Thin Ice 5 - Checkmate (8 page)

“
What did you want to see me about,” Jaleesa finally ventured, unable to take the stress of not knowing.

Kai casually finished the mouthful of salad he was enjoying and took a sip of water before answering her question.

“
I have a task for you,” he replied calmly, never taking his eyes from her.

Her sense of dread deepened as he continued to watch her wordlessly.

“
What is it,” Jaleesa managed, swallowing hard to dislodge the lump that had found its way into her throat.

“
You’re going to take care of a loose end for me,” he told her calmly.

Removing an envelope from his inner suit coat pocket, Kai slid it across the table. Jaleesa looked at the envelope like a snake, coiled to strike.

“
Pick it up and open it,” Kai told her, raising his voice slightly.

Jaleesa immediately complied, hands shaking as she began lifting the envelopes back flap.

Jaleesa read with horror the instructions contained. “You can’t be serious,” she told Kai, praying the note was a joke.

“
Very,” he replied simply.

“
Please Kai, I can’t do this,” she pleaded.

Jaleesa’s mind was spinning just thinking about it.

“
You either do it, or you go to jail,” Kai replied coldly. “Your choice,” he added, going back to his salad.

Jaleesa couldn’t breathe. If she did what Kai wanted and someone found out, it would be her life, in the literal sense.

“
But what if they find out,” Jaleesa tried to hedge.

“
No one will be the wiser, Tweety,” Kai told her finishing the salad and pushing the plate to the side.

“
Will it be over then,” she asked, wanting to see if doing this one thing would free her from the leverage Kai held over her.

“
There’s a strong possibility, yes,” he replied almost dismissively.

Jaleesa knew he was lying. This would only be the beginning of the hell her life would become if she started doing dirt for him. She needed to buy time though; time to get a plan together and take care of this nonsense once and for all.

“
Let’s skip dinner,” Kai told her looking her over and licking his lips.

“
OK,” Jaleesa replied without hesitation.

She needed to get the evening with him over with so she could get home. There were only two other people in the world she could share this drama with, one of them was automatically removed by default, the other was going through hell of their own right now, so she was effectively on her own.

Arriving at the parking deck, Kai pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. Jaleesa didn’t pull away, simply allowing him to do what he wanted with her.

“
I want you right now,” he whispered huskily in her ear, unlocking the car and pushing her into the back seat.

Jaleesa was mortified he wanted to have sex in the parking lot where someone may see them but she didn’t dare refuse, not just yet. Kai’s hands were under her dress removing her thong and fingering her clit. Jaleesa again closed her eyes and let her mind have free reign to make it through yet another assault. She felt his breathing on her neck and heard the zipper on his pants as he freed his erection. Moments later she felt Kai’s hardness slip inside her and him begin to thrust into her, moaning in her ear.
Please God, give me the strength to do this,
Jaleesa prayed quietly as her plan began to solidify in her mind.

“
Tweety, mm, sweet Tweety,” Kai murmured breaking her thought and returning her to the present.

Jaleesa began faking her way to orgasm, praying it would hasten his own end.

“
Kai, please baby, please don’t stay in me,” Jaleesa pleaded once more.

She’d barely made it home and cleansed herself of his semen the last time he came inside her. He didn’t respond as his strokes grew faster. Without warning she felt the liquid heat invade her body and bit her lip to keep from crying.

“
I told you before, you belong to me,” Kai whispered tersely in her ear, biting her neck hard once more, deliberately leaving a mark.

He finally removed himself from her, handing her the underwear back as he readjusted his own clothing. Jaleesa hurriedly exited the car and walked to her own, getting in and leaving the parking deck, as Kai did the same. Neither of them noticed the black Benz truck parked almost directly across from them, nor the lone occupant who’d just witnessed their indiscretion.

*****

Tariq and Mook were talking with the rest of the group when Shells spoke up.

“
I have a tail,” he said simply as they all gave him their undivided attention.

“
Are you sure,” Tariq asked.

Shells then told them of the vehicle he’d seen following him last night when he and Tae were out on the town.

“
I decided to test dem, when we left the Soca bar,” Shells went on. “I take de long way to de house, deliberately passing by and going to de corner liquor store,” he told them. “Him follow me everywhere I go, so I go home and get Tae in de house, tell her to check de baby and I go back outside through de back door,” Shells enlightened them, taking a breath and sip of his beer.

“
I see him truck, but him not in it,” he told them once again.

Shells told them he watched the truck for the next few minutes until Tae began calling to him.

“
I don’t want her to catch on, so I go back inside,” Shells began again. “When I look out de bedroom window, the truck gone.”

None of the men liked the sound of that at all. Tariq immediately had a suspicion of both the who and the why.

“
It sounds like Ice is trying to spook us,” Mook threw out effectively reading his bosses mind.

“
Yeah, sounds like some stupid shit he would do,” Tariq added. “We need to be more careful from here on out,” he began again. “Everyone needs to beef up the security around their house, hell find some safe houses if you have too,” Tariq instructed.

Mook looked at Shells and began speaking once more. “You ready to move forward,” he asked calmly as Shells assured him he was. “Good, ‘cause with this new development, we need to get a move on and shut this bullshit down once and for all,” Mook replied.

Shells told him he agreed. “I’m telling Tae I got to go to New York for a month,” he threw out so everyone would know the cover story.

“
We got her covered Shells, no worries,” Tariq assured him.

“
Thanks Top, I know you do,” he assured his friend. “Only contact you all when I have too, everyone need to believe I am gone,” Shells added and they all agreed. “When dis thing said and done, everybody need to be ready, war will be on then for true,” he finished and they again agreed with the sentiment.

The men continued talking for the next hour making sure all the plans were in place before finally calling it a night.

Tariq was talking to Shells about picking up Tejdra.

“
Let her stay, its late, I’m sure she’s sleeping and Tae fine wit her,” he told his friend who reluctantly agreed.

Tariq was exhausted and there were a million things going on in his head. After thanking Shells and Tae for helping him, he bid his friend goodnight. Jacoury seized the opportunity to talk to him while he was alone again.

“
What’s up with you and miss lady from the bar,” he asked calmly.

Tariq kicked himself for not being more discreet, forgetting where he was when he was talking to Carlita.

“
She’s just someone I met tonight, a friend,” Tariq replied.

Jacoury gave him a look before speaking again.

“
When’s the last time you got some,” he asked point blank.

Tariq sighed deeply, knowing where he was headed.

“
I’m not going to do anything stupid,” he told him.

Jacoury nodded slightly.

“
Look Riq,” he began, using his name. “I understand shit is bad with you and KiKi right now,” Jacoury told him. “But man I been there, and unless you’re sure you and KiKi are done, don’t get caught up with this chick.”

Tariq nodded thoughtfully, taking in the information Jacoury was sharing. He was right and Tariq knew it, still his ego loved the stroking of another woman being attracted to him. Kaitlyn’s deception had hurt him deeply, far deeper than he’d ever admit to any of his friends or even his cousin.

“
I promise not to get caught up man, seriously,” Tariq replied as Jacoury again raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing else, leaving him alone with his thoughts once more.

Driving home he thought about the things he’d promised and how lonely he found himself tonight. The house would be empty and honestly Tariq just couldn’t face that right now. Pulling out his cell he took a chance and texted her. Carlita answered back almost immediately telling him to stop by and providing her address. Sighing deeply Tariq began thinking about Kaitlyn and all the history between them. He thought about all the pain and hurt they’d endured together losing their first daughter. He thought about the drama of finding out about her past. Tariq couldn’t help but wonder how differently his life would have been had he not tried to get to her that fateful night when he was shot and left for dead.
Maybe all this bullshit with Ice, my people putting their lives on the line, my fighting to keep my daughter, wouldn’t be happening,
his mind threw out.
Maybe we are better off apart,
Tariq thought to himself of the union he shared with Kaitlyn. She herself had told him years ago it wasn’t meant to be.

“
Maybe I should have listened,” he mumbled arriving at his destination and parking the truck.

Taking yet another deep breath Tariq asked himself if he really wanted to do this, before finally opening the door and getting out.

*****

“
Where’s my niece,” Ryan asked smiling as he walked into the playroom where Ian and Tajdra were.

“
Here’s my pride and joy,” Ian replied still holding her as he sat in the huge rocking chair.

Ryan took the baby from his brother and held her, kissing her cheek softly. Tajdra again gave a curious look but didn’t cry.

“
She has a great disposition,” Ryan told him as Ian readily agreed.

Mrs. Connor came into the room at that point and asked for the baby. She was the real nurse Ian hired to care for his daughter. Ananda was sent first by the service, but Ian wasn’t feeling her, being that she was so young. She did however fit his other purpose of angering Kaitlyn so he paid her to be present when the baby was dropped off and to be present again when Kaitlyn returned to pick her up. Mrs. Connor on the other hand was a seasoned nanny with over 30 years of experience. Tajdra took to her immediately when she fed and changed her earlier.

“
I think she’s tired,” Ian told the nurse as she took the baby from Ryan.

Tajdra was rubbing her eyes and yawning periodically.

“
Yes, she probably is,” Mrs. Connor replied, smiling slightly as the baby laid her head on her shoulder. “I’ll give her a nice warm lavender bath, that should relax her,” she told Ian who nodded his understanding.

“
I’d like to put her to bed myself,” he threw out just as the woman was leaving the room.

She assured him she would bring the baby back after her bath so he could do just that.

“
Your ass is gonna be broke,” Ryan teased his brother.

He could already see the little girl had him wrapped completely around her finger. Ian chuckled and told him he was probably right, but she was worth it.

“
How was seeing KiKi,” Ryan asked, as they walked to the library and he made himself a drink upon arrival.

“
Ready to fuck me up,” Ian replied as Ryan burst into laughter.

“
She asked me how I found out about the baby,” he told Ryan who withheld comment and repeated her question.

Ian enlightened him as he nodded thoughtfully.

“
So now what,” he asked sipping the cognac.

“
I’m waiting to see how Ray’s petition turned out,” Ian replied honestly.

Almost as if on cue his cell rang.

“
Speak of the devil,” Ian murmured, answering the device and putting it on speaker.

“
Good evening, Ice,” Ray greeted him amiably enough.

“
How are you tonight Ray,” Ian returned. “Ryan is here with me,” he added as Ray greeted the other brother as well.

“
I saw Judge Murdock this morning on our emergency petition,” Ray began as Ian and Ryan listened intently. “He’s a total hard ass so I knew it would be an uphill climb and as serious sell, even after persuading him to hear on us on a Saturday,” Ray told them.

Ian wasn’t getting a good feeling about the ending to the story, even before Ray got to it.

“
He wants more compelling evidence than the innuendo we’ve given him,” he told the two men. “So for now he’s not going to grant the temporary custody,” he finished as Ian frowned deeply.

“
What kind of evidence does he want,” Ryan asked, his mind already working.

“
He wants solid evidence that either KiKi is unstable to the point of hurting the child, or that her husband is deliberately ignoring or abusing the child,” Ray told them.