Haywood Millionaire Series: Box Set Books 1-5

by Zi'ere

  I screamed to myself.

  At the end of five hours spent in the mall I had racked up thousands in labels. John, the clothes whore had more bags than me and Mama combined! I wasn’t present for all of the purchases but he did ask my opinion on a few items, which I thought was odd because I didn’t have another gift worthy occasion coming up any time soon. My mom decided to cop mother-daughter matching rings that ended up setting my dad back over ten grand in addition to the almost the five digit amount she spent on shoes & clothing that had nowhere to go in the warehouse sized closet she maintained. My dad opted to have the bulk of our purchases shipped to the big house. There was no way the seven of us could fit in the truck with all the shopping that had been done. Mama and I did manage to find suitable gowns for the ball that was scheduled to take place in a few weeks.

  “D, can I use your phone? Mine died a while ago.” I was still on a need to know mission regarding who he had been texting all day.

  “Baby, do we need to get you a spare battery or maybe even another cellphone altogether. I don’t like your phone being dead like that.” My dad held a look of worry as he spoke.

  “No sir. I have a spare battery in the truck; I just don’t feel like going to get it right now.”

  “Here.”

  Darrell handed me the phone, then turned in the opposite direction to look at a suit combo on display. I really wanted to use his phone to attempt Angel. I had to know if she was talking to my brothers & not me, or if she was not talking any of us. Before I could finish keying in her number a text message popped up with Angel’s name labeled as the sender. One eyebrow immediately raised as I opened the message and it settled at the end of a continuous conversation.

  Angel: “I just got back from dropping the kids off to my parents. I’m going to get some rest before I prepare to see you tonight.”

  Why would Angel be seeing Darrell alone on a Saturday night when the kids were away?

  I couldn’t help myself, I had to know the extent of their relationship.

  Darrell/Steph: “You know I’m going to be with my brothers & sister this weekend. How am I going to see you?”

  Angel: “I will just bump into you guys where ever you end up at, just like normal. Are you going to sneak out to stay the night with me?”

  Darrell/Steph: “I can’t”

  Angel: “I’m so used to sleeping with you now babe, how am I supposed to sleep tonight?”

  My head was spinning to no end. That deceitful, spiteful floozy was really sleeping with my brother! She wasn’t lying about their relationship! Darrell was mating with a trick who only wanted his money! How long had this been going on? How could he sit and grill me when he had this bull going on in his personal life? Angel was telling the truth, for once in her life she had told the truth.

  Darrell/Steph: “I’m not going to be able to get away. Something is going on with Baby Steph & I have to be there for her”

  Angel: “You are always with Baby! You’re seriously going to brush me off for Baby?

  Darrell/Steph: “You are not on the same level of importance as my only little sister! Of course I would choose Baby over you”

  Angel: “Glad to know that! You can start fucking Baby then!”

  Oh- really? She really went there?

  Angel: “Look, I’m sorry. Can you at least put some money in my bank account? I need to get some things for the kids.”

  Darrell/Steph: “Baby just spent all my cash”

  Angel: “Darrell! Why would you do that? You know I need that money! Baby didn’t need to go shopping that damn bad! Why couldn’t Greg pay for her stuff?”

  Darrell/Steph: “When did you start being so disrespectful towards my family?”

  Angel: “I’m over here suffering & ya’ll just living it up! You need to bring me the $20,000 you promised by 7pm tonight or I am going public about our engagement”

  That did it! I couldn’t take anymore.

  “Mom, can you hold Darrell’s phone? I need to use the restroom before we leave.”

  I screwed my face into a normal stare so that she wouldn’t be able to see my true feelings. I then walked in the direction of the restrooms but instead of going thru the door marked girls, I calmly walked right past it.

  22

  On the opposite side of the mall I found the information desk and obtained a number for a private transportation company. I made arrangements to be picked up from the mall and transported back to Chandler. It would cost a pretty penny to expedite the pickup time & travel the equivalent of going into another state but I wasn’t concerned because I had the cash to cover it. I hid out in the shipping & receiving zone while I waited for the car so that I could not be spotted by my family. Ten minutes after I had walked away from my family my cell phone started lighting up from my loved ones with continuous calls. I couldn’t answer, if I talked to anyone who knew me I was sure I would break down.

  How could Darrell ask such a conniving female to marry him? How could he ever let her manipulate him into a situation ending in her blackmailing him? I gave her whatever she needed. I could have made her work for every penny I spent on her & my god babies but I didn’t. I thought she loved me and my family. No, she was trying to get twenty grand tonight! How much had Darrell given her already? She did a one hundred, eighty degree turn on him in less than five minutes. How could she go from wanting to make love to him & him spending the night to ensuring she got that twenty grand on a Saturday night? She didn’t give a damn about nobody but herself! She’d called my dad by his first name! She’d only viewed my family as a means to an end for her financial worries. She was so disrespectful!

  As I settled into the back of the Lincoln Town car that was going to be my ride home, I thought about how worried my parents must be by then. Whatever grief they would experience now would be far less than the grief of witnessing me and Darrell go round for round in a public place. I really wanted to lay hands on Darrell & Angel. The best thing for me to do was to get as far away from them as quick as possible. Then the realization struck that Terrell, John, and Carlos had to have known about this situation. The four of them doesn’t make one move without discussing it amongst each other. Even the one night stands were conversed in a huddle before one of the Haywood boys scurry off to a secret location to knock her down. I contemplated letting my first stop be on Angel’s doorstep to pay her the measly twenty grand and stump a mud hole in her ass! I knew she would surely press charges on me instead of taking what she had coming. Above my desires, reason still took prescience- Gregory Haywood’s only daughter could not have a mug shot!

  My head was spinning and throbbing. I requested the driver pull into a convenience store so that I could get something for a headache and a fountain drink. As I paid the cashier for my & the drivers snacks, I caught wind of the small screen behind the counter. My picture was displayed on breaking news stating I had been abducted from the Galleria mall! They’d reported me missing. My parents were going to be pissed when I was found alive and well. I wished I had been missing for real. Once I had taken the aspirin I began to nod off. Too quickly thereafter the car stopped in front of my home. The driver helped me out of the car & I offered to let him freshen up before he attempted to make the drive back to his home. He declined so I paid him in cash plus a generous tip. I secured my home by alarm and moved to my bathroom. I ran a lavender chamomile bubble bath in the jet tub. After I caught myself dozing off to sleep again while in the tub, I finally cleaned myself up and dragged my body into my bed.

  Hours later in the before dawn hours a soft knock on my bedroom window awakened me. I could faintly make out Ced’s voice calling my name and telling me to let him in. Barely able to distinguish my movement’s I made my way to the front door where Ced stood patiently waiting.

  “Baby, I’ve been worried sick about you! Your picture has been all over the news! What happened? Why does your family think you’re missing? Why is your phone off? Did you forget you were supposed to call me back? Baby, what’s
wrong?” Ced bombarded me with questions.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back, I had major family problems today.”

  “Major problems, Steph? Your family has reported you missing! Something told me there was something more than that going on; that’s why I had to come check on you.”

  I stood with my back against the wall, my hands went up to my face and I began to cry. Ced grabbed my right hand and lead me in the direction of my bedroom.

  “Which room were you sleeping in?”

  I responded by stepping in front of him leading him to the master suite. I climbed back into bed while Ced took off his shoes sitting on the opposite side of the bed.

  “You have to call your parents Baby.”

  “I know that I should but I can’t right now.”

  Ced climbed beside me on the bed and pulled me into his arms. Inhaling his smooth scent I was soothed into a deep slumber yet again. We both were awakened by my doorbell being rung back to back. I threw the covers back forcefully, letting out a heavy sigh, knowing full well all 5 of my dads were at my front door.

  23

  “No matter what happens do not unlock this door or come out of this room until I come to get you myself, okay Ced?”

  “I’m not hiding out like a scared little boy Steph!”

  Standing firm, I calmly closed my eyes and exhaled, “please just let me handle this one thing, please Ced.”

  “Yeah, ok Steph. You know you don’t have to do this alone right?”

  “This situation is not about you and I right now and your presence here will only make it worse. Just trust me on this one thing, please.”

  “Ok”

  I twisted the lock on the door knob and closed the door tight, double checking to make sure it was locked. I then made my way to the front door yet again, not really understanding why one of them had not used their key. When I yanked open the door, I immediately knew the answer. Ced’s custom black on black Yukon Denali was parked in my circular driveway.

  “Now why did he have to drive that truck over here” I mumbled to myself.

  “Baby what in the world is Cedric’s truck doing parked in your driveway?” None other than my daddy Terrell demanded first.

  My father shot him a sideways glance then stepped in front of him.

  “Baby, we have been worried sick about you! We know the real reason you left the mall but I cannot understand how you would inflict that kind of pain on us not knowing if you were safe or not. Your mother is absolutely beside herself! Then I get here and not only are you safe; but you have been entertaining as well.” My father’s voice came out even and sharp.

  “Daddy, I….”

  “Stephanie I can’t believe you would let a man come between the sisterhood you and Angel share!”

  “Sisterhood? Daddy, I can assure you that whatever version you heard about this mess is not the truth and nothing but the truth.” I shot daggers towards Darrell as I spoke.

  “Baby Steph, why is that truck in your driveway?” The four of them comprehending that there was finally a man in my life they couldn’t intimidate was a struggle.

  I could see the shock in their eyes. I hated that Daddy had to find out about Ced like this but I was still grateful he was present to keep his sons in check.

  “Is Cedric in your house while you are in your pajamas?” Carlos spoke up then.

  All of a sudden a set of hands picked me up off my feet and set me back down, allowing access into my home. They all scattered like rats in search of Cedric’s body. Darrell had made it to the second bedroom before my screams halted all five of them.

  “You bombard your way into my home questioning me like the police about someone who’s track record would set them up as an angel compared to that piece of trash you have been sleeping with for God knows how long Darrell? You have no right to tear into my home this way!”

  “What is she talking about Darrell?” John asked.

  Four sets of eyes and ears awaited his answer.

  “You said you were not involved with Angel & that she was just trying to upset Steph about Cedric! What is going on between you and Angel?” Terrell demanded.

  “You mean to tell me you let us believe this whole situation wasn’t about Cedric and you were keeping secrets as well?” My daddy was fuming. “Darrell answer me right now! What is going on between you and Angel?”

  Darrell leaned his back against the wall.

  “I will tell you what’s going on, he let that sad excuse for a woman and friend get close enough to him to trick him into sleeping with her! Now she is blackmailing him for money in exchange for not telling us they are engaged to be married! She demanded twenty grand from him yesterday!” I’d had enough.

  “D, Angel is like our sister. You mean you smashed then you asked her to marry you?” John could no longer stand by mute.

  “You slept with our sister Darrell?” Carlos spoke more to himself than any of us.

  “I would never ask that woman to marry me! Well, technically I did- in the heat of the moment it slipped out! But, ya’ll know she has been with every other man in the state whose last name isn’t Haywood! There is no way I could marry a woman like that and you all know that!” Darrell defended himself.

  “What do you mean she’s been with every other man in the state?” Dad was finding out all the dirty secrets we’d managed to shield him from for years.

  “I thought she was still with the kid’s father, what happened to him?” I pinched my nose, closing my eyes at the same time to hide the shock that Daddy thought all of Angel’s kids had the same father.

  “AND you smashed knowing that she had been with Trevor! Guess ya’ll were too busy to let me in on that viable information! But what you did was set me up for her to hurt me by throwing hot grease on me!” I was beyond pissed.

  “D, for real dude?” Terrell was back in.

  “See, I knew it! You always do this foolishness, D! You can’t have these females thinking they are going to be the one and only Mrs. Darrell Haywood in the middle of sex! They wake up attached and full of expectations for you to carry out everything you said the night before! ” Carlos screamed at Darrell.

  “Except this time he has upgraded her life! She has a new car and a massive ring!” I threw in.

  We’d all managed to jump all over dad’s questions.

  “Hold up, I have not given Angel a ring or car! But, she is pregnant with my child” Darrell let out.

  “What!” It came out in perfect synchronization from dad, Terrell, John, Carlos, and me at the same time.

  “Angel is twelve weeks pregnant with my child. The money she asked for was to get her bills caught up.”

  “I swear this shit gets better and better by the second!” John let out.

  “You will not know for sure if she is indeed carrying your child because she is trying to pin that baby, if there is even a baby, on me!” we all turned to see Ced standing at the end of the hallway.

  “That girl is like a STD, she’s the gift that keeps on giving!” Carlos exclaimed.

  Ugh! Why was no one listening to me anymore? I politely asked him to let me handle this, I stressed to myself as I gritted my teeth.

  “What do you mean she’s trying to pin a baby on you? You’ve slept with her too Cedric? Tell me the truth right now!” I pierced my eyes at Ced.

  I knew without a doubt I would insist my brothers took him out back if he had indeed slept with Angel and had the gall to sleep with me too.

  “So you mean to tell me my soon to be daughter in law has had sexual relations with my soon to be son-in-law & natural born son? Our family name will be the laughing stock of this state!” my dad exploded jumping all over my questions.

  “Excuse my tongue sir but, hold on now Baby!”

  “Don’t call her Baby! She is not your Ba-“ Terrell made a move closer to Ced.

  His brothers all shifted to stand behind him. Ced continued talking as if he had not heard a word Terrell had said.

  “I
never had any kind of sexual contact with Angel. Never, Ever. I couldn’t tell you for sure if she was really a man or not! She called me to say that she would make sure to let the world know we were excited about the new addition to the family if I asked Steph to marry me. She stressed over and over that Steph would certainly stay away from me if she knew Angel was carrying my child. Now the part about me being your son-in-law is very true, I did propose to your daughter. And she did accept.”

  “What!” Perfect unison once again.

  All eyes were on me, there was nothing to be ashamed of so I straightened my back and held my head high.

  “Goodness, this is going to be too much for my precious Anna to take.”

  “Mama already knows about my engagement.”

  “What!” Perfect unison again.

  This time Daddy shoved his hands into his pants pockets and began to walk around in a circle. He stopped short and looked Ced square in the eyes.

  “Just explain to me why you are in my baby’s home at such a questionable hour? Baby Steph are you pregnant too?”

  “Daddy, I-“ I couldn’t find my words quick enough before Ced cut me off.

  “Sir, I apologize but after Steph failed to contact me last night I needed to make sure she was okay so I drove out here to check on her. All I did was hold her while she slept fully clothed and so was I.” Ced gave my father a heartfelt explanation that was very true.

  “Baby Steph get dressed, you will be going to the big house with us so we can sort all this mess out. Son, you can put your shoes on because you are coming with us as well. I will not have the women in my family hurting any longer than they have to, including Angel. Darrell, call Angel and tell her I said to get herself and my grand-kids to the big house as soon as possible! Be sure to iterate to her, that she had better beat me there- not meet me there!”

  “Yes sir!” Another spill of perfect unison.

  “John, Carlos, Terrell- do any of you have anything you would like to share that we don’t already know? This is the last day there will be discord and secrecy in my family!”

  “Uh, dad I have something I need to say…” John separated himself from his brothers and moved out of arms reach of Daddy.