Love UnCharted (Love's Improbable Possibility) (44 page)

“Hey, what’s troubling you? I’ve said yes,” Rayna teased. Even under the dim light of the moon and that of the stars I could see Rayna’s beautifully tanned skin. “This sun really works well for you. Your bronzed complexion is out of this world, girl.”

She gave me a shy smile and leaned her head on my shoulders bashfully. “Thanks, Azmir,” she murmured. Then Rayna let out a slow and labored exhale. While looking at the water she said, “I don’t know how you could be so assured of...me, even after my news on Friday. I swear, Azmir, sometimes I don’t feel that I deserve you, let alone your confidence in me,” she ended her last words searing me with her eyes. 

“Are you committed to me and only me?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Will you always protect me?”

“Of course,” she spilled breathlessly, almost sounding affronted.

“Could you love me forever?”
 

She immediately answered, “With everything I have...even if this doesn’t pan out,” she vowed while raising her ring finger that donned her engagement ring.

Even she was taken by the brilliancy of it. 

“This is exquisite, Azmir. I’m in awe,” she whispered.

“I wasn’t ‘
assured
’ that you’d like it. Wasn’t sure if it was big enough...” 

She interrupted me by grabbing my face and kissing me, full with passion. Her hands found their way to my head not too long before she slid on top of me. I was with it—all of it. Without removing her tongue from my mouth, she shifted her dress to straighten it so that her skin lay directly on my lap. My jimmy expanded in the favorable attention as she grinded on my lap. After a brief time, she rose from my wanting lap slightly and shifted to undo my linen pants, tugging at them.

“You wanna do this...here?” I asked, breaking our embrace.

With desire in her eyes and heavily panting, she looked to her left and to her right before nodding her head ferociously. And I lifted both our bodies to allow her to pull them down enough to expose my strongman. My hands found their way under her dress to her ass and I rubbed it in great anticipation. Fuck! Rayna wasn’t wearing any panties.

She lowered herself onto me with an opened mouth and moaned, “Ahhhhh!” as she slowly slid onto me. She felt so warm and was unbelievably wet. 

With her arms astride my shoulders, she plowed into me smoothly. Her lips softly nibbled on my neck, jaw, and lips. Rayna’s lovemaking faces would have me deliver prematurely if I wasn’t careful. I
kissed her neck as she bent backwards giving me full access. Suddenly I hear, “Azmir, this thing...between us ain’t about money. I’d take you mind, body, and soul without your bank account.” 

It was music to my ears and totally captivating. I felt in that second that my decision was affirmed. I’d made the right choice in asking her to be with me forever. There were certainly doubts, but they’d always be there. I’d just have to take a leap. Her words were intoxicating and unexpected. She always used her body to tell me what was in her heart when her mouth couldn’t.
 

She lifted and dipped on and off my lap. I was overcome when she called my name out in ecstasy. When I felt her juices melt down onto me and her walls clench my cock, I couldn’t hold onto it anymore. I exploded inside of her with stifled whimpers.
 

We stayed there, wrapped around each other like a vine well after we were through. I felt so connected to Rayna...so resolved to my destiny. I could’ve stayed there in that spot, holding her for days.
 

Rayna finally lifts her head. “My mood has been crappy,” she admits, ducking her chin like a child. I gave a small laugh and nodded my head.

Seconds later, she speaks again. “Azmir, Harrison came to visit me on Friday.”

“Come again,” Suddenly, I didn’t trust my ears.

Her eyes met mine and she muttered, “Detective Daryl Harrison came to my office on Friday...after I left Tamu’s boutique. He was waiting for me.”

“What did he say?”

“A lot. He threatened to expose to you the truth about my brother then he bribed me with money to disappear. He said that I was interfering with his family. He said that once you’re done with me, you and Tara would be married within one year. He said a lot of things, which is why...” she began fumbling with her new ring, I guess reflecting on the grim possibilities.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and didn’t think her information would slow. Why is she in the habit of fucking keeping pertinent information from me? I’ve hurt people for much less. This shit was whack as hell!

I go to lift her off me as I demanded, “Why would you wait so long to tell me this shit?”

She rises and with eyes widened says, “Azmir, I...I’ve been trying to piece all of this together in my mind—”

“It ain’t for you to fucking piece shit together. It’s for me,” I yelled enraged. I see blood as I pull up and tie my pants. “From now on if this shit gonna work, you can’t keep a muthafuckin’ thing from me. I am a fuckin’ man. I provide protection. I
put
shit together. Fuck piecing! Do you understand?"

“I’m sorry,” Rayna says with her voice cracking.

I was not about to be moved by tears. She’d crossed the line and had been making a damn fool out of me. I go for my phone and punch a couple of keys.

“Peace-peace.”

“Peace-Peace. It’s the god.”

“Salute, Duke.” Petey greeted.

“Hit Big D...tell ‘em his fuckin’ retirement package is now null and fuckin’ void. Tell ‘em all bets are off with the seed, too.”

“You sure, Duke?”

“Crack, his bitchass ran up on my girl at work. His ass just got into a war he wasn’t anticipating,” I growled low, hiding my fury.

“Whoa!” I know he’s taken by my ire. I’m never out of character. I always discharge with a firm demeanor. But shit, this was an entirely different circumstance from anything I’d ever experienced. “I’m on it, Duke.”

“Set up a meet with Santiaga and Paulio. D’s ass is getting cut the fuck out starting this second. He just made this shit personal.”

“Indeed,” Petey hesitated. There was a pause. I huffed.

“Duke, did you do it?” he asked, referring to my pending proposal. I glanced over my shoulder to Rayna who was again toying with her ring, only now with trembling fingers and looming doubts.

“Done deal.”

Petey exhaled and it surprised me. He never shows emotion. 

“Yo, god...let that be your focus, Duke. Big D will be dealt with when you touch down. That right there is what’s important for now.”

Once again, I looked at Rayna who was now looking at me with remorse in her eyes. My guilt started setting in. I have to get used to this level of intimacy. Suddenly, and ironically, I remember Big D schooling me on love. He’d said several times in the past, “
the woman who wins your heart will forfeit your control of your universe.”
Damn. That fucker was right. I was caught between a rock and a fucking mountain. 

“Indeed,” I agreed. “Peace-peace.”

“Peace-Peace, Duke.”

D made that visit testing my chin. He was gauging my commitment to Rayna. If I ignored it, he would believe I didn’t give a shit about Rayna. If I react he would know where my heart is. Shit just got real. D’s days over pawning me were over. He’s depravity knew no bounds.
 

“Let’s go,” I hissed to Rayna.

We headed over to the bungalow in silence. Once we were in, I told her I had to check my e-mail. I sensed her standing by the door of the bungalow until I walked in the office and slammed the door.

I checked in with Washington and he had given more information on Rayna’s secret about her brother. His charge involved a third dude from her projects. Some kid named Omar Brown. Washington informed me that there was a little girl who was killed in the crossfire among other facts, but nothing he’s come up with so far was secret-worthy. There had to be more if Big D thought to bribe her.

See, D was infuriated because I’d shut him down after learning about his role in killing my father. My agreement with him was that we’d end our business in the same timeline originally planned, but I wouldn’t cut him out of any money considering he’s damn near broke from his gambling bug and blowing dough on pussy. This man has run through millions over the years. It’s still unbelievable to me. I assured him that after these next couple of months of me washing my hands from the game, we’d go our separate ways. I knew that didn’t rest easy with him. Couple that with the fact that I’d done the same with his daughter. I never told him the full truth and apparently neither had Tara. I was going for a full makeover in terms of my loved ones. Those two opportunists never loved me, but they did love what I was able to profit them.
Game over
. But Big D didn’t want to bow out gracefully. 

Rayna had no idea what was going on. She’d been caught in the crossfire. This shit had nothing to do with her, but I couldn’t have her thinking she could keep things from me. She was my blind spot. I understand that I’ve brought her into my convoluted world blindsided, but she has skeletons in her own closet that I’m trying to work with.

I could hear the water running through the pipes and into the tub upstairs. She was preparing to take a bath. I guess I need to relax, too. I had really spazzed on her. This was supposed to be a celebratory getaway, not be plagued with issues from that selfish, manipulative fuck. I swear my feelings for D were turning malevolent. It challenged my new path in life, but I swear if he ever comes close to Rayna again I’ll kill him. 

Rayna had looked so broken out on the beach. I knew I needed to change the course of our vacation. I didn’t want to leave early and we had several excursions planned for the following day so I needed to assuage the situation.
 

I walked into the bathroom where she was laid out in the tub. And upon entering, she swung her head to me and innocently searched my eyes, trying to
 assess my mood. 

“You’re still wearing your ring,” I attempt to break the ice.

“You want it back?” her eyes shot up and body tensed in the water.

I shook my head. “No. Besides it’s no longer mine. You now have the headache of keeping up with it. It cost me enough to get it here secure and on your finger. I don’t want the stress of that anymore.” I was being honest.

She held it up slightly, savoring in her new reality yet once again. She looked proud of it as she smiled. 

“Can I join you?”

“Oh...please do,” Rayna anxiously agreed and scooted her body up in the oversized tub. I like baths, but could never find comfort in one since I was about twelve or thirteen years old because of my height. In all of my homes I’ve had special sized and shaped tubs installed. In hotels, one of the many reasons I prefer suites is because they typically came with Jacuzzis or whirlpools.   

I stripped my clothes and descended behind her.

“The water feels good...spicy.” I pulled her back to rest her body on my chest. We engage in peaceful silence for minutes long. I exhale and close my eyes, relishing in a private and intimate  moment with Ms. Brimm.

“You were livid. I don’t want to get used to seeing you that way. Are you still?”

“I was. I’m calming as we speak,” I open my eyes, deciding to receive her conversation.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know the protocol. You told me he was your mentor so I measured his words...perhaps too deeply,” Rayna murmured as I ran the sponge over her arms.

“Detective Daryl Harrison is no longer my mentor. He hasn’t been for some time. For all intents and purposes he’s simply Tara’s father.” I needed her to know this moving forward. She remained quiet and I could tell the cogs of her mind were working.

“What was the agreement about Tara’s baby?”

“Huhn?” I asked as I stopped washing her shoulders.

“When you were on the phone, you referred to
the seed
.”

Oh.

“I agreed to help Tara out until the paternity situation was cleared.”

“Help how?”

“Take care of the hospital bills and doctor fees for the baby.”

“Would you do that?”

“As a parting deal; it was a steal.”

“That’s some bargain.”

“It’s all strategic,” I divulged, being partially honest and hoped that this conversation’s end was near.

Rayna snorted. “He does know you a little, I see.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He said you were strategic and calculating.”

“That I am.”

“Oh,” she replied contemplatively.

“Turn around. I want to wash your legs,” Rayna swivels around in the whirlpool to face me.

I grabbed her legs one by one to wash them. She started off tensed, but eased up in no time. Once I was done, I nibbled on her toes, causing her writhing  movements in the water.

“Stay still,” I playfully scolded.

She tried, but could never endure the pleasurable sensations. Even her eyes gave away her sheer delectation. After some time of doing this, we couldn’t make it out of the tub before sex occurred. I had her ass hanging halfway out of the whirlpool, screaming my name. Lovemaking was something I was becoming very acquiescent to, particularly because my acts of
smashing
appealed to Rayna, we brought the two together.