“I’m so sorry, Niquole. I had no clue he would do this to you.”
I sat up straight in the bed and stared at her with curious eyes. “What are you talking about? Who are you talking about?”
“Kingston. I didn’t know he would hurt you like this.”
My eyes widened. “Whoa! Back the fuck up! What the hell is going on? How in the hell do you know Kingston?”
“Kingston’s sister was my best friend.”
I reached for a cup of water from the table beside me when I started choking on nothing. “Excuse me?” I asked after getting myself together.
“I was there the night she was raped. She told me she was going outside to talk to a friend. When she was gone for a while, I went outside to check on her, but she was nowhere to be found. That’s when I heard noises on the side of the club. Me, being the nosey person I am, I walked in that direction and immediately covered my mouth at what I saw. Germaine was holding her down while his friend covered her mouth and raped her. When I screamed, they fled.”
I was completely shocked as Meagan kept going.
“That guy, Hummer, dropped his wallet and I got the license plate of Germaine’s truck. I was gonna give the information to the police, but Kingston told me not to. He did research on Hummer and Germaine and found out that Germaine was married to you and that you were looking for a new assistant. That day I came in to talk to you, you had an emergency call that you needed to take and walked out of the office. You had several resumes and portfolios on your desk in piles of yes and no. I made sure mine stuck out before slipping a few of the potential candidates in the no pile. That emergency call wasn’t real. Kingston needed me on the inside.”
I was waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out from the bathroom because I was more than sure that I was being punked in the worse way. Now, I knew why she was calling Kingston.
“You conniving, white bitch!” I yelled. I tried to lunge at her, but was in too much pain. I wanted her head on a stake.
She laughed creepily after stepping away from me.
Wow…from tears to psychotic in a matter of seconds, I thought. What was really going on? “What’s so damn funny?” I asked.
“I’ve been practicing those tears for the past hour,” she continued laughing. “Word of advice, if you go the police about any of this, Kingston has photos of you at Hummer’s crime scene and he knows where you live,” she threatened.
I was speechless as I watched and listened to that blonde bitch laugh at me. She was having the time of her life. She even flaunted that Louis Vuitton bag that I’d bought her as a pre-bribe. All along she was playing me with the man I was trying to bribe her with. I trusted her. I gave her complete access into my world and she’d played me like a fiddle.
Meagan walked to the door then turned around to face me, “Germaine deserves whatever Kingston has planned for him because my friend didn’t deserve what they did to her.” She shook her head. “Oh, before I go, I have one question for you.”
“Bitch, what could you possibly have to ask me?” I growled.
“How does it feel to know that you bought that Prada dress for the album release party and not Kingston?”
My heart crumbled. She’d obviously used my money to buy the dress. “You bitch.”
“Did it feel good when you fucked him in it?”
The more she spoke, my insides damn near exploded.
“He does know his way around a woman’s pussy, doesn’t he?” she questioned. “Trust me, I know.”
I forced back vomit. “Why? Why did you do this? I gave you everything. I let you into my fucking world and treated you like family!”
“At first, I felt a little sorry for what we were going to do to you. I actually didn’t want to do it, but as I got to know you, I realized you were a bitch. By the way, I did erase those messages those three artists left for you and I’m the one who told A.J. about them.”
I couldn’t stop staring at her. I wanted to rip her eyes out. This bitch had sold me out in more ways than one.
“I’ll leave you alone now to ponder over everything. Oh, by the way, thanks for the money,” she winked.
“What? What money?”
A crooked smile sliced across her face then she walked out. Seconds later, it hit me. She was the blackmailer. “You bitch!” I screamed.
CHAPTER 22
The next morning, I sat in my hospital bed impatiently waiting for my release papers. I wanted to get away from the cops, nurses and doctors. They were getting on my damn nerves. I also needed to get out of there to find Meagan because she was due a well-whooped ass. There was no way she was getting away with her involvement and my money.
The cops were in and out of my room trying to get answers regarding my rape as they called it. However, I wasn’t telling them a damn thing about Kingston because I needed some answers. Besides, if I told on him I knew he would turn me in and I wasn’t having that. All of this would’ve never happened if Germaine and Hummer hadn’t touched Kingston’s sister, I thought. None of this shit would be going on. My man and I would be together right now. This could’ve been an easy transition.
I couldn’t find it in my heart to hate Kingston for what he did. He wanted pay back and I could understand that. I didn’t give a damn what Kingston said, I knew he loved me. It may have started off as a plot at first, but we spent too much time together for him not to feel the same way about me as I did. He needed some convincing.
As I sat and waited for the doctor, I wondered who in the hell leaked to the press that I had been assaulted because a few of them had found their way to my room. I figured it had to be Meagan. I even had security escort the vulchers out and stand outside my door just to get some peace. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Meagan. Her ass was surely gonna pay.
“This shit is taking too long,” I said before hopping off the bed and walking toward the door. As soon as I opened it, the nurse was standing there holding my release forms.
“I thought I was gonna have to release my damn self,” I pouted.
“I’m sorry about the wait, Ms. Wright. There was a…”
“I don’t care. Just release me so I can get out of these damn scrubs.” I frowned thinking I could be wearing them for the next twenty-five years if shit didn’t go my way.
“I just need you to sign these forms,” the nurse said as she handed them to me as well as a pen. “Are you sure you don’t want to speak with a rape counselor?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Can I leave?” I asked sternly.
“Of course.”
She nodded, smiled weakly, retrieved the papers and walked out. I was five seconds behind her. I shook my head when I saw that the guard was no longer at the door. “Where the fuck is he?” I asked myself before hearing the sound of high heels click against the floor. I had a funny suspicion whom they might’ve belonged to. Seconds later, I was staring at a pair of navy blue, Manolo Blahnik pumps. My suspicions were right.
“Are you okay?” Jalisa asked once I looked up at her. “Germaine called and told me to come and get you.”
“Damn! Who else has he told?”
“The man is worried about you. I’m worried about you.”
I shook my head. “Whatever. I’ve gotta get out of here. I need to find my keys.”
“Actually Germaine had Tyrell drive your car home. He sent me to pick you up and take you home.”
“I’m not going back there,” I replied, thinking back to that awful night with Germaine. I was never stepping foot back inside that house while he was there. “I’ll catch a cab to a hotel.”
“Why don’t you wanna go home?”
“Ask Germaine why I don’t wanna go home.”
Jalisa gave me a curious look, but didn’t question me. “Nikki, I’ll take you to a hotel if that’s what you need.”
I thought against it, but figured my trip would be quicker if she drove me rather than waiting for a cab. “Okay,” I sighed, knowing that she was going to question me the entire dri
ve.
As we walked toward the elevator, I could feel someone creeping behind us. I turned around abruptly. It was the nurse who’d just left my room. My abrupt turn startled her. She was holding up her camera phone. I assume she was taking pictures of me when I suddenly thought about something. I’d completely forgotten about Meagan telling me that her cousin worked there. Was she Meagan’s cousin? She gave me a frightened look when I walked up to her.
“Is Meagan your cousin?” I asked in a pleasant tone to throw her off.
“Yes,” she answered.
At that moment, I snatched the phone from her hand and smashed it to the floor. It shattered in several pieces throughout the hall. “You won’t have me on Youtube or in the tabloids, bitch,” I growled at her.
“Come on, Nikki. Let’s go,” Jalisa said after clutching my arm and pulling me out of the girl’s face.
We hopped inside her 2009 Mercedes CLS when we made it to the parking lot. As soon as we drove off, she started. “So, are you going to tell me what happened?”
“No, I’m not,” I answered quickly.
“Look. I know we’ve been butting heads since forever, but you’re still my friend. We’ve been through a lot of shit, Nikki. Talk to me. Tell me what happened.”
“If Germaine had kept his dick in his pants then none of this would’ve happened,” I responded.
“What in the world are you talking about, Nikki? Do you know who did this to you?” Jalisa looked confused.
“This is Germaine’s fault.”
I groaned when she pulled off the road. She obviously wasn’t going to leave it alone. “You know who raped you, don’t you?” Jalisa asked. I didn’t respond. I figured if I ignored her that she would eventually drive off, but who was I kidding? “Have you talked to Kingston? Have you told him what happened?”
“I don’t have to since he’s the one who raped me and Germaine is to blame for it!” I yelled.
She gave me a freaked out look. “I can’t believe what you just said.”
“Just leave it alone.”
“What are you doing?” Jalisa asked when she saw me grab her Droid phone from the cup holder. “We need to talk about this, Nikki. This is some serious shit.”
I ignored her and continued dialing the number. “Shit!” I yelled when my call went straight to voicemail. I dialed it again and again. I was frantic and Jalisa could tell.
“Who are you trying to call?” she pried.
“Kingston! Who in the hell do you think? I need to talk to him!” I screamed.
I could tell that she was completely floored. “Have you lost your fucking mind? You can’t be this strung out over this man?”
If only she knew how strung out I was. But there was more to our relationship than just that. I shushed her when my fourth call didn’t go directly to voicemail.
“Hello?”
There was brief laughter, but I knew who’d just answered. “Meagan?”
“May I help you?” she laughed again.
“You trifling whore!”
“Look who’s calling the kettle black.”
“Where is he? Where is my Kingston?”
“Your Kingston?
“Put him on the phone, bitch! You better hope I don’t run into your ass anytime soon.”
“Whatever,” she said in a nonchalant tone.
“Put Kingston on the damn phone!” I screamed.
“Hold on a second. Let me get him for you.”
During the ten second wait, I could’ve filled a bucket with the tears that poured out of my eyes.
“Yeah?” Kingston spoke when he got on the phone.
“Baby, please don’t hang up on me,” I begged. I fumed when I heard him and Meagan whispering and laughing about how stupid I was. Their actions truly pissed me off. “We really need to talk, Kingston.”
“About what?” he replied. “This is over.”
“Over? Over?” I asked rhetorically. “Well, how do you think your wife would feel if she found out about us?” I threatened.
“Sweetheart, that chic that you saw me with is not my wife.”
My eyes widened. “Not your wife? Who was she then? Why was she crying at the reception about Hummer being dead?”
“She was his cousin. Since he didn’t have a sister, I had to fuck the next best thing. I ended up taking care of the nigga before I got the chance to torture her though.”
“So, you used her to get to him?”
“Yeah. She served her purpose just like you did,” he boldly stated. “She ended up having good pussy so I kept her around for fun.”
“But you wear a wedding ring, Kingston.”
“Sweetheart, I’m not married. I just like the ring. Now, stop fucking calling me.”
Click.
I stared at the phone for a few seconds, then in a fit of rage I began smashing it on the dashboard.
CHAPTER 23
The next afternoon, I found myself sitting in a king-sized bed at the Westin Galleria staring at the black television screen. I’d been sitting that way for hours as my mind raced a million miles per minute. The last thing I remembered was Jalisa cursing me out for breaking her phone and denting her dashboard. It wouldn’t have shocked me if the airbag had deployed because that’s how hard I’d hit it. It felt like I had the strength of a three-hundred pound man.
When Jalisa drove me to the hotel, she didn’t even bother to wait until I was safe in my room. Instead, her ass sped away as soon as my feet were no longer inside the car. I don’t know why she took my business so fucking personal in the first place.
When I received my key, I went straight to my room for a much needed shower. Even though I also needed some fresh clothes to change into, that task would just have to wait until I got myself together. Besides, there was no way I would be going to anybody’s mall looking like this. If I needed anything in the meantime, the hotel gift shop would just have to do for now.
As soon as I closed the door to my room, I began to strip and headed straight for the bathroom. Turning on the water and almost immediately hopping inside, all I could think about was wringing Meagan’s neck. That bitch needed to pay for her involvement. After slaughtering her in my thoughts, Germaine and Hummer entered.
Why in the hell would they rape someone, I wondered. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I knew it was true. I couldn’t help but speculate if the two of them had ever raped anyone else and if that’s what Hummer meant by sharing. The thought turned my stomach. Who in the hell did I marry? As thoughts about Germaine continued to disgust me, soon it wasn’t going to matter anyway because Kingston was going to get rid of him. Actually, Germaine deserved whatever was coming his way for what he’d done to my man’s sister. Now, I knew why he didn’t beat Hummer’s ass when he assaulted me that night. Maybe Germaine’s sick ass got off on that shit, too. He surely seemed to get off while forcing himself on me.
Giving myself a thorough cleaning, I turned off the shower and climbed out. I didn’t bother to dry off after seeing my face in the mirror. No wonder people were staring at me. Not only was my eye swollen, but my lip was busted and cheek appeared severely bruised. Kingston had really done a number on me.
I walked out of the bathroom then to the bed, dripping water on the floor. Then I laid across the plush, white comforter thinking about Kingston. What other woman in her right mind would still be in love with a man who’d raped her? What other woman would still want him? Me, I thought. I was crazy for still loving and wanting him, but couldn’t help myself. I was in love with him and was going get him no matter the costs.
I reached for the phone on the nightstand and dialed my mother’s number. At this point, I didn’t know where my boys were, but they should’ve been with her. While the phone rang, I started tripping about the fact that she hadn’t even bothered to call or come by the hospital to check on me. That was the type of relationship that she and I had; a fucked up one. She finally answered. I’m sure it took her a while since she didn’t recognize the n
umber.
“Hello?”
“Do you still have my boys?” I asked, wasting no time. There was a long pause like she was trying to figure out what to say. “Don’t get quiet on me now. You think I’m pissed off because you didn’t come by or call?” I asked with a slight laugh. “Don’t worry about it. I neither expected you to nor did I want you to,” I continued.
“Are you okay?” she asked in what seemed to me like a forced, sympathetic tone.
“Don’t act like you give a shit about me. Do you have my boys?”
“No,” she answered bluntly. That concern disappeared quickly. “Germaine picked them up last night.”
“I specifically told you not to answer your phone when he called.”
“He left me a message about what happened to you. I had no other choice but to call him. I’m not gonna be in the middle of this bullshit that you more than likely started. Those boys need their father and he needs them.”
“Are you still at the hotel?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she answered.
“Well, you may wanna leave because I’m about to call the front desk and tell them that you’re checking out. Your ass is no longer needed right now. Go back home.”
Click.
There was no need for me to argue with my mother, especially when her ass was always on Germaine’s side. I took a deep breath as I contemplated calling him. I knew it was gonna be hard to control myself and keep what I knew at bay, but I had to talk to him to find out about my boys. I dialed his cell. No answer. When I dialed the house phone, he picked up on the first ring.
“Yeah?” He sounded pissed.
“Why did you take Johnathan and Nathan from my mom?”
“Nikki?” Germaine asked like he wanted to make sure it was me.
“Yeah. Where are the boys?”
“Who in the hell is Kingston?” he blasted and flipped the script.
I didn’t expect that question and I damn sure wasn’t prepared to answer. “Wh…Who?” I stammered, trying to buy some time. I needed to figure out how in the hell he knew about my man.
The Available Wife Page 17