.Author’s Note:
Hi! Thank you so much for purchasing this box set. These books are my babies! I consider the main characters each one of my personalities (LOL!). This box set includes each of the titles in the Love, Sex, Lies series: Love Sex Lies, Love Hangover, Grand Hustle, Love Drug, Bang, and Love Me Some Him! They are full novels in the African American Romance and Urban Fiction genres. Love, Sex, Lies is straight up romance and drama! However, once you get to Love Hangover, the action really begins!
So sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Happy reading!
Jessica
Table of Contents:
Love, Sex, Lies
Love Hangover
Grand Hustle
Love Drug
Bang
Love Me Some Him
Love, Sex, Lies
a year and a half ago…
Tuesday, June 11, 2007
VICTORIA
That morning, Sugar, my good friend, agreed to keep an eye on my daughter, DeSire while I went to class.
Simply having to worry about who would babysit while I was at class was a smack of reality. I could no longer rely on Taij, her father, to watch DeSire while I ran to the gym, to class, or to the grocery store. I now had to take on the fifty percent of things that he was handling. Though I was sure he would, in the beginning, try his best to still be in her life as he use to, I knew that things would slowly dwindle as his new life as a part-time dad began to take over his old one.
I started to wonder if I had done the right thing. Trying to figure out who would babysit this morning was a struggle in itself. When Tammy, my usual sitter, wouldn’t answer my, I didn’t know what to do. I felt a panic attack coming on. I had turned myself into what I feared the most for myself and my daughter: a single mother.
It was hard to focus in class. I wasn’t paying any attention at all. It was hard to keep my head up and to keep myself from crying. Considering the way that I felt, I might as well have stayed in the bed beside DeSire. But I couldn’t do that. I had to keep busy in order to keep my thoughts from taking over. I had to stay laughing to keep from crying, and continue moving to keep from fainting.
I walked out of class about fifteen minutes ahead of time.
I just walked. First, I walked around campus, but there were too many memories there, so I kept walking. Before I knew it, I had left my car behind and walked the mile outside of campus to my townhouse. I didn’t know what I was doing there. I guess I just needed to see my comfort zone, touch my own bed, and see my child’s crib and swing- just something to remind me of happiness.
Taij’s car wasn’t in the parking lot. I wondered if he ever came home the night before, but the itching between my legs, from the Chlamydia he’d given me, wouldn’t allow me to care.
I checked the mail before going in. The ordinary items were there; bills, bills, bills, coupons from Johnson and Johnson, and more bills.
I walked slowly into the house because, for some reason, I was expecting the place to look different than how I left it. But it was the same empty house that I walked out of the night before. The tension was still in the air. The only thing that was missing was the love and comfort that I once felt when I walked through the door. I started to reconsider making Taij be the one that moved out. A new environment was probably best for my peace of mind.
I didn’t take my jacket off as I sat on the couch. I left my book-bag strapped across my chest. I didn’t want to get comfortable. I just wanted to look over my bills, check the voicemail, and get out before Taij came home.
As always, when I saw the Nextel bill, I opened it first. It was always a guessing game as to how much that bill would be. Taij’s cell phone was contracted through an additional line under my account, so our bills were sent in the same envelope.
My bill was its normal amount, about fifty dollars higher than the plan I signed up for. But Taij’s portion of the bill was about two hundred dollars above the norm.
It was normal for me to glance at the numbers that were on his print out that Nextel provided every month. Considering Taij’s prior “suspected” infidelity, I always looked out for repeated numbers that were unfamiliar to me.
There were the usual numbers listed; Damion’s dorm and cell, Brian, Ezel, and the club’s number, and Tammy and Sugar’s when he’s stalking me -the same numbers that are on my print out. However, a particular number that came up quite a bit- incoming, outgoing, thirty minutes here,sixty-two minutes there, two minutes off and on during the day everyday of the twenty-eight days of the plan- was a number that I didn’t recognize.
The house phone was in my hand before I knew it, and I was then dialing the number. I was curious as to who this was that he found it convenient to talk to every day, all day when he couldn’t pick up the phone to call me. They were conversing at all times; when he was supposed to be in class, when he was supposed to be at work, two in the morning, and four in the morning for fifteen minutes, five minutes, and even seconds at a time.
“Hey, sweetie. Did you take care of that?” It was a woman’s voice that sounded too familiar for my taste and caused a bit of nausea in the pit of my stomach.
“Baby?”
“This ain’t baby,” I told her.
Then she fell silent. Yet, I had already caught on to the fact that this was the same voice that walked through the front door with Sugar time and time again, and the same voice that told me that if my man wasn’t satisfying me, I should fuck someone else.
“Monique?”
Her silence was pissing me off when, upon making this phone call, I was calm and only curious. I was irritated because this bitch had the balls to walk into my house and take my man from under my nose, but didn’t have those same balls to tell me so.
“Don’t hang up,” I told her.
I was surprised that I was keeping my composure even though she deserved for me to jump in my car, head into her direction, and beat the shit out of her.
Of course it would be her. Taij fucking with someone that I didn’t know would have been too much like right.
“I hadn’t planned to.” Monique never acted like a punk, so I knew she wouldn’t act like one now. Her initial silence was annoying me because I knew it wasn’t like her to be timid, and how dare she pretend to be anything else than the woman I feared for the past couple of weeks.
“You’re good, girl,” she said with a sly snicker.
“You’re the best,obviously.”
She tsked as she replied, “I’m not that good.”
“I know. It was sarcasm, believe me. If either of you were that good, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“I never intended for us to.”
“I’m sure you didn’t.”
This shit was irritating and played out. I didn’t want to know who the woman was that took over the job of pleasing my man. I didn’t want to hear her voice or cockiness. I didn’t want details. All I wanted was to move on.
Monique laughed as she asked, “How did you find out?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
I was giving myself more credit than I deserved. If it hadn’t been for my insecurities and nosiness, he and my pride would have never allowed me to find out.
“It didn’t take much,” I told her. “Just a broken heart and some penicillin.”
“That wasn’t me.” She was actually getting defensive. “I didn’t give him that.”
“Do you think I give a damn who
gave it to who? You two have probably been passing it back and forth for who knows how long. Well, you and his itching ass can have each other. Have fun.”
“I don’t want him.”
“After you’ve broken this household, you don’t want him? Shit, you better take him. You’ve earned the right to claim that piece of shit.You’re welcome.”
Before I knew it, I hung up before I was actually ready to end that conversation. Maybe it was God telling me that I heard all that I was able to handle.
Then my fingers immediately dialed another number.
“Presmount Townhouse Security office. How may I help you?”
“Hi. How are you?”
“I’m fine. And yourself?”
“Pissed very much, thank you.”
The secretary guard fell silent.
“My name is Victoria Brown. I live in Court C, number 101. I need my locks changed ASAP. I lost my purse with my only set of keys inside. All of my identification was inside as well. Last night, I could have sworn I heard noises at the door. I’ve called the police and filed a report, but they adamantly suggest that I take it a step further and get the locks changed. Can that be arranged today?”
“Most definitely.
“Thank you very much.”
Sugar volunteered to bring DeSire and my things home later that evening.I wastaking the house, rather than negotiating with Taij about it. Sugar wanted to give me some time to myself before she came over. She was enjoying babysitting, and I did not argue with her.
The first thing I did was clean up; what all women do when they have something on their minds that is taking over their life. I deep cleaned, threw stuff out of closets, and went through boxes that I had not been through in years. I stumbled upon pictures from years ago and high school yearbooks.
When I came across my diary, I stopped in my tracks. I hadn’t seen it in so long. I hid that dairy in the darkest part of my closet when it was time to bury every memory of Chicago, Lyric, Tricey, and everyone else that I hurt because I chose my relationship with Taij over my friends. I chose to forget about Jesse, Charles, Michael, my mother, and all of the other things that sent me into depression- the people and memories that turned me into that lonely person that I used to be.
In this diary was where I shared my darkest secrets. What I was scared of or refused to say out loud, I wrote it amongst these pages. There was so much reality in that book that I was too scared to open it.
I spent every day of my life pretending like the things in that diary never happened. When Taij came into my life, I took that as my opportunity to no longer be that little girl that cried herself to sleep and walked about during the day in black shades. I lived life forcing myself to focus on my new man, my new friends, new job, and new life in a new home, and forgot about the things that were hurting me.
The pages of that diary revealed all of the things that I missed, that I should be cherishing rather than Taij, the things that really mattered to me, and what I should be trying to fix and heal before I attempted to fix someone else…
September 22, 1996
To Whom It May Concern:
… Early this morning, I could feel Jesse’s heavy body lying over me. I thought, or wished, that I was dreaming, so I kept my eyes closed to keep myself from accepting the reality that my father was molesting me. He unbuttoned my shirt, cupped my breast, and caressed them like it was actually getting him excited. My heart was in my throat. I could hear him inhaling and exhaling heavily. I could smell the stench of the Hennessy on his breath. I wanted it to be a dream. But when I felt his weight lift from my bed, I opened my eyes and watched him walk out. I went back to sleep in total shock.…
July 4, 2000
To Whom It May Concern:
Michael and I made our own fireworks tonight. He makes me feel so unbelievably good. It’s different, the intercourse that he and I have. It’s sensual, soft, and escalates my heart rate a thousand times over. I think the sex is so good because I may actually love him. But I shouldn’t confuse good sex, that’s filled with excitement because we are friends, with love. I love him as a friend, but I appreciate the amazing orgasms that he gives me….
September 10, 2000
Dear Diary,
… Michael is seriously blowing my mind. He is teasing the shit out of my heart. Tonight, he told me that he’s not willing to risk losing me forever, in result of a bad relationship, so he would rather us remain in each other’s lives forever as friends. I don’t know about him, but I’m willing to risk it…
I cried like never before. Back then, I didn’t like who I was. I wanted to be someone else, live a better life, and to be happier. But, in turn, I transformed into someone that turned against the people that would have never did the same to me. I should have loved Tricey as much as Michael loved me back then. I should have loved her enough that I wasn’t willing to risk losing her forever for something that may only last temporarily.
TRICEY
Damion and I were at a coffee shop on campus seated at a booth facing a large window. I drove into Champaign no less than an hour ago. Damion met me in the parking lot. He said that he didn’t want to waste any time with me since he only had so many hours to have me to himself before he went to warm up for the game.
I had a Grande White Chocolate Mocha with an extra shot of espresso to give me energy for a long night. Damion had a Green Tea Latte, what he always drank before a game. It calmed his nerves while supplying him with energy.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
I, of course, blushed in response of Damion’s words. Ever since I climbed into his Expedition, he had been complimenting me and blowing my mind with sweet nothings.
“I’m glad you invited me.”
He seemed to be blushing as well. However, he seemed to be dealing with himself consciously, telling himself not to be so soft with me, not to spoil me too much, and putting himself in check.
We only had so long before the movie started, so we didn’t have long to sip, chat, smile at one another, and blush. The drive-in was only ten minutes away. As he drove, he held my hand, tracing my palm with his finger. I was so content. I felt kept and wanted. It felt good. The only time the simple conversation can feel better than the physical is when it’s with someone that you feel something more than lust for.
However, naturally, during the showing ofKnocked Up at the drive-in, I started to feel the lust. What Tunde started yesterday, Damion was promising to finish with his kisses. He was so into me, into my face, what I had to say, and what my eyes were saying. His hands never touched any other part of me, never groped my ass or caressed my breasts, and never traveled under my top. I wouldn’t have minded, but I appreciated that his focus was on my face. I appreciated that my face was the main attraction and my measurements were the bonus, rather than vice versa.
“You’re sure you don’t want to come?”
I watched Damion from the couch in his living room. There was a sausage and pepperoni pizza sitting on the coffee table waiting for me to devour it as soon as he locked the door behind himself.
“I don’t want you to be bored,” he told me.
“I won’t be. I have my pizza and the television. I’ll be okay. And if not, I’ll just occupy my time by going through all of your stuff trying to find dirt on you.” I smiled to show him that I was only playing.
“You can ramble through whatever you want. You won’t find anything. I knew you were coming.” Then he smiled as well. “Is Vic coming with you to the game?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don't know. I haven’t talked to her. I don’t even think she knows that I’m here. I’ll call her to see if she wants to come with me.”
Damion sighed as he unlocked the door. “I’ll see you later.” Then he waved. I waved back sadly while blowing him a kiss before he walked out of the door.
“Good luck.”
He thanked me from the other side of the door.
I was seated comfortably. I had changed out of m
y tube top and tight jeans and into a t-shirt and a pair of his shorts. My clothes sat folded neatly beside me for when I had to throw them back on before the game.
Before I devoured my pizza, I decided to call Vic.
“Hello?” She sounded tired and dry.
“Vic, you okay?”
“Hey, Tricey.”
Then I thought I heard tears.
“You okay? What’s wrong?”
My sympathy made her tears worse. When she was at first trying unsuccessfully to mask her pain, it then came bursting out.
“I’ve been sitting here reading my diary,” she cried.
Admittedly, I was kicking my own ass for obviously calling her at the wrong time. I was in a great mood-great. Too damn great to have it disrupted by whatever is leading her to confide in me after all these years.
“You still have that diary?”
“I don’t write in it anymore. I stopped about six years ago. It’s been tucked away in a box in my closet. It’s the same one that you gave me in elementary school. I remember you told me that maybe if I got my thoughts out of my head, I wouldn’t be so depressed all of the time.”
I wanted to say that I remembered, but I didn’t want to interrupt the silent tantrum that she was obviously throwing. Something was wrong. I could hear it in her voice. I didn’t want to ask, since we had that silent agreement that we did not talk about the truly intimate things with one another since she broke that bound.
She continued to speak through her tears. “Listen to this. This was prom night. ‘I never wanted to subject myself to fucking some stranger in a four-hour room one night out of the year just because it’s a ritual. The ritual is to actually break your virginity on prom night, and we know that’s not possible with this young lady since I did that a long time ago. And it wasn’t in a four-hour motel with a stranger. It lasted fourminutes with a stranger’.” Then she laughed at her own memories. “I was drunk as hell. We got so wasted that night while we tried to wait up on my porch to see what time Lyric and Jeff’s limo pulled up…”
Good Girls Ain't No Fun Boxed Set (The SIX romance and urban fiction volumes of the LOVE, SEX, LIES series) Page 1