His gaze met Meeks’, and he realized his friend and business associate was about five minutes away from making this a very bad day for everyone.
“Look, things can slip through the cracks … get misplaced. Only a handful of people know about the assumed mistake, and nothing’s been released publicly. Once I ‘fix’ the error,” he used air quotes to make his point. “Everything will move forward with no blemishes to your name or reputation.”
He doesn’t have everything. He doesn’t know the whole story. Who’s pulling the alderman’s strings?
“For now,” Alderman Knight said before his expression hardened. “We come to an agreement, and you get to work turning the United Center into a showcase this city can be proud of for years to come.”
“And if we can’t come to terms?” Meeks asked, his face twisted in anger.
“Then your friend over there can kiss five hundred million dollars in profit goodbye. Which I believe,” he tilted his head slightly to the left. “A nice chunk of which goes into the already flush coffers of Blake and Montgomery.”
“This is a win-win for us all, gentlemen,” Richmond said, reaching for his glass of water. “Like I said, you help us, we help you.”
“And exactly what type of help are you looking for?” Meeks asked, clenching his jaw.
The old man leaned back in his chair, held Grant’s gaze, and replied, “Access. All we want is a little access.”
Grant grimaced and asked, “To what, exactly?”
Alderman Knight sneered, “That precious Castle you all seem to revere so damn much.”
CHAPTER 45
The sun’s rays beaming through the moon roof didn’t lend any relief to the weight of Kaleb’s thoughts as he drifted from Lake Shore Drive onto Columbus then pulled over in front of one of his favorite childhood hangouts. Kaleb easily found a parking space in the traffic-packed area in front of Buckingham Fountain.
“Call Zephyr,” he demanded of Siri as though she were human.
“Wassup, cousin?” Zephyr answered in his usual cheerful voice. “Well, Prodigal Cousin. Seems as much as you didn’t want to go to Chicago by private jet, you and it love the Windy City a lot more than you thought. I haven’t heard a peep from either one since you landed. Weren’t you supposed to be back in Detroit like … oh … three days ago?”
“Hey, Z,” Kaleb said, tension coloring his tone. “I’ve been rolling with the punches because the punches keep rolling in.” A dull ache radiated in the front of Kaleb’s head as he prepared to share his current circumstances with Zephyr—he’d never had to make this type of call to his cousin.
“What’s the problem?” Zephyr laughed. “You only left a few days ago, man. There shouldn’t have been anything requiring that tone of voice.”
“This is serious, Z,” Kaleb chastised. “You know the property in Auburn Gresham we were discussing before I left?”
“Yeah,” Zephyr responded. Silence stretched between them as the gravity of Kaleb’s tone settled in Zephyr’s mind.
“I kinda need to hang out in Chicago while they investigate a suspicious fire.”
“Are you being charged?” Zephyr asked, his voice escalating with the news.
“No, not yet, but it gets worse.”
“How so?”
Kaleb adjusted the seat of his car as he sat in silence. Watching the people amble along the sidewalk in front of the fountain, he hesitated to share the events and discoveries of his short time in the city with the man he considered his brother. Even though Zephyr was younger, Kaleb always admired Zephyr’s ambition, his generosity, and his heart for people.
“There are bodies attached to the property. Five girls that were reported as missing died in the fire and the detective on the case …” Kaleb swallowed past the lump in his throat, his heart filling with sadness over such young lives cut short, and in such an ugly way. “I remember him always being posted at the corner store in my neighborhood with his buddy. His partner is the one who collared my boys on that bogus gang rape charge that got me and mom caught up. I wasn’t anywhere near that party, or the girl that night.”
“You’re talking too much,” Zephyr warned. “Is your phone being tapped?”
“I gave them my name and occupation. It would be easy to find me.”
“Get a burner after you call a lawyer.”
“I made contact with Rock already. He’ll be here Monday to go over the case.”
“How long do they foresee this investigation taking?” Zephyr asked, and his voice held more than concern. “Do you have anyone to take care of your business here?”
Kaleb pinched his nose and released a gust of air as he chastised himself for not having someone he trusted enough to run his business in case of an emergency. Zephyr was always a willing investment partner if the dollars made sense, but had his own business to run. Unfortunately, Kaleb didn’t trust anyone else—a direct side effect of traumatic events and losses from his childhood, and more recently, Meme Rogers.
“Not officially,” Kaleb sighed. “Every person I thought I could trust had some issue going on and I just never got around to promoting anyone.”
“And you’re sure MeMe can’t hold ground for a minute?”
“Like I told you, we parted ways a year ago,” Kaleb revealed as he lowered the car windows to catch the breeze from Lake Michigan. During their long-term relationship, MeMe Rogers had also made the mistake of becoming a little too close with one of Kaleb’s competitors and her explanations weren’t adding up and neither was the fact that his competitor seemed to have the jump on some deals no one was supposed to know about.
“Wait a minute,” Zephyr said. “You mentioned a woman named Skyler earlier. Isn’t that Reno’s right-hand woman? He’s going to shit a brick.”
“Well, there’s more to her than being his right hand,” he shot back. “We’ll have a chance to talk about my love life later. What I need now is someone you trust that can run my business for a few weeks.”
No sooner than Kaleb made his request, he spotted a familiar face two cars away that sent a chill down his back. Narrowing his gaze, he stared at what he hoped was an illusion.
“I’ve got you, K,” Zephyr declared. “Run down the layout of the operation so I can get my man started as soon as possible ....” Zephyr’s voice trailed off as Kaleb’s attention shifted to a black-and-red-cloaked figure that stood in front of the lush green manicured bushes separating the bustling park from Columbus Drive. “K, did you hear me? I said I’ve got you.”
Shadow.
The Lake Michigan breeze was no contest for the heat that rose up Kaleb’s back as the man sneered in his direction.
How is Chicago not large enough for me to stay out of sight from these people? I’m not back in the city five damn seconds. Now they’re finding me like I never left.
Kaleb’s nostrils flared as wide as tunnels as he thought of the last time he saw Shadow’s face. He sported the same gold-capped front teeth and gang symbol of The ChiTown Hellions tattooed on his neck. The identification was unmistakable.
A single hot tear trailed down Kaleb’s chiseled cheek as memories of his father flashed through his mind. The man who was a gentle giant to him and his mother died in his arms, pooled in blood from the multiple gunshot wounds he sustained in a drive-by shooting outside of their family home. Shadow had a face that Kaleb would never forget.
“KV,” Zephyr yelled from the phone, breaking Kaleb’s focus on the tall, slender man who stared him down as he crossed the busy avenue.
“Yeah,” Kaleb responded, not realizing Zephyr had been calling his name for the better part of a whole minute.
“Where’d you go?”
“Do you remember me ever talking about my mentor, Khalil Germaine?” Kaleb asked, not answering the question, but keeping his sights on Shadow, who weaved his way through a crowd of people that didn’t have the height to hide him.
“Vaguely.”
“Well, there’s a situation with him, but I can�
��t talk about it right now,” Kaleb explained. “I’m not comfortable leaving the state because the police have their eyes on me. His family residence is the only place I think is safe to stay until all of this clears up. You can have the pilot veer the jet back to Detroit and I’ll call you when I get that burner.”
“Is Aunt Rosa safe?”
“She’s in Schaumburg, totally unaware that an extended vacation is in her near future while Rock and I work on the case. I’ll let you know the plans once I get settled.”
“Okay. I’ll put my guy Derrick Winfree over your operations. He’s excellent with management and numbers,” Zephyr assured his cousin. “Email me details, text me the passwords separately and I’ll match them with what’s in the email. Then send an explanation for your employees and any other pertinent information as soon as possible.”
CHAPTER 46
Vikkas had fantasized about being alone with Milan for thirteen years. Now that they were, with no other distractions and no buffers of friends and family, his castle had never appeared so small and plain. That was the effect Milan had on him. Her mere presence made everything seem so intimately significant, as if each moment in time had been specially carved into the stars just so they could exist within that space together, sharing the same breath.
He would not be considered a meek and feeble man by any stretch of the imagination, yet suddenly, a nervous energy roiled within him, making his mouth parch and his palms go sweaty. What the hell?
Vikkas had to get it together. He had dreamt of the uncharted possibilities that had lived only in the grayscale of his dreams. Finally, he had the opportunity to light them up in brilliant, vivid color.
“How about a drink?” he suggested, if only to cut the awkwardness of expectation.
Milan nodded. “That would be great.”
Vikkas poured her a glass of Stella Rosa Platinum and she took a long, comforting sip, wondering how he knew that it was her favorite. It had been a day, to say the least. Milan was exhausted, but being here with Vikkas in his gorgeous, elaborate home had energized her. Never in a million years did she think she’d be in a castle—his castle, no less. But the true fairytale was being with him after all these years. Even time could not suppress the fire that still burned hot between them. If anything, seeing him so fiercely defend and protect her only made the blaze rage even brighter.
Without another word, Vikkas grasped Milan’s hand, intertwining their fingers, and led her down a long, maze-like corridor. They passed room after room until coming to stop at a set of intricately carved dark wood doors. Milan looked up at Vikkas, brows furrowed.
“Um, this doesn’t look like the kitchen,” she mused, taking in the area that was far away from the luxurious quarters where she had settled.
“Because it’s not,” he replied. No humor in his tone, it was all warmth. “My room.”
“Oh.” Her mouth went dry.
“I thought you might want to venture out a little. My father’s been taking up way too much of your time.”
“Can I help it that he loves me?” she teased, giving him a sly smile.
“No, I understand completely, because I can’t help it that I love you.”
She gasped as Vikkas gripped a curved handle and pressed down to click open the door. “There’s something I want to show you here so you’ll understand what I feel for you has never gone away.”
Milan followed Vikkas into the room only to stop short just two feet inside, her mouth ajar and wide-eyed gaze filled with awe. Every wall was graced with the most beautiful artwork she had ever seen. Pieces that rivaled collections in the country’s most famed galleries had found their home right here in his bedroom. And they all had one characteristic in common: they were all of Black women. Black women that, coincidentally, favored her.
“Where did you find all these?” she gasped.
“I’ve been collecting for a while now. At first, it was just a couple pieces, but then I realized … I was searching for something. Or someone.”
Milan turned to face Vikkas and his sultry dark eyes seemed to pierce right through to her heart. His stare was intense and hungry, and it would have scared her had she not been warring with her own inner craving.
“What are you looking at?” she asked, her voice trembling with anticipation.
Vikkas wet his bottom lip with the tip of his tongue before answering, “Art.”
Before she could suck in a steadying breath, his large hand was tightening his grip on her back and pulling her frame into his. The second their mouths collided, they both moaned, releasing years of relinquished heartache, yearning, and all-consuming love they had denied.
He could not get enough of the taste of Milan’s tongue sliding against his. He could kiss her like this every day for the rest of his life—and he planned to. He would not tire of her lips or the way they seemed to melt into his so seamlessly, as if they were created only for him to devour. He needed to have more of her. Needed to sate the wild hunger that seemed to grow every time her breasts brushed against his chest. He could feel her pebbled nipples through the ivory blouse. And now he had to taste them.
His hands dipped lower to grasp her luscious, round backside and he squeezed, lifting her right off her feet with ease. She squealed but he refused to stop kissing her. He would swallow all her mewls of delight tonight. Every. Single. One.
Milan did not hesitate to wrap her legs around his waist. She could feel him pulsing between their ravenous bodies, thickening with every step towards the four-poster king-sized bed. He laid her down gently and she couldn’t help but squirm at the loss of contact when he stood upright to gaze down at her. She was panting with desire at the way his eyes roamed her body, as though committing every single curve to memory. It was driving her mad.
“I want you,” she could barely get out.
“And you will have me. All of me.”
Vikkas started with the buttons of his shirt, slowly unfastening each one with deft fingers. Once the fabric slid from his shoulders and onto the floor, revealing chiseled mounds of olive skin, Milan couldn’t hold back anymore. She sat up, eager to touch the taut ripples of his abs and chest. His body was magnificent, just as she had imagined. And she couldn’t wait to feel him in every way.
He grabbed the hem of Milan’s blouse and stripped it from her torso. She had always taken care of herself, so he wasn’t surprised to find that she had on a black lace bra that perfectly accentuated her full breasts. As sexy as it was on her, he couldn’t deny himself the pleasure of unsnapping it so he could hold those heavy mounds in his palms. She moaned loudly as he massaged and rolled his thumbs over the nipples. Dammit, he needed them in his mouth— now.
In one swift motion, he gently pushed her back down and covered one with his mouth. Then he tasted the other, sending Milan into a frenzy. But he wasn’t done with her yet. While his tongue licked and sucked, his hands worked on sliding her pants down over her hips and thighs. Her sweet breasts weren’t the only part of her he’d taste tonight.
Milan felt dizzy with pleasure as Vikkas kissed a trail down her body, only stopping at the delta of heat that literally ached for him. The first touch was his fingers, parting her slick, silky folds. He placed the fingers in his mouth to sample her.
“You’re so sweet,” he rasped. “I’m going to drink every ounce of you.”
His words were so erotic that Milan thought she might explode with the first flick of his tongue over her pearl. But she didn’t. She came with the third. And it was so hard and devastating that her back arched off the bed. She couldn’t even scream. But Vikkas didn’t stop there.
Vikkas made good on his threat and sucked and licked every drop of her release with appreciative groans that sent vibrations to her already hypersensitive sex. If this was so good she wanted to cry, how could she handle any more? How could she survive his hardness filling her to the brim and stroking deep and long? They had never expressed this facet of their love before, although she had spent many nights f
antasizing about it. Now Vikkas would mark more than just her heart. He would mark her soul.
Milan watched intently as Vikkas unfastened his pants and let them fall to the floor. He was splendid; every thick inch was perfectly sculpted and smooth, like silk over steel. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but the need to have Vikkas between her thighs was far too great. He wasted no time spreading her wide and teasing the trembling flesh with his tip. Then Vikkas entered her slowly, letting her body stretch to accommodate his size.
She cried out as each inch provided a new level of ecstasy. Pain … pleasure … each sensation melded into the next until she couldn’t tell where his body began and where hers ended. They became one. And as he thrust into her, touching the deepest, warmest parts of her soul, she knew that nothing on earth would ever tear them apart again.
Kings of the Castle Page 19
