by KR Bankston
“Thank you Father,” Hope replied amiably. “Please, just place it on the nightstand, I’ll read it later,” she added as he nodded and complied.
Talking with her a few moments longer and praying together, the Priest finally rose and bid her goodnight. Hope stared at the letter for what seemed like an eternity before she picked it up and opened it, steeling herself as her eyes found the ink and she began to read.
*****
Gabrielle was nervous and her body showed it.
“Calm down, baby,” Jaron told her softly as he held her around her waist. “I’m here, and nothing is going to happen to you,” he added, kissing her lips tenderly.
She smiled then, once again glad that Jaron had come for her that fateful night. It’d been almost a week before she could work up her nerve to return to the Bayou and come to the coroner’s office. They were waiting now for Peyton and Seth’s personal effects to be released. She’d had the horrendous duty of formally identifying Peyton’s body. They didn’t ask any questions and since she raised none, accepting their explanation of drowning, no autopsy was performed. The sheriff told Gabrielle they only found various pieces of clothing for Seth, never a body. “The gators probably got to him Gabrielle, I’m sorry,” he told her remorsefully. Gabrielle thanked him for his help and for trying to find Seth’s body. In the back of her mind there was a nagging doubt about his being dead at all. She dismissed it quickly though. Seth loved her and of that Gabrielle had no doubt. There was no way he would have run off and left her locked in that room forever.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the short, stocky, older man that entered the room with the large manila envelope in his hand.
“Ms. DuBois,” he asked as Gabrielle rose and identified herself. “Here you are ma’am,” he told her kindly, giving her a sympathetic smile.
Gabrielle shook his hand and again thanked him for all his professionalism. Leaving the coroner, Jaron asked where she needed to go next.
“The mortuary and make arrangements,” she replied subdued.
His heart ached watching all the pain she was experiencing losing both her brothers. He knew the truth and that Peyton was already dead when Seth took him out in the boat to get rid of the body. Know what they say, Jaron thought silently. Karma’s a bitch. Pulling up shortly afterward, Jaron turned the car off and got out with Gabrielle as she stood transfixed looking at the stately building that handled funerals and cremations.
“I can’t do this,” she told him as the tears came. “Baby, I’m here,” Jaron told her once more, taking her hand and walking with her inside the building, where they were met by one of the funeral directors who directed them to a large well furnished office and brought Gabrielle a box of Kleenex, pulling out a pad of forms and beginning the business at hand.
*****
Hope was frowning slightly as she read the letter from her brother. ‘Sister,’ it began. ‘I know it’s been many years and I know that you still hate me,’ it went on. ‘I have not intruded on your life in all these years, but I must at this point. I am dying.’ Hope read as she sighed deeply. “Aren’t we all,” she murmured aloud but kept reading. ‘I suppose this horrible disease that’s slowly eating me alive is my punishment for all my sins,’ Carlo wrote. ‘Even though you think me a monster, I am not. I have thought of you, of Auriel and of Lauren every day that I have lived behind these bars. I love my daughter, contrary to my cruel and evil actions against her all those years ago.’ Carlo continued as Hope’s eyes began to glaze over and she had to blink several times to clear the tears. This was the first time, ever, that he had admitted doing anything at all to Lauren or killing Auriel. ‘My attorney has documents for you. I want you to give them to Lauren. No matter what you think of me, she is my flesh and blood and she deserves the things he has for her. Even though you have never said it or acknowledged it in writing to me, I know if anyone knows where she is, you do.’ the letter went on as Hope sighed deeply and continued to read.
Carlo continued on asking her to contact his attorney as soon as possible and give him Lauren’s information. The attorney was bound by law not to disclose it to anyone, including himself. He assured Hope again and again that he would never reach out to his only surviving child again in this life. ‘The hurt and devastation I’ve caused her never allows me to be in her life again, and for that, my soul suffers daily,’ Carlo wrote. Hope couldn’t stop the one tear that ran down her cheek. As evil and demented as he was, he was still her brother and she chose to remember the good that once was Carlo, instead of the monster he had become. ‘Please sister, I beg you, do this for me. I am making repentance in this life not to suffer in the next. I want to know that I have at least left my daughter all that should have rightfully been hers all her life. I took away her mother, I took away her aunt, I took away her innocence and shattered her life. The pain of the disease that ravages me daily does the same to me. I will never ask you to communicate with me again after this one request. The prison will notify you of my death and that will end it. Please sister, do this for Lauren, not for me.’ The letter finally ended as Hope closed her eyes and cried in earnest, still holding the business card with the attorney’s name and number on it.
*****
Everything was arranged and the service would be held tomorrow. Gabrielle insisted on a closed coffin as well as a grave marker for Seth. Exhausted she fell onto the bed in the hotel room Jaron rented for them upon returning.
“What do you want to do about your house and your stuff in it,” he asked kissing her ear softly and stroking her hair gently.
Gabrielle sighed deeply.
“I have to go see the lawyer first I guess,” she replied.
She had no idea how the house was deeded. Those were things that Seth always took care of. He’d kept her sheltered most of her life, doing almost everything for her. “That’s fine, we can do that after the service tomorrow,” Jaron replied as Gabrielle smiled slightly and thanked him again for bringing her back and for sticking by her side. “You don’t hafta thank me for that baby,” Jaron returned kissing her again.
Gabrielle was so empty right now. She had a deep hurt in the pit of her soul that seemed would never heal. Both her brothers were gone. Her parents were gone. She was alone. Jaron lay down beside her as Gabrielle moved closer to him, correcting her thought. She wasn’t alone anymore and she prayed he never left her.
Jaron’s even breathing let her know he was sleeping as she finally closed her own eyes and joined him. She began to dream almost immediately. She saw her brothers fighting again. She saw Seth’s rage and raw anger as he strangled Peyton who was conscious, in her dream, begging for his life. “Seth! No! he’s begging for his life, leave him be,” Gabrielle screamed in the dream. “Stay out of this Gabrielle or I’ll punish you,” Seth yelled as she immediately cowered in the corner again out of harms way. Gabrielle was moaning in her sleep, clutching the covers tightly as the tears ran out onto the pillow. Jaron shook her gently. He needed her to wake up. She was obviously having one serious nightmare. Gasping and sitting upright, Gabrielle looked back and forth trying to focus and gain her bearings.
“You were dreaming,” Jaron told her calmly, as Gabrielle lay in his arms and he held her tightly.
“I was dreaming about them,” she replied simply as Jaron again kissed her forehead and told her everything was fine.
He really wanted to make love to her, but her cycle had shown up the day before they came down. Jaron was disappointed but said nothing. Quieting finally, Gabrielle drifted back off to sleep as Jaron continued to hold her, wanting tomorrow to hurry and be over and them to leave the Bayou forever.
25
Shells was ready by the time the men arrived. He’d already secured the house assuring they wouldn’t be disturbed when the festivities began. The staff was small. The desk clerk, one cook and server, one housekeeper and the bellman was the complete offering. Shells had rounded them up quickly, starting with the desk clerk when he approached the smiling ma
n and showed him the .380 in his hand. The clerk surrendered without incident, calling the rest of the staff to the desk as Shells instructed. He’d marched them all to the small laundry room, locking them inside, bound and gagged. He’d removed all their cell phones, turning them off and putting them inside the office behind the front desk. Shells then cut all the phone lines to the main switchboards, which in turn disabled all the phones inside the rooms in the house. There was no way for anyone to make contact with the outside world. Not unless they found a way to walk through walls. Hearing the sound of gravel under tires, Shells returned to his spot at the front window. He smiled slightly seeing the three men get out, taking note of the arsenal they held in the duffels they carried.
Mook entered first, weapon drawn as Shells greeted him. Relaxing slightly he returned the greeting as Tariq and LaRon entered next.
“Everything is ready,” Shells told them all calmly.
Tariq closed the front door, engaging the lock as Shells handed him the cherry wood chair and Tariq propped it under the bottom lock.
“What’s the layout,” Tariq asked as his vein in his temple throbbed.
Shells didn’t think he’d ever seen his friend as deeply angry as he was now.
“Let me tell you first da real reason dey come down here,” Shells began as all three men now gave him their complete and undivided attention.
He started at the beginning going back to the first pickup from Python and the last pickup from the new source.
“They’re running brick,” LaRon asked tightly, angry as hell with Jaleesa being back in the game and putting her life in danger.
“And armor,” Shells replied as Tariq’s frown deepened.
“So KiKi’s been lyin’ to me all this time,” he spat, furious with her.
Shells nodded and began talking again.
“Tae, she in room one,” he told them as they nodded. “Tweety, she is two, KiKi, she is three,” he finished as Tariq sighed deeply. “They not alone,” Shells added as LaRon’s eyes narrowed to slits and he asked the man to enlighten him.
*****
“Kareem, you’re trippin’,” Tae told him getting pissed.
Since he’d arrived he’d been giving her one order or the other. Now he was telling her she was moving to the Bayou and living with him.
“I know you from the A and shit, and you women up there think you run shit,” Kareem returned standing in her face, his voice tight. “But this is the Bayou and I run this shit, and I run you,” he told Tae as she frowned and scoffed, walking away from him.
Reaching out he grabbed her swinging her around and slapping her hard. Tae stumbled but she didn’t fall. Sticking her hand in her pocket, she came out swinging. Kareem moved quickly seeing the glint of the straight razor as the light refracted from it and caught his eye. A half second later, his face would have a lifelong souvenir remaining. “Fuck no you didn’t,” Kareem railed grabbing Tae’s arm and twisting it hard, forcing her to drop the razor.
He flung her onto the bed, kicking the razor under the dresser in the room. Tae quickly rolled to her right, reaching for the .9mm she kept between the mattress.
Kareem was on her before she could grasp the weapon, taking it from the hiding place, silencer attached.
“You’re gonna learn to listen to me,” he hissed in her ear, putting the gun in the nightstand next to the bed and turning Tae over, looking in her face.
“You betta fuckin’ recognize, I could kill you here and no one would ever find any part of your body, ever,” he railed as Tae regarded him, terrified but hellbent not to show it. This asshole is crazy as fuck, she thought behind the defiant stare, which earned her yet another open hand slap.
“You’re not going back to Atlanta,” he told her, never taking his eyes off her. “You’re mine, you fuckin’ hear me,” Kareem continued to growl. “Say it,” he admonished, lifting Tae by her arms and shaking her hard. He was hurting her and the shaking had her brain bouncing around in her skull disorienting her.
“Get off me,” Tae told him as she vainly tried to lift her body and throw him off.
“Say it,” Kareem told her again.
“Say what Kareem, shit,” Tae returned as he finally stopped shaking her.
“Say you understand that you’re my woman, you’re gonna obey me, and that your life in Atlanta is the past,” he hissed once more, angry he had to repeat himself.
“No,” Tae told him plainly as Kareem slapped her again, before ripping her shirt open and tearing her bra from her body.
******
“So what is it you want,” Mecca asked as he and Jaleesa lounged on the bed together. She was wearing boy shorts and a wife beat, Mecca was in his fitted boxers. “I don’t want a relationship,” she told him honestly.
Mecca answered that was fine with him.
“I can be your away from home dick, I have no problem with that,” he told her as Jaleesa smiled and told him she might like that.
“So why aren’t we making love yet,” Mecca returned.
Jaleesa told him she wanted to talk right now. He shrugged slightly and told her it was cool as they continued to converse.
“How long you and Kareem been hanging,” she asked curiously.
Mecca told her the friendship went back to childhood.
“So you’re both natives,” Jaleesa asked again.
He told her they were.
“How did you and your girls get into the hustle,” Mecca asked wanting to appease his own curiosity.
Jaleesa told him about meeting Kaitlyn years ago when she first came to Atlanta. “We clicked,” she told him simply.
“She had been in the game before,” Jaleesa told him as Mecca asked how she knew that.
Jaleesa shrugged slightly. “The girl knew shit I had no idea went on with the hustle, ya know,” she threw out as Mecca listened intently.
Jaleesa went on to tell him how Kaitlyn had been the one to get them connected, meeting suppliers and procuring new clients.
“We met Tae about two years later, and again, we all clicked,” she told him as Mecca listened and watched her beautiful mouth as she spoke.
He thought about all the things Ian had shared with them about the women. He was right. These ladies were the real deal and they could give any man in the game a serious run for his money. Deciding they’d talked enough, Mecca leaned in and kissed Jaleesa’s lips. She smiled slightly as he kissed her again. Reaching behind her into the nightstand drawer, Jaleesa removed two Magnums and put them next to them as Mecca smiled and pulled her close kissing her again as his hands started at her butt and began to work their way up.
*****
Kaitlyn stirred slightly as Ian finished his drink and put his glass down. Walking over to the bed, he sat on it and touched her face, tracing it lightly with his finger. She sighed softly but didn’t awaken.
“You had two shots didn’t you,” Ian murmured smiling as he spoke.
The glass had been laced with a fast acting sedative. If she’d just had the one shot she would be in a mild state of sedation, not asleep, but incapacitated nonetheless. With the two shots, Kaitlyn was in a deeper state of sleep. Ian kissed her lips tenderly as she moaned softly and turned her head. Ian continued to take her in, his eyes following the curves of her body stopping at her breasts, nipples hard. Ian reached out gently caressing them through the cotton fabric. He couldn’t describe his joy at touching her again after so many years apart. Gently lifting the shirt, Ian looked at her soft smooth skin. She only had a couple of stretch marks to give away her former pregnancy.
“No, please,” Kaitlyn whispered startling him.
Regarding her Ian saw that she was still sleeping, the rapid eye movement behind the lids alerted him she was deep in the throes of a dream. As she continued to sleep, Ian carefully lifted her to a sitting position and removed her shirt, he gently lifted her hips as he stripped her panties from her, leaving Kaitlyn exactly how he wanted her; naked and ready for them to join again as one.
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*****
Kaitlyn was dreaming. She was having the nightmare of all nightmares as she desperately tried to wake herself and escape. ‘Lauren come here,’ Carlo screamed, his voice slurred. She knew he was high again. He’d been shooting heroin as of late. ‘Yes Carlo,’ she returned quietly standing in his presence. He smiled and her stomach lurched. ‘Come here and give your man a kiss,’ he told her as she complied still terrified. Lauren knew that to disobey him would earn her another beating and she didn’t want that. Repulsed by the act, she did as she was told and kissed him as Carlo pulled her close, slipping his tongue into her mouth again, his hands on her butt. ‘I love you, you know that?’ he asked as he caressed her breasts now. Lauren wanted to die. She was 15 years old and her life was hell. ‘Yeah Carlo, I know,’ she replied knowing it was what he wanted to hear. ‘You come lay with me, give me what I need and what I know you want,’ he told her lewdly leading her to the bed they’d shared since she was 12. Lauren did what she had to in order to survive. After witnessing her mother’s death she had no doubt Carlo would kill her. ‘Mmm, my sweet wife, my Lauren,’ Carlo moaned as he thrust into her and Lauren endured. ‘I love you so much,’ he told her softly, holding her tightly and going even deeper. The tears came but she didn’t cry. Tears were forbidden and Carlo would beat her if she let them escape. ‘So good, oh baby,’ Carlo told her as Lauren felt him inside her, his liquid warmth escaping. ‘Did you take your pill,’ he asked afterward as she continued to lay beside him while he smoked crack. ‘Yes Carlo,’ she replied as he grunted, finished his smoke and began with her again.
Kaitlyn could feel him touching her. She felt his hands as they roamed her body squeezing her breasts and sucking the nipples gently. She felt his breath on her neck, his lips kissing it as he continued to touch her intimately. She tried to push him away but her limbs wouldn’t work. It was if she was paralyzed. Stop, she screamed only to find her mouth hadn’t opened it was only in her head. She felt his breath on her ear as he kissed them softly, his body directly atop her own now. Why won’t Carlo leave me alone, she thought as he began to grind slowly against her and she felt his flesh, his erection ready to assail her once again. “I love you,” he said simply as Kaitlyn’s eyes popped open and she was looking directly into his face the nightmare had manifested into flesh.
