Thin Ice 5 - Checkmate (14 page)

“
Oh you gonna say it,” Mook told her, biting her neck this time.

“
No,” Kim again replied as he chuckled close to her ear, leaning his entire body against her, rendering her immobile, Mook put both legs in the crook of his arms and went for the kill.

All she felt was pleasure as his hard shaft stroked her exposed clit again and again. She was dripping with pleasure when Mook spoke once more.

“
Say it,” he prodded his rhythm increasing and his manhood pulsating.

“
You are the damned best ever,” Kim told him gritting her teeth as he hit her clit once more and she screamed aloud, him right behind her coming hard and flooding her with his finish.

“
That wasn’t so hard now was it,” Mook teased kissing her lips softly as they both tried to gather their breath.

Kim rolled her eyes at him, but she didn’t stop him when he began slowly moving inside her yet another time.

12

Tariq rolled over expecting to find Kaitlyn, but the bed was empty. Sitting up he heard her moving around in the bathroom. Tariq got out of bed still smiling about the night before. He hoped they could talk now and in some form work things out. He knew they had a long hard road to travel, but Tariq wanted his wife back.

“
Hey,” he greeted Kaitlyn walking inside and using the facility.

Washing his hands he walked back into the bedroom where she was now.

“
Where you headed,” he asked amiably, seeing she was already dressed.

“
Taking the girls out, doing some shopping, meeting Tweety for lunch,” Kaitlyn replied coolly.

Tariq caught the tone and frowned faintly.

“
KiKi, is something wrong,” he asked, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“
Nope, not at all,” she answered again in that same tone.

Walking over to her, Tariq gently took her arm and turned her toward him.

“
Why the hostility,” he asked genuinely at a loss.

He thought last night had opened a whole new door for them. Kaitlyn chuckled slightly, before regarding him again.

“
Tariq,” she began, and he knew he wasn’t going to like the rest of what came out of her mouth. “Let’s just drop it and go on about our lives, okay,” Kaitlyn answered, stepping around him and grabbing her perfume from the dresser.

“
KiKi, what’s going on,” Tariq asked again.

Stopping her forward momentum Kaitlyn turned to him, eyeing him carefully for a few moments.

“
You know, I didn’t think you had it in you, but shit, you fooled my ass,” she told him calmly as Tariq frowned deeper, still clueless.

“
You got my ass, I’ll say that for you,” Kaitlyn told him actually chuckling slightly. “You definitely out gamed me Riq, shit,” she added almost as if she were talking to herself.

“
KiKi, seriously, I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Tariq replied, still looking into her face as she once again regarded him.

“
Riq, let’s not play the game okay,” Kaitlyn told him picking up her purse and checking her wallet.

“
KiKi, stop talking in circles and spit it out, shit,” Tariq told her growing irritated.

“
Hmph,” Kaitlyn spoke before putting the wallet back into the purse and glancing at the dresser where Tariq’s phone lay.

“
Carlita says she’s sorry she missed you last night, but she’ll be back in town in a couple days,” Kaitlyn repeated almost verbatim as Tariq’s heart dropped. “Says she can’t wait to make love to you again,” she added coldly, that robotic tone taking over.

“
All I wanna know Riq,” she began again, her eyes devoid of emotion. “Is did you strap up with the bitch, yes or no,” Kaitlyn finished expecting a reply.

Unable to say anything at the moment Tariq simply nodded.

“
Well that’s something,” Kaitlyn told him, leaning against the dresser now. “When the divorce happens Tariq, I don’t want shit from you,” she told him, her voice an even monotone. “No support, no money, nothing,” she added. “The only thing I’m asking from you is a quick, amiable, no bullshit, end to this union.”

Tariq was trying hard not to go off. He knew Kaitlyn was angry and she had a right to be, but she wasn’t innocent in this whole mess.

“
It’s not like that,” he tried as she rolled her eyes and told him he didn’t have to explain.

“
Shit, you’re the one who told me you were gonna do you, so why would I be mad cause you did what you said,” Kaitlyn threw back, finally rising from the dresser about to walk out of the room.

“
Now you know how the shit feels,” Tariq threw at her, grasping at any straw to keep her in the room talking.

She turned to him with an unreadable expression on her face.

“
So this was about getting even with me over some shit I can’t even remember,” Kaitlyn queried.

“
You slept with my enemy KiKi,” Tariq told her.

“
You know what,” she replied, refusing to rehash it. “I’m done, I don’t give a hell who you fuck Tariq,” Kaitlyn told him evenly. “Just know that last night was the last time your dick will ever be inside me,” she finished and walked out of the room, leaving a furious Tariq seeing red and plotting what he was going to do to Carlita when he saw her again.

*****

Ryan used his key and unlocked the door. The house was deathly quiet, far too quiet for an almost 5-year old to be in residence. He immediately got a bad feeling as he headed toward the bedrooms. Starting with RJ’s room, Ryan opened the door finding the room empty and the bed unmade. Frowning slightly, he turned and headed to the master bedroom he once shared with Caramel. The knot in his stomach tightened and Ryan took a deep breath to stay his racing pulse. Turning the knob, he slowly opened the door seeing them lying in bed together. They looked peaceful as they lay there; RJ in his mother’s arms as she cradled him gently. Looking around the room Ryan noticed the mess. Dirty dishes, clothing, rotting food permeated almost every inch of the floor and chaise lounge that the room held. Turning his attention once more to the bed, he stepped closer reaching out and touching Caramel’s cheek gently.

The tear made its way down his cheek and he wiped it without thinking. Ryan felt sadness deep and painful as he made contact with the cold, stiff, skin that didn’t give under his touch. They were dead, both of them. He saw the needle mark on his son’s arm, matching the haphazard pattern on his mothers and he broke. Ryan sobbed deeply, falling to his knees the guilt of his part in their demise hitting him full steam like a Mack truck. He cried for the loss of his son, his lifeblood, his namesake, the end of his bloodline. He cried for the woman he loved deeply and fully. As angry as he was with her for not telling him about his brother, Ryan loved Caramel.
Maybe you should have called and told her that,
his mind berated him as he continued to sit at the foot of the bed unable to move, unable to function. He knew he should call the coroner or the undertaker, but all Ryan could do was hurt right now. His cell rang and he answered without looking at the ID.

“
Everything cool,” Ian asked on the other end.

“
They’re dead Ice, both of them, she killed him too,” Ryan told him as the sobs returned.

Ian couldn’t fathom the hurt his brother was experiencing. He knew it was real, and it was deep. Ryan hadn’t cried since they were teenagers.

“
I’m flying in, I’ll be there in a few hours,” he told his older brother.

Ryan managed to mumble his thanks before disconnecting.
Look at them,
his mind screamed at him as he managed to collect himself.
Take a good, long look, burn this picture into your memory and for the rest of your life remember that this was entirely your fault,
his conscience condemned. Ryan sighed deeply admitting his guilt and vowing never to repeat the mistake. He went into the bathroom and cleaned his face, pulled himself completely together and called the coroner. Returning to the living room he sat down and opened the full bottle of cognac he’d hidden away before he left, drinking straight from the bottle. By the time the coroner arrived some twenty minutes later, Ryan was starting to numb. By the time he pronounced them dead, the mortuary took away the bodies, and Ian arrived at the house, Ryan was oblivious to reality.

*****

Kaitlyn was enjoying her time with the girls, her godson, and her best friend.

“
So, what the hell has been going on with you for the past few weeks,” Kaitlyn asked point blank as they enjoyed a break in the food court.

Jaleesa exhaled intensely and told her friend honestly all the turmoil she’d endured.

“
And you didn’t tell me, what the fuck Tweety,” Kaitlyn asked irritably.

“
KiKi, you gotta admit your plate has been pretty damned full here lately,” Jaleesa answered in her defense.

“
Still, how the hell did Kim get involved,” she asked, the edge making its way to her voice.

Jaleesa again answered her question before calling her on the tone.

“
What’s the beef you and Kim got with each other,” she asked calmly, sitting back in her chair and sipping her latte.

Kaitlyn took a breath sipping her own coffee before answering.

“
Tariq,” she said simply as Jaleesa raised an eyebrow.

“
They used to fuck around,” she asked as Kaitlyn shook her head no.

“
I’m pretty sure it’s not because she didn’t want too though,” she added as Jaleesa nodded slightly.

“
OK, but she and Mook have been together for a minute now,” Jaleesa began again. “Why is she still pissy with you?”

Kaitlyn shrugged lightly. “I dunno, hell maybe she thinks I’m not good enough for Tariq, shit maybe she’s still carrying a torch, I dunno,” Kaitlyn replied. “I’ve tried to be cool with her, to be friendly, she’s just not having it, so fuck it.”

Jaleesa again withheld comment.

“
How are things with you and Tariq,” she asked cautiously.

“
He’s got somebody,” Kaitlyn replied without hesitation.

“
You’re okay with that,” Jaleesa asked again, knowing her best friend very well.

“
It’s not my call anymore,” Kaitlyn replied, evading the question.

“
That’s not what the hell I asked you,” Jaleesa immediately threw back not letting her off the hook.

“
Tweety, look, Riq wants to go on with his life, and hell maybe it’s for the best,” she began. “I mean with Ice being Tajdra’s father, can you see them being civil at birthday parties and shit,” Kaitlyn ended, taking another sip of her coffee.

Jaleesa couldn’t argue with her logic on that one, but still she didn’t want to believe Kaitlyn and Tariq would actually divorce.

“
So you’re gonna do what exactly,” she asked, needing to know where Kaitlyn’s head was.

She was acting very much like the old Kaitlyn who would disappear at a moment’s notice and not think twice about it.

“
I’m going to live my life, get me a place and they can both arrange visitation with their daughters,” she replied as Jaleesa nodded thoughtfully, somewhat more at ease.

They finished their drinks and rose, pushing strollers as they perused the mall and shopped. Jaleesa was trying on an outfit inside Pritchard’s as Kaitlyn watched the kids. Her cell vibrated and she fished it out of her purse seeing the text message icon. Curious she clicked on the envelope and waited for the message to pop up. ‘There has been a family emergency, I will forego seeing Tajdra this weekend,’ the message read. Kaitlyn was curious what could have come up to make Ian miss his visit. She could see from her own observation the man genuinely loved the little girl he’d fathered. Shrugging slightly and dismissing it, she was about to close her phone when it vibrated again. Assuming it was Ian once more, she clicked on the message. ‘Hangman’s daughter,’ the message began and she immediately tensed. ‘You must see me now,’ it went on. ‘Don’t ignore me, I know how to find you,’ it ended finally with the signature. ‘Socrates.’ Kaitlyn was visibly shaken; happy Jaleesa wasn’t there to see her. Taking several deep breaths she managed to calm herself sufficiently that her best friend didn’t notice the distress when she returned moments later. As they continued to walk and shop, Kaitlyn’s mind was spinning. She was going, that was a given, her only questions now were why after all these years were they suddenly reemerging and how in the world did they get her cell number.

*****

Ian made all the arrangements, checking on his brother from time to time. Ryan was still drinking and Ian didn’t stop him. He knew he was only medicating himself and if that’s what he needed so be it. He still couldn’t believe the woman had killed herself and her son.
How fuckin’ selfish can you be to kill your child too,
he thought angrily. Secretly Ian surmised it was Caramel’s final way of getting back at Ryan for the hurt she felt he caused. His cell rang and he answered seeing Jalen’s name.

“
Where are you,” Ian barked.

He had been running around on his own for over a month now and Ian was sick of it. It was time for them all to stand united as one front.

“
I’m back in Overton Park,” Jalen answered honestly not elaborating.