by Tiana Laveen
He didn’t let the woman he was plowing behind your back go… if you only knew, Amara…
From the corner of his eye, he caught Demetrius drawing closer. Perhaps he wished to intervene… or maybe he wanted in on the action. Vangelis wasn’t certain and at that moment as he clutched the fabric of his brother’s shirt tightly in his fists, he didn’t give a shit.
“Don’t uh… you know… say anything about uh, well, you know…” Nico blabbered.
The man’s audacity astounded him.
“Still only thinking about yourself! You were the only person I told about my girlfriend and you know how Mom is.”
“How Mom is?! Really?! How am I, Angel?!” He ignored his mother and carried on, trying with all of his might to talk himself out of headbutting the son of a bitch. “I was going to handle it; it was my choice, my life! I had it all planned out how I was going to talk to them, no tension, but now it’s all up in smoke. You stole that from me. You’ve done this… you’ve ruined everything! No wonder you’ve been avoiding me and acting so strange tonight. I’m your fall guy, huh? Your own brother! Your friend! You’re so selfish! Fuck you! I can’t wait until you get what you damn well deserve.”
“Vangelis! You’re acting crazy! Leave your brother alone! And what horrible words coming from you… geesh!” Mom’s voice rang out, as if she were now suddenly appalled by his language. The woman only cursed during her waking hours and then cursed some more in her dreams.
He shook his brother loose. The man tumbled to the ground like the sack of shit that he was. Amara raced over to him, as if her long lost love had seen his own life flash before his eyes. Chest heaving and sweaty, clothes disheveled, he stumbled back over to Mom who was still standing at the grill as if it needed protecting, clutching the beads of her necklace.
“Vaaaaangelis!” his father screamed out as he yanked at his arm.
He pushed the old man back.
“Dad, let go! This conversation has been long overdue and since Mom wants to have it, here we go! Number one, you didn’t even have the decency to ask me where I met her, what is she like. Her name is Sahara by the way… not that you give a damn. You didn’t even care that she’s very smart, a wonderful pediatrician!” Mom’s eyes softened as if that last bit was something to consider, but still wasn’t quite convinced. “I’ve been doing things to try and make you happy for years! Choices that weren’t always for my best interest, and I’ve had it!”
“You let that woman come between us! Our family! If you’re so happy about her, why isn’t she here, huh?! Everyone else is!” Mom waved her arm about. “We’re family!”
“She’s not here because she has to help some sick kids, Mom. Sometimes people actually choose what’s important over what makes them feel good! Imagine that!” He turned and stormed away, then paused as his eyes narrowed on Nico.
“Nico, you threw me completely under the bus. I suggest you come clean because if you don’t, you are going to see a side of me you’ve never laid eyes on. What just happened today was nothing. It was child’s play compared to what I have in store for you. And trust me, you don’t want to push me, Nico. I can wait longer than anyone to get justice, but you best believe, justice will be served! Enjoy your fuckin’ lamb chops. I see they weren’t the only things put out for slaughter…”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Door to Door Hellsman…
Sahara polished the rich, dark wood of her dining table to the tune of Jon B.’s ‘What in the World’. She moved around in a see-through, long white negligee with a matching robe, her hair tucked beneath a pale pink silk bonnet, still slightly damp from her late shower.
Let me not forget to dust that, too.
Her eyes narrowed on the cherished centerpiece, a ceramic heart around the sculpture of a loving abstract couple locked in an embrace. She smiled as she gently took hold of it and ran the green dust cloth over it, dipping in and out of the spaces in between the crevices. The smell of the lemon Pledge blended with that of the bleach and the strawberry and cream Yankee candles burning in the room.
In the mood to clean, she made her way to the small closet which housed her vacuum. Swaying her hips to the music, thoughts of Vangelis entered her mind as the sexy tune played. They’d had a wonderful dinner the previous night…
Pulling the cleaner out of the closet, she unraveled the chord and started to plug it in the wall socket when the doorbell rang. She looked over at the clock on the microwave.
10:41 P.M.
“That’s strange,” she grimaced. “I’m not expecting anyone. Who would come by this late?”
Her heart thumped in her chest as she filled with dread. Making her way down the steps to the first floor, she pulled her robe tighter against her body, adjusting the belt while hoping she’d effectively covered her breasts. When she arrived at the door, she peered through the peephole. She stood there for only a few moments, but it felt like an eternity. Her feet felt heavy and her entire soul must have been standing in quicksand. With a swallow, she stood straighter and opened the door.
There Damien stood, clutching a handful of white roses and wearing his notorious crooked smile.
“Hi, baby.” His deep voice rumbled within her as he spoke. Smooth, silky, caramel brown skin was framed by salt and pepper, neatly trimmed facial hair. “I was in the neighborhood.”
He had considerably more gray than when they’d last laid eyes on one another.
Exposing sparkling white teeth, he regarded her and they locked gazes. He slowly removed his ballcap and remained there, a faux gentleness in his hazel eyes.
“What do you want?” She adjusted her robe again, covering more of herself.
“To get my things… and just to, uh, see you. Here, I got these for you.”
He thrust his arm out, bringing the bouquet close to her face. The roses were tucked in with baby breath and wrapped in a silky red ribbon. She reluctantly took them from his grip, barely holding on to the things.
“You need to call before you just show up over here. What if I had company?”
“I tried to call you many times, baby. You never call me back.” She sucked her teeth and briefly looked away. “You can’t ignore me now. I’m here… in the flesh.” When she turned back in his direction, the demon’s eyes landed on her cleavage and the slithering lust that emitted from him like a hot vapor made her stomach churn. “Can I come in? I won’t stay long… it’s late.”
His grin grew greasier, and all of a sudden, she hated him with every fiber of her being. Yet, she refused to allow him to smell the rage that boiled within her. No, she wouldn’t dare give him the satisfaction.
“Come in. I will look around and try to find your things.” Her voice dragged at the end like a dying breath. He stepped over the threshold and she quickly closed and locked the door, then placed the flowers carelessly down onto a nearby table. The man slid his hands in his pocket and began to look about her place as if he’d never laid eyes on her digs before.
“I see you changed it up a bit, spruced it up.”
Ignoring him, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. As she opened closet doors, dresser drawers, and bathroom cabinets, she realized that those candles were still burning downstairs, and she had a bottle of wine with a glass sitting beside it. As a cherry on the icing, the soothing, sexy music was still on.
Shit.
She’d laid out all the trappings for a romantic evening to entertain herself while cleaning up. But, she knew Damien like the back of her hand—he’d take this as some sign from God, a reason to make a move on her.
I need to get his ass out of my house as soon as possible.
She moved quickly, finding things here and there shoved deep in a box or a crumbled plastic bag stored in a dark corner.
Two trophies, a couple of shirts…
She sighed as she made her way back down the steps, envisioning herself handing over the goods in hopes of never seeing him again.
“WHAT THE HELL!” The bag slipped out of her h
and in a loud thud when she caught sight of Damien lazing about on her couch, butt ass naked. “If you don’t get the hell out of here! Get your clothes on. NOW!”
He chuckled lazily as he toyed with his chest hair. Sitting up, he grabbed the base of his thick dick and stared at her as he began to stroke it nice and slow, unfazed.
“Baby, come on now. Remember how we used to be? I fucked you all over this damn house… You missed me. You know you did.”
“Damien, I am not going to tell you again. Get out.” She grabbed the bag from the floor, marched over to him, and dropped it a short distance away from his feet. Giving a loud sigh, he stood, grabbed his black shirt, and slid it back on, still wearing that slick, rattlesnake grin.
“Remember how we used to be?” he said as he slipped black boxers over his rock-hard erection. He shook his head and smiled wide as if the memories were sweeter than honey. “We had passion, baby. That’s for sure. I miss that.”
“No, what we had was mistrust, mental and emotional abuse, cheating, mind games, and a host of other things that amounted to a huge pile of relationship bullshit. You laughed at me, you mocked me, you stalked me, you tried to interfere with my last relationship, and I have no idea why I stopped Leonard from turning you inside out with his bare hands. You’d be on a milk carton by now if I hadn’t stopped him.”
“Good ol’ Leonard.” He rolled his eyes. “The big brother who can’t shake his thuggish ways. Isn’t he a little too old for that? He’s a family man now, right? Damn.”
“And so were you… so much so that you had two families at one time and neither of us knew about one another. That’s not the lane you wanna travel, dear. Ask Google Maps for a different route, the one farthest away from here.”
“You sound like you hate me…” He smiled. “That means you still care.”
“No, Damien, I’m just pissed at myself for even giving you the time of day. I care about the time lost and wasted.” She sank her teeth into her lower lip and crossed her arms over her breasts, which he still ogled during their discourse from time to time.
“All right, I was going to try to get into this later, but let me just say it.” He took a deep breath as if the world were on his broad shoulders. She wished that were the case so he would fall through the floorboards all the way back into the demonic hellish cave from which he’d risen. “I messed up, Sahara, okay? You were the best woman I ever had. I understand that now.”
“Good, glad you now know and here’s something else you should know. All the Hallmark greeting card lines you wish to toss in my direction have about as much effect on me as a Bic cigarette lighter on a glacier, an ice cube in the ocean, and a whistle in the midst of a wind storm. It makes me no difference, serves no purpose, and doesn’t change the tide. Your ship has sunk and I want you to get dressed and get out of my damn house. I found some of your stuff, so stop stalling and put some pep in your step.”
“You still have a quick tongue, I see.” He winked at her, dancing in delight on the double meaning of the words, as if he had on tap shoes. “I’m, uh, sorry for everything… but I missed you and it was drivin’ me crazy.”
“Now that you are not in the limelight all day every day anymore thinking your shit doesn’t stink, you want to drop in unannounced, show me your body, and believe that act in itself will suddenly make me want you back! What planet are you on?! I don’t want your kisses, your hugs, your flowers, your dick, your nothing. On top of it all, your apology doesn’t even sound sincere, and even if it were, I wouldn’t give a shit.”
His eyes grew wide in surprise. No doubt he didn’t expect her to state her feelings with such determination. She burned from her head to her toes with violent desires…
The man drew eerily quiet. Music continued to play in the background as he finished dressing, looking her in the eye every now and then. As he slid his shoes on, he grimaced.
“You’ve got someone else… Either you and ol’ boy got back together, or there’s another man on the scene… a new one. That’s the only explanation for this.” In a frustrated huff, he wrangled the bag from the ground, hoisted it over his shoulder and walked to the front door. “If it’s Heston, you deserve better. He’s lame. If it’s someone else that I don’t know, the least you could do is let me know who my competition is.”
“The competition, Damien, regardless of who I am seeing, is me. I am your biggest road block… your grandest opponent. And you will never run game on me again.”
She opened the door and as soon as he stepped out, he turned to her, an enraged expression on his face. “Lady, you gotta listen to the—”
She slammed the door hard in his face before he could finish his statement. After locking it, she marched away, raced upstairs, grabbed the vacuum and turned the damn thing back on. Her entire body was heated with anger and splintered memories. She paused for a spell and took a deep breath, then continued her chores, this time calmer and more in control.
You got under my skin… but I know you well, Damien, and I bet I know your next move. Like the slithering snake that you are, you will be attracted to my passion and try to wrap yourself around me—strangle my self-love, my self-esteem.
She wished Vangelis were by her side at that moment so that she could feel his kiss against her cheek and his muscular arms around her body. But he was working late, and they’d both been busier than usual these last couple of days.
After finishing the vacuuming, she polished off her glass of wine then went to the bedroom. She slumped onto the bed and slid off her slippers before picking up her phone. A voicemail notification and missed call popped up on the screen. She played it back…
“I know it’s late…” came the deep, soothing voice. She smiled and rocked back and forth on the bed while a sense of relief washed over her. He always knew what she needed and when she needed it… Vangelis’ timing was impeccable. “But you were on my mind. I really enjoyed spending time with you last night. I can still smell you on my sheets, Sahara. I didn’t wash them… I took those sheets into my hands and formed them into the shape of a woman, like God did when he reached inside of Adam, removed a rib, and created Eve. I’ve been drinking tonight. Alcohol is my truth serum, baby… the shit I want to say to you comes out, but I overthink so damn much that it rarely makes it past my vocal chords. Maybe it’s best you don’t answer your phone… I’ll regret this in the morning, or maybe I won’t. Now that I’m tipsy and I lie here beside a silk version of you, I realize… you’re the one I want. Not sure what we have here, but I know I’d go to the ends of the Earth to protect you, to make you feel pleasure in your mind, body, and soul. I’m going to fall asleep to the scent of you, and just, uh… just lie here and bask in it, hold on to your surrogate until I can once again wrap my arms around your body… kiss you all over… taste between your thighs and fuck you how you need to be fucked. I just want to love you baby… protect and serve…
…I just want to be your man… I love you, Sahara. Good night, baby…”
CHAPTER TWELVE
And the Truth Shall Set Your Brother Free…
Vangelis returned the red globe inside the curio cabinet. The light within the furniture display piece cast a beautiful soft glow upon it. He’d been spending far more time in his office than usual, working, busying himself. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he slid it out. Grimacing, he placed it back without answering it. It was his brother again…
Nico had been trying to reach him since their fall out, but he refused to speak to him. What could he say? The man had still not told his wife the truth, he’d disrupted his life in the worst of ways, and now he and Mom weren’t speaking. Vangelis would have delighted in such a thing if the situation had not exploded in the way in which it had—a lack of contact with mom would be a relief most days. He cared for her and loved her, but all he needed was just enough time away from her to clear his head of the fog she often put him in with her incessant gossiping and trivial deliberations.
He shook thoughts of Nico and h
is mother out of his mind, determined to focus on more important matters instead. As he rounded his desk to take his seat and do a bit of surfing online regarding baking soda remedies for cancer cells, he heard his doorbell ring through the wired speakers in his home. He smiled when he looked down at his watch.
She’s three minutes early…
With pep in his step, he went to the front door and opened it. Sahara stood there dressed in a white jumpsuit with a matching cloak draped around her delicate shoulders and a gold belt around her waist. Damn, he loved her style. Chic. Classy with a bit of an edge.
“You look amazing! All of this for me?” He chuckled as he took her into his arms before she could answer and escorted her inside.
“Thank you,” she replied breathlessly. She readjusted the cloak, the strap of her purse having caught in the fringes.
“Here. Let me help you with that.” He untangled the clothing from the strap and closed the door behind her.
“Nice melody.” She bopped her head, snapped her fingers, and danced around to the rhythm of the music.
“It’s Japanese jazz fusion from the 1980s. You like it, huh? I just felt like something relaxing would be really nice tonight. It’s been a long week.” He walked behind her and removed her shawl, then paused as her perfume drifted to him.
Floral with hints of vanilla and lavender… nice.
He stood there for a spell and watched her dancing. The woman seemed to disappear into her own world right before his eyes, drawing him in, and soon, he could no longer resist her.
Reaching out from behind her, he dropped gentle kisses on the back of her neck, his lower lip dragging slowly against her smooth flesh like a paint brush on canvas. When he heard a light moan, his cock thickened and stood to attention within his jeans.
“Mmmm.” He grinned. “I missed you, baby.” He turned her around to face him. Slipping his arms around her waist, he began to sway with her to the music and she lightly laughed, her voice vibrating, echoing inside his soul. He squeezed her tighter.