Deuces Wild

by Christina C Jones

“But my neighbors might—”

  “Fuck your neighbors,” he countered, before I could even present the full argument. He brought his hand back to my clit, with a sexy smirk that made any annoyance I felt evaporate as he, as promised, made my morning better.

  So, so much better.

  Afterward, we showered. While I tended to my hair, which couldn’t stay loose just because Cree liked it that way, he disappeared somewhere in my apartment. Once I was braided up again, I went searching, finding him in my kitchen again, this time preparing… oatmeal.

  I was getting ready to say something to him about it when an unfamiliar sound broke through the air – a sound I quickly realized was his cell phone on the counter, which he reached to answer.

  “Killa Cam, what’s up baby girl?” he answered, for who I assumed was his sister, Camille. Instead of being nosy, I went to find my own phone, surprised when I picked it up to see that I had several missed calls from Kingston, all within the last twenty or so minutes.

  Immediately, I called back.

  “She went into labor,” King said, in lieu of hello, once the call had connected. “We’re at the hospital, and Zora and mama are in there with her now, but I don’t… I don’t know what to do.”

  “Okay hold on,” I urged, frowning. “Asha went into labor? Isn’t it—”

  “Too early. Yes.” I heard him let out a frustrated groan. “It’s way too early. They’re trying to stop it, but they don’t think they can. And they have this mask on her, and she’s hooked up to these machines, and I… Ace… I cannot do this again.”

  “Calm down. Okay?” I asked him, knowing exactly what he couldn’t do again and why he felt that way. I’d never phrase it this way out loud, especially not to him, but he’d been one of Sebastian’s victims as well. Kingston’s first wife, Robyn, had fallen into an unfortunate situation with him, and ended up – supposedly – ending her own life, and with it, that of her unborn child. It was a loss King had taken hard, so for him to be in a position, albeit with much different circumstances – to lose a woman and child he loved again… it was scary.

  “I’m on my way,” I told him.

  I wanted to tell him that Asha and the baby were going to be fine, that everything would be okay, but this wasn’t a fairy tale. The reality was that women and children died in childbirth all the time, and those statistics were especially grim for Black women. I didn’t know if it would be okay, but I could hope.

  Once I got him off the phone, I immediately switched gears into getting dressed – this time I did go for my standard tank top and leggings, throwing a jacket on over it. I was putting on shoes when Cree showed up at the door, pulling on a shirt.

  “Camille told me about Asha. You heading down there?”

  I nodded as I stood. “Yeah, I… have to.”

  “I understand. You had disposable coffee cups, so I put some of the oatmeal I fixed in one for you to eat on the go.”

  My eyebrow went up. “Oh. Well… thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Temporary paralysis rooted my feet to the ground as he stepped into the room and approached me, wrapping me in one of his arms. “I need you to be careful, okay? After I talked to Camille, I got a phone call from Captain Santiago. He wants me to come in today.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, I got it under control. You focus on being with your family, and keeping yourself safe.” He brought his hand up to cup the back of my head as he leaned in, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Seriously.”

  “I will,” I nodded. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I know. But still.” He kissed me again, on the top of the head, and then lingered on my lips for a moment before he pulled away. “I’ll keep you updated.”

  “And I’ll do the same.”

  He left me there, with a clean kitchen and a warm feeling I couldn’t quite understand or explain. The way we’d woken up, and now the way we’d parted… The tenderness of it was completely foreign to me.

  But… maybe it wasn’t so bad to get accustomed to it.

  &

  By the time I discreetly made my way to the hospital and up to the Whitfield’s private suite, Kingston had calmed down, due to one major development – Asha had given birth to the baby. It had happened fast, once the doctor made the call to give up on trying to stop her labor and focus solely on the best possible outcome for mother and child.

  And now, both Kingston and Asha were resting after the chaos of their morning, Angela and Zora were taking up the two-person max for standing in the NICU to watch over baby KJ, and Daniel was in the private room alone… waiting. He was the one who had given me the updates. And though I knew this was supposed to be a happy time, a moment for celebrating his first living grandchild… there was no way I could pass up the chance to speak with him alone.

  Something had been nagging at me.

  “Daniel…,” I started, taking the seat directly next to him, and looking him right in the eyes. “I’m sorry, I know that this is inappropriate timing, but I don’t know that it can wait. I need to talk to you about something.”

  His eyes narrowed in concern, and he reached for my hand. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you okay?”

  “Um… yes and no. Did you know that I have a sister?”

  He pulled his head back, in what felt like genuine surprise. “What? No, not at all! How did you find her, when you were…”

  “Brainwashed by the Belrose family? Yeah, it’s a long story. And I believe it starts with something called The Collective. You’ve heard of that before, right?”

  Pushing out a sigh, Daniel slipped his hand from mine so he could sit back, his shoulders suddenly heavy. “I wondered when you’d come to me about this.”

  My eyebrows went up. “You did? What made you think I would?”

  “That notepad you were scribbling in the day I asked about your face. I saw the names on it. Saw that you’d written down The Collective. You’re a brilliant woman, Alicia. I knew you’d eventually connect it back to me.”

  “But it… does connect back to you?”

  He sighed again. “Unfortunately. But I hope you’ll allow me to explain, before you think too poorly of me.”

  “With as much as you and Angela have done for me, room for explanation is a given.”

  “It’s a courtesy that I greatly appreciate,” he said, sitting forward, with his elbows propped on his knees and his chin in his hands. “So I won’t bore you by dragging it on. As you well know, the Whitfield name is only what it is because of my father, and his father before him. They were business men of impenetrable quality, which was to be admired. The businesses they dealt with, however, weren’t necessarily on the up and up. Being a part of that world required a specific level of networking and protection, which my grandfather acquired by procuring a seat at a certain table.”

  I sat up a little straighter. “The Collective.”

  He nodded. “He passed that seat down to my father, and my father passed it to me. But, when I took the Whitfield reins, I vowed that I would do what my father and grandfather hadn’t been able to do – bring my family legitimacy.”

  “That’s why you purchased what’s now Reverie…”

  “Yes. Exactly. It took time, and investment, and… faith. But I did it. I pulled this family to a place where there’s nothing for the police to raid, no chance of us having everything stripped away. I wanted no parts of it.”

  “So you gave up your seat. And what happened to it?”

  “Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “When you give up a seat, you can gift it, or sell it, or essentially… have it reabsorbed. That seat goes away.”

  I frowned. “And so… that’s it? It just goes away, and you’re free and clear? No repercussions… concussions?”

  Daniel laughed. “No, Alicia. It’s not a street gang. If they’re satisfied that you’ll keep your mouth shut – and you will keep your mouth shut – you go on about you
r life, with a pledge of a single favor, from The Collective member of your choice.”

  My eyebrows went way up. “As in… a blood oath? Like on John Wick? A marker?”

  “Yes and no,” Daniel laughed again. “Less intense usually, but… no, not entirely different.”

  “Who did you choose?” I asked, meeting his eyes. “Do you still have your favor?”

  Depending on who he’d chosen, there was a chance that maybe, maybe, knowing that my sister’s life was on the line, Daniel might use that favor for me. It wasn’t until my mind stopped running with possibilities that I realized he still hadn’t answered.

  He was just staring at me, like he didn’t know what to say.

  But his silence said enough.

  “There was no lost bet, was there?” I asked, thinking back on the story I’d been given on how I came to be employed by the Whitfields in the first place. I’d always wondered about the details, but felt awkward bringing it up – the details didn’t matter anyway… or so I’d thought. I’d happily believed that someone high up in the Belrose family had lost a drunk wager, and put me up as collateral. I’d bonded over it with Asha, who had a horrifyingly similar experience, that had luckily gone her way.

  Just like this had gone my way.

  Angela and Daniel had taken pity on me, had written a large check to ensure my escape, and then hurried back to America with me, using forged papers.

  That was what I believed.

  But that… wasn’t true.

  The Belroses were the family they’d asked the favor of.

  And I was the favor.

  “Why?” I asked, appalled by the unfamiliar crack in my voice when I spoke. “You… lied to me. Why?”

  “Because I insisted.”

  I looked up to find Angela standing at the door to the waiting room, looking just as guilt-stricken as Daniel did, maybe more. She stepped in, moving to stand beside Daniel and placing a hand on his shoulder for support.

  “If you’re going to be angry with someone… be angry with me.”

  “Oh I have plenty to go around,” I snapped, pushing myself up from my seat as hot tears formed in my eyes. “All these years – damn near a decade – I’ve been here. You two are the closest thing to parents I’ve ever known, your son and daughter are like siblings to me, I… wait… did they know this?”

  “No,” Daniel answered immediately. “They believe what you believed. We kept it from all of you kids, because we… we didn’t think it prudent for you to know what The Collective was, when it was such sensitive information.”

  “But you were comfortable letting me believe that I was payment for a bet?”

  “It may not make sense now, Alicia, but it did then,” Angela insisted.

  I scoffed. “I’ll have to take your word for it. Why me? Was it because you knew who I was?”

  Daniel’s eyebrow went up. “Who you were?”

  Angela shook her head. “Darling, I was somewhere in a room with all the wives while the men were off talking business – so you know I was ready to hurt somebody, right? I got it in my head that I was going to stomp right into that meeting and show my tail… but you were one of the security guards. Barely old enough to drink – simply beautiful though. You stepped in front of me and looked me right in the eyes and told me “Sit your ass down before I snap you in half.”,” Angela laughed, even though her expression was pained. “And I sat my ass down, because I knew you could probably do it. I saw it in your eyes. But… that was the problem. You were too young, too beautiful, for that to be in your eyes. And I saw something else too… a lost little girl that I wanted to save. And so, when Daniel came to me to talk about the results of his appeal to leave The Collective, told me he was leaving without a favor, I told him no the hell he wasn’t. I couldn’t leave you there.”

  “I remember that,” I agreed, with a wry laugh. “I remember saying that to you. And please, don’t misunderstand me – I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. But it doesn’t change the fact that you lied to me. If I’d known this, then… hell, maybe I would’ve looked into The Collective sooner, and maybe I would’ve known about my sister!”

  Angela’s eyes bugged wide. “Sister?”

  “Yes, my sister,” I repeated. “Dacia Pelletier. I know her name, and now I know my real name, and my father’s name. It’s Adam, if you care.”

  Daniel frowned. “Adam Pelletier? The Liberian fur baron? He was killed in a home invasion, almost twenty years ago.”

  “Sixteen,” I corrected. “I was there.”

  It took a second, but understanding dawned for them at seemingly the same time. Almost instantly, Angela had her arms around me, and Daniel was close behind.

  As hurt as I was that they’d lied to me, there was no denying that the hug was exactly what I needed, so I didn’t pull away.

  “Darling, I promise you we had no idea,” Angela swore, cupping my face in her hands.

  “Yes,” Daniel agreed. “It was before my time with The Collective, but it was generally assumed that Adam’s kids had died. But you’re… right here,” he breathed, sounding amazed as he stared in my face. “And now that I know this, I can’t believe it got past me – you look like him.”

  My stomach flipped. “You knew him? My father?”

  “Well, we met him. Your mother too, before she passed,” Angela added. “Lovely, lovely woman. She was pregnant with you, but we never saw the baby.”

  Daniel chuckled. “No one did. Adam made sure of that, protecting your privacy. Keeping your names and faces out of the media – not as hard then as it would be now. I won’t pretend that I knew him well – only ever in passing, but he seemed to be a good man.”

  “Then why was he killed?” I asked, desperately hoping for an answer. “Do you know anything?”

  Unfortunately he shook his head. “No, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. I remember it being a huge shock, to everyone. Even made me overhaul our home security.”

  “Everyone? In The Collective?”

  “Again, it was before my time at the reins, so… I honestly couldn’t say. I wish I could.”

  I nodded. “I understand. I just… this is a lot to process in one day.”

  “It is,” Angela sighed. “We never meant for you to find out this way.”

  “You never meant for me to find out at all,” I muttered, childishly not caring that my words probably stung. “Sebastian Gray and Maxim Bissett… what is their connection to The Collective? To the Belrose family?”

  “None,” Daniel said, confidently. “Neither has the assets or social capital for a seat at the table. Maxim is an estranged cousin from the Belrose family – black sheep. And I have it on good authority that Sebastian is persona non grata, as far as the Belroses are concerned. About two years ago, he passed information to Police Nationale, trying to have them taken down. I’m honestly surprised he’s still alive, since they have beef.”

  I scoffed. “It’s never easy to kill a snake. They tried, trust me.”

  Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know? Alicia, I don’t know what you’re involved in, but—”

  “You remember where I was – what I was – when you found me. I can handle myself just fine, remember?”

  We were all saved from responding by King coming through the door of the room where he and Asha had been resting, into the private waiting room.

  “Ace, you made it,” he said, coming immediately to me for an embrace, oblivious to what had been happening before he came in.

  “Of course I came. Heard you’re a daddy now,” I teased, playfully slapping his chest as he grinned, those dimples making him look like a kid himself.

  “Have you seen him yet? He’s a little fighter, man. Came out kicking and screaming… and healthy. Thank God.”

  I beamed up at him, still hooked under his arm. “I’m happy for you. How is Asha feeling?”

  “She’s sleeping. Her ass is tough too.”

  “Well we already knew that,” I said. “When can I see he
r? And him?”

  “He’s right in the NICU waiting for you Auntie Alicia,” he teased. “Come on, let’s go see him.”

  “They’re bringing him,” Angela said, speaking for the first time since King stepped in. “Zora is still in there now, but I was coming to let you know, in case you want to wake Asha up. They want her to try to feed him, if she’s up to it.”

  Kingston blew out a sigh. “She’d kill me if I didn’t wake her up to let her try. So let me tend to that,” he said, squeezing my shoulder before he let me go. “We’ll make sure you get to hold him soon though Auntie Ace.”

  “Stop calling me that,” I fussed, grinning as he moved away, going to go check in with Asha. As soon as he was gone again, Angela and Daniel turned to me, both with apprehension in their gaze.

  “I hope you know it was never our intention to hurt you?” Daniel asked, stepping in front of me. “We love you, like our own.”

  I nodded. “I know that, Daniel. But it doesn’t change that you lied to me… even if you had good reasons. I might need a moment to deal with that.”

  “Of course,” Angela agreed. “We just… we’re sorry.”

  “Apology gladly accepted.”

  Once again, we were interrupted by the door opening, but this time it was from the other side. A nurse came in, wheeling an incubator that held Kingston Whitfield Jr, with Zora close behind.

  They were on a mission, I knew, but that didn’t stop me from rushing to see him.

  No one with a heart was immune to the charm of a newborn baby.

  Not even me.

  &

  It didn’t seem like it had been that long.

  I’d worked with LVMPD for years, yet it somehow still felt a little foreign, walking into the station after being gone for weeks. Most of the people I worked with had made a point of checking in with me, seeing how I was doing after Vivica’s death. Some hadn’t, but that was okay.

  I wasn’t honestly sure I trusted any of them.

  I stopped to speak to a few people I knew well as I headed to Santiago’s office, prolonging having to sit in a room across from the man. Knowing what I knew now, I was concerned about keeping my cool, worried that I might not be able to hold my peace if Vivica Russel’s name even crossed his lips.