Careful of the Company You Keep (21 page)

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Authors: Angie Daniels

BOOK: Careful of the Company You Keep
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“
Yeeesss
, that feels
sooo
good,” I gasped into his mouth.
Tremors took over my body. Chance swallowed my cries and deepened his strokes, hammering into me hard and fast. His grip at my hips tightened and his breathing became ragged. I fought for my breath as he kept up the pace. Within seconds, his dick bucked and I knew he was about to come.
I tightened, my breath caught. He groaned while I whimpered. He came and on his final surge, my lips parted and a sob spilled from the back of my throat. “
Yeeeeeessss!
”
Chance finally collapsed on top of me. While holding him close, I listened to his deep breathing and felt his heart pounding next to mine. I felt so complete. My fingers stroked the taut muscles of his back. Light kisses rained his neck. I could have stayed like this for hours. I sighed and heard a knock at the door.
I stiffened. “Did you remember to lock the door?” I asked barely above a whisper.
Chance chuckled. “Yes, baby. I remembered.” He kissed my mouth, then withdrew and rose and reached for a towel. “Now we better get out of here before we get my frat brother in trouble.”
“Frat brother? Carlos?” When he nodded, I slid off the table and swatted him playfully on the ass. “I'm going to get you back for this,” I said with a laugh.
In one fluid motion, Chance snaked an arm around me and pulled me close. “I look forward to it,” he whispered and seared my mouth with a powerful kiss. “I told you before, it's just me and you, baby girl.”
I was scheduled to work second shift today, something I didn't do too often unless of course like today we were short-staffed. Today I was feeling too good to let it get me down. I would just have to wait and see Chance when I got off at midnight.
On the ride to work, I was all smiles. Ron and I had done some freaky things before, but never anything quite as naughty and exhilarating as what had just occurred, and the best part about it was I had enjoyed every penetrating second.
Thoughts of Chance stroking me the way I had grown accustomed to filtered through my mind. My kitty-cat clenched, forcing me to squeeze my thighs together.
How I loved this man.
I arrived at the hospital feeling more relaxed than ever. At dinnertime, I grabbed a burger and fries and moved to a table in the corner of the cafeteria. I hadn't seen Chance since the massage parlor but I was hoping he would come by when I got off at ten.
While chewing on a cold french fry, I glanced up and spotted Alvin heading in my direction. Shit! What the hell did he want? I pretended like I hadn't seen him and concentrated on my book. I read the same sentence twice, but anything was better than trying to hold a conversation with my ex.
“Hey,” he said and flopped down in the chair across from me.
“Whassup?” I replied with a nod, then reached for my burger. As long as I had food in my mouth I didn't have to worry about holding a conversation.
“I came over here so I could talk to you.”
“About what?” As if I didn't have a clue.
“What do you think? Our daughter.”
“What's her problem now? Is she not going to school?”
He nodded. “Oh no. She hasn't skipped class once. In fact, her grades have been really good.”
“That's a first.”
“Danielle, she is really trying.”
I shot him a twisted smile. “Good, then your parenting skills are working.”
“Why don't you give her a chance? She really wants to make amends.”
“I don't think so.” I bit into my burger and waited for him to respond. I've known Alvin long enough to know something was on his mind.
“My wife and I are having a hard time coping with a teenager in the house. I don't know if I told you this or not but Bonnie can't have kids, so with Portia staying with us and about to have a baby . . . it's been really hard on my wife.” He paused and scratched his head. “After the baby's born, she can't stay with us any longer.”
“Why not?”
“Because it's too hard for Bonnie.”
“I don't see why. This baby could become the baby she's always wanted.”
He ran an impatient hand across his thick dark curls and I briefly remembered how I used to love to run my fingers through them while he rested his head on my chest and slowly drifted off to sleep. Damn, that was a long time ago. Now I couldn't even think about kissing his uppity ass.
“Danielle, she's your daughter and it—”
I cut him off. “My daughter? Oh, so
now
she's my daughter.”
“That's not what I meant.”
“Well, that's what you said and I don't appreciate it. I'm the one who's been raising her these last sixteen years while you breeze in for a weekend here and there acting like Santa Claus.”
“That's not true. I've been there for my daughter all these years.”
“Yeah, when it was convenient for you.”
“I've been there for her for the last six months, so that should count for something.”
“Yeah, but now you're ready to hand her back to me.”
“I can't handle it. Okay? Is that what you want to hear? I can't handle being a full-time father. And I definitely am not ready to handle two of them. It's already a strain on my marriage.”
I hoped the hell he wasn't expecting me to feel sorry for him. “Who's first in your life, your daughter or your woman?”
“Don't judge me, because I clearly remember when you first found out Portia was pregnant, you choosing that thug over my daughter.”
I swallowed and looked away because part of what he said was true, but I'll be damned if I'd admit it. “That thug you like to keep reminding me of and I aren't together anymore because I believed my daughter.”
“And knowing you, the second you found out she was lying you went running back to him.”
It took everything I had to keep a straight face because I was not going to let him think he knew me as well as he thinks. “I've moved on.”
He gave a cross between a snort and a laugh. “When can she move back home with you?”
“She can't.”
“Then I hope you have some other options because she can't stay with me.”
“You are one helluva father, turning your back on your own daughter.”
“And you better not hold your breath waiting to receive any mother of the year awards, because you failed your daughter. You were too busy running after some little boy.”
“Fuck you, Alvin.”
“Nah, never again.” He rose from the chair. “Get that room ready because Portia's coming home.”
I gave him a long, evil look because he was not going to get the better of me today. I've been dealing with his shit for years and had enough.
“And if she comes home you better believe I'm taking you back to court!”
He swung around. “For what?”
“An increase in my child support payments.” He suddenly looked sick and I smiled. “I haven't asked for an increase in five years, and if Portia's coming home then I guess we'll need more money. Don't worry, we'll put it to good use.” I finished with a chuckle.
“I'll be in touch,” he mumbled.
“And so will my lawyer.”
I watched him walk away in highwater navy slacks and wondered what I ever saw in his tight ass.
Thanks to Alvin the rest of my evening had been ruined. I couldn't seem to get anything right. I tried calling Chance, hoping that hearing his voice would brighten the rest of my evening, but he didn't answer his cell phone.
It was after midnight when I finally gave report and headed out to my Durango. It wasn't until I climbed inside that I noticed a note on my windshield. I waited until I had closed the door and started the engine before I read it.
B
E CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP
.
What the hell? “Who keeps sending me this shit?” I stared down at the note and tried to come up with possibilities and couldn't think of anyone. Not one single person.
34
Renee
“I'm in love.”
We were at El Maguey's for happy hour minus Kayla, who was having dinner with her future in-laws. As soon as Danielle strolled in with that wide grin on her face, I should have known something was up.
Nadine and I gave Danny a funny look at her confession. “You're in love? Did you ever look Chance up on the Internet?”
She gave me an evil look. “Yes,” she finally said and reached for the salsa.
“And? I'm listening.” I sipped on my margarita and waited.
Reluctantly, Danielle went into a big spiel about Chance standing in as a father for someone else's baby. I kept my comment to myself but when she told me about a woman chasing him down the driveway and he speeding away while she lay on the gravel, I couldn't hold back and fell out laughing.
“Come on, Danny. You don't really believe that, do you?”
“Why wouldn't I?”
Nadine and I looked at each other and were both thinking the same thing. Stuck on stupid. “Because it even sounds like a lie. This woman grabbed on to his car as he peeled off and fell flat on her face, so now he's being charged with hit-and-run and battery. Come on. I don't believe that for a second.”
Nadine gave a skeptical look. “Danny, I have to agree. It does sound a little fishy.”
“Well, I know women like that who throw themselves at a man's car. Hell, my cousin Jackie did that and I don't put anything past her,” she said in a rush of words.
Nadine took a bite of her sandwich. “Maybe so, but it sounds to me like you better watch your back with him.”
“Shit . . . her back?” I snorted. “You need to start sleeping with one eye open.”
Nadine started laughing and I had to join in. Danielle gave us a look that said she didn't see anything funny and threw a hand in the air.
“Regardless of what y'all think, I love him and plan to stand by my man.”
I simply shook my head. “Danny, I don't think you know what love is.”
“You got a lot of nerve! You're messing with a soon-to-be married man.”
“Yeah, but at least he's been up front with me.”
“How do you know that? Kenny talks about how he wished he never proposed. How do you know he isn't just telling you what he thinks you want to hear?”
“He might be, but he's never said to me he was going to leave her.”
“But you wish he would.”
“Of course. I'm crazy about his skinny ass, but I also know it is what it is. I have no expectations except that he takes care of my needs and puts money in my pockets.”
Nadine laughed. “I know that right.”
“What I'm saying is that I enjoy it for what it is, and if it blossoms into more, then fine. If it doesn't, then I'm prepared.”
The waiter came and took our orders. We all decided to have the shrimp and beef fajitas. When he moved to the next table, Nadine clapped her palms together.
“Well, I've got good news. Jordan's pregnant.”
“That's wonderful!” We both screamed then both raised our glasses and clicked them against hers.
“How far along is she?” I asked.
“Not sure yet. She just took a pregnancy test this morning.”
“That is great,” Danielle replied.
Nadine smiled. “Yeah, she's very excited and so am I.”
I looked at her out the corner of my eyes. “Are you still involved with you-know-who?”
She looked uncomfortable and dropped her eyes to her salad. “Yeah.”
Danielle looked from me to her. “Who are we talking about?”
“The sperm donor.”
Danielle really looked confused.
“Jordan's baby's father and the man who Nadine's been screwing on the DL.”
Nadine kicked me under the table.
“Ow! What you do that for?”
Danielle couldn't believe her ears. All three of us screamed and started cracking up like a bunch of teenagers. While we ate, Nadine told Danielle about the secret relationship she was having and how she was torn with her feelings.
“Girl, he sounds fine as hell. I think I would be torn as well.”
I nodded in agreement. “You can't have it both ways. Me and John tried that and you see where it got us. You need to decide who you're going to be with.”
Nadine thought about her answer while she finished chewing a chip. “I'm planning to end the relationship. Dick is just not worth losing love for.”
My brow rose. “Hmmm, I don't know if I can agree with that, because good dick is hard to find.”
We gave high fives and all laughed at my remark. My phone vibrated and I glanced down, saw it was a blocked call, and ignored it. It was either John's worrisome ass or my mystery caller.
Danielle noticed. “Screening your calls?”
“Yep. Someone's been calling to say, ‘bitch, stay away from my man.' ”
“You are lying!”
I took a sip. “Nope, and I have no idea who it could be.”
“Girl, Reese probably found out about you.”
“I asked Kenny, but he said if she knew she would have said something to him about it by now.”
“Who else's man are you messing with?”
“No one.”
“You was messing with Landon.”
Nadine started laughing. “Pissy little Landon.”
“Shut up. I took his ass a bag of Depends to work.”
Danielle almost fell out of her chair. “You are lying!”
“No, I'm not. I also went down to small claims court and filed a claim.”
Nadine intervened. “You're taking him to court for a pissy mattress?”
“Yep.”
Danielle was laughing so hard now she had tears in her eyes. “I can't believe this shit!”
“You better believe it.”
“That's why Leslie is calling your phone.”
I hadn't thought about it, but maybe it was Leslie. After all, I did catch her ass coming out of his house one afternoon.
“I bet you it's Leslie's ass.”
“You might be right. It sounded like something her crazy ass would do.”
We pigged out on food, then I headed toward Landon's house. I was almost convinced that Leslie might be the one who's been calling me since she always acts psycho when she gets a man. I turned down his street and rode past his duplex and sure enough, Leslie's Dodge Neon with the license plates LH was pulled in his driveway behind his Tahoe. They were back together.
I guess she doesn't mind him peeing on her
, I thought with a chuckle, then turned left at the corner and headed home.
I got there and saw that both Quinton and Tamara's cars were in the driveway. I pulled in, then got out and walked into the living room. They were watching a scary movie and Alicia was sitting on the couch with Quinton and Tamara was lying on her stomach on the floor, eyes glued to the screen.
“Hey, Mama,” she said over her shoulder.
“Hello,” I mumbled, then looked at Quinton and his little girlfriend. They were holding hands.
“Hey, Mom!”
“Hello, Mrs. Moore.”
I waved and moved into the kitchen, trying to keep my opinions to myself. Quinton is eighteen years old and I know it's time for me to accept that he is no longer a child. He's a man and a man with needs so he's going to have women in his face. Especially as fine as he was. I just wished it was someone other than that hoochie, but whatever! I'm sure they don't like that I'm no longer with John, but so what?
I found my mail on the counter, thumbed through the stack of bills, and found a white envelope with no return address. Inside was a personal check for one thousand dollars from Pissy Landon Lawson. I smiled.
Maybe now the phone calls will stop.

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