by H. H. Fowler
Levi got that it wasn’t normal for the average guy to accept a ‘readymade’ package that came with its own unique set of instructions, but what Yasmine didn’t understand was that he wasn’t the average guy. He took chances when it came down to his happiness. The fact that Yasmine had saved him from a life of regrets, and from longing for a married woman who had made it clear that she intended to stay with her husband, made Yasmine a fine catch in Levi’s eyes. He appreciated the fact that Yasmine was okay with his fleeting nostalgia of Sasha and its crippling effects which Levi had yet to fully empty out of his soul. But more importantly, Yasmine understood his plight and gave him space to deal with his messed up emotions.
But apart from that, Levi was genuinely fond of Yasmine. He felt comfortable sharing his deepest secrets with her and not having to worry about her taking things out of context. The circumstances of her life mirrored his own in so many ways that Levi was convinced that those similarities were the catalyst that had brought them together. In any event, there was real chemistry between them and Levi felt that it was the starting block to building a long and healthy marriage. If only he could get Yasmine to fully believe that he was the right man for her and that she was the right woman for him.
Levi relaxed his head against the headrest, his gaze casually resting on his chocolate-covered skin. A dark, smooth texture that brought to mind the witticism between him and Sasha during the months before her marriage to Drake. He remembered telling Sasha that Hersey’s chocolate had gotten its name from observing his complexion. She tried to hide her smile with her hands, but Levi could see that Sasha was impressed with his ability to make her laugh, but even more importantly, she could be herself around him. That statement, however corny it seemed now, was one of his best pickup lines to date, and it still elicited a smirk whenever the scene replayed in his head.
Soon, Levi’s thoughts continued in a direction he’d tried to avoid all morning and before he knew it, he was thinking strongly about the reason why Sasha was trying to reach him. At first, ignoring her calls felt good, as it served as a form of revenge for the pain she’d caused him these past months. However, the feeling was short lived. He was actually starting to feel worried, because he knew Sasha would not have called him so many times back to back if it wasn’t important. So against his better judgment, Levi pulled out his cell phone and punched in Sasha’s phone number. But he hung up almost immediately, deciding to send a text instead. Hearing her voice may cause a relapse in his emotions.
“For you to call me this many times, it has to be important,” he texted. “What do you want?”
Levi stared at the phone, waiting for Sasha to respond. She did, but not in the way Levi was expecting.
“You are such a selfish prick,” she typed. “How dare you resign when you know those boys are depending on you to take them to the national championship? And I would have you to know that I’m being blackmailed by one of those little rugrats.”
“Do you expect me to take you seriously, after all the games you’ve played with my heart? You don’t have any say in how I live my life. And if you’re being blackmailed, you probably deserve it.”
“Oh really? I bet you won’t be saying that nonsense once you’ve watched this…”
There was a pause and then Levi’s phone suddenly buzzed with a message. It was a video attachment from Sasha. Levi clicked on it and an intense scene with him and Sasha making out in the boys’ locker room came into view. The pleasure on their faces was authentic and any casual observer could see that they were deeply enamored with each other. The ultimate betrayal, which was even greater than actually going through with the entire sexual act.
“Where’d you get this?”
Sasha responded to Levi’s question by calling his phone. Levi didn’t hesitate in answering it, as his heart was pounding at the bottom of his feet.
“I am on a house tour with my husband,” she spat in hushed tones after locking herself in a bathroom. “Which means I don’t have time to explain anything to you, except to tell you to call Mrs. O’Grady and tell her that you want your job back.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m not calling anyone.”
“What is wrong with you, Levi? You can’t help making a mess everywhere you go.”
“So this is my mess now?”
“Of course it is!”
“You followed me into the boy’s locker room,” Levi reminded Sasha.
“And you forced yourself on me,” Sasha retorted.
Levi bristled at the statement. “That’s what you hoped would happen, but the clip clearly shows that you wanted me just as much as I wanted you. No way for you to wiggle your way out of this one, Sasha and leave me to fend for myself – like you always do.”
There was a pause on Sasha’s end, as it seemed as if Levi’s words had struck a chord.
“With or without your help,” she said, breaking the pause, “I intend to tell Drake the truth. But the least you could do is accompany those boys to the national championship. Why did you resign at a time when they needed you the most?”
“I’m not obligated to tell you the reasons why I resigned,” Levi said. “But I will tell you that I have spoken to my former basketball coach who agreed to accompany the team. He should be bringing Mrs. O’Grady up to speed as we speak, letting her know that he will fill in until the school finds another instructor. The man is as good as they come.”
“And you think that will take care of the problem?” Sasha lashed out. “Myles Deveron wants you as his coach, not some old fart who he doesn’t know or who he hasn’t trained with the last two years of his life! Why do you think he’s blackmailing me? And I know it’s him because he believes I’m responsible for your resignation.”
“Now wait a minute. What does Myles have to do with any of this?”
Levi was so caught up in his conversation with Sasha that he barely noticed when Yasmine unexpectedly opened the passenger door and sat down next to him. Even if Levi wanted to pretend as if he were talking to someone else, it was too late. He was yelling out Sasha’s name and arguing with her as if she was indeed his wife.
“Listen to me,” Sasha demanded.
“No, you listen to me, Sasha! Don’t you go pinning this foolishness on that boy,” Levi warned. “He has his entire career before him…that email could have come from anyone…hello? Hello!” With the connection brutally cut, Levi threw his phone on the dashboard and struck the steering wheel. “I hate that woman with everything inside of me!”
Yasmine stared straight ahead, not knowing how to respond to this man she was supposed to marry in less than an hour. It was not that she couldn’t tolerate Levi’s erratic mood swings or his inability to resist the urge of contacting Sasha, because she too (Yasmine) was trying to empty her soul of the past hurts and disappointments in her life. But ever since her near death experience in Tampa, being locked up in the trunk of a car, she craved some form of stability for her future. And the gallant way in which Levi had come to her rescue, Yasmine was almost sold on the idea that Levi could actually provide what she needed. That was a month ago, but now Yasmine wasn’t so sure.
“You don’t hate her,” she finally said, turning her gaze to Levi. “You’re in love with her…and she is in love with you. The world seems to stop whenever you two talk to each other – no matter if you’re arguing or not…I can’t contend with that. You are only deluding yourself if you think this kind of love is going away anytime soon.”
Levi didn’t agree – at least he wanted to believe that Yasmine was wrong – for the sake of his heart and for the sake of his future. “Sasha has made her choice and so have I,” he said. “I intend to marry you.”
“And end up hating me for the rest of your life? I don’t think so. You will wake up one day and realize that you’ve made a mistake.”
“But I do care about you…I care about you a whole lot. I know things look a little hazy at the moment, but we have been given a fresh start to make each other happy.”
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Yasmine rubbed Levi’s arm in a supportive manner. “I don’t doubt that I could be happy with you. You are a loving and caring man who is even willing to raise someone else’s child as your own. I always tell you that Sasha is a fool to have let you slip through her fingers. Men like you are very rare and I thank God for the day you came into my life. But I can’t marry you, Levi. It wouldn’t be fair to you, to me or to this baby I’m carrying.”
Levi turned away, fearing if he responded at that moment, he would say something that could push Yasmine away for good. He released his foot from the brake and allowed the car to roll forward into the street. Before the detour, they were on their way to the Justice of the Peace to get married and he still intended to steer the course of their destination. Whether Yasmine married him today or not, he wasn’t going to allow her to give up on them that easily.
When you hurt the one you love, you are bound to hurt yourself.
Love Quotes Plus
Chapter Five
The Smithson Hotel – 11:11a.m.
Rena parked the rental car under the portico – disregarding the “No Parking” zone. She would be in and out of her hotel room in no time flat as she only needed to shower and change out of the clothes she’d had on after spending the night at Lewis’ home. He suggested that she hang out with him for the remainder of her stay in Devin’s Cay. Maybe she would; maybe she wouldn’t. She’d enjoyed Lewis’ company so much that she was actually considering taking him up on his offer. That way, Lewis would continue to fill her in on those years she missed while away from her father when she lived abroad in Paris.
Up until three o’clock this morning, she and Lewis had talked at length about her motherless childhood, her troubled teen years and how Rena’s father had longed to reconcile with her. However, Rena’s rebellious nature had made it difficult for father and daughter to find that place where they’d once connected. But for the first time in over twenty years, Rena felt like a huge load had been lifted off of her shoulders, as she poured her heart out to Lewis. She admitted that she actually cared for her father and when she heard of his unexpected death, her heart was broken, because she hadn’t made the effort to tell him how sorry she was for all the pain she’d caused.
Such an unusual night it was for her – to have found solace in a man she’d threatened to kill with a .357 Magnum just hours before. Who would have thought that her father’s lawyer would have been the one to bring some sense to her twisted world? In good spirits, Rena entered the hotel lobby. The handgun was stashed safely in her handbag to be returned to the store where she’d purchased it. In retrospect, Rena wondered what had gotten into her to have become so spiteful and greedy for an inheritance that she didn’t deserve. It wasn’t Lewis’ fault that her father had distributed his estate the way he did. Granted it still pained Rena the way things had turned out, but she had finally made peace with herself and with her father’s final wishes. Her only regret was waiting twenty years to discover what an ungrateful fool she’d been.
She walked hastily toward the open elevator, her short strides racing to cover the distance. So running into Armando was the furthest thing from her mind, but had she turned just slightly to her left, she would have seen him rising from a leather couch, running behind her with matching speed. And as he’d done the other night, he pressed against the elevator doors to stop them from closing. Rena’s gaze connected with the handsome beau and within a second, which seemed to stretch far beyond a minute, she had assessed his entire appearance.
His dreadlocks were twisted into a messy knot, which actually accentuated his chiseled jawline rather than toning down the look that Armando was going for. He wore white linen shorts with a matching linen shirt that was opened at the collar. A pair of leather flip-flops completed the look. However, Rena fought to keep from showing that she was impressed by what she saw, especially when she remembered how Armando had conveniently forgotten to mention that he had a wife who happened to be pregnant with his first child. Rena suddenly wished she’d sent Lewis to the hotel to collect her things and then drop her off at the airport.
“I didn’t think I would ever see you again,” he said to her, as the elevator doors closed behind him. “I just hope it isn’t too late to apologize for my insensitivity.”
Three other persons were sharing the same space with them, but with Armando and Rena staring into each other’s eyes, it was as if it was just the two of them – taken back in time to their first and only kiss.
****
Annalise stepped out into the hall and made the short distance from her room to Room 5020. She felt emboldened when she swiped the electronic key through the card slot and saw the flash of a green light. It confirmed that she’d successfully accessed Rena’s private sanctuary. Now she was able to look around and gain a little insight into the whore who’d stolen Armando’s heart. Such knowledge could also be useful in helping Armando to see that Rena was mentally challenged and genetically deformed, looking to be barely five feet tall with feet as small as the palms of her hands.
If Armando wanted powerfully-built offspring with a natural propensity for sports and other varying forms of elitism, then of course, Annalise knew she would fit the criterion. Rena certainly would not be a suitable candidate to bear Armando’s children. And Annalise would be sure to drill that in Armando’s head. A smirk toyed with the edges of her lips as she quietly pushed open Rena’s room door and sniffed the air for any signs of life. No perfume; no other obvious female scents to upset Annalise. It was a serene atmosphere, which could only mean one of two things in Annalise’s mind: Rena was still asleep or she was not in the room at the moment.
Either way, Annalise was not leaving Rena’s room until she was satisfied with her find. The space was set up the same as hers and Armando’s, so Annalise hadn’t a problem figuring out where her initial inspection would take her. As far as she could see, the bed looked as if it had just been made and the small kitchenette was sparkling. She looked to the right and saw that the bathroom door had been left ajar, but from the looks of things, the bathroom seemed to have recently been cleaned as well.
Annalise grinned, as she imagined Rena dressed in a maid’s uniform. What a sight that would be. A short, stubby woman on her knees waxing Annalise’s expensive floors. However, the thought quickly flew to the back of Annalise’s mind as she moved forward toward the bedroom section. And even though Annalise was eight months pregnant, she walked briskly, as if she didn’t have a pain or ache in her joints. There was no time for any delays anyway. She had to move quickly and be back into her room before Armando started looking for her.
But as confident as Annalise may have appeared in another’s woman’s domain, she wasn’t prepared for what would transpire next. Rena’s room door suddenly swung open and the sounds of two people groaning in pleasure could be heard filling the small foyer. Annalise froze when she saw that it was her husband, locking lips with the five-foot midget. The fact that Armando had to lift Rena from the floor, only proved to Annalise that Rena was genetically deformed.
But genetically deformed or not, Annalise was taken aback by the way her husband was all over Rena. He lowered Rena on the sofa and began to rip at her clothes as if he hadn’t had sex in years, when Annalise knew she gave it to him on a regular. Rena reciprocated with the same intensity, pulling Armando on top of her. Twenty years of being away from each other was too long for them to argue about why Armando hadn’t mentioned to Rena that he was married, or that he was expecting a baby.
Little had been said between the short walk from the elevator to the fifth floor. All they knew was they had a small window of opportunity to be together and as sinful and as egregious as their actions were, neither wanted to concede that what they were about to do could change their lives forever. However, they didn’t concern themselves about the consequences, except to satisfy a deep, burning desire that had been hidden within them for so long.
Well, Annalise wasn’t going to interrupt – at least no
t in the way she would have. The old Annalise would have made a scene by now, scrapping like a wild animal and making a complete fool out of herself. Annalise knew such behavior could work against her, driving Armando closer to Rena and away from her and their baby. Rena was Armando’s first love and because of this Annalise had to play her cards right, if she wanted Armando to stay with her. So instead of acting ‘out,’ Annalise stood still, trying to compose herself. She managed to at least minimize the trembling in her knees so that she was able to put one foot ahead of the other.
Her eight-month belly felt twice as heavy, suddenly feeling the onset of a sharp pain pressing against her lower abdomen. It felt as if she were about to go into labor at any moment. But she had to get out of the room without being noticed. Her plan was to return to Rena’s room later that night when Rena was asleep and impale her through the head with a screwdriver. That way, no one would have a clue as to who’d murdered that dumpy-looking slut. But Annalise needed not worry about being seen, because Armando and Rena were so consumed by their lust for each other, that neither of them noticed when she slipped by with her protruding stomach.
And as fate appeared to have it, Rena’s handbag was on the floor, thrown haphazardly near the door. Annalise exited out into the hall, but right before she closed the door, she got down on her knees, despite the weird feeling in her stomach. She quickly pulled Rena’s handbag through the opening and then eased back across the hall, back to her own room. You sneaky little witch! The thought caused Annalise to toss Rena’s handbag with such vehemence that the contents went flying in several directions.
“I can’t believe the audacity of that whore! She’s trying to steal my husband, right from beneath my nose! But, I’ll make that whore pay for her whoring ways!”