Real Love 5 (Love the One You're With) Page 7

  “You know that was not necessary,” Armando said to his wife. “How many times do I have to tell you we must treat people how we want to be treated?”

  “I said nothing inappropriate,” Annalise said in her defense. “She was your first love. What did you expect me to say when I caught you with your arms around her? Your next move was to kiss her and then take her somewhere to make love to her.”

  “But that was twenty years ago, Annalise that my connection to Rena was severed. You must get over these childish perceptions.”

  “Don’t say that to me…you know I don’t like it when you refer to me as a child!”

  “I didn’t mean it that way.”

  “Of course you did!” Annalise’s voice cracked and soon she began to sob like a baby. She grabbed Armando’s hand and began to kiss his fingers one by one, savoring each one as if they were sweet scented roses. “I love you so much until it hurts to my core…you are everything to me and I would do anything for you. Just don’t crush my heart, Armando. You are a very handsome man and you’re young and full of affection. You could have any woman you want –”

  Armando pressed his lips against Annalise’s forehead to quiet her concerns – like he usually did when her emotions got the best of her. “I will never leave you – nor crush your heart, my sweet Annalise,” he said. “I’m yours for as long as you will have me.”

  In response, Annalise shoved her hands beneath Armando’s sleeveless T-shirt, hungrily massaging those erogenous zones that Armando usually found hard to resist. However, Annalise’s hands weren’t having any effect on him that night, because the only thing he wanted to do at the moment was to hop on that elevator and find Rena. Somehow, he sensed that it would be the last time he would see her.

  ****

  It was almost ten o’clock at night, but Rena knew Lewis would still be in his office, burning the midnight oil. Unfortunately, the door was locked, which prevented her from storming her way in unannounced like she normally did. She beat on the door, causing a major disturbance with her yells.

  “Let me in, you heartless brute, before I shoot my way in!”

  Lewis responded in an instant, knowing that Rena was actually capable of doing such a thing. He peered down at her, stunned that a woman so short in stature could produce such power behind that voice of hers.

  “If you’ve come to force my hand into rewriting your father’s will,” Lewis told her, “you’ve showed up a day late and a few screws loose. I’ve already instructed the banks to transfer Drake’s money into his account.”

  “Well you had better reverse it!” Rena yelled.

  “I can’t do that…it’s impossible.”

  Rena swung the handgun up from her side and pointed it at Lewis’ face. “I said to reverse it!”

  “Listen, Rena, you’re not thinking straight,” Lewis tried. “I can’t do anything with your father’s will except execute it as he had legally stated. I’m terribly sorry if this has –”

  “You’re not sorry,” Rena spat. “Because you and my father planned this – you both wanted me to be disinherited, knowing that I would contest. Who the hell does this sort of thing to their daughter?”

  “You’re not making any sense, Rena. Your father loved you…”

  “Lies! All lies! My father hated me…everyone hates Rena, because Rena can’t do anything right. Rena this and Rena that…well, I’ve had enough of you people…of you, of Drake, of Armando and that crazy snitch of a wife…” Rena paused to realign her thoughts and to swipe away the tears that persisted to crawl down her cheeks. She hadn’t intended for Armando’s name to come rolling out of her mouth like that. “I’ve had ENOUGH. I should kill you and get it over with, because you were too eager to make Drake’s life a little easier. And now his whole family will be living off of money that rightfully belongs to me.”

  “If you kill me, what purpose will that serve? You still won’t end up with a dime of your father’s money. I’ve explained that to you repeatedly.”

  “Shut up, Lewis! Can’t you see that I don’t give a bloody hell about what happens to me anymore? And who cares about the money? No one cares whether I live or die anyway, so what do I have to lose?”

  Lewis looked at Rena with concern, despite her waving the barrel of a gun in his face. She was distraught over something and Lewis believed it had little to do with her father’s will. Because when she left his office the other day, she seemed to have made peace with her father’s decision.

  “It looks as if you could use a hug,” he said to her. “I can see that something heartbreaking has happened between the day you left my office and now.”

  Rena scoffed. “You put your hands on me and I will break them.”

  “You’re putting up a good front, Rena, but I can tell you’re hurting badly on the inside. You can’t stop from crying and that is not like you to show your emotion like that. Let me put my arms around you…”

  Rena stepped back, this time placing her finger on the trigger. “I will shoot you, Lewis, if you take another step toward me.”

  “Then you will have to kill me. You need a hug and I’m gonna give it to you.”

  Despite Rena’s threats, Lewis inched forward slowly, putting one foot ahead of the other until he felt the tip of his nose touching the gun. He began consoling her with words Rena hadn’t heard since she was a child.

  “I care about you, Rena…From the day your father introduced me to you, I told him you reminded me of my daughter who drowned when she was eleven years old. She was full of fire, just like you. Quick with her mouth, but had one of the kindest and most giving hearts I’d ever encountered. I see my little Annie in you. You may have gotten off to a bad start in life, but it’s not too late to make changes.”

  The genuineness of those words rang true and broke Rena down to size. She stared at Lewis, waiting for him to take her into his arms. But for some reason, she couldn’t find the strength to lower the gun. She did not want to shoot him, but what if she couldn’t help it?

  “Now, I’m going to take this gun from you,” Lewis said. “And then I’m going to put my arms around you.”

  “Do you really care about me, Lewis?” Rena asked. “Because I would hate to discover that you played me for a fool.”

  “Let me hug you and then you can be the judge of that.”

  Lewis slowly drew the gun out of Rena’s hands – hands that immediately flopped to her sides. It was Lewis’ cue to pull Rena into one of those gentle embraces that only a father could give. The right dose of affection that could attenuate a girl’s wounded spirit. Rena initially stilled, but soon lifted her hands and wrapped them around Lewis’ waist. So tightly that Lewis could feel every ounce of pain when she screamed into his chest.

  “It’s okay, baby girl,” he soothed. “Let it out…let it all out…”

  “Don’t ever let me go,” Rena sniveled. “Don’t ever let me go…”

  “I will hold you for as long as you need me to. I promise to be here for you from now on… and if you want, you can stay with me for the night. I have several spare bedrooms not too far from here. But at the very least, you would be safe with me.”

  Rena loved the idea of being away from that hotel, if only for a few hours. Especially if it meant her not running into Armando and that pregnant wife of his, which he had somehow forgotten to tell her about. This was the reason why she was rushing to get back to Paris – to avoid these nostalgic encounters that only caused her heart to bleed unnecessarily. After five minutes of smearing Lewis’ white shirt with her makeup, she followed him into his office and stood listlessly against the door.

  “I will just be a few minutes,” he told her. “Let me pack up my things and we will be on our way.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Tampa, FL – Friday 7:51 a.m.

  Kevin’s cell phone clamored to life. He studied the caller ID and immediately became concerned when he saw that it was Drake’s number, especially with it being this hour of the morning. The boardro
om was only a few yards ahead, but it was a bit cumbersome for him to talk and walk at the same time with his hands full. He paused by a window and rested his briefcase and his laptop bag on the plush carpet.

  He could see parts of downtown Tampa and other high-rise buildings scattered throughout the district. It reminded Kevin of how blessed he was as a black man to have accomplished such an elevated status – despite the lies that Shiloh had been perpetrating about his success.

  “Make it quick, kiddo…I want to go over my notes before our Friday meeting starts.”

  “Morning to you too,” Drake stressed. “You can’t be in that much of a rush that you forget to be cordial. I taught you better than that.”

  Kevin chuckled. “You got me on that one, man. Sorry…what’s up?”

  “I won’t keep you long. I’m just calling to put in my two cents.”

  “Your two cents?”

  “Hunter told me yesterday that you proposed to her. Two things: First, I’m your brother, man. We are always there for each other. I want to know why you’ve kept me out of the loop about this one. And second, I’m confused as to why you asked Hunter to marry you so soon when we both know that marriage isn’t really your thing.”

  “Geez, boy. What is this? The Spanish Inquisition? I just told you that I want to go over my notes.”

  “Man, you had better know what you are doing,” Drake warned. “Hunter is a very nice girl and I don’t want you breaking her heart.”

  “Did Sasha put you up to this?”

  “Don’t try and wrestle your way out of this one, because you will have me and Sasha to deal with.”

  Kevin chuckled. “Well, you and Sasha both need to take a chill pill. I love Hunter and I have every intention of making her happy. I didn’t tell you because I simply didn’t get around to it.”

  “Marriage is a serious commitment and I just thought you would have talked it over with me before you said anything to Hunter.”

  “Listen, man, can we pick this up later?” Kevin glanced at his watch. “I have to go…but I will tell you this much. I did purchase a ring and when Hunter arrives in Tampa today, I will make it official. You happy now?”

  “You’re missing my point,” Drake said.

  Kevin jammed his cell phone between his left ear and shoulder and then bent down to pick up his briefcase and laptop bag from the floor. He resumed his walk toward the boardroom.

  “Say your final words,” Kevin said. “I’m about to hang up.”

  “Only if you insist.”

  “I am insisting. Boy, what’s the matter with you?”

  “Okay then…I will depart on a high note.” Drake cleared his throat as a prelude to the big announcement. “You will never believe who has become a millionaire overnight.”

  “You might as well tell me, because you know I was never a fan of the guessing game.”

  “You sure you don’t wanna guess?”

  “Come on, man. You’re killing me…I have to hang up.”

  “You’re talking to him,” Drake exclaimed. “Rev. Henderson left the bulk of his estate to me, which is estimated at some 3.9 million dollars. And get this, bruh, that doesn’t include the thousands of dollars that I will receive in royalties every three months. God is so good, man. I’m walking around in a daze, because I still can’t believe something like this has happened to me…” When Kevin didn’t offer any form of jubilant remarks, Drake got concerned and thought that maybe his brother didn’t believe him. “Are you there, man? Say something.”

  Even if Kevin wanted to say something, he couldn’t. He’d been paralyzed by the shocking scene before him. A half-naked woman was on the boardroom table with her legs spread from one end of the gates of hell to the next. A man was on top off her, violently gyrating as if he was in a hurry to catch a plane. It was debauchery being revealed in its most daring manifestation. Did they not realize that this was a professional atmosphere in which anyone, at any time could walk in on their unwholesome tryst?

  The woman suddenly tossed her head back, her seductive gaze connecting with Kevin. She jerked up at once and shoved the man away from her. That was enough to nudge Kevin out of his stupor. But he was still too stunned to form any words. He backed out of the boardroom, making a beeline toward the elevator. He needed to get some fresh air – to clear his head before he did something stupid.

  “Kevin! It is not at all what you perceive…” Shiloh raced behind Kevin, simultaneously trying to put on her heels. “It was just a business deal.”

  Kevin stopped in his tracks and whirled around to face Shiloh. “I caught you screwing one of the senior partners of this firm. Brier has a wife and three kids. What the hell kind of a business deal is that? You’ve played me once too often and this foolishness of yours ends now!”

  “Calm down, my love…” Shiloh attempted to touch Kevin’s face, but he slapped her hand away. “I said to calm down before you really make me upset,” she spat. “You must realize that I’m only looking out for your best interest.”

  “I don’t need any help from you. What part of that don’t you get?”

  Shiloh folded her arms and stood with her feet slightly apart. “You had better take the twenty-five million dollars I’m offering and give me Hunter’s company, or I’m going to pay her a visit myself. And just so you know, I do have a wildcard, just in case you continue to defy me.”

  Kevin scoffed. “Go to hell, you abominable whore.”

  Shoulders squared, he picked up his stride and continued his march toward the elevator. However courageous his actions may have been, they were not going to shake Shiloh from his tail that easily. She fell in behind his strides and marched with the same vehemence.

  ****

  8:01 a.m.

  Hunter eased the rental Buick into the parking lot of Ridgeland House, happy that she’d been able to catch that first flight into Tampa, giving her another opportunity to surprise Kevin. She’d brought him a breakfast sandwich from Wendy’s, but considering the hour of morning, her guess would be that Kevin had probably already eaten. He was usually in his office by seven forty-five, preparing for the busyness of that day.

  But as she slid the gear shift into Park, she spotted Kevin coming through the building’s main exit, walking so quickly that it looked as if he was running from something – or someone. A woman surged through the same exit, walking just as quickly behind Kevin, although it appeared she was having a challenge trying to keep up. She was yelling at him, flailing her hands as if she needed reinforcement to make her point clear. Kevin spun around to address her, pushing a finger in her face.

  What in the world…? That’s Shiloh Bethune… Hunter could not accept what her eyes were seeing. First of all, what was Shiloh doing at Kevin’s job, making a scene? How did she even know where Kevin worked? And even more puzzling, what were they arguing about so intensely? This did not look like a business deal gone bad, or an innocent squabble about nothing, but rather a personal tirade that suddenly made Hunter feel sick to her stomach. She did not want Shiloh Bethune hanging around Kevin, much less sharing a past with him that she did not know about.

  When Shiloh reached out and pulled Kevin into an unexpected lip lock, Hunter thought she was hallucinating for sure. Granted, Kevin pulled away quickly and shoved her against the car, but he was still holding on to her, staring at her with a rage Hunter had never seen Kevin express. There is a very deep connection between you two…I can see it. You were not upfront with me, Kevin. It appears as if you’ve known Ms. Bethune long before I saw you two together at the jewelry showcase. Why didn’t you just tell me?

  Hunter blinked back her shock as a million questions consumed her mind. Was this the sign that she’d been praying for? Was it the reason why she was reluctant to tell Kevin she loved him? Her reservations had just been validated right before her very own eyes. How could Kevin hurt her like this? She would love to believe that she was jumping to conclusions, but everything within her was screaming that she’d been played for a fool �
�� a white fool who thought she could be happy with a man who’d gotten over his fears of dating outside of his race.

  Well, it was a good thing she hadn’t invested years into this relationship only to discover she’d wasted her time nurturing a hopeless dream. That would have completely ruined her. However, the more Hunter tried to rationalize her emotions, the more she felt like crying. She forced herself to keep her eyes on the scene. Kevin had released Shiloh and was now pacing a few feet away from her. His cell phone was next to his ear and when her phone suddenly came to life in the passenger seat, she just knew it was him calling. Why are you calling me? She harrumphed. I don’t want to talk to you…All this time you could have told me about her. Why now?

  Despite her mental diatribe, Hunter answered, more stiffly than she would have liked. “Hello, Kevin.”

  There was no response, which caused Hunter to study the scene in front of her. Kevin was still holding the phone to his ear, looking toward the ground. Shiloh stood off from him, her arms folded in defiance. It was almost as if she was daring him to go against her wishes – whatever they were.

  “I can’t marry you,” he said softly. “I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you…”

  Hunter wasn’t expecting those to be Kevin’s opening words, nonetheless she was almost relieved that he’d said them. It was her pride; however, that wouldn’t let him off the hook that easily. “What do you mean you can’t marry me? I mean, how do you expect me to respond to that? I’ve always assumed you knew what you wanted.”

  “Don’t ask me to explain my reasons right now…”

  “I deserve an explanation,” Hunter spat. “You don’t get a woman’s hopes up – telling her you want to marry her only to walk all over her heart in less than three weeks of proposing to her. Really, Kevin, what is it? Am I too white for you? Too independent? Not pretty enough? Or is it because you wanted a woman who would have sex with you on the first date? Tell me…because I really don’t get why you would waste my time like this.”