Justice Black: The Game Never Ends
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Justice concluded when it came to surprises, crying described her.
Later that night Justice told Kaitlyn that Ron and Jeri were practically inseparable, and Julie and BenBen were taken with her. He worried he may lose Jeri.
“I don’t think you have to worry about Jeri. Besides, her cousin Renitha will be good for you.” Kaitlyn giggled. “But you may need to worry about Caldwell; he was with Gwen when she came to the office to apologize to everyone.”
“I know.” Caldwell, in colorful words, had already described how he’d made Gwen apologize. He wasn’t holding his breath on Caldwell and Gwen.
“I’ll make damn sure Ron is stuck with Renitha.”
Lucca beamed through the wedding. Laila cried. Wil glowed on Trenton’s arm. Rayford and Gracie smiled for the happiness Justice had finally found.
Kaitlyn loved Justice’s family. It was a shock seeing Justice, his father, Jeremiah, and the young nephews together; their looks and habits were remarkably similar, right down to pushing their hands in their pockets. His family overwhelmingly welcomed her with many hugs. After Jeremiah and Lucca showed everyone a surprise video of her performance, Justice and his entire family gathered her and Lucca for a traditional celebratory family dance. They were truly accepted into the family.
Lucca tearfully hugged his sister before he left with Jeremiah. “Sis, you’ve made us a family again. Dad and Momma would be very happy. Thanks again for the insurance money; you didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did, Lucca. It’s what Momma and Dad would have wanted.”
As part of the honeymoon, Justice took her on a jazz cruise and fishing. Of course there were plenty of night crawlers.
Three months later, Kaitlyn reached inside of their bedside table drawer and slapped a sheet of paper on Justice’s chest. “Thanks for not clearly saying what you meant.”
Justice chuckled as he read the letter but immediately rubbed his face and wiped his grin away.
“Honestly, Duchess, when I first saw you in your doorway, you were my gem. I knew you were the one. I wanted you.” Then he smugly said, “Besides, after I kissed you and you didn’t lay me out with that bat, I wasn’t going to stop there. I knew I had a chance.”
“Did you now?” She blushed. “But Jeremiah—”
“Jeremiah is good. Honey, we’ve always known what we were doing. We love each other. Although,” he warned her, “we are not going to compete with Rayford; we are not having four babies. Is that understood?”
“You’re cheating. They’re all twins.” With a tiny gleam in her eyes, she gave him a smirk.
Justice pulled her onto his lap and whispered, “Duchess, you’ve given me everything.”
“And you’ve given me everything.” She held his small finger. “The day after I told you everything, I threw the scissors away.”
“Good. You don’t need them anymore.”
Life was beginning to look good. They laughed together and argued in different languages. Justice believed Melchizedek could finally rest but while Dillon was on an assignment in the Middle East, he was captured by Legion-trained terroists. Justice left to safely bring him home. As always, forget-me-nots were delivered to Kaitlyn until he returned three weeks later.
With a laugh, Pen had hinted at retirement and Justice being his replacement. Justice laughed thinking back on how Pen had charmed Laila during the wedding ceremony. But Justice didn’t fool himself. Dragus was still out there, free for now, hunting. Justice knew the game never ended, and no condition was ever permanent. A day after he’d returned from the Middle East, a photo of a badly mutilated body labeled number 13 was delivered to him at Bandlo Inc. The message along with it said: ‘This one is on you.’
Dedication and Thanks
This book is dedicated in memory of my mother, Cutee Reynolds Smith; my grandfather Emmett Reynolds; and my uncle O. D. Reynolds who were great storytellers. Thanks go to my daughters, Nyuieko and Senam; my sister Sandra D. Smith (Miss Sandy); and friends who have encouraged and supported me.
Marie Young
Pamela Law
Latifu Munirah
Henry Franklin
Carolyn Carras
Ledell Tucker
Ann Collentine
Linda Diggs
Karen Hamilton