Thin Ice 3 - Armageddon (17 page)

She didn’t detect any malice or anger in his tone, so maybe he actually wasn’t mad at her. Taking a chance Kysha opened the door and found LaRon leaning in the doorframe holding a beautiful spring bouquet of flowers.

“
Can I come in,” he asked amiably, kissing her softly as she stood at the door now holding the flowers herself.

“
Yeah, I’m sorry,” she told him moving out of the way. “Come on in.”

LaRon came inside and headed straight to her kitchen, opening the refrigerator and removing himself a beer, coming back into the living room.

“
You’re not drinking these are you,” he asked giving her a look. Kysha smiled and told him no, she kept them for him. “Hmph, okay then,” LaRon replied amiably.

Finally relaxing completely, Kysha came and sat beside him, happy he was here. LaRon put his arm around her shoulder pulling her close as she laid her head on his chest.

“
How you feeling,” he asked drinking half the beer and belching loudly.

Kysha giggled and told him he was a pig as LaRon chuckled.

“
I’m okay, better now that you’re here,” she told him honestly as she looked into his eyes.

LaRon smiled and gently stroked her face. “You missed me huh,” he asked softly putting the bottle down and squeezing one of her breasts.

“
You know I did, Deuce,” Kysha told him heating up already.

“
How about you show me how much,” he told her unzipping his pants as Kysha jumped at the proposition slurping greedily on his hardening sex.

“
Don’t be shy baby,” LaRon told her as he pushed her head down on his erection. Kysha giggled again her mouth full of him as she sucked obediently.

“
Mmm, yeah that’s it baby,” he told her, feeling his end near. “Yeah girl,” he moaned as she continued, eyes closed oblivious to the look of hatred on his face as she finally tasted his finish filling her mouth. “Swallow it,” he told her noticing the look of disgust come across her face.

Forcing herself to comply, Kysha did as he asked, smiling at him as she looked up and found LaRon with his head back on her couch, eyes closed. She was about to rise from her knees when he stopped her.

“
Nah, why don’t you stay right there,” he told her zipping his pants and hitting her in the face closed fist, knocking her backward onto her back.

“
Deuce, what, wait, stop,” Kysha wailed as LaRon began to beat her mercilessly.

Her mouth was bleeding as was her nose, as he punched her again.

“
Please,” Kysha was begging as she tried to crawl away from him.

LaRon grabbed her ankle pulling her roughly back to him on her belly.

“
My baby, stop Deuce, please,” Kysha cried as she began to wretch and then vomit. LaRon didn’t care. He was a madman at this point. All he could see was her text and his wife packing her bags. Even now Jaleesa was at her mother’s house, not their own. He wasn’t going home to her warm body tonight. He wasn’t going to open her legs and feel the tightness of her inside as he made love to her. No, tonight LaRon was going to sleep alone, cold, and empty. Longing for the woman who made his heart beat, only to know she wasn’t there; and it was all thanks to this ignorant bitch laying at his feet in a pool of her own bile.

“You wasn’t worried about no damned baby last night bitch,” LaRon told her acidly picking up the candle sitting on the table. “You’re a nasty bitch, a whore, a pussy with legs, that comes with way too much fuckin’ drama,” he railed pulling her thong to the side as he held one leg under his body and the other in his hand. LaRon rammed the candle inside her as Kysha screamed. The pain was intense as she felt the wetness. LaRon saw the liquid escaping her. He knew her water had broken, but he still didn’t care.

“
You don’t deserve this damned baby, and it sure as hell deserves more from life that a bitch of a mama like you,” he raged, rising and kicking her hard in the stomach.

Kysha began to vomit again as she continued to suffer under his carnage.

“
Bitch,” LaRon said simply as he wrapped the shoestring he’d taken out of his pocket around her throat.

Kysha was struggling as hard as she could to escape his murderous grasp, but LaRon was far too strong and she was too badly injured to fight anymore as her air grew shorter and the room grew darker.

“
Enjoy hell nasty bitch,” he hissed as Kysha’s consciousness left her and everything went black.

LaRon continued to strangle her for the next seven minutes wanting to make sure she was dead and never able to come back and cause confusion for him or his family. Rising finally and standing over the motionless body, LaRon felt nothing but satisfaction that he’d given her just what she deserved. Picking up his flowers and carefully opening the door with his shirt tail, he left quietly and closed the door behind him, whistling softly as he got into his truck and headed for Mardi Gras. He needed another drink.

13

“I’m beginning to get jealous,” Tariq told Kaitlyn as he held her and kissed her lips softly.

“
Silly,” Kaitlyn replied sweetly, her hand gliding over his sexy chest, turning him on. “This is the last trip for a little while,” she told him sweetly as Tariq continued to stroke her body, now gingerly squeezing her breast.

“
OK, I guess,” he pouted as Kaitlyn kissed him again.

She was thankful Tariq wasn’t like LaRon and gave her grief about wanting to hang out with Tae and spend a little girl’s time.

“
Bayou Classic huh,” he asked again, his hand moving lower.

“
Mhmm,” Kaitlyn replied, beginning to lose focus on the conversation.

Tariq noticed and chuckled, taking the opportunity to whisper in her ear.

“
You can only get this from me,” he told her seductively, biting her neck now, putting her hand around his erection.

“
Ahhmm, yeah,” Kaitlyn moaned as Tariq’s other hand found her on switch and began turning up her temperature.

“Are you really okay with me going honey,” Kaitlyn asked as Tariq began moving lower. “I trust you baby,” he told her earnestly, smiling and looking into her eyes. The statement made Kaitlyn feel even worse for the lies. Forcing herself to smile back, she again pushed away the guilt as her husband continued to arouse her.

“
Oh god,” Kaitlyn moaned as Tariq brought her to orgasm, and was now slowly entering her.

“
Mmm, baby, shit,” Tariq murmured, thrusting into his wife holding her tightly against his body.

He loved the feel of her. He loved the sounds she made, purring her approval. Thinking of Ian still being alive and trying to take her from him again filled him with rage.

“
Slow down baby,” Kaitlyn told him as Tariq came back to himself, not realizing he was being so rough; the thoughts of Ian causing the change.

“
I’m sorry, baby,” Tariq told her, kissing her lips gently.

“
Did I hurt you,” he asked looking at her apprehensively.

Kaitlyn smiled and stroked his face, shaking her head no. Smiling back, Tariq returned to their lovemaking, not allowing any thoughts other than their pleasure to enter his head.

Holding her in his arms afterwards, Tariq watched her sleep. Kaitlyn was so beautiful to him. He remembered falling in love with her like it was yesterday. The thoughts of course brought back all the horrors associated with that love.
It’s not her fault,
his mind told him as Tariq readily agreed. Ian was crazy and he was obsessed, which made him twice as volatile and deadly in Tariq’s estimation. He felt even better about his decision to have Shells watch his wife. He knew how the man felt about marriage and family. There was nothing that Shells would allow to happen to Kaitlyn if it were humanly possible to stop it.
This is going to be over soon baby,
he thought tracing her cheek gently with his finger. Kaitlyn didn’t stir and Tariq smiled again wondering if she were pregnant, recalling the last time she used to sleep this soundly was when she was carrying Khari. His hopes heightened, Tariq finally closed his own eyes and allowed sleep to find him.

*****

Kim checked her phone, looking for her latest literary fix. She was a member of an online book club, readersinmotionbookclub, and she loved the posts the various authors put on the site. Right now she was reading a book called,
XIII
. It was just starting but she was already hooked. As she went online, the icon popped up alerting her she had an email. Clicking on it, Kim was pleased to see a reply email from Hope Cisneros.
Damn, do I really wanna open this,
she thought, knowing full well she would. Putting
XIII
on hold for a minute, Kim instead opened the email and began to read. ‘I think you and I should talk face to face’ Hope had written. Kim was intrigued. ‘Please keep this between the two of us for now, for reasons I’ll explain later,’ it ended. Now Kim’s curiosity was definitely on full throttle. What in the world was this woman going to tell her when they talked.
Call her and set up the meet, duh,
her mind threw out as Kim laughed at herself and pulled her cell out once more dialing the number for Hope Cisneros.

“Hi, Ms. Cisneros,” Kim greeted her after the woman answered.

“
Hello, Kim,” Hope greeted her by name, finding it enclosed with the initial email.

“
I was glad to get your reply,” Kim told her. “I wanted to see when you wanted to actually meet,” she put on the table.

Kim heard the woman sigh softly and prayed she hadn’t changed her mind. This entire mystery was really doing a number on her psyche and she needed some answers like yesterday.

“
I’m in Chicago,” Hope told her calmly.

Kim frowned slightly. She hadn’t counted on the woman being that far away. How was she going to get away from Mook that long without him asking questions?

“
I’m willing to fly to Atlanta however,” Hope began again as Kim’s heart sang.

“
That would be great,” she told her as Kim gave her the name of a neighboring hotel. “Call me when you’re in and settled and we’ll go from there,” she told Hope.

“
I’ll make my arrangements once we disconnect,” she replied. “I’ll be in the city tomorrow,” she finished as Kim again told her to contact her once she arrived. Disconnecting, Kim continue to ponder what was going on.
You’ll find out soon enough now won’t you,
her mind told her once more as Kim sighed deeply and returned to her phone, needing her
XIII
and escape for a little while.

*****

“
Hey,” Kareem greeted Tae softly.

Mecca was driving and Ian was in the front passenger seat.

“
Hey Kareem,” Tae greeted him, immediately thanking him for the flowers. “They are absolutely beautiful,” she told him sincerely.

Kareem smiled. “Glad you like them,” he replied. “Beautiful things for my beautiful lady,” Kareem told her again as Tae giggled slightly.

“
Everything still set for this weekend,” she asked, getting back to business.

True, Kareem intrigued the hell out of her; Tae was still about her business and her money.

“
Yeah baby, everything is cool,” he replied.

Kareem was prepared to fly back to Louisiana and leave the truck with Mecca and Ian if they hadn’t found Gabrielle by then.

“
You’re stayin’ with me,” Kareem told her, more of a statement than a question.

Tae frowned slightly before answering. “I’ll give it thought and let you know when I get there,” she threw back.

Kareem didn’t like the answer at all, but he didn’t push it right now.

“You want me to find someone for your friend,” he asked not wanting Kaitlyn to be a third wheel. He knew Mecca and Jaleesa were connecting, but if Kaitlyn didn’t have anyone to hang out with, she could put a serious cramp in both their game plans. “Who are you talking about,” Tae asked, half distracted.

She was watching her favorite TV show when he called.

“
KiKi mean ass,” he threw out and chuckled.

Ian turned around at the mention of Kaitlyn’s nickname and looked right into Kareem’s face. Seeing the expression on the man’s face, Kareem told Tae to hold on for a minute. Pushing the mute button so she wouldn’t hear, he addressed Ian.

“
What’s up,” he asked still looking at the man.

“
Who are you talking to,” Ian asked tightly.

“
Tae,” Kareem told him calmly. “Her and her girls are our new suppliers,” he added as Ian smiled for the first time since they met him.

“
Who besides KiKi,” he asked about the other partner.

“
Tae, KiKi, and Tweety,” Kareem clarified.

Ian couldn’t believe his fortunes. “They’re coming this weekend,” he questioned once more as Kareem told him yes.

Ian told him to finish his conversation. They would talk afterward.

“
Sorry about that baby,” Kareem told Tae coming back to the phone.

“
It’s straight,” she answered nonchalantly.

“
Like I was saying though,” he began again. “I got someone she can meet,” Kareem told her his eyes on Ian’s back.