by D. Camille
“Happy enough to give me a massage tonight?”
“Definitely that happy baby,” Khayla said against his lips before they went at it. Lance walked her back against one of the newly installed walls and she felt his body pressed against hers as their tongues played happily.
Khayla leaned back from him. “I want you to come over to my place tonight to discuss the wedding plans.”
Lance looked down at her swollen lips. “Cool. Is everything okay?”
She smiled. “Yes, I just want to bring you up to speed.”
“Let’s get finished here. The crew is here for another hour then we can head out.”
Khayla agreed and an hour later, Lance followed her to the apartment. She led him inside and took his jacket, hanging it in a hall closet. Smiling up at him, she took his hand and led him to the bedroom. Opening the door, she stepped aside and Lance saw a set up for a king.
Aromatherapy candles filled the room giving off a delicious scent. Black satin sheets cover the bed and in the middle was a bowl of juicy, green grapes. Lance turned to her.
“So you stealing my swag?” he asked.
“I told you, I’m from the “D”. I got my own swag.”
Lance smiled at her. “This is A1.”
Khayla took his hand and led him over to the bed. “It’s just beginning baby.”
At the bed, she began to slowly undress him. “I have a bath for you.”
He lifted a brow. “A bath? How you do that?”
“I take care of business too,” she purred as her hands moved to his jeans. She unfastened his belt then his pants. Slipping her hand inside, she cradled his warmth.
“Hello Mr. Johnson,” she whispered.
Lanced leaned down and licked her lips. “I think the bath is going to be cold.”
“I can run you another one,” she breathed as he continued to tease her lips.
He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “I thought you wanted to talk about wedding plans.”
“I did…” she said breathlessly as he continued to tease her mouth.
“I’m listening Ma,” he whispered moving to her ear.
His big hand palmed her butt cheek and she moaned. “I’m supposed to be treating you tonight,” she complained as he moved from her ear to her breasts.
“You will, I won’t stop you.” Lance pulled her sweater over her head. “Right now, I need to love you Katydids.”
“I need to feel you loving me, I need to hear you say my name and be surrounded by your wetness,” he whispered holding her with sexy eyes.
“I want to feel you loving me, I want to scream your name and be surrounded by your strength,” she responded watching him closely.
Lance lifted her onto the bed and finished undressing. Khayla laid back and watched when he removed the rest of her clothing.
He climbed over her and looked down into her face as she reached up and touched his cheek. “I know you’ve had a hard day today.” Khayla lifted her arms to him. “Come home my King.”
Chapter 23
A few days later Khayla was preparing to leave her office to have dinner with Lance, Rion and Tauri. The couple had invited the pair over to their new home to get together and Khayla was looking forward to a relaxing evening with friends.
She grabbed her purse just as the phone rang on her desk. Sighing she sat her bag down and picked up the receiver.
“This is Dr. Lewis. How may I help you?”
“We don’t want to hurt you, but you’re not opening another grocery store in the city. We have control of that,” the voice said.
Khayla’s eyes narrowed. “Who is this?”
“Take the advice like everyone else who’s tried to open a store.”
“You think I’m scared?” Khayla asked. “You think you can intimidate me?”
Her hand tightened on the phone. “Let me tell you something…you may have frightened others, but not me. You won’t continue to monopolize in our community. You won’t continue to get rich off of our people without giving a damn about us!”
She took a breath. “So if you want a war…you’ve got one!” Khayla slammed the phone down and picked up her bag then headed out the door.
Fuming she drove to Rion and Tauri’s home where Lance was already waiting. He greeted her at her car and frowned when he saw her face as she stepped out of the vehicle.
“What’s up?” he asked concerned.
“I’m so damn mad!” she told him.
Lance touched her arm. “What happened?”
Khayla took a calming breath. “I got a call at my office. They were warning me about opening a new market in the city.”
Lance lifted a brow. “Warning you?”
She looked up at him. “They said they didn’t want to hurt me.”
He tilted his head. “Hurt you?” Lance scowled. “Who the hell was it?”
“I don’t know. They didn’t identify themselves,” she answered. “But it was a man and he had an accent, so he’s probably a part of the group that owns most of the grocery stores in the city.”
Lance nodded and looked down at her. “You okay?” He touched her cheek.
“I’m not scared of them,” she said adamantly.
He pulled her into his arms. “You don’t have to be scared Ma. I got this.”
Khayla looked up at him. “Lance…”
“You know I won’t stand for no shit like this…never,” he told her. “Threatening my woman? I got something for these coward ass bastards!”
“You not gonna continue shutting us out and you not gonna threaten anybody, especially you!” he finished.
Khayla wrapped her arms around his waist. “We won’t let them deter us. We know what our community needs.” She laid her head on his chest. “I will support you in whatever we need to do.”
Lance gently rubbed her back. “I know.” He kissed her cheek. “And you know I got it.”
She nodded then Lance led her into the house where Rion and Tauri were waiting, quietly watching them. They entered the foyer and Rion looked at them.
“Okay, who needs to be taken care of?” he asked and Tauri nodded in agreement.
“Some trifling ass store owners,” Lance answered and Khayla nodded in agreement.
“Let’s go sit down because I need to make sure I don’t have to prosecute my husband and friends,” Tauri told them.
The two couples headed into the living room and took their seats. Khayla relayed the story to Tauri and Rion who listened with rapt attention.
“They actually called you?” Rion questioned.
Khayla nodded. “Yes, at the office.”
“We can trace the call,” Tauri began. “We’ll need to contact Mac and Brandon.”
Lance shook his head. “This don’t make no damn sense, but they gone learn today…you messed with the wrong one.”
“The fact that large grocers up and left the city years ago, paved the way for this scenario. Now the residents have no choice but to patronize these local owners. This is a very lucrative situation for this group and they will do whatever is necessary to protect it…even to the degree of eliminating and/or shutting out the competition,” Khayla explained hotly.
Tauri looked at three angry faces. “This time can we let Mac handle it? She can’t deal with any more bodies dropping.”
Rion looked at his wife. “No bodies…,” He glanced over at Lance and Khayla. “This time.”
“We can take care of this without violence,” Tauri told them.
Lance and Khayla nodded in agreement then both said, “We’ll see.”
Tauri sighed. “I don’t know about all of you, I swear.”
“You’re one of us now,” Rion said pulling her closer. “And you’re carrying one of us.” He placed her hand on her belly.
Tauri smiled at him. “I’m still getting used to this.”
Rion kissed her softly. “We have our whole lives, Goddess.”
Khayla turned to Lance and smiled s
lowly before he leaned over and tasted her lips. When he sat up, Tauri and Rion were watching them.
“So you two finally got it together?” Rion teased them.
Lance smiled. “Yeah, I got my head right.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let her get away.”
Lance put his arm around Khayla. “I may not have graduated from college, but I’m smart as hell.” He looked at her. “When it’s time, I take care of business.”
“Yes, you do…” Khayla smiled at him and raised a hand to his face.
“Oh my god! What a beautiful ring!” Tauri exclaimed coming over to grab her hand.
Khayla beamed at her. “Lance had it custom designed.”
Tauri turned to Rion and gave him a look.
“Woman your ring came from the best jeweler in New York,” he told her. “Besides, we didn’t have time to wait for a custom creation.”
Tauri smirked. “That wasn’t my fault Orion.”
Rion stood to his feet then came to hold his wife. “I know, because when I saw you…I knew my life couldn’t start until you were mine.”
He lifted her face to his. “And I would do it the same way all over again for you.”
Tauri wrapped her arms around his neck staring at the sparkling diamond on her hand. “I love my ring young god and I’m not complaining…because you are a custom creation.”
Rion looked over at Lance and winked. “Watch and learn, young Negus.”
Lance laughed. “Teach that to your brother.”
Rion shook his head. “Nah, he not ready for this.”
Lance turned to Khayla. “Do I need to take notes Ma?” he asked holding her gaze.
Khayla shook her head. “No, you’re good baby.”
Rion smiled and led Tauri back over to the sofa. He sat cuddling her next to him.
“So tell us about the wedding,” Tauri prompted with excitement.
“It’s in a month. I’m inviting everyone...” Khayla happily informed her. “It’s going to be so beautiful!”
Lance caught Rion’s gaze. “Let me holla at you while the queens discuss the wedding.”
Khayla looked at him suspiciously. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, go ahead and tell Tauri the plans. I’m just going to catch up with Rion,” he explained.
“Okay…” Khayla said slowly.
The women watched them leave the room. Lance and Rion entered another room and closed the door before taking seats facing one another.
“You look troubled. What’s up?” Rion asked. “And your ass better not tell me you’re having second thoughts or I’m about to hurt you.”
Lance shook his head. “Nah, never second thoughts about Katydids. She’s the one…always has been.”
“Then what’s up?”
“It’s this wedding. I’m worried that one of these females out here might nut up…for real.” Lance let out a breath. “I can’t have Khayla’s day messed up.”
Rion shook his head. “That’s messed up.”
“I know. I don’t want to tell Khayla…cause we all know Khayla…” Lance gave him a look. “She’ll flip the script completely.”
“Yeah, we don’t need another Karen incident in the city.”
Lance frowned. “Khayla didn’t do that.”
“Is that what she said?” Rion asked lifting a brow. “Or what you want to believe?”
“Nah, that’s not Katydids.” Lance shook his head. “She wanted to get at Karen but she wouldn’t take a risk like that…tracking down somebody and shooting them in the back.”
Rion gave him a look. “You do know the Lewis family right?” he asked confused.
“Look, I’m talking about the wedding,” Lance changed the subject. “I’m trying to figure out what to do.”
Lance sat back. “Miles was joking about having security, but I might have to do just that.”
“I can’t wait to see this,” Rion sat back in his chair.
“You sound like your brother.”
Rion laughed. “Have you told him about this?”
Lance frowned. “I thought if I talked to the brother who graduated from Stanford, he’d have some ideas.”
“Hey, don’t be mad at me. I only had to deal with one crazy woman…you’ve got an entire damn city of them to deal with,” Rion returned.
“I need a plan.”
Rion thought for a moment. “I have a friend who runs a security company. Let me call him and see if he has any ideas on how to do this.”
He pulled out his phone and made the call. “Sun God! It’s Rion.”
“The young god…how is everything? Any more problems?” Ray Parker answered.
“I’m good. Tauri and the baby are fine,” Rion told him. “Congratulations on your new baby goddess. How is your wife, Isabelle?”
“My Moon and Skye are doing well.”
Rion smiled. “You named your daughter Skye?”
“Yes, I found my Moon and now I have my Skye,” Ray said happily.
Rion got to the point of his call. “I was calling because I’m sitting here with one of the Negus, Lance. He’s getting married in a month but he has a small issue…”
“What’s up?” Ray inquired.
Rion looked at Lance. “Well it seems his playa ways have caught up with him. He’s concerned that some of his, uh…females might have a problem with him being taken off the market and might try to crash the wedding.”
“He’s wondering if he should get some security, but doesn’t want to alert his fiancée, because she’s possibly an assassin and we don’t want her to strike again.”
Lance frowned at him.
“Any way, I just wanted to find out if you had any suggestions of how he can get this done,” Rion finished.
“Send me the date and a layout of the venue. I’ll send a crew. They know how to be discreet and handle business,” Ray told him.
Rion looked at Lance again. “Ray says he’s sending a crew to man the wedding.”
“How much is that hitting for?” Lance asked.
Turning his attention back to the phone, Rion asked, “How much will that cost Ray?”
“He’s a Negus. What you dudes are doing there in Detroit, I’ll do whatever I can to help out. Tell Bruh, this one’s on the Sun God.”
Rion smiled. “Thanks Ray. I’ll get back with you on the details.”
Lance watched as Rion ended the call then turned to him. “Ray’s taking care of everything. He appreciates what you do for the city.”
“Damn, for real?” Lance asked surprised. “He got it like that?”
“The Sun God is an interesting dude. If he ever comes to Detroit, I’ll introduce you,” Rion said smiling. “Now you can rest easy and marry that cutie pie. If I hadn’t met Tauri, I thought I was going to have to wife her.”
Lance gave him a look. “Brandon said the same thing.”
“Brandon and I aren’t stupid. We weren’t going to let some unworthy dude claim that black queen. Some brothers can’t appreciate a woman that good. They break their hearts and make them bitter. Khayla deserved a King and she was going to get one,” Rion explained.
“That’s why y’all was on my ass about her?” Lance asked.
Rion nodded. “She wanted you but she needed you to step your game up to have her.”
Lance agreed. “I wasn’t going to let anybody rush or pressure me. I waited until I knew that I would be the man worthy of her. I could never come short with Katydids.”
“I love her too much to ever hurt her again,” Lance said passionately.
Rion’s eyes narrowed. “We all know that something happened between you and Khayla in the past. Since Khalil didn’t kill you, we figured you and Khayla worked it out.”
“If you hurt Khayla, you know that you’ll have me, Brandon, Khalil and Corvus on your ass…” Rion vowed. “Negus or no negus, we don’t play about our Goddesses.”
Lance smiled. “I got it. My Queen has nothing to worry about.”
Rion nodde
d and stood to his feet. “We shouldn’t leave those two alone for too long.”
Lance followed. “Yeah, I know.”
*********
Miles opened the door to Pam Shaw and smiled.
“Hi Mrs. Shaw.”
Pam opened her arms to him. “Miles, how are you honey?”
He embraced her. “I’m good…working.” Miles pulled back. “I’m going to be going to school soon. Film school.”
Pam touched his young face. “That’s wonderful. I’m proud of you and if you need anything you know where to find me.”
Miles smiled. “Yes ma’am.”
“I came to see your mother. Is she awake?” Pam asked.
He nodded. “She’s in her room…where she stays.”
Pam smiled at him then headed down the hall. At the room she knocked softly before hearing a faint hello. Opening the door, she walked inside.
“Hello Pat,” she greeted walking over to the bed.
Pat looked at the woman who’d basically stolen her son, in her mind.
“What you doing here?” Pat demanded.
Pam lifted brow. “I’m here to visit you.”
“I didn’t ask for no visitors.”
Pam smiled. “You didn’t have to.”
Pat sat up very slowly. “What can I do for you Pam?”
“I came to talk Pat.” Pam took a seat in a nearby chair.
Pam stared at her. “Talk about what?”
“Lance and Khayla,” Pam answered.
“What about them?” Pat snapped.
Pam took a deep calming breath. “Lance is like a son to me and we both know how long he’s loved Khayla,” she began. “And although he loves Khayla, he loves his mother more than anything. He’s proven it his entire life.”
“I want you to think of someone other than yourself; think of Lance. Think of how much he wants you to be at his wedding…to see him marry the woman he loves.”
“The woman that will give you grandchildren,” Pam finished.
Pat looked away and Pam continued. “I know you love him Pat.”
“Of course I love him. He’s my son,” Pat said quietly. “I want him to be happy.”
“I never tried to take him away from you Pat. I just tried to fill in where you weren’t able to.” Pam told her. “Both Assata and myself.”
“We saw this handsome, sweet little boy who only cared about his mother getting better. When he asked George for a job at the bookstore, he was only fourteen. He’s been working everyday ever since. It broke our hearts when he dropped out of school, but he continued to work providing for both you and Miles.”