One of the toddlers announced, “Mommy, I have to go pee-pee!”
Within five minutes, they were all out of the pool, and I had the entire place to myself.
Moments later, a balding, middle-aged white man with a slight beer gut interrupted my solitude. He waved, and before I knew it, he was sitting across from me in the Jacuzzi. “Hi there,” he said.
“Hi,” I answered.
“It’s nice and warm in here!”
I only nodded; I didn’t really feel like chatting.
“My name is Joel. What’s yours?”
“Kai.”
“That’s a really pretty name. I’m sure you get that all the time.”
Suddenly, the suds stopped.
“I’ll get that,” Joel insisted, then got up and pressed the button to restart the soothing bubbles.
I closed my eyes as he climbed back into the Jacuzzi.
“You look so relaxed right now. I didn’t mean to disturb you. Sorry. I can be a real chatterbox sometimes.”
Then, finally, we sat in silence, and I was grateful Joel had gotten the message. I kept my eyes closed and took several deep breaths, letting my stress dissolve. Jacuzzis always renewed me from head to toe, and this was no exception.
A few minutes later, when the suds stopped, I heard Joel get up and press the button. When he got back in the water, I felt his hands on my feet.
“Hey! Don’t touch me!” I opened my eyes and was surprised to see Frank sitting across from me, wearing a wide grin. His chiseled body looked sexy in his navy-blue swim trunks.
A few feet away, Joel walked toward the men’s locker room.
“Hey,” Frank said.
“What are you doing?”
“I was in the workout room, on the treadmill, and I saw you come in here. I hurried and showered so I could talk to you…alone.”
The morning had brought me sobriety and clarity, and now I was so angry that I wanted to slap him in the face. “What was that shit you and your wife tried to pull last night? Getting me drunk for a ménage à trois!”
“That was her idea. I didn’t know—”
“But you invited me to dinner!”
“I didn’t want to put you in that position. Kai, I-I want you all to myself.”
“Last night, you told me you still love me, but you were lying. In fact, you’ve never loved me at all. I’m just something you wanted to toy with.”
“You know that’s not true, Kai. My love is real. It always has been.”
“Then why are you still married to Tisha? Whether you love me or not, I don’t understand how you could be married to someone like her!”
“She’s…my biggest mistake. It should’ve been you. Being with Tisha has been a nightmare. If we didn’t have Frank Jr. and Winston, I would’ve left a long time ago. I realize that’s not fair to you, especially considering all I’ve put you through. Look, Kai, I know I’m not perfect, but I’ve got plans to be the perfect man for you.”
“Ya know, I find it a bit odd that such a liar could be named Frank. Do you ever get tired of lying? Well, it doesn’t matter anyway, because I’ve got someone who really does love me.”
“You and I are like Isis and Osiris. Our fates are intertwined. We’re going to be together, one way or another. I don’t have all the answers right this second, but it’ll happen one day. You’ll see.”
He slid his body closer to mine. No matter how much I wanted to deny my feelings for Frank, the man still had a powerful effect on me, and being so close to him made my heart race. I looked into his eyes and instantly grew weak in the knees. Much to my surprise, my nipples hardened beneath the surface of the hot Jacuzzi waters. When he pressed his lips against mine, it felt as if we’d been kissing for a thousand lifetimes. I thought about Deandre and tried to pull away, but the sensation felt so beautiful that I was paralyzed.
He slid his hands under my swimsuit and squeezed my titties. I let out a sigh as my pussy moistened from his touch. He positioned himself between my legs and rubbed his hard dick against my crotch, then whispered in my ear, “I want you so bad, Kai.”
“I want you too, but—”
“If you’re worried about somebody walking in on us, we could just go up to your room.”
Those words, “your room,” jolted me back to reality in a hurry. I pushed him off of me and said, “No, Frank! I’m not gonna let you hurt me again! I’ve cried more tears for you than I’ve ever cried for anyone. The way you play with my emotions isn’t healthy, and I need a real love that’s truly all mine.”
Frank frowned as I climbed out of the Jacuzzi. “Kai, please don’t leave me like this!”
“Why don’t you go upstairs and let Tisha handle that,” I said, pointing at his crotch. I wrapped a fresh towel around my waist and stormed away to the women’s locker room. I was furious with myself for falling under Frank’s spell again, for allowing him to kiss and fondle me, but I was proud that I hadn’t given in to him completely.
After a cold shower, my guilt escalated. While Deandre was looking after his son, taking care of his family, I had made out with my married ex-boyfriend. And really, that was the PG-13 version of the facts. The truth was, I’d almost fucked Frank right there in that hot tub.
Still, that almost was my saving grace. As awful as my actions were, at least I hadn’t cheated on Deandre, unless kissing counted as cheating. I tried my best not to dwell on my indiscretion. I realized that it was a mistake to fly to Atlanta with Frank, but the good news was that I was going home the next day.
With all of that on my mind, I sent Deandre a text that came straight from my heart: “I can’t wait 2 C U! I miss you beyond words.”
CHAPTER 13
I grabbed my suitcase off the conveyor belt and walked through the McNamara Airport sliding-glass doors. Outside, I spotted Deandre’s Range Rover Sport, with its hazard lights blinking. A gush of brisk wind blew in my face as I walked toward him. I might have looked cute in my little black trench coat, denim miniskirt, and spiky leather heels, but my attire was inadequate for Michigan’s frigid autumn weather. I knew if my mother had seen me, she would have told me, “Girl, get some long johns on those legs and a hat on that head ‘fore you catch your death!” I smiled at the thought.
Deandre got out of his SUV and embraced me, and I immediately felt warm in his arms. He knelt to kiss me, and the sensation of his lips against mine was so intense that I wanted to make love to him right on the cold sidewalk. “You taste better than I remembered, Reese’s,” he said.
I grinned. “Ditto.”
“C’mon. Let’s go.” He opened the passenger’s door for me.
I climbed inside, and my butt cheeks were warmed by the soft, leather, heated seat.
He put my suitcase in the trunk and got into the driver’s seat. He turned the volume on the radio down and looked at me lovingly. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too, but I’m so glad that your son is okay.”
“Yeah, Justin’s a li’l soldier.”
“Justin? I thought your son’s name was Corey. Who’s Justin?”
“Oh, uh…well, Justin is, um…my nephew. He has it sickle cell too. The trait runs in my family,” he stuttered.
I stared at him for a moment, trying to sort out his truths from his lies. “Deandre, please be honest with me. What’s going on? How can you not even know your son’s real name?”
“I am being honest. Do you have any idea about the shit I had to deal with this weekend? While you were down in Atlanta, I was in a hospital with my son. Then again, you don’t have any kids, so you can’t possibly understand what it’s like.”
“I might not have any children of my own, but I-I do everything I can for my niece and nephew, and…” I trailed off, and a tear slid down my cheek. I considered telling him about my miscarriage, but I decided not to. I wasn’t really ready to be entirely honest with Deandre; I didn’t want him to know Frank had fathered my baby or that I might never be able to get pregnant
again.
He looked over at my crying face and said, “I’m sorry, Reese’s.”
I took a tissue out of my purse and wiped my eyes. I pulled down the vanity mirror to look at my reflection. My mascara was smeared, my eyes were pink and puffy, my hair was out of place, and I looked awful.
“It hurts me to see you like this. Don’t cry.”
I continued to sob and said, “It’s not that I don’t want kids, because I do. It’s just—”
“You just told me what I needed to hear. I was afraid you were one of those career sistas who doesn’t wanna be bothered with a family. But now I see that you were just waiting for the right man to come into your life.” He patted my thigh. “Let’s make it happen, Reese’s. Let’s go half on a baby!”
I smiled. “First things first, Deandre. Shouldn’t we get married?”
“No doubt. When I do things, I always do ‘em right.”
As I unlocked the door to my apartment, Deandre kissed my neck and cupped my breasts. “I sure missed these,” he said.
We walked inside, and I shut the door behind him and stroked his erection through his jeans. “And I missed this,” I whispered, even more seductively.
He fingered the collar of my trench coat. “Take all this shit off.”
I obeyed him and completely undressed.
Deandre smiled at the sight of my nude body. He softly stroked my neck with both of his hands and slowly worked his way down to my shoulders and started to rub my chest. Then, I felt the sensation of his wet, warm tongue on my hard nipples. He took turns on my titties, licking, sucking, and giving gentle bites.
I let out a loud moan.
He slid his hand down my stomach, to my belly button, and toward my pussy.
I trembled when he inserted two fingers inside me. I shouted, “Stop teasing me and let me feel every inch of you!”
Deandre smiled. “You used to always tease me before you let me hit it, so I’m returning the favor.”
My breathing grew more labored. “Please don’t do this to me. I-I need it.”
“How bad? How bad do you need it?”
“Oh, Deandre! I’ve never needed anyone so bad.”
“All right. But tonight, we play by my rules.”
“Anything you want.”
“Anything?”
“Yes!”
He slipped off his sweater and unbuckled his belt. Seconds later, Deandre was standing there in nothing but his boxers. “Turn around,” he said.
I reluctantly bent over on the couch. I arched my back in an attempt to make my ass look more plump. I was very self-conscious about doggie-style because of my flat booty, and I had only tried it with Deandre in my darkened bedroom after several drinks. Now, I was completely sober and out in the open under the glow of my bright living room lamp.
He penetrated me like a prisoner on a conjugal visit, so hard and fast and desperate that I was relatively certain he hadn’t cheated on me while we were apart.
I screamed out his name when I felt his dick push deep into me, almost up into my stomach.
He smacked my ass and said, “This pussy feels so good, I’m gonna have to marry it.”
“Ooohhh!”
“Do you wanna be my wife?”
“Yes!”
“Do you wanna be my everything?”
“Yes!”
“Then you gotta be my freak.”
“Yes!”
“Turn around and look at me, Reese’s.”
I looked back at him; his skin was slick with sweat.
“Tell me you’ll be my nasty bitch,” he demanded.
“Yes!”
“I need to hear you say it.”
“I’ll be your…nasty bitch.”
He fucked me harder and smacked my ass again. Then he said, “Say that shit like you really mean it.”
“Deandre, I’ll be your nasty bitch.”
“Louder!”
“Yes! I’ll be your nasty bitch!”
“Let me fuck you in the ass.”
“Hell no!”
“What?”
Frank was the only man I’d ever had anal sex with, and it had always involved a lot of foreplay and plenty of lube. It had started with him tossing my salad; the way he moved his tongue around the rim of my booty hole made me curious about what it would feel like to have his dick inside of it. When Frank penetrated me there, he was patient and gentle. The first time hurt so bad that we had to stop after a few seconds. The second time was less painful, but it still didn’t feel good. After a few more tries, I got into the rhythm of it. Frank would slide his fingers inside my pussy while he slowly moved his dick in and out of my ass. He was so good that he could make me cum like waterfalls.
But now, with Deandre, it was totally different. He was screwing me with the vigor of a college freshman, and I was worried that his rough strokes might send me to the emergency room. On top of that, I was still uneasy about the words he was ordering me to scream out loud. I didn’t mind a little role-playing, but I didn’t like the way he’d sprung it on me. Within seconds, I’d gone from being his future wife to his nasty bitch. I knew it often requires a balance of both to keep a man satisfied, but something just didn’t feel right.
Deandre slowly pulled out of me, then put on his boxers and reached for his jeans.
I sat down on the couch, a bit disappointed, and asked, “So what? You’re just gonna leave now?”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with you, Reese’s. I thought you loved me.”
“I do.”
“Then what’s wrong? We’ve been together for seven months. Why are you still holding out on me?” He zipped up his jeans and grabbed his sweater. “If you’re my woman, you’re supposed to do whatever it takes to please me.”
“It’s not as simple as you make it sound.”
He put on his sweater. “You ain’t just some chick I’m fuckin’, Kai. All types of bitches wanna fuck me. You realize that, right? Supermodels, porn stars, movie stars… They constantly throw their panties in my face, but I turn them all down ‘cause I got you. The only reason I asked you to try something new with me tonight is ‘cause…well, sometimes, I like that freaky shit, and I’d rather fulfill those urges with you than to cheat on you.” He then snatched his car keys off of the coffee table and said, “I’m ready to do everything with you…marriage, kids, you name it. But I can’t be bothered with you if you’re gonna hold back.” Then he simply turned his back on me and walked out the door.
“Deandre!” I put on my trench coat and ran after him. I chased him all the way to the elevator.
The metal doors shut on him as he said, “Lemme know when you’re ready to stop playing games.”
Back inside my apartment, I was naked, alone, and confused. Maybe I should have fulfilled Deandre’s fantasy. After all, he’s twenty-eight, a professional athlete who could moonlight as a model if he wanted. I knew he wasn’t lying or exaggerating about having access to the world’s most beautiful women, all of whom would eagerly indulge his desires without any mention of marriage or even commitment.
* * *
For the next few days, my calls to Deandre went unanswered. One night, I sent him a text message: “I’m ready to 2 B UR nasty bitch. Come over 2nite & let me show U,” but he never replied.
The next night, I drove to his house. I parked across the street, hoping the dark blue exterior of my Lincoln MKZ would blend into the night sky, and waited until his Range Rover pulled into the garage.
I was happy to see that he got out of the SUV alone. I wanted to run to Deandre, but I chickened out; the last thing I wanted to do was come across as a deranged stalker. So, I decided to drive back home.
On the I-75 highway, I sobbed like a baby. I knew that far too many relationships fell apart because of infidelity or money problems or both, but I’d lost Deandre for an almost-laughable reason. I couldn’t believe it was over between us simply because of my refusal to engage in a sex act.
The next time I saw him
was on TV, when the Pistons played the Cavaliers in Cleveland. His face flashed across the screen for a moment while he was sitting on the bench next to three of his teammates. I wanted to touch him through the flat screen, and it was then that I realized I missed him far too much to give up on what we had.
CHAPTER 14
Freezing raindrops pelted the windshield of the Channel 5 news van. The cameraman parked in front of an abandoned house surrounded by bright yellow crime scene tape. Half a dozen police officers were wandering around the premises, writing notes, examining evidence, talking to witnesses, and snapping pictures.
Madison sat next to me with a frown on her face. “Is it true that one of the bodies has been in there for over a year?”
I nodded. “Maybe longer. As morbid as it sounds, there is a bright side to this though. In Detroit, a lot of bodies are never found.”
“That’s sad.”
“Yeah, but it’s a self-perpetuating cycle. The police force gets cut. Crimes go unsolved. The population and tax base dwindle. More budget problems, more police cuts, more unsolved crimes. Then, all that corruption at the top trickles down… Boy, I could write the book on this place.”
“Maybe you should.”
I laughed at the thought. “How do I look?”
Madison smoothed my hair. “Good, as always, Ms. Lewis.”
“Thanks. I’m gonna go talk to our boys in blue and see what I can find out. Could you please try to find a neighbor who’d be willing to talk to us on camera?”
“Sure.”
I hopped out of the van, with my oversized umbrella in tow. I walked across the street, toward the officers. I recognized Detective Vince Palmeri right away, my closest connection at the Detroit Police Department. With his help, I’d broken several exclusive stories. He was six feet tall, with olive skin and dark green eyes. True to his Italian heritage, he had handsome, Sicilian features and a toned body, as well as thick, straight, black hair. He looked like a sexy bad boy right off the set of a popcorn Mafia flick, but in real life, Vince had more integrity than any police officer I knew.
Corruption was so rampant in the DPD that being a clean cop was somewhat dangerous. I admired Vince’s respect for the badge, but on the flipside, he was only thirty years old and still single. A few years into the future, when he had a family and a pricey mortgage, I feared that even he might fall prey to the temptations that tainted every level of the city’s law enforcement.