Love In the Red Zone (Connecticut Kings Book 1)

by Love Belvin

  The ladies love JJ…

  Tynisha Lang, Alton Alston’s wife, and her crew of girls were a few seats down from Cole, rocking out just as hard. When I first laid eyes on her tonight, I thought about all the shade she threw Jade the first time they met at the bowling alley. I knew that bad energy came from Ty and Brielle being “besties” as Ty thought. Brielle didn’t have real friends: she wasn’t even real to herself.

  The colors glaring from the stage were lit brightly, messing with my buzz. I had to shield my eyes with my hands.

  “Don’t sweat it, TB. She’s wrapping it up now,” JJ shouted in my ear.

  He still assumed I was miserable. I was good, but happy about the show ending. I knew Jade wanted to come on the low. I had to act like JJ had just one ticket without saying it, because I didn’t want to lie or tell her I could cop enough tickets for her and whoever she wanted to bring if I wanted. Nope. Didn’t want that liability. Only needed the idea of leaving this place and going home to my wife. Jade always kept it ready for me.

  “Hmmmmm… Let’s see,” Brielle hummed into the microphone. “I have so many friends here tonight, showing me love in the Big Apple.” She pretended to comb the hyped crowd with squinted eyes for familiar faces. I reached down for the last of my drink. She didn’t have to look far; all her peoples were up close to her. “Ahhhhh! Here’s one. And somebody I know can put on a show.” I felt JJ nudge me. “In light of the rumors and nasty haters, trying to bring us down, let’s show them the real TB. The same TB we’ve always known!” she shouted over the crowd’s increased shouts and hollers at the mention of my name.

  The arena went nuts. I smiled at that downplay of the video scandal attempt. B made it seem so believable that we were far from two lovers, caught in bed with a third. I thought about the request for a minute, JJ looking at me for my move. I knew he thought I would embarrass her and say no. Before I was able to make a complete decision, stage handlers and guards were coming my way. They whispered something to Tyheem, likely out of respect for his job. He turned to me, asking if I wanted to go up.

  What the hell. I’m a married man. I can loosen up and have fun.

  I felt freed from that web of lies and confusion Brielle tried to catch me up in. I had a real lady at home. A wife who had a kid that completed my family. No, the world didn’t know that. But I felt it every second of the day since leaving Macen Beach last week. I nodded toward Tyheem and went to place my cup down before taking off in the turned up crowd. People shouting my name and trying to grab me between the horde of security.

  The music had already started by the time I hit the bright stage and Brielle’s dancers were waving me on—many I’d known for years.

  “All right, Trent. We all know you like to cut a rug on the field, after a big play, but let’s see how you cut it at The Garden!” Brielle shouted from a distance, which made this less weird.

  I didn’t need to be near her. From the beat the track was fading into I knew we were going to dance to an old Brielle track that was associated with a series of dances throughout. I’d never done the dance: it was a chick thing, but I could attempt to mimic the more gender-neutral moves and make the others more masculine. I could dance my ass off, so I wasn’t insecure. If anything this was my pre-reception dance floor play—way before my formal wedding day.

  The beat dropped and the girls got started. It took a few seconds in my tipsy state, but once I got started, I got into the moves fluidly. The ones I didn’t want to copy, I did my own thing. The crowd went wild over Brielle’s commentating the dances and singing the lyrics to the song. It was fun, something I started having more of since Jade. I always had a kid-like sense of humor, but I thought I lost it until Kyree started hanging out with me and Jade made me feel it was attractive and, at times, an aphrodisiac.

  The music sped up and the girls circled me, strutting, twerking, and grinding in a circle all around. A chair was behind me and out of nowhere, I was motioned to sit. I did and laughed at the show they were giving me with a new track blending in. A slower unfamiliar one. The dancer’s moves turned more seductive. I cackled, mostly to myself about being a part of their show now as an observer and no more a participant.

  Then the lights cut when the beat dropped. For a few seconds, all that could be heard was Brielle’s seductive vocals as I felt the girls shuffle around me. One, squatted between my legs. I didn’t panic, counting down the seconds until this was over. I’d had enough now. It was fun. Now I could go back to my seat and go home.

  The lights hit bright again when Brielle belted out crazy lyrics that had my buzz dying by the word. It was her between my legs while clutching my kneecap with one hand. Too close for a woman who wasn’t mine. It didn’t matter that she was once familiar with my body: it no longer responded to her. It belonged to someone else. Happily.

  “I loved you strong…I loved you deep.

  But I could never be the girl you wanted to keep.”

  The arena went wild and suddenly I felt that familiar sense of betrayal from the world, most of whom I’d never met.

  “I asked you when…oh, baby when?

  When will you love me!

  You drew a box, one that was square.

  You told me to try to get in there.

  I shrunk myself for years…drowning in my tears.”

  Then…very dramatically and seductively, Brielle turned to face me with misted eyes. Speaking directly to me.

  “How much longer will you not care?

  Oh, babeeeeeee… Purple hearts don’t fit in squares!”

  The dramatic beat dropped and transitioned into a heavy metal-like flow, and Brielle dropped to her knees, now using both hands to balance herself between my thighs while shaking her ass in the air behind me. Her neck swung and dipped fluidly, somber like. She was acting, I knew, but was too good at it. All I could think of was that night I came home to Jade blasting me for keeping her in the dark about my conviction and jail time and how she said she felt like the lyrics to Brielle’s song. No, I didn’t trust her back then, but I never meant to shrink anything inside of her. Didn’t think I could. Real talk: Jade intimidated me back then. She came on so strong, I couldn’t see anything noble about what she was offering.

  In my tipsy state that was now coming down, I felt paranoid. Brielle finished the chorus of the song and went into the second verse. It was just as melancholy and convincing as the first, painting a colorful picture that scared the shit out of me, although I understood this was Brielle and not Jade. How wrong was I about my wife? The arena was turned up with shouts and whistles, deafening music, and blinding lights. But in all of that, all I could hear were questions about what my life could have been like—even after coming back to the league and being on this winning streak.

  What if I’d missed out on the feeling of belonging I now felt as her man? Her husband.

  Before I knew it, the track was done. As the crowd went up at the dramatic ending, Brielle stood inches from me with her head hung low, appearing lonely and in pain. That was my cue. I lifted to my feet. That simple act had them ringing their shouts to another level. I could hear the first few rows shouting.”

  “Kiss her!”

  “Go get her, Trent!”

  “Get our girl!”

  “Awwwww!”

  All I could do was stare at her. All I saw was a poser, a woman totally different from the one people were vouching for.

  “Do this for me please, Trent!” she begged me with raccoon eyes from her stained makeup.

  “For you?” I asked with my shirt clutched in my fist. “I thought this was for me.”

  Her eyes dropped. She was caught. “It can’t be for the both of us? She’s hot. I just want to have fun.”

  “Do you,” I dismissed Brielle, and started past her.

  I was good with leaving her to the girl for them to enjoy themselves. I’d participated in threesomes before, but never with an unknown party. Both females had been known bisexuals. I wasn’t with the fake-a-feel-goo
d-fuck shit.

  She caught my arm, squeezing as she pulled me back.

  “We’re gonna do this without you and have fun,” she threatened.

  “B, do you.” I gave her a final salute before taking off.

  Now, the crowd was begging for some trace of intimacy from us. Brielle’s shoulders were vibrating, she was so caught up in her emotions. For a slight second, I saw a little girl, one misunderstood by the masses and got how miserable that must have been. For a flash, I saw my Jade, hanging onto another man, who didn’t mean her heart any good. Busters that she had no business giving her heart or body to because it belonged to me—even though she didn’t know me.

  I walked over to Brielle and grabbed her into my arms. The crowd went bananas the moment she fell into me. She dropped the microphone, and clasped the wings of my back.

  “I love you so much, Trent,” she shouted over tears. “I’ll do anything.”

  All of a sudden?

  “You loved the ride you took us on. I know love, B. I got it. This ain’t nothing like what I have.”

  The stage went black while the arena was still on ten, blasting their approval.

  “I’m still in love with you. I want to do better.”

  “You be blessed, Brielle. Go do you.”

  I dropped my arms and stepped back. When I walked off the dark stage, I never looked back. It wasn’t until I saw JJ and Cole in the hall, just off the stage that reality slapped me in the face. JJ’s arm hung over Cole’s shoulder.

  “Yo, you good? I’m out,” I was done with this night. This place.

  Cole held her phone in her hand where they both looked up from. Both their eyes lit with some emotion that wasn’t good. The moment I opened my mouth to ask what it was about, the answer came.

  Jade.

  The damn internet moved faster than good sense nowadays.

  The traffic leaving The Garden was unreal. The ride out of the city couldn’t be more torturous. I kept checking my phone…for what, I didn’t know. On the low, I needed some sign of her mind, her mood. Had she seen anything? I wondered how many blogs had sounded off with footage from the concert by now?

  How the fuck could I be so stupid?

  Part of me wanted to call Ezra, and the other half was too embarrassed by my actions to seek out advice. Maybe I should stop by his crib first. Ezra would always welcome me, although I never took advantage of his friendship. Nah. His wife and baby are there now. His life had changed to include others who didn’t have that connection to me. I couldn’t alarm them at this crazy hour. He was probably snuggled up with her, far from where my stupid ass just was. Ezra thought hours ahead, whereas my stupid ass only thought in the moment.

  This was why I needed to push my schedule to get back to make Sunday services more often. When I wasn’t on the road, I’d attend church, but I’d noticed over the past few months, when I was off, I’d opt to spend time with Jade instead. Watching the service on television wasn’t the same as being in the sanctuary. I needed holiness. My life had been spinning out of control.

  Tyheem hadn’t put the car in park by the time I jumped out and headed to the side door, fetching my keys from my pocket. The house was quiet as it should have been during this hour. My heart pounded out my fucking chest as I quickly kicked off my shoes. I had no idea what I was rushing to say, but I knew I needed to come up with something to keep this together. Yeah, I needed holiness because I was prepared to lie if necessary.

  Damn…

  That wouldn’t work. Videos don’t lie.

  I heard when the alarm chimed, and fresh hot sheets of tears shot from my eyes with each leap he took down the hall. The moment he hit the threshold of the French doors, Trent hit the light, blinding me. Once I was able to clear my vision enough to make out his fit body in all black with platinum ropes and chains hanging from his neck, I caught his eyes scanning the mountain of bags I managed to gather in my fit of anger. He sucked in a heavy breath before his heavy eyes swung over to me. His chin hung low, gaze holding regret with reckless determination pushing through. The lights went off and then I felt the weight of him, all of him all over me.

  The sharp edges of his medallions pricking my chest. His big cold hands pushing my gown over my hips. Then his tongue dove into my mouth as his hips shuffled to make room between my tense thighs. I instinctively opened for him. The usual decadent aroma of him was hidden beneath the scents of booze, cigars, weed, and cheap perfume. His tongue held a trace of brandy, a fragrance I was used to. And I didn’t know if that was a bad thing to explain his behavior tonight. Why would a newlywed want to be draped in women who only wanted the celebrity of Trent Bailey, the image? Why did he keep his apparent affair with Brielle from me? It was clear to me he’d touched her soul at some point. Just like he rocked mine.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered in my mouth, lips still busy caressing my own. “So fucking sorry!”

  My back arched from the mattress into his demanding touch, throat squeezing air from my crushed lungs, producing a squeal. A cry burgeoning from the depths of my soul. Pain rose like bile from my belly. I’d done it. I lost control of myself. Rendered my heart to a man unworthy of it. Of my all.

  Another hot torrent of tears sprang from my eyes. Trent’s mouth was busy on mine, his hands busy below. Out of nowhere, I started punching him anywhere I could get a punch to land. My anger grew in spades now, at even my body for still wanting him. Trent collected my wrists with his hands, bringing my arms over my head, holding them there with one palm. His other cupped my chin, forcing me still to hear him.

  “I can be better,” he shrieked painfully over me. “I am better for you!”

  “No, you’re not!” I countered breathlessly, his weight was so heavy, imposing. “You wanted marriage for this? To hurt and embarrass me?”

  “No!” I felt the warmth of the hard slab of muscle positioned at my cleft. “I did it because I need you. I need you to hold me down. I need you when they think they know me and try to get close. I need you to cover me and”—I heard the crack in his chords. The cry—“keep them away.”

  Then he breached me, slid into my crying walls that mirrored my face: slippery and glistening. That familiar fullness aroused me, forcing me to produce more juices for him. This couldn’t be. An hour ago, I was aching from his betrayal. Now, my pussy ached for his fullness. Trent kissed my tears as his hard body began to roll over me sinuously, reminding me of his athletic keenness.

  How could he betray me less than a week after promising me forever? He was so insistent on marriage. And could I withstand being a hidden wife? We agreed to keeping it from the public, but was this the price I had to pay for secrecy? Did he think the hidden marriage license made it okay to act like a complete ass when away from home?

  What scared me the most was my reaction to seeing the video. Initially, my typical rash, over-the-top kicked in with packing my and Kyree’s things and taking pictures of them being stacked by the door. But the moment came for me to hit send on the text and I froze, unable to breathe. My first thought was what leaving would do. It would break my heart. I didn’t want life without Trent. I belonged to him. My heart had already been sold for his keeping. Forever.

  I felt the lightening in my core. My hips pushed up to meet his.

  How could I yield to the shards of pleasure from his thrusts? Why did I feel his regret with each roll of his hips, each lapping of his tongue in my mouth and against my wet and contorted face? I’d felt betrayal like this before, but it was never accompanied by the pain only this man could bring me. What made Trent so different? I could give a damn about the money or lifestyle, I wanted the man: his heart, his generous spirit, his championing support. I wanted to protect his betrayed heart until I left this earth.

  Who could want that in a man who could rip their soul into shreds the moment he entered an arena that swelled his ego the moment he crossed over the township line? When here, Trent and I fused souls. We repaired each other’s broken spirits, carried the banner o
f healing to our wounded hearts.

  I felt him thickening inside of me. His shirt now drenched in sweat as Trent tossed his head back, giving into the torrential release of pleasure.

  “Protect me, Jade!” he grunted with squeezed eyes as he shot heatedly into me.

  The wings of his back flexed as he suspended over me, holding my arms above my head. I lifted my thighs, crossing them around his back, pushed my pelvis into his plunges, and squeezed him into me. As he came, I felt intoxicated by his release into me. I felt his muscles go rigid around me and his face hardened in distress. Trent was now vulnerable. Like me always.

  “I need you to protect me, too! I can’t be the only one guarding our peace, Trent.” I felt my lips press against my teeth. “It comes natural, yes, but it’s an exhausting job for even me. You vowed to always conduct yourself as a reflection of our love. I saw no hint of your commitment to me while you were up there on stage.”

  He shook his head and roughly ran his hands down his face. “That’s what’s crazy, there was a reflection of our love while I was there. It was just poor judgment.”

  My forehead crumpled in confusion. “That makes no sense.”

  Trent’s determined eyes were on me. “I was comfortable, felt a confidence I never really had. That was my first time feeling completely relaxed around her. With Brielle you never know who you’ll get. But tonight, it didn’t matter. I was happy for once, like undeniably content…fucking ecstatic. Yeah, we’re on a record breaking winning streak, but I’m married to a woman who provides a…blanket of protection even when she’s far away. That’s not a secret. It’s not hidden from me. I felt secure knowing it didn’t matter that all those people were around me celebrating something superficial, including her. I had something secure in here”—he pounded his chest—“because I have you.”