Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning (37 page)

“
This weekend maybe,” she questioned as Tae told her it would have to be Sunday.

“
I have an event Saturday,” she told Ashlyn as her younger sister made a mental note to remember to stay out of her sister’s line of sight when she and Sa’Cari snuck into Memoirs.

“
OK, Sunday is good,” Ashlyn replied.

“
Fine, I’ll call you Sunday morning and we’ll go from there,” Tae told her as they prepared to disconnect.

She heard Shells enter the house making his way to their room. He stopped in his tracks seeing her awake.

“
Hey, have a good time,” Tae questioned amiably as she put her cell down.

“
Who was that,” Shells asked jealously.

She smiled slightly before telling him the caller’s identity.

“
Mmph, okay,” he replied licking his lips now.

Tae had forgotten she was naked as she sat in bed, knees up, legs open.

“
You see something you want,” she threw out raising an eyebrow. Shells quickly undressed and began crawling toward her, pushing her legs apart as his tongue found her clit, answering her question.

*****

“
You cheating on me,” Sa’Cari teased as Ashlyn climbed back into bed with him.

“
No silly,” she giggled as he pulled her close. “I have to go home after the club tomorrow night,” she told him as he immediately groaned telling her no.

“
Sa’Cari, please, I have to tell my parents about our engagement and Tae said she would help me,” she explained as he sighed deeply.

“
I like you being here Ashlyn,” he told her sweetly, kissing her neck now.

“
I like being here too baby, it’s just a couple nights,” she added as Sa’Cari told her he would think about it.

“
We need to set a date,” he began again as his hands softly caressed her breast.

“
Well I was thinking spring, next year,” Ashlyn tried as he gave her a look.

“
I’m not being without you that long,” Sa’Cari told her point blank.

“
You’re not, we’ll still be dating, and I’ll still spend the night with you some times,” Ashlyn told him as the look never changed.

“
No,” he finally told her stubbornly. “If I have to wait that long to make it legal, you have to move in with me now,” he told her as Ashlyn frowned shaking her head.

“
Sa’Cari, I can’t do that,” she told him. “My parents would freak and they would stop paying for school,” she explained as he sighed deeply.

“
Ashlyn do you really love me,” he asked looking deeply into her eyes now.

“
Sa’Cari, you don’t even have to ask me that, you know I do,” Ashlyn replied as he kissed her.

“
Baby, listen to me, I want you here with me,” he began as she listened and heard him out.

“
I can take care of both of us, and if your parents stop paying for school, I got that too,” he told her as she frowned slightly.

“
Shh, don’t ask the why, just know I got you covered,” Sa’Cari said simply.

Ashlyn’s mind tumbled thinking about his statement. She knew that he had to have some form of income to afford the apartment, the car, and the things he had on a daily basis. She recalled then that his father was deceased and assumed the man had left him well taken care of.

“
I just,” she began as he kissed her deeply holding her tightly, bodies pressed together.

“
You’re my wife Ashlyn, and I’m going to take damned good care of you, starting right now,” Sa’Cari declared as she stopped fighting and surrendered to his will.

He felt her relax and began stroking her body anew as he spread her and slowly entered her taking his time making love to her.

“
Yes,” Ashlyn breathed as Sa’Cari thrust into her. “Baby, feels so good,” she moaned as she came hard.

He kissed her in response continuing his quest to completely consume her as she continued to moan quietly. His mind raced as he made love to Ashlyn. Her parents were becoming a problem and he had to figure out a way to solve it and quickly. Sa’Cari breathed Ashlyn and being without her was an impossibility in his mind.
Take her to Vegas,
his mind told him. Money wasn’t an issue and he knew she’d never been, so she wouldn’t be suspicious of his true motives.
Hop a plane and take her next weekend,
his mind told him as Sa’Cari smiled and kissed her neck softly. Ashlyn continued to moan and writhe beneath him as he pleasured her and she came yet another time.

“
My Ashlyn, always and forever,” he told her softly as she told him yes and they began kissing deeply once more.

Sa’Cari found her g-spot and Ashlyn’s gushing wetness let him know he was on target as she came hard once more and he came right behind her looking very forward to next weekend and Las Vegas.

31

There was no clock in the room but Kaitlyn knew with her internal clock it was morning and a new day had dawned.
Ice is going to be looking for me, so is Tariq,
her mind spun. She was sure Tariq had already begun looking for her once he showed up at the suite and she wasn’t there last night.
I have no way of telling either of them where I am,
Kaitlyn thought before realization dawned that she didn’t even know where she was. The door opened and she tensed, fully expecting Carlo again.
You were imagining yesterday, Carlo is dead,
her mind told her as she forced herself to believe the explanation. Blue came into view carrying a tray. He set it down on the dresser before walking over to her.

“
Good morning baby,” he greeted her sweetly.

“
I’m going to let you go to the bathroom, and freshen up, okay,” Blue told her looking into her eyes.

His voice was sweet, but she saw the danger still in his eyes. Shaking her head yes, she waited for him to unlock the cuffs and help her from the bed. Kaitlyn obediently went into the bathroom, stripping her clothes and stepping under the spray. Her mind was of course spinning trying to figure a way of her predicament, but so far she was coming up empty.

The bathroom had no window, neither did the room she was being kept in. The only way in or out was through the door Blue had used. Finishing the shower she got out, drying herself and putting on her clothes. Seeing her suitcase her heart sank. She knew now Tariq would simply think she left. Searching the bag and her purse she didn’t see her cell phone. Now she was sure no one would be looking for her. All Blue had to do was send a message from her phone and on one would be the wiser. Tears clouded her vision but she refused to let them fall. Sitting on the bed she ate the breakfast he’d brought, noticing the plastic cutlery.
He’s not stupid, I’ll give him that,
Kaitlyn brooded. Blue came back into the room as she finished the meal, smiling and telling her he was glad to see she’d eaten.

“
Blue, what is going on, why are you keeping me here,” Kaitlyn tried again.

He came and took the tray from her, sitting down beside her, looking deeply into her eyes.

“
I promise this will be over soon, then I’ll tell you everything you need to know,” he replied as she sighed deeply.

“
Are you going to kill me,” Kaitlyn asked evenly.

“
No,” Blue told her immediately. “How could you think something like that of me,” he asked, hurt that she did.

“
Blue, I hurt you, I mean I just kinda deserted you,” she explained looking down at her hands now.

“
Lauren, I understand why you left,” he told her, lifting her face to his again.

“
I just don’t think you realized how very much I loved you, still love you,” Blue told her quietly, kissing her gently.

“
Blue we were young then, kids,” she tried, a little unsettled that he still carried a torch for her all these years later.

“
I was a grown man Lauren, and I loved you like a grown man,” he corrected without malice.

“
So much has changed Blue, so much has happened,” she tried again.

“
Have you changed Lauren, I mean really,” he threw out giving her a look as she frowned slightly.

“
The woman I knew at 16 was smart, savvy, cold blooded if she needed to be, but loyal and honest,” Blue told her.

“
Has that changed,” he fired as she swallowed hard.

“
Blue I was wreck then,” she told him allowing some of her guard down.

“
I mean, I honestly always asked myself how the hell could you want to be with me, knowing that my own father had stuck his dick in me the same way you were,” Kaitlyn told him evenly, never taking her eyes off him.

Blue gave her a look.

“
Why the fuck would I hold that against you Lauren,” he returned acidly.

“
That would be like blaming a rape victim for being attacked, how damned shallow would that make me,” he asked right in her face now.

Kaitlyn began to cry softly as he sighed deeply and pulled her into his arms. “Lauren you’ve spent your whole life running,” Blue told her gently. “Hell, aren’t you tired, aren’t you ready to just rest and be who you are,” he asked as she continued to say nothing and lay in his arms.

“
I can give you that Lauren, I can let you be yourself without strings, without question or condemnation,” Blue continued.

“
You don’t have to decide right now,” he began anew. “Think about what I’m saying, Kaitlyn Ross is a dead white woman,” he told her as he heard her crying once more.

“
I love Lauren Cisneros, with my whole heart, and I want her back,” Blue told her as she broke and began to sob deeply holding him tightly as Blue held her back letting her cry.

Finally spent, she fell asleep still in his arms as Blue patiently laid her back down and fastened the cuffs to her legs and arms, cleaning her face, kissing her lips gently as he turned and left the room glad it was Saturday and ready once again for the grand finale.

*****

“
You’re going to stop running out on me,” Shango teased as Dee once again dressed to leave him.

“
You won’t even be here after today,” she threw back smiling at him as she fastened the last button on her skirt and picked up her purse.

“
Why you trying to act so cool, you know you enjoyed me,” Shango told her as Dee chuckled again.

“
Well of course I did boo, I came back didn’t I,” she threw out coming over and kissing him.

“
So when I come back to Atlanta, can I call you,” Shango asked, making plans to do that very thing.

He liked Dee, liked her a lot.

“
Sure you can do that,” she told him, pulling out her lipstick and applying it. “Call me later if you have time before you leave,” Dee told him turning and heading out of the bedroom into the sitting room and the door.

“
OK, and don’t be giving up my cookies to nobody else,” Shango told her walking into the room, still naked.

“
Now, now, boo, you can’t be claiming something that’s not yours,” Dee told him door open now.

“
Not yet,” Shango said simply looking directly into her eyes as she smiled calmly and walked out of the door letting it close behind her.

Shango headed for the shower readying himself for his day. He had a few things to get lined up before tonight. Standing under the spray he thought about the magnitude of the assignment, his adrenaline already flowing. Shango loved a good kill and tonight promised to be on point. He arrived back in the bedroom finding the light blinking on his cell indicating a missed call or message. He saw the message icon and clicked on it, smiling as he read.

“
Excellent,” he said quietly turning his attention back to getting dressed.

After pulling on the jeans and boots, Shango pulled the large black duffle from the closet. He began loading and arranging the guns contained. He put the magazines in the three .9mms he was bringing, as well as the .380’s. He’d brought the Desert Eagle, but was only going to use that if necessary. His favorite toy was the Colt M16 sub machine gun. That was his party favor, Shango thought chuckling aloud. He also carried three large hunting knives for those occasions when silence was a better companion than the boom of shells exploding.

The cell vibrated again and he once more read the text message.

“
This just keeps getting better and better,” Shango murmured and laughed again.

He checked the bullet proof vest making sure it was in working order. Getting himself killed was not part of the plan and Shango took every opportunity to ensure his own safety. This time the phone rang and he sighed deeply answering.

“
What do you want,” Shango barked as Roman chuckled.

“
Is that any way to greet a friend,” he threw out as the man quickly reminded him they were nowhere near being friends.

“
My feelings are hurt,” Roman threw back as Shango sucked his teeth and told him to get to his point before he hung up.

“
OK, OK, sheesh, so touchy this afternoon,” he teased as Shango glanced at the clock.

It was a little after twelve so technically the cop was right. Roman told him he simply needed to know when he was coming back as well as supply him more information about the thing he needed researched.