Alpha Crusher: A BWWM Romance Novella

by Shani Greene-Dowdell

  I laughed and kissed him. “Yep! My parents are both architects, and we had a small firm. My older brothers started working at the firm when they left high school, and one after the other, they went to college. I started working at the firm when I left high school. That was when I realized my family wasn’t perfect. Dad was taking funds from the firm to help friends and to buy furniture and things we didn’t even need. The firm was bankrupt. My parents divorced before I graduated from college. Mom went her way, dad went his way, and my brothers went their own way. I was heartbroken, and I felt like an outsider. My brothers had each other, but I had no one. I was alone, broke, and homeless.”

  “Mira, baby, you’ve been through a lot.”

  “Yeah, and I drifted away from the family unit because I felt abandoned. But my parents, who are in town together, said they were planning to pay me a visit, and my brothers seemed happy to see me. They all apologized for not calling often, and I forgave them. Then, we had lunch together. Afterward, we went to Brandon’s place, and I met his girlfriend.”

  “I’m glad you reconnected with your family. My mother and I haven’t spoken in years. I wouldn’t even know what to say even if I did want to talk to her.” Ward scooted close to me and slipped his arm around my waist.

  “Your heart will find the right words to say when the time comes,” I said.

  Ward kissed the tip of my nose and pulled me closer. “You sound like Auntie Maggie.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Ward

  Mira and I had a long day. Joe was discharged from the hospital, and Mira insisted he move into her place so she would be able to keep an eye on him and ensure he was taking his medications at the right time. Instead of taking Joe to her house, I took him to my place. Mira was furious when she heard of the change in plan, but she quickly forgave me.

  “You always have to have it your way,” she pouted.

  “No, I don’t. If I had it my way, we would be having our own party tonight instead of going to your brother’s engagement party,” I said as we drove to the bar and grill on the invitation.

  “We’ll have plenty of time for our own private party tonight. You just can’t make me holler because Joe’s there,” she said and giggled.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” I teased.

  After a short drive, we were pulling up to the venue. As soon as we walked in, her family welcomed me with open arms. Mira's dad and I had a chat, and I assured him I would take good care of his daughter.

  All through her brother’s party, I fantasized about ripping off Mira's lovely black dress and making love to her until we were both sated. The site of my beautiful woman standing there with a martini glass in one hand and holding her hand over her heart with the other as she gasped at her future sister in law’s ring had my loins swollen. Would there ever come a time when I didn’t lust after her?

  After all of the engagement activities were done, I was happy to be headed home where I could kiss my woman the way I wanted to, as long as I wanted to, and with as much heat as I wanted to.

  Mira’s skin glowed under the moonlight shining into my car. I sped up a little, and we were almost at the house when Mira received a call from Detective Jones, and we had to go to the station. I was a little disappointed my plans to seduce her were thwarted but happy we were about to receive more information about the case.

  "They know who did it. They checked the mall's camera and saw the person's face," she said.

  "Good. Did they say who it was?"

  "No, we will find out when we get to the station," Mira said nervously.

  I touched her knee to comfort her. “I’ll be right beside you, baby.”

  She smiled at me. "I know you will, babe. My mind is finally at peace, knowing that this person will be brought to justice."

  "If you’re at peace, I’m at peace too," I said, swiping a kiss against her cheek.

  We arrived at the station, and Detective Jones took us into his office. Detective Murray was seated beside his desk and greeted us as we sat down. Detective Jones showed us the video clip. Since the mall was opposite the new building, they were able to put together a string of surveillance clips that showed when the assailant drove behind the new building and brought out a gas cylinder and a long hose. She wore black leather pants with black gloves on her hands. She threw the hose into one of the rooms and connected the other end to the gas cylinder.

  When she was certain the gas had saturated around the room, she took the gas cylinder back to her car, but she forgot to take the hose. She suddenly ran toward her car and sped off. A few minutes later, the sound of the explosion filled the air.

  Mira cringed and closed her eyes when Joe jumped down from the building. The woman drove through the mall’s parking lot, ditching her disguise when she got near the exit. When the explosion happened, she turned around, looking in the direction of Mira's building. We saw her face on the screen, and Mira gasped, and my blood boiled. It was Georgiana, Mira’s assistant.

  Noticing the look of disbelief on Mira’s face, Detective Jones said, "We searched her house and found some gas pipes and the gas cylinder in the attic. We also found the wig and the clothes she used to disguise herself. We presented this evidence to her, and she confessed. We have her confession on tape."

  “Rebecca Rice paid her fifty thousand dollars over the past year to work with her to put you out of business. They planned to bring you down from within. That’s why she was driving Rebecca’s car the day of the fire,” Detective Murray added.

  Mira shook her head. “No. There has to be some sort of mistake. Georgiana wouldn’t do this.”

  “No, ma’am, all of the evidence has been collected, and it’s correct. Your assistant has been working against you.”

  “Can I talk to her?” Mira asked, looking as if she were holding out hope that Georgiana had been coerced against her will or was in some way innocent.

  “Baby, she was on the take. She’s guilty just like Rebecca,” I said, trying to help her realize the truth that was staring at the both of us.

  Mira ignored me and turned to Detective Jones. “Can I?”

  “Sure, I don’t see any harm in letting her go back for a few minutes,” Detective Murray said to Detective Jones who nodded.

  We went to the jail cell Rebecca and Georgiana shared. They were sitting on a bench, and Rebecca had her arms wrapped around her body. For a second, I almost felt pity for her. Georgiana sat with her palms gripping her hair and a constant stream of tears running down her cheeks.

  “Why did you do it?” Mira asked her assistant.

  “I’m so sorry, Mira. I needed the money. My mother lost her house, and we were about to be put out on the streets. When Rebecca came to me, I didn’t want to do it, but she just kept offering me more and more money, and my family needed it. I couldn’t say no once we got evicted. I’m so sorry!” The broken look on Georgiana’s face made me feel for her. It was obvious Rebecca had taken advantage of her dire situation.

  “Well, I did it because I hate you!” Rebecca said, angrily. “You stole clients from me! You drove me out of business, and then you took Ward away from me. I hope everything you do fails!”

  “Rebecca, whatever we had was over long before I met Mira,” I said, unable to believe she’d brought herself to the point of being a criminal. She was one sick individual for doing what she did. “This is bigger than how you feel about me or Mira. You could have killed a man. Do you know that? You are delusional, and you need help.”

  “Well, maybe I’ll get it in here. Fuck the both of you,” Rebecca yelled. “Jailer! Jailer! Will you please take them out of here?” she yelled.

  “I feel sorry for you, Rebecca,” Mira said. “I didn’t steal clients from you. They came to me because they realized you were not credible. And now, you have proven that by using an innocent woman’s financial problems to get her in a world of trouble. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  “To hell with the both of you!” Rebecca screamed, took off her
shoe, and hurled it at the wall. The jailer walked in our direction, but Mira and I walked away while Rebecca continued screaming.

  “I’m sorry, Mira! Please forgive me,” Georgiana cried, running to hold onto the bars.

  “I will pray for you, Georgiana. You will need it,” Mira said, taking my hand, which I held tightly as we walked out of the jailhouse.

  ***

  One Month Later

  “Mom,” I said when a familiar voice answered. It’d been seventeen years since I last talked to her, but I would recognize her voice anywhere.

  “Who’s calling?” she asked, proving that innate recognition wasn’t mutual.

  “It’s Ward, your son,” I answered, and a sting of pain shot through my chest. She didn’t recognize me, her only son.

  “Oh, hi Ward,” she said as if I had called to sell her a health insurance plan that she wasn’t interested in.

  “Hi,” I replied. Then, there was an awkward silence on the line where neither of us said anything.

  “Is everything okay? Do you need something?” she asked.

  “Everything is fine. I called because I wanted to—”

  “Leanne, will you fix my tie?” I heard a man say in the background.

  “Sure, dear,” my mother’s tone shifted. I could hear it soften, and when she said those two words to that man, whoever he was, she sounded as if she loved him completely.

  “Leanne, I’ll let you go fix his tie,” I said.

  “I’ll call you back later, Ward. What’s your number?” she asked in a tone reeking more so of duty than compassion.

  “That’s not necessary, Leanne,” I said, hanging up before anything else could be said.

  Some things would never change. My relationship with my mother was one of those things, and I had come to peace with that fact a long time ago. Yet Mira asked me to try again, and I did.

  I walked toward the bedroom looking for Mira. She whirled around when I opened the bathroom door and opened her arms to embrace me. I smiled as I looked at her, but instead of going into her arms, I stepped back, reached for her left hand, and slid a ring onto her finger.

  She gasped with a surprised expression on her face.

  “Ward!” Mira cried.

  "I know we have a long way to go, and I'm not perfect," I said. "But when I found you, I found the missing piece to my life. I have never been more certain about anything. It's you, Mira. It's you I want to spend the rest of my life with. I love you, and I want you to be mine forever.”

  "Ward… I'm a terrible cook! I don't know if I'll make a good wife or…"

  “We have each other, and I’m not looking for a good cook or the perfect wife. I want you with all your flaws because I’m a flawed man too.”

  "Yes, I'll marry you," she cried out the words that would change me forever.

  “Good, I have already contacted the house movers that will move your things here,” I said.

  “Ward! You shouldn’t have done that. I was going to have my things moved into the house I picked out for us,” she said.

  We were once again standing chest to chest with me staring down into her sparkling brown eyes. I lowered my head and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Okay, from now on, we’ll consult each other before making any big decisions,” I said.

  “Yes, I’d like that,” she replied with a smile.

  “I’m sorry for contacting the movers without telling you first, but why do you think we need a new house?”

  "I thought we might need something bigger in the future,” she said, taking my hand into hers and moving it over her belly.

  “Really, baby? Don’t play with me, Mira.”

  She nodded. “It’s true. We’re having a baby.”

  “You’re having my baby?”

  “Yes,” she said, assuring me once again. “I was waiting on the perfect moment to tell you, and this is it.”

  “The timing is perfect, baby,” I said, rubbing my thumb across her chin. “I never expected this.”

  “I know, and I took my pills faithfully until I didn’t get my visitor this month,” she said softly.

  “This is everything I want, Mira. How about you? How do you feel about carrying my child?”

  “I’m happy and nervous, Ward. I always wanted to have children; it’s just a big responsibility that I have to get ready for.”

  “We’re ready for this and so much more.” I pulled her into an embrace and gripped her thick hips with the palms of my hands. They fit perfectly, and I loved it. I whispered against her ear, “I hear that sex with a pregnant woman is so much better…”

  “Hm,” she murmured with a wicked glint in her eyes. “That’s the precise reason we need a bigger place.” She giggled.

  I scooped her into my arms and carried her into my bedroom. I placed her on the bed and gently kissed her on the lips. My heart tightened with love for her. It felt surreal that she was mine. I kissed her nipples and scraped my teeth across them. She moaned softly. I trailed my finger from her navel down to the apex of her thighs and pushed a finger into her.

  “What type of wedding do you want?” I asked before I sucked her clit into my mouth and pushed another finger into her.

  Her hips arched off the bed, and she grabbed the sheets. “I… want—. I want—. A… small… family wedding,” she stammered over every word.

  “And what else?” I rubbed my finger on the spongy walls of her pussy as my tongue darted back and forth on her clit.

  “Just you, Ward. You!” she cried.

  I positioned myself between her luscious thighs and drove into her. She closed her eyes, and tears spilled over her lashes.

  "I love you, Ward," she whispered, the bright glare of her diamond ring dazzling in my eyes.

  I smiled at the sight of my ring on her finger. Whoever said a man can’t have new adventures with the same woman lied. Mira held my attention from day one, and I hadn’t strayed for one second.

  “I love you, Mrs. Levine,” I whispered into her ears. “And I will love you forever.”

  THE END

  Hello luvs,

  Thanks for reading.

  I hope you enjoyed the Alpha Crusher Novella!

  I’d love for you to join my group on Facebook and share your thoughts about Ward and Mira.

  Until the next time.

  Best,

  Shani

  P.S. Keep reading for an excerpt of Safe Place 2.

  SAFE PLACE

  PART 2

  Prologue

  Jeb

  As I buttoned my shirt up, I stood in front of the mirror looking at my reflection while my mind wondered about all the ways this could go wrong. My feet wanted to stay planted right there in our room as I thought about my father and the hateful words that would spew out of his mouth once I revealed to him Tameka would soon be my wife.

  He wasn’t a fan of our union, to say the least. And he let me know by avoiding me at all costs. I wanted to talk this through with my dad, mostly because I couldn’t bear to see us turn into his brother and Channing. But he was too stuck in his own outdated ways to try to salvage our relationship. I’d give him a call, and he would send me straight to voicemail. I’d stop by the house, and he’d completely ignore me, only grunting and moaning in response to me trying to get something out of him. He wouldn’t even string together more than four words to say to me. He was beyond disapproving, and it showed.

  I thought about asking Tameka to elope. I would love to see her on a breathtaking white beach after giving her my ring and vowing to spend the rest of my life with her. We didn’t need people there who didn’t support our love. Our day should belong to us, and to our love.

  I slowly finished dressing and found it in myself to get the hell out of that room before I somehow rationalized not showing my face to my father. Funny enough though, bailing wasn’t even an option. I had to let him know directly that Tameka was going to be my family now and he could either get with it or not be in my life. But, I needed to hear his decision. Deep dow
n, I knew he had picked a side long ago by every dodge and awkward avoidable silence between us. I still needed him to tell me to my face.

  While I was getting ready for my encounter with my dad, Tameka was at work, and I was a bit relieved. I didn’t want her to see me this jumpy, while on the other hand, she was the only one who could ease my nerves. I rushed out the door, jumped into my truck, and sped to the other side of the train tracks. I was ready to get this over with.

  As I pulled into the driveway of my old childhood home, memories flooded in. I remembered my dad’s meetings with the brotherhood and how me and Channing would sneak over to eavesdrop. We were so mesmerized by the brotherhood’s weekly gatherings. Always present was my father, uncle, and a crowd of business owners and trade workers from the old neighborhood with a handful of big wigs sprinkled in. Channing and I used to mimic them, fantasizing about a day when we would be leading the meetings. I shook my head at the thought.

  I took my time and sat in the car as I fidgeted with my keys. I saw one of the curtains move and realized my dad had been made aware of my arrival.

  Shit, I thought. Now, I had to put some pep in my step. I maneuvered out of the car and slammed the door shut as my father’s silhouette approached the doorway.

  “Son,” he greeted me quite distantly as I approached the same old wooden porch I used to play on.

  “Hey, Dad!” I tried to sound as if I was happy to see him. As much as I dreaded this pending moment, I knew that this conversation needed to happen.

  He gave me a stiff head nod, fully committed to his bleak stance against welcoming me back home. I waited for him to embrace me, but he didn’t budge. I reached my hand out to shake his hand, but he kept both of his old, frail hands right inside his pocket as he looked me up and down the way he would examine a horse he was considering purchasing.

  “So, what do I owe this visit to? Are you here to tell me that you finally dropped that monkey and got yourself a real woman?”