“No, of course not. I can’t leave until you cook me some food. I want to eat some of your famous arroz con pollo.” Tiana smiled, pulling out a chair at the dining table. She was happy to still have someone who’d stayed loyal to her father.
* * *
Tiana was exhausted when she got back to the apartment that Drake had set up for her. She put her key in the door and rushed inside, yearning for a nice, warm shower and the bed.
Tiana looked around and was very happy with what she saw. Drake had hooked her up with a fully furnished one-bedroom apartment. The kitchen had black and silver marble countertops and white kitchen cabinets. It was stocked with stainless steel appliances and it even had a cute stainless steel teapot on the stove. The living room had a black suede sectional with black and cream pillows. The coffee table had a clear glass vase with silk red and white flowers. A fifty-four-inch flat screen was mounted on the wall.
“I love this place,” Tiana whispered to herself, kicking off her sneakers and pulling her gun from her waist. She clicked on the light in the kitchen and went to the refrigerator to pour something to drink.
“Where were you?” Drake seemed to have appeared out of thin air.
“Oh, shit! What the fuck!” Tiana choked, sending the glass in her hand crashing to the floor.
“Calm down,” Drake said, looking at her strangely. “Why you so nervous?”
“How the fuck you telling me to calm down when you lurking in the fucking apartment like a creep?” Tiana screamed at him. Her hands were still shaking fiercely. She didn’t like the feeling of being snuck up on like that. “You lucky I had already put my gun down or your ass would be slumped right now,” Tiana asserted.
Drake chortled and shook his head at her. “Yeah, a’ight, tough girl.”
“Why the fuck you sneaking in here and shit?” Tiana gasped, still trying to catch her breath.
“Better question is, where the fuck you been and why the fuck you so nervous and jumpy?” Drake shot back, bending down to pick up the broken glass.
“Yo, Drake. For real. Right now is not the time to start that possessive shit.” Tiana put her hand up. “I’ve been locked up for mad long with people telling me when to eat, think, sleep, shit. I don’t need that from you. I have a lot of shit on my plate these days if you haven’t noticed.” Tiana knew it would only be a matter of time before Drake started acting overprotective. It never failed.
When Tiana and Drake were little kids they were inseparable best friends. They did everything together: played, fought, had sleepovers, went to school each day, fought off neighborhood bullies, cried, and laughed. They were more like close siblings than just friends. Although Drake was two years older than Tiana, he never treated her like she was younger than him. When they became teenagers, Drake began to get very overprotective of her. He would beat up any guy who approached her the wrong way or disrespected her. Everyone thought Tiana and Drake had something going on but the truth was Drake just wanted to make sure Tiana was safe.
Tiana loved having Drake as her best friend. She loved knowing that someone was always around to look out for her. Even after she moved to the “big house,” as Drake called it, and they weren’t able to see each other as often, Drake still stayed on top of her and made sure she was good. He was always there for her during times when she felt no one else cared and he was the best friend anyone could ever ask for.
What Tiana had failed to realize for so long was that Drake was secretly in love with her. He had loved her since they were teenagers. All the girls he ran around with were just pawns to help him pass the time. When Drake found out about the shootout at her house, he felt guilty that he wasn’t around to help in any way. He saw how hard her father’s death was on her. He did his best to cheer her up and get her to see that things were going to get better, but her depression just kept getting worse. He felt like a part of him was missing the entire year that she hadn’t been around. Now that she was back he was going to make sure she was okay and that he wouldn’t lose her again. He had already decided that he was going to make his move and finally confess his true feelings to her, and tonight was as good a night as ever.
“Me expecting you to check in with me and let me know where you are is not being possessive. It’s called being worried. Your father still got enemies on the streets and your ass walking around with a fucking hit list and shit. You expect me not to worry? You came to me, remember?” Drake shot back. “Fuck me in the ass for being the person who cares most about you.” He shook his head in disgust.
Tiana’s face softened. She knew Drake was right. He was just trying to have her back at all times. Maybe she should have been letting him know her every move. “A’ight. You right, Drake. I’m sorry I didn’t call you and let you know what was up,” Tiana relented.
A slight smirk of satisfaction spread over Drake’s face. “So where you been? Any place interesting?”
“I went to see Mama Hilda and finally got some home-cooked food. Satisfied?” Tiana reported in a playfully snide tone.
“Nah, not satisfied,” Drake mumbled with a smile on his face. Then he rushed into her, grabbed her face roughly, and he covered his mouth over hers. He couldn’t resist it anymore.
“What the—” Tiana started. Drake had caught her off guard, causing her to stumble backward clumsily.
“Tiana, I love you. I am in love with you and I don’t want to keep it a secret anymore,” he confessed. He then leaned back in and went in for another kiss.
“Mmmm,” Tiana tried to protest, but Drake was too strong.
“Stop fighting me,” he panted, holding on to her arms. The heat of his words danced over her lips.
“Stop,” Tiana breathed out, exasperated. She didn’t fight as hard as she would have if Drake were a stranger trying to take advantage of her, but she still didn’t like feeling powerless.
“Nah, I’ve been waiting for you, for this. I missed you so much this past year. I love you,” he whispered.
The words “I love you” softened Tiana at the edges. She could feel some of the tension she’d been feeling for days easing.
Drake pressed his body into hers until she was sandwiched between the kitchen wall and his muscular chest. Tiana tried to fight a little more, but Drake smelled and felt so good.
“Let me love you, Tiana. Let me,” Drake panted into her ear. “Let me take care of you. Let me stop all of your pain and need for revenge.”
Finally, Tiana relented. She relaxed her previously tense muscles and allowed her tongue to perform a sexy dance with Drake’s. A tsunami of lust and love rushed Tiana all at once, threatening to drown her in the moment. Tiana always wanted to be touched in a gentle, loving way by someone who actually loved her. Drake moved his mouth from hers and trailed his tongue down her neck. A shockwave of electricity filled her loins. Tiana was feeling things she had never felt from any sexual experience she’d had.
“Drake, we can’t,” Tiana panted, the throbbing between her legs making them quiver. She couldn’t understand why her body was betraying her when her mind was screaming, no! “We are crossing the line.”
“Shhh. No, we’re not,” Drake mumbled just before he took in a mouthful of her left nipple. “I’ve been wanting this moment to happen for so long now.”
Drake sucked Tiana’s breasts gently, cupping each one like they were delicate pieces of crystal. Tiana let out a whimper when he licked around her areola softly and blew on them.
“Uhhh,” Tiana panted as she felt parts of her body come alive with more electric pulses than she’d ever experienced. Drake unbuttoned her pants with the quickness and skill of a professional. Before Tiana could protest any further, he gently rubbed her clit with his moistened pointer finger until he was sure her love juices were flowing; then he stuck his middle finger into her dripping wet center.
“Shit,” Tiana gasped. Drake added his pointer finger and pulled the two fingers in and out of her at the same time.
Suddenly Tiana’s mind slipped t
o the past and her ears were invaded by the sound of Dr. Syed’s voice: “Hold her down so I can finger that tight hole and see what it tastes like.”
“No, wait,” Tiana moaned, moving her head back and forth to fight off the intrusive memories.
“Look at me,” Drake whispered. Tiana opened her eyes slightly and realized it was Drake. She watched as he licked her nectar from his fingers like it was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
“Oh, God,” she breathed heavily. She couldn’t keep the memories from crashing in on her.
“Hold her legs open!” Dr. Syed demanded. Two of his orderlies rushed over and held Tiana down. She was writhing and flailing, but she was no match for them. Then Dr. Syed’s nurse came over with a wicked smile on her face.
“Lick that pussy. Turn her out,” Dr. Syed commanded right before his nurse, Teema, planted her head between Tiana’s legs.
“Anything for you,” Teema groaned.
“Stop. Stop. No, wait,” Tiana huffed, trying to push Drake away from her.
“No. I want to. I want to taste you,” Drake panted just before he moved his head toward her pussy. He put his hot mouth over her clitoris and breathed on it. Tiana almost climbed the kitchen wall, her back arching against it until she was nearly floating. The fight between the present and the past had her mind swirling. She punched at Drake’s shoulders but that just turned him on even more.
Drake licked, sucked, and blew air on her clit like a man possessed. Tiana moved her head left to right and used her hands to guide his head farther into her slick, moist box. Her legs were weak.
“I can’t stand up,” Tiana moaned.
“You taste so good,” Drake whispered.
Then another voice filled Tiana’s ears. “She tastes so good. Mmmm, I love being a freak for you,” Teema moaned.
Tiana had tears in her eyes now. “Please, I can’t,” she whimpered. He refused to give up. He got to his feet, looked Tiana in the eyes, and picked her up. “We can’t,” Tiana said, but she was so emotionally drained she had no fight left in her.
“Nah, we can. When shit is meant to be, it’s just meant to be. This has always been meant to be,” he said.
Drake carried her to the living room and gently placed her down on the couch. Tiana’s head was swimming with a mixture of wanting, lust, and nightmarish memories. Drake was still her best friend. They were crossing the line. This might end their friendship if it didn’t go well. He didn’t know what she had been through. Tiana wasn’t sure if she loved Drake the way he loved her. She knew there was an attraction between them, but she was afraid that doing this was going to ruin their friendship.
“This is a mistake. We can’t. We shouldn’t,” Tiana huffed, her voice coming out throaty and hoarse. “You’re my best friend.”
“I have to have you. I can’t take it anymore. I have always loved you, Tiana. Don’t you understand that? I can’t front no more,” Drake replied with feeling. Tiana closed her eyes because his words were like sun on a patch of ice, melting her cold insides in that moment.
Drake kissed her again passionately. Then he stood up, pulled his pants off, and exposed his thick, throbbing tool. Tiana closed her eyes, spread her legs voluntarily and let go. She let go of all of the pain and hurt she’d been burdened with. She let go of her revenge plans for that moment. She let go of her hard girl exterior. But, more importantly, as Drake gently slid himself deep into her dripping wet center, Tiana let go of her inhibitions and for the moment she forgot about all of the abuse she’d suffered in the past year.
“Yes. Yes,” she murmured as Drake moved inside of her with care like someone who loved her.
“I love you, Tee,” Drake murmured into the soft skin between her neck and shoulder. Tiana didn’t answer him; instead, she began moving her hips in conjunction with his until their bodies made a sweet rhythm that danced through her soul. Even if the feeling was temporary for her, Tiana enjoyed every minute of it.
* * *
The next morning, when Tiana awoke, Drake was gone. She sat up slowly in the bed and looked around for him. She squinted when she noticed a piece of paper on the pillow Drake had slept on. Tiana picked it up slowly. A pang of fear and rejection coiled through her stomach. She read it.
René Rodriguez: Caliente downtown (hangs out at the club, usually stays in hotel on Rashelle Drive after, whole penthouse floor)
Dana Shaw: Maplewood Village apartments. Apt #32
Teema Chambers: still can’t find
Tiana smiled and held the paper up against her chest. “Fucking Drake. You’re the fucking man. You never fail to come through for me,” she said aloud with a big, cheesy grin on her face. Drake had kept his promise of helping her find the people on her list. She loved Drake and she was still worried about how what happened between them last night was going to affect their relationship.
Chapter 15
S. Gates sat with his hands clasped together in front of him, listening to the sound of the recording. All of the men in the room held their breath, waiting for his reaction. S. Gates slowly lifted his head until his face was noticeable. A raised vein at his temple pulsed so fiercely against his caramel skin it could be seen from distance.
“So, tell me again. This was retrieved from the laptop of an employee of the hospital my brother worked at?” Gates asked evenly.
“Yes, boss,” Blaine answered. He had been the one to get the recording from S. Gates’s paid insider at Flint PD.
“Miss Caldoron.” He repeated that last name he’d heard on the recording.
“Yes, boss. That’s the name this guy said to someone who was in the apartment with him before he was killed. Apparently this was someone he was familiar with. The guys are going over everything now to set up a time line and to see if they think there is a link between what happened to your brother and son and what happened to this guy. I mean, since your brother worked with this guy and all,” Blaine answered.
“You just showed me building security camera footage of a woman going into the building wearing exactly what the woman in my brother’s video was wearing, and you telling me they haven’t made the connection yet?” S. Gates replied, sitting up stiffly in his chair.
“From what they said, they’re pretty sure that there is a connection, but they want to be—” Blaine started.
“Fuck what they said!” Gates shouted, slamming his palms down on the long table. All eyes were on him, but none dared to look him directly in his eyes.
“They think I am a legitimate businessman, too! They have no fucking idea I’m probably being hit by somebody vying for my spot in the drug game! So I don’t give a fuck what they said and what they think!” he roared. Then he closed his eyes for a few seconds, adjusted his Hermès tie, and cleared his throat. He hated losing his cool. He had always believed that a man who couldn’t keep his composure and keep his emotions in check was weak.
“I am putting a hundred thousand on the head of whoever is responsible for my son’s murder. If this Miss Caldoron person is connected to René and the Diablos, I want every single one of their men dead. I don’t care if I have to go out there on my own and find this bitch, whoever she is. I want her brought to me alive so I can look into her eyes. I want to see her suffer before she dies. Let all of my street distributors know that I am looking for this girl. I want her brought to me alive, and I want all the information you can get on her. Find out who she is, who she loves, what she loves, and destroy it all,” S. Gates commanded. The fact that he went from zero to one hundred and then back to zero scared all of his men, and the fear in the room was almost tangible.
S. Gates stood up and stormed out of the conference room. All of his men clamored out behind him. They had a message to send to the streets and a job to do.
* * *
The Meringue music reverberated off the walls of Club Caliente and pulsed through Tiana’s body. Even though she was Puerto Rican, she’d always hated that type of music and now was no different. She’d grin and bear it for tonight,
though, because she was here with a purpose. She had a mission she needed to complete.
Sitting alone at the bar, Tiana looked out into the club as the partygoers swayed their bodies and moved their hips and feet so fast to the music that a few of them looked like they were running in place. Tiana gave off the vibe that she belonged there, which was all part of her plan.
Tiana was a far cry from when she wore her black hoodie, oversized T-shirt, black pants, and sneakers. Tonight, she had let her hair loose and it fell in dark coils down her back. She dressed in a shocking red form-fitting jersey dress that accentuated her heart-shaped booty and her thick thighs. She matched the jersey dress with a pair of wedge heels that made her look model tall, and she had gone to the mall and gotten her makeup done at the MAC counter. She knew she was looking good because the second she walked into the place she felt all eyes on her. She made her way to the bar and the bartender quickly asked her what she wanted to drink. She smiled coyly at the bartender and asked for a coconut Cîroc and pineapple juice on the rocks.
Tiana nursed her drink as she took in the sights of the club, namely her mark, René Rodriguez, who was, of course, surrounded by throngs of women and a phalanx of his top men and security.
René Rodriguez was the head of the Diablos, the Dominican faction of hit men who worked for some of the most dangerous drug cartels in the United States. Tiana’s father had been the head of Los Asesinos, the Puerto Rican faction of hit men who mostly worked for the rival cartels. Everyone knew Dominicans hated Puerto Ricans and vice versa, so when Tiana had heard René’s name come up as a possible suspect in her father’s murder, it was all she needed to add him to her list.
She watched René from afar for a while, but she knew she couldn’t get all of the information she needed from that far away. After a little while at the bar, Tiana decided it was time for her to try to get a little closer. She wanted to hear René’s voice, watch his movements, and look into his eyes.
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