by M. Skye
While John was oblivious to all the signs, Asha noticed Karen studying her carefully. She seemed completely engulfed in her thoughts, trying to figure out what was really going on, until she heard John’s ecstatic request. “Asha, darling, you and Terence must join us tonight for dinner. I want the whole family there for this announcement.”
“What announcement?” Karen voiced, letting them know she was involved in the conversation.
“Darling, it’s a surprise, and it will have to wait. No one gets a clue until dinner tonight.”
“Is this dinner kid friendly or should we leave Kyan and Meelah with a sitter?”
“Why on earth would they need a sitter? Kyan’s mom is in town now. Why can’t she watch him while Tyree attends to some family business?”
“I doubt Tyree will want to come to dinner without his woman by his side.”
“What does that have to do with Kyan? Renee doesn’t have to watch him with his mother here.”
When Asha looked at Karen’s face, she looked almost ready to burst at the seams. Asha smiled at her and drew in a deep breath. “Well, you guys, I guess there’s no time like the present to inform you both that Mia and Tyree are back together. She has decided to stay here, and they are going to be a family with Kyan.”
“This is delightful news!” Karen jumped off the couch and rushed over to her daughter. “This is what I’ve been praying for.”
While Asha loved the joy on her mother’s face, she studied John, noticing the shock on his. At that moment, she knew all she needed to know. John was definitely conspiring with Renee. Now, all she needed to do was find out exactly how deep. As pissed as she was, she knew she needed to keep her cool.
“Well, you guys, I need to go. I’m supposed to meet the boys at the office for a little while. Miguel said he needed both Tyree and me there.”
“I should join you.” John stood. “We should get a handle on things before they get more out of hand.”
“No, Dad.” Asha put her hand up in protest. “Let us handle this. That is why you put us in charge. We are more than capable.”
“Nonsense. I can help.”
“John.” Karen placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let them do this on their own. You are retired, and they have it under control.”
“Karen, I—”
“No, John,” she snapped. “Stay out of this.”
Asha was waiting for his rebuttal but, instead, she got nothing. John just nodded and intertwined his fingers with Karen’s. “I will let them handle this for now, but if they get in over their heads, I’m stepping in without a second thought.”
“Fine,” Karen responded and winked at Asha. “Get out of here, darling girl. We will see you tonight.”
“Yes, Mother.” She smiled and raked her hand over Karen’s dark curls. “I will see you tonight.”
Asha vacated the room, leaving her parents to converse among themselves. When she jumped into her car, she looked down to see that she missed a call from Terence. She rushed to check her voicemail hoping he had more information. She would like nothing more than to bring out all of John’s secrets during this dinner he had planned.
* * *
Watching Tyree walk into his office, Miguel dropped the papers he was holding and let them fall to the floor. His nerves seemed shot. They hadn’t seen each other since they began digging into the past once again. Watching Miguel sit up, Tyree looked at his brother, dreading the news he was about to break.
When Tyree sat down and placed his hands on the desk in front of them, Miguel cleared his throat. “What’s going on? Why’d you walk in here like that?”
Tyree sighed and ran his hand over his face, knowing he looked like hell as he sauntered into the office. “Man, you’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“What happened?”
“I think someone was in Kyan’s room that night. I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around it for the past hour, and I just can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.”
“Did you find out something? ’Cause, I gotta tell you, what I’m seeing is making me think twice about things too.”
“What’d you find? Why’d you call me down here?”
“Look at these.” Miguel leaned down and retrieved the papers he dropped and handed them to Tyree. “I started looking into things like you asked me to, and there are some strange occurrences.”
“Like what?” Tyree lifted his eyes to the papers and glanced over them. “What is this I’m looking at?”
“Phone records. I know you thought Helen’s death wasn’t an accident, so I thought maybe there would be a clue in her phone logs. Look at the number that called her five times the night she died.”
“Richmond,” he hissed and laid the papers down. “I thought they had no contact after the divorce.” He picked the papers back up, looked over the last six months of Helen’s logs, and inhaled deeply. “It looks like they were in contact quite often. The calls range from five minutes to thirty. I thought they hated each other.”
“Yeah, so you can see why I called you here. I think you might be on to something about Richmond. If he talked to her, he would have known she would be there alone that night.”
“If that’s the case then he should have known that Kyan would be there, too. Was he heartless enough to set her up with my son in the house? He was a terrible father and husband, but he loves Ky. I can’t believe he would do that with him in the house.”
“He would if he didn’t know. Maybe Helen never told him she was watching Kyan. I don’t know, Ty. Maybe we’re just jumping the gun, but I just wanted you to see this.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Good looking out, though. I think I might just be reacting to the crazy day I had.”
“I thought things were all smiles and rainbows since you got back with Mama Mia.” He laughed.
“Yeah, that’s straight. Me and Mia are better than ever, and you know I love her. I just have this feeling that it won’t be as easy as we want it to be. I still have to break things off with Renee, and we both know how that’s gonna go.”
“She’s not going to be happy.” He snickered. “I don’t envy you one bit. You’re going to have to referee your girls. Renee is a little hood, but my money is on Mia. That girl gets crazy protective when it comes to you. She would beat Renee senseless.”
“It won’t come to that. I would never let Mia fight over me. What I’m talking about is that things just have never seemed to happen easily for us.”
“I know you’re not having doubts. I was skeptical, but after seeing you two together with little man the other day, I know you’re in it for the long haul.”
“I trust in my baby, but I know the temptation to walk away she will face when everything comes out. I’m not saying she will, but it would be easier for her if she did. With that raggedy-ass Jake here, it only makes things worse. She feels awful about having to dump him, but he is not the one. She knows it, I know it, and deep down he does too.”
Miguel jumped out of his seat, and it toppled over. “He had the nerve to show his face around here again? After all the drama he caused, he brought his ass back to the States?”
“I’ll do you one better: he is at my house.”
Miguel grabbed his keys and crossed the room suddenly. “Let’s go. Let’s get over there and whoop his ass. What are you waiting for?”
Tyree laughed and crossed his arms over his chest. “You know I would love nothing more than to tear him apart, but I’m not gonna bust in there like some barbarian. I told her I would let her have time to end things.”
“Are you crazy? He stole your woman once, and you left him alone with her again?”
Tyree smiled and nodded slightly. “I have to trust that she will do the right thing. If I can’t trust her now, then we won’t work. I can’t hold on to her if she doesn’t want to be mine.”
“That’s true, but letting him have a chance to weasel his way back in isn’t smart. We don’t lose if you get over there and fight for
your woman, now.”
“I’m not worried. I made sure she knew where home was before I left her. He’d have to scrub every inch of her body to erase me. I was all in it.”
Miguel hissed at his statement and reclaimed his seat. “I still think it’s a mistake to leave him alone with her. I’m sure she knows better now, but I don’t trust him. After what he did to you, I hate I was ever cordial to dude.”
“It’s okay,” Tyree sighed. “No one knew what he said to get next to her. She wasn’t talking. Hell, I had to get in her face drunk to get the truth.”
“Yeah, speaking of that, you never did tell me what you said to her that night.”
“I said a lot of stuff. I told her I hated her and then I took her on the kitchen counter.”
“How do you tell a woman you hate her and she still gives it up? No wonder I’ve been striking out. I need to adjust my tactics.”
“No, what you need is a woman you feel good enough about to settle down with. When you find that and give her what she needs, she will do things that would blow your mind.”
“I like watching you with your family, but I don’t think that life is for me. It’s too complicated. I saw what losing her did to you before, and I don’t want to take that chance.”
“Love is beautiful, and having my son and his mother is like nothing I’ve ever felt. I can’t describe it, but you would be lucky to feel half of what I feel.”
“I get that, but I just don’t see myself feeling that way for any woman. You and Mia have known each other since we were kids. You worked a long time on that connection.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not going to keep grilling you about a family. I think one day you will change your mind and give me a little niece or nephew.”
“Fat chance. But, anyways, you never told me why you thought someone was in Kyan’s room.”
“Well, earlier today, after Jake showed up, I lost my head, and Jackson had to drag me outside and—”
“Jackson? Who is Jackson?” Miguel interrupted.
“You heard about Jackson, Milan’s husband.”
“Mills is here? When did this happen?”
“They just got here today. Dude is cool, and their little girl is as cute as can be. Man, you’re getting me off track. Anyway, after he pulled me outside, I saw footprints near Kyan’s window.”
“You have guards there. Maybe it was them. You should ask around before you freak out.”
“I just don’t see this as a coincidence, but I’ll try it your way. Until I figure everything out, I want them staying in the main house. I can’t take any chances.”
Miguel nodded and sat up in his seat. “Yeah, better safe than sorry; but what about you? Where are you staying?”
“Wherever Mia is.”
“You are so whipped. I can’t wait to see what happens when Renee gets home and finds you shacking up with Mia.”
“It’s going to be interesting, but I don’t care. I will just have to man up and break it off.”
“Well, good luck.”
Tyree knew Miguel was watching to see if his expression would waver, but it remained positive. In a way, he knew Miguel envied him for having that kind of love for a woman. What Tyree and Mia shared could outlast all the problems that were sure to come their way once Renee figured out she was no longer in the picture. As big of a problem as Renee would be, he knew they should also expect some type of disturbance from Richmond. For some reason, he was dead against the union of those two. The strange part was he seemed to genuinely like Tyree, but when it came to him being with Mia, he strongly disapproved.
In the time before Richmond figured out Mia and Tyree were an item, they seemed to have a father-son relationship. Their relationship seemed to be better than the one he had with John. Richmond had taken him under his wing and groomed him in the ways of business, which ultimately helped him in his endeavors with Mia years later. Although Richmond was a ruthless, unfeeling, godless man when it came to his own family, he cared for Tyree until he figured out what had been going on under his nose. Once the truth about Mia and Tyree got out, Richmond withdrew his support and became as hardened about Tyree as he was about everything else.
As Miguel continued to watch his big brother, Tyree tried to let his confidence shine through and was only broken from his thoughts when the door to the office swung open. Both brothers looked up to see their little sister looking distracted, and Tyree stood to receive her. When he placed his hands around her shoulders, she shivered, and his eyes widened. They had never seen her so off-balance.
While Tyree saw to Asha, Miguel broke his stare from them to look down at his phone. He had received a text in the midst of all the confusion, and he was reading it with a crazy look on his face. Miguel was glued to his cell phone when Tyree finally voiced his concerns about Asha.
“Baby sis, what gives? Why are you looking like you just saw a ghost?”
Asha was still in a daze, and it took her a minute to respond to what she was being asked. When she looked at Tyree, she opened her mouth but was halted by Miguel’s ghastly exclamation.
“Miguel?” Tyree questioned as his attention shifted from his sister to his stunned little brother. “What’s wrong with you two?”
Tyree was lost, and when Miguel’s and Asha’s eyes connected, he knew both were keeping something from him. As if conceding to go first, Miguel stood, and Tyree saw Asha shake her head suddenly. Catching this, Tyree looked at them, demanding answers.
“Okay, one of you is going to tell me what’s going on here right now.”
“Ty,” Miguel said quietly, “sit down.”
“I don’t want to sit. What is going on, Miguel? What did you find?”
“Ty, sit down.” Miguel slammed his hand on the desk. “I need you to trust me right now.”
Tyree knew Miguel saw his nervous stance as he paced the floor before flopping down in the chair in front of the desk. Instead of talking to Tyree, Miguel turned his laptop around and brought the monitor to where he could see everything. When Tyree saw the outside of his and Mia’s place, he froze. It only took him a second to realize what Miguel was freaking out about. Tyree and Asha both leaned in to take a closer look, and both saw the dark, hooded figure who crept off the porch that night.
Tyree sucked in a deep breath. “Someone was in my house?”
Before Miguel could react, Tyree was out of his seat and charging toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m taking them away from there. I can’t let them be in danger a second time. I won’t allow it.”
“Ty, there’s more.”
“What?” Tyree yelled. “It had better be important because, right now, all I can think about is getting them out of there.”
“Richmond, Ty. He, well . . . I think you’re right about him.”
“Why? Just a few minutes ago, you thought I was overreacting.”
“That was until I saw this.” Miguel handed him his cell and silently awaited a response.
Tyree read over the information and closed his eyes after seeing all he needed to, and he passed the phone back to Miguel. “So he got a huge payoff when both Janelle and Helen died, huh?”
“Yeah, millions on the insurance policies and their stock in Livingston. It’s how he was able to take the company from Mia and Rick. This addendum was just proved as valid. Mia and Rick have been fighting it for years.” Miguel looked at Tyree and shook his head. “I guess she didn’t tell you. Probably wanted to keep you out of it. It’s a motive, and also very legit. His claim to Livingston is valid, which means the company is all his. With both Janelle and Helen dead, he has their shares, which gives him the majority vote. This makes him untouchable.”
“Untouchable? He can’t think he is going to get away with this, right? There are too many loose ends, too many people who could figure this out.”
“Maybe his plan was to wrap up those loose ends. I don’t know.”
“I have to get to them now. I have to make
sure they leave here. They were safe as long as they weren’t here. I talked her into this; I put them at risk.”
“Tyree, the safest she will be is with you,” Asha voiced after coming down from the shock. “You can’t let them out of your sight. It would be disastrous.”
“Asha, I let him get taken once before. I have to ensure their safety this time.”
“Then stay with them.”
Tyree looked to his brother, who nodded in approval, and then he looked back to Asha and clutched her hand. “I have to do what’s best for them. I promise you both I will make the right decision.” They sat quietly as they let all the information sink in.
Tyree let his sister’s and brother’s hands drop after several minutes, and he stood to leave the room. Just as he was reaching for the door, he turned and looked back to them. “I’ll see you two at dinner.”
“You’re still coming to that?” Miguel looked completely surprised.
“Yeah. The old man obviously has something on his mind and I, for one, think he knows more than he is telling about Richmond. I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”
“With Mia beside you?” Asha asked.
“With Mia beside me.” He nodded. “I thought about it, and you’re right. Besides, without her here, I would be stressed and worried to no end.”
“Good.” Asha offered a timid smile. “Go to them now.”
* * *
Tyree was long gone, and Miguel found himself asking questions in his head. He was wondering what was going on with his sister and why she seemed so distraught. Huffing, she placed her hands on the desk, and Miguel sat up in his chair and leaned in to question her.
“Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“Asha, don’t play with me. Tell me what you figured out.”
“Later, Miguel. This will all make more sense later.”
Asha stood to leave, and Miguel called out to her. “Where are you going?”
“To get ready for dinner, of course. It should be interesting.”
“Ash, you okay?”
