I shook her gently and her eye lids fluttered before revealing the caramel orbs beneath. “Hey, I have to fly out of town…family emergency.”
Slowly, she got out of the bed and gathered her clothes, her small breasts bouncing with each step. “Will I see you when you get back, Maurice?”
“Yeah,” I said, grateful that she hadn’t heard my father call me Blue.
My father, Jay Bird, had named each of his children after birds. In my family there was Jay Bird, T Bird, Robin Bird, Raven Bird, Sparrow Bird, and me, Blue Bird. To avoid humiliation, I started going by my middle name, Maurice, as soon as I got to New York.
We dressed in silence and I walked her to the door, still not knowing her name. As soon as she pulled away from my driveway, I made a few phone calls to some contacts I still had in Chicago. I packed my bags and headed to the airport, knowing that the information I needed would be emailed to me by the time I got on the plane.
Ninety minutes later, I sat at the terminal with the early morning sun rising behind me outside the windows and ignored the interested glances of women of all ages, races, shapes, and sizes. I was used to it and usually would use it to my advantage, but right now I wasn’t in the mood.
According to my sisters, I looked like a combination of Trey Songz and Michael Ealy.. It was my eye coloring that helped drive a wedge between my father and me. He had always believed that my mother had cheated on him and conceived me but would never agree to a paternity test. I guess he couldn’t deal with the fact that his wife may have been doing some of the same dirt he was.
I opened my laptop and checked my email and sure enough there was everything I needed to know about my sisters and their dealings.
Sparrow was in trouble. Her past life had finally caught up with her. I had told her repeatedly that you couldn’t play with a man’s heart and expect for it to be all good. I didn’t care how upfront you were. She had this “stable of hoes”, as she called it, and they all knew about each other. They all also knew that she wasn’t interested in their love. I guess they could deal with that but what they couldn’t deal with was her giving her heart to a man when she had repeatedly rejected theirs.
Now, she was being stalked. Her house had been set on fire, her tires slashed, and her personal email hacked. I knew the best way to figure out who was stalking her was to talk to her ex-hoes. The only problem with that was that it was going to take a long time. Sparrow had fucked a lot of men and most of them had a problem with her. She definitely did not end things on good terms. Whoever was doing this wasn’t just trying to scare her, they were out for blood.
Robin had lost her mind. I had found out when I visited for Christmas a few weeks ago that she was pregnant and figured that she wasn’t ready to tell the rest of the family. I never would have guessed that she had gotten pregnant by a married man with three children. I also would have never thought that she would take to stalking this poor man. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t condone what he had done, but causing upheaval in a man’s life was asking for bad things to happen to you.
She had been seen around town following some dude and getting into altercations with him outside of Wal-Mart and other grocery stores. I had to sit down and talk to her. She was the most reasonable out of all my sisters. I knew she would listen to logic.
Raven was in deep shit. I had known all along that Dean was a drug dealer. I used to work for the dude when I was in high school. I knew all about Dean and his dealings. I also knew about Piccolo…Pierre. In fact, it was me who had suggested that P go work for Dean. I was friends with Pierre’s younger brothers and I knew that P would look after Raven once I left.
I never trusted that fool Dean but you couldn’t get Raven to listen. She was so wrapped up in him that no one could get through. Now, she was seeing what we all had seen from the beginning, Dean was crazy as hell. Word on the street was Pierre and Raven had started seeing each other and both had left Dean. How in the world did she think that was going to work out?
There was no way that Dean was going to let those two run off into the sunset together. He would have lost mad respect on the streets and that didn’t bode well for business. Raven had gotten herself in a mess that was going to be sticky to get out of without the police being involved.
As I boarded the plane and took my seat, I turned on my musicand closed my eyes. This would be the last time in a while I would be able to sit back and relax. The plane took off down the runway and I looked out the window. I had left Maurice back in the airport and Blue had taken his place.
The late January winter may have been cold in New York but nothing compared to the bitter frost of Chicago. It was a combination of weather, hatred, and greed. A man had to have his mind right if he was going deep into the belly of the beast.
I sighed deeply and massaged the bridge of my nose. Anxiety and anticipation filled my stomach. I was about to get myself deeply involved in the streets that I thought I had left behind. The shit my sisters had gotten themselves into couldn’t be fixed with a talk. Naw, it had to be cut out of their lives like cancer. Looking at a picture of all four of us I always carried with me, I sighed. There was no way I would come back to New York the same way I left.
In a situation like this, there was no way that everything could be wrapped up in a pretty little bow. Naw, this wasn’t a movie. This was real life and in real life, with situations like these, someone always ended up dead.
Chapter 26
SPARROW
“Marry me, Sparrow?”
Tears of joy welled up in my eyes and panic seized my heart. Isaiah and I had been dating seriously for less than a year but my heart and soul belonged solely to him. “Are you sure?” God, I hoped he was sure because it would break my heart if he wasn’t.
“More than anything else in the world, I love you. I want to build a life with you, have kids with you, and grow old with you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, yes, yes, yes,” I screamed before he stopped my chanting with a deep kiss.
I pressed my topless body closer to his and wrapped my jean clad legs around his waist. As much as I wanted him to take me right there on the bathroom counter, I knew that I had other things to do. Pushing him gently, I placed light kisses around his lips before pulling a sweater over my head.
“Give me your hand.” I did as he said and watched in silent awe as he placed a stunning five karat princess cut ring on the third finger of my left hand.
Hugging him tightly, I wished I could stay in his arms forever. Knowing that I couldn’t, I released him. Wrapped up in Isaiah’s warmth, the outside world ceased to exist and couldn’t harm me.
“Baby, I love you so much. Thank you for making me the happiest woman on the planet. As much as I would love to stay here with you, I have to meet with a client.”
“No problem baby, just make it home in time for dinner. I want to call our families.”
I quickly agreed and left his home in Batavia. I was surprised at how easily the lies flowed from my mouth like honey from a hive. To think, I used to pride myself on my brutal honesty. Now, I lied so much I had trouble remembering what was true and what was product of my vivid imagination. Weaving through the snowy streets of Chicago’s suburbs, I made it to my destination in less than thirty minutes.
I knocked on the solid wood door and waited. A man dressed in a vintage black tuxedo answered the door and silently led me through the darkened hallways of the large home to a large office. Dark wood, dim lighting, and dense carpeting and drapes gave the room an oppressive feel. The room smelled of cigars and brandy, causing my eyes to water.
Like in a bad horror movie, the chair behind the large wood desk slowly turned around. A large man—everything about this situation was large—with a balding head, bushy beard, and creamy white skin faced me.
“You must be Sparrow,” his low voice rumbled.
“You must be Xavier.”
“That I am.
How can I be of service to you?” he asked, his eyes perusing my body.
Though I had dressed down in jeans and a sweater, Xavier was still attracted to me. My mother always told me that I had this innate sensuality that drew men like flies to honey and I knew that it was true. My looks combined with my charisma made men flock to me in droves.
“I think you already know the answer to that question.” His smile was his only response. “I need your help. I’m being stalked by someone and I want to know why and who.”
“Why don’t you go to the police? I’m sure they can help you.”
“I need this done quietly. I cannot have my family and especially my fiancé find out about this.”
Xavier stroked his beard thoughtfully. “So, you have an idea who it may be?”
“Yes.” I told him about my past lifestyle and watched him closely for any sign of judgment, I didn’t find any. “So, as you can see any mention of this getting back to Isaiah would end our relationship. I need you to help me, please.”
“I’ll help you…For a price.”
I paid Xavier and gave him all the information he needed, though it was minimal. He was one of the top private investigators in the state and I knew he would be able to find out who was tormenting me.
Since the fire two months ago, I had continued to receive black and red roses every day, my tires had been slashed, my email had been hacked, and my front door had the word Bitch carved into it. Whoever was stalking me was making it clear that they wanted me to suffer. If they didn’t, they would have already attacked me.
I wasn’t sure why I was even being stalked. I mean, I had kept it one hundred with each of my exes. I told them from the jump that I wasn’t interested in their love. If they thought they could change my mind then that was their own damned fault. I honestly thought that jealousy was behind the incidents. Men were temperamental creatures. If you fell in love with any other man besides them, then they wanted to act as if you were the worst person in the world. I didn’t choose to fall in love with Isaiah. It just happened. He was the man that I had unknowingly been searching for my entire adult life. I would do anything and I meant anything to keep him in my life. Stalker be damned.
Turning the key in the ignition, I rolled down the windows and allowed the brisk late January air to clear my mind and lower my heart rate. I pushed all the unpleasant thoughts out of my mind. I had been summoned to my parents’ house in Park Ridge and I needed to focus on that.
Chapter 27
RAVEN
“Hey Ray, it’s me. We need to talk about our little deal. Give me a call when you get this. If you decide not to call me back, I’ll make an appearance.”
Throwing the phone on the bed, I walked down the stairs to the kitchen for an ice cold drink. This situation was getting out of control.
Three weeks ago, I had woken up to Dean pointing a gun in my face. After the initial shock of staring down the barrel of a gun wore off, he sat down on the bed next to me.
He looked at me and said as coolly as ever, “Good morning Ray, we need to talk.”
I pulled the covers over my naked chest. “Why are you here?”
“I heard about you and Piccolo. What is your problem? Did you think I wouldn’t find out? Did you think that shit would fly?” When I didn’t answer him he slapped me hard enough to draw blood.
“I’m so sorry, Dean.”
“I should kill you both for embarrassing me,” he said while panic caused ice to run through my veins. I was so scared that I peed on myself. “But, I’m not going to do that. No matter what, I’ve always loved you Raven and I always will. So, I have a proposition for you.”
Wiping the tears and blood from my swelling face, I waited. “I’m listening.”
“I have a big drop coming up soon. It’s a little dangerous and I need someone who’s smart on my side. Since you seem to like danger these days, I figured you’d be a good fit. If you do this for me, I promise I’ll let you and Piccolo both live. However, if you tell anyone about this, I will kill you both.”
As if to make his point, he shot a round into the headboard of what used to be our marital bed. I screamed and hopped out the bed. Dean laughed at me and the huge urine stain on the sheets before walking out of the room.
Since that day, my life had been a living hell. Dean was around me more than I wanted. He was always watching me. Every move I made was being captured. He would call me every night and go through the events of my day as I silently cried on the phone. He knew everything about me, from where I went to who I saw. Nothing was secret. I tried to keep the stress of everything from Pierre, but I could tell he was catching on.
Downing a glass of wine, I walked back upstairs and called Dean. “Hey, you wanted to talk.”
“Yeah, but not over the phone, can you meet me in an hour?”
“Do I have a choice?”
His harsh laughter grated on my nerves. “Of course you do, Ray…but then so do I. Meet me at the condo or…”
“Or what, Dean? Huh? What are you going to do? Kill me? Go ahead I don’t give a shit anymore.” The liquor had definitely given me courage.
“Naw, I won’t kill you. Well, at least not at first. Meet me or I will fly down to Atlanta myself and pay Pierre’s mother and brothers a little visit.”
Tears ran down my cheeks. He had me by the balls and he knew it. I loved Pierre’s family. They shouldn’t have to pay for the mistakes Pierre and I had made.
“Fine, I’ll be there.”
“Oh, and Ray?”
“Yeah?”
“Wear something sexy for me.”
Hanging up the phone, I did what Dean asked. Dressed in a form fitting black sweater dress and red high heels, I made my way from my house in Plainfield to the condo Dean and I had shared in downtown Chicago. The freezing wind came off the lakefront and wrapped around me while I walked up the sidewalk.
My heels clicked against the marble floor as I entered the building and got on the nearest elevator. Anxiety and anger swirled in my stomach as I watched the elevator rise up to Dean’s floor. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Dean was standing there waiting for me.
At one time, I had found him unbelievably handsome. Now, the sight of him was revolting. My arm jerked as he placed his hand around it and led me inside the apartment. I used to love this place with its marble, gold, and glass décor. Now, it was just another reminder of the gilded prison that I had been held captive in for fifteen years.
Taking a seat on one of the sofas, I crossed my legs and looked at Dean. “What do you want to talk about?”
“You look good, Ray. Real good.”
“What do you want to talk about, Dean?” I asked again, my voice clipped.
His eyes roamed over me in obvious interest. I knew he wanted me. No matter how much he hated me, he would always want me.
“I wanted to go over a few things with you.” Standing in front of the floor to ceiling glass windows, he continued, “I need you to grab some work from the Colombians in California and bring it back to me. You’ll be driving a rental and I’ll give you the cash.”
Sweat broke out on my body, giving me a slight glow. I had never been involved in this side of Dean’s business. I had always just looked pretty and kept up appearances for us in society. In the beginning, I was the financer but after we got married I was kept in the dark about operations and was only seen at public events. With me by his side, Dean had always looked legitimate and I had never gotten my hands dirty. Things were about to change.
“When does this all take place?”
“Two months. Until then, you and I need to spend some time together.”
“For what? That was not part of the deal.” Anger encompassed me and my stomach became nauseated.
“These people are very family oriented. I need them to believe we’re a happily married couple. They aren’t going to hand over the amount of w
ork I’m asking for to a woman that I have no association with. So, you’re going to spend time with me. We’re going to make appearances together.”
“I can’t do that, Dean.” Standing, I placed my arms around his. I knew it was wrong, but I was going to use every weapon in my arsenal. “I have a relationship and you and I are definitely not on the best of terms.”
Trailing a finger along the edge of my plunging neckline, he placed a kiss below my ear. “I know you have a relationship and honestly, I don’t give a fuck about that. That fool can’t do to you what I can, can’t buy you what I can, can’t love you the way that I can. Pierre is not right for you, but I’ll let you see that for yourself.”
Knowing that he wouldn’t budge on the issue, I submitted. “Fine, text me and let me know when and where we have to make these appearances.”
“No problem, Ray.” I tried to free myself from his grip, but he held on tighter. “Can I get some before you leave?”
Snatching my arm from his, I left the condo, his menacing laughter following me to the elevator. I stormed out of the building so fast that I didn’t notice the man taking pictures of me from across the street as I got in the car and headed to my parents’ house.
Chapter 28
ROBIN
Looking in the mirror, I knew that I was dressed for success. A cute and chic grey Calvin Klein skirt suit hugged my generous curves and black mules added three inches to my 5’6” frame. Placing my hands on my stomach, I said good morning to the little life that was inside.
I was two months pregnant and already starting to show. If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn that I was having twins. In about three more weeks, it would be time to get bigger clothes.
My breasts had gone from a 36DD to a 38DDD and my hips had spread. All in all, I was looking fabulous. My peanut butter brown skin had luminosity. My once short brown hair had grown out to my neck and had more body and shine. My dark brown eyes sparkled and my once slender nose was a little wider. I looked beautiful and I felt it, too. The only thing that could have made life even sweeter, was if Princeton would come to his senses and leave his wife. With some men you had to show them instead of telling them, and that was what I intended to do.