by Honey
Dendrick entered her in one long and smooth thrust. Their bodies were so in sync that the physical connection was tighter than a bolt and screw. The warmth and wetness of her tight pussy felt so damn good, it made his heart float inside his chest. His entire body was ablaze from her fiery, drenched walls as he eased in and out of her with the sound of her sex honey sloshing in his ears. Dendrick swore before man and beast that no other woman on the planet could satisfy his sexual appetite like Anastasia. Her platinum pussy was the potion for his pain on any given day. On top of that, she knew just what to do to cater to his emotional needs as well.
If it hadn’t been for his children, Dendrick would’ve packed up and left Charmaine for Anastasia the moment she started hounding him about running for mayor. It had been her dream to make a splash on the political scene, not his. Now, he was in too deep financially to drop out. Too many people had made commitments to his candidacy, and they were now working hard in his camp. It was a damn shame that their efforts would prove to be in vain. It didn’t matter what kind of dirt anyone uncovered on Bishop, his wife, dog, or distant cousin. The people of Atlanta were crazy about him, and they were going to reelect him to city hall without a doubt.
But that wasn’t important at the moment as Dendrick bumped and grinded his way closer and closer to a heart-stopping nut. His mounting release was spreading slowly through his body, kissing every inch with sweet sensations. And then, like fireworks, an orgasm blasted him into orbit, and he lingered there for several pleasurable seconds. When he landed from the stars, the aftershocks rocked him to a peaceful sleep like a newborn baby with Anastasia in his arms.
* * *
“I thought you’d be in bed by now.” Josiah turned on the light in the den and walked farther into the room.
Gypsie tore her eyes away from the TV to stare at her boss. She smiled nervously for no other reason than to lighten the mood. After finally helping Gem come to terms with her mom’s condition, preparing dinner, and feeding the girls, Gypsie was physically and emotionally drained. But she found enough energy to get Gem and Treasure in and out of the bathtub in time to catch Josiah being hammered by the local media on the evening news. After that, she had no reason to smile. And she knew that matters would only get worse once she told him about Gem’s little “situation” at school.
“I waited up because there’s something I need to discuss with you.”
“Yeah?”
Gypsie sighed and nodded her head.
“Lay it on me. How much worse can it be than what I’ve already dealt with today?”
“Gem was teased at school today because of the announcement about Mrs. Bishop’s substance abuse problem. A little girl named Ryland repeated some nonsense her auntie had said around the house, and it hurt Gem’s feelings. The little brat even had the nerve to tell the other children not to play with her.”
“Damn it! Some people are just plain stupid and cruel. I don’t blame the little girl. I want to throw her aunt in jail and make her swallow the key.”
Gypsie smacked her lips and made a fist. “I want to punch her in the face. The crap she fed her niece caused Gem to have a meltdown in art class. The school called you, but you were in the budget meeting, so I turned into the Incredible Caretaker and went to the school.”
“You did? I’m so sorry, Gypsie. I don’t pay you enough to do school visits.”
“Honestly, I didn’t mind. My only concern was Gem. When I arrived at the school and saw how upset she was, I almost fell apart. But I held it together long enough to give the headmistress a piece of my mind.”
“Why? What the hell was her problem?”
“She attempted to bring up Mrs. Bishop’s addiction in a conversation, but I cut her off. It was inappropriate for her to discuss the situation with me, especially in front of Gem.”
“You’re right. Dr. Bah was way out of line. I need to have a conference with her before Gem goes back to school.”
“That’s exactly what I told her before I signed both girls out of classes for the remainder of the day.”
“Good.” Josiah nodded. “Schedule a conference for Monday morning after the girls and I return from Montana. I want them to stay home for the next two days until we leave.”
“Okay. I’ll call Miss Gladys so she can watch them.”
“Nah, don’t call her. I’d rather you stay home with them.”
“What about work, Josiah?”
“You can do anything that requires your immediate attention from my home office. And Rebecca can cover your other duties.”
“Fine.”
A few moments of silence floated between them. Gypsie’s thoughts were running all over the place. Her heart was still tender for her brightest Gem, and she was worried about Josiah as he entered the final phase of the campaign with the news of his wife’s drug issues hovering over him.
“I can’t wait for this year to be over,” he announced, breaking the silence. “It has been the worst year of my life. My marriage is on the rocks because my wife is hooked on drugs, and my children are suffering as a result. I don’t give a damn how the election turns out. I just want peace in my life again. Mink’s problem with heroin has robbed our girls and me of our peace, and I want it back. I hope she realizes how much her addiction has cost our family.”
“I think she does. That’s why she’s working hard to kick the habit. She’s been in treatment close to thirty days now, so she must be doing okay.”
“I damn sure hope so. The girls and I will find out for sure in three days.”
Chapter Thirty-four
Mink rested her chin in the palm of her hand as she lay in bed on her side. The damp and rumpled bedsheet was wrapped loosely around her naked body.
Norm M. picked up his red and black checkered boxers from the floor and turned around. He smiled at Mink. “I’ve got to get out of here and make it back to the other side before the shift changes.”
“How do you expect to do that without getting caught?”
“Wealth has its privileges, my dear.” He winked his eye. “The rich live in a totally different world than others. Limitless benefits are always within reach. There’s nothing that some people won’t do if the price is right. And because I have globs of money, I can pretty much have whatever I want and do anything I damn well please.”
Mink laughed dryly. “If that’s true, why are you stuck in a rehab center with common junkies and alcoholics like me, Mr. Moviemaker? Surely, all your millions could’ve bought off a doctor or a judge or two to spare you from living in druggie land amongst us paupers. What’s your story?”
“It’s my brothers’ and cousins’ fault. They were always jealous of me because I was the golden child in the family. Those bastards hated me when we were growing up because it was obvious that I was next in line to rule over the family empire.”
“So, I guess you’re the oldest. The oldest is always the successor, right?”
Norm M. shook his head. “No, I wasn’t the oldest of my brothers or cousins. Clifford, my cousin, was. My brother, Irwin, was right behind him. But I was the most qualified.”
“Of course, you were,” Mink said with a smirk on her face and deliberate sarcasm in her tone.
“It’s true, my dear. I was born with the gift. It’s the same gift that Grandpa Abner had. Everyone knew very early on that I was a natural filmmaker. By the age of 10, I was fascinated with movies and all that it entailed to make them. I used to go to work with my father and uncles every chance I got. Medallion Studios and Production Company became my favorite place on earth.”
“Wait a minute.” Mink sat straight up in the bed with her mouth wide open. The sheet fell to her waist, exposing her bare breasts. “Your family owns Medallion Studios? ”
Norm M. nodded with a cocky gleam in his eyes.
“So . . . So, you guys are responsible for that twisted movie called Love’s Maniac, starring Asia Blair and Hugo Whitby?”
“Yes, my dear. I worked particularly hard on
that Oscar and Golden Globe–winning masterpiece.”
“Get the fuck out of here! Oooh! Oooh! Medallion Studios produced Denzel’s most recent movie with Thandie Newton too,” Mink said excitedly, snapping her fingers. “What was the name of that flick?”
“Uncertain Matters.”
“Yeah! That’s it!” Mink’s enthusiasm suddenly faded, and, once again, her curiosity was piqued. “I still don’t understand why you’re in drug rehab. You’re loaded. Did you do some crazy shit, and your brothers had you legally committed to drug jail?”
“No, I didn’t. You see, my two brothers and three cousins were jealous of my success in the family business even when we were just boys. While they were out doing normal things like baseball, Boy Scouts, surfing, and goofing off with their friends, I was on a movie set; sometimes even behind a camera. I used to hang around the directors and producers all the time. Entire crews and some of Hollywood’s A-list actors knew me. I was a prodigy.”
“So why didn’t your brothers and cousins learn the family business like you did?”
“They didn’t want to. The five of them thought the company would be handed over to them automatically by my father and uncles once they retired or died. Each of them wanted to sit behind desks and make business deals on behalf of the company, but they forgot about the artistic side.”
“What happened when the time came to hand over the reins to the next in line?”
“Uncle Phillip died three years after I completed my master’s degree in cinema and media production at the prestigious Boston University School of Theater. My siblings and cousins had all studied business. They didn’t have any idea how to produce a movie or which projects or actors were suitable to star in Medallion productions. I was the only one who did. So, my father and uncles crowned me prince of the pack. And I served the company well. I brought in billions.”
Mink noticed the sadness in Norm M.’s eyes as he took a seat on the bed and began putting on his socks.
“The money, the fame, and the glamour got to you, didn’t it? You can tell me because I understand.”
“Gorgeous, high-society women swarmed all around me like bumblebees. I was weak and unable to resist them all. After three childless, failed marriages due to my constant infidelities, I became terribly depressed. Something was missing from my life, but I had no idea what it was. On a whim, I snorted pure cocaine for the first time at a wrap party on the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. I was hooked immediately, although I was in great denial $2 million and three box office flops later.” Norm M. sighed and closed his eyes. “My brothers, Irwin, and Ellis, led the group in my intervention when a few actors and an overzealous director started complaining. I stopped using cold turkey for three months. All was well until—”
“Until the cravings became too powerful for you to bear. That cocaine was calling your body like a horny lover, wasn’t it? That shit had you feenin’ like a weak little bitch, and your strung-out ass relapsed, right?”
Seemingly ashamed and defeated, Norm M. nodded his head.
“I know the deal. Without treatment and the desire to stop, we addicts can forget about recovery. It’s impossible. People like us have to be treated by professionals and work a rigid rehab program. But hell, it’s hard! Normal folks like my husband and his family just don’t get it. Unless a person has experienced addiction, they’ll never understand what we’re battling against.”
“You’re right. My brothers and cousins refused to see how hard I was trying. Yes, I had messed up a few deals and cost the company millions of dollars, but I didn’t do it intentionally. They were looking for a reason to get rid of me, and I gave them one.”
“What did you do?” Mink grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
“I went over my budget on a film that we were shooting in Vegas, and I had already snorted half of the salaries for the two lead actors. But I was going to make up for it by using the advance investments for a movie that was scheduled to begin production in Monte Carlo in a few weeks. Irwin, that evil son of a bitch, had taken my name off of the company’s accounts without my knowledge so that I couldn’t make good on my mistake. The movie was never completed through production, so the actors, director, and the entire crew didn’t get paid. They all sued Medallion, and for the first time in fifty years, the company’s reputation took a hit.”
“I’m sorry, Norman,” Mink said sympathetically, calling him by his full first name. “I’m so sorry.”
“My family settled with all of the plaintiffs and took legal action against me! I could’ve fixed the mess that I’d made, but nooo . . . Irwin and Clifford wouldn’t let me. They went to court to try to oust me out of the family business, and the judge took their side. He ordered me to come here for ninety days or lose my place in the company and my financial share.”
“So, you chose to come here.”
“Of course, I did. My fiancée, Tawny, and I decided it was my only choice. So, here I am.”
“Are you . . . I mean, did you . . .” Mink’s question got twisted on her tongue.
“Did I really work the program? You want to know if I’ve recovered from my coke addiction.”
Mink nodded.
“Well, I haven’t used cocaine in ninety days. I’m not an alcoholic, but it did the trick most days when I needed to relax. But to answer your question, I don’t know if I’m actually in recovery or not. I won’t know until I leave and return to the real world next week. That will be my test.”
“I hope you make it out there. It won’t be easy, but you ought to give it an honest effort.”
“I will, my dear. I owe it to myself, my fiancée, and Evan, our 4-year-old son. That woman has supported me tremendously. She brings out the very best in me, and Evan is my world.” Norm M. raked his fingers through his tousled, gray hair. “What about you, Mink? Did you come to rehab to get clean or are you here under duress?”
“Both, I guess. I don’t ever want to use heroin again, for sure. But I also came here to please my husband. I want my family back, Norm M. I love my man and my babies more than I love myself, but I’m a sick woman. I have five more months to go in this hellhole. I can endure without heroin. I’ll just have to continue to use other substances to keep me settled.”
“I’ll take care of that. I’m going to make sure you have whatever you need once I leave.”
“You will?”
“Of course, I will. I’ve walked in your shoes, so I know how difficult this disease is. I’ll make arrangements with Shannon, the nurse. My buddy, Greg, will look out for you too. He’s the tall African America orderly with all those gang tattoos.”
“I know who he is.” Mink didn’t want to deal with Greg. He was one scandalous son of a bitch.
“Good. I’ll make sure he maintains your alcohol supply.”
“Coke too, please. I’m not hooked on that shit. It just keeps me calm and relaxed while I’m here like the liquor did for you. The way I see it, I’m clean as long as I don’t use heroin. Everything else is like smoking a cigarette or drinking coffee. I can take it or leave it.”
Fully dressed, Norm M. stood and handed Mink a business card. “You’ll have phone privileges soon. Give me a call from time to time.”
“Thanks. I’ll hit you up now and then. I may even visit you in Hollywood for your next movie premiere. I would love to stroll down the red carpet and strike a pose or two.”
“If all goes well in New York, you’ll get your red carpet experience someday soon.”
“Oh yeah?”
“You will indeed, my dear. You see, I’ll be in the Big Apple after I’m discharged from here Monday. I have an apartment there on Park Avenue, and Medallion’s casting office is there as well. I’m going to spend a few weeks in the city before I go home to LA. I have a few meetings lined up with some key players I’m trying to woo for my comeback project. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be back at the top of Medallion’s totem pole again.”
“I have my fingers crossed for you. You
’re a cool dude, Norm M. I wish we had hooked up earlier.”
“So do I, Mink.” He looked around the room. “Well, I better get going. Enjoy your visit with your husband and children this coming weekend.”
“I will.”
Chapter Thirty-five
“Daddy, look! That mountain is so big. It goes all the way up to the sky!”
Josiah looked out the window as the driver maneuvered the car slowly over the narrow, winding road up the mountain. The view was breathtakingly beautiful. He understood why Treasure’s young and impressionable eyes were so amazed.
“I like the water. Is that a river or the ocean down there, Daddy?”
“It’s a lake, Gem,” he answered, chuckling.
“I bet there’s a lot of fish swimming in it.”
“I think you’re right.”
Just then, a massive, beige, stucco structure surrounded by smaller buildings and trees came into full view. The car slowed down on its approach, but Josiah’s heartbeat went into express mode. It thumped rapidly and forcefully inside his chest with nervous anticipation. His excitement over seeing Mink clean and sober was like that of a child in a toy store. Josiah handed the driver his license when the car stopped at the guard shack right outside the brick and wrought iron gate. It only took the security guard a moment to verify that he was a pre-approved guest at the facility before he allowed the car entrance.
Josiah opened the car door as soon as the car stopped in front of the rehab center’s main building. “Come on, princesses. Let’s go see your mommy.”
He helped the girls out of the car as the driver retrieved their luggage from the trunk. Josiah lifted Treasure into his arms and grabbed Gem by her hand. They followed the driver as he carried their bags toward the building’s entrance.
“Does Mommy live in this mansion, Daddy?”
“It’s not a mansion, Gem. It’s a hospital. Remember?”
The child didn’t respond. Josiah squeezed her hand gently as they entered the building.
“Thank you, sir,” he said to the driver after he placed the two suitcases on the plush burgundy carpet. He then handed the man a hefty tip before he walked to the reception area.