Two weeks ago, Princeton broke my heart by telling me that he wasn’t leaving his wife. For some reason, he couldn’t muster up the courage to leave. That wasn’t my problem. Yeah, I trapped him into getting me pregnant, but I didn’t know that he was married with children. All I knew was that he was the father of my baby and he belonged with me. Since he didn’t want to leave her, I was going to force her to leave him.
Today was my third meeting with Anita and things were moving further along in my plan to destroy Princeton’s family. I had already met Anita’s children, mother, and best friend. Today, I was going to “meet” her husband, Princeton. Grabbing my suitcase and samples off of my desk, I left the office and drove to Buffalo Grove to meet Anita. I stepped out my Benz and walked up the stone driveway. Ringing the bell, I waited patiently for Anita to answer the door.
“Robin, please come in,” she said. I stepped inside and hugged her close.
Anita was a dead ringer for the comedienne Monique—before the weight loss. She had a smooth chocolate complexion, long lashes that fluttered above dark brown almond shaped eyes, and a shoulder length weave. Her body was rounded by childbirth and too many fried foods. She was a sweet person and super naïve. How could a woman know that her husband spent almost every night away from home and not get suspicious?
“It’s so nice to see you again, Anita. I can’t wait to meet your husband so we can finalize some things.”
We walked into the sunken living room and my gaze went immediately to Princeton’s turned back. He was just as handsome as the last time I had saw him. Just seeing him again conjured up images of his hands on my body, my legs wrapped around his waist, and our lips connected. Memories of his chocolate body inside mine and filling me to capacity assaulted me until it was hard to take a normal breath. A fine sheen of sweat broke out across my skin and my nipples hardened into painful peaks. In short, I was horny for this breathtakingly beautiful man.
I almost took a step towards him when Anita’s voice reminded me where I was. “Honey, I want you to meet one of the best interior designers in the state.”
Princeton turned around and his eyes locked with mine. Anger quickly crossed his face before he remembered that his wife was in the room. “Hello, I’m Princeton Tillers,” he said, his hand outstretched.
Taking his large hand in mine, I rubbed my thumb against his palm. “Robin Bird, it’s nice to meet you as well.” Releasing him, I looked at Anita. “Shall we begin?”
“Before we start, can I speak with you, honey?” Princeton asked as he dragged Anita into the hallway.
Hushed voices speaking quickly could be heard over the hum of the heater. Looking around, I knew that Anita desperately needed someone to help her decorate. The living room was done in pink and green floral patterns. Accent pieces that didn’t make any sense sat in the corners of the room and along the fireplace. It looked like she went to a nursing home in the heart of the Midwest and bought all of their furniture and knick-knacks. The home smelled oddly of fried foods and burnt hair. Yeah, there was a lot of work to be done.
For some reason, Anita needed the project completed within four weeks. I guess she figured that a comfier home would result in Princeton being there more often. The joke was on her. If Princeton didn’t come to his senses soon, I was going to make life very uncomfortable for the both of them.
“Sorry about that, Robin.”
“No problem, is there anything wrong?” I asked Anita but I was looking at Princeton.
“No, nothing’s wrong,” he answered tersely.
For the next three hours, we went over patterns, colors, and motifs before deciding on a few that would fit the budget and time constraints. We retired to the kitchen for a brief snack and that was when I put my plan in motion.
“Anita, you have a beautiful family.”
“Thank you so much, Robin. I’m sure you have one of your own.”
“No, actually I don’t. Well, at least not yet. I am pregnant.”
Sweat broke out across Princeton’s forehead and Anita squealed with delight. “That is so great. I’m so happy for you. Is the father happy, too? I remember Princeton used to rub my feet and cook for me while I was pregnant.”
Jealousy clouded my vision and threatened to have me vomit all over the table. “No, he’s not excited, but I’m sure he’ll come around,” I said, glancing at Princeton.
“Yeah, well, if he doesn’t, don’t be too upset. I’m sure he has a good reason,” Princeton muttered while nonchalantly sipping his beer.
“Princeton! I’m so sorry, Robin. I’m not sure what has gotten into him.”
“It’s no problem, Anita. I’m sure he didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” His grunt was his only reply. “I love the father of my child and I will do whatever it takes to put our family back together.”
“That’s right, Robin. Don’t take no for an answer.”
Princeton rolled his eyes and bunched his fists on the table.
Smiling, I took Anita’s chubby hand in mine, “Thank you, Anita. I really needed to hear that.” Glancing at my watch, I gathered my things and stood to leave. “We covered a lot today and that’s good. Call my office and set up our next appointment. I have to leave. I have an engagement at my parents’ house.”
Anita stood and hugged me. Over her shoulder I could see Princeton eyeing me with fury. I released Anita and turned to leave when Princeton’s voice called out to me. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
Gripping my arm tightly, he led me through the house and out the door before releasing me. “How have you been, Princeton? The baby and I have missed you.”
“You have some fucking nerve coming to my house pretending to decorate. How did you finagle your way in here, huh?”
“Your wife called me. At first I wasn’t going to take the job, but then you left me so, I figured why not.”
“You’re crazy. Leave my family alone, Robin. It’s not too late to get rid of that demon seed inside you. Do it and leave me alone.”
Taking six hundred dollars out of his wallet, he slammed the money on the hood of my car. I watched him walk up the circular driveway to his house and peer out the window like a little bitch.
Ignoring the money, I got in the car and revved the engine. Flicking Princeton off, I stepped on the gas and headed to my parents’ house, hundred dollar bills and an angry Princeton in my rearview mirror.
Chapter 29
BLUE
Snow fell like a fluffy, white blanket from the sky as I looked outside my motel window. I could have stayed with my parents but with what I was about to get into, that wasn’t a good idea. I didn’t need their drama added to the mix. Mistresses, screaming matches, and police would only complicate matters. I needed a clear head and a quiet place to put things in motion.
I could have also stayed in a five star hotel instead of this ratty no-tell motel but that wouldn’t have worked either. A group of under dressed black men congregating in the Ritz Carlton was sure to draw suspicion. Plus, I didn’t want to chance running into anybody—especially Dean.
As soon as I landed, a few hours ago, I called my contacts and set up a meeting in my motel room. I quickly showered and dressed. Gone were the slacks, loafers, and sweaters of Professor B. Maurice Bird. In their place were black jeans, a black thermal, a black zip-up hoodie, and tan Timberland boots. The uniform of Blue Bird.
A sharp knock at the door let me know it was time to get down to business. I opened it and let the two men in. Cedric and Tyler were my two best friends and partners in crime when I was growing up. We all worked for Dean at one time but since then have turned our lives around.
Cedric was the owner of a prominent construction company and had a side hustle of flipping houses while Tyler worked in flipping businesses. All three of us still kept a close ear to the streets that helped raise us. When I left for New York, Cedric and Tyler were the only two people, outside of m
y family and Piccolo, that I kept in touch with.
They made sure that my sisters were safe, especially Raven since she was still involved in the game through Dean. All three of us were professionals, but the time had come to release the monster inside each of us.
Shaking hands, we all took our seats in the small kitchenette that the room provided. Brushing my hands down my face, I sighed deeply. “This is worse than I thought.”
Cedric laughed. “Yeah kid, it is. And that’s only what we know. Imagine what we don’t know. Those sisters of yours are in deep.” Cedric was a few years older than me and never let me forget it.
“All I know is that I need you two to keep your eyes and ears open. Dean is going to be the worst out of all of this. I’m going to lay low and when the time comes, I’ll call you so we can move.”
“Alright,” Cedric said while standing. “You be safe.”
I hugged them both and walked them to the door. “I’ll make sure that I have some of the young ones keep an eye out for you. Ain’t nobody messing with you while you here.”
“Thanks Ty.”
I watched them leave from my room’s window and got ready to go. I grabbed my backpack and left towards my parents’ house. I had my mother summon my sisters and I knew they would show up. They would be surprised to see me, but only Robin would know the significance of my appearance. I hoped to shock her into letting this guy go. Messing with a man’s family was dangerous business.
Robin was the only one who knew about my business with Dean. It was that reason, along with my parents’ issues, that drove me to New York in the first place. Robin was like a second mother to me and I would do anything she asked of me. She didn’t want me to go further down the wrong path and I didn’t want to disappoint her.
Pulling up to my parents’ home in a gated community, I parked the rental and got out. My boots crunched the snow as I made my way up the driveway. I stopped for a moment to look at the house that I had grown up in. I shook my head. This beautiful home with its brick façade and sprawling yard held so many secrets, mistakes, and lies. Judging by its appearance, one would never guess that the family inside was a mess. Entering the house, I could hear the cackling of my sisters and the laughter of my parents. I walked into the living room and watched the faces of everyone in the room.
Shock graced each of their expressions, though my parents’ was feigned. Robin’s eyes scoped me from head to toe and I knew that she knew that I was there for more than a friendly family visit. Hugging everyone except my father, I took a seat and waited for the inquisition. Sparrow did not disappoint.
“What are you doing here Blue and why are dressed like some common thug?”
Rolling my eyes, I sucked in a deep breath. Sparrow was always the most outspoken of my sisters. That was probably why she was in trouble now, she didn’t think. “It’s nice to see you too, BB.”
That got the reaction I expected. “Number one, don’t call me that. Number two, answer the question.”
“I’m here to visit. In fact, I’ll be here for a couple of weeks.”
Stunned silence filled the room before Robin quickly recovered. “Uh…that’s nice, Blue. Is there any particular reason you’re here to visit?”
Looking each of my sisters straight in their eyes, I answered, “I’m here to take care of some business. It seems as if I’ve been gone for so long that things have gone straight to hell.”
Clearing her throat nervously, Raven finally spoke in her quiet voice. “What do you mean? What’s gone to hell?” She never once looked at me while speaking.
“Just a few things, three things to be exact. I can’t talk about them right now. I just wanted you to know that I’m in town and I wanted to spend some time with y’all. You know, spend some time getting to know what’s going on in your worlds.”
I had never seen three more nervous women in my life. Sparrow bit her lip, Raven continued to avoid eye contact, and Robin anxiously rubbed her slightly swelled belly. All three wore guilty expressions. They knew that I would soon figure out the particulars of what was going on and wouldn’t hesitate to take care of it. I glanced at my parents and saw that they wore the same worried expressions. I had a sinking feeling that there was more to their situations than Ty, Ced, and my father originally thought.
Looking at Sparrow, I noticed the major rock on her left hand. “Congratulations, Sparrow.”
“On what?” she asked, her voice far away.
“I’m guessing your engagement.”
All eyes turned to her and a big smile spread across her face. The subject turned to Sparrow and her engagement. This allowed me time to observe my sisters.
I loved all three of them. Though I was the youngest, I had always looked out for them with and without their knowledge. I had made sure that they were protected while I was here and even when I left. They had gone to college, gotten degrees, and started a successful business. They were three beautiful and intelligent women who came from one of the most prominent African-American families in the state. Even with all of that in place they had somehow managed to make a mess of their lives.
I wanted so much to fix this for them but I couldn’t make it obvious. I didn’t need the stalker scared off, Dean tipped off, or Robin set off. I needed everything and everyone in place before my presence was made known. I just hoped Robin, Raven, and Sparrow wouldn’t get themselves in deeper shit before then.
Chapter 30
RAVEN
I could not believe Blue. This was the last thing I needed. I couldn’t entertain him, be with Pierre, run my business and deal with Dean without there being complications. On top of that, I was two months pregnant and had yet to tell Pierre. After Dean tried to kill him by having a semi-truck ram the back of his car, I decided to wait to deliver the news. There was too much going on to celebrate a new life especially with my old one rearing its ugly head on a continuous basis.
One thing I knew for sure, I wasn’t going to tell Dean that Blue was in town. The last thing I needed was for him to use my baby brother as a bargaining tool in his game with me. Blue was too sheltered to know what to do with a man like Dean. I also needed to keep Blue in the dark about Dean. Dean had been around Blue since Blue was a child. The fact that Dean was now crazy as hell would devastate him. Naw, I wasn’t going to tell anyone that Blue was here. They’d just have to find out for themselves.
I walked into LadyBird Interior Designs and headed straight to the conference room. I knew my sisters would be there soon. I started a pot of coffee and dug through the mini fridge for some snacks when I heard the front door open and close.
I turned around and my eyes collided with hazel ones. My heart pounded in my chest and my body broke out in a fever. Pierre always had that effect on me. He stood looking there like a golden statue with his honey colored skin, hazel eyes, deep dimples, and bulging muscles all on a 6’7” frame.
Silently, he walked towards me and gathered me in his arms, my long legs automatically wrapping around his waist. He navigated down the hallways of the office building until he reached my office. He locked the door and set me on the desk.
Pierre’s bruises had healed and his beautiful skin was as smooth as silk. Reaching out, I cupped his face and gently kissed his lips. “What are you doing here?”
Deftly, he unzipped the form fitting dress, revealing the red bra and panty set beneath. “I needed you.”
“My sisters will be here soon,” I said though I couldn’t have cared less if the President was on his way. When Pierre touched me all thought and reason left me.
“They can wait, baby. I can’t. I need you.”
No more words were spoken as Pierre stripped from his heavy winter wear. The dark washed jeans and brown cashmere sweater landed at his feet with a thud. The feel of his heated skin against mine, his lips kissing mine, his body needing mine was more than I could bear. My eyes closed in ecstasy when he
slipped inside me. This was how it always was with us, pure bliss.
“Shit, Ray. You’re so tight, baby. So hot and tight,” he whispered against my temple. I could only moan in response and move my hips against his. Quickly, he pulled out and flipped me on my stomach. “I have to have you like this, baby.”
My nipples pebbled tightly against the cool wood of my cherry stained desk. I reached out and gripped the edges to keep my body steady. Face down, ass up, I worked my hips into his as he drove me higher.
I heard the soft chatter of my sisters coming down the hallway and we worked our bodies faster. Pierre gripped my hips and I frantically pushed against him. He throbbed inside me as I came hard, dripping all over the carpet.
Grabbing a fistful of my hair, he forced my body flush against his before burying his face in the crook of my neck. “That’s it, Ray, give me what I came here for, give me what I need.”
Manipulating my clit between his thumb and forefinger, I bit my bottom lip to keep from screaming as I squirted hot lava on his hand, the dark carpet, and my desk. His powerful strokes overwhelmed me and all I could do was groan as my eyes rolled back in my head. “There you go, baby. Can I get mine now?”
Softly, I whimpered in response and he drilled me until I felt his body strain and release with orgasmic pleasure. Pulling out of my dripping pussy, he kissed me lightly and slapped my behind. He held me closely as I continued to quiver. Finally, I was able to breathe normally and reluctantly stepped out of his arms. We got dressed in silence and I walked him to the front door and kissed him goodbye, knowing that we would finish what we just started when I got home.
I walked down the corridor into the conference room and received accusatory looks from both my sisters. Well, they both could just kiss my ass. My man needed me.
Taking a seat, I looked at them. “So, what do y’all think about Blue?”