Beating the Odds

by Sherrod Tunstall

  Aoki nudged her head, signaling for Brad to go down to the basement.

  Damn, they work for Taylor too? Everyone is settin’ everyone up, thought Brad, shaking his head.

  Brad pulled out the key, opened the door, and rushed down the stairs. Once he was down in the basement, he turned on the light and saw all of the kilos of cocaine and money. He went over to the money, nervously stashing as much as he could into the duffle bag. When the bag was full, he stuffed money into his front and back pockets. There was some in his socks, the front and back of his underwear, and also in his shoes. He had about ninety-five percent of the cash, damn near cleaning house before heading upstairs. On his way there, he spotted a 9 mm. He snatched that up then sneaked back upstairs to return to Diamond as promised.

  Chapter 27

  Dawn of a new Era

  The next morning, Diamond got ready for work as usual. She looked over at Brad, who was sitting on the bed, nervously counting and stuffing the money back in the duffle bag. He’d completely lost count, but he knew that there was enough money to last him and Diamond for a good while.

  As Diamond was putting her hair into a ponytail, she sat down next to Brad. “Brad?”

  He looked over at her. “What’s up, ma?”

  “Brad . . .” She paused. “Brad, I’m scared today. So many things are running through my mind that can go wrong. What if I get killed? What if you get killed? If something ever happened to you, I—” Diamond started to cry.

  Brad put his arm around her, pulling her close to his chest. “Baby, listen. Nothing is going to happen to you, or to me, for that matter. We gon’ be all right. Trust me.”

  He wasn’t so sure if that was true, but his words put a tiny smile on her face. “You promise,” she said.

  Brad wiped her tears away with his thumb and smiled. “I promise. Now, go do your thang, and we’ll meet up soon.” Brad rubbed her cheek and then her neck softly.

  Diamond placed her hand on his. She loved his touch, which was a feeling she had never experienced.

  They were so lost in each other that they almost didn’t hear the loud banging at the front door.

  “Damn, who is that?” Brad said, trying not to show how nervous he was.

  “One of Armand’s goons. He’s here to pick me up. If I’m not down in a certain amount of minutes, he’ll bang on the door like a damn cop. Gotta go. See you soon.” Diamond kissed Brad’s cheek. She got up from the bed, but before leaving her bedroom, which she hoped to see for the last time, she looked at Brad again. “I can’t thank you enough for coming into my life at the right time. I don’t know where we go from here, but I hope it’ll be somewhere where there is nothing but peace.”

  He smiled, hoping the same thing.

  Diamond walked out of her apartment, thinking, Good-bye, Hell.

  * * *

  An hour after Diamond left, Brad poked around the apartment, looking at how Diamond had been living. All Armand had provided for her was a roof over her head, clothes, fruits, vegetables, underwear, and a pot to piss in. Brad was sick and tired of eating fruits and vegetables. He did, however, eat a few grapes before stepping into the shower. He came out smelling like butterscotch and then put on Armand’s tan khaki shorts, a wife beater, and sneakers. As he was about to turn on the TV, a knock came at the door. Brad’s heart started to beat faster.

  “Brad, open up!” a male’s voice said on the other side of the door. “Hurry up, man, we gotta move.”

  Brad assumed it was Taylor’s people, preparing to get him and Diamond out of Brazil. He hurried to Diamond’s room to get the duffle bag with their future inside. When he went back and opened the door, his steps halted. His stomached tightened, and he finally felt as if it was all over with when he saw Sandino standing there.

  “San—” Brad was scared out of his mind. He figured that Armand had found out about him and Diamond’s planned escape, or the fact that Brad had a huge chunk of Armand’s fortune in the duffle bag. He wanted to reach inside of the duffle bag for the gun, until Taylor stepped in front of Sandino, telling Brad to relax.

  She removed her Fendi sunglasses. “Brad, meet my uncle Sandino. Uncle Sandino, meet Brad Carter. Oh, I forgot you two know each other already.” She laughed.

  “Uncle? You mean sugar daddy?” Brad said in a sarcastic tone.

  Sandino laughed a little, but Taylor rolled her eyes. “No, don’t get things twisted. My uncle, as in my godfather. Watch the sarcasm, because I could make a quick, anonymous call to the authorities and have them come get your big ass. You’ll then be in a shithole worse than you were before. I’ll have Armand doing anything that he wants to your li’l girlfriend, so remember not to burn your bridges, especially not with the one who’s giving you and Diamond your freedom.”

  Brad nodded and corrected himself. “Sorry. Please forgive me.”

  Taylor smiled. Now he knows who’s in charge of this operation.

  “Fine,” she said. “Come on. We have to pick up Diamond.”

  * * *

  Diamond was in the breakroom in back of the bakery, taking her fifteen-minute break. So many thoughts were running through her mind. Today could finally be the day she got her freedom. She didn’t know what to do with it or how to act. She didn’t want to go back to Belize until she was mentally ready. She also wondered what life with Brad would be like. Would the two of them stay together or decide to go their separate ways? She just didn’t know, but she was sure of one thing: The clock was ticking.

  Diamond took a sip of water, thinking of the good and the bad that would come as a result of getting her freedom. She also thought about what Armand would do once he discovered she was gone. Would he come after her? She was very fearful of that. She didn’t believe there was a place on earth where he couldn’t find her. Armand had taken so much from her. If anything happened to Brad, she would be devastated. He was her last chance of being completely happy, something she totally deserved. She had been through pure hell in the past ten years with Armand, and getting away from him would be her revenge.

  As she was about to take another sip of her bottled water, all she could hear were screams and gunfire from the work and lobby area. Diamond locked the door to the breakroom, making sure that no one was trying to kill her. She was petrified, hearing the loud gunshots and customers and workers screaming for their lives. Tears came from Diamond’s eyes.

  “Help me, pleeeeease!” one woman shouted. “Please don’t shoo—”

  More gunfire rang out, and the woman’s cries went silent. More screams and cries continued, and it broke Diamond’s heart when she heard a little girl calling for her mother.

  “Mommy, nooooo! Please don’t hurt my mommy anymore.”

  The little girl’s voice was silenced too. Diamond shielded her ears with her hand, and started praying. God, please don’t let them find me. Lord, I prayed to you all of my life for my prince to save me from Armand. I just want to get out of here safe and alive. Don’t allow my life to end like this. Please, Lord, please.

  Tears continued to stream down Diamond’s face, and after several more minutes, the gunshots and screams died down. Diamond took several deep breaths to get herself together. She wiped the sheen of sweat from her forehead, and then she slowly opened the door. Stepping out, she saw nothing but broken glass, mashed pastries, blood everywhere and dead bodies of even some of Armand’s goons, who were there to make sure Diamond never tried to escape.

  She carefully stepped over one dead body after another. Her legs shook, but before she could step any farther, a big hand was clamped over her mouth and she was dragged out the back door of the bakery. She tried to scream for her life and break away, but whoever was holding onto her was as strong as an ox. Then, in the alley of the bakery, was a black limousine. The limousine’s back door was opened. The stranger carried Diamond to the limousine, and someone pulled her inside as the stranger closed the door. The limousine took off.

  Inside of the limousine, Diamond looked up, and it was like t
he archangel Michael was in her presence. “Brad.” She hugged him tightly.

  He held her close, not wanting to let her go. Brad looked over at Taylor and Sandino on the other side of the limo.

  “So what happens next?” he asked.

  Diamond was still afraid. She was scared of Sandino. She thought he would tell Armand.

  Taylor helped to calm the wary look in Diamond’s eyes. “Relax, Rhinestone. Sandino is on my side. He’s my uncle.”

  Diamond still didn’t trust them, but she nodded anyway. “So, where are we going?”

  “First, I’m taking you to a remote location to stay for a day or two, until I get you to a safe place where no one will recognize you both.”

  Brad didn’t like the idea of that. He wanted to leave now. “Why can’t you get us a private plane today? Why do we have to stay here another day or two? I can’t take this anymore, and I want to leave now. Please help us leave now.”

  Sandino spoke before Taylor did. “Relax. I have to make a few calls to some friends to get a private jet for you. Just give me time. Me and Taylor are going to put you both in a safe area where no one will find you. It’ll have everything you both will need for a day or two. I promise you and Diamond will be off Brazilian soil forever. Okay?”

  Brad and Diamond looked at each other and then back at Taylor and Sandino. They had no choice but to agree. “Okay.” They held each other all through the ride.

  Within a few hours, they arrived in Santa Catarina, the southern part of Brazil, where it was mostly countryside, mountains, and the beach. The limo had pulled up to a small cottage that sat on twenty acres of land. The outside of the cottage was a mess, but the inside made up for it. The style was very modern, mixed in with traditional.

  “Okay, Big Boy and Rhinestone.” Taylor laughed at her little nicknames for Brad and Diamond. “This is where you will stay. No one will find you here. There’s fresh food in the pantry and the fridge. Brad, you will find some clothes and new underwear in there, so you can burn my husband’s shit up when you take them off. Diamond, you’re going to love the dresses. Have a good time. Don’t worry about anything, and enjoy yourselves. We’ll be back.” Taylor looked over at Sandino. “Come on, Uncle. Let’s leave the lovebirds.”

  Once Taylor and Sandino were gone, Brad and Diamond looked around the place. Everything looked legit to them, but they realized they didn’t have a TV, which was fine. All Brad cared about was that Diamond was now finally safe and free. They were together at last, and for the first time, they felt hopeful that this would soon be over. They’d be even happier once that private plane took them off Brazilian soil for good, but for now, they stood in the middle of the living room, hugging each other with tears in their eyes.

  * * *

  As the limousine was driving back to Rio, Taylor and Sandino laughed.

  “The destruction of Armand Castro begins tomorrow,” Taylor said.

  “Yes, and the family will rise again, and you will have Desmond.”

  “Yes.” Taylor smiled, thinking about Desmond. She looked over at her driver. “Can you drive a little faster? I don’t want to miss the fireworks.”

  “Yes, Ms. Monroe,” said the driver.

  Taylor crossed her legs, thinking about all that tomorrow would bring.

  Chapter 28

  A Taste of Freedom

  The next day was beautiful and sunny outside in Rio. Diamond was feeling better than she had in a long time, now that she had left Armand’s prison. She was in a comfortable cottage, looking over at the man who had saved her from her miserable life with Armand. He was so beautiful as he slept, although his snoring could wake the cows up. She got out of bed, went in the backyard, and noticed that it had a small garden of flowers. She picked a few before heading back to the cottage.

  She went into the kitchen to get a few grapes out of the refrigerator. She looked at the grapes then put them back when she saw a big chocolate cake. She cut herself a huge slice and grabbed two slices of turkey meat. She went in the freezer and got three scoops of vanilla ice cream.

  She then reached for a can of Coca-Cola. She took the plate of food and the flowers to the bathroom. It was very average looking, had marble floors, and was painted a peach color with a marble sink, toilet, and huge tub. She put her food and flowers down on the toilet seat. Turning on the water in the tub, she poured some bubble bath in.

  Once the tub was full, she put the flower petals in, took off her nightgown, and stepped into the tub. Letting the warm water relax her body, she ate some of her cake, ice cream, and a slice of turkey meat. She was so happy to be eating something that wasn’t nutritious. She laughed as cake crumbs fell into the tub. She lay back and closed her eyes, thinking about her future.

  Minutes later, the bathroom door opened, and Brad walked in wearing only sweatpants, with sleep in his eyes. He squinted to see Diamond’s naked body in the tub.

  “Oh.” He turned his head. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ll come back.” He slowly backed out of the bathroom.

  “Stop,” Diamond said with a laugh. “Come sit, but watch the plate.”

  Brad smiled as he put the half-eaten plate of food on the floor and took a slice of turkey. He was glad that she was eating more, and he predicted that she would be pretty thick in no time. He sat on the toilet seat, grabbed the washcloth, then dipped it into the sudsy water. Diamond leaned forward so Brad could wash her back.

  “Damn,” said Brad, licking his lips. He couldn’t believe he was washing his dream girl’s back.

  “What?” Diamond slightly turned her head.

  “Nothing. Just lean forward again.”

  She did. Brad was on cloud nine. He kept eyeing Diamond’s 38B breasts. They were perfect, and her nipples were rock hard. They looked like oversized Hershey’s Kisses waiting to be licked. Brad tried to control himself as he took the washcloth and slowly wiped Diamond’s beautiful, broad shoulders up to her neck.

  Diamond closed her eyes, thinking about how much she loved his touch. Being around Brad made her feel like a virgin all over again. She took his hand, kissed it, and guided it to her right breast.

  At first he was hesitant, but he massaged and caressed her breast tenderly.

  “Ahh,” Diamond groaned, also feeling another kind of wetness between her legs. “Oh my God.”

  Feeling the heat from her body, Brad could tell that Diamond was aroused, and it was starting to wake up the woody in his sweats.

  “Brad, can you get me a towel please.”

  “Sure.”

  He went over to the closet to get her a towel. When he turned around, he saw Diamond standing up in the tub. She looked even more beautiful, standing there naked and wet. She reminded Brad of that famous Botticelli painting, The Birth of Venus. He was completely lost in thought as he drooled over Diamond’s near-perfect sculpted body.

  “Are you going to stare at me all day, or are you going to give me that towel?”

  “I’m going to stand here and look at you.”

  Diamond laughed, and so did he.

  “Just kidding. Here you go.” He passed her the towel.

  “Thank you,” Diamond said, wrapping the towel around herself. Brad took her hand, helping her out of the tub.

  She glanced out the bathroom window, seeing nothing but acres of land. For a second, she thought about running away in the middle of the night. She didn’t know if she could trust Sandino and Taylor, but Brad seemed as if he surely did. She walked over to the sink, picking up the bottle of Oil of Olay lotion and leaving the bathroom to go in the backyard.

  Brad looked at her, wondering what the hell she was doing. He still had a woody in his sweats. The next thing Diamond did completely shocked Brad. She removed the towel, revealing her naked body to God and the trees. Brad followed her outside to watch.

  “Diamond, are you crazy? What if someone sees you? You never know. Someone could be watching us.”

  “Maybe so, but I don’t care.” Diamond gave Brad the lotion before la
ying the towel neatly on the ground. She then lay flat on her stomach.

  Brad examined her nice, firm booty. Right then and there he wanted to have sex with her. Diamond wasn’t a common whore, so he wanted to make love to her. He got on his knees, put a nice amount of lotion in his hands, and rubbed them on her shoulders.

  “That feels good.” Diamond turned her head to the side, looking at Brad with a smile.

  His hands traveled down her back and finally to his favorite part, her ass. Brad took his big hands and caressed her cheeks, using the tip of his middle finger for Diamond’s crack.

  “Mmmmmm,” Diamond moaned as she could feel more wetness between her legs.

  Brad noticed her cumming on the towel. He also noticed some spots on his pants from his pre-cum. Diamond slowly lifted up, and Brad moved back. She gazed into his eyes. Brad didn’t know what to think as Diamond softly touched his face. He kissed her hand. She pulled him closer to her, and they shared a romantic kiss. Brad wrapped his arms around her as he slowly leaned back, with her now on top of him.

  Diamond could feel his hardness. She stopped kissing him.

  “Brad, make love to me.”

  He stared at her with so much concern in his eyes. He could tell that she had been through a lot with Armand. He didn’t want to push or pressure her in any kind of way.

  “You sure? We don’t have any protection.”

  She kissed his chin. “I trust you.” She kissed him again. “Make love to me.” Diamond slightly lifted up so Brad could slide his sweats down to his knees. She looked at his eight-inch penis, appreciating the length and thickness “Be gentle with me.”

  “I will.” He positioned her.

  Diamond felt him slide inside of her. “Ahh.” Her mouth opened wide.

  Brad slowly grinded, holding on to her hips. “Ohhh, baby, yes . . .”

  Diamond leaned forward, and they shared a passionate kiss as Brad rubbed her back.

  “Ahhhhh.” Diamond released her fluids on Brad’s manhood. She’d never felt so good in her life.

  Brad sped up the pace, and many of their moans escaped into the air. “Ahh . . . yeah . . . oh . . . God, this feels so good.”