Unraveled - A Short Story Collective (15 page)

EPILOGUE

W
ell it would be nice to say that everyone lived happily ever after once the festivities ended or even that everything was settled, but this is real life and in real life nothing is ever that cut and dry. Kina and Tae continued to date and grew increasingly closer, with Kina eventually becoming pregnant. Her and Tae's son is due to be born in the next few months. She and Alisha never spoke again, with Kina transferring departments to get away from her former friend. Sammy found a new love and began a new relationship. He ran into Alisha on a few occasions at the club. Alisha was extremely hostile the first couple of meetings but soon Sammy wore her down and the two began talking again, forging a tenuous understanding and limited friendship.

The last two times Sammy saw her at the club, he and Alisha enjoyed great flashback sex. She was still a firecracker to Sammy and he enjoyed watching her explode as he sexed her. Neither of them had any expectations of the encounters other than tension release as they continued their daily lives with their chosen partners.

Vanessa ended her liaison with Lathan, telling him he was too indecisive and had too many issues for her to deal with. They met one last time, having goodbye sex and bid each other the best. Lathan, still unable to admit defeat, continued to call Chrissalyn trying to regain her trust. Sitting in his living room nursing the beer in his hand, thinking of their last conversation, Lathan sighed deeply, closing his eyes to keep the hurt at bay.

"Hey Chriss," Lathan greeted her softly after she'd finally answered the phone. He'd been calling her since the night of the party, always getting her machine or getting hung up on.

"What do you want Lathan?" Chrissalyn asked still in no mood to deal with him.

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok
ay, and to tell you how very sorry I am for hurting you" Lathan returned gently.

Chrissalyn sighed deeply before answering. "Lathan, what do you want me to say?" she threw at him, "I mean, you have had me on this damned treadmill so long, it'd actually become normal," she told him wearily. "And that is real messed up
."

"I never meant for it to be like this Chriss, please believe me," Lathan tried.

"Lathan please," Chrissalyn told him scoffing at his remark. "Do YOU even have any idea of what is going on with your life?"

"Look," Chrissalyn began again, "Let it go Lathan, it's a dead issue for me now, just as our friendship is
."

Lathan sighed deeply not wanting to hear the finality in her voice. "Are you and Devon still together?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer, but it had been four months. He wanted to know if their relationship had survived the storm. Chrissalyn sighed deeply and told him she and Devon were none of his business. Lathan wasn't sure how to read that answer, so he left it alone for now.

"So you hate me now?" he tried again, hearing Chrissalyn sigh softly.

"I don't think I'm capable of that emotion Lathan," she replied before quickly adding. "But I do strongly dislike you right now," and falling silent once again.

"Ok, I guess I deserve that," Lathan returned. "But Chriss I'll always love you, and you'll always be my friend," he told her lovingly.

Chrissalyn chuckled bitterly before speaking one last time. "Yeah, as long as Alisha never finds out right?" she threw at him and disconnected before he could reply. Lathan tried to call her back, but she once again began not answering or sending him directly to voicemail.

The phone ringing broke his thought and brought Lathan crashing back to the present. Looking at the ID he grudgingly answered. After a brief conversation he disconnected and headed for the shower. Even though he hated her most of the time, Lathan continued to see Alisha.
Where else can you get all the pussy you want, no questions, in any freaky, nasty, demented fashion you want and the stupid bitch still think you're gonna eventually marry her dumb ass
, Lathan thought to himself as he showered and dressed heading over to Alisha's to bust a nut or three tonight. Tomorrow was new day, and who knows, maybe it would be the day Chrissalyn talked to him again and he could once again free his heart from the freezer it'd been in since she walked out of his life almost five months ago.

*****

Devon looked at the beautiful woman lying next to him and smiled to himself as he gently stroked her hair. He and Chrissalyn were finally on track. Devon smiled again thinking of the first time they made love. It'd been everything he knew it would be and he loved Chrissalyn even more than he thought possible.
Now if she'll just say yes
, Devon thought as he continued to rest next to her. He wanted them to be married, to have a family and enjoy life together, but he wouldn't rush her. Chrissalyn was well worth the wait in every aspect. He sighed slightly knowing that Lathan still called her. He didn't sweat it though, because unlike Alisha, Devon knew Chrissalyn was no whore. She didn't screw everything that moved, and once she'd given her body to him, Devon knew she'd given her heart too.

"Good morning baby," Devon said sweetly, as Chrissalyn grunted slightly and he chuckled.

"Get up girl, we got a full day ahead of us," Devon told her as Chrissalyn rose and headed for the shower.

This week in Cancun was a well deserved break for both of them and Devon was going to make sure it was a week to remember. Going over to the window he opened the curtains to be greeted with the gorgeous sunrise over the majestic ocean spread before him.

A Deadly Encounter

The Novel
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Sneak Preview

1

T
oday was busy like any other day at Le Bistro, the trendy upscale restaurant that opened a couple months ago. Adrian was pleased with the pace, which meant more tips that he could really use.  Le Bistro featured an appetizing array of American, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisine. It was a favorite meeting spot for a few of the major power brokers, minor celebrities, and those who had money, or wanted to rub elbows, with those that did.

“Who is that?” Dezi one of Adrian’s customer’s asked, glancing at the woman sitting with her friend as Adrian poured his iced tea.

“That’s Taea and Kayla. They’re regulars,” Adrian answered, glancing toward the table where the ladies sat.

“Hmm, Kayla is a very sexy lady,” Dezi replied, also looking their way taking in the woman’s flawless complexion and wavy black hair.

He and his partner, Eric Greene aka Dirty, were enjoying a casual lunch at the eatery.

“Yes, they’re real cool ladies,” Adrian said.

Dezi Gianni, aka Devastator, could simply be described as a work of art. He stood a formidable 6’2” with a muscular build. He was an immaculate meld of Italian and black, with a sparkling smile that dipped into dimples as deep as pools. He was also the head of the most vicious crime cartel in the state. Unfortunately for Adrian, he wasn’t interested in him at all.
Pity
, he thought, he would have loved to be this man’s special friend.

Adrian sighed to himself, as he went to the kitchen to pick up Devastator’s order. “I guess if I had to lose his attention to someone, I’m happy at least that it was to Kayla,” he muttered under his breath.

*****

“Hey heffas!” Adrian exclaimed playfully, to the two beautiful black women seated in front of him.

“Who you calling heffa, heffa?” they both asked simultaneously, laughing out loud.

This was typical of Taea and Kayla, two of his favorite customers. They were always nice to him, not making rude comments about him, like some of his other customers did when they thought he was out of earshot, and they always left him a great tip.

“There are a couple of big ballers checking ya’ll out from one of the VIP tables,” Adrian said casually, looking back over his shoulder.

“Oh, really? And how big of a baller would they be?” said LaTaea Shontrell Everett, the more outgoing of the two.

Taea wasn’t afraid to ask questions or speak her mind, no matter the subject. With a creamy, chocolate complexion, she sported a short-coifed style. She carried herself with pride, dignity, grace and plenty of attitude, but she wasn’t mean like some sisters could be. She had the perfect hourglass figure.

Mikayla L’Nae DeWitt, the quieter one, was an exquisite combination of Hawaiian and black. She had beautiful long, black tresses that complemented her caramel complexion, and big, sparkling light brown eyes. The successful businesswoman of the two, Kayla was an independent broker who had her own capital. She had a petite frame with everything in the right place. She was sweet as can be, maybe too much for her own good sometimes.

The both made Adrian’s day every time they came in.

“Well, they got it going on, I can tell you that,” he said smoothly to Taea, still wishing it was him they were looking at instead.

“What exactly does that mean? They own something?” Taea snapped back, in a way that only she could.

“Yeah, they own a whole lot of stuff, and stackin’ plenty of paper,” Adrian answered her laughing.

“They ugly?” Taea fired again.

“Oh my God, Taea, you are so crazy!” Kayla said, almost spewing her iced tea across the table, laughing at her friend’s question.

Taea gave her a look that said what?

“They both sexy as hell and, to be honest, I wish one of them would holla at me! Shoot!” Adrian replied almost petulantly. “But I’ma be real with ya’ll, they dangerous.”

*****

“Where the hell is that damn slow-ass waiter?” Dirty complained.

He was second in command for the deadly cartel, referred to as The Clique. He earned his nickname from his days on the street, when he would do anything to get by, undeterred by consequence. A little rough around the edges, Dirty was the opposite of Dezi. He was slimmer with a darker complexion.

“I need some more to drink and I want dessert,” he continued, getting more impatient.
This muthafucker is working on getting hurt
, Dirty thought.