Chapter 11

Mariah opened the oldest DVD and slipped it into the DVD player. Allegra placed the camera on one of the shelves of her TV armoire so it could record her from a distance. She sat on the bed and wore a cranberry silk robe.

Allegra was full of amusement and conceit, when she talked about men.

“Mr. Mystique called me from an unknown number. He wanted me to go away with him, but I told him no…

“I just left Little Man a while ago. He’s so sweet and eager to please…”

‘Little Man’…I bet that’s Jake Barton. Who’s Mr. Mystique?” Anthony’s brow set in a straight line.

They watched the DVD some more and when Allegra mentioned that Mr. Mystique bought her diamond earrings, Mariah’s brow jumped. “The bracelet.”

“What bracelet?”

“The one I put in the refrigerator bin.” Mariah picked up the remote, paused the DVD player, darted to the kitchen and returned with a small, platinum velvet jewelry box. “I’d forgotten about it.” She handed it to him.

When Anthony opened and turned it to read the inscription, his brow elevated. He caught her eyes. “Why’d you put it there?”

“The day I brought it back here, a voice – something told me to put it there.”

“Okay. I can believe that.”

“Would you keep this in your safe?”

He nodded and put the box down. Mariah hit the Pause button on the DVD remote, unfreezing the screen. Allegra didn’t say anything else significant. When the DVD ended, Mariah inserted the next one. It was dated a few days after her birthday.

“My poor cousin, the Leopard. I call him that because he’s secretive, too. I thought he was going to crap when he saw me at the club.” Her laughter had a sharp edge. “He thought about telling Gran D, but he knew it would break her heart; besides, his affair with a married woman is just as bad as what I do…”

#

“Where’d you find this?” Kevin demanded a short time later as they watched the video. He folded his arms across his chest and his right eye jerked. The three of them stood in the living room – Anthony and Mariah near the couch, Kevin by the fireplace – but it was more than physical space that separated them.

“Does it matter?” Mariah paused the DVD, dropped the remote on the couch and folded her arms, too. “Is it Mia?”

Kevin’s arms dropped to his sides. “How’d you know?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.

“When I spent the night, I overheard you arguing with her.”

“How long has this been going on?” Anthony asked his hands on his hips.

“A couple of months.” After several moments he added, “The night you were in the hospital…I was with her. I’m sorry, M.”

Oh, Kevin. Mariah closed her eyes for a few seconds. “When did Allegra find out about Mia?”

“Not long after I busted her at the club.”

“Let me guess,” Mariah chimed in. “Then she blackmailed you into keeping our father’s car at your garage.”

His jaw tightened. “Gran D had bronchitis and we took turns running errands for her. I went grocery shopping while Allegra kept her company. When I came back, I put my phone on the kitchen table and put the food away. I made some soup for Gran D and spilled some on my shirt, so I went to the bathroom to clean up. When I came out, she let me know that she saw Mia’s text message, which said that her husband was out of town, and offered to keep my secret if I kept hers and let her use my garage. We weren’t close, but I never thought Allegra would stoop to…working in a topless bar. I didn’t like it.” Kevin let out a loud sigh. “But I folded in the end, because I know how Gran D feels about adultery.”

Mariah studied her cousin. It was strange how his life mirrored Allegra’s. He was good-looking, had a successful career as a network manager at one of the top firms in RTP and a great place in North Raleigh. He was a ‘good catch.’ Yet, he sought out a lifestyle that wasn’t in his best interest, just like Allegra.

After Kevin left, Mariah and Anthony returned to watching the video, but didn’t get far. Allegra mentioned Mr. Mystique again and something clicked in Mariah’s brain. “Oh, I forgot.” She ran upstairs.

Curious, Anthony followed. “What are you looking for now?”

Mariah called from the hallway. “Some information Beth gave me before I went home.”

Mariah asked Anthony to check out the information, which he gave to a private eye he met months ago, but they weren’t able to watch any more videos after Gran D called. Her edema was acting up. When they arrived, the woman was in bed with two fat pillows under her ankles. Mariah embraced her. “What do you need?”

“Put some cayenne pepper in a pot of boiling water.”

Mariah’s brow wrinkled in confusion.

Anthony said from the doorway, “She drinks it. It helps with the swelling.”

“Anthony.” Love and gratitude were evident in Della’s voice.

He came in and went to the other side of the bed. “Don’t worry, Ms. D. I’ve got you.” With a quick hug and kiss to her forehead, he returned to the kitchen.

#

Anthony watched over Gran D while Mariah hurried to the bank the next morning. She flashed her ID, the required paperwork, and Allegra’s safety deposit box key. A bank employee led her to the back. Once left alone, Mariah opened the box and caught her breath.

When she got back to Gran D’s, she pulled Anthony outside and gave him an envelope to keep her newfound discovery in his safe. When Gran D’s condition improved the next day, Mariah and Anthony returned to the house to pack away the kitchenware. Afterwards, they went back to his place and viewed another DVD.

“Kevin wouldn’t have noticed me if Diablo hadn’t gotten carried away.

An idea flashed in Mariah’s head and she pressed Pause on the remote. “Diablo. That’s the man Kevin and the bartender were talking about.” The corners of her lips thinned a bit and she pressed the Pause button again.

“Word got around that he just got out of prison, but he always had money in his hand for me. Up until the night he got kicked out, he didn’t cause me any problems.” Allegra shrugged. “Diablo getting out of hand wasn’t a surprise, or a big deal. I knew security would handle him, so I wasn’t scared.” She lowered her gaze to the floor for a moment. When Allegra raised it, a wave of shock flew through Mariah. Fear, stark and vivid, glittered in her sister’s jet black eyes. “But he wasn’t the reason I stopped going to Golden Fingers…”

Riveted, Mariah and Anthony leaned forward on the couch, eyes wide, as Allegra finished her story.

“It was a Saturday night, like all the others. I performed, then changed so I could work the floor. I stayed until closing time, changed clothes again, got into Daddy’s car and drove home. Not this home,” she pointed to the floor, “my ‘other’ home. I put my key in the front door and then he showed up…”

“Divine.”

Allegra halted and looked over her shoulder, her gaze sweeping the length of the semi-dark street. A figure moved until it stood under the streetlight near her house. “Milburn?” Her voice climbed in amazement.

“Hey.” He held up a hand and waved, the gesture unsure. He jerked his chin in the direction of her house. The light of the street lamp glinted off the rims of his glasses. “So this is where you live, huh?”

Allegra lifted her chin as she turned halfway toward him. “What are you doing here?”

“I finally worked up the nerve. Can you believe it? I’ve wanted to do this for the longest time.”

“Do what?”

He adjusted his glasses. “Protect you.”

“Protect me? From what?”

“From danger. I just wanted to make sure nobody followed you.”

“But… you followed me.”

Milburn puffed out his chest. “That’s different.”

Divine swallowed. “That’s sweet, but you didn’t have to do this.”

“It’s no problem, Divine. I wanted to…”

“I heard the other girls talk about being followed, so that’s why I used Daddy’s car. It’s old and I sold it Kevin for a dollar and put the registration in his name. All I have to do is pay the taxes every year. When I decided to work at Golden Fingers, I removed the plate from the back, and put it in the rear window as I drove. I always tucked it under the seat before my shift and put it back in the window when I returned to Kevin’s. I never got pulled over.” Allegra shook her head. “Anyway, the whole time Milburn’s talking, I’m thinking, ‘I’ve got to get him out of here. This man is crazy.’ Then he starts saying some things that really freak me out…”

Milburn moved forward a few steps.

“You should go home now,” Allegra replied in a well-balanced voice and inched closer to the door.

“Why?”

“I got home safe, because of you. Besides, it’s late and I’m tired. Aren’t you tired?”

His voice, though composed, had a sinister quality. “No. I’m never tired when I’m near you. I love you, Divine.”

Fear slithered down Allegra’s spine. Again, she looked up one end of the street and down the other, even though she knew no one else out and about. She was on her own. With her right hand, she tried to turn the key and prayed he wouldn’t notice…

“So I’m trying to unlock the door with the hand he can’t see, but my fingers won’t cooperate. I told him that he couldn’t love me because he didn’t know me.” Allegra crisscrossed her arms, rubbing her palms against them in a pacifying motion, as if she were cold. Her voice shook. “But that only made him angry…”

“I know enough. You just danced for me. I’ve spent time with you every other weekend. You can’t tell me how I feel.”

Allegra raised her left hand in a placating gesture. “I’m sorry. You’re right, Milburn. You’re right.” Her eyes darted up one side of the street and down the other again. No one would open their doors to see who was raising their voice and why. They’d burrow deeper into their holes and pretend not to see or hear anything.

A person couldn’t even get take-out delivered here.

This was that type of neighborhood.

“I know a lot of guys probably tell you that, just to get in your pants,” he thumped his chest in a vehement gesture with a thin fist, “but I’m not like them. I’m not. I’m sincere.”

Allegra swallowed the lump in her throat. “I know,” she replied, her voice wavering. “I know you are. You’re one of the good guys.”

“Yeah. That’s right. One of the good guys.” He backed off a little, trying to get Allegra to lower her defenses. “So come on, Divine,” he added. His voice was soft, but disquieting. “Why don’t you invite me in for a little while? We can sit and talk…”

#

“I guess he was expecting me to say ‘yes’ right away, but I paused for a few seconds, and that was a mistake, because it was a few seconds too long for his taste. He started getting agitated, like a kid who couldn’t get his favorite toy to work. It was like there was a change in the air, in the waves of energy he gave off, and that didn’t bode well for me…”

#

“Why don’t we go somewhere and have some coffee instead?” Allegra asked. “We could talk, have a few laughs.”

There was a marginal hardening of his eyes. “So I’m good enough to talk to when you’re dancing in front me, taking your top off and I’m giving you money, but you can’t spare a few minutes for me outside the club.”

“No, Milburn. That’s why I suggested – “

“Coffee. Somewhere else. I get it. I’m not good enough to be in your house.”

“It’s just that…now’s not the right time.”

“Why not?” Milburn retained his affability, but there was a watchful fixity in his face. “You’ve got another man in there?”

“Milburn —”

He seethed with wrath and humiliation. “I give you my money, my time, my devotion, and this is the thanks I get? I deserve better than that. You don’t get to dump me like I’m trash.”

And then he advanced…

#

“My heart was pounding so hard I thought it was going to explode.” Allegra’s right hand moved on its own from her left shoulder down to her, the palm resting flat above her heart. “It’s beating like that now.” She exhaled, and her hand descended into her lap. “I knew I had to do something, but for a moment, I-I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t think; I couldn’t move. I was like a deer caught in headlights and he was the car about to run me over…But then Daddy’s words came roaring back to me. Do or die, Chocolate Princess….

#

“Get out of here.” Allegra’s voice vibrated with fury and fright. “Don’t come back.” Her hands trembled as she pointed a gun, a Smith and Wesson Lady Smith 36 Revolver, at him.

Staggered, Milburn halted and raised his arms above his head. “D-Divine. You-you’re not going to shoot me. Somebody will call the police.”

“Look at where I live. Gunshots are normal around here. Nobody’s going to call 911 if I put a bullet in you.”

Milburn took several steps back, his hands still high in the air. “Divine.”

She took a step forward, her heels clicking against the pavement. “GO.”

Milburn blinked furiously and quickly made his way to his car. Allegra kept her gun trained on him until he pulled away from the curb…

#

“Daddy bought the gun for me the year before he died. Of course it was hush-hush. I remember Daddy saying that a woman never knows when she’ll need one. He was right. I always carried it whenever I worked the club.” She shrugged. “I just never had a reason to use it before that night.

“As for Golden Fingers, I never went back. I parked Daddy’s car in Kevin’s garage and left it there. But there was still the gun. I couldn’t bear to part with it, but I couldn’t take the chance of keeping it at my house, my real house. So, I buried it in Gran D’s shed under a loose slat. When I started working at the club, I kept the money in a safety deposit box and I always made sure I stopped somewhere, like a motel, after closing time. I even pulled into the police precinct to scare off would-be stalkers, just in case..”

She paused for moment. “That night…I knew that if I let Milburn in, talking would be the last thing on his mind, and I didn’t want Gran D discovering my secret when the cops found my body the next day. I knew he would kill me, no matter how nice he seemed.”

Allegra let out a long sigh. “As for Diablo…it was only a matter of time before he got banned from the club. If it wasn’t over me, it would’ve been somebody else. He doesn’t like women. Scratch that; he hates us. I heard about his domestic violence charge and saw how he looked at us, how he looked at me.”

Allegra stopped again. This time, there was a reflective shimmer in the shadow of her eyes. “I wasn’t too worried about Diablo, though. People like him are easy to spot. They radiate anger and impatience, bully and hate their way through life. It’s the ones that fall off the radar that we need to watch out for, because nobody sees them, nobody pays attention. They blend into the background and just stay there. People like that are the Millburns of the world. They’re the scary ones.”

#

Milburn Jennings sat on his couch. The TV was on, but it was muted. He stared, his vision unfocused on the images flashing across the flat screen. Michael Jackson’s “She’s Out of My Life” filled his ranch style home. During the week, he set the song to repeat, playing it from the time he walked through the door until he went to bed. On the weekends, the song ran all day.

His face was bleak with sorrow and he gave a choked, harsh laugh. Sure, he was educated, had a good job, a nice house, etc. But he was pathetic. He was a nobody. His life was garbage and seeing Divine was the only thing that gave it value. He loved her like he’d never loved anyone or anything in his life. And now, because of him, she was never coming back.

#

The next day, while Mariah distracted her grandmother with a shopping spree and lunch, Anthony went hunting. The weather was a bit stifling, the sun was at its peak and the bugs were persistent, but it wasn’t record-breaking heat or humidity.

Anthony mowed the lawn first. It had been a few weeks and it needed the cut. When he finished, sweat ran down his face, chest and back, and would’ve attracted all manner of bloodsuckers if he hadn’t put on repellent. He wiped away the perspiration with the towel he had nearby. Then Anthony pulled a backpack from his SUV and headed toward the shed. In no time, he found the gun and put the lawnmower back in the shed.

#

After shopping, Mariah and Gran D went to Chili’s.

“So what’s happenin’ with Anthony once Allegra’s things are gone?”

Mariah almost choked on a piece of grilled chicken. She coughed and took a long sip of water before she answered. “I don’t know,” she replied in a husky voice. She couldn’t tell whether it was due to choking or her grandmother’s question that caused her to sound like she was rolling around in an ashtray.

“Ya don’t know? Y’all seem pretty tight to me.” A mischievous twinkle sparkled in her eyes. “If ya know what I mean.”

Mariah’s eyes expanded with embarrassment. Her grandmother had never been a prude; in fact, she had no problem talking about sex. In Gran D’s day – even in Anna’s day – the adults had a saying they were sure would keep children from even acknowledging their private parts and it was “Don’t look at yourself down there. You’ll go blind.”

Mariah’s lowered her gaze. If she had lighter skin, she would be red in the face right now. “I don’t kiss and tell,” she answered, a hint of pride in her voice.

“Mmm hmmm.” Gran D didn’t sound convinced. “I’ve had a hand in raising Anthony. He’s another grandson to me. But even though I remember the boy he was, doesn’t mean I can’t see him for the man he is. Now, havin’ good looks don’t mean a man, or a woman, is good in bed, but I’ve got a feelin’ —”

Mariah wagged her head. “Oh no, Gran D. Please. Don’t go there.”

“Why not? He was always the slow, easy type, focused, too. I figure he must be like that in bed. Besides, I see how ya are together. There’s a look two people share when they’ve gone to town.”

Mariah covered her face with one hand. “Gran D. Oh my goodness.” She couldn’t control her burst of laughter at the old-fashion saying, which was another term for having sex. She cut another piece of chicken and ate it.

“So,” Gran D cut a broccoli spear in half and took a bite, “how good is he?”

Mariah started coughing again and reached for the glass of water. “Gran D,” she managed when she could talk. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“He’s that good.” A bright smile creased Gran D’s face. “I knew it.”

#

That night, Mariah received another visit from Allegra. This time, little sister wasn’t happy to see her.

“The gun. It was a good luck charm.”

Mariah looked around Allegra’s backyard. “It must be. It kept Milburn from raping and killing you.”

Allegra’s eyes met Mariah’s. Her dark, wind-blown hair was a striking contrast to her silvery-blue dress.

“Anthony’s keeping it in his safe.” Mariah glared at her sister with burning, accusatory eyes. “I’m glad we found it. I couldn’t have Gran D panicking, wondering how someone left a gun on her property without her knowledge or consent. Bringing her into your secret world was dangerous and stupid, Allegra… and undeniably selfish.”

She inclined her head, as if to concede the point. Then she disappeared.

#

Anthony helped Mariah clear out Allegra’s bedrooms over the next few days. The only items left were the heavy furniture, and Mariah made arrangements for them to be donated. At night, they returned to Anthony’s and watched another video diary. Surprisingly enough, there was nothing shocking or incriminating on the next disc.

Anthony’s cell rang while Mariah folded the blankets and placed them in a pile in the hallway. It was the private detective Anthony had hired, and he’d come through with some information. When Anthony relayed it to Mariah, she decided that a short trip was in order.

“I don’t like this, Mariah.”

“I won’t stay long,” she reassured him as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

The day was overcast with a fair chance of rain, so Mariah brought an umbrella and followed the directions on her GPS.

Unless a man was young, impressionable and inexperienced – like Jake Barton – or stuffed money down her G-string, a man had to make at least six figures to get Allegra’s attention, and this neighborhood fit the bill.

According to Mariah’s digital map, this was the house, about twenty minutes away, in the affluent section of North Raleigh called Wakefield Plantation. A row of flowers lined the circular driveway and a dark cherry Lincoln Town Car sat out front. In this area, not far from the small town of Wake Forest, mansions abounded. Some sprawling homes sat near golf courses, others had horses grazing on numerous acres of grass.

Mariah grabbed a small bag from the front passenger seat and got out of the car. If someone asked, she was bringing a gift for a baby shower and must have the wrong address. She had to make the visit look good. When she reached the front door, Mariah took a deep breath, punctuated by several even gasps before pressing the door bell, which she could hear chiming from inside. About thirty seconds later, the door opened and Mariah had to impose an iron control on herself as she stared at the mystery man who visited Allegra’s grave.

Even though the day was cloudy, his black hair, punctuated by silver around the temples, gleamed. He had toasted skin, and though he wasn’t handsome, he was still attractive. He was dressed: chinos, loafers and a short-sleeved shirt. But casual for him was expensive for the average working-class person. The set of his shoulders, the way he stood told you he’d made it, and had for a while. That’s why Mariah didn’t expect him to answer his own door.

But what really shocked her was that he was about fifteen years older than Allegra. And white.

#

Thomasina stopped by while Mariah was gone.

Anthony eyes flitted over his cousin. Pants, sneakers and a T-shirt. Beige or black. He couldn’t remember a time when she’d dressed in anything but neutral colors. “Hey, Thomasina. What’s up?”

“I just stopped by to see if Mariah wanted to go to dinner. My treat.”

Anthony stepped back. He’d always been fond of Thomasina in a distant kind of way. She’d never done anything to hurt him, but her loyalty to Thomas and her mother made it difficult to deepen their relationship. “She’s not here, but I’m sure she’d like to go. She’s just running some errands,” he hedged. “Come on in,” he encouraged his cousin with a sweep of his left arm.

Thomasina’s shoulders lifted in a casual shrug, but she entered and sat down on the couch. Anthony closed the door and followed suit. For a moment they sat, not speaking.

Anthony leaned forward. His fingers interlocked while his elbows rested on his thighs. He was the first one to break the silence. “What’s on your mind, Thomasina?”

Biting her lip, she looked away briefly. “Well,” she cleared her throat, “I know that Thomas came over here a few weeks ago…and started some trouble.”

Anthony’s brows drew together in an affronted frown. “He tried.”

Thomasina shook her head in sadness. “He asked her to marry him, but Allegra turned him down.”

Anthony gave Thomasina a sidelong glance of utter disbelief. “What? Thomas said he was ‘going’ to ask her.”

Thomasina’s words came out in a rush. “He lied, I know. When she said no, he was upset, to say the least. Then when she died…I think it pushed him over the edge somehow. I don’t think he would’ve come here and upset Mariah otherwise.”

“He would’ve. He’s always hated me and couldn’t leave well enough alone. I know he’s your twin and you feel a need to protect him, but you don’t have to sugarcoat his actions.”

“I’m sorry, Anthony.”

“Why are you sorry? It’s not your fault.” Anthony reached out, covering her right hand with one of his. His eyes flashed with annoyance. “You’ve got to stop apologizing for him,” he insisted with returning impatience. “You’ve been doing it all your life. He is who he is.”

Thomasina took a deep breath, and then let it out. She patted his hand with her left one.

“I know we’ve never been close, but I still care about you.”

“Me, too. I appreciate it. I guess…I was more worried about Mariah than you. I mean, you’ve dealt with Thomas most of your life. After he told me what happened, I called to check on her. When she didn’t answer, I got worried. I thought she didn’t want to talk to me because of him.”

Anthony shook his head, a glint in his eyes. “Mariah wouldn’t blame you for what he did. Her disappearing act had nothing to do with him…or you. It was all me.”

#

Back at Wakefield Plantation, the older man watched Mariah. He had a thin mouth, an aquiline nose, and sharp blue eyes. Faint age lines fanned out from the edges. “Who are you?”

“I’m Allegra St. Cloud’s sister.” Mariah’s gaze traveled the length of him, from his pricey shoes to his cautious gaze. She gave him time to let the words sink in. Mariah’s eyes darted inside the house before catching his again. “And you’re the one who put flowers on her grave before slinking away. You’re Leland Chisholm, but Allegra called you Mr. Mystique.”

Leland closed the door and stepped outside, causing Mariah to move back. He threw her a narrow, glinting glance. “I read her obit. That’s how I found out where services were being held. What do you want? How did you find me?”

“Thank my neighbor. She saw your wife Cheryl confront Allegra before she died. Cheryl can’t seem to stay away,” Mariah added, “because she drove by the house again a few weeks ago, and this time my neighbor recognized her car and got the license plate number.”

“I loved her. Allegra.”

“Right.” Mariah surveyed him. He was just another middle-aged man seeking youth through younger women. “I hope the sex was worth it.”

Mariah was just about to get in her car when a dark-haired woman driving a silver Cadillac Rolls Royce pulled up behind her, parked and shut off the ignition. A chill settled in Mariah’s bones when Cheryl Chisholm approached, her satin-strapped Manolo Blahnik’s clicking on the pavement. She wore a contemporary floral design patterned, sophisticated sheath tied with a satiny ribbon belt that complimented her cream complexion. On her left shoulder was a beige Prada bag and a platinum wedding ring adorned with an enormous diamond graced her left ring finger.

She was beautiful, even if her features were a bit careworn and stern. Having a husband cheat on you – with a younger female, no less – could do that to a woman, no matter how stunning she was.

Hard, gray eyes, like glacial ice, impaled Mariah as she removed her Prada sunglasses. “Who are you?”

Mariah held the woman’s gaze. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to find a baby shower. I must’ve mixed up the address.” Mariah patted the small bag she held between her fingers. Thank goodness for her cover story.

But Cheryl wasn’t buying it. “My husband’s tastes are changing. Usually the whores he sleeps with know better than to come to my house. What’s your excuse?” Cheryl lunged, her slim hand snaking out with an iron grip on Mariah’s left wrist. Mariah gasped in pain as well-manicured nails dug into her skin…

Thirty minutes later, Mariah examined her wrist as she pulled into Allegra’s driveway. There were angry, red streaks where Cheryl had grabbed her. She couldn’t blame the woman for being furious. Mariah opened the door to find Anthony and Thomasina sitting on the couch. She blinked. “Thomasina…hi.”

The other woman stood up. “Hi, Mariah.”

Anthony’s wolf-like eyes took in how Mariah held her right arm. “What happened?” His voice was smooth, but insistent.

Mariah’s gaze darted in Thomasina’s direction. “Just a scrape.”

“Are you okay?” she asked her eyes wide with concern.

“I’m fine.” Mariah dismissed the injury with a wave of her hand. “I’ll just put some peroxide on it.”

Thomasina sensed that all wasn’t right with Mariah and prepared to leave. She looked around and adjusted her glasses. “I was going to invite you to dinner, but I can see this isn’t a good time.”

“I’m sorry, Thomasina.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take a rain check.”

After Thomasina departed, Anthony wasted no time questioning Mariah. “What happened?”

Mariah looked at Anthony’s reflection in the mirror, her eyes troubled. She wiped the gouges with a cotton ball saturated in hydrogen peroxide without looking, then let out a deep breath. “The license plate information Beth gave me, what I asked you to check out…it led straight to the mystery man at the grave. Leland Chisholm, aka Mr. Mystique.” Mariah arched a brow. “He’s older, at least fifty-five, and white.”

“What?”

Mariah dabbed at her wrist one more time before tossing the cotton ball in the small wastebasket next to the toilet while she explained. She finished with, “When Cheryl grabbed me like an eagle’s claw, Leland stepped in, told her I wasn’t his mistress and convinced her to let me go because the neighbors could be watching.”

Anthony found a box of band aids under the sink and put one on Mariah’s wrist. “You’re lucky she didn’t have you arrested for trespassing.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about me going back there,” Mariah reassured him.

That night, Mariah got the shock of her life when she and Anthony watched another DVD.

“I knew that when he got kicked out of the club, he wasn’t going to let it go that easily. He had too much to prove. I had a feeling he was following me, so I pulled into a nearby precinct and told a cop. I couldn’t see his face, but when he took off I recognized his car, a dark Oldsmobile Cutlass…”

Mariah gasped. “Oh, my God. It was Diablo. He’s the one who followed me.” They immediately went to the police station, gave the Records Department her report number and added his name to the file.

#

Anthony watched Mariah with keen eyes as she cleaned the kitchen counter for the third time. He’d learned over the past two days that she went overboard on housework whenever she was stressed. Between trying to get Allegra’s affairs in order and her fears about Diablo still running around, her nerves were shot. At least once a night she woke up in his arms, gasping in terror.

He couldn’t stand to see her like that anymore.

The following afternoon, Anthony and Mariah were on the road.

“There’s no time for this, Anthony,” Mariah complained. It was a perfect weather day, in the mid-eighties and dry with a bright sky, but she wasn’t enjoying it.

“We’re making time.”

Mariah sighed, the sound a blend of irritation and fatigue. “I’ve still got work to do.”

“We’ve still got work to do. You’re not alone, and it can wait.”

She glared at his profile as he drove north on US-1. “The longer it takes, the longer I’ll be away from my job.”

Anthony slid a glance out of the corner of his eye. “You’ve worked non-stop for six years. Think of this as a long-deserved mini-break. You need this. You’ll like it.”

She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in the passenger seat. “This would be easier to swallow if you told me where we were going.”

“Not a chance. Take a nap.”

“I’m fine, and just for the record, you’re being bossy again. I don’t like it.”

Anthony lightly shook her awake nearly three hours later. It was late afternoon. “Hey, we’re almost there.” He pulled into a 7-Eleven for gas. The tank was between the half and a quarter line, and he wanted it to be full when they reached their destination.

Squinting, Mariah rubbed her hands over her eyes and blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. Pulling her seat upright, she turned to see Anthony filling the tank. When he finished and slid behind the wheel, she asked, “Where are we?”

“Just wait.”

Mariah’s eyes nearly fell out of her head when they pulled up to a hotel several minutes later. “Okay,” she demanded as Anthony parked near the front entrance, “where are we?” “Williamsburg, Virginia.”

After they showered (together), Mariah donned a cornflower blue wrapper while Anthony pulled on pajama bottoms and ordered room service, which arrived in thirty minutes. After they ate, Mariah stretched out on the king-sized bed with a sigh of relaxation and looked around the suite. “This is nice.”

A flash of humor crossed Anthony’s face as he lay beside her, one hand supporting his head. “I said you’d like it.”

She nodded. “Yes, you did.”

“And you’re going to enjoy yourself. Now say, ‘thank you, Anthony.’”

A mischievous look came into her eyes. “Thank you, Anthony.” She rolled toward him, touching her lips to his.

Anthony’s hand cupped the back of her head and he kissed her like a man dying of thirst.

Mariah melted into the kiss, reveling in the delicious sensation that spiraled through her. Then something changed. Her right arm stole around his warm, bare shoulder. Caressing the back of his neck with her fingertips, she eased herself upward. Lifting her lips from his, she buried her face in his neck and breathed a kiss there, her senses spun by the scent of his showered skin. Her right hand seared a path across Anthony’s shoulder and down his pectoral, where his heart threatened to beat out his chest, and pushed.

She watched his eyes widen with surprise at first, then go molten as he realized her intent.

It was amazing that, with a change of scenery, a soothing shower, and a luscious meal, she felt as though her problems were miles away.

And they were. Mariah resolved to let this vacation revitalize her senses, and Anthony was going to reap the rewards.

As he reclined on the bed, Mariah’s confidence multiplied. She had never been the type of woman to initiate intimacy with a man−never felt secure enough to try−but Anthony, the most beautiful man she’d ever laid eyes on, awakened a new sense of power within her.

Anthony lay on the bed and put his hands behind his head, accentuating biceps the size of baseballs, while his long, powerful, well-muscled body stretched out like a delectable male offering that Mariah couldn’t wait to sample. His chest rose and fell as he breathed, and those gorgeous eyes glowed with unguarded, unquenched desire.

Lifting herself onto her knees, Mariah held his stare and turned until the outside of her right thigh pressed against his. She knelt next to him and his gazed dipped as she leaned over. The neck of her tied wrapper parted, giving Anthony a first-class view of both breasts.

His mouth watered at the sight.

The sweet fragrance of Mariah’s cocoa butter lotion tickled his nose and he inhaled deeply, tasting it. He wanted to taste her. Ocher-tinted eyes climbed back up to hers. He relished the way they darkened with excitement, the lighter one, and bit back a satisfied smile.

Mariah’s tongue peeked out, slid to the corner of her mouth, and stayed there while her right hand meandered down his chest to his rock-hard abdomen. His breath hitched and his arms tightened as her forefinger dipped into his belly button.

But his breath left his body when her small fingers continued their foray further down, and encircled him. Of their own volition, his eyes closed, his back arched, and a lustful groan started in his chest and worked its way into his throat.

An expression of profound satisfaction filled Mariah’s eyes at Anthony’s untethered response. Head thrown back, the strong cords of his throat stretched under his caramel skin. Mouth parted, eyes slammed shut, biceps bulging with restraint, Anthony Caine in the midst of extreme pleasure was something to behold.

A guttural moan pushed past his lips and his hips undulated in response to Mariah’s stimulating touch. She moved until both knees were on either side of his hips.

Anthony’s eyes flew open, the pupils fully dilated. He didn’t move his arms, even when Mariah untied her wrapper, slipped the garment off her shoulders, down her arms, and tossed it to the side, baring all.

He gave her body a raking gaze before meeting the challenge that hovered in her eyes.

The air-conditioner turned on at that moment, causing goosebumps to emerge on Mariah’s skin, but she couldn’t feel the cold air. The inferno within her was too strong. She braced her hands on both sides of Anthony’s head, and lowered herself until those lush lips were a hairbreadth away from his own, their breaths mingling. Giving in to an aching need for another kiss, Mariah captured his top lip between hers, the same way he did to her the first time they kissed in his kitchen. She nibbled it, tasted it with her tongue, before giving the bottom one equal attention.

She needed this, needed to prove something to him−that she could make him lose control−and to herself. Another deep moan rumbled in Anthony’s chest, and Mariah could feel the vibration against her own. Driven by his arousal and capitulation, Mariah released his bottom lip and then ran her tongue across both lips.

Mariah felt Anthony’s determination waver when his body shuddered beneath hers. She knew his hands itched to touch her, and a part of her wanted to drive him over the edge. She wanted to see how much he could endure before his willpower gave out, so she thrust her tongue into the warm cavern of his mouth.

But Anthony wouldn’t give up so easily. He unclasped his hands from behind his head and moved them to grab the underside of the headboard instead, the veins in his wrists popping against the skin. Mariah raised her lips, her mouth trailing kisses along his jaw to the underside of his chin. When he let out a hard puff of air, Mariah knew she’d found a weak spot. She flattened her breasts against the solid wall of his chest and pressed her lips to his chin again, feeling Anthony fidget beneath her. His eyes shot open and his hands, against his will, pulled free of the headboard and grasped her hips as his own levered upward.

Mariah lifted her head and moved her hands to his shoulders, her fingers digging into the corded muscles. She gasped and a spurt of hungry desire rocketed through her as her hips answered his query. She felt herself losing control and knew she had to get hold of the reins that Anthony had seduced from her. For once, despite the danger she’d faced and the secrets she’d uncovered, she wanted to let go, to feel like the woman she was meant to be, with Anthony.

Mariah battled back from the brink, taking Anthony’s hands in her own. She grasped his wrists and removed his hands from her hips to press them onto the bed beside his head. Her eyes lit up with purpose and a sensual inner fire as they ensnared his. His hands were half-closed, so Mariah opened them, interlocked their fingers, and rasped, “It’s my time now.” Her pulse accelerated when his fingers contracted against hers. Tawny eyes drank her up and his breathing became even more unsteady, like her own.

Anthony’s rough whisper broke the silence. “Yes, ma’am,” he acquiesced without a bit of protest. He was almost the image of male submission, if not for his burning eyes that never left hers.

Basking in the knowledge of her potency, Mariah untwined their fingers and reached over for a condom that lay on the nightstand, but not before she flashed Anthony a look that warned him not to move. He didn’t and kept his palms facing upward. Capturing Anthony’s gaze, Mariah brought the condom wrapper to her lips and tore it open with her teeth. Tossing the empty wrapper on the nightstand, she rolled the condom on him.

Anthony swallowed. His fingers shook and his abdomen contracted at the feel of her fingers. He didn’t offer any opposition when Mariah linked their fingers again and welcomed him into her body. A lusty groan that filled the quiet room, accompanied by Mariah’s higher-pitched cry as their vigorous movement crashed the headboard against the wall in an unmistakable, age-old rhythm.

In the back of her mind, Mariah knew that anyone on the other side of the wall could hear what was going on, but she didn’t care. Her body was too busy exploding in a downpour of fiery sensations, and then she collapsed onto him.

Her chest heaved against his as she regained her senses. Anthony unlocked their fingers, and one of his muscular arms encompassed her waist. Anthony pushed himself up into a sitting position, shifting the angle of their joining, and it didn’t take long for her to realize that Anthony had yet to reach his peak.

Mariah’s eyes, still dreamy with pleasure, enlarged even as both her arms encircled his neck. With his free hand, Anthony explored her hips and thighs, then moved up to her stomach and breasts, the contact scorching her tingling skin. Mariah’s eyelids fluttered and she locked her ankles at the small of his back.

His eyes glittered as he rocked inside her. “My turn.” His free hand roamed to the back of her neck and hauled her lips to his while his hips began to move, slow and deliberate.

Caught off guard, a surprised gasp escaped Mariah, but Anthony’s mouth ensnared the sound. Mariah dragged her lips from his as pleasure radiated outward. As her mouth opened and her eyes closed, she tilted her neck back, giving Anthony access to the pulse beating at the base of her throat. Anthony bent his head and bathed it with his tongue.

Skin to skin, they were as one, their bodies moving in exquisite harmony with each another. Anthony’s lips consumed Mariah’s in a sizzling kiss, which she returned with equal ardor. Anthony raised his head, his warm breath fanning Mariah’s lips. Her body began to vibrate with liquid fire. Mariah’s head fell back again and this time a silent scream parted her lips. Then, two hot tears rolled down the sides of her Mariah’s face.

And Anthony thought they were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

With herculean effort, he held back the tide that raged inside him, biting his lip until it nearly bled, waiting for Mariah to raise her head and open her glistening eyes. Their gazes clung to each other and his tempo quickened, passion rising in him like the hottest volcano.

He had to tell her. She had to know….

When he spoke, his voice was gruff and shaky. “Mariah, I can’t get enough of you. I can’t –” His thoughts fragmented as he let out a roar and soared to an awesome, shuddering ecstasy.

Their bodies still moist from lovemaking, Mariah buried her face against Anthony’s throat while her trembling limbs clung to him. After the firestorm subsided, she could feel his uneven breathing on her cheek as he held her close with one arm. The fingers of his other hand glided up her spine until they reached the nape of her neck, then delved into her thick hair and cupped the back of her head. They held each other for a few minutes.

Mariah pulled back and sighed in pleasant exhaustion. A deep feeling of awe and peace entered her being. Though what she and Anthony shared over the past few weeks was beyond physical, the emotional floodgates burst open for both of them tonight.

Mariah, I can’t get enough of you. I can’t….

And the sound that erupted from him…so primal, with a force that could’ve blown the doors off their hinges.

She gloried in that moment. As a lover, Anthony was fierce, tender, and considerate, but he never exposed that degree of vulnerability to her before, and it humbled her.

She relaxed her arms around Anthony’s neck as she perused his face, feature by feature, while his eyes took her in and his nostrils flared as if she were a breath of fresh air he needed to inhale. Mariah’s left hand swept from the back of his neck to his damp forehead. Her fingertips danced over his brows and skimmed down his nose, tracing the his childhood scars.

When her forefinger brushed his firm lips, his mouth opened, sucking it into his warmth, his tongue swirling from the base to the tip before he released it. Mariah quivered. She laid her palm against his cheek and he leaned into it, his lids lowering.

“You need to hold me down more often,” he said. A trace of humor colored his voice and his eyes came up to study her. With light fingers, he curled the damp tendrils of her hair behind her ears.

Mariah regarded him with amused wonder. “Only if doing so will make you roar like King Kong. I’m surprised the walls didn’t cave in, with all the noise you made.”

“Mmm hmm.” Anthony’s hands skimmed down to her backside and he grinned back with no trace of embarrassment.

“I’m sure some people staying on this floor will give us funny looks tomorrow.”

“No doubt.” He palmed Mariah’s cheeks, kneading the luscious flesh. “Especially since you probably put a hole in the wall.”

Mariah ignored that, even if he was probably right. “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone called the hotel staff or 9-1-1 to make sure everything was okay.”

“Want to see if we can make that happen?” he suggested, a devilish glint in his eye.

Mariah gave him a glance of utter disbelief and before she could answer, he lifted her off his lap and headed to the bathroom.

#

Still fuming about the mystery woman who got away, Diablo sat in worn recliner with a beer in one hand as he watched late night TV. He tried to get answers from the bartender she spoke to–her name was Stacy–but Stacy only said that the woman was interested in Divine, not him.

Strangely enough, he believed her.

A knock on his door broke his thoughts and made Diablo jump out of the recliner.

#

After Anthony and Mariah made love twice, Mariah fell asleep, her body curved into his. Anthony stared at the TV, his mind racing. He had to be honest with himself. He’d insisted on the trip, not only for her benefit, but for his. Mariah was in a rush to return home, and this mini-vacation delayed that.

Anthony caressed her arm and dropped a kiss on her forehead. He had an indefinable feeling of rightness with Mariah and he wanted her in his life. The problem was getting her to see that they’d be good together.

Anthony pushed the concern aside for now. He’d worry about that when the time came.

The next morning while Mariah brushed her teeth, Anthony knocked on the bathroom door. She opened it with wide eyes, wearing only her panties and toothpaste foam on her lips. The faucet was on, a thin stream of water running down the drain. Mariah hit the “Off” button on her battery-powered toothbrush. “What?” she asked, but the word was garbled.

Anthony held up his cell. “Just got a call from the private eye. When we found out that Diablo was the one who followed you, I had him do some digging.”

“And?” Mariah eyes enlarged.

“He went by Golden Fingers to see if he could get a glimpse of Diablo and his car. He did, and ran the license plate. His name is Delroy ‘Diablo’ Cruz.”

“Is he sure Diablo’s the right guy?”

Anthony nodded twice. “He matches the bartender’s description, right down to the droopy eyelid. But you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

Mariah leaned over the sink, rinsed her mouth and toothbrush, and then turned off the faucet. “So he’s being questioned?” She returned the toothbrush to its charger.

“No. According to the private eye, the local paper reported that he’s dead.”