Thin Ice 5 - Checkmate (31 page)

“
This is the last stop for me, Lauren,” he told her softly.

She smiled slightly, the tears shocking her. She guessed it was the realization that the last link to her old life was about to be taken away. Socrates had always been kind to her. Though his crazy ways frightened her, he’d never hurt her, quite the contrary always there to protect her. She believed him when he told her he didn’t know the dark, vile, things Carlo did to her.

“
Did you take care of the situation,” he asked, never taking his eyes from her.

“
Yes,” Kaitlyn replied calmly.

“
You kill her,” he asked as she again nodded.

“
You are your father’s daughter,” Socrates again stated, smiling slightly.

“
She was crazy,” Kaitlyn spoke aloud.

“
I have no doubt of that,” Socrates again told her.

“
Now, Lauren,” he began as she steeled herself. “There is the other matter that needs your attention,” Socrates told her.

“
I can’t deal with that right now,” Kaitlyn replied softly, voice wavering.

He sighed deeply, squeezing her hand. “Do you remember the first man you killed,” he asked as Kaitlyn swallowed hard and shook her head no.

“
Yes, you do,” he contradicted as the tear rolled down her cheek. “He deserved it Lauren, he really did,” Socrates went on, ignoring her pain. “You were 14 years old,” he told her as Kaitlyn cried harder. “Do you remember why you killed him,” he pushed.

“
Because he tried to rape me,” Kaitlyn spoke, her voice cold and low now.

Socrates smiled slightly, looking into her face, eyes still closed, but hearing her father’s voice.

“
Exactly,” Socrates told her. “Did he deserve it,” he asked again.

“
Hell yes he did,” she again replied, cold and robotic.

“
How did you kill him, Lauren,” he asked, as she opened her eyes again, looking into his own now.

“
I cut his throat and then I cut his dick off,” she told him, smiling slightly now.

*****

The men were meeting, talking over new territories and products.

“
I’m taking a break,” Tariq announced out of the blue. “I’m going away for a while,” he added as everyone frowned deeply.

“
Where are you going Top,” Mook asked.

Him leaving was going to be a security nightmare. They couldn’t have him out there wandering around without someone watching his back. Ian wasn’t the only enemy they’d made over the years. Tariq shrugged lightly.

“
Atlanta for a while, maybe Florida, I dunno yet,” he replied as they all nodded thoughtfully, Mook and Ramell exchanging glances.

They understood what he wasn’t saying aloud. Tariq was in pain and he just wanted to get away from the hurt. They both knew him leaving wasn’t the answer, but they would tackle that later when they were alone and better able to reason with him. Dismissing it for now, they continued talking, thinking of once again testing the waters in Atlanta. Now that Ian had hooked up with Ray and was running Overton Park, they didn’t see a conflict and with the news that Kai was dead, there wasn’t the threat of exposure.

“
We still need to know who else Ray Lockhart has in his pocket though,” Jacoury reminded them.

They all agreed, but also noted that with his right hand dead, Ray was going to be busy doing some rebuilding of his own.

“
I get word him fuckin’ Gabrielle now,” Shells told them as they all gave him an incredulous look.

“
Damn,” Ramell remarked. “Guess Gabrielle wasn’t as green as she pretended, huh,” he threw out as they all laughed, even getting a small smile from Tariq.

Ramell saw them come in out of the corner of his eye, giving Mook a look. He waited until they were seated and then Mook turned slightly taking the group in. Ramell managed to point out the one he’d talked to him about earlier and Mook took them in, nodding with satisfaction as he and Ramell exchanged looks once again. Ramell had been observing them for the past month without much thought, but with things being what they were now, he decided to take another look. The official meeting was dispersed moments later, but everyone hung around having a drink. They managed to talk Tariq into remaining, ordering wings and shooting the breeze. Ramell and Mook managed to slip away and talk.

“
So what do you think,” he asked, casting a quick glance at the table again.

“
She’s pretty,” Mook replied of the woman. “What do you know about her,” he asked giving Ramell look.

“
Name is Cyiarra Rooks, she just moved here from Jacksonville,” he told Mook as the man watched the woman and said nothing. “Boyfriend was a banger, and a hustler, he was killed almost a year ago, she’s still mourning,” he added, giving more details of the woman’s character, as Mook smiled slightly.

“
Shit will he even look at her is the question,” Mook threw out concerning Tariq.

“
He will when we get done fixing the shit up and throwing them together,” Ramell told him conspiratorially.

Tariq had a birthday coming up in the next three months and the two men talking now, had plans for the gift they were giving him in the beautiful woman they were sure would make him an excellent companion.

*****

Socrates smiled as well. “Lauren, have you ever killed anyone who didn’t deserve it, or wasn’t necessary,” he asked, looking deeply into her soul now.

“
No,” she replied, the humanity returning.

“
As crazy as it seems, neither did Carlo,” he told her as Kaitlyn gave him a doubting look. “He, nor I, killed randomly Lauren,” Socrates explained. “It was always business, always family, never just sport,” he went on, telling her the newspapers glamorized and sensationalized things for their own sales and ratings.

“
The only two people on this earth who knew the truth were me and your father,” he told her once more. “But he’s gone now, and he died a horrible death, so in some ways you got your retribution for the things he did to you,” Socrates told her as Kaitlyn swallowed hard again, undone he could so easily see through her.

“
The crazy girl said he died of AIDS, is that true,” she asked.

Socrates nodded slightly, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

“
Yes,” he told her sticking to the story Carlo asked him to tell. “Carlo became a heroin junkie in prison, I guess to make the time pass,” Socrates explained. “He had sex with everyone, women guards, inmates, he was on a path to self-destruction and I couldn’t understand why,” he went on. “That is until his deathbed confession and the things he told me he’d done to you,” Socrates said sadly.

“
Lauren, I promised Carlo I would look after you,” he told her, his voice getting weaker as he fought to breathe.

Stepping back she allowed the nurse who’d entered the room to check his vitals, turning up his oxygen. She injected something into his IV that seemed to calm him immediately, then as quickly as she entered, left them alone again.

“
Morphine is a wonderful drug,” Socrates told her, beginning again and sounding somewhat stronger.

“
I’ll be fine Socrates, I’m a big girl now,” Kaitlyn tried to reassure him.

He smiled again, holding her hand yet another time. “I know, but I’m a man of my word and I keep my promises,” he returned.

“
So Lauren, I’m leaving you, but he will be here to protect and care for you,” Socrates spoke, causing Kaitlyn to frown slightly, confused who he was talking about.

She thought perhaps the morphine had made him delusional, but after a brief silence, looking past her, he spoke again.

“
Hangman’s daughter,” he began as Kaitlyn continued to watch him wordlessly. “Socrates son,” he said simply, as she felt the arms encompass her waist, and the voice invade her senses.

“
I love you KiKi,” Ian told her softly, as she stopped breathing, the room spun and she passed out.

Life’s Cycle

Tariq checked dinner, making sure everything was perfect. He’d waited a long time to feel the way he felt right now about another woman. He and Cyiarra had been talking for the last three months, since meeting at his birthday party. Tariq was at first pissed with Ramell and Mook for setting him up, but after talking to her for a little while, he discovered what a sweet and loving woman she really was. They took everything extremely slow. Cyiarra told him all about her lost boyfriend, Spade, and the things he did and how he was killed. Tariq in turn told her about Kaitlyn and all they’d been through together. He didn’t judge her, and neither did she judge him. They simply helped each other cope. Cyiarra worked as an executive loan processor for one of the major financial empires in the city, making good money to support herself. Tariq found her to be engaging and intelligent as well as sexy and beautiful. He didn’t think he would ever be romantically attracted to another woman after Kaitlyn, but his heart slowly accepted Cyiarra, missing her when she wasn’t around.

The doorbell chimed, disturbing his thought as Tariq headed to the front door and opened it.

“
Hi,” he greeted her smiling as Cyiarra smiled back, accepting his invitation to come inside.

“
Mm, it smells delicious in here,” CiCi remarked.

Tariq slowly took her in once more; she stood five foot four inches, soft brown hair which hung loosely at her shoulders, expressive brown eyes, complimented by her infectious smile. Her figure was exquisite with each member playing its supporting role of the others, he mused enjoying completely the view in the body molding dress she was wearing this evening, soft azure in color.

“
You sound surprised,” Tariq teased. “I told you I could cook,” he added, handing her the glass of wine he’d poured.

“
I didn’t say that,” CiCi laughed.

“
Come on sit down,” Tariq told her as they took a seat on the couch. “I got what you asked for,” he told her, pulling out the DVD.

“
Cool, you did,” CiCi laughed, seeing the title.

She loved the original Jaws and he’d promised they could watch it tonight. Rising, Tariq went outside, removing the steaks from the grill and bringing them in, adding the salad and grilled corn as they sat down and enjoyed their meal.

“
Wow, you really can cook,” CiCi told him afterwards, stuffed and content.

Tariq smiled and thanked her, giving her yet another glass of wine and setting up the movie. They relaxed on the couch together as he pulled her close and Cyiarra laid her head on his chest. Tariq’s mind wandered for a moment thinking about the day he finally filed the papers and ended his marriage to Kaitlyn. It was the Monday after his birthday party and meeting Cyiarra. The day he’d finally decided to let go of the past and look forward to the future. He couldn’t lie and say he didn’t think about her and wonder if her life was good now. He’d heard that she and Ian were together and as much as it should have hurt, it didn’t. Tariq had to finally admit Kaitlyn was right when she told him they were never destined to be together. He’d always known, in his deepest heart of hearts, that she and Ian would find their way back to each other. It seemed to be fate. Shaking the thoughts not wanting to become melancholy, he turned his attention back to Cyiarra.

“
This movie is so crazy,” she chuckled as Tariq smiled, tilting her chin up to him and kissing her lips softly.

Cyiarra blushed slightly, which he thought was cute.

They hadn’t gone much further than the occasional kiss and hugs in the three months they spent getting to know each other. Tonight Tariq wanted much, much more. He kissed her again, more insistently as Cyiarra kissed him back. Soon the movie was forgotten and a new soundtrack was added as she moaned softly enjoying the things Tariq was doing to her now nude body. He loved the way she felt as he lightly caressed her skin, having gently pulled her to the floor where they lay on the huge bearskin run that encompassed the den. He took her hard nipple in his mouth, sucking softly as her hands caressed his chest, abs, and butt, turning him on. Tariq slowly made his way to her sex, licking and sucking her clit as Cyiarra urged him on, telling him how good it was.

“
Aaaah, Tariq,” she breathed softly, coming hard from his effort.

Tariq continued tasting her as the waves of the orgasm rushed over her. Cyiarra welcomed his kisses as he returned to her lips, kissing her deeply now. She felt his hardness at her entrance, as he looked into her eyes now.

“
CiCi,” he whispered asking her the question with his eyes.

“
Yes,” she replied simply as Tariq entered her and she moaned loudly. He held her tightly his heart finally surrendering and accepting the new love in his life. Tariq loved the feel of her and the soft moans that escaped her lips as he thrust deeply into her, bringing her to yet another orgasm. They began to kiss passionately yet another time as he felt himself getting closer. Cyiarra felt his erection spasm and pulsate, alerting her he was about to finish. She ended the kiss and tried to speak.

“
Tariq, baby, I’m not on --,” she got out before he kissed her deeply again, silencing her as his orgasm hit and he erupted inside her, still holding her tightly.

*****

Kaitlyn smiled seeing her friend and coming over to the table, sitting down.

“
Wassup girl, shit,” Jaleesa threw out laughing.