Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning (4 page)

“
Can we talk,” Nikki asked as she sat on the other end of the couch regarding him and holding her cup of coffee still.

Ryan sighed intensely before turning to her and relaxing in his corner of the couch. “Sure, go ahead,” he told her, saying nothing more.

Nikki took a deep breath to stay the irritation she felt at his nonchalant attitude, then opened her mouth to speak.

“
Ryan, I’m sorry about last night,” she began amiably. “I really am trying to keep it all together, but law school is no joke,” Nikki said as Ryan raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

“
I’m not intentionally neglecting you and Rayne, you have to know that,” she patiently explained.

“
So hire a housekeeper,” he told her calmly.

Truthfully Ryan was beginning to wonder if Law School wasn’t just an excuse and she was just tired of being his woman and Rayne’s mother. Nikki sighed softly. She really supposed she should hire someone, but she was terrified of failing and to her it would be like admitting defeat.

Swallowing her pride however, loving her man and her daughter, Nikki acquiesced and told Ryan she would begin to look for one in the next few days.

“
Cool,” Ryan replied, his tone and mannerisms the same.

“
Ryan, please, will you open up and talk to me,” Nikki tried, exasperated that he was still being so distant.

“
What do you want me to say,” Ryan returned.

“
Tell me why you’re really so angry with me,” Nikki threw out, wanting an honest answer.

Ryan picked up his juice and began drinking it again, saying nothing and making Nikki angry all over again.

“
So that’s how you’re going to be,” she asked tightly.

Ryan drained the glass and gave her another look.

“
You sure you still want this life, you sure you still want me as your man, you want Rayne around,” he asked eerily calm.

Nikki lost it. She was furious that he would say something like that to her.

“
What the hell are you talking about Ryan,” she screamed, jumping from the couch.

“
I love my daughter,” she yelled as he continued to watch her wordlessly. “How dare you say that to me,” she fumed calming slightly.

Rising, Ryan stepped right up to her, looking down into her eyes.

“
I noticed you didn’t say shit about loving your man in that tirade,” he told her as Nikki opened her mouth and he held up his hand.

“
It’s cool though, I got it,” he added, walking away from her as she called out to him and his stride never decreased, the front door slamming behind him as he left.

*****

“
So,” Jaleesa began, regarding her best friend as they enjoyed brunch. “How did you and Tariq end up in bed together again?”

If Kaitlyn was shocked by the question she didn’t show it.

“
What makes you think Tariq and I are doing anything near that,” she threw back as Jaleesa laughed.

“
KiKi, seriously, you’re gonna try and play me, of all people KiKi, me,” she returned as Kaitlyn smiled and picked up her juice.

They met once a month to enjoy time with each other undisturbed by men, children, or business. When they came together it was simply Tweety and KiKi, all else ceased to exist. Sighing deeply Kaitlyn placed the glass back on the table and once again regarded her friend.

“
It just happened,” she finally replied as Jaleesa nodded.

“
We ran into each other after one of our visits a few months back,” she continued as Jaleesa paid rapt attention.

“
It was awkward as hell honestly,” Kaitlyn admitted.

“
I’m sure,” Jaleesa replied earnestly.

“
I broke the ice and said hello,” Kaitlyn told her as Jaleesa again nodded. “We talked a little and I was about to walk away when he grabbed my arm and --,” she stumbled.

Jaleesa saw the emotion as Kaitlyn spoke, knowing she still loved the man without question even to this day.

“
You two are playing a dangerous game,” Jaleesa warned sensitively.

Kaitlyn closed her eyes exhaled intensely.

“
I know Tweety, but I can’t let him go,” she told her. “How fucked up am I,” she added chuckling bitterly.

“
Well it’s not just you, Tariq is just as much as part,” Jaleesa told her as Kaitlyn again sighed without comment.

“
You’re being safe right,” she asked as Kaitlyn assured her they were.

“
We’re only together once a week and hell with the operation going back to Atlanta, maybe I’ll finally find the strength to let it go for real,” she told her best friend.

Jaleesa chuckled and Kaitlyn gave her a look.

“
Girl, Tariq would come to the end of the earth to get up in you, you know that,” she teased as Kaitlyn burst into laughter.

Jaleesa’s cell buzzed interrupting their laughter. Checking and seeing she had a text message, Jaleesa clicked the icon and began to read, her mouth dropping at the end of it.

“
What,” Kaitlyn threw out seeing the curious expression on her face.

Without a word, she handed her friend the phone and allowed her to read the message.

“
What are you going to do,” Kaitlyn asked, handing the phone back and eyeing Jaleesa evenly.

“
Shit, I don’t know,” she replied genuinely confused.

The message wasn’t sinister or even unsettling. It just came as a total surprise.

“
You’d better decide and quick,” Kaitlyn again threw out as Jaleesa nodded her understanding before changing the subject.

“
So yeah back to this Layla chick,” Jaleesa began the message for now temporarily forgotten.

Kaitlyn listened intently as Jaleesa filled her in on Tariq’s girl’s best friend.

“
You think she’s trouble,” Kaitlyn asked.

Jaleesa sucked her teeth before answering.

“
Hell yes,” she replied calmly. “I think fucking other women’s men comes naturally to her,” she added as Kaitlyn chuckled.

“
She better not try that shit with any of ya’ll crazy ass hoes,” she threw out as Jaleesa burst into laughter.

“
You got that shit right,” she added as the two women returned to their brunch, laughter and conversation filling the rest of their time together.

*****

Cyiarra and Layla were shopping this morning, leaving Hasaan with Tariq until they returned.

“
Has he seen her this week,” Layla asked as they browsed inside the small exclusive women’s boutique.

Cyiarra exhaled heavily telling her best friend not that she could tell.

“
He’s been in place like he should be all week,” she returned as Layla murmured.

“
Well you move this weekend, so honestly, I don’t see a problem anymore after that,” Layla told her.

Cyiarra nodded slightly. She knew that moving to Atlanta should have allayed any fears and insecurities but in the pit of her stomach she couldn’t help but believe that the move wouldn’t end the affiliation. Cyiarra was terrified that Tariq was really in love with the woman he was having an affair with.

“
Hey, can you zone back in,” Layla teased, garnering Cyiarra’s attention once more.

Smiling Cyiarra apologized.

“
CiCi, relax, seriously,” Layla told her. “You need to start putting it on Tariq so good his dick won’t even get hard for another bitch,” she advised as Cyiarra burst into laughter.

Changing the subject, Layla began to fish for the information she wanted concerning Shells.

“
So everyone is moving back to Atlanta,” she asked as Cyiarra nodded yes.

“
Wow, that’s some seriously loyalty,” she added as Cyiarra readily agreed.

“
They are all really great people,” she added as Layla grunted.

“
Do you think Tariq is messing with one of them,” she fished as Cyiarra frowned deeply and gave her a resounding no.

“
Kim is one of my coolest friends,” she told her quickly as Layla asked which one she was.

“
That’s Mook’s wife,” she told her as Layla recalled the sexy man.

“
Oh okay,” she replied. “What about the other one,” she threw out, Cyiarra having given her the perfect opening.

“
Who, Tae,” Cyiarra asked innocently.

“
That’s the one with the Jamaican right,” Layla casually asked.

Cyiarra told her yes and that she had no reason to suspect anything was going on between Tae and Tariq.

“
He and Tweety and Tae go way back, they’re all friends,” she added as Layla groaned. She didn’t care much for Jaleesa, recalling the woman’s given name.
I need to keep my eye on that chick,
Layla thought but didn’t voice.

“
Well at least you’re moving closer, so I can come see you more often,” Layla joked.

Cyiarra told her she’d better, laughing now herself. They continued to walk through the mall stopping at various shops buying loads of sale items, shoes, clothing and makeup before deciding they wanted a lunch break.

“
Let me check on Hasaan,” Cyiarra told Layla pulling out her cell.

Glancing at the phone she frowned slightly.

“
Shit,” she murmured.

“
What’s wrong,” Layla inquired seeing the expression.

“
I accidentally picked up Tariq’s phone,” Cyiarra told her.

Layla shrugged and told her that was probably a good thing.

“
See if Miss Thing has texted or called,” she told her.

Cyiarra swallowed hard. She didn’t think it was right to invade her man’s privacy like that, telling Layla that same thing.

“
Girl please,” her friend scoffed. “The man is cheating on you, and you’re worried about his damned privacy,” she threw out incredulously. “Fuck that, you better open that phone and find out who your damned competition is,” Layla admonished.

Putting it that way, Cyiarra saw her point and opened the phone. There were no text messages or missed calls, so she found his address book and began scrolling through it. All the names were familiar except one.

“
Who the hell is Tedjra,” Cyiarra murmured.

“
Call her,” Layla returned flatly.

Cyiarra looked at her friend long and hard before finally clicking on the highlighted name and waiting for the call to connect.

4

Ray was gently stroking India’s head as she lay still in bed, cold cloth across her forehead. He smiled slightly as he continued to regard her, eyes closed as she fought another bout of morning sickness. They’d gone to the doctor together exactly seven weeks earlier after she missed her period. Ray could see the fear and apprehension in her face as the doctor confirmed her suspicions when she glanced his face trying to read his thoughts. He’d smiled then and kissed her softly. Ray wasn’t angry and he told her as much, going on to let her know he welcomed the child into their lives. She’d relaxed and allowed herself to be happy about the child growing inside her. He’d insisted upon her moving into his home immediately, and though she originally balked, Ray convinced India the move was best for all of them. She’d been having bouts of morning sickness for the last three weeks; both she and Ray praying it would end soon. India was a trooper though. She didn’t let the sickness slow her down. She would rest a little while in the mornings, then she would head out to the gallery to finish her day.

“
Feeling any better,” Ray asked as India finally opened her eyes and regarded him.

“
Yes, thankfully,” she replied giving him a short smile.

Ray kissed her, telling her he was very happy to hear that.

“
I’m going to take a shower and head on out,” she told him sitting up preparing to get out of bed.

“
I think you should stay put today darling,” Ray told her gently.

He could tell by her eyes India wasn’t feeling as well as she pretended.

“
But I need too --,” India got out before the violent torrent began and she started vomiting again.

Ray kept a small pail next to the bed just for such emergencies and India was eternally glad he did right now. Finally her stomach stopped lurching and she was able to rise and head into the bathroom to clean herself up. Ray disposed of the pail and its contents, making her some warm tea, grabbing the crackers on his way back into the bedroom. He heard the shower running and took the opportunity to change the sheets. Ray was excitedly looking forward to their child. He’d meticulously planned every facet of his life with India and her becoming pregnant wasn’t the accident she suspected. Smiling once more to himself, Ray helped her into bed as India returned from the shower, handing her the tea and crackers as he adjusted her pillows and made her comfortable.

*****

King Diesel was admiring the new surroundings as the rest of his luggage was being brought in and everyone else was getting settled. This was mainly weapons that had been transported while they secured the house and surroundings a week earlier when they all first arrived. He’d chosen the stately mansion in the more exclusive section of College Park. It was set back off the road, with expansive lawn rolling in front, back and both sides. The house consisted of eight bedrooms and just as many full baths. Everyone would have complete privacy, though outside of Blue, Mason and his two other security no one would be inside the mansion. His bedroom was on the top floor tucked away on the corner with the large majestic oaks providing ample shade. The Georgia heat was no joke in the summertime. Fortunately it was only early spring so the days were seasonably warm and the nights still had enough of a crispness to be comfortable. Sighing again, King Diesel knew he couldn’t afford to rest on his laurels too long. There was work to be done and he was about to go to war. Walking back downstairs he headed for the huge library, complete with a wide assortment of contemporary and historic titles.