Hide & Seek (31 page)

*****

“
This is cute,” Ryan chuckled picking up the wall decoration kit and examining it.

Caramel smiled sheepishly as he laughed aloud.

“
It’s cool baby,” he told her sweetly coming and taking her in his arms.

“
I know its kinda early,” Caramel mumbled as Ryan kissed her.

“
You’re excited,” he told her tracing her face lightly.

“
So am I,” he added lovingly.

She smiled fully then as they opened the package and began making plans of its placement in the nursery. Caramel couldn’t believe how happy she was right now. Her becoming pregnant had turned out far better than she could have ever imagined. Ryan had been phenomenal to her and she was quickly getting spoiled by the love and attention he lavished on her.
Why wouldn’t Tweety want to give this wonderful man a child,
she wondered fleetingly.

“
What did the doctor say,” Ryan asked interrupting her thought.

“
Everything is fine,” Caramel told him. “The baby should be here by November.”

Ryan smiled and murmured something about a thanksgiving baby.

“
I sure hope not,” Caramel replied. “I wanna be able to eat,” she giggled as Ryan smiled back at her.

“
Ryan,” she began tentatively.

“
Yeah baby,” he replied not looking up from the decoration.

“
If the baby is a boy, do you want him to have your name,” she asked quietly as he finally regarded her.

“
I’d like that,” he replied honestly and she could see the light in his eye as he spoke.

If she ever doubted before, Caramel didn’t now. This baby was worth more to him than any amount of money or power could ever be.

“
OK, well what’s your middle name,” Caramel asked, realizing she’d never known.

“
Alexander,” he replied calmly as she smiled again.

“
That’s nice, I like it,” she replied kissing his cheek softly.

Ryan smiled back at her rising and walking over to a wall with the decoration in his hand. Caramel continued to watch as he began mapping out placement of the decorations on the wall before him.
I’m going to make him the happiest man in the world,
she thought as her love grew more for him.

Her eyes began to roam his body as her libido kicked in. Ryan turned without warning catching her hand as it caressed her own breast, the look of animal lust in her eye.

“
Oh, it’s like that huh,” Ryan said walking over to her, leaning down and kissing her deeply as his hand replaced her own.

“
Mmm,” Caramel moaned as he ventured lower finding her saturated.

“
You want something,” he mumbled in her ear biting her neck gently.

“
Yes,” she moaned almost at her peak.

Her hands worked furiously undoing his pants and freeing his erection as he lifted her dress and removed her panties. Without undressing any further they joined. Caramel moaned loudly loving the feel of him as Ryan made love to her. She came quickly with him right behind her.

“
I could get used to this,” he murmured still holding her tightly as they came down from the explosive collision.

Lying together now, Ryan held her as she stroked his chest gently. He grabbed her hand stopping the movement as Caramel frowned slightly and looked up at him. Still remaining mute he took her hand and placed it on his heart as she felt the rhythmic beating beneath her palm and their eye connection never broke.

“
This belongs to you now,” Ryan told her softly as she smiled and kissed his chest.

Caramel had just heard the most beautiful words in the world from the man she loved and there was nothing else he needed to say. He and Tweety were a thing of the past and she was his future.

*****

Jaleesa’s mind was on overload. She’d awakened almost three hours after LaRon left finding herself free to roam her room, but not leave it.
What the hell am I going to do about all this shit,
she thought of the situation. She wanted to see Kaitlyn to talk to her and know she was all right. Jaleesa thought about asking Deuce again if she could at least talk to her friend. He hadn’t said no last time, but he hadn’t mentioned it again either.
At least she’s still alive,
Jaleesa thought with a sense of relief.
Please don’t let anyone have hurt her,
she continued to pray of her best friend. Thinking about Kaitlyn inevitably took her thoughts to Ice, and by proxy Ryan.
That sonofabitch,
Jaleesa thought angrily of her boyfriend. She wondered if he were even concerned if she were living or dead.
Didn’t take that ass long to move on though did it,
she continued to fume.

“
Wasn’t even gone a damned mouth and he fuckin’ Caramel,” Jaleesa mumbled angrily aloud.
Not like Deuce waited for you huh,
her mind chimed in. Sighing deeply she tried to shut her mind down.

”
What am I supposed to do, supposed to feel,” Jaleesa spoke aloud again. Deuce had been so different since she’d been here. She knew she’d pissed him off on more than one occasion but he hadn’t raised a hand to her. He’d barely raised his voice.
You still care for him,
her pesky mind began again. Sighing deeply she let the tear roll down her cheek. Jaleesa’s thoughts and feelings toward Deuce were a never ending labyrinth of mazes. Some connected while others simply led to dead ends. She knew one thing though. She needed to figure some things out while he was gone and have some answers when he came back. There was no doubt in Jaleesa’s mind that Deuce would keep her in this same room until the day she went into labor and gave birth to his child.
You want this baby though, so why are you fighting so hard against it,
her mind railed as Jaleesa burst into tears.

“
I can’t take the chance, I can’t,” she lamented as the tears continued to come.

Give him a real chance,
her mind piped up again as Jaleesa continued to hold herself tightly and pour out her hurt and pain.

“
I don’t know,” she whispered aloud as new revelation came to her.

Deuce didn’t trust her either. That’s why he’d locked her in the room.
He’s just as scared as you are, but at least he’s willing to try,
her mind was speaking again. Jaleesa had never taken the time to try and see it from Deuce’s point of view. It had to be hard for him knowing how badly he’d treated her to stand in front of her and apologize, take responsibility and then open himself up to her scorn, ridicule and rejection.
He persisted though
, Jaleesa continued to think.
Why do you think that is,
her mind questioned.

“
He loves me,” she answered softly. “More than that asshole, Ryan,” she added angrily.

Her cell rang and she rose to answer it knowing it was Deuce. He’d bought her a new cell and he was the only one with the number.

“
Hello,” she answered voice raspy, strained from crying.

“
Hey Tweety,” LaRon returned amiably.

“
Hey Deuce,” she returned saying nothing more for the moment.

“
I’m sorry,” he threw out when the silence continued. “I know you’re angry,” LaRon told her, misconstruing her mood.

Sighing deeply Jaleesa spoke.

“
It’s okay, I actually understand,” she replied, stunning him on the other end. “When are you coming home,” she asked as he gave her a reply. “Where are you,” she tried again.

As before he only gave her a vague answer and she didn’t push.

“
OK, well be careful,” she threw out, preparing to disconnect.

“
I will baby,” LaRon replied. “I love you,” he told her softly.

“
Yes, I believe you really do,” Jaleesa returned softly as she disconnected.

“
And I’m going to learn how to love you again too,” she spoke aloud to no one, standing alone in the room finally deciding her own fate and destiny.

26

LaRon looked at his cell and frowned deeply before answering.

“
Yeah,” he answered as Xae returning his greeting. “Where the fuck you at,” LaRon spat irritably.

He’d been trying to find the young man since they arrived 2 days ago.

“
I’m in Atlanta,” Xae returned calmly.

“
What the fuck you doing there,” LaRon asked perplexed.

Xae gave him a quick rundown of the events that’d transpired since Ryan and Tate killed his two accomplices.

“
Man, are you serious,” LaRon questioned when Xae told him about Ryan killing his two younger brothers and Tate raping his 17 year old sister.

“
Them muthafucka’s crazy,” Xae told him angrily. “I needed to get my head together for a minute,” he continued. “My girl wouldn’t let me stay there, partners were afraid to deal with me, so I came here,” he explained as LaRon grimaced slightly, his mind already working ahead.

“
It’s cool,” he began. “I actually have a job for you,” he told Xae as they young man inquired what it was.

Giving him DeNoah’s cell number he told him to make contact and he’d be given instructions from there.

“
Yeah man that’s straight,” Xae returned, grateful for the opportunity and that LaRon didn’t order him back to Mississippi.

“
You know where either of them fuckers living’,” LaRon asked.

Xae told him he had an idea about Tate, but as far as he knew Ryan was still living in Louisiana.

“
He just comes over to do his dirt with his boy Tate,” Xae added bitterly as LaRon again grunted his understanding.

“
Yeah, well that’s straight,” he told Xae. “Give me the info on the other one and I’ll take it from there,” he added as the young man again was forthcoming with all the knowledge he possessed.

Disconnecting LaRon called Jaron into the room where he and Mook were relaxing and smoking.

“
Yeah Deuce, what’s up,” Jaron threw out entering the room. “Send somebody out to Tarver Hill and find out where Tate lives,” he barked as the young man nodded his understanding and hurried out to complete the task.

“
What’s up,” Mook asked after Jaron was gone and they were alone again.

Sighing deeply he replayed the conversation with Xae and the task he was assigning him now.

“
Good lookin’ out,” Mook replied liking the idea very much.

“
You need to hip DeNoah,” he added. “You know that boy a little slow.”

LaRon chuckled at Mook’s statement agreeing with his sentiment.

“
You talk to Kim,” LaRon asked changing the subject.

Mook grunted slightly and told him they’d talked briefly.

“
She tell you why she was at the hospital,” he asked curiously.

Mook took another hit of the blunt and enjoyed his smoke a few moments before exhaling and answering LaRon’s question.

“
Miscarriage,” he said simply as LaRon frowned again.

“
Damn man,” he replied sympathetically. “I didn’t know you and Kim had a seed,” he added still shaking his head sadly.

“
Had just found out before we left,” Mook enlightened him.

What he wasn’t saying was that he had questions for Kim when he got home. Something wasn’t adding up to Mook and he wanted to be standing right in front of her when she told him the how of the miscarriage.

“
Definitely sorry about that man,” LaRon told him as Mook acknowledged the sentiment with thanks and again changed the subject, trying hard to keep the growing anger he felt locked in its vault.

*****

“
May I speak to DeNoah,” Angie inquired softly when the phone call connected.

She was calling him as Freight had ordered when he contacted her yesterday. Angie Henderson was in debt and the person holding that debt was unfortunately Freight. “Yeah, this is him,” DeNoah replied waiting for the woman to identify herself.

“
Hi, DeNoah,” she began again. “My name is Angie, Halle’s sister,” she lied smoothly.

DeNoah sighed lightly before returning her greeting.

“
You called Fr,” she almost slipped before catching herself and using his real name.

“
You called Colton and said Halle was hurt,” she inquired as DeNoah told her yes, going on to elaborate about Halle’s accident, gently breaking the news of her death at the end of the explanation.

“
Oh my god, are you serious,” Angie asked as the shock registered.

Freight didn’t tell her Halle was dead. He just told her to call this guy and get all the information she could out of him about some other fool called Top.

“
I’m so sorry Angie,” DeNoah told her honestly.

She heard it in his voice and knew he had been in love with Halle.

“
Were you two involved,” she fished.