“Liar!”
Chapter Nineteen
Noise filled the Ocean Coast Group care facility, about thirty minutes away from Hilton Head, in a small town called Beaufort. Inside the facility near Paris Island, Zeke sat at a table tutoring a high school teenager by the name of Jaheem Parker. Using his fingers to count, Jaheem reworked the math problems on the test he’d failed.
Elbow on table, Zeke stared at the handsome African American kid with a mini afro. Handsome young fellow. Zeke stated, “Why don’t you try using mental math, like I showed you on Monday?”
Sixteen-year-old Jaheem sucked his teeth. “Man, after the day I had in school, my mental ability is shot to fucking hell.”
Zeke’s brows dipped into an affronted frown. “Hey, watch your language. Use better words when you talk to me.”
Jaheem’s lips turned under, his eyes rounded with regret. “Sorry, Mr. Balfour. I promise I’m going to work on my language. Okay?”
He looks like he’s really sorry. “All right. I hear you. I told you, you can call me Zeke.”
Holding the tip of his pencil to his math paper, Jaheem nodded. “You come here all the time, Zeke. You tutor me, and you come to my basketball games. Why are you so nice to me?”
Warmth filled Zeke’s heart as he looked at Jaheem. “Because you deserve it. You’re a good kid, Jaheem.”
Fingers spread out before his face, Jaheem kept counting his fingers. “Don’t nobody think I deserve help but you. Everybody, especially my teachers, think I ain’t gon’ be shit when I grow up.”
“Watch your language,” Zeke reminded Jaheem. This kid has a serious cussing problem.
Eyes wide, Jaheem slapped his hand over his mouth, then lowered it to the table. “Sorry. I mean, they think I’m not going to be anything when I grow up. But I’m going to do what you told me to do. I’m going to work real hard to prove all the naysayers wrong. I’m going to study my behind off and earn a scholarship.”
“As long as you keep that attitude, you’ll be successful, Jaheem. Always remember, with hard work and determination, you can do and be anything you want to be.” Zeke held out his fist, and Jaheem bumped it with his own fist.
Jaheem’s dark lips smiled across his face. “Man, you a good role model. When I become rich like you, I’m gon’ volunteer and donate to shelters, too. Just wait and see. I’m gon’—”
“Kiss my ass!” a young kid shouted.
Zeke looked up to find a chair flying over his head. He ducked, and the chair crashed into the wall in front of him. What the hell?! Instinctively, Zeke bolted from the table and ran up to the young kid.
Tempted to snatch the little young boy standing in front of him, pouting up, Zeke’s fists balled. Zeke glared down at the honey brown-complexioned kid with big, curly hair. “Hey kid, you almost cut my head off with the chair. What’s your problem?”
Frowning, the kid sucked his teeth and took a bold step forward. “It’s gon’ be you, dude, if you don’t get out my way. I just kicked Torrance’s ass, and I’ll kick yours, too!”
“Oh, it’s like that, huh?” Zeke snapped. I’ll put his skinny behind over my lap and snap him in half.
Sticking his tiny chest out, the young boy jutted his chin. “Yeah. Move, mister.”
Zeke had to calm his nerves down before speaking further to the kid, who was obviously determined to have an argument tonight. Count backwards, Zeke. Ten, nine, eight…calm your nerves. The kid may have a good reason to behave like this. Zeke’s temper quickly dissolved. “Look, I don’t know what happened to get you this fired up, but—”
“There you are!” Marva Donaldson yelled, scampering toward them, pointing her finger at the kid in front of Zeke. “Evan! Come here! You’re in big trouble.”
Evan stomped his foot. “Man, I hate it here!”
Marva fisted her hips and pointed in Evan’s face. “Now you look here, young man. I know times have been hard for you, but that doesn’t give you the right to punch someone in the face and call people names.”
Evan rolled his eyes. “Torrance hit me first. You just happened to catch me hitting him back.”
Marva took a deep breath. “What started the fight?”
Evan yelled, “He called me an Oreo, and I got mad.”
Marva stated, “That’s nothing to get mad about, Evan.”
Anger burned inside Evan’s brown eyes. “It is if you’re mixed.”
“Mixed with what?”
Big tears settled on the rims of Evan’s dark brown eyes, making Zeke feel sorry for the young boy. “Black and white. Just in case you haven’t noticed, lady, I’m biracial! Ever since I got here, they’ve been teasing me about my complexion. And I’m tired of it. Fucking tired!” Evan took off running down the hallway.
Marva threw her hands up in the air. “Evan! Come back here! They don’t pay me enough to do this job.” Hell, I don’t get paid anything to be here, but you don’t see me complaining. Eyes peering down the hallway, Marva shook her head. “Now I’ve got to go find him.”
“I’ll go speak with Evan,” Zeke offered.
Marva sighed. “Thanks, Zeke. He could probably use a man to speak with. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m happy to help.” Zeke jogged down the hallway, rounded the corner, and went to the end of the hallway. Standing next to a closed door, Evan’s soft cries sailed inside Zeke’s ears. Zeke pulled open the shut door of the closet to find Evan sitting in the dark, crying his eyes out.
“Go away!” Evan yelped.
Sorrow dulled Zeke’s heart. Praying for God to give him some encouraging words to share with the kid named Evan, he walked inside the closet, shut the door, and sat beside him. Zeke cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for the way the kids treat you here. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. But I’d like to listen to how you feel, if you want to share.”
Evan sniffed. “I said go away. They already told me you were rich, so you could never understand what I’m going through. Never.”
Zeke stated, “I may be rich, but like you, I’ve had problems.”
Evan clucked his tongue. “Yeah, right. What happened to you? Your maid didn’t bring you any tissue to wipe your ass?”
This kid is a lot like Jaheem was when I first started mentoring him. Tough and angry, he uses bad language, too. “No. My problems were worse than that.” Zeke pulled his cell from his pocket and turned on the light. The dark closet vaguely brightened.
Evan lifted his wet face from his palms. His sniffles slowed. Legs bent at the knees, back to the wall, he laced his hands behind his head. “Like what?”
Thinking about his son Zavier, Zeke’s body tensed. “Like I had a son, and some cruel person kidnapped him. I never got a chance to see my son’s face before he was stolen. But if I had seen his face, I bet he’d look a lot like you.”
Evan’s face scrunched. Through wet pupils, he looked Zeke up and down. “Oh, no. Your son wouldn’t look nothing like me, mister.”
“I disagree.”
Evan’s head jerked back. “How you figure that, mister? You’re all white!”
Zeke chuckled. “Yeah, but the woman that had my son was a Black lady. So you see, my son, wherever he is, is biracial like you.”
Evan’s voice lowered as he said, “So you never found your son, mister?”
Zeke’s chest ached. “No. He’s still missing.”
Evan released a heavy sigh. “You’re right. We both have problems. Both of us are fucked up.”
At first, Evan’s straightforwardness made Zeke cringe. Then out of nowhere, Evan’s admittance threatened to make him chuckle. “Hey. Let’s make a deal.”
Seemingly still aggravated, Evan rolled his eyes. “I don’t make deals.”
“Well, you’ve probably never been made a deal like this.” Evan gave a nonchalant shrug. Zeke continued. “The deal is…if you come out of the closet with your head held high and try your hardest to ignore those fools teasing you, I’ll come here and pick you up on Satu
rday and take you wherever you’d like to go.”
Evan’s eyes brightened. “Really?!”
Zeke offered Evan a sincere smile. “Yes, really.”
Evan folded his arms across his chest. “Even if I want to go ice skating to the new arena all the kids are talking about? You’ll take me there?”
Zeke ruffled the dark brown curly hair on Evan’s round head. “Yes, I’ll even take you ice skating,” he said, holding out his hand.
Evan gave him a firm shake. “We’ve got a deal, mister.”
“HOW DARE Taylor treat me like crap in my own house, questioning me,” Katherine muttered under her breath as she descended the staircase inside her mansion. The mansion every woman in Hilton Head Island and around the world wish they had the privilege of living in. The home every living woman wished they’d someday acquire and leave to their children. And their children’s children.
Damn right I didn’t tell Zeke she was alive. It wasn’t my place. Fury burned Katherine’s insides. Turning inside the kitchen, the bottom of her long dress swept the floor. Insinuating I should be worried if she tells Zeke. Apparently, Taylor doesn’t know who she’s messing with. A wicked thought entered Katherine’s mind. “I guess I’m going to have to teach the prissy bitch a lesson.”
“Talking to yourself again, I see.” Colton snuck up behind Katherine.
She whirled.
Quiet stillness lurked in the air as Katherine looked at her husband, Colton. The man who’d once been the love of her life. Until recently, he’d been the love of her life, all her life. But when he made Zeke CEO of Balfour Enterprises, the love she had for her husband vanished. No one treated her son Antonio like a bastard. Zeke was the bastard; not Antonio.
Clearly able to see it was a thin line between love and hate, disdain for Colton stabbed Katherine’s heart. “Yes, I’m talking to myself,” she shrugged. “And?”
“And did you answer yourself, too? They say if you answer yourself, you’re certifiably crazy,” Colton teased.
I can show you how crazy I am. Keep messing up. “Don’t you ever have anything nice to say about me?” Katherine asked.
Colton stalked up to Katherine and pecked her lips. “Yes. I love you.”
Katherine rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. The only person you love is Zeke.”
“Here we go.” Colton pulled open the refrigerator, grabbed his medicine and a bottle of water. Popping the cap off the water bottle, he shook his head negatively.
“Don’t you ‘here we go’ again me. It’s true. You proved who you love when you made Zeke CEO. What you did hurt Antonio to the core, Colton. To the freaking core. Antonio hasn’t been himself since you put him second-in-charge, and not first. It’s not too late for you to go back and change it, if you want.”
Colton tossed his medication in his mouth and gulped down the entire bottle of water. Releasing a loud belch, he tossed the empty bottle in the trash can. “You said the magic words, Katherine. If I want to change it, I can. Well, I don’t want to put Antonio in charge. Nor will I. Zeke is the CEO of Balfour now. The sooner you and Antonio accept my decision, the better off this family will be.”
Curses swooned around inside her head. “You’re so cold and heartless, Colton.”
“Snap it shut, woman.” At the sound of his stern voice, Katherine briefly snapped her lips together.
You’re going to regret your decision, Colton. “You still love her, don’t you, Colton?”
Colton shook his head. “Please don’t start with that again.” Bing. Colton’s cell chirped, signaling a text had just come through. He pulled the chair from beneath the dining table, pulled his cell from his pants pocket, and using his thumb, he tapped the screen.
Sick and tired of being sick and tired, Katherine marched up to Colton, snatched the cell from his grip, and held it high in the air. “You’re not getting your cell back until you answer my question.”
Colton gave Katherine a hostile stare. “You seriously don’t want to do this, Katherine. Now give me my cell back.”
She kept the cell held high above his head. “Why are you avoiding the question? Will you for once in your pathetic life just answer me? Admit it. You still love Bridget. Don’t you? You’re in love with a dead woman. I’m glad Bridget is dead.”
Colton leapt from his seat and lunged forward. Face twisted, he fisted the top of Katherine’s dress and wagged his big, manly finger in her face. “Watch your gotdamn mouth. Take it back. Take it back gotdamnit!” The bridled anger in his voice vibrated inside his thick neck.
“Look at you, Colton. You want to hit me.” Tilting her head back, she turned her cheek to him. “Go ahead. Do it, Colton. Hit me, because I meant what I said.” Katherine clenched her teeth together. “I’m glad Bridget is dead.” Bringing her neck forward, Katherine spit in Colton’s face.
Twisting Katherine’s clothing in one hand, Colton raised his fist above her face and started shaking. Chest heaving, his face scrunched. “You’re not even worth it.” Releasing her dress, his fist lowered to his side. “I’ve never hit a woman before. Never even came close to it. What you said about Bridget disgusts me.” The muscles in his jaws flickered. “But to answer your question. Yes. I still love Bridget. I’ll always love her. I’m sorry if I hurt you for saying it, but it’s true. And although I’ve said it a million times before, I’m sorry for cheating on you with her. It was wrong. I was wrong. But I shouldn’t have to spend the rest of my life paying for it.” Tears welled in Katherine’s eyes. Hmmph. Colton continued. “Believe it or not, I love you, too, Katherine. I really do. I’m willing to get marriage counseling, if you’ll come with me.”
“Marriage counseling won’t change how you feel about Bridget. You’ll grieve that dead woman ‘til the day you die.” And the sooner you die, the better.
“I’m not taking all the blame for how things turned out. You bear some of the responsibility for what happened, too. You knew I was engaged to Bridget when we met. I was set to marry her. From what I heard, you knew I’d be at the bar on the evening we hooked up, and you planned to be there, just to seduce me.”
Katherine huffed. “You sure think highly of yourself, Colton.”
“Well, somebody has to, because you sure don’t think much of me. I’d only had a few drinks that night. It wouldn’t surprise me if you drugged me. Gary told me he saw you fooling around with my drink when I went to the bathroom, but I was too naïve to believe him back then. I sure as hell hope Gary was wrong. Because if he wasn’t, I’m as dumb as they come. A stupid fool.” Spittle flew from Colton’s mouth.
Yes, she’d drugged him, but so what? It wasn’t like she was the first woman to put something in a man’s drink to secure her future. “Gary lied. He always had a thing for me, and you know it.”
Colton rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Yeah. Whatever. I’m going to bed.” When he reached the family room, he turned back to look at her. “Again, Katherine. I’m sorry. Let’s get some marriage counseling, please. I really want to save our marriage. I know I may not be the best husband, but I sure am willing to try.” Colton dropped his head between his shoulders and walked out of the room.
The kitchen door leading to the garage swung open, and Antonio emerged inside the kitchen. “I could hear the two of you arguing all the way outside.” He removed his coat, draping it on the back of the chair. “It was about me, wasn’t it?”
Katherine nodded. “What your father did to you is just downright wrong. I could just kill him sometimes.”
Antonio cupped his mother’s shoulders. “Don’t go getting anything bad inside that pretty head of yours, Katherine.”
Katherine hit Antonio’s arm. “What did I tell you about calling me Katherine? You sound like Zeke. Not only did he put Zeke in charge, but he offered him and Taylor to come live here without asking me first. I’m starting to hate your father. I hate to say it, but it’s true.”
“Shhh.” Antonio hastened over to the family room, then the living room, and back over to Katherine
. “Mother. You can’t just say whatever comes to your mind. Dad could’ve overheard you.”
Katherine waved her hand in the air. “He can’t hear me; he’s hard of hearing.” She pulled a box of cigarettes from her cleavage, grabbed a lighter from the kitchen drawer, and lit the tip. As she inhaled a long drag, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Pooching her lips in the air, smoke spiraled from her pursed lips. Katherine said, “Taylor’s hell-bent on finding her son. Her and Zeke. If they find that child, we’re doomed.”
Antonio glowered at Katherine. “Oh, no. I’m not going to jail, Katherine. We have to make sure Zeke and Taylor don’t find their son.”
Katherine thumped the ashes in the sink beside where she stood. “You said their son was far away from here. Are you sure?” Smoke spiraled from her mouth.
“Yes, Katherine, I’m positive. I paid Kelvin a lot of money. Trust me, the damn kid is probably in Germany or somewhere.”
Katherine puffed on her cigarette again. “Kelvin ain’t never been that bright. But then again, he was convincing. He convinced you to join the Southern Mafia gang when y’all were teenagers. Whatever you do, please don’t ever take off your shirt. Why did you let them boys in that gang burn your chest with the letters ‘SM’?”
“That’s the past, Katherine,” Antonio said, rubbing his covered chest area where the big SM branded him. Colton didn’t even know he’d burned his flesh with those initials.
“Yeah, but if anyone finds Kelvin, sees his chest, and then yours, they’ll know you knew him. I wish you would’ve killed Taylor when you had a chance. I told you to make sure they killed her after she had the baby. Why couldn’t you get it right, Antonio? Huh? Why?” Feeling her life falling apart, she turned, and as she started walking away, her oldest son palmed her shoulder.
Antonio squeezed her shoulders, and the knots beneath her flesh rolled. “I did my best, Katherine. It’s not too late for me to take care of Taylor. All you have to do is tell me what you want me to do to her.”
I want Taylor dead. Stressed, Katherine folded her arms beneath her breast and turned to face Antonio again. “You know what I want when it comes to Taylor, Antonio. It’s the same thing I wanted on the day you had her kidnapped.” Eyes bugging, Antonio’s finger flew to his mother’s mouth.
MARRYING MR. RIGHT (The Brides of Hilton Head Island Book 3) Page 15