| |
An hour and a half later, Lydia stood by the sink in Jake and Lisa’s guest bathroom, ogling the plastic stick. “Uh-oh.” She passed Dee the test. “You’re pregnant, Dee.”
“This is bullshit.” Dee sat on the lavender toilet seat. “This test is wrong.”
“That’s the second one though,” Lisa said.
Lydia held her waist, flashing Dee a condescending look. “I doubt two tests can be wrong.”
Dee stared at the two pink lines and threw the stick in the sink. “No, I had my damn period. How can I be pregnant?” She snatched the test box off the sink. “You can’t rely on these cheap things.”
“Home pregnancy tests are very accurate.” Lydia crossed her arms.
“Then how the hell did I have my period since you’re so smart.”
Lydia smiled. “You didn’t.”
“What?” Lisa asked.
“Some women have bleeding during pregnancy that they mistake for their period.” Lydia beamed as if she’d discovered a new world. “I Googled it. That must be what Dee had.”
“I had my period.” Dee threw the box into the trash. “I was cramping and everything.”
“How do you explain this then?” Lisa put the stick in Dee’s face. “Something’s going on and you need to find out what.”
“I’m not pregnant.” Dee threw the stick in the trash. “I’ll go to the doctor and prove it to you busybodies.”
“We’ll come with you.” Lydia smiled at Lisa. “For support.”
“Fine.” Dee leaned back on the toilet, crossing her arms. “But, I’m not pregnant. I know my body better than anyone.”
****
“I shouldn’t be telling you this.” Hyeon Shim sat at the table in the interrogation room with anxiety etched across his face the next day. “Whatever a fellow member tells me in confidence should be kept private.”
“We respect your loyalty to Normand Keng.” Connie and Dee sat across from him. “But, if what you know can help us find out who killed him and his family, don’t you think God and Normand would forgive you for sharing?”
“I don’t want you to see Normand in a negative light.” He massaged his knuckles. “Normand confided in me he was in fear of his life.”
Connie glanced at Dee. “Why?”
“He was afraid that the K-Town Crips would kill him because he owed them money.”
Dee raised an eyebrow.
“Normand sold drugs for the gang.” Hyeon swallowed, shaking his head. “He was in debt to them. They gave him a loan because he was going to lose the store.”
“Holy shit,” Connie whispered. “Sorry.” She flinched.
“Tabitha and Faith didn’t know any of this.” Hyeon clasped his hands and brought them to his lips. “The store wasn’t doing well and Normand was desperate to save it before they found out. He thought Tabitha would leave him if she knew he’d failed.” His eyebrows snapped together. “I feel in my heart the gang got to him.” His face tightened as tears appeared in his eyes. “I prayed he’d find a way out of this mess but not like this.”
****
Jonathan lay on the bench in his garden, raising and lowering the dumbbells over his naked chest. His six-pack constricted each time he lifted the weights, but no matter how hard he tried to concentrate, he couldn’t take his mind off Dee.
He let out a hungry groan, lifting faster as the head of his stiff dick pushed itself against the confines of his underwear and black workout pants.
His breathing grew heavier as he imagined spreading Dee’s legs and pressing himself inside her warm opening.
“Deidra.” He closed his eyes, as a burst of energy ran through his thighs and jolted his cock. “Oh, fuck.” He squeezed his legs together, nipples tingling and sweat popping from every pore. “Ah.” A heavenly sensation he’d only felt while being inside Dee, wrapped itself around his entire body. “Hm.” He threw the dumbbells beside him, untied the strings on his pants and thrust his hand inside his underwear. “Oh.” He stretched out on the bench, his hand teasing his dick while his bare toes spread in the pedicured grass. “Yes.” He swallowed, throat growing dryer the more he stroked. “I love you, Deidra.” He jerked up, almost coming as an image of her naked breasts and curves came to mind. “Deidra.” He huffed and puffed, staring at the grass but only seeing her image. “God, yes.” His heart raced as he neared the core of orgasm. “Deidra—”
“Jonathan?” Shauna pranced through the garden in wide-legged red slacks and red open-toe stilettos.
“Shit.” Jonathan yanked his hand out his pants, panting.
“Well, well, well.” Shauna’s black crinkles fell over one shoulder. “Looks like you’re busy.”
Jonathan studied her delicious curves shoved into that peach, chiffon blouse with a knot right underneath her plump breasts. “What are you doing here?” He licked his lips, wondering what type of underwear she had on.
Shauna’s round face lit up as a calculating smile covered her thick, scarlet lips. “You seem tense.”
Sweat drizzled from his forehead but all he could think about was how those pants cupped her ass. “Is that a new perfume?” He sniffed the nutty scent, his dick pulsating. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. I’ve missed you.”
“Really?” She sauntered to the purple and white cornflowers and picked one. “Is that why you were tugging the hose just now?” She twirled the flower’s stem in her pale hand. “Because you were thinking of me?”
“Come over here.” He slipped off her blouse with his eyes. “Keep thinking about that dress you wore at Rena’s birthday party.”
“What a day that was, huh?” She sniffed the flower. “Watching you squirm while Dee fawned over Winston. Bet it drove you crazy.”
“You’re driving me crazy.” He panted, imagining her large breast filling his mouth. “Come...over...here.”
“Back up, okay?” She threw the flower on the ground. “I came about business.”
He tucked his bottom lip between his teeth. “Business isn’t on my mind right now. We’re alone so let’s make the most of it.”
She looked around, tucking her strapless purse under her arm. “I’ve missed this place.”
“And, you’ve missed me.” He rubbed his thigh, the ache in his center getting worse. “Show me how much.”
“No.” She pranced her tall body toward him, heels sinking into the grass. “I don’t take orders from you anymore, Jonathan. I’m not a member of The Circle now, remember?” She glanced at his pecs. “So that girl’s here now?”
“What girl?” He got his towel from beside the bench and dabbed his face.
“That cut-up girl?” She grimaced. “She looks horrible with all those bandages. Like Frankenstein’s daughter or something.”
“You mean Candra?” He wiped sweat from his chest. “She had nowhere to go.”
“You’re taking in strays now?” Shauna squinted. “What are you up to? You used her for immunity so I can’t see what the hell you still need her for.”
“I didn’t use her.”
“Come on.” She grinned. “Using women is what you do.”
He dropped the towel. “You didn’t seem to mind it.”
She touched her blouse. “Sometimes I like being used.”
“Candra’s homeless, and I felt bad for her.” He clasped his hands. “That’s it.”
“Bullshit.” She walked toward the lavender, Mexican petunias. “You want something from her.”
“Maybe I like her.”
She cut her eyes to him. “You can’t seriously be thinking of making her a member of The Circle.”
“I haven’t decided yet.” He leaned back on his elbows. “What’s it to you if I did? Why are you here?”
“Because this is my home, and I belong here. I want to be Head Mistress again.”