The Available Wife (13 page)

CHAPTER 19

Around ten the next morning, I woke up and rolled over onto a used condom. At that moment, Germaine’s seeds gushed out of it and onto my stomach. Disgusted, I grabbed the beige sheet and wiped it off. He even had the nerve to have his hand on my thigh. He didn’t move when I pushed that shit off me. He wouldn’t have known the difference anyway because his ass was passed out. Pulling my naked body up, I sat at the foot of the bed and shook my head at the used condoms on the floor. Even my lingerie had been practically ripped to shreds.

He had a field day with me and I can’t do a damn thing about it,
I thought
.

My entire body was soar. I wanted to grab one of the pillows and smother his ass with it. I actually would’ve done it if I didn’t think he would wake up. As Germaine went into second gear with his loud snores, I took one last glance at him. I wished I had a butcher knife. I definitely would’ve Lorena Bobbitted his ass while he slept.

Disregarding that thought, I slowly opened the door and slithered out then rushed to the bathroom to take a shower. While I let the water attempt to soothe my body, I allowed thoughts from that night before to swarm my mind. I wanted to vomit when Germaine kissed me and filled my mouth with his alcohol ridden breath. When he was on top of me, the alcohol seeped through his pours and dripped onto my skin and into my eyes causing them to burn. The only thing I could do was lay there and take whatever he dished at me. I was pissed, and determined to get him back at all cost.

After showering, I glanced in Germaine’s room and quickly realized that he was still asleep. Trotting to my office, I went straight to my laptop that was still on. It also had the words, incorrect password highlighted on the screen.

“That son-of-a-bitch must’ve been snooping when I finally fell asleep,” I mumbled to myself.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his sad tactics. Not unless he knew Kingston on a first name bases, he would never figure out my password.

I sat down in my chair, threw my head back and took a deep breath as thoughts of the past few months skipped through my brain. How in the hell had I gotten myself in such deep shit? The only way for me to get out of it was to tell Kingston, but that was going to be hard. Not only would he be pissed, but I’m sure he would never trust me again. I couldn’t have that. One thing was for sure though, I needed to get out of that house with Germaine before he woke up. I don’t think I could take another sex session with him. My body now belonged to Kingston and Germaine had violated it.

I pushed myself up out of the chair and hurried to my closet. I pulled a pair of dark Seven jeans followed by a black embellished tank top, and some Giuseppe ballerina flats. I didn’t have time to dress to impress right now. After placing my hair behind my ears, I grabbed my laptop. I didn’t wanna leave it behind for fear that Germaine would destroy it or better yet, find a way to get inside. I was just about to close down the screen then thought about checking my emails really quick. As soon as I opened my account, my heart rate increased.

$50,000 by tomorrow or your hubby gets the pics of you and your lover
.

I glanced over the email a few times before pressing the reply button. I knew I wouldn’t get a response just like all the other times I’d sent one, but whoever it was had to know that I was serious. I’d had enough of this bullshit.

Do whatever-the-fuck you wanna do because I ain’t paying you another fuckin’ dime.

I’d given up over $80,000 since this shit first started, so the game was about to end here.
If Germaine finds out what’s going on, fuck it. I’ll just see his ass in court
.

I closed the laptop, grabbed my brown Bottega Veneta hobo bag off my desk and flew out of the house. My first thought after hopping in my car were my boys. I needed to get them and the person that was going to help me was my mother. The bitch owed me anyway.

****

Twenty minutes after leaving the house, I swerved into my mother’s yard, jumped out of my car and hurried to her front door. She’d changed the locks a few months back and still hadn’t bother to give me a key, so I had to knock like a fucking stranger. I didn’t bother to ask why either because I already knew. She didn’t want me in her house unless she was there. Her ass probably thought I would brush up on her man. Sadly, she was probably right.

I rang the doorbell and knocked on the door like a mad woman. Eventually, she yanked it open. I could tell she was pissed. After staring her up and down, I watched her tie her baby blue satin robe then run her fingers through her hair.

“Were you fucking?” I asked.

“What in the hell do you want, Nikki?” she answered in an extremely irritated tone then closed the door behind her.

“I need your help.” When she folded her arms across her chest, I frowned. “I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?” I questioned after watching the attitude form on her face.

“Why in the hell would I help you with anything?”

“Bitch, because you owe me!”

“Owe you? Owe you?” my mother asked as if she couldn’t believe her ears. “I don’t owe you anything. I…”

“Let me stop you right there. I think I came at you wrong.”

“Yes, you did,” she agreed.

“Well, let me fix that. You’re
gonna
help me.”

She smiled sinisterly “Again, why should I help you?”

I guess my mother thought she had me by the reigns, but she must’ve forgotten who I was.

“It won’t take much for me to revert back to that teenager who used to take all your men. I’m sure that I’ve been the topic of several conversations between you and your beau.” Her smile quickly diminished and she unfolded her arms. I had her.

“What do you want, Niquole?” she asked in a defeated tone.

“I need you to go pack some things. I need you and the boys to hide out for a while.”

Her eyebrows crinkled “Hide out? What? What’s going on?”

“Look, I’ve got some things I need to figure out. You need to…”

“What do the boys have to do with this?” she interrupted.

“Just go pack a bag. I’ll be in the car waiting. Hurry up because I’ve gotta get the boys.”

I didn’t wait for a reply. Instead, I walked to my car, sat inside and waited. After ten minutes, I began honking my horn. She needed to hurry up.

Seconds after blowing my horn a few more times, her lover appeared in the door. She was right behind him with a duffel bag. After kissing him on the lips, she finally headed toward my car. He waved at me, but I rolled my eyes at the six-feet-three, chocolate God. I couldn’t stand that bastard since he turned me down when I made a pass at him weeks before I met Kingston. I wondered if things would be different since I was no longer pregnant. It didn’t matter, I had a man now.

“So, where are we going?” my mother asked when she slid her seatbelt on.

“Germaine’s mom’s house.”

A petrified look formed on her face after those words, but she said nothing. I guess she knew that we were about to drive through the gates of hell. The twenty-five minute drive to Germaine’s mom’s house was quiet. Obviously, neither of us wanted to push the other’s buttons.

“I’ll be right back,” I addressed to her when I pulled into Germaine’s mother’s driveway.

“Don’t do anything crazy, Nikki,” she said to me before I stepped out the car.

“As long as that bitch doesn’t…I’m cool.”

I took long, hard steps toward the house like a landlord about to evict a tenant. After climbing the three steps, I rang the doorbell. Instantly, I heard Johnathan yelling to his grandmother that someone was at the door. Moments later, she opened it. You would’ve thought that I was the grim reaper from her expression.

“May I help you?” Glenda asked as if I had no business coming to her house.

I returned the same evil glare she was giving me. “I’m picking up my boys.”

“Germaine didn’t run that by me.”

I jerked my head back in disbelief then lit into her ass. “Germaine doesn’t have to run shit by you when it comes to my kids.”

“Well…”

“Well, nothing!” I pushed her out the way and stormed inside the house to collect my children.

“You need to get the hell out of my house!” Glenda walked up behind me as I lifed Nathan from his playpen. “You can’t take them. I have to call Germaine.”

“Call him!” I screamed, startling Nathan in the process.

“What’s going on in here?” Germaine’s passive father limped from the back of the house like we’d just disturbed his sleep.

“She’s trying to take the boys,” Glenda informed him.

He turned to me. “Niquole, what’s going on? Did you and my son have a fight or something?”

If only he knew. “I just came to get my boys.”

“Let’s just call Germaine,” he said thinking that would satisfy the situation.

“Like I told your wife, I don’t have to get permission to get my children,” I addressed him. “But if you want to feel like you did something, go ahead and call him. Good luck getting his drunk ass on the fucking phone!”

“Drunk?” Glenda asked in shock. “My son doesn’t drink.”

I laughed. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. All your son does is sit, drink and smoke all day.” I watched as she grab the black cordless phone from the coffee table. I assumed she was calling Germaine and as I expected, he didn’t answer. “You can call the house or his cell all you want,” I said when Glenda started dialing again. “You might stand a better chance by just dropping by the house.”

“You are a wicked lil’ tramp,” she growled at me. “If he is drinking, I’m sure it’s because of you!”

“Oh well. Wouldn’t be the first time a man did something crazy because of me,” I smiled wickedly as I thought back to Kingston killing Hummer.

“Get out of my house!” she screamed.

“Gladly.”

I pulled a weeping Johnathan from the sofa and walked toward the door. I stopped when I saw my mother in the doorway. “Took your ass long enough,” I frowned, thinking that Germaine’s mom could’ve been killing me while mine sat in the car. She lifted Johnathan in her arms as we walked back to the car.

“Nikki, what are you doing?” she asked after we drove off.

I ignored her because Johnathan’s crying was getting on my nerves. “Will you shut up?” I yelled at him. That only made it worse. He cried louder and harder.

“Nikki, whatever is going on with you please don’t take it out on these boys.”

“Well, I guess I learned from the best because you sure as hell used to take your anger out on me,” I reminded her.

I turned the volume up on the radio to drown Johnathan’s cries. I had too much on my mind and I didn’t need him or my mother to add to it.

CHAPTER 20

“Don’t answer your damn phone if Germaine calls you,” I threatened my mother after securing her and my boys in at the Four Seasons. “And don’t call him!”

“You need to tell me what’s going on, Nikki? Why are you hiding the boys from their father?”

“I have my reasons. Just don’t answer the phone if he calls.”

I kissed my boys goodbye then left. As soon as I hopped in my car, I called Kingston. He needed to know what was going on.

“What’s up?” he answered.

I didn’t like his greeting, but what the hell. “I need to see you. We need to talk.” I ranted. “When can we meet?”

“Well, actually, I’m in town now.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were in town?”

“Because I’m not gonna be here long and I don’t have to tell you my every fucking move.”

I was blown away by his attitude. “You still should’ve called me.” I was starting to get sick on the stomach knowing that he was damn near in arms reach and I didn’t even know it.

“What’s the emergency, Niquole?”

“We can’t do this over the phone. I can get us a room.”

“I don’t have time for that.”

“I wasn’t asking you to fuck me, Kingston,” I said in an insulted tone. “Privacy.”

“I’ve got things I need to take care of, Niquole.”

He was making this harder than it needed it to be. “Well, can you catch a later flight? Can you meet me later? This is important,” I practically begged.

I could tell that he was thinking about my proposal because he was silent for a few seconds. “Where and what time?”

“What time is good for you?” I inquired.

“In a couple of hours.”

“There is this park on Memorial Loop Drive near Arnot Street. It’s….”

“I know where it is,” he cut me off. I didn’t question how he knew where the park was because I didn’t care. I just needed to see him. “I’ll call you when I’m on my way.” Without a goodbye, he hung up.

I needed to call my mother to check on the kids, and to see if Germaine had contacted her. I needed to make sure I kept drilling in her head to not answer the phone if he called. She had a soft spot for Germaine and I needed to harden it. I knew Kingston would kill him once he found out what Germaine did to me. But I had to make sure Kingston didn’t know that I initiated it. I actually wanted to be present when he took care of Germaine. I wanted to see him tied up like Hummer. I wanted to see him begging and pleading with his eyes. I wanted tears to stream down his face as he watched Kingston point a gun in his face and me on the sideline smiling. I wanted that bastard to know it was me who orchestrated his death.

I was happy that Kingston declined my invitation to get a room because I knew we’d end up having sex. I could never resist him when we were together. I would’ve loved to have him kissing and stroking me, but I was in no shape to have him between my legs. Germaine made sure of that. One minute he was gentle then the next he was a brute. He had me in positions that he and I had never tried before. He’d pushed me way past my limits. It was almost as if his ass was trying to make up for lost time. I thought he’d stop when he saw and heard me crying, but that shit made him push even harder, like he wanted to punish me. Like he wanted me to pay for my sins.

When my phone rang, it cleared my thoughts. I glanced at the caller ID. It was Germaine. I sent him straight to voicemail then called my mother.

“Did he call you?” I asked as soon as she answered.

“Yes, he did.”

“Why did you answer the phone? Do you know how to follow fucking directions?”

“He kept calling, Nikki. I had to.”

“You didn’t have to answer! What did he say?”

“He asked me had I seen you and if I had the boys.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I couldn’t lie to him with Nathan crying and Johnathan laughing in the background.”

“Did you tell him where you were?”

“No, Nikki, I didn’t. You need to tell me what’s going on.”

When my line beeped, I glanced at the ID. It was Meagan. What in the hell did she want? “Mama, I gotta go.” I clicked over to Meagan. “What?”

“Did you forget?” she asked frantically.

“Forget what?”

“Dizzy, Flex Jones and Clarise Mason are leaving.”

“Shit!” I screamed into the phone. How in the hell could I forget that they were coming to sign their contracts today? “Meagan, I’ll be there in…”

“No need to, Niquole.”

“What do you mean? I’ll be there in like fifteen minutes.”

“All three of them say they’ve been trying to contact you for over a week and don’t feel comfortable working with you.”

“No one has called me. No one has emailed me.”

“Niquole, you’ve been out a lot lately. You haven’t been giving much attention to what’s been going on around here,” she said like I needed a reminder.

“No one has called my fucking phone!”

“Did you give them your cell phone number? If you didn’t, they’ve probably been calling the office and leaving messages. Have you checked them?”

“No, Meagan,” I calmed down after realizing that I’d probably just lost out on three great acts. “Besides, you’re my fucking assistant. If any messages or calls came through, wouldn’t you be the first to get them?” I asked nastily as I thought about her involvement with Kingston.

“I…I haven’t received any calls or messages either,” she stuttered.

I felt like she was lying. “Meagan, if I find out that you had something to do with this shit, your ass is mine!”

“Niquole, what are you talking about?” she asked like I’d insulted and hurt her feelings. “What reason would I have to do that to you?”

Because you want my man
. “Is there anything else, Meagan?”

“Yeah, there is.” There was a long pause. “They’re all going to A.J.’s label.”

“What?” I freaked out.

“From what they’re telling me, A.J. is offering them a deal they can’t refuse.”

“You’re fucking kidding me?!” I screamed. “That sneaky bastard!”

“They gave you a chance, and…”

“Look, I don’t need you to make me feel any shittier than I already feel right now. Fine! Fuck it! Tell ‘em to go onto A.J. then! I don’t give a shit!”

“Are you okay?”

I hung up.

It was an injury to lose out on the three acts, but them going to A.J. was a damn insult. He’d probably bad mouthed me to them, too. That son-of-a-bitch coming to the album release party was no coincidence. He’d obviously come to check out my fresh new talent and steal ‘em away from me. I guess that was making me pay for what I did to him. Once I got all my shit in order, he would be hearing from me. Greedy bastard.

I couldn’t believe how out of focus I had become. I never would’ve let something that important slip my mind. My life was getting more fucked up by the minute, but seeing Kingston was more important than anything else going on in my life. I had a few hours to kill before we met up. It quickly dawned on me that I was still in the Four Seasons parking lot. I also had worked up an appetite. I needed energy.

I drove to the nearest McDonald’s, grabbed a Big Mac extra value meal then headed to the park. I sat in my car and watched the kids play and the parents converse amongst themselves. I smiled as I thought about me and Kingston doing that one day with the boys and maybe a child of our own.

I dug my hand into the bag for the loose fries that had fallen out of the holder. They were hot just like I liked them. I shoved a few in my mouth and washed them down with the Sprite that came with the meal. Out of nowhere, the sky suddenly became a little dark. A storm was brewing. Suddenly, the parents began scooping their kids and tossing them in cars. Pretty soon, the park was empty. I finished off my meal while listening to Heather Headley. I then let my seat back, and released a flood of tears. I must’ve been in my own little world because the next thing I knew, I heard someone knocking on my window.

“Niquole? Niquole?”

When I jumped and looked up, Kingston was standing beside the car. I took a quick glance at the dashboard clock.

“Hey,” I greeted him after letting the window down.

“What did you need to talk to me about? It’s about to rain and I need to get going.”

I didn’t like the fact that he was rushing me. I turned my car off and stepped out. It took everything in me not to dive into his arms. I needed him.

“Can I at least get a hug?” I asked thinking that was a terrible thing to ask by the look on his face.

“Niquole, what is it?” he asked. “I don’t have time for this.”

I walked over to one of the picnic tables and sat down. Kingston followed but stood a few feet away from me. I couldn’t understand why he was acting like this especially since I hadn’t told him the bad news. I braced myself and took a deep breath.

“Germaine knows that I had something to do with Hummer’s death.”

His eyes widened. “How in the hell does he know that?”

I stood up. “Baby, he found the jacket in the trash and he had the blood tested.” I made sure not to let him know that I’d actually confessed to Germaine that the blood was Hummer’s. I watched Kingston bite his bottom lip. I swallowed the huge lump in my throat. “I promise that I didn’t say anything about you. He thinks I paid someone to kill him.” His silence was killing me so I had to pour it on a little thicker. “Baby, he made me have sex with him. He raped me.” I was pissed because I couldn’t formulate any tears. “Baby, if we just go ahead and get rid of him then no one will ever know. You can leave your wife so we can be together.”

He stared at me for a few seconds. “You’re one stupid bitch!” he yelled right before slapping the taste out of my mouth. The blow was so hard that I fell back on the table. Stunned, I grabbed my throbbing cheek.

“Kingston. I’m sorry,” I cried. There was no need for me to create fake tears anymore because these were real. “I promise you that I didn’t tell him anything.”

He grabbed me and got all up in my face. “How could you be so fucking stupid? I told your ass to get rid of it!” he screamed while shaking me.

“Baby, I’m sorry. It’s not my fault. He saw me when I threw it away.”

“Why in the fuck did you throw it away at your damn house, Niquole?” My mouth opened, but nothing came out. “You didn’t get rid of it when I told you to, did you?”

“Baby, please. I forgot.”

He slapped me again.

“You’re taking the fall for that muthafucka’s death if your bitch ass husband gets a chance to go to the police! I knew I shouldn’t have fucked around with you for this long!” he ranted then paced around in circles. “I got sidetracked fucking around with you!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“This shit between you and me wasn’t supposed to go on for this long.”

The tears started flowing faster. “But you…you love me, Kingston.”

“Bitch, please,” he laughed menacingly. “I don’t fucking love you.”

“But you killed Hummer for me. If that’s not love then what is?”

My stomach began to turn in knots as I listened to him laugh like I’d said something funny.

“I didn’t kill Hummer for you, bitch. His death had nothing to do with you. It just played right into my plan to string you along, but I didn’t expect for you to be this damn needy and obsessed.”

“What are you saying? I don’t understand.”

“You were just a ploy in my plan. All of this was just a fucking act.”

Those knots in my stomach twisted even more. What was he talking about? What was he saying to me? I was confused. “I still don’t understand, Kingston.”

He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a newspaper article. I stared at him in disbelief as he shoved it in my face. I read the headline.

A young woman was found brutally raped in a local club parking lot
.

“What is this about?” I asked.

He pulled a photo of a girl from the wallet and shoved it in my face, too. “This is the girl they’re talking about.”

I still didn’t understand what any of that had to do with me. “I don’t get it, Kingston. Who is that?”

“This is my fucking sister!”

“Oh my God, but what does she have to do with me?”

“This happened a month before I met you. She’s dead now. She killed herself because she couldn’t deal with it.”

“I’m sorry but what…”

“Your fucking husband and that nigga Hummer did it! They raped her!”

Shock was an understatement for me, but I couldn’t help but wonder how he could possibly know they were the culprits. I was too outdone to ask him how he knew. I still couldn’t get over the fact that the man who I loved was only using me. My body was weak and I felt like I could hardly breathe. When I stared into his eyes, I saw nothing but coldness. Then something hit me.

“You cut Germaine’s brake line, didn’t you?”

“What do you think?”

“You put the pin in my jacket.”

“In case you didn’t throw it away, I needed you to be the number one suspect.”

I was speechless. “Did you flatten my tires at that reception?”

“Naw, I didn’t do that.”

Well who in the hell did that
? I thought. “I still don’t get it. What was your plan and how was I a part of it?”

“Please don’t tell me that you’re this fucking stupid. Hummer is dead, Niquole. Who do you think is next? I needed you to get close to your husband.”

I stared at Kingston like he was something from out of space. I should’ve been really afraid of him at that moment, but I wasn’t. Any other woman would’ve took off running like an Olympic sprinter, but I wasn’t one of those women. Hell, I wanted what he wanted…Germaine dead.

“I don’t care what you say, you love me. You fell in love with me Kingston.”

“Let me show you just how much I love you,” Kingston spoke sinisterly as he approached me.

“What do you mean? What are you doing?” I asked when he grabbed my wrists.

“I think it’s only fair if that bitch ass husband of yours feels the same way I felt when he raped my sister.”

Suddenly, he threw me across the picnic table and yanked my jeans to my ankles. “Kingston, what are you doing?” I cried. “I just told you that Germaine raped me.”

“Then it should be easy for me to get in.” He punched me in my face then forced me onto my stomach. “I’m gonna make sure you don’t like this then maybe you’ll leave me the hell alone,” he breathed devilishly in my ear before forcing himself inside my asshole.