Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning (9 page)

“
Can we go to the zoo after lunch,” he asked out of the blue.

Kim frowned slightly, before sighing and telling him sure. She’d forgotten the unconventional things he liked to do from time to time. Rising he paid their check and asked her to follow him to his house; they could just take one car.

Arriving Kim parked her car in his garage as he directed, accepting his invitation to come inside as he grabbed something he’d forgotten.

“
You want some water or something,” Tyshon asked as Kim made her way to the sofa and sat down.

“
No, I’m good,” she returned as she smiled back at him.

Tyshon nodded coming in and turning on the TV telling her he would only be a moment. Kim found one of her favorite shows and began watching. She was totally engrossed in the program never hearing him as he came back into the room, until he sat down beside her.

“
What’s this,” Tyshon asked.

Kim explained the show asking if they could watch until it ended in twenty minutes.

“
Sure, no rush,” Tyshon replied amiably, kicking back on the couch and watching with her.

As she watched the screen he watched her. Tyshon’s mind was racing. He had to get her back, take her away from this man she thought she loved.

“
Kim,” he said softly as it broke her thought, she turned to him distractedly as he kissed her lips, surprising her.

“
Ty,--,” she managed before he pulled her to him kissing her deeply.

Her body once again betrayed her, loving his taste and touch, as he tongued her and Kim moaned involuntarily.

“
No, Ty, stop,” she tried as he pushed her back onto the sofa.

“
Kim, relax baby, I just want to help you relax,” Ty said calmly easily removing her panties as she squirmed.

He just as skillfully and speedily, put his head between her legs and his tongue inside her, quelling the movement as the pleasure replaced the angst.

“
Mmm, shit,” Kim murmured unable to deny how good it felt.

Ty went to work as he felt her relax and allow him to finish what he started. Kim came hard crying out loudly. Ty continued to please her, finally pulling away after her third orgasm.

“
No harm, no foul baby,” he told Kim sensitively as she put her panties back on; the shame and guilty burning like white fire in her psyche.

“
It’s our secret baby, I promise,” Tyshon told her as Kim nodded slightly making it to her car and backing out.

Tyshon smiled privately as he entered the kitchen after closing the garage door, opening the small compartment and removing the recorded DVD.

8

Creeper and Pirate greeted Ryan and Ian as they arrived, coming in and making themselves comfortable. The suite was of course magnificent that the brothers rented and it allowed all the privacy they needed to speak openly and freely.

“
What’s the story,” Ryan asked after making everyone a drink and sitting down.

“
There are three of them,” Creeper began. “Tagg, who was supposedly Kareem’s right hand,” he went on. “Then two new fools, Sheik, and Vegas.”

Ryan nodded and asked them how long they’d been interfering.

“
Things were fine up until about three months ago, suddenly they wanted to start beef, invade territories and shit,” Pirate returned.

Ian frowned almost imperceptibly but said nothing as they continued to converse.

“
Have they been a major disruption in business or in flow,” Ryan asked again.

Both Creeper and Pirate told him not yet, but the buzz was beginning to spread and they were starting to gain credence with other low level dealers who were looking at a shot for glory.

“
Well we need to shut the bullshit down quickly and make it known if anyone else wants to step up, we’ll be glad to deal with them too,” Ryan replied without hesitation.

Ian promptly agreed with the sentiment asking where the men were known to congregate.

“
They have a place not far from where the DuBois’s used to live,” Creeper replied, looking directly at Ian now.

“
Hmph, I thought Gabrielle sold the place,” Ian replied, sipping his drink again.

“
She did, but to distant family who immediately deeded it back over to her once she returned to the bayou,” he explained.

Nodding again, Ian once again became mute.

“
What are you thinking, Ice,” Ryan asked, knowing his brother well.

Smiling somewhat, Ian told him he thought he knew the perfect way to trap them all in one place.

“
I’m going to pay Gabrielle a little visit,” Ian replied.

He was thinking in his mind that if they could get into her house and set up, they could easily make an all out assault on the three men with them being that close and the dark swampy background giving them cover. Ryan told him that sounded like a good idea.

“
While you’re handling that, we all need to make a few visits to some of these low totem dealers you were telling us about and give them a little message,” Ryan said darkly.

Creeper and Pirate readily agreed. They told him they were planning a hit on one of the dealers anyway because he’d sent a crew to rob one of their own people, beating the man mercilessly and raping his girl repeatedly.

“
Sounds like a good start,” Ryan replied opening the case they’d brought with them and removing two .380’s.

They’d made the long drive simply because they didn’t like to travel naked and being on a plane didn’t afford them the opportunity to carry their weapons. Ian was still deep in thought as the men talked. True, Gabrielle’s place would make an excellent vantage point for their attack, Ian wanted to see her for himself and ask her about the rift between herself and Ray. The man had never fully elaborated on the details of Gabrielle leaving, though Ian had heard rumors.
Hopefully she’ll share it with me as well as let us into her home,
he mused as he rose and made another drink. His mind also went to his wife. Kaitlyn was still on a short fuse even after killing Ananda. Ian felt her pulling away from him and their life together; clueless as to the cause.
Is she seeing someone else,
he pondered, that being the most logical reason most couples grow distant. It was hard to tell with Kaitlyn because there were so many variables, given who she was. Whatever the reason, Ian had to find out and quickly. Then he would be able to help her through it and get their business back on track. He was getting ready to expand again, going back to where it all began for him, Atlanta.

*****

Blue watched the man as he sweated bullets. He was handling yet another business transaction on behalf of King Diesel and this particular acquisition was being complicated by an uncooperative seller.

“
Look, I don’t want to sell my place, I told him that,” Wynton ‘Termite’ Beasley was trying to tell Blue, looking down the barrel of the .357 the man held.

“
He offered you a fair price, so why are you making this harder than it has to be,” Blue returned calmly.

“
Shit man, King Diesel already owns half the damned city, why does he want my little dump of a store,” Termite asked, praying they would leave him and his store alone.

True King Diesel had offered him a good price, but Termite loved his place, loved the location and the store had been in the family for almost three generations now. It was history and he didn’t want to just sell it out to the highest bidder.

“
You can’t win this fight Termite, you do know that right,” Blue returned sighing. “Take the money and keep breathing,” he further advised as Termite sucked his teeth softly.

“
This shit ain’t right man,” he returned almost whining.

Blue shrugged giving him a look almost asking what’s your point.

“
I remember when the streets weren’t like they are now,” Termite began wistfully. “Black man could own a business and be left alone, hell it was the white man tryna run you outta business then,” he added giving Blue another look.

“
I don’t make the rules Termite,” Blue returned still nonplussed. “I simply enforce them.”

With the last statement he shot a couple of bottles off the shelf, close to Termite’s head.

“
Sign the deed so I can leave you alone,” Blue told him regarding him once more.

He was trying hard not to get angry. He needed to conclude this nonsense so he could fly back to Atlanta. According to his sources Lauren was due in the city in the next three days. There was still work to do before she arrived.

“
What if I don’t sign,” Termite threw back defiantly. “It will take him years to go through probate and get it,” he added confidently.

Blue burst into laughter bringing a confused look from Termite.

“
Do you really think King Diesel would go through all that,” he returned, looking deeply into the man’s eyes now. “He will simply kill every blood heir he thinks could have a claim, hence no more roadblocks or interference,” he finished as Termite swallowed hard.

He believed what Blue told him. King Diesel had proven over the years that he didn’t have much regard for human life he felt wasn’t useful in some form to him or his organization.

“
Termite, last chance,” Blue told him once more training the gun directly on him this time. “Sign the deed, take the money, open a new store, hell just live your life,” Blue added, growing silent and giving him time to make a decision.

Blowing a long, heavy breath, Termite picked up the pen and hovered over the signature line. Blue regarded him as the lone tear trailed his face and he wrote his legal name on the document and wordlessly pushed it across the counter to Blue.

“
You made the right choice Termite,” Blue told him somewhat sympathetically, picking up the document and placing the briefcase filled with cash on his counter and walking out, pausing momentarily at the door.

“
The closing crew will be here in 15 minutes, you should be ready to leave then,” Blue admonished as Termite nodded mutely and began gathering personal mementos from behind the counter.

*****

Gabrielle heard the knock at her front door and frowned slightly.
Who could this be,
she wondered, quickly wrapping the scarf around her head, making sure the scarred portion was covered and walking down the short hallway to the sound.

“
Yes, who is it,” she asked timidly.

“
It’s Ice, Gabrielle,” he replied as the door opened almost instantaneously and she stood regarding him with the one eye visible beneath the scarf.

“
Hi Bri, can I come in,” Ian asked softly regarding her calmly.

Gabrielle frowned slightly wondering if Ray had sent him to hurt her more? Ian saw the distrust in her face and sighed softly.

“
I don’t want anything from you Bri, I just wanted to see how you were,” he assured as she nodded slightly and stepped away from the door allowing him entry.

Ian saw she’d redone the house and it was actually amazing. Gabrielle had always had good taste and once she was free to do with the house what she desired, she’d turned it into a showplace. The beautiful marble tables contained in the formal living room were complimented by the smoke grey sheer curtains that hung from the windows, the light bouncing onto them from the cylindrical multi-tiered chandelier that hung in the center.

Ian followed her to the den, approving of the olive green sofa and love seat contained, the aqua and black pillows livening up the otherwise boring color. The tables here were a combination glass and wrought iron, complimenting once again the anchor furnishings.

“
Would you like something to drink Ice,” Gabrielle asked politely.

Ian asked if she had anything alcoholic knowing she didn’t really drink. Gabrielle smiled and left the room returning with the cognac and handing it to him, as she sat and sipped her tea waiting for him to speak again.

“
I love the house Bri,” Ian told her honestly.

She smiled again saying thanks.

“
You don’t have to wear that around me,” he began again as her hand immediately flew to her face.

“
Bri, what happened with you and Ray,” he asked gingerly as the tears immediately filled her eyes.

“
Didn’t he tell you,” she threw back and Ian heard the anger in her voice. “He’s your partner after all,” she accused as Ian exhaled quietly.

“
Bri, we may be partners but we don’t share everything, especially personal things,” Ian replied which was for all intents and purposes the truth.

“
I’m sorry Ice, I didn’t mean to snap,” she replied calming slightly.

Smiling, Ian rose and went to sit next to her on the sofa.

“
It’s okay,” he replied smiling and putting his hand over hers. “Do you feel strong enough to tell me,” he pressed once more.

Taking a deep breath Gabrielle told him the things Ray had allowed Rahja to do to her.

“
Damn,” Ian swore frowning deeply.

He understood Ray’s anger, even admitting he might have done the same thing within himself. Ian supposed it bothered him so much because he knew Gabrielle. Reaching up he began taking the scarf off as her hands grabbed his.