I’m not leaving here today until it’s in my possession.”