Crossroads: An Anthology

by LaShaun, Elizabeth

  “Strip,” he told her without emotion.

  Montgomery was going to enjoy every moment of punishing Delia. She’d betrayed him and broken his heart. He genuinely loved her. In his heart, there was absolutely nothing fake or political about that love. Now he simply wanted to avenge the hurt.

  Delia complied and again awaited instruction. “Put this on,” he told her holding the condom. Again humiliated, she did what he instructed. “Get on your knees,” Montgomery barked, roughly pushing her down. She steeled herself for his assault, feeling him get to his knees behind her. What he did however pushed the loud scream from her mouth without thought.

  “Mmm, always wanted to fuck you in the ass,” he told her chuckling as Delia began to sob.

  He was hurting her in unimaginable ways with his wild thrusts.

  “Shut up, you’re messing up my nut,” he told her crudely. She closed her eyes tightly trying to block out the pain, beseeching God to hurriedly let it be over. It seemed her pleas fell on deaf ears however as Montgomery continued hurting her for the next thirty-five minutes, before slowing slightly and speaking in her ear.

  “I think I’ll enjoy some of your pussy too,” he whispered nastily. “Shit, everyone else has,” he added pulling out and immediately entering her with the same condom.

  Oh god, please, Delia prayed again knowing that he was trying to deliberately hurt her. Montgomery slammed unrelenting into his wife again and again for the next twenty minutes before coming hard and collapsing onto her back. Delia remained death still, not wanting to unleash anymore of his sadistic wrath.

  “I’ll be home at 6:30, have dinner ready,” Montgomery told her rising and pulling up his pants.

  She continued to lay curled on the study floor in a fetal position, him standing over her.

  “You know that saying, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” he told her as he continued to regard her, eyes closed, silent. “Well they have nothing on a man with a broken heart,” Montgomery finished and strode from the room slamming the front door as he left and Delia rose, running for the toilet, the bile making its way to her mouth.

  *****

  Jasmine was glad for a day off. She was headed over to Elijah’s. He’d asked her to come by, promising her breakfast. He told her he wanted to talk and make some plans. He is so wonderful, she thought exiting the shower and beginning to lotion. Her mind began to torture her about being in such close proximity to the man and not sleeping with him. Jasmine couldn’t lie. Elijah turned her on at such a deep level. He awakened feelings in her she didn’t know she possessed. What is going on with me, I just got with the man, damn, she told herself as she slipped on the teal and chocolate accented mini. The dress was sexy but not nasty. Jasmine felt pretty and feminine in it which lifted her spirits even more. She added the matching accessories and sprayed herself lightly with her favorite vanilla infused body spray. The knock at the door startled her slightly since she wasn’t expecting company.

  “Who is it,” Jasmine inquired, standing at the door now.

  “It’s me Jazzy,” Damian returned.

  Sighing deeply she opened the door, never moving from the jam.

  “You look nice,” he told her taking the woman in and wondering where she was going.

  “What are you doing here Damian,” she asked calmly. Her mind was immediately recalling Elijah’s admonishment.

  “I was worried when you weren’t at work, so I came to check on you and make sure you were all right,” he replied as she grunted slightly.

  “I’m fine Damian,” Jasmine returned. “I appreciate the concern though,” she added trying to soften her reply somewhat.

  “You know I love you Jazzy, of course I’m going to check on you,” he told her softly, looking into her eyes.

  “Damian, seriously, let it go,” Jasmine returned growing slightly irritated.

  She couldn’t let him mess up her new relationship. Elijah was a man she planned to have a long and happy future with. “Where are you going,” he finally asked his curiosity getting the better of him.

  “I’m having breakfast with my boyfriend,” she replied, hoping the statement would shake Damian from the fantasy he was still living.

  Hearing the words leave her lips Damian was furious. He reacted without thinking, slapping her hard, almost knocking her down.

  “What the hell,” Jasmine mumbled, shaking the cobwebs from her mind.

  “I’m sorry Jazzy,” he immediately tried as she pushed him away.

  “Get the hell away from me, get away from my door,” Jasmine screamed, tears coming now.

  “Baby, wait, Jazzy, no, don’t,” Damian again tried as Jasmine began closing the door in his face.

  He put his weight against it, pushing his way inside.

  “Get out,” she continued to scream running for her phone. Damian grabbed her before she could dial for help, holding her tightly, immobile.

  “Shh, baby, calm down, I’m sorry,” he repeated again and again still holding her.

  Jasmine was terrified. All she wanted was Damian out of her apartment. Gathering her thoughts she began to calm her breathing. She was going to have to use her common sense to get him out of her house and away from her.

  “I’m so sorry baby,” Damian told her, kissing her cheek gently.

  Seeing that she wasn’t fighting him anymore, he released her. Jasmine wouldn’t look at him, so he tilted her face toward his own.

  “I never meant to do that, I swear Jazzy,” Damian told her honestly.

  Hearing her say there was someone else in her life just pushed him over the edge.

  “Please Damian, I have to leave,” she told him trying to stay calm.

  “Do you forgive me,” he asked, searching her eyes for answers.

  “Yes,” Jasmine lied coolly.

  Please let him believe me, she continued to think as Damian watched her wordlessly.

  “Can I come by later and we really talk,” he asked.

  Jasmine would agree to anything if it would get him out of her house right now.

  “OK,” she replied softly as he smiled and began walking to the door.

  “I’ll see you around 8:00PM , OK,” Damian told her opening the door.

  Jasmine again nodded as he smiled at her and finally left. Letting out the breath she held, she waited exactly ten minutes, washing her face and grabbing her keys heading out herself. She didn’t know what she was going to do about him coming back tonight, but Jasmine decided she definitely wasn’t going to open the door.

  *****

  “What the fuck,” Allison mumbled rising from bed. Someone was pounding loudly on the door interrupting her sleep.

  Grabbing her weapon from the nightstand she headed for the sound. Just as she stepped foot into her living room, all hell broke loose. Her heavy metal encased door splintered allowing entry to whomever stood on the other side.

  “Freeze,” the first agent screamed entering the penthouse apartment.

  Allison’s mind wasn’t registering what was going on. A raid, what, are you serious, what the fuck, she continued to think as the S.W.A.T. agents descended from every angle.

  “Drop the weapon ma’am,” one of the officers screamed pointing his own at her.

  Allison quickly found herself surrounded by black clad, heavily armed agents, all screaming simultaneously.

  “Drop it, do it now,” he screamed once more.

  Utterly disoriented, she finally complied. The officers swarmed her, throwing her to the floor and cuffing her. Yanking her to a standing position once more the lead agent addressed her.

  “Allison Register,” he barked as she nodded in the affirmative. “We have a search warrant for this address,” he informed as Allison’s eyes narrowed.

  “A warrant to search for what,” she asked angrily.

  The officer went on to tell her that they had tips that she was a major carrier and distributer for a local dope cartel. Allison sucked her teeth at how absurd the notion was and said nothi
ng more. The officers began to methodically search the penthouse, finding all her FBI credentials in the process. “Call her superior,” the agent barked to another of his subordinates.

  The man immediately scurried away to comply. The agent gave Allison a contemptuous look as they continued their search. Confident of her innocence, she simply relaxed in the chair where they’d placed her.

  “Found it,” an agent yelled as the lead agent turned to Allison giving her a smirk.

  Found what, she thought becoming nervous for the first time. I don’t have a damned thing here that’s illegal, she continued thinking before looking up and seeing both the lead agent and his partner return to the living room dropping the 4 kilo’s of cocaine on her Italian marble coffee table.

  “Guess you crossed the wrong people out there,” the agent told her haughtily just as Kevin walked through the door.

  “What kinda set up is this,” Allison screamed.

  The lead agent walked over to Kevin introducing himself as the two men exchanged handshakes.

  “She was one of our best agents,” Kevin said sadly addressing the agent who was commiserating with him.

  “What the fuck are you trying to pull,” Allison yelled again. “This is not my dope,” she continued to yell.

  Her mind was not processing what was going on around her. She could not, no, would not believe that she was looking at the end to her career as well as a long, long, stint in a federal prison.

  “I want my attorney,” she finally said, subdued.

  Kevin asked for a few moments alone with her as a courtesy. The agent patted him on the back and told him it was fine. They left the two alone in the living room as they continued to search Allison’s bedroom.

  “Why,” Allison asked simply and quietly, looking directly into his eyes.

  “You should have played my game,” Kevin told her, never denying he’d set her up. “I would have been good to you Allison, taken care of you, given you anything you wanted,” he whispered, stroking her face gently.

  “I’m going to prison Kevin, how fair is that,” she asked the tears escaping and rolling down her cheek.

  “You chose that fate Allison,” he informed still looking at her emotionless.

  “I’m going to give you a chance though,” he told her.

  “How,” Allison asked.

  She would do anything to escape prison. She knew her life as an FBI agent was over, but she didn’t want to be locked in a cage either.

  “I’m going to give you this key to the cuffs,” he told her pressing the small metal object into her hands as they remained behind her back. “Use it in the elevator when they are taking you down, then the first chance you get, run like hell and don’t look back,” Kevin told her.

  Allison swallowed hard. That was a dangerous ploy but at the moment what choice did she really have.

  “Go to the Stratford,” he went on, referring to the hotel where they would meet during lunch to have sex. “Our usual room,” he went on, referring to room 117. “I’ve left clothes and money there for you,” Kevin finished as Allison took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  The agents returned to the room as Kevin rose and stepped away without an answer from her.

  “Let’s catalog all this stuff and get it downtown,” the lead agent spoke once again. “Does your office want a copy of all the reports,” he asked Kevin.

  The SAC nodded telling him yes. “We will need it for her termination file,” he added turning away from Allison and leaving the room.

  *****

  “How jacked up is this shit,” Jaheem mumbled the unshed tears in his voice. His meeting last night had been just what he thought it would be. His past once again had found him and just like before, was forcing him to run away. He sighed deeply continuing to pack his few meager belongings into his beat up, outdated, Jetta as his mind replayed the night before like a bad movie. “How’s it going Jah,” Malik asked, puffing the cigarette hanging between his lips like a limp strand of spaghetti. “What do you want,” Jaheem replied, not at all wanting to be in the man’s presence. “How you gonna greet an old friend like that,” Malik returned his tone growing edgy. Jaheem sighed deeply gathering his thoughts and changing his tone. “Our business is done Malik, so I’m just a bit concerned you’re here again,” Jaheem explained. Malik grunted simply but said nothing else for a while. “You remember them streets we used to be in,” he asked as Jaheem’s heart sank. Malik aka Poison was a part of his past he would give any amount of money or restitution to erase. During the times they spent, Poison was the most deadly drug dealer in the hood. He made all the money and no one dared cross him for fear of ending up dead. Jaheem had not been into dope, but he enjoyed hanging with Poison and by proxy the lifestyle the man lived. The beginning of his nightmare happened during one of Poison’s famous block parties. There was plenty for everyone that night. Food, drugs, drinks, women, or whatever else you wanted to indulge. Poison told Jaheem to take whatever he wanted, there was no limit. The only thing he wanted that night however was the pretty light skinned cutie from the neighborhood named Twyla.

  Everything was still cool and innocent when Jaheem talked her into coming upstairs with him at Poison’s house. They entered the room and began to talk. Jaheem smoothly convinced the girl to let him kiss her, which of course led to him touching her. He was harder than steel and really wanted to have sex with her. Twyla was still a virgin though, and while she enjoyed the petting, didn’t want to take it any further. Jaheem was 19 years old, hardheaded, with raging hormones. His mind wasn’t hearing anything about reason at that point or the no that kept ringing from her lips as he ripped her panties off and raped her. Twyla was crying hysterically, threatening to tell her father what Jaheem had done. Terrified of being arrested he panicked. Poison walked in as Twyla finally stopping kicking and screaming, falling limp as Jaheem’s hands at last left her neck. Never uttering a word, Poison collected the girl’s body and took it away. Jaheem heard days later they’d found her body in the river and presumed she’d been attacked and thrown into the murky depths. They never talked about it, but Jaheem knew the dye was cast and the debt was owed.

  “You’re standing in the way of progress Jah,” Malik told him calmly. “What do you mean,” he threw out, having a suspicion but wanting confirmation. Malik chuckled slightly telling him all about the housing project, the pictures he’d given Alderman Southby, and his own instructions from Pastor Toplin. “You and me have no real beef, Jah,” Malik told him. “But the good Pastor and me go back a ways and I owe him,” he added as Jaheem nodded slightly. He had never liked Pastor Richard Toplin. The man was a snake in every way as far as he was concerned. “There ain’t no statues of limitations on murder, Jah,” Malik said softly as Jaheem sighed deeply knowing he was defeated. “So what does he want,” he asked Malik finally looking into his friend’s eyes again. Malik gave him the answer, told him not to force his hand, and walked away leaving his friend devastated and his life once again shattered.

  Jaheem loaded the last box into the car. He felt like a complete fraud as he looked at the twenty thousand dollars that Malik had been instructed to give him. “He ain’t trying to destroy you Jah, but you have overstayed your welcome,” Malik had spoken. Cranking the Jetta and taking once last look at the city, Jaheem Andrews pulled away from the curb to once again find a place he could call home and begin his life yet another time.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jasmine was standing on the veranda enjoying the view. This is breathtaking, she thought of the ocean as it whispered quietly upon the shore with each progressive inland crash. She still couldn’t believe she was here. Jasmine had never been to Cozumel, Mexico. When Elijah asked her to go with him, she at first thought he was joking. She smiled again thinking of the last week. They’d flown out that Thursday when she went to visit him for breakfast. It seemed that Elijah had quite a bit on his mind besides talking that fateful morning. Jasmine hugged herself slightly, still smiling as she thought
back on it. “You’re serious,” she asked as Elijah chuckled and assured her he was. Taking her hand he placed it on his chest, where she felt his heart beating. “Jasmine, this part of me cares only for you,” Elijah told her honestly. “I need you to always believe that and trust me that I will never do anything to hurt you,” he added as Jasmine melted. She couldn’t describe the emotion she felt when he told her that. Elijah sensed her turmoil, leaning in and kissing her. He began softly kissing her neck after they parted, his breathing becoming uneven. “Come with me,” he told her rising and taking her hand. Jasmine followed without protest as Elijah took her into the master bedroom. She remembered quickly looking around and remarking to herself how beautiful the deep mahogany furnishings were. His room was done in a succession of cream, burnt orange and chocolates. Elijah pulled her to him kissing her again as he quickly removed her clothing. “Elijah, wait, I um,” Jasmine got out before he kissed her again.

  “I know you’re a virgin Jasmine, but I won’t hurt you,” he told her as she frowned slightly and opened her mouth to correct him. “Shh,” Elijah stopped her. “You’re my virgin,” he clarified as she smiled and blushed slightly. She helped him out of his own clothes, fighting hard not to stare at his magnificently sculpted body. Jasmine got a look at his growing erection, wondering if she weren’t indeed going to feel like a virgin when he went inside her. Elijah began kissing her again, admonishing her to relax and let him make love to her his way. “Remember what I told you about trusting me,” he asked as Jasmine again nodded yes. “Do you,” he threw out once again. “Yes, without reservation,” she returned as Elijah smiled and took her breast into his mouth. Jasmine moaned softly loving what he was doing with the nipple between his teeth. His other hand was between her legs massaging her clit gently as it began to harden and swell even more. Elijah slowly licked and kissed his way between her thighs, kissing each one tenderly as she breathed deeply, moaning lightly. He gently pulled back the hood hiding her clit, blowing gently on the exposed feminine erection, bringing a cry of delight from her. Elijah smiled again as he saw her flow leaving her body saturating his sheets. Deciding he wanted to taste the nectar for himself, Elijah buried his tongue inside her opening as Jasmine reached her first orgasm.