Hope Is Love

by Hubbard, Sylvia

  Jona slumped to the couch in misery. “Your ring, James. I took it and sold it.”

  James frowned. “And?”

  “And what? I stole from you, but I was going to give it back.” She opened the case and handed him the three hundred dollars.

  James looked at Onyx who pulled the ring from her coat where the case had been.

  “Got it at the pawn shop not too far from where she said she found your body. She found your body, James, but she riffled over it for valuables and when she found this she had every intentions of getting the money and not helping you. Am I right, Jona?” Onyx asked.

  Jona wanted to die immediately. Her deceit had been found out and she felt she was more horrible than even Monica.

  “Yes,” Jona admitted miserably.

  James moved closer to her and she felt he was going to explode in anger, but instead he hugged her tightly and then kissed her cheek and then her lips.

  Confused, she asked, “What was that for?”

  He smiled that gorgeous smile. “Is that all the deceit she’s done, Onyx?” he asked not taking his green eyes off of Jona.

  “Well she needs to tell us who tried to kill you, but other than that, no," Onyx said disappointedly.

  James hugged Jona again, kissing her neck, cheek, forehead and then her lips.

  As he was coming down the other side of her face, she asked warily, "So does this mean you forgive me?"

  "Yes!" he said excitedly. "Yes, Jona! This ring may mean a lot to me, but you mean much much more!"

  She pushed him away slightly. "I stole from you James, did you hear that part? And I really wasn't going to help you. Why are you being so forgiving, James?” She asked still baffled.

  "Maybe you'd understand if you knew he was a deceitful ass. He's been lying to you about his memory loss and thinking he could offer you money in order to make you stay."

  Both of then looked at Onyx?

  "Fuck you very much, Onyx Heart," James growled annoyed and very cocky. “I’ve admitted my lies to her if you must know.”

  Onyx looked surprised. “And she still likes you? There’s got to be something else wrong with her. Nevertheless, I always believe the truth will set you free, James Black,” Onyx said simply. “Although that makes my job less interesting because I love finding out lies.”

  Jona couldn’t believe anyone would be able to put up with Onyx Heart. The woman was in a class by herself. “Actually the money and all the other amenities had me considering giving you back the pawn ticket, James, but I was worried over how angry you'd be. I needed the money at the time when I stole, but then once I saw you were really going to reward me, I felt awful about stealing from you.”

  He tenderly rubbed his finger over her lips with a hungry look in his eyes. “I could never be mad at you, Hope. You’ve changed me in more ways than you know. I love you too damn much to be angry with you.”

  “Well, I love you too James, but that didn't stop me from leaving and-” She was promptly cut off from talking as he kissed her again.

  Jona was clearly getting aroused and dizzy from his wonderful lips.

  “Oh good lawd!” Onyx exclaimed.” I'm going to really be fucking sick. Please stop kissing her!”

  Jona almost wanted to agree, but she was enjoying James' kisses too much.

  James sighed as he reluctantly broke the kiss with a promise in his eyes for later.

  “Where is your stuff was?” he asked.

  “In the last room down the hall,” she answered dreamily.

  James took her hand as he followed Onyx out of the VIP room and headed down the hall in the direction Jona gave. When they were almost at the door, Onyx suddenly put a hand up for them to stop. Internal alarms went off inside of Jona too at the odd feeling that something or someone was watching them and whoever or whatever it was put them in a very dangerous situation.

  “What is it?" James asked.

  Onyx put her finger up for quietness and if Jona wasn't consumed by James proximity she'd have felt the ominous presence sooner as well. Someone was very close by. Onyx pulled out a black 9mm and held it up, while James unholstered his own Beretta and moved Jona close to him protectively.

  Jona knew it wasn't Nevada, Paris or even Shadow. There was just something about growing up in the streets that put this feeling inside of her.

  Onyx sneered very uneasily, “Get her shit and let's get the fuck out of here.”

  Jona felt the same way and hurriedly grabbed her bag and her coat Nicole had given her. James put his gun away and swept her up as soon as she came out of the room with her bag. He didn't break a sweat or pant in exhaustion as he followed Onyx, holding Jona close to his large body. Jona relaxed in comfort knowing James was true to his word about protecting her and she basked in the knowledge that Onyx was a bad assed who could definitely make sure James was safe on this side of town. All he needed was a white outfit and he’d be her knight in shining armor.

  Admitting her love for him made her embarrassed, but she was just so relieved that he knew and seemed to love her even more.

  Now all she had to do was tell him who had tried to kill him, but she knew this knowledge was probably keeping him alive and if Jona told his life would be in more danger.

  Onyx quickly moved down the back steps and out the fire entrance to a back alley where Sheriff was waiting in a large burgundy SUV. The detective took off once they were safely in.

  Jona ignored the cop still very much pissed off by him arresting her and treating her so bad when she first met him.

  “So finish telling me how much you love me,” James ordered since they had the back seat to themselves.

  Jona blushed profusely, “James please-“

  He cut her off. “Oh no you won't deny admitting that, Hope. I've waited too long to hear that from your sweet lips.” He kissed her tenderly before saying, “Now is that why you came back after you robbed me?”

  Jona knew her cheeks were going to hurt so bad later on from blushing in all her embarrassment. She reached in her bag to keep her hands busy changing from the three inch cream stilettos to some comfortable gym shoes, while she talked, “Well I just wanted to see your face again despite the fact that I thought you were dying because I thought you were handsome and I thought it was such a waste you died like that-“

  He cut her off again by asking, “Hold up. When did you think I was handsome?”

  Frowning, Jona said, “James, you know you're good looking.”

  Arrogantly, he admitted, “I know I am, but it’s a damn turn on to hear it from your lips, Hope.”

  For that she received another deep long kiss.

  “Oh get a fucking room,” Onyx snarled from the front passenger seat.

  “If you'd drop us at the nearest St Royal Hotel, I'd gladly do so,” James said.

  “Not until I get my statement from her,” Sheriff said adamantly, pulling in the rear of the police station that Jona remembered spending the night at not too long ago.

  She gripped James in fear as Sheriff got out and came around to the passenger side door where she was sitting the closest too.

  “Wait a minute,” James said holding her protectively as Sheriff opened the door. “She doesn't have to go to jail again.”

  “Let her go, James or I’ll have to shoot you,” Onyx said. “The deal I had with Sheriff was that he'd keep his ass out of my way until I found her. She has to sign a confession, James whether she wants to or not, because she’s the only witness to your attempted murder. And Sheriff has no intentions of having her flee again.”

  “But they'll hurt him. They'll hurt me! I just know it,” Jona protested. “Please! Please don’t make me!”

  James had to let her go because his hold was bruising her arm and Sheriff made a hard snatch at the same time. He followed them outside the car.

  Sheriff yanked her roughly out of the Escalade. Jona landed on her feet, but dug her heels in the ground as Sheriff started dragging her in toward the door. She saw a quick flash of
black suddenly in her peripheral and instinctively dropped to her knees, swinging her legs around to swipe the back of Sheriff's legs. He'd just missed the blade that was hurled from the quick dark figure that seemed to have come from nowhere.

  Jona looked backed to see James was safely against the vehicle with Onyx protectively in front of him with her gun drawn. Jona looked around confused because she had thought it had been Onyx that had come up behind her. She stood up to see another black woman even more slender in a full leather black suit with four-inch heels holding a foot long blade in one hand and a silver .357 in the other. Who the fuck was this?

  Chapter 35

  James vocalized loudly the same thing Jona was thinking. “Who the fuck is this, Onyx?”

  The strange woman similarly dressed as Onyx had an even colder look in her eyes and Jona knew these two had to be kin. Sheriff had risen up just as quickly as he had fallen and had his gun aimed at the woman, just as Onyx had her gun aimed in the same direction. The woman had the knife aimed at Sheriff and gun aimed at Onyx.

  “I just want to finish my job and kill the girl, cousins,” the woman sneered glaring at Jona, who stood about three feet away from the woman.

  Whether this woman was going to take her out with the blade or the gun, Jona moved into an attack stance with her fists to her chest, head tuck, doing Ginga like movements in preparation for any kind of attack, moving her hips and legs back to forth low with her body.

  “Put the gun down, Blaque Heart,” Sheriff ordered.

  “Is everyone in this family of yours crazy?!” James sneered.

  “You can’t kill her,” Onyx said through gritted teeth ignoring James and speaking to the woman.

  “I will kill her. I was paid a great deal amount of money to kill her and I don’t fail,” Blaque said as if they were just discussing the time of day.

  “Now wait on damn minute-“ James started to protest.

  “Shut up, James!” Onyx and Sheriff said.

  “And you just think I’m going to allow you and let you walk away,” Onyx asked Blaque.

  Blaque didn’t take her eyes off of Jona and her arms never stopped aiming towards Sheriff or Onyx. “Maybe I might kick your ass when I’m done, cousin.”

  “Ha!” Onyx cackled and lowered her weapon. “Put your gun down, Sheriff, this bitch is mine. Come hold this son of bitch back.”

  Sheriff looked warily at Onyx, but holstered his gun and came over to where Onyx stood by James. Onyx switch places, but Jona could only see this in her peripheral because she wasn’t taking her eyes off this woman who had every intention of killing her. Yes, she was scared for her life, but she had learned a long time from Shadow how to at least prolong death.

  “This is interesting, Blaque, because if I won’t let you kill her and you intend to kill her, that’s going to be pretty difficult,” Onyx said casually putting her gun away.

  Blaque put her knife away and then holstered her gun. “And what do you propose?”

  “Clearly she’s learned something that interest the both of us, so I propose that if she can get one good lick in before you deliver three, you can’t kill her,” Onyx said simply. “No weapons and no cheating. Give her a fighting chance.”

  Blaque narrowed one dark eye suspiciously. “And you?”

  “Oh I’ll stand back until she gets one lick in then dive in and rip you a new asshole.” Onyx cracked her knuckles and smirked. “You and I have business to settle and I’m going to take revenge on you until I hear you scream for mercy.”

  Blaque snorted. “Dream on.” She crotched down and prepared for a fight. “After I kill this bitch, I’ll kill you, which I should have done a long time ago.”

  Jona was ready for the first attack. Detecting Blaque was a righty, she Esquivas left trying to manage a knee strike. Blaque dropped back, but attacked quickly like a rattle snack and Jona felt a sharp blow to her side.

  Gasping in pain, Jona forced herself not to react, but flipped over twice to give her distance from Blaque to reassess her fight strategy. Blaque tried to kick her with those hard heels, but crouching like a crab right after a flip, with a Parafuso to block escaped what could have been a devastating blow. Despite the pain, she stretched up first to avoid a sweep kick from Blaque and then jumped to perform a perfect Mariposa, kicking Blaque right across the left side of her chin.

  James was floored watching Jona flip over, duck down and then jump high in the air to perform a perfect 360 butterfly twist to kick her opponent across the face.

  Blaque fell back against the station’s building. Yet, quick as a rattlesnake jumped up and started to attack with clear indication to take Jona out, but Onyx jumped in blocking the deathblow and knocking Jona at the same time towards Sheriff and James.

  They watched as Blaque and Onyx fight like perfect adversaries in hand-to-hand combat kicking, hitting, rolling and bruising.

  Onyx was clearly getting in the nasty punches to the sides of Blaque, while Blaque did strike Onyx’s chest, leg and side of the face. James gripped Jona tightly in case Onyx lost the fight, ready to protect her.

  With precision and skill, Onyx did a triple hit so fast to Blaque's stomach, side and then an elbow to the collarbone James barely saw her moves, yet everyone saw Blaque fall. Blaque didn’t get up as fast, yet when she did her gun was drawn, but Onyx seemed to have expected that and drew hers just as fast.

  Sheriff didn’t pull his gun as the two faced off yet again holding their guns to each other’s chest, knowing the other could kill with a pull of the trigger. It was a Mexican Standoff and both intended to walk away from this fight, yet only one could.

  James was holding his breath for the ten seconds they held their guns at each other until a deep voice ten feet away down the alley said, “Not today, Blaque.”

  Sheriff, James and Jona looked. Sheriff had pulled his gun and was aiming it at King Heart, but the man didn’t look worried that he might die today.

  Jona gasped as she recognized King Heart standing there casually in a white suit with his hands in his pockets. He hadn’t aged a day - big, gorgeous and looking as ruthless as possible. Blaque’s gun shook a little and she adamantly shook her head.

  “What the fuck are you doing in Detroit, King?” Sheriff demanded to know.

  “None of your damn business, traitor,” King rumbled, as he walked up to Blaque. “Put it away, Blaque. It’s over. The hit is reliquished. The girl doesn’t die and it’s not your day to die.”

  “You don’t get to choose,” Onyx sneered. “She’ll pay for the life she took.”

  King looked at Onyx and narrowed his eyes as he moved in front of Blaque to face down Onyx and her gun. “You’re not going to kill my little sister, today, Onyx. And you aren’t going to kill me.”

  Onyx smirked. “I could put a bullet in you easily, cousin, don’t think I won’t.”

  “I have no doubt you would,” King said. “But by the time that bullet hits me, she’ll be gone and you’ll miss out on your opportunity to kill her and you’ll anger your brother because he intends to extract revenge on me personally, correct?”

  “I could injure you.”

  “And mess up a perfectly good suit?” he questioned seriously.

  Sheriff still had his gun aimed at King Heart but he snorted in amusement at the comment.

  Jona could feel those pitch black, swarthy eyes light on her.

  “We meet again,” King Heart said at her. "I never forget a face."

  Clutching James closer, Jona forced herself to look away from him.

  “Don’t change the subject, King,” Onyx ordered bringing his eyes back to her.

  King stepped aside to show somehow Blaque had disappeared. "Like I said, there's no killing today, plus you already broke her rib."

  Onyx cursed and put her gun away. "Don't think you'll be leaving Detroit alive," she threatened. "My brother seriously intends to put a bullet between your eyes for all the shit you put the family through, King Heart."

  King looked behin
d him and Jona noticed just a twinge of worry crossed his brow briefly before he look back. "Tell him I can smell his dog a million miles away."

  Onyx angrily pulled out a knife from her jacket and swiped at King, but he ducked and had a gun drawn to her stomach. Their reflexes were fast and Jona gripped James very terrified for their own lives. Onyx had the tip of her blade centimeters from King's jugular.

  Hurt filled her voice when she said, "After what you let happen to our family you deserve the bullet my brother is going to put between your eyes, King Heart."

  "Before you assume you know shit, why don't you ask your brother about Sharlie Costello and Chicago ten years ago?" King sneered. "Put that motherfucking blade away before you hurt yourself, Onyx and just be glad I'm too interested in your client to have the time of day to kill your bitchy ass."

  Sheriff put his gun away and chuckled. "You can't kill him Onyx."

  "But I can hold him here until Mandingo comes to get him," Onyx threatened. "And he's close."

  "You can try," King sneered, putting his gun away first. With a sneer like smirk on his lips, he said, “Plus you owe me, Onyx. I just saved your client's life from my evil ass sister.” He nodded toward Jona. “I just need to speak with her – Just for a moment.”

  Onyx took a second before sheathing her knife and stepping aside. “You got two minutes.”

  He assured her. “If she’s cooperative two minutes will be all I need.” He walked to Jona and James protectively held her against him. “You and I have unfinished business, Hope.”

  Jona tried to sound brave in respond, “There’s no business between us.”

  “How long have you known those sisters?” he demanded to know.

  Innocently, she asked, “What sisters?”

  “Don’t play coy with me; you know exactly who I’m speaking of.”

  Jona didn’t have to hear him to know this man had deep insanity running through his veins that he was hiding. “I don’t know any sisters,” she said. Even if he was speaking of Nevada and Paris, she wasn’t going to help him find them.

  “Your two minutes are up,” Onyx said.