Carl Weber's Kingpins

by Brittani Williams

  “Look, Desire, I have to go. I’ll call you later,” he said, fumbling to gather his clothing.

  “What?” I quizzed both confused and annoyed. I knew that I shouldn’t have let his ass in! “Where are you going?” I asked as I stood up from the sofa.

  “I have to get home before she does or she’ll wonder where I was,” he said, zipping his pants.

  “Why? Tell her you are working. You can’t leave me hanging like that, Dontay,” I said, grabbing hold of his hand trying to get him to refocus on me.

  “I’m sorry, Desire, but I have to go. I’ll give you a call tomorrow I promise.”

  I released my grip as he turned to walk out of the door. I wanted to beg him to stay, but I knew it would only make things worse. He couldn’t live without me, but it was becoming clear that he couldn’t live without her either.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Anniversary

  Tracy

  Here I was in the hospital staring at the ceiling while my husband was out doing God knows what with God knows who. I was in a lot of pain, but I refused all pain medication since I had nothing left to remember my baby. At least I could hold on to that. At five months pregnant, I had lost our first child, and he wasn’t even around to comfort me. I could partly blame him for it, since I was constantly stressed with all of the drama he put me through, but I blamed myself. I should have been strong enough to walk away, if not for myself, then for the baby. Now I had nothing left but an empty womb and a busy signal every time I dialed Dontay’s phone.

  It was hours before I was actually able to reach him, and I was sure he felt like the biggest asshole in the world when he found out what happened. He came to the hospital and entered the room putting on an act that deserved an Academy Award.

  “Baby, I got here as fast as I could. I am so sorry I wasn’t here for you. How did this happen?” he asked while rubbing my forehead.

  “I really don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m in a lot of pain, and I really just want to go to sleep.”

  “Baby, I need to know what happened.”

  “Well, maybe if you weren’t out fucking around on me you would have been here to know. I just lost our baby and that is the most pain I’ve ever been through. Right now I don’t want to talk and that’s that!” I responded, before turning away from him.

  “Baby?”

  “Dontay, please just let me sleep.”

  “Well, if it means anything to you, I wasn’t out fucking around. I was actually working this time.”

  Instead of responding I let a tear fall from my eye. This time! As if one time was enough to erase the previous times he cheated.

  From the outside looking in you would believe that we were the happiest couple in the world, but we were both pretty good at acting, and it had been enough to convince everyone that things were perfect. Dontay had mastered faking his love for me, and I had mastered faking as if it didn’t matter. In all actuality it did matter, and I hoped that from this point on we could work at getting the old feelings back.

  Once I was released from the hospital, Dontay played the perfect husband, but all good things must come to an end, and I knew that it wouldn’t be long before things went back to normal.

  It was the day before our anniversary and since neither of us could take off work the following day I planned to cook dinner and spend some quality time with Dontay, which was something that we hadn’t done in a long time. I prepared a salmon and rice bake, with steamed vegetables, and topped it off with white wine. I got dressed in a little black dress that was sure to turn him on and after setting the table I sat down and waited for him to come in. After two hours of waiting, I dialed his cell phone. He answered on the first ring.

  “Hello.”

  “Dontay, where are you?” I asked, annoyed.

  “I’m working, why?”

  “Why? Because our anniversary is tomorrow, and I told you that I had something special planned tonight!”

  “Oh, shit, baby, it slipped my mind. I got backed up at worked, and I had some things to finish.”

  “Well, what time will you be home?” I asked, hoping that he would be here soon.

  “Umm, I’m not sure. I still have a lot to do.”

  “Dontay, I went through a lot of trouble to make tonight special for you. Why can’t you cut things short and finish up tomorrow? And why are you at work anyway? I thought you were going to the gym.”

  “I did go to the gym, but I got a call from work, and I needed to come finish some things up. Look, I’ll try to get there as soon as I can.”

  “You know what, Dontay? Don’t even bother! If our anniversary isn’t important to you then why should it be to me?” Click.

  I hung up the phone, and in a rage, I threw everything that I had cooked into the trash. Never mind the fact that I had spent over one hundred dollars getting everything together and slaved over the stove for hours.

  I was pissed that after all of the time we’d been married, he couldn’t even take one day off of cheating to spend it with me. I knew that his story about work was bullshit since he never worked on Sundays. I wasn’t even going to fight him about it. Instead I took off my clothes and headed up to bed. Unfortunately, his cold hands touching my face at one o’clock in the morning awakened me.

  “What?” I yelled, aggravated.

  “I bought something for you!”

  “Our anniversary is tomorrow, Dontay!”

  “Actually it’s one o’clock so it’s okay for you to open it,” he responded, reminding me of the fact that he’d been out all night.

  “Well, I’m tired and I have to get up to go to work early in the morning, so it’s going to have to wait until then!” I yelled, ignoring the fact that he was practically shoving the box in my face.

  “Okay, no problem. It will be waiting here when you get up.”

  I turned over and headed back to sleep. I never felt him climb into bed that night, but I figured that he was most likely angry that I didn’t open his gift. The alarm clock went off at six, which startled me since I usually set it for seven. How the hell did the time get changed? I thought as I pushed the off button. I sat up on the edge of the bed and rubbed my eyes before opening them. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were roses placed all around the room with a big HAPPY ANNIVERSARY banner in front of them. How the hell did he manage to get this in here? I walked over to the small table that displayed a purple jewelry box. I opened it to reveal a ring with five diamonds placed in a platinum setting. A tear fell as I began to feel bad about accusing him of cheating. Here he was out trying to make things right for me, and I thought something altogether different. The roses were beautiful, and I rushed out of the bedroom and as I looked down I noticed rose petals leading to the direction of the stairs. I followed the trail and as I got closer to the kitchen I could smell the scent of breakfast. I walked in and smiled as he stood over the table placing sausage and eggs on the plates.

  “Baby, I can’t believe you!” I said as I greeted him with a kiss.

  “Happy anniversary, baby.” He smiled.

  “I’m sorry for snapping on you last night. I—”

  “Don’t worry about it. I totally understand, but I wanted to do something special for you, and it took me a little more time than I expected.”

  “Would you mind if I had this breakfast to go?”

  “To go? Why? I set the alarm clock early.”

  I didn’t speak as I slid my hand into his boxers and massaged his length. I stuck out my tongue to lick his neck as he leaned his head to the side to enjoy it. His skin tasted of honey, and I realized how much I’d missed it as I took in the flavor. I rubbed my hands over his pole and once he was aroused I wrapped my hands around it and began to stroke it unhurriedly. I wanted to feel him inside of me, but I wanted to take my time and enjoy it. I felt that my man was deserving of satisfaction since he’d gone overboard to make our anniversary exceptional. Easing down on my knees, I began to plant wet kisses on the tip of his pulsing m
anhood, the thickness of my lips causing him to sigh. I savored the taste of his prerelease while watching him fight to keep his composure. Soon the head was meeting my tonsils with my hands cupping his jewels.

  “Baby, you’re killing me,” he moaned, as I released him from my mouth long enough to instruct him to keep quiet. After he was satisfied, he bent me over the counter with my ass high in the air.

  “Go ahead and slap it. You know I love that shit!” I instructed, loudly, and he didn’t hesitate to oblige. After using his fingers to guide him inside of me, he began to moved in slow circles until I was extremely wet. I could feel the juices pouring out of me as he reached his hands around my waist to fondle my clit while still digging deep inside of me. I wanted him to pick up the pace and once I started pushing my ass back a little faster he got the point. Grabbing hold of my hips he pushed harder and deeper causing one orgasm after another. My legs were shaking, and I wasn’t sure how much I could take. I bit my bottom lip awaiting his explosion. Soon he was bursting with pleasure and the warm feeling inside of my confirmed that he was satisfied.

  “Could you wrap that food up for me, baby? I’m going to go hop in the shower!” I smiled and planted a wet kiss on his lips.

  “No problem,” he said while watching me walk away.

  I hopped in the shower and headed off to work with the biggest smile on my face. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dontay all day.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Another Round

  Alisha

  2006

  “What time is the appointment with the planner?” Hope asked.

  We weren’t waiting a year to get married like most couples did. That was one of Desi’s best qualities: he saw what he wanted and grabbed it. Two months had passed since his proposal, and the ceremony date was fast approaching. Four months was hardly enough time to plan a wedding, but with his money and my connections, we were making it happen.

  “She said she was coming at six. What time is it now?”

  I was trying to make sure that I had all my ideas lined up to present to her. I needed my wedding day to be perfect. I’d created a presentation board full of all the details. It was my inner Virgo that kept me highly organized, especially when it came to event planning.

  “It’s five forty-five now. I still can’t believe you’re getting married. Never thought I’d see the day.”

  “Shit, me either, but I’m embracing it. Desi is perfect for me.”

  “Yeah, he’s crazy, and so are you. Match made in heaven.” She laughed. “So what’s up with that nigga Jay? He still stalking you?”

  “Girl, no. Thank God. I was sick of him. Like seriously, you’re mad because I took your money, but it’s not like he ain’t get shit in return. I laid up wit’ him and his little-ass dick for months.”

  Hope laughed hysterically.

  “I’m glad you can find the humor in that shit. I get sick every time I think about it. Last time I saw him he told me I was going to pay for doing him dirty. Girl, fuck him. Ain’t nobody got time for that.”

  “You better watch your back, because that fool is crazy.”

  “Well, I’m psycho. Besides, with Desi by my side, I don’t have to watch my back. He’s got that under control.” I laughed.

  “Yeah, Desi ain’t having that,” she agreed.

  The doorbell rang and a huge smile came across my face. I ran toward the door to let in Lisa, the wedding planner. “Sorry I’m a few minutes late. Traffic was insane,” she said, stepping into the foyer and hugging me.

  “It’s no problem. I’m just glad you made it.” I motioned with my hand to show her where I had my presentation set up.

  She walked past me and into the house. She was impeccably dressed from head to toe. Nothing was out of place, and her makeup was flawless. She had some of the most expensive designer attire around. Her shoes alone would set you back three stacks. Hope stood and greeted her once we entered the living room.

  “As you can see, I have a full presentation here for you.” I smiled and walked over to the board that I had covered with a large piece of fabric. I wanted to reveal each piece separately as not to overwhelm her.

  “I see. I’m ready when you are.” She took a seat and removed a leather notebook case from her briefcase.

  “Okay, well, first let me say there is no budget. My man wants me to be happy, and told me to buy whatever I want.”

  “My kind of man,” Lisa replied.

  “Yes, that’s why I’m marrying him.” I laughed. “So first, I love white so there is a ton of white in my idea. Since the venue is a large art gallery, we have tons of space to work with. I want the wedding indoors with the pre-reception portion in the foyer of the building. The actual reception will take place outside in the garden. Since it will happen in the evening, I’d like it to look like there are stars over the entire seated area.”

  “Okay, I see where you’re going. Basically with a lighting effect that could be done,” she replied.

  “Yes, that’s what I was thinking as well. Next . . .” I revealed the presentation board. “This is all of the must-haves. The flowers, floor runners—it’s all here. I’d also like a video to be shown via their ceiling projector onto the walls of the gallery. I will have that video for you within the next few weeks.”

  “I have to say, you are one of the most organized brides I’ve ever met.” She laughed.

  I finished my presentation, which lasted about an hour. Afterward, we set up our next meeting and then she was on her way.

  “Girl, you are going to kill his pockets, literally,” Hope said as I reentered the living room.

  “Well, he has plenty of money. He can afford it.”

  The doorbell rang again. I figured Lisa must’ve forgotten something so I immediately opened it without peeking through the peephole.

  “Long time no see,” Jay said, holding a gun in his right hand.

  I immediately tried to shut the door, but he kicked it with his right foot and knocked me to the floor.

  “Hope, run,” I yelled.

  “What the hell is . . .” She stopped in her tracks when she noticed Jay standing over me with the gun pointed at my head.

  “If you run, I’ll blow her fucking brains out,” he said in a tone sharp enough to pierce your skin.

  Hope immediately began to cry. I held it together as much as I could. He grabbed me by the hair, pulled me up from the floor, and pushed me into the living room where he forced both of us to sit down on the sofa. He sat down on the sofa opposite us and put his feet up on the edge of the coffee table.

  “So, what do we have here? Someone is getting married, I see.” He looked over at the presentation board.

  Both of us remained quiet. I wasn’t sure how to answer that question for fear that anything I said would anger him further.

  “Cat got your tongue? Not Miss Mouth All Fucking Mighty. I asked a fucking question!” he yelled.

  “It’s me. I’m getting married,” Hope blurted out.

  “Bullshit, I see that big-ass rock on her finger. That’s real noble of you to try to take up for your sister, but that shit will get you both killed.”

  “What do you want, Jay?” I asked. “Is it your money? I can get it all back to you.”

  “Fuck your money, bitch! You fucked with my mind and my heart. It ain’t enough money in the world that can fix that shit.”

  “I never meant to hurt you, Jay. That’s the truth,” I pleaded.

  “You don’t know the meaning of that word. You made a nigga believe you loved me. You know how that shit feels to find out that it was a big-ass scam? Keep your ass still before I shoot your ass,” he yelled noticing Hope inching over to her purse. “Now back to my question.” He redirected his attention back to me.

  “I don’t know how it feels, but what I do know is that it wasn’t intentional.”

  In the brief few seconds that his attention was on Hope I had pressed the silent alarm on my wrist. Desi was so worried that someone would try to
harm me that he had this watch custom made that notified him immediately if I hit it. I was confident that he’d be there soon to get us out of this. I needed to stay on Jay’s good side, and hold him off as long as possible.

  “I’m really sorry, Jay. I really cared for you.”

  He sat there silent for a few seconds. “Why are you marrying this nigga? You know you should be with me.”

  I was stuck. I didn’t know what to say in response to that. If I didn’t agree, he’d be pissed. If I did, he might call me a liar and still be pissed. At this point, there wasn’t anything that I could say or do to make him believe me. I was a good liar, but an angry person can often see right through lies.

  “What can I do to make it up to you?”

  “What can you do?” he asked, rubbing his temple. He probably didn’t expect that question.

  “Yes,” I replied calmly. I didn’t want him to sense my fear. I wanted him to believe in the words that were coming out of my mouth. I was silently praying that Desi would walk in any minute.