Coveted (30 page)

Waiting for the security guard that was casing the back area to walk around to the side of the building, I made my move. More swiftly and with a purpose, I caught the door as a worker was throwing out the garbage and then snuck in while his back was turned. The internet was the best tool on earth. Because of it, I had been able to pull the floor plans for the building and over the past few days, I had been studying them just for this moment.

Hearing the sounds of the partygoers in the main hall, I was waiting for the golden opportunity to make my presence known. Glancing down to gaze at my watch, I knew that they would be bringing Damir’s cake out soon because I had the timeline for the party, which was the only good thing I had gotten out of working one day at Naima’s job.

Making my way to the kitchen, I managed to get under the cake cart before it was wheeled out for the big Happy Birthday.

Haven

Standing next to Amber and Damir, I am consumed with my own thoughts. I am done trying to make amends with Naima. It was what it was. Everything was now out in the open and I guess there was no coming back from what happened. I know it is my fault how everything went down, but I was hoping that somehow, our love for one another would be able to withstand this; there was so much I needed to tell her.

I felt like my life was in danger. I know Chris said that he forgave me and wanted to start anew. But eyes never lie. They are the most expressive parts of our bodies and occasionally when Chris thought I was focused on something else I could see him out the corner of my eye looking at me with pure hatred. He was great with Kaven but I felt like I was walking on eggshells and he was a time bomb waiting to go off. I know sending him to jail for rape had been the wrong thing to do, but he said he had forgiven me, was that even possible. Looking over at him, I offered up a smile, he winked at me and turned as they began to wheel in Damir’s birthday cake.

Kaden

Who would have thought that Damir’s sister Alanna would turn out to be the stripper Apple from Dallas. What were the odds? The past has a way of sneaking up to bite you in your ass. Sifting my gaze to Naima, I knew she was fitting all the pieces together like a puzzle. I had no idea what to tell her this go around. She had stuck with me through so much and all I could do was pray that we could see through this too. I was going to tell her the truth and put it into God’s hands. I was trying to be the best husband that I could be, so lying was out of the question. I didn’t want to insult her or her intelligence any longer. Lord knows I loved her more than my next breath. If anything ever happened to her, I wouldn’t know what to do with my life.

Breaking my gaze away from Naima, my eyes swept the room and I saw Haven standing next to Damir and her date, who I swear I knew from somewhere. Seeing her, I was immediately disgusted. I don’t care what kind of leaf she thought she was turning. The fact remains that she had me paying child support for a child that wasn’t mine for seven years. Seven fucking years. Every time I thought about it, I wanted to grab her by her throat and squeeze until there was no longer any air left for her to breathe. Absorbed in my thoughts of the different ways I would strangle her, I didn’t notice Naima had come over to stand by me until she reached for my hand and pointed towards the cake being wheeled into the room.

Damir

How the hell was I going to be able to work with Naima’s husband? He was the man that was married to the woman I was in love with but due to circumstance couldn’t have. I had no idea that Kaden was the man from her past that had been causing her all the problems that she was going through. They obviously must have worked them out though, because otherwise they wouldn’t be here tonight with one another. Damn them. Now I would be envious of the man I employ. I would know that every night he was retreating home to be with the woman that should have been mine.

Reaching into my pocket, I felt the weight of the ring I had bought for Amber. It was then that I realized the weight in my heart was greater. Gazing down at Amber, heart heavy or not, it was the right thing to do. She was pregnant with my twins and had suffered a broken nose by a crazed maniac on my account. I owed it to her to marry her. Placing a kiss on her cheek, I turned as the kitchen staff rolled into the room with my birthday cake.

Naima

Standing next to Kaden as Damir’s birthday cake was being wheeled into the room, I made it a point to forgive him for whatever took place in Dallas. We had moved on and were finally in a good place; and I actually like the place we are in. I couldn’t hold his past deeds against him forever.

Watching as the kitchen staff wheeled the cake to the middle of the floor, Damir interrupted just as the DJ was about to cue everyone to sing Happy Birthday. Requesting a mic, the DJ walked over and handed him one, Damir dropped to one knee and reached for Amber’s hand. You could hear the gasps around the room.

Amber looked as if she were about to pass out right there on the floor. I think she was in disbelief. Damir was looking at her with a tender expression displayed in his eyes and part of me felt nostalgic. I remember not too long ago he had looked at me that way.

“Amber, I know that it has been a very rocky road for us. Yet here we are.” He gave a small chuckle as he pulled out a ring that was fit for a princess, he continued, “I would be honored if you will spend the rest of your life being my wife and the mother of the children we will have soon and any future children we make.”

Laughing a little bringing attention to her slightly distorted face, Amber said, “Well I don’t know about the future children thing,” rubbing her engorged belly, “this might be enough, but I would be honored to be your wife.” Anxiously jumping around as he put the ring on her finger, “I thought you would never ask.” He stood up, she threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him with so much passion I would testify in court in front of a jury that it had been dubbed rated R.

Once the kiss ended, Damir handed the mic back to the DJ and he cued up the Happy Birthday song. Everyone formed a circle around Damir and the cake. But before the Happy Birthday’s could commence, out from under the table comes an absolutely stunning looking Emeri, unfortunately, she messed up the euphoric image by wielding a gun and having an insane look in her eyes.

The crowd immediately went into a frenzy, people started screaming and running for cover. I didn’t know what to do. I was grounded to the spot I was standing in; Kaden grabbed me and tried to pull me down for cover. But I knew no one would be able to reason with Emeri but me, maybe as her sister I stood a slight chance.

Staying exactly where I was so she wouldn’t feel threatened in any way, “Emeri, whatever is going on, you don’t want to do this.” Not even turning to gaze at me, just staring straight at Damir she said, “Naima, don’t try to be a fucking good Samaritan. Damir knows why I’m here.” Looking at him in a rage, she started speaking again. “You used me, you allowed me to suck you off in my father’s home and then you just left me,” tears began to pore from her eyes, “you wouldn’t return my phone calls, you got me barred from your job, you had me arrested.” barred from his job, I never knew she had been to his job. Emeri definitely was losing it. Her voice escalated with the next statements out her mouth.

“You think you are the best thing in the world don’t you Damir.” I looked over at him and he was rooted to the floor with a protective arm around Amber, that probably wasn’t the best stance for him to take at the moment, but who am I to give an opinion. “You had Naima, and your little impregnated whore that you’re trying to protect and me sucking you off. How many women do you need to make you feel like a man?”

“You know you men are all the same. My dad left my mother to be with his family, did you know that?” she pointedly looked at me when she said that, “He should have never got involved with my Mama but he did and he left to raise his other family. I grew up with no one.” Her tears were flowing all over the place. I could see her pain so vividly. She was hurting so much. “I imagined myself to be in love with you,” she said turning back to Damir, “but now I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re just as selfish as the rest of the men in the world. And you have to pay.” Cocking the gun back, everything happened at once, she shot the gun, I made a dive for her, the gun went off again and then the world went black.

Epilogue

Damir

My life will never be the same. I had been sitting in the emergency room for the last forty-eight hours and everything was a mess. Amber was gone. Unlike with Alanna, I had been there this time and still I hadn’t been able to protect her. The first bullet Emeri had shot went directly into Amber’s temple and killed her on contact and she fell. Just like that, no doctor on earth could save her. She was already gone before there had been an opportunity. They had rushed her to the hospital in an effort to deliver the twins but only one made it out alive it was my daughter, who I chose to name Alanna. My son didn’t make it to see the light of day. He passed today. His lungs weren’t developed enough and he couldn’t breathe. They pronounced him dead about an hour ago. Making my way down to ICU to check on Alanna, I began to cry. My own selfish actions had caused this situation. Looking in on my baby girl with all the different tubes hooked up to her, I placed my hand on the incubator, praying that she would be ok. The doctor said she was a good size at five pounds, four ounces and seemed to be strong and have a will to fight for her life. She was my little trooper; I know deep down that, she will beat the odds, she will be ok, she just had to be. My sanity depended on it. A nurse brought a chair over for me to sit in and I put my hand through the hole of the incubator so I could hold her hand. It felt like she clenched my finger a little. I smiled. She needed worry. I would never let her go.

Kaden

My heart was lying in ICU. There is no other way to describe it. Naima was just lying there with a bullet wound to the abdomen that the doctor’s were hoping would heal and not get infected. All I could hear were the steady sounds of the monitors. Laying my head on the bed, I grabbed her hand. Someone opened the door behind me, I didn’t glance up. Who cared who it was? The only life that mattered to me was the one of the body lying in this bed.

“Kaden,” I recognized Mrs. Cynthia’s voice. I still didn’t turn. The tears were running down my face and raw emotion was chocking me. There was no way that I could respond to her. I felt her put her hands on my shoulders. “You have to eat baby, I know you want to stay with Naima day in and day out. But why don’t you go ahead and get a little something before you pass out next to her. You’ve been holed up in here for two days. I’m sure she knows you’re here.”

Gripping Naima’s hand even more, “I can’t Mrs. Cynthia. I can’t leave her. What if she wakes up for a minute? I have to be here. I have to be.” I covered my eyes with my hand and sniffled. I can’t remember the last time I had cried.

“What if I go and get you some food and bring it back for you? Will you at least take a bite of something for me?” I nodded affirmation.

Looking up at Naima’s face, she seemed so peaceful as if she were sleeping. Running my hand through her short mane, I lovingly beheld her features. Everything about her was perfect. She had cut her long silky hair but I was fond of her short do. It gave her a sassy edge. Continuing to gaze at her, I would give anything to see her eyes right now, anything to see that mesmerizing smile or hear her honey-coated voice. She couldn’t leave me. There was no world for me without her in it, no world at all.

Getting onto bended knee, I did something I hadn’t done in a long time. I had a conversation with God.

“
Lord please hear me, I know I have been out of touch with you for many moons, but if you can pull Naima through this, I will make it a point to be the best husband and father that I can be. Please don’t take her away from me. Allow her to see our children grow up, get married, and have children of their own. I pray she have a good recovery and come back to us to celebrate many more years.” I couldn’t stop the tears from falling, “This Lord I do pray in your name. Amen.

Please be on the lookout for the sequel to Coveted

Vengeance

Available January 2010