If I'd Only Known (Milan Women Series Book 1) (38 page)

Barrington

Fresh
tears streaked Perri's face as she reread the letter three more times. “I'm so
sorry, Barrington. I should have believed you would never abandon me.” Going
back to the living room, Perri cradled the letter to her chest, staring up at
the oil painting of Barrington, Imani and herself—her family—that she loved
more than her next breath.

“Perri?”

Startled,
Perri swung around, holding her chest tight.

“Easy,
baby, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.” Barrington carried a sleeping
Imani to the couch, carefully laid her down and surrounded her with throw
pillows.

“Did
you two have a good time?” Perri asked, swiping the residual tears and
plastered a smile on her face before Barrington turned back to face her.

“We
always have a good time. Cupcake is the highlight of my days.” His gaze swept
up and down Perri's body. She was absolutely a beautiful woman; but as a
pregnant woman, she was breathtaking in a whole other beautiful way. “I did
come by the house first to drop Cupcake off, but obviously, you weren't there.”
His eyes slid to the letter in her hand. “What are you doing here, baby? Not
that I mind.”

Perri
swallowed hard, trying to think of an answer. Unable to think up anything, she
rushed over to him, throwing herself in his arms, almost knocking them both to
the floor; she didn't care. She only wanted to be held by him.

“Whoa,
baby girl.” Barrington didn't hesitate to hold her tight; he had been dying to
do that since the day they separated. He pulled back slightly, seeing tears
swimming in her beautiful eyes. “What's this, sweet Perri?” He used the pad of
his thumbs to wipe her tears.

“I'm
sorry, Barrington.” She sniffled. “Please forgive me,” she said around a sob.
“I was wrong. I should have believed you when you swore you didn’t run out on
me. I didn't and I'm so sorry. God, baby, please forgive me.” She clung to him
and cried some more.

“Nia
strikes again,” Barrington complained after hearing his wife out. “I can't
believe she took my letter and hid it from you when I specifically asked her to
give it to you as soon as you woke up. And to think she even read it!” He shook
his head. “My baby, that was meant for your eyes alone,” he said and hugged his
wife. “I'm sorry, sweet Perri.”

“It's
not your fault, baby boy. It doesn't matter anymore; I have it now. We both
know the truth of what happened back then and now we can move on.”

“Together?”
He couldn't hide the hope in his voice.

She
smiled and said, “Oh, God, yes, together forever, G-Man.”

They
shared a passionate kiss.

To
change the subject, she said, “I heard Sweet Perri on the radio tonight. Thank
you for my song, baby, I love it. I love you, Barrington.”

“You're
welcome, sweet Perri. I love you, baby.”

Perri
watched their sleeping daughter. “What do you say we put Imani in her bedroom
upstairs, and you and I go have our own makeup session?”

“I
thought you'd never ask.” Barrington kissed his wife then carried his daughter
upstairs to her bedroom, carefully placing her in her crib. Scooping his wife
up in his arms, he announced, “Let's get it on, baby.”

“You
just wanna get me on my back.”

Barrington’s
cock jumped. “You damn straight, baby girl.”

Perri
giggled, tracing his lips with her tongue before kissing him tenderly. Then she
whispered in his ear, “Hit me, Barry.”

Kissing,
licking, stroking her up and down twice, Barrington feasted on Perri's body
like it was his last supper, enjoying the pleasurable sounds she made. He
treated her like it was the first time he'd ever known her intimately. With
expert fingers, he explored her warm, wet core until she creamed all over his
hand. With the expertise of his mouth, he suckled her breasts until she melted
against him, her body begging for more. With a well-placed tongue, he feasted on
her sex until he swallowed the last of her bodily juices as she screamed out
his name over and over. Saving the best for last, he entered the tight center
of her garden and tilled every inch of her love zone until she reached the land
of sweet ecstasy, screaming so loud, Barrington was sure she woke Imani. Taking
her back to that familiar place two more times, Barrington went with her the
third time as he gave in to his release, her name on his lips.

***

Perri's
fashion show was a big hit, landing her a whole spread in five of the top
leading fashion magazines. The after-party was a smash hit, too, and Perri was
a woman in love with life—her family life.

The
last week had been a busy one for Perri's Boutique, and this was a rare night
when she actually got to spend it at home, waiting for her husband to arrive.
She heard the front door open and close.

“Hey,
baby.” Barrington came and sat beside her on the couch. “You okay?”

After
studying his face, Perri kissed his cheek. “I should be asking you that. You
look worn out, baby. Are you all right?”

“I'm
good.”

“Liar.
What's going on, G-Man?”

He
snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, okay, I do have something to tell you and
you're not gonna like it.” For the next little while, he relayed the latest
turn of events surrounding Nia.

Perri
stared at Barrington for a long time, processing the information. “What are you
gonna do?” she finally asked her husband.

He
shrugged. “Don't know yet.” His cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, he
cursed. “What does she want now?” he asked of no one in particular.

Perri
knew it could only be Nia so she waited to see what Barrington's next move
would be. He looked at her then his phone, back to her and then his phone, back
to her again. Tired of waiting, Perri nodded impatiently. She ignored the
tightness in her chest as he took the call.

“Nia,
are you sure about this?” Barrington waited for to finish speaking then
decreed, “So help me, if you're playing me, you will regret it.” He sighed
heavily and said, “All right, Nia. I'll be there shortly.” He watched his wife,
saw the eye of the storm brewing in her chocolate browns as he disconnected the
call. “Nia's water just broke; she needs to get over to the hospital, the
contractions are ten minutes apart,” he explained, knowing it was useless. “I
have to take her.”

Perri
made to stand up.

“Hold
on, baby, let me help you.”

“No,”
she held up a hand, “I got this. Perri rocked her weight until she got to her
feet and paced the living room.

“Are
you gonna say anything?” he asked, knowing the direction his wife’s mind was
going.

“What
should I say?”

“You
can always come with me, you know.”

“Are
you kidding me right now?”

Barrington
lowered his eyes to the floor. “I don’t want you to worry about this situation
with Nia, baby. I’ll take care of it.”

“Take
care of the situation per se, or take care of Nia?”

“The
two are connected, Perri.”

Perri
stopped pacing. “Apparently, you’re connected to it, too.” She resumed her
pacing.

“What
do you want me to say, Perri? Because I got nothing right now,” he said honestly.

“I
want you to say you won’t go to Nia.”

“Perri,
I understand that, but she has no one else to call on, baby.”

“Who
is at fault for that?”

“Nia,”
he said truthfully. “But still, what would you have me to do?”

Perri
leveled her eyes on him. “I really have to answer that for you?”

“I
guess so.”

“Barrington,
please, please think about this—all the way through first. I'm standing here
and I'm begging you, please listen to me, see this whole situation with Nia for
what it is; the sham that it is. She's only trying to trick you again. She
already cost us time and a life together once. Please don't let her do it
again.”

“Perri,
I'm not stupid, I know Nia can't be trusted as far as her actions go. But at
the same time, I cannot turn my back on her baby—”

Frustrated,
she screamed, “Your baby, you mean!”

“Yes,
Perri, my baby,” he said. “No matter what either of us feels for the mother, I
can't and you shouldn't want me to turn my back on the . . .
my
baby,”
he corrected himself this time. He could have kicked himself for the pained
look shone in his wife's eyes; eyes that before now shined with pure love for
him. Now, well, now all Barrington could see in his wife's eyes was fiery
contempt, and at the moment he was unsure if the contempt was addressed toward Nia
or him.

“Barrington,”
Perri pleaded one last time before she knew she was going to give up the entire
cause because quite frankly she was drained and tired of getting duped. “I am
your wife, Barrington . . .” her voice broke without her permission. “Why does
she always get your sympathy? I’m your fucking wife, Barrington! And this is
what I get from you where Nia is concerned. You should have just married her
because she’s always between us.” Wiping tears with the back of her hand, she
said weakly, “I’m your wife, Barrington.”

Tears
pricked the corners of Barrington’s eyes and his heart cracked in two for his
wife. In that instant, he almost hated Nia. “And you always will be my wife,
Perri.” Searching her eyes for the slightest compassion, he stated his case,
“Just right now, baby, I need to go see about Nia, check up on her—”

“Why?”
Perri wanted to know what would make him reach out to that wench after all
she'd done to their family. And why wasn't he considering the very ones he'd
claimed to love? Confused, she wondered, growing bitter by each torturous
passing minute. Placing both hands over her heart, she said, “This is me,
Barrington. How can you say this to me?” she sniffled. “You look me in the eye,
Barrington, and tell me why you need to see about her,” Perri demanded as the
hole in her heart grew larger, threatening to cause her whole chest cavity to
cave in. “What is it about her do you think is going to have changed,
Barrington? S-” Perri sniffed on a broken sob, “s-she's still going to be the s-same
conniving Evilene reincarnated devil with a test tube and a mischievous plan
that she was two years a-ago.”
Why didn't he get that
? It was as plain
as the stars in the sky. So why didn't he see it? And even if he couldn't, why
didn't he just know it? She knew it. Why didn't he?

“Baby,
please—”

“Don't
baby please me when it's a straight up lie.” She sobbed, drawing into her lungs
large doses of air while trying to get her bearings.

“Perri,
baby, please calm down, you’re gonna make yourself sick. It’s not good for the
baby.”

“Oh,
now you wanna show concern for my baby,” it was a statement. She laughed
bitterly.

 If
you really want to please me, Barrington, then you'll stay here with your
family where you belong.”

“Perri—”

“If
this were the other way around, Barrington, if the shoe were on the other foot,
and I had the audacity to stand here and tell you that I think I might be
pregnant by another man you—”

Barrington
punched the wall, “You’re not fucking pregnant by another man, Perri! You are
my wife and that’s my baby you’re carrying, so I don’t wanna hear that damn
shit from you. We’re not talking about the next man’s baby, we’re talking about
mine. And I would stomp a fucker into the ground if you were standing here
telling me another man touched my wife.”

“You
fucking hypocrite!” she shook her head wild-eyed at him.

“No,
Perri, I’m an honest man, and you need to remember I didn’t sleep with Nia,
which is exactly how you’re making it sound. I didn’t roll out on you and into
another woman’s bed so don’t come at me that shit. I’m not guilty of doing dirt
because there was no creeping in the dark by me. This shit involves extenuating
circumstances; I’m a victim of the circumstances just like you, no more, no
less. Nia doesn’t get to win unless you let her.”

“Nia
has been winning with you since the day I gave you my virginity, so don’t you
hand me that shit, Barrington. And like I said, you’d be singing a brand new
tune if there was another man in my life to speak of. Hell, I
almost
wish there were just so you’d see how I feel.”

“Well,
you heard what I said, Perri,” Barrington fired back without pause. “I better
not
ever
catch you in the arms of another man, because that
will
be the day when I catch a case and I’m standing in front of the judge wondering
who’s gonna raise my kids.” He shook his head. “It’s stupid as hell for you to
even fucking compare the two situations. I mean, really, you’re actually trying
to compare Nia as opposed to some damn nonexistent man? Seriously, Perri,
that’s what you’re going with?”

“And
you’re a damn fool if you think this shit is gonna work itself out, Barrington.
And you’re a jackass, if you got the nerve to think I’m gonna sit around here
while you go play nursemaid to your housekeeper. And you’re a low-down,
trifling, dirty dog, if you expect to come back to my bed after all the
unnecessary changes you’re taking me through. My kids and I won’t be here when
you get back, and don’t you even think about coming after us, because I’m going
to get a restraining order against you this very day. And since you so good at
taking care of the help, you let Nia help you keep your bed warm from this
night on. And there will be no reversing the situation, because I
promise
you I will not be back next time.”