Darius Jones

by Mary B. Morrison

Grant knelt before me, held my hand. “Honey, I love you with all my heart.”

  I sniffed, blinked back tears. The sincerity of his words penetrated my heart.

  “I don’t want to wait to ask and I don’t want to take you home to my parents as my babies’ mama. Honey, will you marry me?” His face was so innocent, his heart vulnerable.

  I didn’t want to raise our boys alone. Didn’t want to be a single mom. I didn’t want to live my life without Grant. We’d been through a lot. And this was the only man I ever wanted to be “in love” with. I deserved love. Deserved to be loved. I looked at my boys on the bed, then looked at Grant.

  I knew he hadn’t had time to buy a ring. And although we were both millionaires, I didn’t need a ring to prove to the world I had a man or a husband. I only had to prove to him, and him to me, that the love in our hearts would bond us through the toughest times and unite us during our best of times.

  “Yes, Grant Hill, I will marry you.”

  CHAPTER 71

  Jada

  This time Darius, Fancy, Sapphire, Grant, Honey, Rita, Ashlee, and Officer Lawrence Austin gathered in my entertainment room to review the surveillance footage from the hospital, BOA Steakhouse, and CUT. Ashlee had flown in again at my request but this time she was not going to take DJ.

  Another Lawrence had entered my life. I admired him. Sacrificing his life on a daily basis to keep our city safe. He loved his job and I was enjoying getting to know him.

  “Make yourselves comfortable,” I said. “There’s plenty to eat and drink, help yourselves. Ashlee, you come sit by me.” I had to stay close to her, keep her away from Fancy and Darius. Ashlee didn’t know but Fancy’s mother, Caroline, was upstairs in my guest bedroom watching DJ.

  Officer Austin was a real gentleman. I’d take my time before sexing the man behind the uniform. I’d gotten vaginal estrogen pills to help lubricate my vagina. Didn’t want to relive the shredded wheat episode that I’d had with Grant. I chuckled inside. My pussy was on the pill. Wasn’t falling in love or lust. Well, that wasn’t completely true. The womanly side of me craved Lawrence’s body. I’d fantasized about ripping that uniform off him, handcuffing him to my bedpost, then masturbating while making him watch. Then I’d give him the best blow job before taking off the cuffs.

  “Thanks for coming. For those of you who haven’t met me, my name is Officer Lawrence Austin,” he said, handing out his business cards. “I know each of you have survived hardships, some more tragic than others. Let’s all pray watching these tapes today will help us find Bambi and keep her from harming anyone else.”

  Next time I hired a personal assistant I was doing a background check to the background check. Bambi could’ve killed all of us if she wanted to.

  Ashlee blurted, “Darius, where’s my son? I know you got DJ. That bitch went to my mother’s house and stole my child. Officer, arrest her.” Ashlee pointed at Fancy.

  What I’d learned this past week was innocent people could easily end up behind bars. I didn’t believe Jay Crawford raped Ashlee. It was paramount that witnesses did not casually identify individuals as criminals. And it was equally important that I never put myself in a situation to be victimized. If I hadn’t chased behind Grant, I wouldn’t have been arrested for kidnapping or trespassing. I was thankful I didn’t stay in that hellhole overnight. Moving forward, I wouldn’t quickly judge anyone.

  I looked at Lawrence. He said to Ashlee, “Miss, you’re going to have to cooperate or I will have to ask you to leave,” then said to the group, “If any of you recognize Bambi in any of these clips say, ‘That’s Bambi’ and I’ll make a note of it.”

  Before he started the video, I asked, “Any updates on Bambi’s warrants?”

  “Bambi is a chameleon. She’s clever. Like Ms. Rita St. Thomas said, the officers confirmed two coffins were in her parents’ bedroom.” He nodded, then continued, “Her mom was in one and skeletal remains were found washed up on the shore by her home. We believe it’s her father’s remains. But Bambi is nowhere to be found. Yet.”

  I looked at my son. My heart smiled. I did like his haircut.

  When Ashlee didn’t move, Officer Austin dimmed the lights and started the first clip. Fancy’s new heart-shaped engagement ring with pear-shaped diamonds on both sides sparkled in the dimly lit room. After Fancy realized her ring was missing, I told my son to order a duplicate. No telling where Fancy’s ring was and, even if it was found, I told Darius, “If one person tried on your wife’s ring, she doesn’t need that energy on her finger.” I was proud of Darius. I’d seen personal growth within my son already. His spirit was calmer. He was considerate of others’ feelings and opinions.

  The clip of the nurse taking the twins from Valentino played. Ashlee, Rita, and I said at the same time, “That’s Bambi.” I knew someone was missing. Where was Valentino?

  When the clip of a nurse entering Fancy’s room then leaving with a teal bag played from my projector, Ashlee and Rita said, “That’s Bambi.”

  Next we saw the woman seated at the bar at BOA. Ashlee and Rita said, “That’s Bambi.”

  When the video from CUT played, Rita, Ashlee, and I said, “That’s Bambi.”

  Honey gasped, then asked, “Grant? You lied to me?”

  Grant said, “No, I didn’t,” but the longer the clip played the angrier Honey became. We all watched Grant open the door to a hotel room that Bambi entered. He carried a tray with two martinis.

  Honey said, “So happy hour was in my room? I asked you to go get my things and you’re in my room fucking Bambi?”

  Grant remained silent. We watched as, a half hour later, the door opened and Bambi left but Grant didn’t leave with her. Honey stood.

  Sapphire said, “Sit down, Honey. You can deal with Grant later. This is about Officer Austin finding the woman who stole your babies.”

  Four hours later, after the video viewing ended, we all seemed mentally exhausted. Grant followed Honey out of my house. Yeah, take it outside, I thought. Better her than me. For real. I was glad Honey didn’t start fighting in my house. Sapphire thanked Officer Austin and then left. Had a feeling she had to save Grant from Honey.

  I hope Honey choke him good.

  CHAPTER 72

  Darius

  “Darius, wait,” Officer Austin said. “Where are you headed next?”

  Fancy asked, “Why?”

  I looked at Lawrence. “Dropping in on my friend Christopher Henderson at Grande Lux Café at the Beverly Center. Why?”

  Officer Austin said, “I’ve got a feeling Bambi will show up wherever you are. When the officers searched her house, she had every news article on you since high school, a life-size body pillow, posters…you name it, she had it. All you.”

  I shook my head. “I still don’t remember her.”

  “Yes, you do,” Ashlee said, handing him a photo of Bambi from kindergarten.

  I frowned. “Man, that’s her? The chubby chick? Damn! What a difference a few years make. I still don’t remember her.”

  Ashlee stood nose to nose with Fancy. “I know you got my son. I came to get him. Where is he?”

  I put my hand between Ashlee and Fancy, stood in front of my wife, then said to Ashlee, “Leave my wife alone. You have DJ.”

  Fancy tapped on, then spoke into her cell phone. “Ma, send DJ downstairs.”

  My lips curved high, I took Fancy’s phone. “Ladycat, what’s going on?”

  DJ came dashing down the stairs. Ashlee opened her arms. “Baby, come to Mommy.”

  DJ ran straight to Fancy. “Hi, Fancy. Hey, Mommy. Daddy! Daddy! I miss you!”

  I kissed DJ on the forehead long and hard. “Daddy misses you too, my man. I love you.” I kissed my wife. “I need you. Don’t ever leave me. I love you.”

  Ashlee reached for DJ. He leapt into my arms. “No, Daddy. Mommy doesn’t feed me and she puts me on time-out. I stand in the corner all day. Please don’t make me go.”

  Ashlee’s eyes turned red. “This isn’t the end of this,
Darius! I won’t stop until I get you back.” She stared at Fancy. “Have your own baby, bitch! And next time you suck your husband’s dick! Bet he didn’t tell you he fucked me when he came to D.C. And I’m pregnant with his next child.”

  Fancy took DJ from me, then said, “You handle her, so I don’t have to,” then went upstairs.

  DJ gave me an upward nod. I smiled, then said, “My man. My man.”

  Ashlee stormed out of my house. What the hell? Now I understood why my wife didn’t want Ashlee to have custody. I remained calm. I didn’t go after Fancy or Ashlee.

  “Seems like you’re quite the man,” Officer Austin told Darius. “I want to plan a stakeout. If Bambi shows up at Grand Lux Café, we’ll catch her. Hopefully we can get one of these females off your back.”

  CHAPTER 73

  Honey

  “Why did Grant have to lie to me?”

  He hadn’t said a word since we’d left Jada’s house, walked into Velvet’s house. He took the boys in the bedroom, then closed the door. I wasn’t following him. He’d fucked up, not me.

  I sat in Velvet’s living room talking with Sapphire. “After you dropped in, gave me this outfit, then left, Grant asked me to marry him. I asked him repeatedly about that Bambi woman. He stared in my face and lied to me. Said nothing happened with that woman. I knew he was lying.” I cried in Sapphire’s arms. “I’m not marrying him. I’d have to be a damn fool to go through this shit with him again.”

  “Hush, Honey. You’re upset. You are going to marry Grant.”

  Who’s side was she on? I’d forgotten she’d fucked Grant too. Tried to take him away from me. Velvet had fucked Grant too. The memories I’d buried about Grant resurfaced. I tried rationalizing his promiscuity but only became madder. He was a male whore.

  “I’m not staying with him. Would you marry him?” I asked her.

  Drying my tears, Sapphire said, “Here’s why you’re going to marry him.”

  I placed my hands in my lap and listened. I had to hear what ridiculous reasons she had floating in her brain. Just because she was married and happy didn’t mean I could have the same. Not with a man who was a liar and a cheat.

  She smiled, then asked, “Do you remember when we first met?”

  I nodded. It was at the hotel New York New York in Vegas. Sunny Day was my number-one escort. And Sunny was also Sapphire’s friend. Sapphire wanted Sunny to get out of the prostitution game. I was close to but wasn’t ready to let Sunny go. Maybe if I had let Sunny go with Sapphire, she’d still be alive.

  It was hard for me to say, “Yeah, I do remember.” My throat ached.

  “Do you remember when I took Valentino’s hundred million and gave you half?” she asked.

  Where was she going with all these questions? Of course I remembered that too. But I’d made my own millions before she gave me fifty. I smiled without parting my lips. We were some bad and bold bitches. I’d bought all twelve of my escorts one-way tickets to Atlanta. Eleven of them came right away. I bought us a big house. Helped each of them start their own business. I never wanted them to compromise themselves for anyone else. And I wasn’t compromising myself for Grant or any man.

  I nodded, thinking, What’s next?

  “Do you remember when Valentino and Benito kidnapped you from your home in Atlanta?”

  That was some wild shit. I was scared to death and brave as hell at the same time. I escaped, not unscathed though. My ass was sore, feet worn out from hiking to I–75 South in my stilettos. I’d forgotten about Ken, the man dressed like a woman who’d offered me a ride, then drove me to a cemetery and tried to make me suck his dick. The bullet I put in his balls said he’d never do that retarded shit again.

  “I do. What else?” I asked Sapphire. I was no longer sad or angry. Strange how I’d forgotten the number of people I’d trampled on since Rita had kicked me out.

  “One more thing,” she said. “Even if Grant did fuck Bambi or Bambi fucked Grant, however you want to look at it. My point is, nobody’s perfect. And all the men that you fucked when you were a prostitute, not one of them…Look at me,” she insisted. “Not one of them gave a damn about you. None of them loved you. You have a man in that bedroom who loves you. And you love him. All the things he’s done that hurt you, he’s done with someone else. Grant has never put his hands on you. You go in there, forgive him for whatever happened in that hotel room, and you tell him you want to be his wife. If you let him walk away, you’re going to be the miserable one, and don’t call me crying. I’m done.” Sapphire got up, extended her arms, hugged me, then left.

  I let go of my ego, tucked away my pride, and opened the bedroom door. Grant was in the bed playing with the boys, gently rolling them around. “Can we talk?”

  “If you don’t want me, let me have a relationship with my boys,” he said.

  I sat on the bed, then said, “There’s nothing I want more than to be your wife and for us to be a family.”

  Grant hugged me. He cried. We cried.

  “Honey, you complete me. I’ll never lie to you again,” Grant said, kissing me.

  Did I believe him? No, I didn’t.

  Did I love him? Absolutely.

  CHAPTER 74

  Darius

  I parked in section 3B, headed toward the elevator for Bloomingdale’s at the Beverly Center. I bypassed the parking pay machine, trotted down two sets of moving escalators, and hooked a right into the bar area of Grand Lux Café.

  I was about a half hour early. The bar was crowded, so I asked a young man sitting alone at a table for two in the corner, “Mind if I sit here?”

  “Hey, Darius. Not at all, man. May I have your autograph?”

  I smiled, signed the back of his yellow receipt. “What’s your name? What are you doing with your life?”

  He smiled. “I’m Christopher Watson.”

  Three Christophers in two days. That was wild. I scribbled, “To ‘My Man Chris,’” above my signature.

  “I work here but I’m going to become a dancer,” he said.

  “That’s what’s up. Stay in the arts. Just remember, to get and stay on top, you must do what others are not willing to do. Never get comfortable. Become the master of your craft. Work hard every day. You can do it,” I reassured him. The book Lori gave me helped me understand people looked up to me. My words were powerful. I saw Christopher Henderson’s mom, dad, and his dad’s new wife walk in.

  “Thanks, Chris,” I said, leaving the bar, heading into the dining area.

  I scanned the room. Officer Austin and a few of what I assumed to be his counterparts were dining at a table for four. I nodded.

  “What’s up, Darius? Glad you made it, man. You have no idea how much your being here means. Thanks,” Christopher said. “This is my man Richard C. Montgomery. Anything you need tonight, you see Richard.”

  I held Richard’s hand; we bumped shoulders.

  “Be my guest of honor,” Christopher said. “Sit next to me.”

  At first I started to decline sitting next to him because he was seated on the booth side of the table. Chris was five-eleven. I was six-eleven. But it was his day. He was the Grammy nominated honoree.

  “Congrats, man. ‘Blame It’ is going to win. No doubt,” I told him. I sat with my back against the booth. Tried to stretch my legs. Couldn’t. “I’ma have to take a chair across from you, man.”

  When I stood, she walked in. I’d seen enough pictures of her to recognize her dark deep-set eyes and bangin’ body. The jet-black hair flowing down to her ass didn’t fool me. She strutted to Chris’s table. She sure as hell didn’t look anything like the chubby girl in kindergarten. She was all woman. I understood how Grant fucked her. I wouldn’t have fucked her but I sure would’ve let her give me brain. I stayed cool, pretended I didn’t recognize her.

  “Hi, Christopher. Congratulations.” Bambi slid between the opening of the table. Sat next to Christopher, faced me. “Darius? Oh, my God! What have you done with your hair! I’ma get that two-headed bitch.
She made you do this, didn’t she?”

  Christopher stood. “She with you? I don’t know her.”

  I raised my hand in the air, looked over the booth, behind her back, made eye contact with Officer Austin, then pointed. Lawrence and his friends pushed their chairs from underneath them and ran in my direction. Guess they didn’t want to scare the patrons because none of the officers drew their guns.

  Bambi slid under the table, slid between my legs. I grabbed her leg, then let go when her ass hit me with a stun gun. She ran toward the bar area.

  “Oh, this here shit is superpersonal now.” I ran after her. Martini glasses crashed to the floor. Somebody’s Long Island iced tea fell on my foot.

  We chased Bambi out the door. Two of the officers ran across La Cienega Boulevard, got in separate police cars. One ran to the right. Officer Austin and I ran up the escalators behind Bambi. I was on his heels. In five-inch heels, Bambi sprinted three steps at a time to the third level. Turned around, sprayed Mace in the air, then disappeared.

  Officer Austin and I coughed. I stopped at the top of the second escalator, closed my eyes. Damn, that girl is good.

  Officer Austin said, “Get in your car. She has to come out of the garage. If she follows you, I’ll follow her.”

  I hadn’t been in the garage long enough to have to pay so I headed out the exit. I turned right onto La Cienega, kept straight. At the light, I saw Bambi in a black Dodge Charger at the cross light. I stayed on La Cienega.

  Officer Austin’s car sped in the lane to my left, zoomed toward oncoming traffic, swerved between cars, avoided collisions. He stopped in front of Bambi’s car.

  She backed into another police officer’s car that was behind her, dented the door. She slammed into Officer Austin’s car, backed up, hit the car behind her again. Four police cars now surrounded her car on each side. Bambi opened her car door, ran between two cars.