by S. K. Hardy
Jerra was right, she knew practically everything there was to know about him, but when it came to opening up about his feelings regarding certain parts of his past, he was quick to shut her out. He’d dealt with Tina’s abandonment by not dealing with it, internalizing the hurt and the anger, forbidding anyone from even mentioning her name for years.
He always told himself he didn’t care to know who his father was, but it was natural to be curious. When Tina finally gave him a name, his heart had sped up for a few brief moments. It had taken thirty-four long years, but he finally knew his father’s name. Not only that, but he had a brother… ironically, a brother that both his mother and his father had wanted desperately.
Darrell bowed his head and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He flinched as his thoughts took him in an even more painful direction: Why didn’t they want him like that? What was so bad about him that they didn’t want him the way they had Lorenzo? As hard as it was to admit it, he agreed with the haunting voice that whispered the answer in his ear that they hadn’t wanted him because he wasn’t good enough. It was as simple as that.
His hands flexed open and closed. He wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t good enough. He…wasn’t…good…enough. The words repeated themselves in his head like an energetic drum cadence, gaining volume and momentum until something inside of him snapped. Turbulent emotions he’d kept buried deep down inside came barreling to the surface. A harsh, raw sound unfurled from his throat. Rearing back, he slammed his fist into the wall in frustration, pounding it again and again, grunting each time he came in contact with it.
“Darrell, stop it! Darrell!”
He ignored Jerra’s horrified screams, welcoming the physical pain because it gave him something else to focus on; it would eventually heal. But the emotional and psychological pain…not so easily. The things, or rather, people, who contributed to it–namely Tina and Isaac–were irreversibly connected to who he was. They’d both had a hand in shaping his past and were factors in his present. He didn’t want them to continue to influence his life like that. He wouldn’t let them.
“Darrell, please!”
Finally, the fear in Jerra’s voice penetrated the haze of fury that surrounded him, allowing his present surroundings to replace the past he’d been momentarily swept up in. Breathing heavily, Darrell blinked and stared at the massive hole in the sheetrock with a sense of satisfaction. His eyes went to his fist, which was smeared with blood from multiple cuts and abrasions. The persistent throbbing in it told him that it was going to hurt like hell in a few minutes. Good. That he could deal with.
He glanced at Jerra as she hurried to his side. Her fingers trembled as she lightly touched his hand. “Why did you do that? It’s probably broken.” She grabbed his arm and tried to steer him towards the bathroom while frantically calling out to Tina over her shoulder, “Can you please go and put some ice in a towel and bring it up here?” She turned back to Darrell. “As soon as I get dressed I’m taking you to the emergency room.”
“I don’t need any ice.” Darrell threw the words at Tina in a cold voice, but she rushed out of the room to get it anyway.
Hissing impatiently at Jerra’s hovering, he pulled his arm away as gently as he could. He must have been way off the mark, because she lifted a sculpted brow and glared at him in reproach.
Darrell swallowed a sigh and tried to get a grip on his temper. Though the evening had taken a positive turn a little while ago, it had gone to shit real quick. Should’ve listened to that little voice of warning in his ear and kept his ass at the condo, that’s what he should’ve done. Closing his eyes tightly, he pinched the bridge of his nose with his undamaged hand and tried again in as calm a voice as he could manage.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…I don’t need to go to the emergency room. I’ll just wrap it up. It’ll be fine.”
“But it might be broken.”
Darrell opened his hand with great caution. He let out a stifled curse because it hurt like a mothafucka, but he downplayed the pain to Jerra. “It’s not broken.”
“But–”
“I said it’s fine, Jerra.” He glanced at the doorway where Tina had been standing just seconds ago. The muscles in his jaw twitched as he thought about her lies. He needed to leave. He didn’t even want to look at her right now, and if he saw the slightest hint that she was even thinking about saying something to him…
“I’m outta here.” Darrell started towards the door.
“Darrell, will you just wait a moment?” Jerra hurried after him, half running to keep up with his long strides. She held on to the handrail as she flew down the stairs after him. “Darrell, please wait.”
“Nah, I gotta go because if…” He paused as Tina came hurrying from the direction of the kitchen. When she saw him, her steps slowed until she stopped.
The two of them stared at each other in silence. Darrell blazed a dismissive trail over her that caused her to press her lips together before she cut her eyes away from him. He shook his head in disgust. She had the nerve to be mad at him?
“Trippin,” he muttered as he swung the door opened and stalked out of the house.
Jerra stood in the doorway and watched him get in his car. “Darrell, don’t leave like this. We need to talk.”
“Not tonight, Jerra. I’m givin’ you your space. That’s what you said you wanted, isn’t it?” he snapped, looking back at her. “Matter of fact, I think we both could use some of that.”
He immediately regretted his harsh tone when a flash of hurt showed on her face, but it was quickly replaced with the remote expression she used when she was deliberately trying to distance herself. Recognizing it well, he scoffed and shook his head before slamming the car door shut. He knew he had no reason to be upset with her, but right now…he needed to be alone.
The car purred to life the moment he pressed the keyless ignition. Clenching his teeth at the pain that shot up his arms when he put the car in gear, he screeched out of the driveway and flew down the quiet streets of his gated community. Once he got to the highway, he opened the engine up, accelerating to dangerously high speeds that would no doubt get his ass thrown in jail if he got pulled over by Vegas’ finest buttholes.
They’d have to catch him first, he smirked as his foot bore down on the pedal. And that wasn’t happenin’.
Darrell drove like a bat out of hell for the next twenty miles or so, trying to talk himself out of the idea forming in his head. However, when it stubbornly took root and showed no signs of dying off, he blew out a long breath, acknowledging the fact that he may as well resign himself to the inevitable.
Taking a sharp right at the next exit, he pulled over to the shoulder of the highway. After putting the car in neutral, he threw his head back against the headrest and tried one more time to expunge his mind of the action he was about to take but it was no use. He wouldn’t rest until he knew the truth. Pulling out his cell phone, he navigated to the text Angel had sent him and Lorenzo. He stared at Lorenzo’s name and telephone number. Before he could change his mind, he placed a phone call that he hoped he wouldn’t come to regret later on.
“Hello?” Lorenzo answered on the second ring.
“Yeah. It’s Darrell.”
A slight pause after Darrell identified himself was the only indication that conveyed Lorenzo’s surprise. “What’s up?”
“I just called to see if your offer to, ah…” Darrell’s good hand curled up into a fist, but it was too late to turn back now. “I wanted to know if your offer to go back with you to New York was still good?”
It didn’t take Lorenzo but half a second to answer. Even though he was probably shocked as hell at the request, he hid it well. “Of course. What made you change your mind?”
“Just did some thinkin’.”
Lorenzo waited, but when that was the only explanation forthcoming, he said in a slightly amused tone, “Okay. Guess that’ll do it alright.”
Darrell’s words remained brusque. Now that he’
d decided to do this, he wanted to move on it. “When are you leaving?”
“Well, I was thinking about staying a couple of more days to talk to Tina, and…” He was quiet when he was interrupted by Darrell’s rude snort. “What’s that all about?”
“Nothin’, man. Let’s just say I doubt if Tina’s gonna be inclined to chit chat since she knows she’s been more or less busted.”
It took a moment for Lorenzo to respond. “What happened?” When Darrell remained quiet, Lorenzo quickly put two and two together. “You told her about the conversation you had with our father. I take it there’s some truth to what he said?”
Darrell scowled. He didn’t know how he felt about Isaac being referred to as his father as well as Lorenzo’s, but he decided to let it pass. “That’s the impression I got. Only one way to find out. If Isaac insists on me coming to New York to tell me his side of this damn nightmare, then now is as good a time as any.”
“When do you want to leave?”
“I’m ready now.”
“Now?” Lorenzo repeated in surprise.
“No time like the present.”
Lorenzo grew quiet on the other end, then asked, “Where are you?”
Darrell hesitated. “Drivin’ around.”
Lorenzo bit back an impatient sigh. Extracting information from Darrell was like pulling teeth but twice as frustrating. “Not much on words when you don’t feel like talking, are you?”
“Nope. When do we leave? If you not ready now, suit yourself. I’ll call and make a reservation for the first flight out.”
“Damn, just wait a minute. I don’t know about right this second, but we should be able to fly out early in the morning. I’ll call my pilot and tell him to get the plane ready.”
“Cool. Call me to let me know what time I need to meet you.”
“You alright, man? You sound kinda tense.”
“I’ll be better when I get this business out of the way. Once I do, I can finally put it behind me and focus on what’s important.” Which was his wife and his son.
He didn’t say the words out loud, but Lorenzo seemed to know what he meant. “I hear ya’. You have a beautiful family. You’re a very lucky man.”
“Most definitely.”
Darrell thought about the look Jerra gave him before he left. He didn’t know how ‘lucky’ she felt to be married to him right now, but when he got back he was going to make things right with her.
“Look, Darrell, if you’re out riding around and killing time before we leave, you might as well come to my hotel and wait.” Lorenzo sensed Darrell’s reluctance. “It’s just a suggestion, but it’s almost midnight now. Hopefully we can get out of here first thing in the morning. Just trying to make things easy.”
It didn’t take long for Darrell to think about it. Lorenzo was right. “Where are you staying?”
Lorenzo gave him the name of his hotel and room number.
“Bet. I’m not too far away. Be there in about twenty-five minutes.”
“See you then.”
CHAPTER 14
As Darrell walked through the opulent lobby of Lorenzo’s hotel, his thoughts remained occupied with the scene that had taken place an hour ago at his house. He barely glanced at the ultra-modern sculptures, trickling fountains, and ornate chandeliers as he headed towards the elevators.
Although casually dressed in jeans, boots, and a black short-sleeved shirt, he carried himself with a natural confidence that automatically drew the eyes of others he passed by, especially the women. Once he got to the bank of elevators, he waited impatiently. His eyes flickered over several people standing beside him, including a sultry brunette with dark brown eyes, and a beautiful blue-eyed blonde.
Darrell saw the blonde whisper something to the other woman while continuing to stare at him. Both women giggled, their hungry gazes taking in every inch of his sexy masculine frame. The invitation in their eyes was clear, but Darrell purposely looked away. His body language told them he wasn’t interested in what they were offering.
After everyone got on the elevator, Darrell pushed the floor numbers since he was the one standing next to the panel. Three stops later, the only occupants left were Darrell and the two women, who it seemed, were going to the same floor as he. When the brunette cleared her throat for what had to be the third time he sighed and finally looked at her, but didn’t speak. Her smile slipped a bit when she saw the indifference in his eyes. Both women had the appearance of high fashion supermodels; it was obvious they were used to men tripping over themselves in their presence. Darrell figured he was somewhat of an anomaly to them. They seemed confused, as if they didn’t know how to take his lack of interest.
“Um, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but we think you’re a very handsome man,” the brunette purred.
Darrell nodded slowly but his expression didn’t change. “Thank you.”
“Gorgeous eyes,” the blonde added flirtatiously. “Simply breathtaking.”
Darrell gave her a tight smile.
Suddenly the brunette gasped. “Oh my God, what happened to your hand?” she asked, horror illuminating her face.
Darrell glanced down at it, absently noticing that it was now quite swollen and discolored. “Just an accident.”
“You poor baby,” the blonde cooed as she moved to his other side, sandwiching him between the two of them. Pressing her breasts against his shoulder, she rubbed his back softly and blinked up at him with luminous baby blues, which he was sure usually got her anything she wanted. “Does it hurt?”
Nearly out of patience, Darrell wanted to ask her what the fuck did she think, but he bit back the sarcastic reply. It wasn’t worth the effort. He sent up a silent prayer of thanks when the elevator doors slid open seconds later.
“You ladies have a good night,” he told them as he stepped out. Without waiting on a response, he walked down the hallway, glancing at the room numbers searching for the one Lorenzo had given him. Turning his head slightly, he noticed the two women were a few feet behind him.
“Um, if you like, you can come to our room to let us take care of your injuries,” one of them called out to him. “Looks like we’re all going in the same direction anyway.”
“Yes, believe me, we know just how to make you forget all about that nasty old pain in your hand,” the other chimed in with a smile in her voice.
Darrell shook his head when he heard the girlish giggles that accompanied their invitation. Stopping in front of Lorenzo’s room, he knocked and waited. By the time Lorenzo opened the door, the women had slowed down to linger in front of it. When they saw Lorenzo, it was damn near comical the way they came to an abrupt halt and stared.
“Oh my God, there are two of them!” Darrell heard one gasp dramatically.
He didn’t even have to look to know it was the airhead brunette.
Lorenzo glanced from the two women to Darrell, his confusion clearly showing on his face.
“Don’t ask,” Darrell mumbled under his breath.
Lorenzo immediately got a grasp on the situation. Smiling, he folded his arms and leaned a shoulder against the doorframe.
Darrell’s teeth snapped together when he saw the mischievous gleam in his eye. “Don’t.”
Renzo’s grin only stretched wider in anticipation of having a little fun at Darrell’s expense. He switched his attention back to the two women. “Well, well, well, who do we have here, little brother? You shouldn’t have.”
“I didn’t,” Darrell growled, glaring ominously at Lorenzo. He wasn’t even going to address Lorenzo using the familial term ‘brother’.
Lorenzo cocked his head slightly. It was obvious he took great joy in needling Darrell. “Really? I’m crushed.”
“Brothers?” the blonde repeated. She and the brunette exchanged meaningful looks then preened and flipped their long, lustrous locks over their shoulders.
“How are you ladies doing tonight?” Lorenzo asked the question accompanied by a sexy smile.
Th
e brunette looked as if she was going to cream in her panties right there in the hallway, especially when both Darrell and Lorenzo turned eyes two different shades of grey their way.
“Oh my God, you have beautiful eyes just like your brother. Like, you’re both so totally hot! Oh my God!”
“I think God gets it by now,” Darrell muttered, his lips twitching when Lorenzo let out a low chuckle.
The brunette blinked up at Darrell in confusion. “Huh?”
“Never mind, sweetheart. Don’t hurt yourself.” Lorenzo straightened from the doorway and opened the door to let Darrell in. “We won’t keep you any longer. You lovely creatures have a good night, though.”
The blonde moved between them before Darrell could step inside. “I was just telling your brother that if he wanted to come to our suite, we could take care of his hand. You know, kiss the hurt away.” She licked her lips provocatively. “We would love for you to come too.”
But Lorenzo’s playfulness disappeared the moment he looked down and saw Darrell’s hand. “What the hell happened?” he frowned.
“Look, my hand is fine.” He felt like he had repeated that phrase at least twenty times already. He gestured behind Lorenzo. “Can I come inside or not?”
Having had his fun, Lorenzo opened the door wider and stepped aside. He laughed under his breath when Darrell pushed his way in, intentionally shoving Lorenzo out of the way.
“Asshole,” Darrell mumbled.
His smile still in place, Lorenzo winked at the women. “Well, since he’s being a party pooper, I guess this is goodbye. Night, ladies.”
The brunette pouted prettily, but the blonde was a little bit more aggressive. She placed a hand on the door to stop Lorenzo from closing it.
“Are you sure? I mean, you can still come if you want to.” She glanced at her friend who perked up at the suggestion. “We don’t mind sharing.”
Lorenzo’s heavy-lidded eyes did a slow crawl over their bodies. He half wished he was in the mood to take them up on their offer, but they weren’t the flavor he craved at the moment. “I’d better not. Thanks for the offer though.”
