by A'zayler
Real Riders Never Die 3
The Finale
A Novel By
A’zayler
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© 2016
Published by Leo Sullivan Presents
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All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Unauthorized reproduction, in any manner, is prohibited.
Chapter One
The very breath that Taryn had just inhaled got caught in her throat. She tried unsuccessfully to release it, but it never happened. Staring into the eyes of the only person who haunted the most fearless and intimidating man she’d ever known had her almost paralyzed. There wasn’t a lot that got next to Demoto, but this woman, this middle-aged murderer, the heartless female who had the father of her children killed did.
Her very being haunted him in ways that he didn’t even realize. The worst part of it all was the fact that she didn’t even look the part. Had Demoto never told Taryn about her, she would have never known. Her appearance was just as every other mother’s would be. She looked very homely, and she had a calming, somewhat comforting aura. From the multi-colored dress she was wearing, to the unbranded flat loafers that shielded her feet.
“Taryn, are you okay, my girl?” Her native tongue was sure to be very strong because her English was good, but her accent overpowered it terribly.
Taryn looked down at her and shook her head. She was so scared she couldn’t even think of anything to say. All she could do was stare.
“You’re so much more beautiful in person.” She stood to her feet and motioned her hand toward the loveseat in the corner. “Take a seat.”
Taryn looked over her shoulder quickly at the sofa as if she hadn’t seen it a thousand times before. There was just something about it today that was different. Maybe it was the fact that the invitation to sit on it didn’t sound much like an invitation, but more of a command. Being commanded to sit on her own sofa. Wasn’t that something?
Staring at the sofa, but watching Demoto’s mother out of her peripheral, Taryn took a step back.
“Sit down, Taryn.”
Something in the back of her mind told her not to sit, but what more could she do? Demoto kept guns and knives stashed all over the house, but with Ayo right there, her hands were tied. She couldn’t take off running and leave her baby with a monster. Nor could she try to run and expect him to keep up. Thinking of her baby, and him only, Taryn sat down. She pulled Ayo so that he was seated on her lap.
Although he was only two-years-old, he must have sensed the danger too because he scooted as far back on Taryn’s lap as he could, and tucked his feet around her legs. He held onto both of her hands with his and turned his head to the side so that he was looking down the hall and not at his grandmother and her bodyguard.
“Taryn, I’m Queen Ornella Youngblood. Do you know who I am?” Her voice was soft, as if she was speaking to a baby. It was so soothing and nice.
As bad as Taryn wanted to hate her, she was making it very hard. Taryn looked over at her and let her eyes trail from her feet to her face before nodding her head.
“Who am I?”
Taryn cleared her throat and finally found her voice. “Demoto’s mother.”
She smiled. She had such nice teeth and skin. “So he’s told you about me?”
Taryn wasn’t sure if that was a trick question, so she shook her head no. She wasn’t about to give away any free information. That question held too many answers that were way too deep for their current situation.
“That’s just like my Demoto. He’s always been such a private child.”
Taryn looked at her, fighting to keep the frown from her face. She wasn’t really feeling having that conversation with her. Demoto was a subject she’d rather not talk about with the woman who had caused him to feel and act the way that he did.
“Is he here?” Ornella looked around the living room as if she was going to see Demoto walk out from somewhere. “I would love to speak to him.”
She is so phony. Taryn didn’t believe for one minute that she thought Demoto was there. There was no way in hell she had come all the way from Cameroon without doing her research first. Now Taryn may have been a lot of things, but a fool wasn’t one. If Ornella, Nutella, or whatever her name was, thought she was going to continue to sit there and play her for some kind of fool, she had another thing coming.
“Why are you playing?”
She turned her head briskly and looked at Taryn. “Pardon me?” Her accent was much thicker than Demoto’s. Probably because he’d been in the United States longer than she had.
“I said, why are you playing?” Taryn raised her eyebrows. “You know Demoto isn’t here because for some reason I feel like if he was, you wouldn’t be.”
Ornella cocked her head to the side in disbelief at the way Taryn had spoken to her. She looked her over for a few moments before wagging her pointer finger in Taryn’s direction.
“I like you. Forceful and confident. Very good, my girl.”
Taryn appreciated the compliment and all, but she would appreciate it even more if it was coming from the other side of her door.
“Is there something that I can do for you? Because if not, you all can leave, and I’ll let Moto know that you stopped by.”
She gathered the front of her dress and backed up until she was in front of the sofa and sat down.
“Demoto and I have some business that needs to be taken care of face-to-face. If you know what I mean.”
Taryn’s heart stopped. It began beating again until she thought about the face-to-face business his mother spoke of, which caused it to stop again.
“Were you about to cook?”
What is with this woman? She was acting as if they were on some type of social call, and Taryn wasn’t really feeling it. She looked her up and down before shaking her head no.
“Well then, shall we go for dinner? My grandson needs to eat.” She stood to her feet and looked over her shoulder at Taryn. “He’s royalty.”
“Royalty?”
“Yes, my girl. He’s a prince.” She looked at Ayo sitting in Taryn’s lap. “A very handsome little prince he is. I’m hopeless already.” She swooned. “Can I please see him?”
Taryn looked at her like she should have known better than to even ask that.
Once again, all she did was smile. “In due timing, my girl. Due timing.”
She walked to the large man blocking Taryn’s door and patted his shoulder once. He opened the door and allowed her to leave. Once she was gone, he stepped to the side and motioned for Taryn to follow her out the door.
“No, thank you. I think I’m going to stay here.”
“I don’t think you understand, ma’am. This isn’t up for discussion.”
“Why it ain’t? I’m grown. I don’t have to go nowhere if I don’t want to.”
He looked like he was growing irritated with Taryn, but she didn’t care about that. Maybe if he got irritated enough, he would leave her house and not come back. Taryn bounced her legs, rocking Ayo to keep him calm.
“Ma’am, please, don’t make me have to use force because I will. Just get your shit, and let’s go.”
Taryn squinted at him. Fat bastard! She rolled her eyes and stood from the sofa. She put Ayo on her hip and walked to the table to grab her purse, phone, and keys. After placing her phone on vibrate, she quickly stuffed it in her
purse. With one hand, she threw it over her shoulder and made sure it was situated before turning back around.
She walked to the door with her baby and was about to walk out but turned around at the last minute. The man made a step toward her and instinctively she turned around.
“Fall back up off of me. I will slap your fat ass.” Taryn looked him up and down. “Now I need to get my baby’s animal crackers, if that’s okay with you. I can bring you some too if you want.”
“Just hurry up and get your ass out this damn door.”
“Just hurry up and get your ass a damn neck. Fat fucker.” She rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen.
She looked over her shoulder quickly before grabbing the little .380 that Demoto kept in the cookie jar on the counter. She didn’t have one clue how to use it, but she stuffed it in her purse anyway. With the box of animal crackers and a Juicy Juice box, she walked back into the living room.
The bodyguard stood looking at her with his hands in his pocket. He turned his nose up as Taryn tried to squeeze by him with Ayo.
“Get out my way, damn! You know I can’t get past your big ass.”
“Girl, if you don’t get your ass down these stairs I’mma kick you down ’em.”
Taryn looked over her shoulder. “Nigga you tried it.”
He nodded his head and closed her door. “Keep trying me.”
By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, Ornella was seated inside a black Lincoln with tint so dark, Taryn couldn’t even see inside. Taryn knew that had to be their car because for one, it looked out of place, secondly, she’d never seen it over there before. She had been standing at the front door waiting to be told what was next until she made up her own mind. With Ayo still seated comfortably on her hip, she headed for her truck.
“Where the hell you think you going?” That was the bodyguard.
“To my truck. What it look like?”
“Girl get your black ass in this Lincoln.”
Taryn paused to take a deep breath because that nigga was really getting on her nerves. He was so rude, and she hadn’t even known him long. After taking a few deep breaths, Taryn continued to her truck.
“Taryn, you and the baby can ride with me.” Ornella’s voice carried across the parking lot. “If there’s anything you need from your truck Chauncey can grab it for you.”
“My baby’s car seat.” Taryn mumbled, as she walked toward the Lincoln.
“Oh, my girl, that won’t be necessary. I already have him one inside.” Ornella ducked back into the car.
Taryn’s mind went left after that statement. Why in the world did she already have Ayo a car seat? Just like she figured earlier, Ornella had done her research. Hell, she knew that just by her showing up at her doorstep when Demoto was gone, and calling her and Ayo by their names when she’d never met them a day in her life.
Aside from Demoto hating Ornella with a passion as strong as the one he loved her with, Taryn knew it was something off about this visit. Demoto had told her that his mother was up to something, and now she could see that he was right. All Taryn hoped was that it wouldn’t get too out of hand while Demoto was gone. Not really wanting to, Taryn got into the backseat of the Lincoln with Ornella.
She scooted over so that Ayo’s car seat was in the middle. Taryn looked at her briefly as she fastened Ayo into his seat. She had purposely unclicked the seatbelt from the back of the seat so that if need be, she could snatch his seat right out of the car. Once she was in and settled, she hit the locks on her truck door and stuck her keys into her purse.
Had she not seen fat Chauncey lock the bottom lock of her apartment door, she would have had a problem with that too, but for now she would just chill. She said nothing as they drove. She just looked out of the window, wanting so badly to pull her phone out and text Demoto, Kia, Mr. Buck, somebody, but she didn’t trust Ornella and she didn’t want to run the risk of making her angry. That’s if she didn’t take the phone as soon as she saw it.
“How about here?” Ornella pointed at Bone Fish Grill.
Taryn wasn’t a big fan of that place. In fact, she’d only been there one other time with Demoto, and neither of them cared for it and hadn’t been back since. Taryn offered no suggestion to Ornella, which led her right into the parking lot of Bone Fish Grill. Once fat Chauncey parked the car, they all filed out, Taryn holding Ayo securely in her arms and following Chauncey and Ornella into the restaurant.
They were seated right away at a small table in the middle of the floor. Taryn made sure to sit Ayo on the side of her. Her action didn’t go unnoticed by Ornella. Just like her son, she was very observant. It must have been something in their blood because she watched Taryn in the same manner as Demoto and Ayo did.
“So, Taryn, tell me about yourself.”
“What you want to know?”
She leaned forward and crossed her arms over the table. “Anything you want to tell me.”
“I’m a young, ambitious mother and wife who goes hard for her family. I love my boys and enjoy spending time with them.”
“Wife? You and Demoto are married?”
Taryn nodded.
“A wedding?”
Taryn nodded again
“I wasn’t invited? That’s such a shame.” She looked at Taryn as if she was supposed to feel bad about it.
“Ornella, please tell me what it is that you want with us. From my understanding, you and Demoto aren’t on the best of terms, so I don’t understand the point of this visit.”
“Straight to business, huh?” She laughed to herself and sat back in her chair.
The way she sat back and watched Taryn made her feel so uncomfortable because she looked too much like Demoto. Her eyes and even the way she looked through them was like Demoto. Taryn could even see a hint of Adisa in her, but she was Demoto to the bone. She and Taryn participated in a mini stare down until Ayo held up his kid’s menu in Taryn’s face.
“Ma, get my paper.” He pushed it so far into Taryn’s face that it was touching her nose.
“Let Grandma have it, Ayo.” Ornella leaned across the table again, trying to grab it, but he pulled it away and put it behind his back.
She laughed until she had tears in her eyes. “You don’t love Grandma?”
“Can you please tell me what we’re doing here?” Taryn interrupted whatever kind of moment she thought she was about to have with Demoto’s son.
She couldn’t stand his father, but thought she was about to spark some loving relationship with him. She had Taryn all messed up. Her loyalty was to her man.
“I just wanted to meet you two, Taryn. I knew Demoto would never have it, so I came when he wasn’t here. He’s my son, but he’s always been a daddy’s boy. He never really gave me a chance. I’m sure he loved me at some point bu—”
“He still does,” Taryn told her.
Ornella looked shocked. “How do you know?”
“Because the things that have happened in his past still bother him. If he didn’t love you then it wouldn’t. He never talks about you, but when he does, I can hear it in his voice.”
“Well, I appreciate you for telling me that because I was almost positive that he hated me.”
Taryn looked around the restaurant because she was over their little meet and greet. All she wanted to do was be cool until it was time to go home.
“I see you finished school last week. You looked lovely in your graduation gown.”
“Thank you.” Taryn wasn’t even shocked that she knew she’d graduated with her Bachelor’s degree last weekend.
She knew everything else, why wouldn’t she? It had been a long time coming, and Taryn was glad it was over. So if her little evil mother-in-law wanted to pretend to be happy for her, then so be it. Taryn was playing in her water with her straw when she felt Ornella’s hand on hers.
“Taryn, please, tell me about you all. I’ve missed so much. I feel like I know nothing. I know the monster Demoto must have painted me to be, but that’s
really not me. He and I have been at each other’s throat since he was old enough to think for himself, and it hasn’t been right ever since.”
“I don’t know what you want me to tell you, Ms. Ornella. Maybe this is something you should be talking to Demoto about. I have no problem with you knowing Ayo or myself, but ultimately that decision lies in Demoto’s hands. You’re his mother, and Ayo is his son. I can’t do anything that he wouldn’t be pleased with.” Taryn finally looked at her. “That’s not how he and I do things.”
The smile left Ornella’s face. “So, I guess this dinner is over, then?”
Taryn wasn’t sure if that was a trick question or not, so she didn’t answer. She would allow Ornella to come up with her own conclusion to that question.
“You didn’t hear her speaking to you?” Chauncey asked Taryn.
Taryn looked at him like he was the scum of the earth. “Ms. Ornella, where did you get this ghetto bastard from? He ain’t got no manners, and he talks out of turn.”
The smile that had left Ornella’s face returned when she looked between Taryn and Chauncey. “You two behave now.”
“It’s not me, it's him. He keeps starting with me. I haven’t said two words to this nigga, but he keeps coming for me.”
“You don’t have to say nothing. I’m a grown ass man, I can say whatever the fuck I want.”
Chauncey looked Taryn up and down. She was far from intimidated by him, so she just rolled her eyes and looked back at Demoto’s mother.
“Next time we get together, please leave the help at home.”
“So there will be a next time?”
Damn.
“Yes ma’am, if Demoto agrees to it. I have no problems with it.”
“Very well.” She waved her hand until the waitress came back.
They spoke silently about the bill before Ornella stood. Taryn followed her lead and grabbed Ayo from the wooden highchair he had been sitting in. Being that he was rather large, his leg got stuck as she pulled him out. She maneuvered it around for a second until it was free. Ornella and Chauncey stood nearby waiting for her.