by M. Skye
“He’s not that stupid, Ty. He will never let them catch him, and him being in our house means he is up to something big, something dangerous.”
“He can’t hurt you. I will never let him get close enough for that. Earlier you told me we would be okay as long as we were together, and from here on out, I’m not letting you out of my sight. If I have to move my office to your floor, that’s what I will do.” He attempted it as a joke, but she didn’t crack a smile.
“What about our son? You said he’s safe?”
Tyree nodded. “Somehow, I think this is all about you. He doesn’t seem concerned with Kyan, so him being with Rock and Mom is the best thing for now. They won’t let anything happen to him.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but—”
He grabbed her chin and forced her lips against his. His tongue traced the outline of her lips before surging inside her mouth. He held her to him, gripping the side of her face until all her resistance was gone. Sliding his hands down her sides, he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer.
“No worrying. Let’s eat, unless you want to find other ways to entertain ourselves.”
“The food will get cold.” She pulled back, catching her breath. “But truthfully”—she winked at him and placed her hand on his chest, pushing him back on the bed—“I’m not hungry anymore.”
He sat up, twirling her over on her back, and hovered over her. “I am.” He started his slow creep down her body and let her moans urge him on. He knew she was afraid, but he also knew he wasn’t going to let Richmond do anything to harm her. Now, his focus was on making her forget their problems. Her nails digging into his shoulders let him know he was getting closer. Now he just had to finish the job.
* * *
“What were you thinking?” Lenae yelled, throwing a pile of clothes off the bed. “Why would you go to their house?”
“I don’t explain myself to you. I did what I needed to do. I’m tired of living like an outsider to something I built! I built that business. I built that family! How dare they toss me out?”
Lenae walked up and got right in his face. “You did this to yourself! All your lies, all your bullshit did this. You are the reason we have to hide, the reason my child has to bounce around like a nomad.”
“No, dear, that would be you. You had to open your mouth. You ruined everything I had going.”
“I won’t apologize for what I did. I still feel like it was the right thing to do.”
Richmond saw the tears in her eyes and felt himself calming down. “I’m sorry. You’re right. It set us back a bit, but you are right, dear.” He stroked her hair, and she laid her head on his shoulder.
“Is it always going to be this way? Will we always have to look over our shoulders?”
“No. Soon enough, you will have everything and so will that beautiful girl in there.”
“You promise?”
“I promise. Just give me some time.”
“Time is something we don’t have much of.”
“I know, sweetheart.” He kissed the top of her head. “I know.”
Chapter Twenty-two
“You want any help?” Chloe asked, looking at Tyree struggling with the ribbons for their invitations.
Glancing up and chuckling at the frustration he was displaying, he reached over and handed her a stack of envelopes and a bundle of ribbons. “Thanks. I told Asha I had it, but now I see that was a mistake.”
“It’s cool. I don’t mind helping.” She picked up an envelope and stuffed a finished invitation inside. “You know, this is awesome what you’re doing for her. She’s going to love it.”
Tyree looked up with a silly grin. “Yeah, she will, and she will be pleased to know how much you helped out. I really appreciate it. Usually, my sister is the one who puts up with my crazy events, her and Whitney.” Saying Whitney’s name, Tyree felt a little guilty. He had been keeping his distance, and now he felt like it was all for nothing. She hadn’t made any moves that suggested she thought of him as anything other than her uncle. She actually had become really close with Mia. He was glad for them, but he kind of missed the bond they once shared.
In the past few weeks, he had been spending a great deal of time with Chloe, and he now saw why Mia liked her so much. In spite of her situation, Chloe was very bright, and she was genuinely concerned about others. A few weeks earlier, she had come to the office in search of Mia and had run into him trying to hide the evidence of his party planning. She helped him smuggle everything into his office. Afterward, she stayed and helped him get some other things under control. Today, she had been planning a lunch with Mia, which got canceled when Rick insisted that he needed her. It was all a ruse arranged by Tyree before he knew she had plans, so Chloe offered to help him.
Ever since receiving the call from Richmond, Mia had been at his side unless they were in their offices. He was fine with her being gone as long as she was with Rick, Miguel, or Rock. He hated it, but she had also been spending time with Jake. He knew no matter how he felt about him, Jake still cared for her and would look out for trouble. They hadn’t really gone anywhere. They just had food brought down to the house and hung out watching TV. This had been going on for the past two weeks or so, and he had come to terms with the fact that they were going to be friends.
“So, did you get everything squared away with the caterers? I know the last time we talked there was an issue.”
“Yeah, they got it after the tenth time of being told. It had to be perfect. It’s how it was the first time.” He had ordered the same cake they had at their first wedding reception, which she’d loved. It was a white chocolate cake with strawberries. The cake part was flavored to taste like chocolate, and she was crazy about it. She always raved about it and said she wished they could have had it the second time, but he was unable to give it to her. This time, he made sure they knew exactly what to do.
“Great. It sounds delicious.”
“I hope so. I swear I didn’t know how much went into this kind of thing. It’s no joke.” He saw a distant look on Chloe’s face and stopped what he was doing. “Hey, you okay?”
Snapping out of her trance, she looked up with a forced smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You know you can talk to me, right? I know I’m not Mia, but I have been known to be a good listener.”
She looked at him for a second and then dropped the invitation she was holding. “I look at your lives, at you, and wonder why you guys are giving me the time of day. I mean, your families are two of the wealthiest in Atlanta, and you have all kind of options I could never dream of. I just hope I’m not your charity case.”
“Mia sees the good in people. When she looks at you, she doesn’t see someone who doesn’t have anything. She sees a sweet and wonderful person who happens to remind her of someone she lost. She sees so much of her sister in you, and despite the similarities, she also sees the differences and appreciates them.”
“How do I resemble her? She was rich and beautiful.”
“Your kind nature, your ability to smile despite all life has thrown at you. Janelle was a fighter, and she was so much fun. She brought out a side of Mia that I see when she talks about you.”
“I guess I just wonder what I did to deserve you guys caring about me so much.”
“Look at what you’re doing right now. You’re eight months pregnant, but you’re here helping me put together her party. I’m sure you’re tired, and little man is probably wearing you out, but you still came because you knew I needed help.”
“Tristen.”
“Huh?”
“His name is Tristen. Tristen Tyree Davis.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You and Mia have made me feel more welcome than anyone I’ve met since I moved here. Without you guys, I don’t know where we would be. Probably in a cardboard box,” she joked. “It’s a small gesture, but I hope you like it.”
“I love it. I’m stunned. I don’t know what to say.”
“You could say thank you,” said another voice.
He looked up to see Whitney standing in the doorway.
“And if I were you,” she continued, “I would hide all this stuff because your wife is about to walk through the door.”
“Damn. Go stall, Whit. Chloe, you help me get rid of the evidence.”
Tyree and Chloe pushed everything back into the boxes they came out of, and Whitney rushed over to keep Mia away from the dining room. She was only able to hold her off for two minutes before she came barreling through the door. When she arrived in the dining room, Mia looked around, trying to find any clue about what they were doing, and only saw Chloe and Tyree sitting at the table, laughing. She walked over and took a seat on his lap and gave Chloe a simple smile.
“You’re early, kitten, I thought you had at least a few more hours.” He said this, meaning he had instructed Rick to keep her for a few more hours. He knew he had probably tried and she put up a fight to get home. He knew her too well to think otherwise.
“He didn’t want anything really. I think he’s just trying to watch me, like someone else I know.” She narrowed her eyes at him and smirked. “I have told you both that I’m fine. If he comes anywhere near me, I have my stun gun.”
Laughing, Whitney took a seat next to her. “You have to get close to use it. What if he has a real gun?”
“Oh, you hush up, Benedict. I know they sent you to watch me too.”
“Actually, they sent me for us to watch each other. They still think he wants to kill me too.”
Tyree placed his hands on Mia’s thighs and gave them a squeeze the other girls didn’t miss. “Look, I’m not about to argue with either one of you. If we say stay together, we mean stay together. I don’t know why it’s so hard to get you women to follow directions.” His tone was comical, and he pulled Mia in for a brief kiss. “Besides, you were the ones complaining about not getting to go anywhere without me.”
“Uncle Ty, you are so not my favorite person right now,” Whitney teased and stood, smacking him on the head. Tyree was surprised by her playful gesture, but he had to admit it was a pleasant change. It was as if she had been able to sense his discomfort and stayed away. Now, things seemed to be falling back into place.
“It’s okay. You think everyone likes the president? Obama has haters coming out of the woodwork, but do you ever see Michelle disrespecting him in public?”
“So you’re the president now?”
“In this house, yes.” He grinned and held his breath, waiting for it. He looked at Chloe and saw her laughing as they both waited to see which one of the ladies would strike back. When Mia sat up, he knew she had something, and he closed his eyes waiting for it.
“Bullshit.”
“What was that, foul-mouth wife of mine?”
“I said bullshit, clearly delusional husband of mine.”
“You see, this right here is why we got divorced the first time.”
“What, you’re an ass?”
“No.” He smirked. “You have no respect for a real man. I put in the work around here to keep us all safe. Now give me my props, woman.”
Mia tilted her head to the side with her finger on her chin. She sat there pretending to be thinking before letting out a boisterous laugh. “All right, you win. Who could ever argue with a face like that?”
“No one.” He turned his face up, causing the other two girls to break into laughter.
“Well, okay, I think it’s time for me to head on home,” Chloe said, standing from her seat. “I’m feeling a little tired now.”
“Well, come on, I’ll drive you. You don’t need to be taking a cab.”
“Tyree, really, I’ll be fine,” she protested.
“No, please, Chloe, let him take you. It’s no trouble, really.”
Whitney watched for a second before she threw her hands up, stopping the three-way argument. “Look, I’m heading back to see my mom, so how about I take her? That way the president and first lady can have their alone time.”
“Smart ass,” Mia hissed.
Whitney stood waiting for her answer and placed her hands on her hips. “Well?”
“If it’s not too much trouble,” Chloe said quietly.
“It’s not. Let’s go.”
Whitney grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the door, and they disappeared into the living room. When they heard the door shut, Mia turned to Tyree, wrapping her arms around his neck. “So, Mr. President, what’s on the agenda for today?”
“Sex in the Oval Office,” he laughed, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder.
“What if I say no?”
“You can’t. My house, my rules.” His hands crept up her thighs, and he felt a warm sensation shooting through him.
“Damn, I think I like these rules.”
“You better.” Once he reached the bedroom, he dropped her on the bed and kicked the door shut. “Lights on or off?”
“I want to be able to see the flag to salute it, Mr. President.” Her voice was low and seductive as he stood unbuttoning his shirt.
“On it is.”
“I think it will be fun, but you can spank me if I’m wrong. Uumh, I really hope I am.”
“Damn, Mrs. First Lady, how can I argue with that?”
“You can’t.” He dove over her body, smothering it with kisses while she purred in his ear. Completely blocking everything else out, Tyree drowned himself in her and got lost in the sensations expelled from her mouth. Burying himself inside her, he knew he was home. No matter what happened, she would always be home to him.
* * *
The car ride between the girls was awkwardly quiet. Chloe kept flipping through her cell phone while Whitney drove and glanced over every so often, waiting for her to say something, anything at all. After over ten minutes of silence, Whitney cleared her throat and Chloe looked up. Gripping the steering wheel tighter, Whitney looked over in her direction.
“So, how do you like Atlanta?”
“It’s cool. Most of the people I’ve met seem nice.”
Whitney offered a small grin. “You know, I never caught where you moved here from.”
Up until then, Chloe had been half in the conversation. When she heard that statement, Whitney saw her head jerk to the side, and her phone was discarded in her lap. Not saying a word, Whitney just watched her, staring her down.
“You couldn’t catch something I didn’t throw your way.”
Whitney wasn’t prepared for her response. Actually, it took her by surprise. “What’s with all the hostility? I only asked you a question.”
“I know where your questions are leading, and I’d rather we skipped this part.”
“If you think so little of me, why accept my offer to give you a ride?”
“I didn’t want to inconvenience Mia or Ty. I could tell they wanted some time alone, and I’d rather not fight with them about it.”
“Ty, huh? If you don’t mind me asking, what are your intentions with my aunt and uncle? They are good people, and I don’t want someone taking advantage of their kindness.”
“I know what this is.” Chloe let out a sarcastic chuckle. “You’re a little jealous someone else can be of help to Tyree. You’re used to him coming to you. I could see the way you turned up your nose at me the other day at the office.”
Chloe and Whitney had run into each other while she was helping Tyree with the party plans. They had met several times before in passing, but that day was the first time they ever stopped and had a conversation. To say it was a pleasant one would be a lie. The circumstances they met under were questionable, to say the least.
Whitney felt like she was only looking out for her aunt and uncle. She had seen them through too many rough times to let some random girl come in and blindside them. She wanted to know all there was to know about this girl, and she was going to start by knowing exactly where she came from and what brought her to Atlanta. She wanted to know just what it was that brought her into their lives.
“I wasn’t looking at you like anything. It was an honest mistake, and I apologized. Can we move past it?”
“Move past it to what? A friendship? You accused me of trying to steal from your family the first time we met. You don’t like me, and I don’t trust you. I know you want to put on this protective rant, but I don’t have time for your games.”
“I’m not playing any games, I swear. I want to know that you are around them for the right reasons. I apologize for making the wrong assumption about you. Can’t you understand that I’m looking out for them? They are great, and they don’t deserve the things people have done to them, the lies they’ve been told.” Whitney got a look on her face and glanced down for a second.
She saw Chloe’s expression grow softer, and she felt like they were making progress. “Look, I get it. Mia and Tyree are great, and you want to be protective, but I’m not out to hurt them. When I say they really helped me and all I want is their friendship, I really mean it. I’ve never known kindness like theirs except once before in my life. I’m grateful, nothing more.”
“And naming your kid after him? You’ve only known them a few months. Why give your child his name?”
“He is strong. In the time I’ve known them, so many things have happened that could have broken what they had, but he didn’t end up walking away. I’ve never seen him treat Mia with anything but love. I know they’ve had their problems, but that kind of devotion can only come from great strength. I want my baby to have at least an ounce of that.”
“You really mean that, don’t you?”
“Yes. I don’t admire them for the things they have. I couldn’t care less about all that. I admire them for the people they are inside. The caring people who opened their hearts and home to me and my baby without knowing a thing about us: that’s who I care about. I don’t know how to repay them.”
“Naming your baby after Uncle Ty made his day. You know when Kyan was born, he said he didn’t care what his name was as long as he got his son, but I think he secretly wanted a kid named after him.” She smiled at Chloe, and she finally smiled back. “Now he has one.”
“He does.” She ran her hand over her protruding belly. “You know, maybe I was wrong about you. I get defensive because it’s all I know how to be. I wasn’t always this tough, but life changed me. I’ve made some bad choices, and they cost me.”
