Pride and Consequence

by Altonya Washington

  Eddie sat the mug of hot tea on the dining table and rubbed her hands together. “I still can’t believe it. Are you sure that was really Malik?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Well, where’s he been all this time?”

  “Maybe you should ask your fiancé.”

  Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “What does Tree know about it?”

  Leaning against the kitchen countertop, Zakira folded her hands across her chest. “I’d say he knows a lot, since Malik has been keeping tabs on me through him.”

  Edwina shook her head. “Tree wouldn’t…he wouldn’t put you through this.”

  “Yes he would, Eddie,” Zakira hotly corrected. “He’d do anything for Malik.”

  Zakira was in a terrible state and Eddie was in no condition to help. She couldn’t believe Tree could be so cold, so…dishonest. Especially when he’d come down so hard on her before about not being honest with her feelings.

  “Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring you down with me.”

  Eddie glanced over at Zakira and smiled at her kind words. “I had to find out sooner or later. Tree never would have told me.”

  Zakira shrugged. “He probably would’ve said it was for your own good that you not know. That’s the way Malik feels. It justifies his whole outlook on the situation. God, I feel so stupid!”

  Eddie closed her eyes and nodded. She felt exactly the same.

  “Of all the…damn crap you’ve pulled and I’ve been foolish enough to go along with, man, this has got to be the most idiotic—”

  “Tree—”

  “What?!”

  Malik closed his eyes and massaged the back of his neck. “It’s done, so we don’t need to be going through this. I can’t change what’s already happened.”

  Tree braced his hands on the desk. They hadn’t left the restaurant and were still in the manager’s office. “Eddie probably hates me now,” he groaned, his midnight eyes narrowed in anger.

  “I’m sorry about that, man.”

  “Are you?” Tree asked, turning around to face him. “You know, Malik, if we hadn’t been through so much together, I could probably hate you for this.”

  “I couldn’t blame you,” Malik told him, shoving his hands through his dreadlocks.

  Tree brought two fingers to his temple and massaged the ache there. “So, uh, what are your plans now?”

  Malik let out a long breath. “I just need her back, Tree.”

  “That’s not gonna be easy.”

  A little smirk pulled at Malik’s mouth. “I am the one she was in here beating up.”

  Tree shrugged. “She’s gotten real tough…and real bitter.”

  “I’m not worried about that.” Malik sighed, waving his hand.

  “Well, how are you gonna play this?”

  “I’m gonna match her.” Malik decided. “I won’t back down or quit.”

  Tree nodded and smoothed his hand across his wavy, black hair. “Plan on wearing down her defenses?”

  “Tree, man, I think it’s the only way I’ll be able to get her to listen to me.”

  “So where are you going now?” Tree asked, watching Malik grab his jacket and head for the door.

  Hand poised over the brass doorknob, Malik sent his friend a devilish smile. “I’m going to spend the night with my wife.”

  Eddie hated leaving Zakira after all that happened. Unfortunately, her sister’s mood was too unbearable. Once she drifted off to sleep, Eddie left. It was quite late when she got back to the hotel. Not wanting to disturb Tree, who was probably asleep, she crept around the suite, shrugging out of her dress, shoes and hose. She was about to tiptoe into the bedroom when one of the living room lamps clicked on.

  “Where have you been?”

  Eddie shrieked as her hazel eyes slowly adjusted to the light. She saw Tree glaring at her from an armchair in the corner of the room.

  “Where have you been?” he repeated, pushing his large frame out of the chair.

  “I was…with Zakira,” she finally told him.

  Tree walked closer to Eddie, the deep frown etched on his handsome face slowly vanishing. “I figured if you were there, you would’ve spent the night.”

  “Oh, I wanted to,” Eddie quickly assured him, walking into the bedroom to hang her dress. “But she’s in such an evil mood, I thought she would prefer being alone.”

  Tree ran a large hand across his face and leaned against the dresser. “I guess she’ll be that way for a while.”

  “Yeah, thanks to you.”

  Tree’s smoldering dark gaze narrowed. “What did you say?”

  Eddie finished with her dress and turned to face him. “I said, ‘Thanks to you.’”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Tree pushed himself off the dresser.

  Eddie propped a hand on her hip. “You know damn well what it means!”

  “Maybe you better explain it to me,” he requested, his voice raspy with anger and frustration.

  “Tree, you didn’t tell her where Malik was when you knew the entire time. How could you do that? How could you be so cold, so—”

  “I had a job to do!”

  “Oh, yeah, that’s so convenient. Client loyalty. You could’ve refused, you know?”

  The sinister glare on Tree’s magnificent features belied the strong emotions coursing through him. Eddie, standing across the room wearing a skimpy, green lace bra and matching panties, both aroused and angered him. He had to shut his eyes against the sensuous image she cast. “Doc, if you think I could turn my back on Malik, you’re crazy. We been through so much together. You can’t even imagine.”

  “And that makes it okay to put Zakira through something so terrible when you had the power to stop it?”

  Tree clenched his hand into a large fist, wanting very badly to vent his frustration by hitting something. Preferably Malik. Instead, he decided to drown his sorrows in a glass of something strong and headed to the door. “I need to get out of here,” he mumbled, and stormed past Edwina.

  The thick, navy blue comforter and matching satin sheets were tangled across the bed. Zakira had been tossing and turning since she drifted off to sleep an hour earlier.

  Finally, her eyes snapped open and she sat up. She groaned and pulled her slender fingers through her tousled mane. Lord, how could things be so stable one minute and totally unglued the next? That morning, all she could think about was beginning a new chapter in her life with the business and…other things. Now, all she could think of was Malik.

  When she turned and saw him standing there at the party, she had wanted to scream and run into his arms. He looked so good, so fine…so sexy. It was as though the time without him had never happened…well, almost. When he kissed her, it felt as though her insides had turned into a heavy syrup. She was completely weakened by need. All she wanted him to do was make love to her.

  With a sigh, Zakira shook her head and decided to get up. A hot cup of milk would be just the thing to get her back to sleep. Without bothering to turn on the lights, she walked out of the bedroom and headed for the stairs. Over the past couple months, the sounds of New York had grown vaguely comforting. Unfortunately, tonight was no ordinary night.

  Zakira reached the bottom of the carpeted staircase and was about to leave the last step when she bumped into something or someone. Her small hands rose instantly and she found herself touching a solid wall of muscle. Instinct told her it was Malik.

  Zakira pulled away, as though he burned to touch. “How’d you get in here?”

  A deep dimple creased Malik’s cheek when he favored her with a roguish smile. “That’s my secret,” he teased.

  Zakira was not amused. “Yeah, you’re good at keeping those, aren’t you?” she noted, almost falling when he joined her on the bottom step. His hands closed around her hips and he held her to him.

  “Let go,” she insisted, pushing against his chest.

  Instead, Malik tightened his grip and lowered his mouth to the side of her neck. “Wher
e are you going?” he murmured.

  Zakira closed her eyes and prayed for the strength to resist him. “To the kitchen…for some milk.”

  A wicked grin tugged at the seductive curve of Malik’s mouth. His hands tightened a bit more around her hips as he towered over her. “You won’t be needing it, Zaki,” he assured, lifting her. He took the stairs two at a time.

  Instantly, Zakira began to struggle. Her hands were curled into fists and she pounded Malik’s chest and back. She fought him all the way to the bedroom. Surprisingly, Malik went directly to the room as though he had been there before. Zakira grasped the lapels of his heavy tan leather jacket when he let her go. As soon as her bare feet touched the carpet, she moved to get past him. He blocked her way. When she tried going around him on the opposite side, he blocked that path, as well.

  Frustrated beyond words, Zakira raised her stormy brown eyes to his face. Determined to wipe the smug grin from his face, she laid a cracking slap against his cheek.

  The grin disappeared, but Malik was far from discouraged. His unsettling gray stare narrowed and he jerked her against him. She gasped, allowing him the access he wanted. His head dipped and he pushed his tongue deep inside her mouth.

  “Mmm…” they both groaned amidst the hard, passionate kiss. Once Malik released her, however, Zakira slapped him again. In response, he pulled her close to punish her with another fiery kiss.

  Zakira was weakened by the desire she felt for her husband. Still, she refused to give in so easily. When he released her lips, she poised her hand for yet another blow.

  Easily anticipating her next move, Malik brought her hand to his chest. “Stop fighting me,” he whispered against her mouth, his tongue tracing the outline of her lips.

  Zakira’s long lashes fluttered closed and she practically melted in Malik’s embrace. Her lips parted, allowing him entrance to the dark cavern of her mouth. A shiver ran deep through her body and almost caused her legs to buckle beneath her. “Malik, please don’t do this to me,” she begged, knowing that if he wouldn’t stop, she couldn’t.

  “Baby, don’t ask me that,” he groaned, his fingers already going to the ties of the nightie she wore and tugging them loose. He brushed the silky material from her shoulders and eased the gown down past her breasts. It fell away to pool around her feet.

  Zakira cried out softly when Malik lifted her against him and she felt the cool leather next to her bare skin. He carried her to the tangled bed and lowered her to the middle.

  For a moment, his gaze simply trailed her body. From her face, his eyes dropped to her chest where he reacquainted himself with the curve and tone of her bosom. His heated gaze was so intense, Zakira became aroused by it.

  One finger reached out to trace the shape of her breasts. It dropped into the valley between them and trailed to her navel. Zakira’s lashes fluttered madly as she arched her body into the caress.

  Malik’s own eyes closed when Zakira caught his finger and guided it to the center of her body. He caressed her there gently, his head falling to her chest when he discovered how moist she was.

  Zakira’s hips began to move erotically. Each stroke of Malik’s fingers brought another moan from her mouth.

  “Don’t stop,” she softly ordered, gasping at the friction of his dreadlocks against her skin.

  Malik buried his face between her breasts and inhaled their soft scent. His fingers probed deeper as his lips closed around one firm nipple. His eyes were shut tightly as he savored the taste of her after so long. His tongue swirled around the hard peak, and he suckled as though he were starved.

  Zakira, needing to feel his bare skin next to hers, tried to push the jacket from his back. After a moment, Malik cooperated, jerking the coat from his broad shoulders and pulling the stylish fleece sweatshirt over his head. Zakira’s eyes widened as she took in the sleek, dark chiseled chest. A soft smile touched her lips as her fingers reached out to trace the unyielding surface.

  Malik caught her fingers and kissed them gently. When he let go of her hand, she grasped the waistband of his jeans and tugged.

  “Zakira…”

  “Malik, please…”

  Though he wanted the night to last as long as possible, overwhelming desire wouldn’t allow him to hold out. He pushed himself off the bed and unbuckled his belt in order to unfasten his jeans.

  Zakira watched, loving the way the jeans and boxers fell away to reveal his lean waist, tight buttocks and impressive masculinity. She pushed herself up and kneeled at the edge of the bed.

  Malik threaded his fingers through her thick hair and pulled her head back for a deep kiss. Moaning, Zakira slid her arms around his waist, her long nails raking his wide back. The next moment, he was pushing her to the bed and following her down.

  They both moaned when their naked bodies touched for the first time in so long. Malik’s hands were everywhere, his lips favoring Zakira’s body with thousands of tiny, wet kisses. Her embrace was tight. She never wanted him to stop.

  Malik was aroused to such a fevered state, it almost drove him mad. His large hands grasped Zakira’s thighs and held them apart as he plunged his throbbing maleness deep within her.

  A wild cry flew from Zakira’s throat when she felt the rigid length stroking her repeatedly, unrelentingly. The fact that Malik was actually there, making love to her, brought tears to her eyes.

  Malik’s head was buried in the soft crook of her neck. The satisfied grin on his face reflected the happiness surging through him. None of the thousands of fantasies he’d had about Zakira came close to the true feel of her at that very moment.

  The red numbers on the bedside clock read 3:00 a.m. when Malik awoke. The lazy smile on his handsome face faded when he discovered Zakira wasn’t next to him. Whipping back the bed covers, he left the room to look for her.

  Downstairs, he found her sitting on a cushiony chair that faced the huge bay windows in the living room. She was staring solemnly at the fantastic view of the New York City skyline.

  Malik leaned against the doorjamb and watched his wife for a moment. He wasn’t completely clueless and he could only imagine how unbearable the situation had been for her. Discovering her supposedly dying husband was alive and well, having a vicious fight with him and making love with him all in the same night…she must be frustrated beyond words. Malik knew he had made a terrible decision, handling his illness the way he had, but that was going to be corrected. He couldn’t allow anything to stop him.

  Zakira’s slender fingers curled into the chair when she felt Malik’s lips brush her neck. She braced herself against the rush of sensation pulsing through her body.

  Malik didn’t seem to notice and continued bathing the satiny smooth column of her neck with his kisses. He was instantly aroused and needed to feel Zakira beneath him. When she pulled away and moved to the sofa, he frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  It was Zakira’s turn to frown. “Surely you didn’t just ask me that?”

  Malik shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. He stood there totally confident, though he wore not a stitch of clothing. “I don’t get it. We just finished having some damn good sex and the last thing I’d expect is for you to pull away from me.”

  “So you expect things to be the same, just like that?” she challenged, her brown eyes wide and searching.

  “Why can’t it be?” Malik countered, walking closer to her. “Unless you’re seeing somebody else?” He stopped before her.

  Zakira couldn’t stop her eyes from dropping past Malik’s waist. She caught herself staring and shook her head. “There’s no one serious.”

  Malik shrugged, even though a knowing smirk touched his mouth.

  “That’s only because I’ve been so concerned with the business. Believe me, I had no qualms about moving on with my life in every way,” she assured him, hoping she sounded convincing.

  Malik leaned over her on the sofa. “Sure you were,” he sarcastically replied, pushing her back against the cushions. His strong, athletic
form covered hers as he nibbled on the sensitive skin below her earlobe. “Well, you won’t need to be so concerned with business now that I’m back,” he murmured.

  Zakira’s brown eyes snapped to his face. She pushed Malik away with a strength she didn’t know she had and get up from the sofa. She turned in the direction of the stairway. Before leaving, she delivered a parting shot. “You’ve proven how little you cared for me and, as for the business, you proved how little you cared for it when you dumped it in my lap. I’ll be damned if I just hand it over to you now.”

  Malik reclined on the sofa and watched Zakira switch upstairs. His dark eyes appraised her and had to admit how tough his wife had become. He definitely had his work cut out for him.

  Zakira left for the restaurant early the next morning. There was no need for her to be there at such an hour, but she couldn’t be around Malik a moment longer. Even after all the drama the night before and everything preceeding that, she couldn’t deny that she desperately wanted him. If she stayed home any longer, she had no doubt they would make love again.

  “No!” she blurted, bracing her elbows on the desk as she held her head in her hands. “No, I’m ready to move on with my life and leave him behind,” she vowed, but realized it was far from true.

  The annoying buzz of the phone intruded on her thoughts. She uttered a short prayer that it not be Malik on the other end of the line.

  “Zakira Badu,” she curtly answered.

  “Zakira, this is Mallory Harper. Food editor for The Times.”

  Zakira blinked and leaned back in her chair. “Yes? Yes, Ms. Harper. What can I do for you?”

  “Well, I wanted to discuss coming in to do a write-up for my column. I’d like to do a review of Badu’s before the end of the month.”

  Zakira was already scanning her calendar. “When did you want to do this?”

  “Well, suppose I leave that up to you.” Mallory said, her voice softening. “After what happened at the opening, I wasn’t sure what your plans were.”

  “The opening?” Zakira replied, a small frown beginning to form.

  “I was there last night. You seemed pretty preoccupied, but I guess that’s putting it mildly.”