The Hearts We Burn

by Briana Cole

  I pressed the doorbell, listening to the chime echo inside. The crinkle of the gift bag in my hand had me blowing a heavy sigh, struggling to calm down as I listened to the bustle of footsteps on the other side of the door. Relax.

  The locks rattled noisily and CeeCee pulled open the door. I was surprised to see the expression on her face was more expectant than anything as her wide, pregnant frame filled the doorway. Though she had picked up some weight since the last time I’d seen her, the thickness combined with her glowing skin radiated a different kind of beauty that looked good on her.

  “Kimmy,” she held out her arms and I leaned in for the hug. “I am so glad you came.”

  “Thank you for inviting me, CeeCee. But I actually just came to drop off this gift and grab Jamal.”

  CeeCee looked genuinely hurt. “You sure? You don’t have to go. I would like you to join us for the shower, but don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

  “Oh no, nothing like that,” I assured her. “It’s just a little soon for festivities for me. And Adria and I have some plans.”

  CeeCee nodded. “I understand.”

  “I tell you what,” I added to lift her spirits. “Maybe next week we can do lunch.”

  It worked. CeeCee’s face brightened. “I’d like that.” We hugged again just as Jahmad walked up with Jamal on his hip. He put his arm around CeeCee and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, looking between us.

  I gave him a confident smile. “Doing great.”

  “Thanks again, Kimmy,” CeeCee said. Her smile was big and she looked like she had tears in her eyes. “Call you next week?”

  “Talk to you then.”

  She left and Jahmad could only lift a brow. “Wow. Really?”

  “Hey, we’re all grown here and life is too short for childish games.”

  “Oh wow, look at Kimmy. All grown up.”

  I laughed and swatted his arm at the sarcasm. “Shut up.” I held out my arms to Jamal and hoisted him onto my hip. “Hey, handsome. You had fun with DaDa?”

  “DaDa!” Jamal squealed.

  “Love you, little man,” Jahmad said and kissed him on his cheek. I swelled with pride. No, Jahmad wasn’t his biological father, but this man was Jamal’s dad in every way that mattered. And I loved him for it.

  “Okay, we’ll see you next time,” I said. “Y’all have fun.”

  Jahmad threw his hands in the air and mimed like he was cheering. The gesture was clearly sarcastic and I couldn’t do anything but laugh. “Yeah, just like that.”

  Jahmad waited while I carefully buckled Jamal into the car seat and I hopped in the driver’s seat myself. He waved and I smiled and waved back.

  Lord knows I still loved that man, and I knew he still loved me. But I knew who the better woman was for him. And I was willing to step aside and let him be with the more deserving. I had spent too much time tangled up with Leo. Now I was enjoying being single. Just me and the boys. That was enough for me. I had been through worse and I was stronger now. Much stronger. And now even more so because I needed to be strong for my boys. I didn’t know what the future held but I would make sure to take advantage of each day I lived to see another.

  Adria and I had gone to the therapist together the day before, and I had taken Dr. Evelyn’s words to heart. Immerse yourself in you. And that’s what I intended to do. I’d had enough of playing the wife. Now I was going to pour completely into myself.

  I had never understood polyamory until I had been with Leo, and though he completely misconstrued the entire relationship (and damn near killed me in the process), I did learn something that was for sure. Having one person was like saying, “you’re my sun, moon, and stars,” while having multiple people was saying person one was your sun, person two was your moon, and person three was your stars. And look at me. I had two children whom I loved with all my heart. That I didn’t even think was possible. So, could it be possible to love more than one person?

  I thought of Jahmad and CeeCee. Jahmad loved us both, that much was certain. And whether a man with several wives or a woman with several husbands, I could never see myself settling into that type of relationship again.

  I glanced at Jamal in the backseat and grinned. “Hey, little man. What’s say we get brother and Auntie Adria and go to the zoo?”

  I was met with spit bubbles and what sounded like a little business in his diaper. Satisfied, I nodded as I let back the sunroof.

  “Yep. Sounds like a plan to me too.”

  I would save all the relationship shit for another time. Right now, I had other roles to play.

  A READING GROUP GUIDE

  THE HEARTS WE BURN

  Briana Cole

  ABOUT THIS GUIDE

  The suggested questions are included to enhance your group’s reading of Briana Cole’s The Hearts We Burn.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. The Hearts We Burn alternated between perspectives (Adria and Kimera) and intertwined a few flashback sequences. What difference did this structure make in the way you read or understood the story?

  2. If you could hear this same story from another character’s point-of-view, who would you choose?

  3. Which parts of the book stood out to you? Are there any quotes, passages, or scenes you found particularly compelling? Were there any parts of the book you thought were incredibly unique, out of place, thought-provoking, or disturbing?

  4. Which one of the characters could you relate to the most/least?

  5. What do you think of the book’s title? How does it relate to the book’s content?

  6. How did you feel when Adria got involved with her drug dealer? How do you think she felt having to resort to drugs to find relief from her pain?

  7. Leo felt compelled to hide his true self because of his father. Did you feel sorry for him? After learning more about his father, do you feel Leo’s actions were justified?

  8. How do you picture the characters’ lives after the end of the story?

  9. What changes/decisions would you hope for if the book were turned into a movie?

  10. If you have read the other two books in the Unconditional series, were you able to guess what would happen in this book?

  Meet Kimmy and Adria for the first time in The Wives We Play

  Available wherever books are sold.

  Chapter 1

  Something told me tonight was going to be special.

  I could hardly contain my excitement as I followed the host through the maze of linen-draped tables, each topped with a single candle and surrounded by overdressed patrons. The ambiance was certainly set for romance and luxury, and I blended right in with my Tom Ford copper-toned sequined dress, which hugged each and every petite curve of mine. A gift from my man, of course. Lord knows I couldn’t afford a $6,000 dress like this if I had to make the money myself.

  Another thing I couldn’t help but notice was my brown face was one of only a few in the entire restaurant. A crowd of crystal blue eyes against porcelain white skin turned curious gazes in my direction, no doubt wondering who the hell I had to screw to even be allowed in the building. I had become used to the questioning looks when alongside Leo. He was a man of power and great wealth, and me, well, I was just the arm candy. The trophy. And that was just fine with me. Especially considering my boyfriend already had a wife. Just let me look good and spend his money, and I was content with keeping my face made up, my body in the gym, and my legs spread in exchange.

  The host showed me through a sheer curtain to a round booth. It was dimly lit and entirely too large for a party of two, but I knew Leo didn’t mind paying extra for privacy and comfort.

  “My love.” He rose to greet me and, as customary, I held out my hand. Leo turned it over and planted a gentle kiss on my palm. I loved when he did that. His eyes swiped over my body with an approving nod. “You look like a masterpiece.”

  I grinned at his words. The man could charm me clean out of my panties. “I know,�
� I gushed, placing my hands on my hips. The gesture had the already mid-thigh hemline rising just a bit. “And, my oh my, don’t you look completely edible.” The cream linen suit seemed to radiate against the stark contrast of his black skin. His locs were fresh, and he had taken care to have them braided to the back. It had been a minute since I’d seen them down, so I didn’t realize they reached past the middle of his back. Leo usually kept his locs piled high in a man bun on top of his head and out of his way. He smiled, his dimples creasing his cheeks and barely noticeable underneath the fine hairs of his well-trimmed goatee.

  “So,” I prompted as soon as I slid into the plump leather cushion of the booth. “You certainly went all out this evening.”

  “It’s a special occasion.”

  My nose wrinkled in a curious frown. We usually didn’t do the anniversary shit. That was for serious couples. Not us.

  Before I could open my mouth and ask what he was referring to, our waiter appeared at the side of our table, a linen cloth slung over his arm, a bottle of wine in his hand. He greeted us and began to pour the rich red liquid into our glasses. No need to ask what kind of wine it was. Knowing Leo, it was delicious and expensive and that was all that mattered to me.

  I hadn’t even bothered to look at the menu. Leo ordered the same thing for both of us, some fancy dish I couldn’t pronounce. We handed over our menus, and I waited until we were alone again before I spoke up.

  “Special occasion?” I reiterated. “For us?”

  “Just period.” Leo reached across the table and grabbed my hand in his. He used his thumb to caress my knuckles. The excitement was all but twinkling in his chocolate irises and I felt my own anxiousness beginning to bubble up right along with this silky wine. My mind began to hum with possible scenarios of where this was going. But for some reason, my thoughts kept settling on him handing over the keys to either a house or a car. Hell, maybe both.

  “How long have we been together, my love?”

  “Few months.”

  “How many? Do you know?”

  I didn’t. I hoped that the question was rhetorical, but he waited patiently while I fumbled through the previous months and events we had shared. “Like around three or four, right?” I guessed.

  “Eight,” he corrected with a gentle smile. “Eight months, two weeks, and five days, to be exact.”

  I strained against the smile on my face, hopefully masking my apathy. What was he getting at? Was that too soon for him to buy me a house?

  “It has been probably the best eight months of my life,” Leo went on, almost to himself. “I hope you know just how special you are to me.”

  My smile widened. “Of course I know, sweetie.”

  “Well then, you should know me well enough to know I don’t make rash decisions. I’m very strategic, calculated, and usually once I set my mind to something, I just go for it. No questions. No hesitations.”

  I nodded as my heart quickened. If it was a car, I hoped he had gotten it in red. Something sporty and flashy. I liked flashy. And I hoped he’d paid the insurance up. He knew damn well I couldn’t afford insurance on any vehicle after a 1995.

  Leo blew me a kiss before rising to his feet. He still held my hand in his and pulled me up out of the booth with him. His eyes slid past mine and nodded in greeting to someone behind me. Confused, I turned and eyed the woman who approached.

  We had the same taste, apparently. She too wore Tom Ford, but her dress was black, ankle-length with a sheer side panel that revealed just the right amount of skin to be classy. A high weave ponytail cascaded down to touch the small of her back. She was taller than I am, a little more curvaceous, and chocolate skin as rich and as smooth as a piece of black clay pottery like you could find on a vendor table at some art festival.

  She held out her hand in my direction. “Kimera,” she greeted with a huge smile. “I’m Tina Owusu.”

  Owusu? I glanced to Leo and back to Tina, my head reeling with the strange yet familiar visitor. I ignored her outstretched hand, instead turning my back on the woman to narrow my eyes at Leo.

  “This is your wife?” I snapped, jutting the manicured nail of my thumb in her direction. “Did you really invite your wife to dinner?”

  “My love, let me explain.”

  “Explain what?” I pulled on my hand to release it from his grasp, but he tightened his grip.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “It’s not? Well, what the hell is going on, Leo? Care to explain this shit to me? Because I’m not understanding.”

  Leo, still clutching my hand, dropped to one knee. And my heart dropped just as fast. I didn’t even see him reach for the velvet box. Before I knew it, it was in his hand, the marquise-cut diamond glistening from the white cushion. I couldn’t do anything but stand there speechless. Not because he was proposing. Hell, I had been proposed to a number of times, and usually I knew it was coming. But, no, I was shocked as hell because Leo’s wife was still standing right there, waiting for my answer just as patiently as the man kneeling in front of me.

  I took a step backward, bumping my hip against the nearby restaurant table. Somewhere, the jazz music had died down, and I felt as if all eyes were focused on me and Leo, still on one knee in his crisp linen slacks. I wanted to slap him. Slap him for putting me in this awkward situation. For making a mockery out of this whole thing.

  Sure, I knew he had a wife. Well, let me correct that. I knew now he had a wife. When Leo first strolled up to my line at the bank where I worked, I didn’t know he was married. I just saw a sexy-ass man with a complexion that looked like something fresh off an African culture oil canvas. His smile was slow and deliberate underneath the mustache as he made no move to hide his eyes wandering up and down my body. I felt the blush warm my cheeks and, smirking, I averted my eyes and busied myself with the Post-it notes on my counter.

  “You shouldn’t do that,” he said, his accent seeming to caress each syllable.

  “Do what?”

  “Look away,” he said. “Most pretty ladies like it when they see a man appreciating.”

  “Well, most men don’t make it so obvious that they are appreciating,” I said with a flirtatious grin.

  “Well, I’m not most men.” He held out his hand across the counter. “I’m Leo.”

  I paused before placing my hand in his. He took his time lifting it to his face. To my surprise, he turned it over and placed his lips gingerly against the tender flesh of my palm.

  That had been all it took. The sexy Leo Owusu had plenty of charm and family money, and he hadn’t been shy about lavishing both on me. I wouldn’t say I was the kind of girl that would go weak at the knees over material shit. Well, let me stop lying. Yes, I was. The pot was damn lovely.

  So when Leo finally revealed the truth, that he indeed had a wife, I had to say I really wasn’t shocked. To tell you the truth, I knew my attitude was more of nonchalance. It didn’t concern me. What he did in the confines of his own vows wasn’t my business. He claimed they had an open marriage and that she knew about me. I’m not going to lie; that did seem awkward, but I quickly swallowed that pill too. The way I saw it, at least we didn’t have to sneak around and shit. And after he assured me and reassured me I wouldn’t have to worry about no bitch trying to catch me outside with fists and Vaseline, I was actually relieved.

  “Kimmy.” Leo pulled me back to the present and I again looked from him to the ring box he held in his outstretched hand. His wife, Tina, watched me closely, and it made me nervous as hell when she remained quiet and expressionless. She had drawn back the privacy curtain and now the entire ordeal was on public display like a Lifetime movie. I could feel a multitude of eyes from the restaurant patrons zeroed in on our little “romantic” scene. Anxious smiles and even a few phones were pointed in our direction to capture this moment. And here I was, frozen in embarrassment with a collection of curse words already gathered on my tongue. What the hell did he think he was doing?

  “I want you to b
e in my life forever,” Leo poured on the charm at my continued silence. “Marry me, Kimmy.”

  I knew my next move was about to be on some classic Cinderella shit, but I no longer cared about the audience. Or the appearance. Unable to do anything else, I turned on my heel and half ran toward the exit. I was slowed down by having to dart and weave through the maze of occupied tables and nearly stumbling in my six-inch stilettos. Anger propelled me forward, and I pushed through the glass door and inhaled the crisp night air.

  The vibrant roar of downtown Atlanta traffic greeted me, and I welcomed the noisy relief. After the stunned silence, I needed the chaos to drown the confusion. What the hell was Leo thinking? First, he invites me and his wife to dinner tonight, only to propose with her standing right there? Looking on like this was completely normal. Who the hell proposes to the side chick?

  “Kimmy.”

  Shocked, I turned back toward the building. I surely hadn’t expected Tina to come after me. But there she was, seemingly gliding in my direction like she was in New York Fashion Week. I had noticed before that she was just average looking. The kind of Plain Jane face that didn’t really give definition toward the pretty side or the ugly side but teeter-tottered somewhere in the middle, despite the makeup. Yet the diamonds that glittered from her fingers, ears, and neck had her moving with cocky arrogance like she was above any and everybody. I didn’t like the bitch.

  “Kimmy,” she called again as if I weren’t looking right at her.

  I rolled my eyes. “Kimera,” I corrected with a frown. “You don’t know me like that.”

  She smirked, and her warm chocolate complexion appeared to glow with the attitude. “You have been sleeping with my husband for about eight months now. Trust me. I do know you like that.” She took a step in my direction, apparently trying to see if I was going to storm off, but curiosity had me planted on the pavement. She closed the distance between us, and I could smell her Flower Bomb perfume permeating in the air. Well, to be honest, I couldn’t tell if it was hers or mine, because Leo had bought me the exact same fragrance. What were these people into?