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JONATHAN APPROACHED Rena as she sat on the bench at the waterfall. “It’s so beautiful out here at night.” He relaxed beside her, staring at the cluster of stars above them. “It’s always so peaceful.”
Rena stiffened, trepidation radiating from her body.
He touched her shoulder, and she flinched. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you.”
She pushed her hands between her thighs.
“I promise nothing like that will ever happen again. Something comes over me concerning Deidra.” He curled his fingers. “Maybe I am obsessed.”
“How could you treat me that way?” she whispered. “Hand me over to some stranger off the street?”
“I wasn’t thinking. All I cared about was Strickland helping me.” He lowered his head, glancing at her bosom. “I’m ashamed.” He touched her cheek. “I’m sorry I hit you.”
“Give me a good reason I should stay here.”
“Because we need you, Rena. You’re a part of us. You’re a part of me. I love you.”
She batted her eyes, frowning.
“I’d be lost without you. I need you.”
“Why?”
“You embody the reasons I created The Circle. You’re the kindest and most sincere person I’ve ever known.” He held her, rubbing her arm. “Did you know you’re my favorite?” He stroked her drooping curls. “You remind me of the goodness in the world. That there’s hope for a better life.”
She closed her eyes, sniffling.
“I see a light shining in your eyes I’ve never seen from the other women. Rena, you have a place in my heart no one will ever touch.”
She opened her eyes and slipped her fingers in his.
“You were right. Part of the reason I did what I did today was to punish you. I wanted to hurt you like you hurt me when you told Deidra the truth. Why, Rena? Why did you betray me like that?”
“Because it was the right thing to do.”
“Don’t leave, Rena. Please.”
“This is the Jonathan I fell in love with.” She took his hand. “I don’t recognize the man you’ve become since Deidra. Can you be this Jonathan again?”
“You forgive me?” He pushed her curls off her shoulder and caressed her neck.
“Yes, but if this happens again I’m gone.”
“It’s never happening again.” He kissed her forehead. “Never.”
****
TWO WEEKS LATER
“Ooh.” Dee arched her back, lying in her bed with the peach sheet wrapped around her naked body. “That feels so good, Winston.”
He sat at the end of the bed in nothing but his jockey shorts, massaging her foot in his sturdy hands. “Relax.” He nibbled her baby toe, and she giggled. “Let Daddy do all the work.”
“Daddy.” She concentrated on her 30-inch television mounted to the wall. “I like the sound of that. I never thought I could be this happy.” She sat up against the headboard. “There’s been so much going on with Jonathan and work, I haven’t been able to concentrate on being pregnant.”
“Ten weeks now.” He kissed her foot. “Time goes fast.”
“My body’s changing already.” She rubbed her stomach. “Will you still love me when I’m eight hundred pounds?”
“Yeah.” His eyes twinkled. “I’ll love the hell out your fat ass.”
She laughed.
“Nah, you’d be beautiful no matter what size you are.” He climbed on top of her and kissed her stomach. “I didn’t think I was ready to be a parent but every time I look in your eyes I can’t wait for the baby to come sooner.”
She smiled, laying her head on the pillow.
“When do you start having the ultrasounds?”
“Dr. Bell says around eighteen to twenty weeks. I might not have to have but just one if everything goes okay.”
He rolled off her, laying on his elbow. “I thought women had to have several ultrasounds.”
“Only if you’re high risk. Everything is going great so far. She told me to watch stress though.”
He slipped his fingers in her hair. “That’s not so easy with Jonathan hanging around.”
“I knew I loved you, but when you said you’d be here for me, even if the baby were Jonathan’s I knew I’d never love another man the way I love you.”
“See how good it can be when you let me love you?” He groped her breast.
“Ah.” She flinched.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I forgot they’re sore.”
“It’s okay.” She put his hand back over her breast. “Just be gentle. What sex do you want it to be?”
“I just want it to be healthy.”
She rubbed the tiny hairs on his arm. “You want a boy, don’t you?”
“I’d like a little girl.” He scratched the back of his neck.
“I want a girl too.” She wrapped his arm over her waist. “I’d love fixing her hair and putting her in all those cute dresses.”
“What if she’s a tomboy?”
“Then I’ll force her to let me fix her hair and put her in cute little dresses.”
He grinned. “Whatever you say.”
She kissed him. “I love you so much, Winston.”
“I love you too, Deidra.” He got on top of her and sucked her neck. “I’ll never stop.”
“Dee!” Lydia burst into the room with a towel wrapped around her head and her face covered in green avocado face cream. “Get up.” She ran to the bed.
“Girl.” Dee pushed Winston off, wiping her mouth. “What the hell is—?”
“Hush, you gotta see this.” Lydia snatched the remote off the end table and hobbled to the television with cotton between her painted toes. “You won’t believe this.” She turned to the local news.
A female reporter mentioned an accident by the highway that linked Baltimore to Broadville Port and how a car described as Jonathan’s caught fire after crashing into a tree.
“Hold on.” Winston scooted to the edge of the bed. “Are they saying that’s Jonathan’s car?”
“Sh.” Dee held her breath as Detective Kelley Strickland appeared on camera.
“We don’t have additional details but the coroner has confirmed that Mr. Jonathan Wild is deceased,” Strickland told the reporter.
Dee covered her mouth, gaping at Winston.
“Can you tell us what happened?” the reporter asked.
“We don’t know for sure,” Strickland said. “The Baltimore Police will work with the fire investigator to do a thorough investigation in which I will lead to rule out foul play. What we know is Mr. Wild most likely lost control of his car, hit the tree and the car caught on fire.”
“Oh my god.” Dee’s breath caught in her throat. “Winston?”
He touched his mouth, forehead crinkling as he studied the TV.
“You can however confirm that Jonathan Wild is deceased?” the reporter asked Strickland.
“Yes.” Strickland looked into the camera. “Mr. Wild died in the fire. As I explained we’ll investigate for possible foul play but right now it looks like a terrible accident.”
The reporter spoke into the microphone, “Once again, we’re reporting that Jonathan Wild, son of the famous, late scientist Montgomery Wild is now dead. Jonathan Wild has been in the media many times in recent years. He was the leader of The Circle, a group some describe as a cult. He was also accused of kidnapping and drugging Baltimore police detective Deidra Quarter but received immunity for the crime. Mr. Wild...”
Lydia lowered the volume. “Shit, shit, shit.”
“Winston?” Dee shivered. “What? How?”
He shook his head, blinking.
“I...” Dee grabbed her cell.
“Who are you calling?” Lydia asked.
“Strickland.” She looked his number up in her contacts. “I need more details before I even wrap my head around this.”
“Jesus.” Winston slapped his hands on his face and lay over.
“Jonathan’s dead?” Lydia beamed. “Best. Day. Ever.”
“Lydia.” Dee grimaced. “You out to be ashamed of yourself.”
“That man kidnapped, drugged, and raped you, Dee. I say good riddance and it couldn’t have happened soon enough.”
“He was still a human being.”
Lydia flounced to the door with the towel loosening around her head. “The jury’s still out on that one.”
She left the room.