Aaron’s Fall
Cover Art by: RL Smith
Aaron’s Fall
Copyright © 2011 by Robin L. Jones
ViviRose Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo copying, record, or any information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written permission of the Author. Your support of Author’s rights is appreciated.
This is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however names, characters, places and incidents or either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual person, living or dead. Business establishments, events, or locales are entirely coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks and registered service marks are property of their respective owner.
Chapter One
She stood centered on a rounded platform. Breathtaking barely describes the vision floating centered above the dimly lit stage. Unable to take his eyes off her, mesmerized Aaron Harrison watched astonished by her beauty and sound. She was of medium height, her oval face and creamy light brown skin was flawless; her full mouth open wide as the beautiful lyrics poured from her soul. His eyes trailed to the graceful curves of her neck, down to full breast peeking modestly above the strapless sequined iridescent white form-fitting gown, down to the tiny waist and rounded hips of her perfect physique. The song she sang captivating every person in attendance with her glorious voice expressing the tranquility of the lyrical song while Tianna Holland and her dancers sashayed and spun, executing difficult yet beautiful intricate movements. Each performer appearing to be lifted and carried on the notes of her melodious sound, reverberating, throughout the large theater, from wall to wall, and ceiling to floor embracing the hearts and souls of her audience.
Still mesmerized, his eyes still trained on the beautiful singer, Aaron leaned toward his friend Martin Holland.
Who’s the singer?” Aaron whispered to Martin, not taking his eyes off the stage. Martin cut his eyes at Aaron, and simply shook his head.
Too soon, the song ended, fog swirling around the beautiful singer, as the platform dramatically lowered through the floor of the stage. Instantly the audience was on their feet applauding with exuberance grateful for the superb performance. Martin glanced at Aaron as they came to their feet.
“Let me warn you now Bro, Tianna is not going to allow you to get near another one of her employees. Did you forget that dancer last year?” Martin reminded him.
“Oh, the dancer, yeah I forgot.” Aaron replied sheepishly.
“Forget the singer Aaron,” Martin laughed, “This is one you will not get I can guarantee.”
“I still want to meet her, what’s the harm,” Aaron muttered hopefully. Chuckling Martin shook his head, “Come on.”
Tianna was sitting at the dressing table when Martin and Aaron enter her dressing room. Tiana Kinson, artistic director/choreographer/dancer of the Vena Thorn Dance Troupe, married to the handsome Martin Holland.
“Hey Baby, great show,” Martin said bending to kissing his tenderly wife.
“Hi Aaron,” Tianna said smiling. “Did you enjoy the show?”
“Hey Tia,” Aaron smiled that smile that would have most women in a swoon. “Tee, you know your shows are always great, I see you had something new.”
“Aaron wants to meet your singer,” Martin reported to his wife, smiling, smugly at Aaron.
“Nope,” Tianna said adamantly, as she pulled the comb through her hair.
“Tia, come on,” Aaron replied entreatingly.
“Please Aaron don’t make me regret forgiving you for causing Terri’s departure from the company,” Tia turned glaring at him. Aaron raised his hands defensively nodding.
“What’s wrong with just a simple introduction?” Aaron replied pleadingly.
Tianna shook her head, glaring at him. “That’s what you said about Terri,” Tia shouted.
“Look Aaron she is not like the airheads you consort with, she’s shy; a loner. Tianna said glaring at him,
“She doesn’t sing as if she were shy.” Aaron responded to Tianna.
“That’s because singing is her gift,” Tianna said, “She good right,” Tia added beaming proudly.
“Tia come on, I won’t try anything, I swear, just an introduction,” Aaron continued to plead. A knock sounded at the door.
“No Aaron!” Tianna said rising to answer the door. Martin was leaning against the dressing table with his arms folded across his broad chest with an 'I told you so' grin on his face. “I told him baby, you wouldn’t let him get near the girl. Tianna opened the door and rolled her eyes upward; the one person she was trying to protect.
“Come in Asia,” Tianna invited mildly.
“I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving, and to thank you,” Asia said softly.
“You sang beautifully tonight, thank you,” Tianna said smiling proudly. Asia flushed a pretty pink, from the compliment. Aaron cleared his throat, grinning at Tia. Tia turned to Aaron, eyes narrowing with warning.
“Asia Brooks this is Aaron Harrison, a friend of my husband’s.”
Tianna pulled Aaron to meet Asia; holding on to his wrist applying pressure, Aaron frowned pulling his arm from her.
“Hello,” Aaron said shaking his arm, frowning at Tianna.
“Hello,” Asia said softly her eyes lowered looking anywhere by at him.
Asia looked shyly at Tianna. “Thanks again, Mrs. Holland.”
“I’ll call you, Asia,” Tia assured her.
Green eyes, she has green eyes, Aaron said softly to himself, my God she lovely, he thought.
“Okay,” she said and turned to open the door.
Aaron eyes traveled over her body; hoping to get another look at the sensually seductive woman he witness on stage. To his surprise, that woman was gone but still just as lovely. This woman before him had on a large shirt with jeans, a long thick black braid hung to the middle of her back. The door open and she was gone.
Aaron turned his gaze at Tianna. “Tell me about Asia?” he inquired curiously.
“Nope,” Tianna said, turning her back to gathering her things.
“Come on Tia.” Aaron implored.
“No Aaron!” Tianna said firmly, turning busing herself gathering her things from the vanity.
“Come on Tee, just a little of her background, what could it hurt,” Aaron implored annoyingly.
“What difference does it make Aaron you are to stay away from her, I mean it.” Tianna warned.
Martin listened as his wife and best friend went back and forth. . Aaron was his best friend, and renowned womanizer and he did not apologize for his love of the female race. He boasted as long as there are single women, he would be forever a bachelor. After he married Tianna, the women assumed Aaron would now be in the market for a wife and seem to come out of the woodworks. Of course, Aaron was delighted with his newfound popularity and becoming one of the top ten most sought after bachelor in Atlanta. He shook his head; Aaron wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted from Tia. He didn’t worry about Aaron become a nuisances; his wife could handle herself and Aaron knew her well enough to know when he has gone too far.
“You are working my last nerve Aaron,” Tia declared menacingly.
“Come on Tee,” Aaron continued to beg. Tianna exhaled, he was really wearing her down.
“Oh alright, but if you…”
“I won’t, I won’t,” Aaron interrupted.
“She from Atlanta, no family, she lives alone; she works as a maid at the Peachtree Ritz, that how I met her, she was singing, let’s see…oh she 26 years old, single and not interested in you,”
Tia said pointing at him. “Now leave me alone!”
Aaron smiled covertly. Tianna frowned, her eyes narrowing, instantly knowing that look on that handsome face.
“Aaron don’t even think about it, I think she been through a lot of things in her life, she doesn’t talk much and I didn’t pry.”
Aaron tried to look wounded. “Do you really think I’m that heartless Tia?”
“No Aaron, you love women, and lots of them, I can’t see Asia as one of them, she a nice person, and I will not allow you to ruin her as you’ve done to so many others, so leave it alone Aaron, please.”
An unexpected knock sounded on the door, Tianna pulled open the door. Asia stood tears streaming down her flushed face, visible trembling and frightened. Tianna pulled her inside the room.
“Asia what’s wrong?” Tianna asked concerned, searching her face.
“It’s dark, I can’t do it,” Asia said unsteadily, holding on to Tianna hand tightly, on the verge of hysteria.
“Come, sit down Asia.” Tianna said soothingly, leading her into the room. Asia sat, Tianna stooped down in front of her, handing her a tissue.
Asia wiped her eyes. “I should have told you, I never go out at night, just this one time I thought I could do it, but I can’t…I can’t do it,” Asia cried covering her face.
“It’s okay Asia we’ll take you home.” Tianna replied sympathetically, rising to her feet.
Aaron and Martin watched sincerely concerned. Aaron’s eyes gazing intently at Asia. It broke his heart to see tears running down her beautiful face. She truly was afraid; he could see the way her hands trembled as she wiped her eyes. Aaron glanced over at Martin; his attention was on his wife and the very distraught woman.
He was confused. What was the emotion he was feeling because of her tears? He has seen women cry before, mostly over him and he was always impassive, but this woman’s tears caused his chest tighten and gave him the urge to do something crazy like take her in his arms to reassure and comfort her.
Martin looked over at Aaron, watching his reaction to Asia, as Tia consoled her. A lopsided smile curled Martin lips. If he didn’t know, better he’s think Aaron affected by Asia’s distress. Aaron simply stared at her, his face expressing his sorrow.
“Come on you two,” Tianna ordered to Martin and Aaron.
At that moment Asia’s head rose, her eyes met Aaron’s. He stared almost mesmerized. Aaron was lost. Martin glanced over at Aaron when he heard Aaron breath hitch in his throat; Martin was just waiting for Aaron to clutch his chest. Martin smiled. He knew Aaron had just experienced the same thing he felt when he met Tianna for the first time. Martin leaned to Aaron smiling.
“If you’re not careful, you’re going to get caught,” Martin whispered to his friend.
Aaron looked at Martin frowning.
“What?” Aaron said confusion on his face. Martin just laughed.
Asia could not look away. Her mouth parted, her stomach tightened, and she could barely breathe. She has never seen such a handsome man. He had strong, angular face; skin the color of maple, dark brown eyes with the longest lashes she’d ever seen on a man; full sensually shaped lips, an aristocratic nose, with a slight flare to nostrils. Their eyes met and held her eyes. The intense emotion that began to appear in them scared her. She tried to drag her gaze away from his but for some reason she was spellbound.
“Let’s go,” Tianna, ordered breaking the moment. Asia lowered her eyes, her face heated.
. Tianna and Martin left the dressing room followed by Asia and Aaron. When the stage door opened, Asia stopped so suddenly Aaron almost run into her. She could feel the panic rise up inside her as the darkness seemed to surround and suffocate her. .
“Aaron turned her to face him Asia?” Aaron said concerned. With fearful eyes, she looked up at him. He could feel her trembling beneath his hands.
“Asia, are you alright?”
Tianna and Martin turned when they realized Asia and Aaron were not following. Tianna rushed back to them, concern etching her face.
“Asia, what’s wrong?”
“I can’t, I’m sorry,” she muttered, tears welling in her eyes.
Tianna looked at Martin and Aaron. “Sh... Sh, it’s okay, we won’t let anything happen to you, I promise,” she said trying to reassure her.
“Asia,” Aaron said her name softly, taking her hand in his. Asia’s head turned to look at him. “We won’t let anything happen to you, I promise,”
Asia studied his face. Could she trust him, with his warm brown sultry eyes, eyes that did not show the pity she expected to see, just concern. Her hand tightened around his. She nodded.
Tianna looked from Asia to Aaron, surprised by what she saw. Aaron was genuinely concerned about Asia.
“Okay, let’s get you home,” Tianna said with a smile.
Asia directed them to where she lives. Tianna couldn’t believe what she saw. The area was deplorable. Tianna looked at Asia, no wonder she didn’t come out at night. This was a side of life as an African American that she knew nothing about, unless she heard it on the news or movies she seen focusing on life in the ghetto. It brought tears to her eyes. She understood now why Asia was so frighten at night.
The area was dank and dirty, The some houses and apartment buildings on the block were grouped together with small shabby yards that looked as if they had never met a lawnmower. To say this was the hood was an understatement. Children still out at this hour running and playing on the sidewalk. Groups of young men standing on the corners and sitting on stoops drink from bag paper bags. Rap music played so loud they could hear the bass vibrating in the car as they passed the blocks. Flickering streetlight flickered off and on, some illumining abandon stripped cars parked in various locations on the street. As they drove further into the neighborhood it didn’t appear to get any better.
Tia turned looking back at Asia. “Asia?” Tianna said frowning.
Shame went through Asia. Asia heard Mrs. Holland gasped. She glanced at the man beside her as he took in the deplorable sight of the neighborhood she live in.
“Its okay, I’ve lived here most of my life, I usually don’t come out at night. Here this is where I live,” she said looking out the window. Tia and Aaron exchanged looks. In her eyes she saw the pity. What did she expect from these obvious wealthy people? This was her home. At least she had a roof over her head. She would take living in this shabby decrepit house over living homeless on the streets. It was hers mortgage free. She was accustomed to seeing men handing out on their stoops drinking from paper bags. Seeing hustlers selling t shirts and hot jewelry was a daily occurrence in the neighborhood. Asia knew she was poor and lived poor. It just hurt and embarrassed her when wealthy people pity her.
“Thank you,” she muttered shyly. “Can you wait until I get inside?” she asked.
“I’ll walk you,” Aaron offered, opening the door for her. She put her small hand in his. “Thank you,” she said softly. Aaron stepped aside to let her pass, but she didn’t let go of his hand, pulling him along with her.
Tianna rolled her window down. “Asia come by the studio tomorrow.”
Aaron walked her to the door and didn’t leave until he heard four clicks indicated that she had locked herself in.
Asia let herself into the house and locked her door, keeping out the danger she knew larked outside her door. Because she knew that with the coming of night that the neighborhood drug dealers, crack heads, prostitutes and pimps would be out doing business. Her two bedroom one bath house didn’t have much but her second hand furniture which had seen better days. Her home was neat and clean with the small amount of furnishings that were arranged in the living room. She knew it wasn’t much but it was her home.
Chapter Two
Asia arrived outside the studio early the following morning. She eased open the door and was greeted by a friendly middle-aged woman who sat behind a desk in the reception area. Quietly Asia told her who she was. The woman told her that Mrs. Holland was
expecting her and showed her in to one of the rehearsal rooms where she was to await Mrs. Holland.
All night Asia wondered why Mrs. Holland wanted to see her. So many things went through her head. Was it possible she didn’t like her performance, she thought. No, she had already said she was pleased. Then why? Asia frowned, silently berated herself. She should have never let them see where she lives, she thought; and Aaron. She groaned. He must really think she some sort of ghetto dweller.
Asia sighed. He was the most handsome man she has ever seen up close. She had seen handsome men before from afar, but she never actually met any. She bet his handsome face affected all women, she knew for certainly he affected her. Get yourself together Asia chided herself. A man like Aaron Harrison could never be attracted to a person like her. It didn’t matter, she wasn’t interested in a relationship, and in fact she did her best to avoid having any contact with men.
After being held hostage for two years to a man, she never wanted. And for those two years, she lived in daily constant fear. God forgive her but the day Marcus had gotten himself killed, she was ashamed to admit it, but the only thing she could think of was she was free of him. During those two years in bondage, she had accepted his verbal and physical abuse on a daily basis. She still was haunted with the memories of her life with Marcus and the nightmares of the night he died.
Asia wrapped her arms around herself. Chills racing through her as recalled that fate less night sent. Marcus the neighborhood drug dealer, proclaimed king of the block. Ironically, the people that reside on the block believed it too. They knew if Marcus was crossed, it was hell to pay. One time the neighborhood watched as Marcus and his thug friends, but a man near death. So the people learned to look the other way when things happen. Whenever the police came around asking questions they all claimed they knew nothing. If Marcus found out anyone talked to the police and it didn’t matter if it involved him or not just talking to the police made him suspicious and that person would suffer Marcus cruelty. So people kept quiet.
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