Pain, Pleasure, and Lies: An Urban Romance Thriller

by Qiana London

  “Come on now, you expect me to believe my Cupid-playing cousin didn’t supply my information?”

  “You know her far too well.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Drive safely.”

  “I will.”

  I waited for Diandre to get into his car. Once he was inside and had started it, I pulled away from the curb. I decided to take another route home. I was tired of routine and Diandre was the first sign of change.

  Chapter Three

  The next morning I awoke to male voices coming from downstairs. I already knew who was out there and was immediately on the defense. My appearance didn’t matter. I stormed into the kitchen and saw Zereck talking with my brother.

  “Dezzy, Zereck dropped by on his way to the studio. I was about to come and get you.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  I completely ignored my brother. I never did get around to telling him all the details of what had happened. He only knew that Zereck was on my shit list, permanently. I knew if I had told him everything, Zereck would have hell to pay.

  “I came to see you. Can we talk?”

  “What is there to talk about, Zereck? You cheated and got caught. End of story.”

  My brother’s nonchalant demeanor changed immediately. He didn’t bother leaving; he was sticking around to see what was about to transpire. Donte was pissed. Zereck was definitely on thin ice, so he needed to tread lightly.

  “Can’t I at least explain?”

  “Zereck, if you really wanted to explain yourself you would have done it then, not weeks later. I told you I don’t want anything else to do with you. I’ve moved on. Now leave.”

  “Moved on? That’s bullshit! You know you ain’t fuckin’ with nobody else.”

  “I’m done talking to you, Zereck.” I turned to walk away.

  “Dezzy!” He yelled and walked toward me.

  “Watch that shit, Patna,” Donte said, stepping in front of him. “My sister ain’t fuckin’ with you. I suggest you go ahead and leave. I’d hate to have to kick yo’ ass.”

  Zereck looked at Donte, but didn’t press his luck. He knew better. He eyeballed me long and hard before finally leaving. I looked at my brother and shook my head. I couldn’t believe Zereck had had the audacity to show up at my house. It’s my own fault. When we had problems in the past, I would always accept his apology after he fed me some sob story about how he’d messed up and would do better. That shit wasn’t going to work this time. I was done. I deserved better.

  “So that’s why he was on your shit list?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You know, I could have handled him if you’d needed me to.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  I forced a smile and left the kitchen.

  I pulled the curtains back and opened all the windows in my room. The cool morning breeze rushed in. It dried the tears on my cheeks faster than I could wipe them away. Realizing I’d cried my last tears over Zereck, I had a sudden burst of energy. I began a long-awaited thorough cleaning of my room. I turned on my stereo and put the dial on KBLX. I cranked up the volume as “People Make the World Go ’Round” leaked through my speakers. I’ve been told I have an old soul, and that’s true to an extent. I could appreciate good music. I liked music, old and new. It was therapeutic. In fact, music had helped me through numerous tough times. It would help me through this one too. I never realized all the memorabilia I had from my relationship with Zereck until I began getting rid of it. If I was truly going to move on, I didn’t need anything making the transition difficult. I looked at everything, cards, pictures, and clothes one final time before heaving it all into a large, green garbage bag. Already, a burden had been lifted off of my shoulders.

  Two hours later my room was spotless. Opium incense filled my room, and Luther Vandross’ voice flooded my soul. I put the last of my laundry away and was sitting in the middle of my floor appreciating the free moment. Before long, Diandre floated into my mind. I couldn’t help thinking about how well we’d hit it off. He almost seemed too good to be true. Then again, he could very well be the man I’d been waiting on. I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself. I didn’t really know him, and unlike in the past, I wanted to give it time.

  I picked up my phone and called Keisha. I owed her a phone call. Her answering machine came on, and I was relieved. While I was concerned about my friend’s well-being, I didn’t want to be consumed with someone else’s drama. I only wanted to make sure she was okay. My message was short and to the point. After I hung up, I was satisfied. I felt like I had done my due diligence as a friend.

  I was in a zone listening to the music when my cell phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, so I hesitated to answer, but took the call anyway.

  “Did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “Now is as good a time as any.”

  I smiled at the sound of his voice.

  “You sound like you’re sleeping.”

  “I’m relaxing. How are you?”

  “I’m fine, just putting in some work at the studio. I was thinking about you. I know we have been spending a lot of time together these last couple of weeks, but I want to see you again. Today.”

  I blushed. He had been thinking about me too.

  “I’d like that. I am far from dressed, though.”

  “Take your time. There is no need to rush. What time should I pick you up?”

  “You can meet me at Camille’s house in an hour and a half.”

  “Oh, I must need to earn more brownie points before I make it to the crib.”

  “Exactly,” I said and laughed.

  “Well, I’ll see you at 3:30.”

  “See you then.”

  *****

  When I turned onto Camille’s street, I saw her sitting on Blu’s lap while he and Diandre had a beer on the front porch. One of them mentioned something funny because they all started laughing. I parked my car across the street from Camille’s house since her driveway was full. Diandre noticed me first. He sat his beer down and walked over to my car. We made small talk for a moment before Camille joined us.

  “Dezzy, at least get out of the car, girl,” she said.

  “No need to get comfortable, Dezzy. I want us to get going before it gets too dark.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Don’t ask questions. You’ll see.”

  I liked his assertiveness. “Should I follow you in my car or do you want me to ride?”

  “Oh, I want you to ride, no doubt, and I don’t mind driving.”

  I walked right into that one. He knew he had caught me off guard and smiled at my lack of response. Camille didn’t bother saying anything either, she simply turned and walked away. I smirked, and Diandre opened my car door.

  “Come kick it for a minute,” he said.

  I hopped out of the car and walked back across the street with Diandre. We hung out on the porch with them. We had light conversation while Diandre finished the last of his beer. Once he was done, we said our goodbyes and went on our way.

  Diandre drove fast, but I didn’t feel threatened. The sunroof was open, and the windows were down. I lowered my sunglasses and sat back as the wind blew through my hair. He used the remote to skip through his music selection until he landed on Roger and Zapp. Seconds later, I felt the vibrations of “Computer Love” throughout my entire body. I was comfortable and relaxed as we headed east on the MacArthur Freeway.

  After winding up a narrow road surrounded by towering trees and overbearing bushes, we came into a clearing where a log cabin sat alone. Rose bushes sat on both sides, and there was a deck complete with an awning overlooking a lake. The place was beautiful. This was definitely a place you’d have to know was there. This wasn’t one you would stumble upon.

  The inside of the cabin was even more compelling. The furniture was antique with a contemporary flair. There was a fireplace in the living room with a large painting above it of a young boy sitting alone in the woods. Along the mantel
were music awards and trophies. I was taking it all in after I’d removed my shoes and sat down on the couch. On his insistence, I rested there while he brought bags of groceries inside. While I waited, I called my brother and let him know I would be home extremely late, if at all, then turned my phone off altogether.

  “Do you like seafood?”

  “You can cook too?”

  “I have to cook. There isn’t anyone to do it for me.”

  I caught the hint.

  “What’s on the menu?”

  “Crab and shrimp fettuccini Alfredo with a garden salad. Do you approve?”

  “Do what you do, boo. Is there anything I can help you with?”

  “If you can handle the salad, I can handle the rest.”

  “Sure. No problem.”

  “Feel free to get familiar with the liquor cabinet. That liquor isn’t going to drink itself.”

  “Okay. I may see what you’re working with a little later.”

  “I hope so.”

  I did it again. Diandre was dropping hints, but I wasn’t biting, yet.

  The aroma had my mouth salivating, so I was more than ready to eat when we sat down to the candlelight dinner for two. Apparently, we were both hungry because there was little conversation. Once we’d finished, I restored the kitchen while Diandre watched the end of “SportsCenter”. It took some convincing, but I finally got him to agree to let me help out.

  I was putting the leftovers in the refrigerator when the scent of Diandre’s cologne filled my nostrils. I closed the refrigerator door and turned around to see him standing in front of me with his shirt off. My eyes danced across his tattooed chest, down the ripples of his stomach, and landed on the ‘V’ that was slightly covered by his jeans. I fought hard with myself to hold my mouth shut. I won. He looked at me with such an intense desire. I knew I would need to brace myself.

  I stood with my back against the refrigerator unable to move as he walked toward me. He placed himself in front of me and pierced my eyes with his before kissing me gently on my neck. I was screaming on the inside because I couldn’t believe this was happening. It had been far too long. He pulled back, looked at me again then kissed me softly on my lips. I’m not sure if I returned the kiss because I was in a trance. When I opened my eyes, Diandre had me by my hand and was leading me into the master bedroom.

  It didn’t matter that Diandre and I hadn’t known one another for very long. I longed to be touched by a man, and now it was going to happen. Every thought imaginable was rushing through my head. What was he working with and would he know how to use it? Would it hurt? He released my hand long enough to turn on the stereo mounted on the wall. He pushed a series of buttons before “Moments in Love” began to play. This song was the ultimate mood music. I could feel my clit begin to throb. I was anxious and couldn’t wait for him to touch me. I managed to hold my composure and play it cool as I let Diandre take the lead. He pulled me into his arms and began to kiss me. His kiss was so deep and sensual that my toes damn near curled. I held his head and pulled him closer to me as he licked and sucked my neck. He hungrily passed his tongue over it as if he could taste my milk chocolate skin. I moaned and exhaled as he licked his way from my neck back to my lips. He pulled away and started to unbutton my blouse, one button at a time, and then slid it down my arms. Once it had hit the floor, he paused a moment to look at me before he began to meticulously caress my breasts through my bra. He pulled both cups down, exposing my full 34DDs. He used his fingers to play with the nipple on my left breast while he took as much of the other into his mouth that would fit. His tongue was warm and moist as he used it to massage and suck my nipple. My breathing was becoming short and erratic. I was getting weak. Damn! He slid his hands down the small of my back and into my jeans. He was pleasantly surprised to discover I wasn’t wearing any panties. He unbuttoned my jeans and gently pushed them down, making them hit the floor. I freed my legs and Diandre pulled me back into his arms as he took my lips once more. I felt like I was floating as I felt the edge of the bed touch the back of my legs. He murmured into my mouth.

  “Lay down on your stomach.”

  Feeling lightheaded from bliss, I did as I was told. Moments later, Diandre straddled me and trickled warm oil down my back. His hands were warm and strong as he rubbed the oil all over my neck and shoulders. He began a slow assault on my muscles, working his way from my neck down to my feet. He massaged my body with such skill that he had me at the peak of orgasm. As he worked his way back up, he slid one of his hands in-between my thighs. He moaned as he played in the moisture with his fingers. He brought his fingers to his mouth and licked them clean before getting up and helping me onto my back. He stood and removed his jeans. Once he was naked, he planted his head in-between my thighs and ate like it was his last meal. Shit! He flicked his tongue and sucked my clit with such intensity, I thought I was going to climb the wall. It took everything in me not to cum. I wanted this moment to last. I pushed him on his forehead, urging him to stop, but he didn’t listen. Not that I really wanted him to. He finally had mercy and backed up. I attempted to take over and return the favor, but he wouldn’t let me. He insisted this night was all about me. He was catering to my every need. I could definitely get used to this. I waited anxiously while he wrestled with a condom wrapper. He took it out and put it on with one swift stroke of his hand. He pierced my eyes with his as he climbed on top of me. He never broke our gaze as he slowly entered my body. I gasped and bit my lip as my body conformed to his. Diandre moved with deep, strategic strokes. A few times, I reached down and attempted to push him back because he was hitting my cervix. I tensed up. He shook his head at me.

  “Just relax, baby. You’ll get used to it.”

  I took a deep breath and he slowed his stroke. He began to kiss me once again, and I could feel myself becoming wetter. The song ended and the only noise that filled the room was the moist sound of our bodies becoming one. That shit turned me on. My wall muscles began to contract.

  “That’s right, baby… cum for me,” he whispered.

  He began to move faster. I dug my nails into his back. I could feel my climax coming. Diandre’s pace quickened, and he groaned as his body became tense. I held on for as long as I could. I couldn’t take it anymore, and neither could he. We both let go, reaching that moment of ecstasy together.

  *****

  Diandre was still asleep when I got up to shower. I was on cloud nine as I let the water cascade over my body and reminisced about our moment together. I was giddy all over again like a young school girl. Diandre had definitely given me something to smile about. While I toweled off, I could hear him on the phone. I slid on a t-shirt I had borrowed from him and quietly came out of the bathroom. Women’s intuition told me he was on the phone with a female. Normally, this would have been grounds to go there, but my gut told me not to jump to any conclusions. I overheard him telling the female he couldn’t talk because he was busy, timing was bad, and this wasn’t the place. I waited a moment after he’d hung up the phone before revealing myself in the doorway of the living room. Diandre didn’t see me right away. When he noticed me, I could tell he was caught off guard.

  “Hey, Dezzy.”

  He was nervous.

  “Hey.”

  “Did you hear a lot?”

  “Enough.”

  I really hadn’t heard much, but Diandre was obviously feeling guilty.

  “Look, I don’t want to lie to you.”

  I didn’t like how this conversation was starting.

  “That was a friend. Well, she’s more than a friend. I have a son from a previous relationship. I was talking to his mother.”

  “A son? You said you didn’t have any kids.”

  We had spent quite a bit of time together and had numerous conversations. The topic of kids certainly came up, but not once did he mention he had one.

  “I didn’t want to scare you off before anything could get started.”

  “Diandre, I told you communication is k
ey with me, and I despise lying.”

  “Better late than never, right?”

  He was nonchalant.

  “That’s not the point.”

  I was annoyed, but I tried to be understanding.

  “How old is he?” I asked.

  “Five.”

  “Oh.”

  “Don’t be mad, baby. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

  “How about you tell me what you think I should know. I’m really not going to take too well to any more surprises.”

  “There’s nothing else to tell. I swear.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Are you mad?”

  “No. But I do need to get going.”

  I tried to keep my attitude in check.

  “Yeah, we’ll leave shortly. I need to get you back. I don’t want to be the reason you’re late for work.”

  There was no need to tell him I didn’t work on Mondays. I wanted to be home as early as possible, though. I was going to need plenty of time to rethink this one. Sure, we were still getting to know one another, but this was a topic of conversation we had already covered. The fact that he lied about having a child left a bitter taste in my mouth. If he would lie about something like this, it made me wonder what else he was keeping to himself. I waited for Diandre to shower and get dressed. Once he was ready, we got in the car so he could take me home.

  *****

  The ride back to Camille’s house was uncomfortable. Diandre and I talked, but it was obvious that we were trying to fill the awkward silence. I was upset with him for his lack of communication, but I didn’t want to appear as though I was completely bent out of shape. A child was not the end of the world. The world only became more complicated. If Diandre and I were going to continue to occupy one another’s time, this woman and I would cross paths. If I chose to continue to deal with him, I would need to get over it. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to deal with a man and his child. Just thinking about it was overwhelming. When we pulled up in front of Camille’s house, I gave him a quick kiss before I got in my car. My intentions were to put his mind at ease for the time being.