Sinful Intentions

by Crystal Rhodes

  “With her husband,” Mrs. Lucia said, re-entering the kitchen in time to answer Carla’s inquiry. “He arrived early this morning.”

  All activity in the house came to an immediate standstill, much as it had yesterday when Sharon made her marriage announcement. Carla was the first to respond.

  “Her husband?

  “Winston Duncan is here?” Nedra croaked. “In this house?”

  Mrs. Lucia nodded.

  Carla glanced at the wall clock. “I wonder when we’ll have the pleasure of meeting him. They could be in the bedroom until tomorrow.”

  Nedra cleared her throat as her eyes shifted toward the patio. The children were sitting outside as quiet as church mice, each attuned to the adults’ shift in conversation. Mrs. Lucia caught the gesture and closed the French doors leading to the patio.

  Carla grunted her disapproval. “The least she could have done was let us know that he was coming. I ought to knock on their door and see if I can get them to come out.”

  “Don’t even think about it,” said Jacob, knowing that his wife was bold enough to put her words into action.

  “Maybe she didn’t know he was coming.” The words were barely out of Nedra’s mouth when the sound of Sharon’s melodious laughter drifted into the kitchen from the adjoining room. All eyes were glued to the doorway, awaiting her entrance. A moment later she appeared. Her smile was as bright as the rays of sunshine streaming into the kitchen. Behind her stood the source of her happiness—Winston Duncan. His smile was equally as bright.

  “Good morning, everyone,” Sharon greeted cheerfully. She pulled Winston further into the room. “I’d like you to meet someone very special, my husband, Winston.”

  She looked up at him adoringly as the adults returned various levels of greetings. The children gathered at the closed patio door, gawking in awe at the newlyweds. Even Colin, who usually took everything in stride, had abandoned his interest in the cereal box and was now leaning against the windowpane, scrutinizing the stranger among them.

  Winston returned the chorus of greetings with a friendly smile and a hearty hello. Sharon made the introductions, then the newlyweds joined the others, and the interrogation began. Carla, who was better at it than anyone else at the table, left no stone unturned. She started with his birth. By the time breakfast was over, she had covered nearly every aspect of his forty-three years of life.

  Sharon was impressed by how patiently Winston handled Carla’s less than subtle prying. He answered her questions quietly, without hesitation, and showed interest in each person at the table by asking a few questions of his own. Sin’s import business was of interest, as was the nonprofit organization Nedra headed. As a fellow attorney, he and Jacob had a lot in common. It turned out that Jacob was familiar with Winston’s law firm. Her new husband was fabulous with the children, and even prodded a usually reserved Colin to talk about his interest in electronic gadgetry. Sharon was thrilled. Her friends seemed to like Winston and vice versa. Nothing on earth could have meant more to her.

  * * *

  “What do you think of him?” Nedra asked her husband as she went about gathering necessities for her trip to the beach with the children. Sin moved around the room casually as he prepared to take their boys shopping.

  “He seems nice enough,” he answered absent-mindedly.

  “Yeah, he does.” Nedra dropped down on the bed, letting her thoughts drift back to their introduction to Sharon’s new husband. “But she really doesn’t know him. Two weeks? That’s not long enough to get to know a person.” She sighed. “You’re a good judge of character. Do you think that he’s right for Sharon?”

  “I think that she made that decision when she married him.” Sin continued to get ready.

  “No doubt about that, but Sharon’s always been so vulnerable, and since her father died it’s been worse. I just hope that she didn’t make a mistake.”

  Something in his wife’s voice caught Sin’s attention. Reading between the lines, he knew what was really bothering her. Going to Nedra, he took her by the hands, pulled her from the bed and gave her a peck on the lips.

  “Let it go, baby. Just accept the fact that Sharon got married without consulting you and Carla. She’s a grown woman capable of making her own decisions. Learn to live with it. If she made a mistake, it will come to light soon enough.”

  Nedra sighed in resignation. She knew that he was right.

  * * *

  “They’ve always been there for me,” Sharon said, referring to her best friends as she lay in bed snuggling with Winston. After his early morning arrival, they had celebrated their reunion again and again. His hungry kisses and seductive caresses had made her body sing. His lovemaking had been fervent, demanding and had taken her to heights she had never climbed before.

  His words of love extolled her beauty and gentle spirit. Winston saw things in her she had yet to fully appreciate in herself. She adored this man, and from the day that they first made love, she had given herself to him completely. Her mind, body and soul belonged to him. Now she could fully appreciate what Nedra and Carla felt when they fell in love with their husbands. She couldn’t get enough of Winston Duncan. As soon as breakfast was over this morning, they had resumed their welcoming ceremony and at the moment were too spent to do much more than lay in each other’s arms.

  “And I plan on being there for you, too,” Winton said, continuing their conversation as he gently toyed with a strand of Sharon’s hair. “Forever.”

  “I hope so.” She rewarded him with a prolonged kiss and could feel his heartbeat escalate against her own.

  “I plan on fulfilling your every need,” he whispered, “your every wish, your every desire.”

  “Every one of them?” Sharon smiled and closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

  “Every one. I promise.” And he meant it. Whatever it took to preserve what they had found between them, he was willing to do it.

  “I’ll remember that promise.” Sharon raised her head to look him in the eyes, her face revealing all that she felt at this moment. “And when the chips are down, I expect you to live up to it.”

  Winston rolled his lovely wife over on her back, his energy renewed. He could see by the look in her eyes that her own was rekindled as well. “Don’t worry, that’s one promise I plan on keeping.”

  * * *

  The black stretch limo crossed the Golden Gate Bridge headed for San Francisco. Its sole passenger was obscured from prying eyes by tinted windows that allowed his sky blue eyes a clear view of the outside world. Today looked pretty good. As a matter of fact, it never looked better. Why shouldn’t it? The world was his, or at least that’s how he felt when he got the call this morning. Since he heard the startling news that could change his whole life, he had been eager to start each new day. He felt revitalized. Smiling, he ran long, slender fingers through his thinning white hair. The meeting this weekend was the most important one in his seventy-five years of life, and that was no exaggeration. It was well worth the drive to the city.

  Slipping his hand into the inside pocket of his expensive, tailor-made suit, he touched the envelope tucked in the jacket pocket to make certain it was still there. It was. Expelling a sigh of relief, his smile broadened. He had all of the evidence he needed to proceed with his plans. Yes, the world was his.

  When he was first told of the amazing discovery, he was skeptical. He questioned its authenticity and doubted its dubious source; but the truth had been confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt. All that was needed now was a resolution, and that was imminent. What he had yearned for in his life would soon be his for the taking. Yes, soon, very soon.

  Chapter 4

  Sin and his sons strolled through the mall, enjoying its sights and sounds. He loved being with his boys. They were intelligent and articulate, and a source of constant joy for him. Today’s trip to the mall had been taken to pick out a birthday gift for Colin. He wanted a leather bomber jacket just like his dad’s for his fourteenth birthday.
That had been his only request.

  Privately, Nedra had objected to her eldest getting another leather jacket. Colin already had two very expensive ones that Sin had bought him; but their father’s overindulgence as far as his family was concerned was nothing new. According to Nedra, it had gotten out of hand. The children’s closets were bulging with designer labels, and their rooms were filled to capacity with every toy and gadget imaginable. When he purchased plasma television sets for each of their rooms, she had put her foot down. The sets were returned and a moratorium was declared on Sin’s extravagance. Yet, somehow he still managed to find ways to spoil them. Nedra had agreed to Colin’s gift because she knew that he worshipped his father, and his wanting something like his was part of that idolization. Besides, Colin was one of those rare children who asked for very little. He actually seemed to appreciate whatever he was given.

  The boy was beside himself with excitement about the new jacket, as was Trevor. He knew from experience that a shopping trip with Dad meant something new for everyone else in the family. After Colin picked out his gift, he would be next. Sin watched his youngest son with a smile as Trevor shifted impatiently from foot to foot, watching as the sales clerk packaged Colin’s purchase.

  “Can we go look in the craft store window after this?” Trevor looked up at his father with all of the innocence he could muster. Sin didn’t hide his amusement at his son’s less than subtle hint. He was about to respond when a singsong voice behind them interrupted him.

  “Hi, Colin.” A chorus of giggles followed the greeting.

  Sin turned to find a quartet of young adolescent girls gathered in the aisle, and the eyes of one blue-eyed brunette was sending unmistakable signals his son’s way. Colin’s eyes flew to his father to gauge his reaction. With great effort, Sin remained stoic. His son’s attention returned to his admirer.

  “Hi, Samantha.” Colin’s greeting was polite and nothing more. He turned back to the salesman to retrieve his package, apparently unfazed by his small fan club.

  Sin watched the girls as they continued down the store aisle whispering and giggling. Three of the girls looked back at Colin boldly, but he continued to ignore them. Sin smiled. So, his boy had finally discovered the ladies, and it was obvious that they had discovered him. And why not? The kid was smart and good-looking. He was bound to be a future heartbreaker; as for now he was playing it cool. Nice. Real nice.

  As Colin turned to join his father and brother, Sin noticed the boy’s eyes stray toward the departing group of girls. Sin raised a brow at the look of longing on his son’s face as his gaze lingered on the back of one of the girls. She was the tallest among them and had observed quietly as the others whispered and giggled. She stood out in the group and not only because of her height. Her slim, sharp features, at first glance appeared to be African-American, but a closer look revealed her as being African. Sin guessed that she was of Ethiopian descent. He wanted to ask Colin about her, but held his tongue. If the boy had a crush, he hoped that eventually he would come to him with the news. Meanwhile he would respect his privacy. However, Trevor, who had also noticed his brother’s look of longing, harbored no such reservations.

  “You like that tall, skinny girl, don’t you, Colin?” He grinned up at his big brother mischievously. “Is she your girlfriend?”

  His brother shot him a look that could kill. “Shut up!”

  Trevor pounced. “Ooooh, Daddy! Colin said ‘Shut up.’ We’re not allowed to say that, are we?”

  “Let’s go over to the craft store, son, to see if there’s anything you need.”

  “All right!” The girl was instantly forgotten as Trevor started toward the department store exit. Colin gave his father a look of gratitude.

  Shaking his head at the thought of going through yet another stage of his son’s journey into manhood, Sin glanced back hoping to catch a last glimpse of the object of Colin’s affection. That’s when he noticed the man.

  He was dressed casually in slacks and a sports shirt covered by a lightweight jacket. There was nothing outstanding about him. He looked like any tourist with a camera draped around his neck, except that Sin had caught his eye before the man looked away a little too quickly. Shrugging off the slight discomfort caused by the man’s demeanor, Sin followed his sons out of the department store doors. He didn’t notice the man exit shortly after them.

  He did notice him an hour later as he looked out of the window of the restaurant where he and the boys sat eating lunch. The man sat across the street at a sidewalk café popular with tourists. He was taking pictures of the quaint neighborhood in which the eateries were located. Again, Sin felt fleeting discomfort as the man lowered the camera, unfolded a newspaper on the table before him and began to read. Sin noticed that now and then he would look up and glance toward the restaurant in which they were sitting, and then return his attention to his newspaper. He wouldn’t have thought any more about it except that the man glanced their way a few times too many.

  Keeping a subtle eye on the stranger, he continued to conduct a running conversation with his sons. The talk ran the gamut from the video game he had ended up purchasing for Trevor to the celebration of Colin’s birthday later that evening.

  “Is Aunt Sharon still staying for tonight?” Colin asked, curious to know if his aunt’s interest in her family had been usurped by her recent marriage.

  “She hasn’t said anything differently,” Sin answered, recognizing his concern.

  “I don’t like all this marriage stuff,” Trevor pouted. “Aunt Sharon hardly said a word to us at breakfast.” Translated, that meant that she hadn’t played with and teased him as she usually did. He was used to dominating his aunt’s time. “Why did she have to get married anyway?” His tone registered his disapproval.

  Sin made it simple. “She fell in love.”

  Trevor’s brows knitted into a frown. “But we don’t even know this man!” It was obvious that the sentiments echoed by his mother and his Aunt Carla had not gone unheard. Sin made a mental note to remind the others that the walls had little ears.

  Lunch completed, the three of them finished their shopping expedition, climbed into the car and headed for home. Sin was still on alert for their clandestine observer. If he hadn’t noticed the same man in the last department store they had frequented, he would have thought that he was being paranoid. However, that sighting had kept him vigilant. He remained so all the way home. He was careful not to alarm the boys as he made sure that they weren’t being followed by their mysterious shadow.

  By the time they reached the house, he had convinced himself that he had avoided a pickpocket or someone bent on some other criminal intent. After all, they lived in an affluent area and its residents were always in danger of being targeted as victims of illicit activities. What other explanation could there be? He breathed a sigh of relief once the garage door closed behind them.

  As they gathered their packages and headed inside, Colin opened the door for Trevor who raced past him and up the stairs to play with his newly acquired toy. Colin waited for Sin. As his father was about to move past him, the boy placed a gentle hand on his arm.

  “Who was that guy, Dad?” His voice was wary but registered no fear.

  Sin wasn’t surprised at his son’s inquiry. The boy was observant, and like himself, Colin had been raised on the streets most of his life. His instincts for survival had been honed at an early age.

  “I don’t know, but my guess is that he was up to no good. He probably spotted us and thought we might be easy targets for a rip-off.” He gave his son’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

  Colin nodded, giving the theory some thought. His father was wearing an expensive platinum watch, and they were riding in a luxury car. They could be targets. The explanation seemed reasonable.

  “That’s all good, but I saw the same man before.”

  A chill shot through Sin, but outwardly he remained calm. “Where?”

  “At the airport when we picked up Aunt Sharon.
”

  * * *

  As the man with the camera headed toward his hotel, he wasn’t certain that he hadn’t been spotted. His instincts told him that it was time to retreat. He had enough information, and with the pictures that he had taken surreptitiously, he deemed this a job well done. He should make a pretty penny off this little job—easy money. Too bad that the end result of this particular assignment would leave a few broken hearts. This kind of thing usually did, but that wasn’t his problem. He was a professional, just doing his job.

  Chapter 5

  Sin shared the information about the mysterious stranger who seemed to have been following them with Nedra later that evening, after Colin’s birthday celebration. It was a joyous occasion filled with camaraderie among family and friends. Surrounded by love and inundated with presents, the usually serious adolescent had been all smiles.

  After the celebration, the children gathered in the family room to watch videos while the adults walked Sharon and Winston to his car. The newlyweds planned on driving back to San Jose that evening to begin their life together.

  “Don’t be nervous about meeting his daughter,” Nedra reassured Sharon as she gave her a farewell kiss and hug. “You’re going to be as great as a stepmother as you are as an aunt.”

  Sharon gave a shaky sigh. “I hope so, but she’s not a little girl. She’s a grown woman who’s had her father to herself for the last six years. I know how that is. You get possessive.”

  “Then you’re at an advantage. You’ve got something in common. Use that and get to know her woman to woman.”

  Sharon chuckled. “Carla said that if the girl gives me any trouble, call her and she’ll come kick her behind.” The two women laughed and glanced over at their friend who was giving Winston some last-minute advice about how to treat Sharon. It was obvious that he was looking for a quick escape. Sharon came to his rescue as she slid into the front seat of his luxury sedan and waved her good-bye to her four friends.