Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning (10 page)

“
No, Ice, don’t,” she replied fearfully.

Ian shook her grip and removed the scarf, his expression never changing.

“
Bri, you don’t have to wear this,” he told her sweetly.

In his estimation the scars weren’t that bad. They just looked like a series of large angry welts. Ian was positive a top notch plastic surgeon could make them almost invisible.

“
You’re sweet Ice, you don’t have to say that,” Gabrielle returned, her eyes dropping to the floor.

Ian lifted her chin looking into her eyes as he spoke again.

“
Bri, you’re still beautiful,” he told her, his lips finding hers before he could stop himself.

Gabrielle hungrily returned the kiss, needing to feel wanted and having been without the comfort of a man for too long now. The kiss deepened both of them breathing hard when they finally parted.

Ian didn’t know what had come over him, but he couldn’t stop. Even now he wanted nothing more than to see Gabrielle’s beautifully sexy body void of clothing. She must have read the lust in his eyes, reaching out and removing his shirt, taking in the chiseled physique staring back at her. Ian returned the favor, unhooking the silken lavender bra and immediately placing the honey colored breast in his mouth sucking gently. Gabrielle moaned deeply loving the feel of his tongue on her. She anxiously undid his pants, helping him of them as well as the underwear; Ian quickly did the same to her, the matching thong easily removed, as his fingers found her clit and began stroking it gently. Gabrielle came hard and fast, needing the release Ian was affording.

“
Bri, are you sure, baby,” Ian moaned poised to enter her.

Gabrielle put her hands on his firm butt, pulling him willingly inside her. Ian began thrusting deeply into her as she cried out her pleasure reaching orgasm another time.

“
Ice, yes, right there,” Gabrielle moaned.

She felt nirvana on earth as they both moved in rhythm together, she very near orgasm and his manhood expanding and pulsating inside her.

“
Ice, oh god, don’t stop, please, oh god,” Gabrielle moaned, digging her nails into his back as Ian held her tighter, going deeper and she came hard just as he exploded and filled her with his finish.

Returning to her lips Ian kissed her softly as Gabrielle sighed gently. She knew what they’d done was wrong, but she’d loved and welcomed every moment of it.

“
Bri, I need a favor,” Ian told her, pulling her into his arms, still naked.

“
Anything Ice,” she replied sincerely, as he smiled and kissed her again, her hands bringing his manhood to life once more as she mounted him and he held her hips while she experienced pleasure upon pleasure, blocking out the world.

*****

Ryan picked up his cell checking his messages. He was slightly miffed he didn’t have one from Nikki, but pushed it from his mind.
Guess she really doesn’t want this shit anymore huh,
he angrily thought pouring himself a drink and knocking it back. The instrument rang as he held it. Looking at the ID he smiled slightly and answered.

“
Yeah, wassup,” he threw out.

“
That’s exactly what I was wondering,” Jaleesa replied.

Ryan chuckled slightly before addressing her again.

“
We need to talk,” he replied evenly.

He heard her sigh.

“
About what Ryan, we’re long since over,” she tried reasoning.

“
Hmph,” he replied, sipping the whiskey again and saying nothing more.

“
Ryan,” she questioned after his silence, making sure he was still there.

“
Anyway, I have a ticket waiting for you at the Delta counter,” he told her ignoring her previous statement.

“
Ryan, I can’t just --,” she got out before he interrupted.

“
Tweety, don’t make me come there,” he told her simply, the statement anything but.

Again the heavy sigh before she spoke.

“
When,” she asked.

He told her the flight left at 10PM tomorrow night. Ryan knew that would give him time to handle the set up at Gabrielle’s so they could begin to monitor the men they were going to kill.

“
How long are you making me stay,” she asked, assuming he was still in Missouri.

“
You can leave after we talk, but if you want you can stay a couple days, enjoy the Bayou and shit,” Ryan returned finally giving Jaleesa a clue to his whereabouts.

“
You’re in Louisiana,” she asked, the surprise in her voice.

Ryan chuckled again and told her yes.

“
Ryan, I still don’t get why you want to see me,” Jaleesa tried once more.

“
Because,” he replied, no further elaboration.

She hated when he did that, but Jaleesa also had sense enough not to press him.

“
OK, fine,” she replied finally, knowing she was cornered.

Ryan wouldn’t hesitate to show up on her doorstep she was sure and Jaleesa didn’t want that kind of dramatic confrontation knowing someone would end up dead.

“
Good, I’ll have someone bring you to the hotel from the airport, and I’ll see you around midnight,” Ryan told her as Jaleesa again softly told him okay.

“
Good night Tweety, see you tomorrow,” he added and disconnected before she replied.

He continued to contemplate about the woman as well as Nikki.
Too fucking much bullshit going on,
his mind taunted.
You are your father’s son,
it threw at him as Ryan frowned severely. He hated the comparisons even in his own mind. Ryan didn’t want to admit how much it hurt that the old man was gone now. They’d grown into a carefully balanced existence but he did have love for him. Cartier was a hell of a man. He was of course too filled with pride and self pity at the time to admit it, but his father was every bit the legend and legacy he himself wanted to be.
Need to get your damned house in order then don’t you,
his mind threw out once more as Ryan threw back another shot of whiskey deciding to do exactly that.

9

King Diesel was once again enjoying the view from his balcony when Blue joined him, breaking his thoughts.

“
Everything is moving according to schedule,” he said calmly as King Diesel sighed gently.

“
What’s wrong,” Blue ventured.

He’d seen the moods before. The man would get very quiet, almost sullen; his eyes fixed in a glazed stare without communication sometimes for hours on end.

“
I’ve waited a lot of years for the coming days,” he replied as Blue withheld comment. “I’m just having a case of impatience myself this morning, that’s all,” King Diesel finished.

Blue nodded, wanting to ask him if he’d changed his mind or was having second thoughts, but didn’t. King Diesel had a penchant for being very volatile if you questioned him one time too many. Blue had seen at least three fellow associates find a bullet to the cranium quickly by pushing their luck.

“
Are you ready to see her,” King Diesel now asked fixing Blue with a hard look.

It was his turn to sigh now. Blue hadn’t seen the woman his heart still loved in over 12 years. There was excitement yes, but there was also trepidation.

Blue told King Diesel he was ready as his boss continued to watch him.

“
She’s not 16 anymore, Blue,” he warned.

Nodding his understanding Blue said nothing. He knew what King Diesel was alluding too. There would be no magical Aesop’s fable of a reunion of the damsel in distress, running into the waiting of arms of her knight on his sturdy white steed. The woman Lauren was now held little to no resemblance of the girl she’d been then. This was going to be every bit the arduous job that King Diesel warned him it would be almost two years ago after training him and finally laying out his entire plan.

“
I know, and I’m fully prepared for that,” Blue returned.

“
Hmph, are you,” King Diesel threw back. “She’s his daughter in every way, don’t kid yourself,” he added as Blue sighed deeply.

No one knew better than he how much Carlo Cisneros had affected his daughter.

“
I can handle her,” Blue replied confidently.

“
I hope for your sake you’re right, because if you can’t, I will,” King Diesel replied evenly.

Blue was furious, but his face didn’t betray it.

“
Anyway, that’s still two days away,” King Diesel began anew. “I have a new task for you,” he added as Blue listened intently and the man made his wishes known.

*****

Jaleesa was thinking about Ryan again.
What could he want;
she thought not liking any of the answers that came to mind.
He could whip your ass and no one would know,
her mind told her. Sighing deeply she didn’t think he wanted to hurt her, but Ryan could be very unpredictable.

“
Don’t get into trouble,” Jacoury teased coming into the room and finding her packing the small overnight bag.

Jaleesa felt the guilt hit her like a ten ton weight. He hadn’t balked at all about her going to Atlantic City with KiKi for a couple of days. She was more determined than ever to get this conversation with Ryan over with quickly and back home to her loving man.

“
We’re going to gamble, take in a couple shows, that’s all,” she threw back as he chuckled and kissed her lips heading into the shower.

What if he wants to start drama again,
Jaleesa’s mind began over again. She was absolutely happy and content with Jacoury. Any feelings she had for Ryan were over a long time ago.
You sure about that,
her mind railed again as her breathing grew slightly uneven.

Jaleesa admitted only deep in the inner sanctum of her heart she did need closure on the relationship with Ryan. They were both happy now with their respective partners having had children and made new lives, but she understood at least that much of his request; there were loose ends left.

“
You gonna bring me back a souvenir,” Jacoury asked returning to the bedroom and breaking her thoughts once again.

“
What do you want,” she asked smiling back now.

“
Shot glass,” he said simply and she chuckled telling him that was the last thing he needed.

“
What,” he asked feigning innocence.

Jaleesa burst into laughter as Dre made his way to them.

“
Mommy I want some cereal,” he let it be known when he came inside the bedroom.

Jacoury smiled taking his son’s hand and heading to the kitchen promising him the frosted flakes he desired. Throwing a few more things into the bag, Jaleesa zipped it, grabbed her text and hit Kaitlyn up. The response was instantaneous with Kaitlyn letting her know about her own trip to Atlanta to spend time with Tariq and the fact that Ice was in Louisiana on business as well.
Damn, gotta make sure he doesn’t see me,
Jaleesa thought. She knew Jacoury and Ice didn’t talk, but she still didn’t want anyone to know she was meeting with Ryan except the two of them.

That bit of business handled she was heading into the kitchen to join her men when her cell rang again.

“
Hey girl,” Jaleesa greeted Kim, seeing her name on the ID.

“
I need to talk,” Kim told her, the tone tense and anxious.

Jaleesa frowned slightly before telling her to go ahead. Kim let out an uneven breath. She was glad for the friendship she’d forged with Jaleesa and being able to trust her with some of the more personal things she had dealt with. She ran down the things going on with her and Mook over the last few weeks, ending with the meeting up with Tyshon and the thing that subsequently happened between them. Jaleesa listened intently her wind whirling as Kim spoke.

“
Well first of all, chill on the guilt thing,” Jaleesa told her plainly. “I know for a fact you being who you are, the shit happened by surprise, you didn’t plan to get with him like that,” she told the woman as Kim breathed deeply again.

“
Mook will kill me if he finds out,” Kim told her shakily.

“
You make sure he doesn’t find out,” Jaleesa told her matter-of-fact.

“
Kim, you have to figure out what’s really eating you and deal with it,” Jaleesa told her concerning the tension between her and Mook. “As for Tyshon, hell, just stay away from him,” she finished evenly.

Kim told her she was right and she knew better.

“
You got caught up girl. It has happened to the best of us,” Jaleesa told her chuckling at the end trying to lighten the mood.

“
You didn’t sleep with him, and Mook doesn’t know,” Jaleesa tried again. “So stop tripping, put your game face on, and get things back on track with your man,” she added as Kim thanked her for the advice and let her go.

Maybe you should take your own advice,
her mind taunted as Jaleesa sighed deeply, pushed it out of her mind and finally arrived at the kitchen, grabbing a bowl and joining her guys.