Thin Ice 3 - Armageddon

by KR Bankston

  Peyton welcomed the opportunity for sleep, rising quickly and heading to the bedroom he’d chosen. Seth nodded his understanding to Ian, but headed to the kitchen and made himself a bowl of cereal. As he ate his mind continued to process everything he was seeing and hearing since their arrival. He again thought of Kaitlyn and how beautiful she was. Now he had to factor in how deadly she was too, according to Ian.

  Seth’s cell vibrated and he glanced at the message, sighing deeply and dialing his home number.

  “Hello,” Gabrielle answered when her brother called.

  “Hey Gabrielle,” Seth responded, going on to ask her what was wrong.

  “Nothing, I just wanted to talk to you or Peyton,” she told him, going on to say she hadn’t heard from them and was worried.

  Seth immediately felt guilty. He knew both he and his brother were all the family they each had left. Sometimes they forgot how vulnerable Gabrielle was because of the brave front she kept in place.

  “We’re fine,” Seth told her. “Been doing a lot of runnin’ around that’s all,” he added as she sighed lightly and told him that was good to hear.

  “Has he seen her yet,” she asked quietly and Seth knew she was referring to Ian.

  “He hasn’t talked to her, if that’s what you’re asking’,” Seth replied.

  Gabrielle simply sighed her understanding and left it alone.

  “I’m having lunch with Corey today,” Gabrielle told him, knowing it would make him happy.

  Seth smiled and told her that was good to hear.

  “He’s a good man Gabrielle,” he told her as she again sighed her understanding. “Have a good time and really enjoy yourself, okay,” he added gently.

  Gabrielle promised she would and disconnected. Seth finished his cereal and headed for his own room deciding to give further thought to his circumstances, later.

  *****

  Kim was up and her nerves were shot. She heard the click of the card key in the lock and steeled herself, unsure of what mood her man would return in.

  “Hey,” Mook greeted her ambiguously as he entered.

  “Hey,” Kim replied softly, never taking her eyes off him.

  Mook came in and sat on the small love seat contained in the suite, looking at her, still silent. Kim’s heart sank. He was obviously still angry and who knows what he might be thinking at this point.

  “I’m sorry,” he told her, never taking his eyes from her own.

  “Me too,” she replied smiling slightly, happy that the drama seemed to be calmed for now.

  “Mook,” she began timidly.

  “Yeah,” he answered still looking directly at her.

  “Do you really feel like that,” she asked, taking a deep breath, not wanting to cry.

  “Like what,” he asked, forcing her to say the entire question.

  Taking another breath and blowing it out slowly, Kim spoke once more.

  “Like you’re second to Top,” she finally managed to get out.

  Now it was Mook’s turn to sigh deeply. He rubbed his hands over his face, keeping his eyes closed for a few moments more as he thought about his answer.

  His silence was deafening in the room and the longer he stayed that way, the more Kim dreaded what would fall from his lips once he actually opened them to speak. Clearing his throat slightly, Mook again regarded her and answered her question.

  “I been with you for four years Kim,” he told her calmly as she nodded in acknowledgement. “In those four years, I’ve dealt with your feelings for Top when we would visit, or he would come to Miami and handle business,” he went on as Kim felt smaller and guiltier. “I could see it in your eyes, you love him,” Mook told her as Kim continued to sit and endure. “I never said anything because we were together, and I figured you had to love me to be with me and have my son, but last night when you came at me like you had never done anything wrong,” he paused, gathering himself again. “All those feelings of jealousy and competition came out,” Mook finished as Kim weighed what he said. Rising she went to him, sitting on the loveseat with him, looking into his eyes as she began to talk to him.

  “Mook, I’m sorry for that,” Kim told him earnestly. “I have never, ever, intentionally meant to hurt you or make you feel that way,” she explained. “I had some very deep feelings for Top once, I’ll admit that,” she went on as Mook continued to listen and watch her wordlessly. “And I guess I still have some of that schoolgirl crush drama going on when it comes to him, but Mook, I love you baby,” Kim iterated as the first tear rolled down her cheek.

  “You are not now, nor have you ever been, second to anybody, including Top,” she tried, praying her man was listening and that he believed her. “It scared me so badly when you left last night,” she told him honestly. “I thought you might never come back, and that thought almost killed me,” Kim admitted finally breaking down as Mook took her into his arms and held her.

  “Baby, I love you too,” Mook told her softly as he continued to hold her. “I shouldn’t have disrespected you like that last night, I lost my head,” he explained. “Please forgive me, and I promise not to do that again,” Mook told her as Kim hugged him tighter. “I won’t ever leave you baby,” he told her again lifting her tear stained face to his and kissing her lips softly.

  *****

  “I said no, and that’s the end,” LaRon yelled as Jaleesa gave him a look.

  “Hold the fuck up,” she threw out angrily. “Last time I checked, I was a grown ass woman,” she added as LaRon sighed deeply and tried to keep his anger in check.

  Maybe what she was asking wouldn’t be such a bad idea, considering the drama Kysha was putting him through.

  “What about Jashon, Tweety,” LaRon countered. “You’re a mama now, you can’t just run off any time you feel like taking a girls trip.” Jaleesa sighed deeply.

  They’d been arguing about her trip with Kaitlyn and Tae for the past hour or so.

  “I know that,” she replied still agitated. “But when was the last time I took a trip anywhere, Deuce,” Jaleesa threw at him. “Huh, tell me,” she barked knowing he couldn’t.

  Since giving birth four years ago she’d been the dutiful wifey and mother. The only time she even went to a club was when LaRon went with her.

  “Why are you trippin’ so hard about one lousy girl’s trip,” Jaleesa asked again, waiting for an answer to her question.

  Sighing deeply LaRon sat on the side of the bed and spoke finally.

  “How long are you gonna be gone and where are ya’ll going,” he asked.

  Jaleesa immediately answered both questions, adding that her mother was more than willing to keep Jashon and had even told her how happy she was that Jaleesa would get some much needed time to herself. Sighing again, he turned and regarded her again.

  “OK,” LaRon replied simply as Jaleesa smiled and came to him hugging him tightly.

  “Just remember you got a man, and a son,” he admonished jealously.

  Jaleesa smiled and kissed him softly.

  “I would never forget that,” she told him still smiling as she rose and headed into the kitchen to make breakfast and get Jashon ready for school.

  LaRon continued to brood after she left the room. He needed to deal with Kysha and all the drama she was brining to his life. As if on cue, his cell vibrated and he saw yet another text from her. This trick is really beginning to piss me the fuck off, he thought angrily sending her a reply and rising, slipping the phone into his pocket as he headed into the kitchen.

  “I gotta make a run,” he told Jaleesa, hugging her and kissing he softly.

  “You don’t have time to eat,” she asked preparing to make his pancakes.

  “No baby, I’ll grab something,” he replied as she frowned slightly but shrugged and told him to go ahead.

  “I’ll call you later,” LaRon told her, with a final admonishment to Jashon to be good at school.

  *****

  Jaleesa waved as Jashon went inside the small private sch
ool building and the door closed behind him. Smiling to herself as she drove, Jaleesa thought about the impending business she, Kaitlyn and Tae were about to handle. Jaleesa felt an excitement coursing through her veins that she hadn’t felt in years. She felt alive again. Her cell rang and interrupted her thoughts. The number was unknown but she answered anyway.

  “Hello,” Jaleesa greeted her caller.

  “Hey Tweety, how ya doin’,” the caller asked.

  Jaleesa smiled again recognizing the caller.

  “Hey yourself,” she replied, flirting now. “What’s up,” she asked.

  “Thinking about you, wanting to see if maybe we could hook up,” the caller returned. Taking a moment to think over her day’s schedule, Jaleesa figured she could make time.

  “That might be doable,” she returned as the caller chuckled.

  “I sure am glad to hear that,” they replied. “Where can we meet,” they asked once again.

  Jaleesa had to think hard about that one. Everyone knew LaRon and everyone knew she was his woman.

  “You could come here,” the caller told her after a longer pause on her end.

  Sighing softly she wasn’t sure if that was a good idea either, but she was kind of out of options.

  “Umm, okay, sure,” Jaleesa replied against her better judgment.

  “Good, I’ll give you the address,” they told her, rattling it off in her ear.

  Jaleesa asked them to repeat it, plugging it into the GPS on the BMW’s dash.

  “I’ll be there in about an hour,” she told them, explaining she had a couple errands to run.

  “That’s fine, gives me time to make myself presentable,” they replied as she chuckled and told the caller okay, disconnecting.

  You should not be going over there; her mind railed as Jaleesa sighed deeply and pushed the thoughts away. There was no harm in visiting a friend, or making a new one, she told herself, turning into the cleaners to pick up their clothes. Then she had a quick stop at the grocers. After that she would visit her new friend and still leave in time to pick Jashon up from school. No harm, no foul, she thought beginning to smile again and hum along with the radio, which happened to be playing her favorite song at the moment.

  5

  LaRon’s mind was spinning as Kysha chattered mindlessly sitting inside the doctor’s office waiting for them to call her. He’d only accompanied her to put his plan into motion. LaRon had questions and he needed answers.

  “Are you listening to me,” Kysha snapped irritability holding the magazine for him to see.

  “What is it,” he returned trying to hold his temper.

  “I want this,” she told him still full of attitude, pointing out the $500.00 nursing system in the magazine.

  “Yeah, okay,” LaRon responded half heartedly.

  Thankfully the nurse called her name to head to the back examination room ending the conversation. LaRon rose and followed knowing she would demand his presence.

  “Good morning,” Dr. Finkle greeted them both walking into the exam room.

  “Hey Dr. F,” Kysha replied amiably.

  LaRon simply nodded.

  “How’ve you been feeling,” the doctor asked.

  “Fine, just hungry all the time,” Kysha replied giggled slightly.

  LaRon endured waiting for the right moment.

  “Go ahead and undress to the waist,” Dr. Finkle began again. “I’ll send the ultrasound tech inside in a few minutes.”

  Kysha smiled and told him okay as he left the room. LaRon said nothing as she took off her shirt and bra. She was humming softly as she put on the paper gown provided. As if on cue the tech knocked lightly and entered the room, followed by Dr. Finkle. LaRon watched as the tech positioned Kysha on the exam table, readying herself to put the gel on the woman’s protruding belly. Dr. Finkle was standing at the small sink found in the room, jotting notes in Kysha’s folder.

  “Did you both want to know the baby’s sex,” he asked, addressing LaRon.

  “Can you do DNA tests at this point,” LaRon asked instead.

  Dr. Finkle looked shocked as Kysha’s mouth dropped.

  “Um, well, yes,” the doctor responded tentatively. “We could do that via amniocentesis,” he finished as Kysha erupted.

  “What the hell you tryna pull,” she fumed angry and embarrassed.

  LaRon was unmoved by her attitude.

  “Can you do it today,” he asked once again still regarding the doctor.

  Dr. Finkle cleared his throat nervously, blinking rapidly.

  “I ain’t doing no damned test,” Kysha yelled, sitting up exposed, but uncaring.

  “If you want me to continue to support you, you will,” LaRon threw back giving her a deadly look.

  Kysha closed her mouth swallowing hard, as she quietly told the doctor to go ahead and set up the test. Satisfied, LaRon sat back in the chair once more and waited for the staff to comply with his request.

  *****

  Jaleesa sat outside the house fighting with her conscience. You shouldn’t be here, her mind kept telling her again and again. Sighing deeply she closed her eyes, beginning to massage her temples as her cell rang. Recognizing the number she answered.

  “You gonna sit out there in the car all day or you comin’ in,” the caller asked chuckling.

  Jaleesa smiled a little and told them she was on her way as she opened the door and got out, closing it on both the vehicle and her conscience’s warnings. Walking up the drive Jaleesa saw the door open as the huge smile greeted her.

  “Hey there,” Peyton greeted her amiably.

  Jaleesa returned the smile taking in the sexy man standing in front of her once again. “Come on in,” he told her.

  Jaleesa loved the Cajun drawl as he spoke, turning her on as she accepted his hospitality and entered the residence. Taking in the house, she noticed how sparsely furnished it was. It gave the appearance of someone just moving in, though she could have sworn she remembered him telling her they’d been there for a while. She took in the lone sofa and loveseat contained in the room; blue suede, sitting on the hardwood floor, a small area rug in between the two. There were no paintings or pictures adorning the dark eggshell walls. A small telephone table sat at the entrance to the long hallway she saw, a black cordless phone sitting atop it.

  “You want some juice or water or something,” Peyton asked, trying to be hospitable.

  Truth be told he wanted her naked and screaming his name right about now.

  “No, I’m fine,” Jaleesa returned smiling at him as he sat down on the loveseat beside her.

  “I’m glad you came,” Peyton told her smoothly as he lightly touched her hand.

  Jaleesa was shocked at how much the simple touch turned her on. Aside from last night, the lovemaking with LaRon was leaving a lot to be desired in her book. Still, she wasn’t sure if anything at all was going to happen between them. The flirting and innuendo were more than satisfying to her right now.

  “Well, I thought you were a nice enough guy when we met,” Jaleesa replied as Peyton chuckled and continued to watch her with those deep blue gray eyes. Jaleesa’s warning bells were playing a continuous symphony telling her to get her purse and leave right now, drive and never come back.

  “I thought you were good people as well,” Peyton returned. “Damned sexy too,” he added smiling his most persuasive smile at her as his eyes took on a dreamy bedroom look.

  Get the hell out of this house right now, her mind was screaming when Peyton surprised her with the soft sensuous kiss. Jaleesa gasped, putting her hands on his chest and pushing him away gently.

  Peyton smiled again, taking her hands and holding them as he kissed each one softly.

  “Tweety, we don’t hafta play this game,” Peyton told her kissing her neck softly.

  Jaleesa almost melted as his lips met her neck, the warmth of his breath gently cascading down to her chest, making her nipples harden.

  “We’re adults, we know what we want or don’t want,�
� he continued, pulling her close and nibbling her neck now as his hand slid down her side, grazing the side of her breast.

  Jaleesa bit her lip to stifle the moan that wanted to escape. Stop this shit and get out of here, her mind tried once more as Peyton boldly grasped one of her breasts, now sucking her neck tenderly.

  “Peyton, stop,” Jaleesa tried as her voice escaped in a barely audible croak.

  Removing his lips from her neck for the moment, Peyton looked into her eyes as he spoke once more.

  “Let’s stop playin’ and go in my room, give each other much needed pleasure and release,” he told her point blank.

  Jaleesa was wrestling with the idea of cheating on her man versus her own need for satisfaction and release. Peyton squeezed her breast once more as the moan escaped this time and he smiled again, rising from the loveseat and taking her hand pulling Jaleesa up to him.

  “Lemme show you some Cajun lovin’,” he whispered huskily as she offered no further resistance and Peyton led her to his room, closing the door behind them.

  *****

  Mook sat in Mardi Gras waiting for Tariq. They were meeting to talk about new strategies in finding Ian and neutralizing him. LaRon was supposed to meet with them, but Tariq told him the man was handling personal business. Sipping the coke he’d ordered, minus the liquor for now, Mook thought back to earlier in the morning and the make up sex he and Kim had after settling their disagreement. He was more than glad the matter was settled, but hoped Kim was being honest with him about her being over her feelings for Tariq. Mook hated thinking that when they were making love that she might be thinking of another man or wishing she hadn’t settled for him and went after the one she really and truly wanted. Stop man, the woman’s been with you for four years, his mind told him as Mook sighed deeply and shook the thoughts taking the time to look around the club. His gaze fell on a familiar sight and he smiled slightly taking it in. At the exact moment Tae turned and looked right into his eyes seeing the smile on his face. Well now, she thought smiling herself now, never taking her eyes away from his. Mook knew he should stop looking, but he couldn’t. There was just something about Tae that intrigued him. Kim is gonna fuck you up about this bullshit, his mind warned as the woman began walking toward his table.