Night of Seduction (16 page)

Kerri
stood.
“
Sounds like a plan to me. Why
don
’
t you two have dessert while we
talk?
”

Eric and Siri
watched the two women walk off as if they had known each other for
years.
“
I don
’
t know about your
mother, but my mother is up to something,
”
Siri commented
as she reached for the strawberry shortcake.

“My
mother
’
s mind is definitely working. Are you sure they
just met?
”
Eric replied as he took the dessert
she offered.

“Yes,
I
’
m sure. They may just be concerned with
Jason
’
s situation. If I know my mother, she wants to make
sure TK doesn
’
t get hurt like I
did.
”

Eric tilted his
head and looked at Siri.
“
I was disappointed
with the news you gave me in the kitchen. A small part of me was a
little excited with the idea of a baby.
”

Deep down Siri
understood, because she to was a little disappointed. Yes, a baby
at this time in her life would definitely have been a complication,
but that didn
’
t stop the perk of
joy she felt with the possibility of bringing a little life into
this world.
“
A child would have
put you in the same position as your brother; tied to a woman you
did not love for the rest of your life.
”

“I
don
’
t know if the thought of that is as frightening to me
as it is to you. Do you realize how difficult it has been for me to
not kiss you or touch you today?
”

Did she? Hell
yes, she was having the same internal battle. Her sexual attraction
to him was understandable. Before him she hadn
’
t had sex
for almost two years and here he was the sexual healer for women
around the world.
“
That
’
s just lust Eric. As
soon as you are back on the road there will be another woman that
captures your attention.
”

“You think
so?
”
he asked knowing she was wrong. But that was a reality
she had to come to grips with. He was going to help her get there,
but he wasn
’
t going to force
it.
“
If it
’
s lust for me,
what
’
s your excuse?
”

“I was lonely
and needed to feel attractive, wanted. You took care of that
need.
”

“So you used my
body?
”

“No.
”
she replied quickly.
“
I would never use anyone. I hadn
’
t had sex in a
while and was needy.
”

“Oh, that
explains the first time. What about the second?
”

Getting a
little frustrated with the conversation Siri, dropped her fork onto
the crystal plate.
“
Look, you and I both
wanted each other. I fulfilled your need and you fulfilled mine.
Let
’
s just leave it at that.
”

Eric stood,
wiped his mouth with his napkin, braced his arms on the side of her
chair and looked into her eyes.
“
Apparently I hit a
nerve. Why is that?
”

She sighed and
looked away.
“
What do you want from
me Eric?
”

With a finger
under her chin he brought her eyes back to his.
“
I want you
to get over the past, look into your heart and be honest with
yourself.
”
His lips barely touched hers in a
brushed kiss. He stepped back and exhaled.
“
What do you say
we clean up the dishes for your mom?
”
He picked up several
plates and walked into the kitchen.

Grateful he had
stepped away and missing his closeness at the same time, Siri shook
off the feeling his words left. I am over the past,
aren
’
t I? It doesn
’
t matter, there will
be no repeat. I will not give my heart away again. With that
settled Siri picked up the remaining dishes and when into the
kitchen determined to dismiss Eric
’
s words.

Kerri and
Miriam sat on the patio contemplating their
children
’
s dilemmas.
“
Children, they know
it all and don
’
t know
anything,
”
Kerri summarized.

“You got that
right. So what are we going to do about it?
”
Miriam raised
her eyebrow.

“I
haven
’
t known you long, but I get the feeling you are a very
resourceful woman.
”

“I
’
ve been known to
handle one or two situations in my day.
”

“Really, any of
them have to do with a hip-hop hoochie trapping your
son?
”

“No, but
I
’
ve been itching to get at that one.
”

Laughing Kerri
replied,
“
I bet you have.
”
She then became
serious.
“
He has supplied her with the good life;
she
’
s not going down easy. The baby may be caught in the
middle.
”

“I know Sierra
is going to be used as a pawn against Jason,
that
’
s the kind of woman she is.
”
Miriam watched
Jason and TeKaya talking at the end of the yard.
“
I have never seen him so happy. With all that is about to
explode around him, he is happy.
”

“You
’
ve been in the
business for a long time and seem to live a pretty high society
lifestyle. Can you get street?
”
Kerri asked with a
raised eyebrow.

“My husband was
six- two, dark hair with a trust fund that went back three
generations. I
’
ve been known to give
a few honeys a beat down. Besides, I was born and raised in
Atlanta, Georgia, the street never leaves you.
”

“That
’
s good to know. I
think it
’
s time to introduce girlfriend to an old school
beat down.
”

Miriam shrugged
her shoulders one side at a time.
“
I can handle that.
Now what are we going to do about the other two
fools?
”

“That ones on
me. Eric seems to be a strong willed young man. If
it
’
s Siri he wants, he will eventually get
her.
”

“I
don
’
t know what happened, but that child has been hurt.
You can it read it all over her. I think you are right, your
daughter does not believe in love.
”

Shaking her
head Kerri sighed,
“
She did once, but all
of that was stripped from her, by a bitter, old, loveless woman
trying to hold on to her only child.
”

“Maybe you
ought to give her an old fashioned beat down,
”
Miriam
laughed.

Kerri looked
over at Miriam, frowned, and then laughed.
“
I
’
m scared of you.
”

Latoya

T
he last thing she
wanted to do was have to indulge Stan, not the man. But it was the
only way she could get the information she was looking for on
Jason. Latoya sat on the side of the tub in Stan
’
s master
bathroom and waited for Gabby to answer the telephone. The last
thing she needed was for Jason to know she had stayed out all
night.
“
It
’
s about time you
answered,
”
Latoya snapped when Gabby picked
up.
“
What in the hell took you so long?
”

“I was giving
Sierra her bath, Ms. Wright.
”

“Where
’
s
Jason?
”

“He left with
his family early this morning and will be returning later
tonight.
”

“He went
somewhere with Eric?
”

“And Ms.
Miriam.
”

“Jason
’
s mother is here!
When did she come?
”
Latoya stood as she yelled into the
phone.

“She arrived
yesterday.
”

“Why in the
hell didn
’
t you tell me Jason
’
s mother was here?
Where did they go?
”

“I
don
’
t know,
”
Gabby replied.

“These are the
things you are supposed to tell me Gabby. I ought to fire you for
being so damn inefficient.
”
Latoya hung up the
telephone and began to quickly dress. As hard as she tried,
Jason
’
s mother did not like her. Well, she was just going to
have to try harder. According to Stan, she was about to be
seriously replaced. So far she had been able to keep the hos away
from Jason, but somehow this one slipped in. Well, if Jason thought
for one minute he could just push her aside he was wrong. She had a
sure fire weapon
—
Sierra. She
sacrificed a year of her life to give birth to that child. Now it
was time for the payoff. Looking in the mirror, she was thankful
for the reflection that looked back. Her mother may not have been
the best one in the world, but she did give her the good looks, the
hair and the body of an angel. And her stuff was all natural,
that
’
s what the men loved about her, she was real. She knew
what she was doing when she went after Eric, so what, if it was his
brother that fell for her. Either way she got what she wanted, a
ticket to the good life.
“
I will be damned if
some country ho from Virginia is going to take that
away.
”

Walking back
into the master bedroom, Stan was still knocked out spread eagle on
the bed. A repulsive act was needed to get him to talk, but once he
started, he spilled it all. Leaving the house, she made a promise
to herself
—
that was the last
time. Someone was going to come out of their pockets with a few
million or take care of her until Sierra turns eighteen. Driving
home she devised a plan. First she had to play the adoring mother
while Miriam was in town. That meant she would have to sit low for
a minute, no extra-curriculum activity for a while. Actually, that
could be a good thing. It would give her time to do a little
research. The internet was a wonderful thing. She could use it to
see who the woman was that was trying to put an end to her life of
leisure. Damn, why did she have to get stuck with Jason, the street
smart brother? Eric would have married her the moment she told him
she was pregnant.

That was
something she never understood back then. When she entered that
room at the after party a few years back every man in the room
stopped to check her out. Walking by them all she went straight to
Eric, extended her hand,
“
Hello,
I
’
m Latoya Wright
”
, and flashed that
dimpled smile that knocked most men to their knees. But not
Eric,
“
Silk
”
Davies. He simply
returned the smile.
“
It
’
s nice to
meet you. Jason, would you make sure Ms. Wright get an autographed
CD,
”
and walked away. The shock of the rejection lingered
for a moment, until Jason took her hand and asked her to forgive
his brother. He was in a zone with his music and nothing, no matter
how beautiful the package, could get his attention. But she
wasn
’
t deterred, she looked at Jason and smiled, being a
music executive, he was just as much of a catch as his brother, and
just as rich. Smiling she remembered dropping the hint that Eric
might be on the down low. It was no more then he deserved for
brushing her off like he did. Nevertheless, she accomplished what
she set out to do, capture a power broker in the music business to
take care of her for the rest of her life. It helped that the
brother wasn
’
t half bad between
the sheets, Lord knows Jason could work her body overtime. They had
some good times, before things turned bad. A few months into the
relationship she had to beat down a few honeys that were trying to
move in on her turf and the reporter telling Eric who had planted
the down low story didn
’
t help. It seemed the
brother bond was tighter then she thought. But then the ticket to
paradise arrived, she found out she was pregnant. There was no way
Jason Davies would turn his back on his child. Life had been good
until now. How dare he tell her to find a place to live? He had to
deal with her for at least fifteen more years whether he wanted to
or not. Pulling into the garage, she turned the engine off and
walked into the house. Let the games begin.
“
Sierra,
baby. Mommy
’
s
home.
”