Pride and Consequence (7 page)

“Sure seemed taken by you, girl,” Zakira teased.

Edwina smiled. “You are imagining things.”

“Ha! I'm not imagining the way your eyes were glued to him.”

“Z! I don't believe you said that,” Edwina replied, outraged. “And anyway, wasn't it you who said I should forget about men for a while?”

Zakira waved her hand. “Not when it comes to Trekel Grisani. I can't believe I never considered putting you guys together before. You couldn't tear your eyes away from him and he couldn't stop looking at you. Why deny it? The man is gorgeous and built. Unlike most of his colleagues, he's a good, honest lawyer, and he seemed very into you.”

Eddie sent Zakira an exasperated look. “As if I don't have enough problems with men,” she sighed, raising her hands.

Zakira leaned across the table. “What problems, Eddie? Tree is a very nice guy. He's sweet, gorgeous and intelligent. You don't come across a combination like that every day.”

“I'm sure you're right. But Z, maybe you haven't realized that I only date black men.”

Zakira appeared dumbfounded. Then, she realized what Eddie meant. “Honey, Tree is black.”

Edwina leaned back in her chair and balled her fist beneath her chin. “Did we just talk to the same man? Tall, gorgeous…white?”

“Eddie, he
is
black. His father is Italian, but his mother is definitely a black woman. He doesn't have her coloring, but look at his features and you can tell.”

Eddie shrugged, but still appeared uneasy.

“Edwina you can't deny that you were attracted to him.”

“Maybe I can't, but I'm just not ready for another man right now. Any man,” she said, sounding as though she were trying to convince herself.

“He told me to show you right in, Zakira,” Carrie Shephard said as she opened the door to her boss's office.

Tree was on the phone when his assistant escorted Zakira inside. He waved to her and began wrapping up his call.

She walked around the impressive penthouse office located in a posh silver skyscraper in downtown Richmond. She had not visited in a while, but she was always amazed by the beauty of Tree's home. Everything was dark and oversized to accommodate his size. Still, both the office and the living quarters held an unmistakable aura of style and authority. She was studying a wall decorated only with pictures of Tree and Malik. If Trekel Grisani couldn't put her fears to rest concerning her husband, she didn't know who could.

“Hey, you.” Tree said, as he headed over to Zakira. He leaned down to give her a warm hug.

“Hi,” Zakira sighed.

A small furrow formed between Tree's sleek brows and he pulled away. “What's the matter?”

She came right out with it. “Tree, do you know what's going on with Malik?”

“What's…going on with him?” Tree replied, watching Zakira suspiciously.

“Mmm-hmm. He's been acting so weird for the past few weeks. I think he might be sick…Can you tell me anything?”

Tree managed to slip his mask in place before Zakira could see that he knew more than he was telling. He had warned Malik that Zakira's intuition was keen where her husband was concerned.

Zakira took a seat in front of Tree's desk and pinned him with her large chocolate stare. “Tree, I know Malik is your client, but I'm asking you as his wife…as your friend. I'd appreciate anything you could tell me.”

Tree reclined in his chair and stroked the smooth curve of his jaw. “There's not much to say.”

“You haven't noticed anything?”

“Sweetie, it could be business or any number of things. You know how Malik is,” Tree observed, hoping he sounded convincing.

Zakira appeared crestfallen. “Yeah, I know how he is. But Tree, I know something's not right with him.”

Tree ran one hand across his close-cut hair and grimaced. “Z, maybe he doesn't want you to worry.”

“See, that's it right there!” Zakira shouted, pointing a finger at Tree. “This may be something I need to know. I don't care what it is. I have to know. Wondering is driving me crazy.”

Tree left his chair and walked around the desk. He knelt before Zakira and pulled both her hands into one of his. “Shh…stop this,” he soothed. “You're starting to upset me.”

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, sniffling softly. “You're right. Maybe I am making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Tree squeezed Zakira's hands. “Why don't you go home and try to calm down. Malik will come clean with you, if there's anything to tell.”

“You're right,” she said, nodding as she absently smoothed her hands across Tree's shoulders. “Lemme get out of here.” Tree stood and pushed his hands into the deep pockets of his trousers. As soon as the door closed behind Zakira, he was dialing Malik's number.

“Doctor McNeil, I've got Doctor Douglass Burns on the line for you.”

“Thanks, Simone,” Dr. McNeil told his secretary. “Hey, Doug.”

“Sed, it's been a long time.”

“I'll say. I don't hear from you every day,” Dr. McNeil told his old colleague,

Burns chuckled. “Well, I'm actually calling about one of your patients.”

McNeil frowned. “Which patient?”

“Malik Badu.”

“Malik Badu? How do you know him?”

“He called to get some information on our center here. He liked what he heard and plans on admitting himself.”

“You're kidding, right?”

“I'm afraid not.”

“He hasn't mentioned it to me,” Dr. McNeil said, as though he were speaking to himself. Douglass Burns was chief of staff at The Enlightenment Center, a cancer treatment facility staffed exclusively by specialists. “I wonder if he's told his wife yet?”

“I'm not sure about that. The reason I'm calling is to see if you'll send me his medical records. I have his consent.”

“Certainly,” Dr. McNeil promised, still somewhat surprised. “I'll have my assistant get right on it.”

“He seems to be quite a young man,” Dr. Burns observed.

Dr. McNeil grinned. “You're right, but he's rather stubborn, full of pride, as I've told him several times.”

“I agree. He was very adamant about not wanting to discuss surgery or treatment. It's almost as if he's afraid to get his hopes up.”

“Malik Badu is a man who hates for anyone to see him down,” Dr. McNeil noted.
Especially his wife,
he silently added.

Tree sighed as he reached for the phone. He had been trying to get in touch with Malik since Zakira left his office earlier that day. Unfortunately, he had been unable to contact his old friend.

Before he could pick up the phone it rang. “Yeah Carrie?”

“Tree, Malik is here to see you. Have you wrapped up everything?”

“Yeah, thanks. Send him on in.”

Tree waited for Malik to walk in and close the door before he lit into him. “Your wife was here asking about you. When are you gonna come clean with Zakira, man?”

Malik raised his right hand and walked farther into the office. “I already decided to. Soon. But there are some things I need to take care of first.”

A fierce frown clouded Tree's face. “Such as?” he asked, not liking the formal tone in Malik's voice.

Malik pushed his hands into his trouser pockets and bowed his head. “I had some arrangements to make.”

Slowly, Tree stood behind his desk. “I guess you heard from your doctor?”

Malik nodded. “It's confirmed.”

Silence fell over the room for several minutes. Tree bowed his head and massaged the bridge of his nose, before closing the distance between him and Malik. The two friends hugged tightly, sharing a quiet moment.

“Look, I need you to do something for me.” Malik said as he stepped away.

“Spill it,” Tree urged.

Malik sighed and ran one hand through his dreads. “I'll tell Zaki about the cancer, but I can't die in front of her. I can't let her see me that way.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I've decided to admit myself to a cancer treatment center out of the state. I've already booked myself there and taken care of my financial needs, as well.”

The look on Trekel's face was murderous. “Man, are you out of your mind? I can't believe you came up with something this stupid!”

Malik winced, but his mind remained unchanged. “I know this whole thing sounds cold, but I refuse to let my wife see me crumble before her eyes. That'd kill me faster than this cancer.”

“So you're just gonna go away to die and not let her be with you at all?” Tree asked, still not believing Malik could go through with the coolly developed, intricate plan.

“I just can't stay here, man.”

“You can't stay or you won't? What about Zakira? You're not even thinkin' about her!”

“That's all I been doing!” Malik snapped, spreading his hands as he glared at Tree. “It would kill her to see me waste away like that.”

Tree shook his head. “I think you're worried about how it'll affect your pride.”

A humorless smirk crossed Malik's mouth. “I understand how you feel, but I made my decision. You can back me up or I can find somebody who will.”

Tree sent Malik a sour look before shaking his head. Then he shrugged to give his consent.

A
fter leaving Tree's office, Zakira went home and changed into a comfortable fleece jogging suit. Then she left for the restaurant, figuring some time in the kitchen would do her good.

“So what's on your menu?” Brian Deangles, one of the chefs, asked, watching Zakira gather mixing bowls and spatulas.

“Well, I was thinking about a recipe for linguine, with a different type of sauce. To spice it up.”

“What have you got in mind?”

Zakira glanced over her shoulder pretending to be secretive. “You've had mushroom gravy?” she asked, watching Brian nod. “Well, this is a sauce, a much creamier texture, but the taste has a very spicy flavor.”

“Stop,” he ordered, raising his hand. “I just had dinner and you're making me hungry all over again.”

She laughed. “Well, I'll make sure to call you when it's ready.”

“You better,” Brian warned, leaving her to her work.

Shaking her head, Zakira began to prepare her sauce.

It was already growing dark outside when Malik returned to his office. The vicious frown etched on his handsome face put Chanel on edge the minute she saw him.

“Get Zakira on the phone,” Malik ordered before his secretary could say anything.

Chanel stood and followed Malik into his office where he was shrugging out of his heavy jacket. “Zakira's already here.”

“Where?”

Chanel pointed behind her. “Down in the kitchen. She—”

Malik didn't wait to hear anything more. He was already headed downstairs.

“All right guys, don't try being nice to me. I want your honest opinions,” Zakira ordered, as she watched the men wolf down linguine covered with the rich, zesty mushroom sauce.

The kitchen door swung open just then and she looked up.

“Malik!” Zakira called, running over to her husband. She stood on the tips of her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

In response, Malik's grip around Zakira's waist grew unbearably tight and she gasped. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing. I was gonna ask you out to dinner. You haven't eaten yet, have you?” He asked, glancing at the table of feasting chefs.

Zakira looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Nah. I was just messing around in here. I could fix us a plate. I think you'll like it.”

Malik slid both arms around Zakira's minute waist. “I'd rather go somewhere private,” he whispered next to her ear before pulling the soft lobe between his perfect teeth.

Zakira's lashes fluttered close, and she almost moaned. Clearing her throat, she looked back at the chefs. “Guys, we're gonna be saying good-night!”

Malik and Zakira took separate cars home after leaving the restaurant. Malik arrived about ten minutes before his wife. When Zakira stepped into the bedroom, she saw a huge suitcase filled with his clothes lying on the bed.

Malik was in the master bathroom, about to start the shower when he heard Zakira calling his name.

“What's this for?” she asked when he emerged from the bathroom.

Malik saw her gesture toward the suitcase. “You need to throw a few things in there, too. We're going away for a long weekend.”

Zakira propped her hands on her hips. “Just like that?”

“Did you have something else planned?” Malik asked, unbuttoning the stylish cream shirt he wore as he walked toward her.

Zakira's eyes were drawn to the wide, dark expanse of his chest as she shook her head. “No, uh-uh. It's just kind of sudden. Christmas is only a week away, and it wasn't that long ago we took that trip to California.”

Malik waved his hand. “That was business.”

Zakira folded her arms across her chest and fixed him with a naughty look. “It wasn't all business,” she reminded him.

“Well, this is gonna be all pleasure,” he promised, trailing his index finger along the curve of her cheek.

“Mmm, this sounds a bit too wonderful.” Zakira shivered when Malik's thumb began to stroke the pulse beating at the base of her throat.

“Best kind of trip, don't you think,” he whispered, replacing his thumb with his lips.

A slight furrow appeared between Zakira's brows as she tried to figure out Malik's motive for the trip. When he pulled her closer and began to nibble at the soft skin below her earlobe, she forgot her suspicions. “I think it's just what we need.”

By the time Malik was done showering, Zakira was packed and ready for her own shower. Beneath the warm spray of water, she once again questioned Malik's sudden need to get away. He rarely suggested leaving town so close to the weekend, unless it was business-related. She could only pray that this time alone would get him to open up about what had been bothering him.

The bedroom was empty when she stepped out of the steamy bathroom. The case on the bed was gone, so she figured Malik was downstairs packing the SUV.

Dropping to the edge of the bed, she unwrapped the towel from her head and massaged her scalp. The phone rang a few minutes later.

“Hello?”

“Z, it's me.”

“Hey Tree, what's up?”

“Is Malik around?”

“Well, he's downstairs packing the truck. He wants us to go away for the weekend. If you wait a minute, I can get him on the phone.”

“No, don't disturb him. Just tell him to call me whenever y'all get where you're going.”

“I'll tell him, but can I get you to do me a favor too?”

“Yeah, what?”

Zakira grabbed her purse off the armchair next to the bed and searched for her address book. “Could you give my sister Eddie a call and let her know we're out of town?”

The cozy, intimate bed-and-breakfast lodge Malik had chosen for the weekend had just been touched with its first hard snow of the year. Located in the mountains of West Virginia, it was the perfect getaway. The Cramer Lodge was built entirely of brick, but had a rain-washed look that gave it a rustic appearance. The addition of white holiday lights on all the trees and brush made the place even more inviting.

Zakira slept practically the entire way. When she finally awoke, she was too drowsy to notice Malik frowning from a terrible headache.

“Mr. and Mrs. Badu, we were wondering if you'd make it through the snow.”

Malik managed a smile as he shook hands with Gordon Reynolds, the manager of the lodge. “It wasn't so bad, but I think it's starting up again.”

Gordon nodded and offered Zakira his arm. “Well let's get you both inside and registered. Mr. Badu, I'll send someone for your bags.”

Malik waved his hand. “That's fine. It's only one. I can handle it.”

Gordon led them to the long mahogany desk located directly across from the entrance. He stepped behind the desk and located the reservation in the computer system.

“All right, Mr. Badu,” Gordon said, ripping the reservation slip from the printer. “If you'd just sign at the bottom.”

Malik took the pen Gordon offered and prepared to sign. Suddenly, the pain in his head became so intense, he almost dropped to his knees.

“Babe!” Zakira cried when she noticed him wobble. Everyone standing nearby rushed to help.

“I'm all right. I'm fine,” Malik insisted, lifting one hand to ward off everyone's assistance.

The bellhop escorted them to a cozy room. Malik took care of his tip and closed the door. Unable to stand the blinding pain any longer, he removed his jacket and went to bed.

Zakira remained silent, resisting the urge to run to him. She closed her eyes and prayed he would confide in her soon.

Two hours later, Malik awoke to find that the pain had left. He waited a moment before opening his eyes. When he did, he saw Zakira seated next to him on the edge of the bed. She was beautiful and seductive in a devilish black teddy. Her eyes, however, were filled with concern.

Malik, on the other hand, was instantly aroused. His sensual gray stare narrowed as he reached for Zakira. As soon as his hands curled around her arms, she resisted. Frowning, he let her go. “What?” he asked.

“Malik, if you don't tell me what's wrong with you, I'm out of here tomorrow morning.”

One of Malik's hands clenched into a fist. He tried to think of a quick lie, but one glance at the look on her face dissuaded him. He had not planned to tell her so soon, but after his near fainting spell it could not be ignored.

Sitting up, he vaguely noted that his clothes had been removed and he was under the covers. He drew his long legs upward and rested his elbows on his knees.

“I had it all planned how I'd get into this,” he sighed, his baritone voice sounding grave.

Zakira frowned. “I don't give a damn about your plan. I want to know what the hell is going on with you.”

Malik nodded as he took her hand in his and toyed with her fingers. “I started having these dizzy spells about three, maybe four months ago. I didn't worry about it at first, because they didn't occur very often. Then, they became more frequent and…more severe,” he said, seeing Zakira's frown. “Anyway, I went to my doctor and he ran some tests, but gave me the pills because my blood pressure was up. A few days later, I got a call that they'd…found something, so I had to go in for more tests. That's when Doctor McNeil got involved.”

“He's the doctor who called the house?” Zakira asked, not liking the tone of the conversation.

Malik nodded. “Yeah. He ran more tests and confirmed what was suspected.”

Zakira cleared her throat. “And that was?” She noticed that Malik's grip was become tighter.

“It's cancer. A…it's a tumor.” Malik's answer was slow. He averted his dark gaze, unable to look at his wife.

Zakira pressed her lips together, but that did not stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Pressing her fingers to her mouth, she forced back the sob that rose deep in her throat. “Where is it?”

Malik's heavy brows drew together. “Where?” he asked, misunderstanding.

Zakira squeezed her watery eyes shut. “The tumor, where is it?”

Nodding, Malik sniffed and looked down at the comforter. “My head. My brain.”

“No. No, this…this can't be. It has to be a mistake. I mean, did you get a second opinion?” Zakira cried, hating the feeling of helplessness.

“Zaki, Zaki…” Malik soothed, pulling her close. His smile was full of pain as he felt her turn her face into the crook of his neck while she cried. “Baby, I did all of that. I've seen the tumor myself through X-rays.”

Zakira pushed herself away and searched Malik's eyes with her own. She didn't want to believe it was happening, but the stony, solemn look she saw on her husband's handsome face convinced her. Taking a deep breath, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “So, what's next? Can they operate?”

A guarded look crept into Malik's gray eyes. “There's too much risk of complications with the surgery, so—”

“But they can operate?”

“Zakira…” Malik sighed, hearing the hopeful tone in her voice.

“Oh, Malik, don't tell me you're not even gonna think about it?”

“Baby, listen to me,” he whispered, sliding his hands over her arms, “we're gonna talk about this a lot more. I know you have a lot of questions, but right now, I just want you in bed with me, all right?”

“Malik—”

“Shh.” His hands went to the wispy, satin ties on the bodice of Zakira's teddy. Unraveling them slowly, he pulled the material away and his eyes feasted on her breasts.

Zakira's eyes closed as she felt her nipples harden in response to the gentle caress. Malik bowed his head and pressed soft kisses to the smooth skin spilling over the top of the teddy's bodice. He tugged the straps from her slender shoulders in order to expose more of one breast. His hair fell against Zakira's bare skin to create the most sensuous friction.

“Malik!” Zakira gasped when she felt his fingers curl into the crotch of the lacy lingerie and pull the snaps loose. His fingers sank into a wealth of moisture.

He cupped one breast in his hand and suckled the firm peak. He pushed Zakira back against the bed and practically ripped the rest of the delicate material away from her body.

Flesh to flesh, they were entwined in each others arms. Zakira pulled Malik's head away from her chest and thrust her tongue past his sensuous lips. He uttered a deep groan in response to the lusty kiss. His hands tightened around Zakira's waist, before they curved around her thighs and pulled them apart.

“Mmm…” they moaned simultaneously when their bodies connected. Malik's thrusts were unrelenting as he vented his frustrations through the sensual act. Zakira cried out as her hips rose to meet each powerful lunge of his throbbing manhood.

The erotic encounter lasted into the early morning hours. When they finally exhausted themselves and drifted to sleep, Zakira knew she would never treasure anything as much.