The people were gone, and the music had stopped. Fran along with several other staff members went through the house cleaning things up.
“Where are my parents?” she asked.
“In the study,” Fran answered.
Patrice felt Fran’s questioning gaze as she walked to the study. By now Fran would have heard the rumors. Patrice didn’t doubt Fran believed Kareem guilty as much as the rest of the family. She entered the study to a deafening quiet. Her father sat behind his desk, his face pensive as he rubbed his chin. Her mother sat on the sofa comforting Melinda who cried silently, while Chad paced back and forth. They all looked up when she entered.
“Well,” Chad said in a clipped voice. He stalked across the room to here. “Where is he?”
Patrice tightly crossed her arms over her chest. “He’s not with me. His sister-in-law bailed him out.”
“So he ran?” Chad said disgustedly.
“He didn’t run,” Patrice countered.
Roland stepped forward. “Do you blame him for running? Of course he’s afraid of facing the family after what he did.”
Patrice spun to face Roland. “He didn’t do anything. We don’t know the circumstances behind what happened tonight.”
“I think we know enough,” Roland said, looking to Chad.
She narrowed her eyes. “Back off, Roland.”
Roland appeared startled by that. Good, he needed to be startled.
The study door burst open, and Joshua strolled in, his shirt untucked. His wide eyes scanned the room.
Melinda sprang from the couch, knocking Janice backwards. “Joshua!” She ran over and wrapped him in an embrace.
Chad hurried over and pulled her off the boy. “Where have you been?”
“I just went out,” he said to his feet. “The party over already?”
Milton stomped around his desk. “That innocent act won’t work on us. The police have already been here.”
Joshua’s eyes jumped up to his grandfather. “I came here because I thought I’d avoid them.”
Chad scoffed. “So you’re admitting to taking part in that robbery.”
Joshua lowered his head. “I did.”
Milton shook his head. “What were you thinking doing something so stupid?”
Joshua shrugged. “I don’t know. It sounded like a cool idea.”
Chad spun toward Patrice. “You see what your thug of a fiancé did? He convinced my son stealing was cool.”
Joshua’s head snapped up. “What? I don’t need Kareem to convince me of anything. He screwed up the entire deal anyway. Showing up acting like the law or something.”
Patrice stepped forward. “What really happened?”
“Nothing. Things would have gone fine if he hadn’t butted in, trying to stop the entire thing. So we ran,” Joshua said.
“You ran!” Patrice yelled. “Kareem was arrested. The people you tried to rob accused him of being a part of the robbery.”
“What!” Joshua shook his head. “He should’ve just stayed at the party.”
Chad grabbed Joshua’s arm. “I want to know why you did it in the first place. Was it because of something he said? Did he make you think being a thug was cool?”
“No. He wouldn’t even talk to me about his life in jail or the things he did while in the Runners.” Joshua sounded disappointed. “I thought he was kind of lame for not sharing. It was John’s idea to rob that guy.”
Janice stepped up. “Joshua, why would you agree to something so stupid?”
Again, Joshua shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Chad shook his head. “It wasn’t cool. If it weren’t for the police chief insisting this be handled quietly, your antics would be all over the news. You’ve threatened your grandfather’s career, my credibility, and hurt your plans for the future.”
Joshua’s brows drew together. “It’s no big deal. We’ll cover things up.”
Chad pushed Joshua back, making the teen stumble. “First, we’re calling our lawyer. Second, we’re going to the police station to clear Kareem’s name. After that, I’ll deal with you personally.”
Patrice relaxed. “Thank you, Chad.”
Chad glared at her. “I don’t like him, but I won’t let him … you, suffer for Joshua’s idiotic mistake.” He pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
Joshua looked her way. “I’m sorry, Aunt Neecie.”
The use of the nickname only brought pain to her heart. She and Kareem were really over.
“Don’t do anything like this again,” she said. Her eyes burned with tears, and she rushed out of the study. The thought of going to the room she’d shared with Kareem only intensified the pain in her chest. Instead she walked through the family room to the terrace.
“Tonight’s been crazy.” Roland’s voice came from behind.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn’t want to deal with him right now. “It was.”
“No one will blame you for believing Kareem was involved in the robbery.”
“I didn’t believe he was.”
“Still, the guy isn’t perfect. There’s still the situation with the prostitution in the lounge.”
Patrice spun to face him. “I don’t believe he said that either. Kareem would never take advantage of the women who work for him. Someone else spread the rumors.”
“You can’t honestly believe that.”
“I do. In fact, Kareem thinks you’re behind it.”
Roland scoffed and looked away. He quickly licked his lips and stared up at the stars. “That’s preposterous.”
Patrice’s eyes narrowed, realization hitting hard. “You did do it.”
“Don’t be crazy, Patrice.” He licked his lips again and avoided eye contact. His tell.
“I can’t believe you’d betray me like that, Roland. I trusted you, and you lied about Kareem and tried to sabotage his business.”
Roland finally looked at her. Anger in his eyes. “What did you expect me to do, Patrice? You come home after five years engaged to a former gang member. You deserve so much more than that.”
“That’s not for you to decide.”
“I care about you and don’t want to see you hurt.” He took her hand in his. “Patrice, I still love you. I never got over you. I want us to have another chance. This time I’ll do better.”
She snatched her hand away. “I’d never be with you again. Not after this. I was willing to forgive you for ignoring my obvious pain when we were younger, but this is outright deceit. I could never trust you.”
“But you can trust that thug?”
“Kareem isn’t a thug. He cares about his employees, his family, me. No, he’s not suave and polished, but he also isn’t fake. Which is more than I can say for you. Get out, Roland, and don’t bother calling me again.”
Roland’s lips pressed into a thin line. He lifted his chin and sneered down his nose at her. “Fine, go with your hoodlum if you want. After tonight he’s through anyway. Between the rumors and the arrest no one who’s anyone will go to his lounge. You could do better.”
“You wouldn’t be better. And despite your influence, Kareem isn’t through. He’s more of a man than you’ll ever be, and because of that, he will succeed.”
Roland sucked his teeth and spun on his heels. His exit left her with another regret: putting her trust in the wrong person.
CHAPTER 31
Kareem stepped out of the cab and stared at the front of the Baldwin mansion. He sucked cold winter air in through his nose and let it out in a long exhale. Get in and out of the house with minimal interaction with the family. That was the plan. Arriving at five a.m. on Sunday morning should assure him of that. If Fran would let him grab his things and go without sounding the alarm that the evil former fiancé was there, he’d be out of the house and on the way to Columbia before the family realized he’d been there.
With determined steps, he strode to the front door and used the key Neecie made for him rather than ring the bell. The foyer w
as quiet; no trace of the party from the night before remained. He quickly crossed the room to the stairs.
“Kareem, wait,” Chad’s voice said from behind.
Damn! His foot was barely touching the second stair. Pressing his lips together he turned to face Chad, fully expecting the man to tell him again about how no good he was for Neecie.
“I’m just getting my stuff and getting out of here,” Kareem said.
Chad came further out of the study and crossed the hall to the end of the stairs. The white button-up shirt he’d worn the night before beneath his suit was wrinkled and untucked. His pants had lost the crisp edge, and a shadow of a beard darkened his cheeks.
“There’s no need for you to run away,” Chad said. “Joshua confessed what happened last night. To us and to the police. Your name is cleared.”
Kareem nodded stiffly. Internally he breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good to know.”
“I want to say—” Chad stopped and ran a hand over his scruffy chin. He raised eyes lined with fatigue to Kareem’s. “I want to thank you for trying to stop him. You were paying more attention to my son than I. If you hadn’t shown up things could have gotten worse. If not last night then in the future. Thank you.”
“How much trouble is he in?” Kareem asked.
“A lot, but that’s why I pay my lawyer a ton of money. We’ll get him out of as much trouble as we can.”
Chad’s weary expression and defeated tone tugged at Kareem’s old guilt. Had his father felt just as worn down and beaten having to bail Kareem out of his troubles?
“I should have said something sooner.” Kareem leaned against the bannister. “I saw the signs, but thought it best to stay out of your business.”
Chad’s mouth lifted in a tired grin. “I can’t blame you. I did nothing to make you feel welcome in this family. I understand why you chose to stay quiet. The fact that you stepped in when things were getting out of hand speaks more for your character than mine.” He stepped up and held out his hand. “You’re a better man than I accused you of being.”
Kareem took his hand, shook it, then dropped it quickly. Chad’s acceptance was too little too late. If Joshua hadn’t confessed, no one would believe he hadn’t been a part of the robbery. He didn’t fit in this family, and never would.
“I appreciate that.” Kareem turned to go upstairs.
“Are you still leaving?” Chad asked.
Kareem faced Chad. “Yes. My deal with Neecie is up.”
“Deal?”
“She asked me to come as her fake fiancé to keep you and the rest of the family off her back. In return, she helped me open my lounge. Now that things have turned out the way they have, I think it’s best to move on.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Why not? Isn’t it what you accused us of from the start?”
Chad nodded. “True, but she loves you now. And I believe you care for her.”
“You said I treated her like a whore.”
“I never should have said that. I thought Roland was better for her, but learning he spread the rumors about you proved yet again I’m not a good judge of character.”
Kareem’s eyes narrowed. “He confessed to that?”
“Yes, last night.”
Kareem scoffed, and he yearned for five minutes alone with that prick. “He better hope I never see him.”
“Doubtful you will. If you and Patrice choose to stay together, and I hope you do, you won’t have to worry about seeing him because of us.”
Kareem nodded, then turned and walked up the stairs, no longer interested in Chad’s weak attempt to mend fences. That fence was broken and run over with a tractor from hell. Roland’s confession did little to make him feel better. He’d known all along Roland was behind the rumors. All to get closer to Neecie.
He braced himself to enter the bedroom and see her. Thoughts of the nights they’d spent making love in that room sent warmth straight to his heart. Seeing her in bed would only make walking away harder. He still wanted her. That was some shit that wouldn’t just go away. But they didn’t belong together.
He opened the door and instantly looked to the empty bed. No sooner had relief that he might not face her swept through his chest did the door to the bathroom open. She flipped off the light and came into the room. Two steps in, she noticed him and froze. Her hand came up to the smooth cinnamon skin exposed above the neckline of the white tank top she wore. A pair of red pajama pants hugged her curves so well his hand flexed with the need to slide down the back and cup her luscious backside.
“You came back,” she said in a quiet voice that didn’t hide her hope.
“Only to get my things.” His throat seemed tight, constricting to hold back words he couldn’t say. I still want you. Let’s make this work. I want to trust you again.
“Oh … I thought you were staying.” She crossed her hands beneath her breasts. Her foot twisted on the floor.
The cute action sent desire thrumming through his body. “Our deal is up. The lounge will open next week. Your family is off your back. There’s no need to pretend anymore.”
She swallowed hard, her chin rose, and fire flashed in her eyes. “Pretend. We were pretending?”
“Yes. Pretending we could make this thing real between us.”
Her eyes shone, maybe with tears, but she spun away and stalked to the balcony. A vision of her straddling him in the afternoon sunlight flashed in his brain. He cleared his throat to mask the groan rising.
“You said you wanted to try.”
“That was when I thought I could trust you.” Her shoulders flinched with his direct words. But they both needed to hear it. “Yesterday proved I can’t.”
“I never believed you robbed those people.” She spun and faced him. Trust was written all over her face.
“But you accused me of calling Sandra for the wrong reasons.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“Because earlier in the day you actually believed I would prostitute out my employees.”
She closed her eyes and groaned. “I didn’t believe it, not really.”
“It didn’t seem like a not really accusation in your voice.”
“I know. Paul threw me off when he accused you. Kareem, I’m sorry.”
“Okay, then why didn’t you tell me the truth about the bulimia?”
Neecie swallowed hard. “I didn’t want you to think I was weak.”
“Why would I think that?”
“Because you’ve been through so much and survived. Here I am, the rich kid so pressured by her life she decided to throw up after every meal.”
He stalked forward. “You don’t think I would’ve understood?” He slapped his chest with his palm. “The rich kid who joined a gang because he was bored. I wouldn’t have thought you were weak, Neecie. I would have realized you had your own flaws, but you overcame them. I see your strength.”
“We made our mistakes. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try to move forward.”
Kareem’s heart raced in his chest and sweat trickled down his back. He fought back the need to reach out for her. She said she had his back, and he’d believed her. But history taught him people didn’t change. Trusting her would only hurt him in the long run. “I meant it when I said things were over. We had our fun. Let’s not get sappy about ending this.”
Her wide eyes blinked several times. Neecie looked at him, then the floor and the door. Crossing her arms, she took a deep breath then finally met his gaze again. “If that’s how you feel.” She used her thumb to wipe her eye. “Then maybe this is for the best.” She stalked past him. The scent of her perfume sent another shot of need through him. Kareem’s hand shot out to take her arm, and his thumb slid over her soft skin.
Her large, loving eyes stared up at him, hopeful and wary at the same time. He pulled her closer, until her breasts brushed his chest. Her body trembled.
He lowered his head to kiss her, but she turned away. “Don’t. If we’re
really over … just don’t. I’m not Misty or one of the freaks from the Runners. I won’t be your off and on lover after we break up. I deserve more than that.”
Kareem’s hand dropped away, and he took a step back. He hadn’t thought, only gone for what he wanted. Which would take him down the road he’d already traveled. Wanting Neecie wasn’t the same as trusting her.
“I won’t take long,” he said in a rough voice.
“Good,” she replied then strode out the door.
CHAPTER 32
Kareem leaned against the wall outside of the club in the seedy part of Columbia and took a drag from his cigar. After being there for thirty minutes he was ready to go. The music grew louder as the door opened to let in more partygoers. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out he saw his friend Omar’s number on screen. Probably looking for him in the crowd of people inside.
“Yeah?” Kareem answered.
“Where you at?” Omar yelled over the pounding music. “Misty is in here, and she’s looking for you.”
Kareem cringed. Misty was the reason he’d hurried out of the club after spotting her inside. He’d come out with Omar for the sole purpose of forcing himself to forget about Neecie and find another woman to distract him. But the thought of touching anyone other than her turned his stomach.
“I’m outside smoking. I’ll be back in in a minute.” He ended the call and slid the phone back into his pocket.
If he went back inside he knew what would happen. Misty would ask where he’d been, then suggest they go back to his place, and they’d spend the night having the rough and wild sex that cemented their previous relationship. This used to be his life, the way he occupied every weekend since getting out of jail, back when he didn’t think he’d had a chance at or deserved a happy life.
He pushed away from the wall and stubbed out the cigar on the heel of his shoe. Instead of enjoying himself the thought of what would happen if he went back in churned his gut. Forcing himself to go back to his old life felt like punishment. Exactly what Neecie accused him of doing. Punishing himself for participating in the carjacking, going to jail, wanting to kill Cide. He didn’t want to punish himself anymore.
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