Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning Read online

  Thin Ice 7 – Echoes of Reckoning

  By

  KR Bankston

  All rights reserved. No part of this series of books may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including, photocopying, recording, taping or by an information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author or publisher except in the event of quotes embodied in articles and reviews.

  The work is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Copyright © 2010 KR Bankston. All rights reserved.

  The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

  Special THANK YOU to Author DK(Keith) Gaston. The characters Shango and Detective Roman Stefan appear courtesy of his novel, THE PROMISE, available via Amazon and BN.

  Love is a fabric which never fades,

  no matter how often it is washed

  in the water of adversity and grief.

  Unknown

  Tariq used the key entering the hotel room, throwing his own keys on the small table enclosed and switching on the wall light. He took in the room, smiling slightly. There was nothing special about it. Typical run of the mill motel room, complete with paisley patterned bedspread and matching drapes teal green in coloring. The furniture was stained oak wood, polished one time too many with furniture polish, creating a thick waxy film on each nightstand and table enclosed. Removing his clothing, Tariq headed into the bathroom, turning on the shower and allowing the water to warm up. Stepping inside he closed his eyes enjoying the steaming hot water as it cascaded over his body. His mind remained calm and blank as he washed his body, letting the suds run down into the drain below. Finishing, he climbed out of the tub and dried himself, wrapping the towel around his waist and walking back into the room.

  “When did you get here,” he asked, bending and kissing her softly.

  “Few minutes ago,” she replied calmly, lustily taking in the towel wrapped around his tapered waist, the sculpted abs staring her in the face.

  Rising she began undressing as Tariq watched becoming more aroused with each layer she removed.

  “Nice,” he murmured taking in the lacy black bra and boy shorts.

  Smiling slightly she stepped to him as they kissed softly again and Tariq unhooked her bra, quickly caressing the bare skin as she sighed quietly. Kissing her neck lightly, Tariq lifted her effortlessly from the floor placing her on the bed that she’d turned down when she entered the room. He quickly returned to her lips kissing her passionately, their tongues dancing wildly in each others mouths. His hands slid fluently down her silken body, snaking their way between her legs and inside her saturated opening.

  “Mmm,” she moaned softly as Tariq moved his fingers in and out of her, their slickness increasing with each movement.

  She came hard moments later, the torrent of her finish coating his fingers. Tariq licked them looking into her eyes as he expressed how good she tasted. Smiling slightly, she pulled him back to her as they began to kiss again. Her hands held his manhood firmly; stroking it sensually, as her other hand held his balls and caressed them lovingly. Tariq kissed her deeper loving the sensations her hands were bringing him. He felt his release snaking its way up his shaft and stopped her.

  “Not this time,” he teased as she chuckled.

  Tariq placed his lips on her nipple, sucking gently and teasing their hard firmness with his teeth. She moaned loudly, legs falling open as his hand found her clit this time and began rhythmically stroking it.

  “Damn Tariq,” she moaned deeply, biting her lip to keep from screaming.

  Smiling inwardly, he continued to manipulate the nipple, knowing it was her on switch. Her back arched as he continued touching her, bringing the desperately needed release almost within reach. Intuitively he knew she was right at the threshold when he abruptly stopped, bringing a loud moan of disappointment from her. Tariq chuckled slightly, kissing her lips again as she pouted and rolled her eyes. Reaching onto the nightstand he grabbed the condom. She took it from him, opening it and placing it on him. He didn’t object this time. They’d had quite the argument in the beginning about him using one, but eventually Tariq gave in and saw her line of logic. Returning to her lips, he kissed her again as his hands fondled her breasts and engaged the nipples. She was hot and flowing again in moments. Tariq placed the one leg on his shoulder, placing her at a 90-degree angle, while sliding his hardness inside her soaking wetness.

  “Ahh shit,” he murmured quietly, feeling the tightness of her walls close around him.

  He began to thrust deeply and vigorously as she cried out her pleasure.

  “So fuckin’ good, shit,” he murmured as she readily agreed with him.

  Tariq found her g-spot and hit it with accurate precision again and again. They both came hard moments later, screaming loudly their pleasure. Kissing again, they held each other tightly gathering their breathing.

  He watched from the bed as she returned to the room from the shower and began dressing. He hated this part, even though he knew it had to happen, Tariq never wanted her to leave. Their eyes met and she read his mind.

  “Remember,” she said simply as he exhaled deeply and nodded.

  Coming over to the bed, she leaned over and kissed him softly once more, telling him goodbye.

  “Next week,” Tariq asked the longing in his voice evident.

  She smiled.

  “Yes,” she replied walking out and leaving him alone with his thoughts.

  You fucked up, his mind told him of his being with Cyiarra. Thankfully they hadn’t married yet, but they still had a child together. He regretted moving so quickly now; regretted tying himself down with a child in such a short time. You were trying to rebound from KiKi, now look at the mess you’re in, his mind continued to chastise. Sighing deeply he rose and took another shower. Dressing Tariq headed out of the motel and to his car parked in the darkness on the other side of the huge hanging trees that grew there. He never saw the Benz that he owned or the angry woman behind the wheel, tears streaming as she watched her man get in his truck and leave the motel, moments after the woman leaving his room slipped outside and into the darkness.

  1

  Cyiarra was still thinking about the things she’d seen earlier after following Tariq. She wasn’t as green as he seemed to think. She felt him pulling away in their relationship, wracking her brain to figure out what and where things went wrong. I’m good to him, I do anything he asks, she thought miserably, still crying softly as she hugged her pillow. Tariq had headed over to Newkleus the new club they’d opened almost six months ago, so she returned home, alone.

  “I’ve got to pull myself together,” Cyiarra spoke the thought.

  If she was going to keep her man at home and her world intact she had to beat this woman at her own game. She thought back on the woman as entering and exiting the room. Cyiarra couldn’t really get a good look at her. She is obviously skilled at sleeping with other women’s men, she thought ominously. Hasaan began to cry and she headed into the nursery taking him from his crib. He’d just turned a year old a couple months ago. Your daddy cannot leave us, she thought putting the baby down and allowing him to walk through the house.

  Kicking herself for putting off the marriage proposal when Tariq pressed her to set a date, Cyiarra blamed herself for him wandering. I need some help, she thought as a familiar name came to mind. Picking up her cell she made a call.

  “Hey girl, wassup,” Layla chirped
in her ear.

  Cyiarra smiled hearing her best friend’s voice. Even though Layla still lived in Florida, they talked often. Cyiarra even visited her a few times during the year after having Hasaan.

  “Problems,” Cyiarra replied truthfully, with Layla telling her to elaborate.

  She gave her friend the entire story, even adding the spy mission she’d gone on earlier.

  “Hmph,” Layla replied angrily. “You need some more evidence, then I say confront that ass,” she threw out as Cyiarra told her she agreed but she needed help.

  “Cool, I’ll book a room and I’m on my way,” Layla told her without hesitation.

  Smiling now, Cyiarra thanked her as they planned a little while longer and then disconnected. She was still singing softly as Tariq arrived an hour later, kissing her cheek softly and heading off to the nursery to play with Hasaan. Oh no, she won’t get you that easily, Cyiarra fumed watching them come back into the den and begin playing with Hasaan’s toy cars.

  *****

  Kaitlyn slapped the woman hard, knocking her down this time. “You thought I was playing with you or some shit,” she spat angrily, glaring down at Ananda. “I told your bitch ass to stay the fuck away from Ice didn’t I,” she growled as the woman nodded hurriedly.

  “I just needed to tell him about --,” she managed before Kaitlyn kicked her hard to the stomach.

  “Tell him what bitch,” she snapped, snatching the woman up by her hair. “Tell him some fucked up lie about you being pregnant and losing his baby,” she fired as Ananda swallowed hard, scared how accurate the woman was.

  Truthfully she just wanted a reason to see Ian again. She’d fallen hard for him and missed him dearly the year plus they’d been apart.

  “Ice has a family trick, and he has a wife,” Kaitlyn hissed. “Or did that shit slip that small ass mind of yours,” she raged, beating on the woman more.

  Ananda couldn’t believe the violence the woman was unleashing on her. She was crazy.

  Her fury subsided slightly Kaitlyn pushed the woman into her own bathroom. “Look at yourself,” she told Ananda.

  She tried her best, using the one eye Kaitlyn hadn’t closed, horrified at the grotesqueness staring back.

  “You planning any more trips to seeing my husband,” she asked calmly, the coldness in her voice eerie.

  “No, please, I swear,” Ananda hurriedly replied.

  She was emotionally a wreck without Ian, but his wife was no joke, she found out the hard way.

  “I don’t think I believe you,” Kaitlyn hissed quietly, smiling malevolently.

  “I swear Mrs. Bailey, I swear,” Ananda pleaded once more.

  Kaitlyn liked the respect she heard when the woman called her name, but she’d crossed the line, even after she’d given her a free pass and light warning the first time. Slipping the straight razor from her pocket, Kaitlyn silently opened it, still holding the woman’s hair and forcing her to stare at her reflection.

  “You should have believed me when I told you not to let me see your ass on the street,” Kaitlyn whispered, cutting her face the first time as Ananda screamed and the tears flowed harder.

  Smiling at the woman’s pain, Kaitlyn cut her again and again, marring her once lovely face with a ragged pattern of cuts and slits.

  Removing her hold on the woman, Kaitlyn let her drop to the floor sobbing hysterically from her terror. Standing over her she felt herself go cold. “So kill the bitch,” Carlo spoke in her ear as he stood beside her. “You know she’s lying, she’ll be chasing Ice again in a week,” he continued as Kaitlyn grunted slightly. The woman began to quiet slightly, the sounds diminishing to hushed whimpers and groans. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly, Kaitlyn reached down and grabbed Ananda again by the hair, dragging her backwards toward the tub, resting her head on the edge, her neck fully exposed.

  “I could let you live and say you’ve learned your lesson,” Kaitlyn told her looking into her fear filled eyes now as the straight razor gleamed above her head. “But bitches like you never get the fuckin’ message,” she told her as Ananda pleaded and swore she understood.

  “I’ll move, leave town, never come back, please,” she cried as Kaitlyn again smiled slightly.

  “You had that chance,” she said simply as the razors unyielding blade met flesh and she cut Ananda’s throat in one fluid motion, blood spraying the walls and Kaitlyn’s face, furious more about her situation than jealous over Ian.

  Stepping back and letting the lifeless body fall, she caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror. You are a cold ass bitch, her reflection told her. Smiling slightly, Kaitlyn thanked her reflection, cleaned her face, and headed out of Ananda’s apartment for home.

  *****

  Mook and Ramell were talking amongst themselves at Baccheus. The two had grown quite close and were discussing Tariq.

  “Top needs to be careful, seriously,” Mook threw out as he downed the shot of Jose. Ramell grunted his agreement.

  “I told him the same thing,” he added.

  They both knew Tariq was having an affair, they just didn’t know the who of the affair.

  “CiCi is good people, I dunno why he’s out there doing that shit,” Ramell threw out angrily.

  He was extremely disappointed in his cousin’s behavior. He thought after all the hurt with Kaitlyn he would be ready to settle down with one woman who brought absolutely no drama to his life.

  “He said he felt trapped, tied down,” Mook explained as Ramell grunted again.

  “I think it’s because CiCi isn’t in the life, she doesn’t know the streets, like KiKi did,” Mook surmised.

  “So he’s bored because the woman he loves doesn’t have drama,” Ramell asked giving Mook a look.

  Chuckling Mook told him he didn’t get the logic either, it was just a guess on his end.

  “Hmph, well I hope he hurries up and ends the shit,” Ramell again spoke.

  He had the sinking feeling Cyiarra suspected something.

  “Did he ever tell you how it got started,” Ramell asked Mook.

  Sighing lightly he shook his head no.

  “It hasn’t affected business, so I really don’t say much unless he brings it up, ya know,” Mook told him as Ramell answered he understood.

  “He saw her today, I do know that much,” Ramell enlightened Mook.

  Frowning slightly he asked Ramell how he knew that for certain.

  “She called while he was with me, said she would be at their spot,” he replied, recalling the portion of the conversation he overheard.

  “Damn,” Mook replied simply. “I’m thinking this move can’t happen soon enough,” he began again as Ramell nodded.

  As much as he would miss Tariq, him going back to Atlanta could possibly be the thing that saved his relationship and his family. Ramell knew the affair would lead to nothing but trouble as sooner or later one of the parties involved would want more than what was being offered.

  “When is everything set up,” he asked Mook.

  “Another month,” he replied, thanking Sabrina for the shot of Jose and ignoring the sly wink she gave him as she looked him over.

  Kim would whip her ass, he thought and smiled slightly.

  “The information come back on Ice,” Ramell asked.

  Mook told him there was no sign that Ian was operating in Atlanta anymore or that he had any immediate plans too. Neither of the men wanted that drama rehashed. Kaitlyn was with him now, so they didn’t see any reason for the man to disturb their dealings any further.

  “That’s good to hear,” Ramell returned. “Gonna be hard enough to get shit back on track without having to worrying about Ice and watching your ass.”

  Mook chuckled and gave him a hearty amen to that.

  “You and Kim good,” Ramell asked, giving Mook another look.

  He smiled slightly assuring Ramell they were fine.

  “You over that thing you had for Tae,” he asked again.

  Mook swallowed hard
still uncomfortable with the question and with the woman as well.

  “I just can’t seem to shake the bullshit,” he answered honestly.

  Ramell grunted and told him it was straight.

  “You don’t have any real reason to spend time with just her, and I know you respect Kim when you’re with her,” Ramell replied. “So just chalk it up to curiosity that won’t leave and keep it moving.”

  Mook let go a deep breath telling him he would.

  “You ever deal with shit like that,” he asked Ramell.

  “Yep,” he answered calmly, telling him about the crush he had on Talin’s girl, Tyshonna.

  “I mean, I knew she was with him, and he was my boy, but I wanted to fuck her in the worst way,” Ramell admitted openly for the first time since telling Jacoury.

  Mook shook his head, understanding the man’s dilemma and glad to know he wasn’t alone in his own confused feelings.

  *****

  Ian saw her when she came in. It was well after 2AM and he wanted to know where she’d been. Kaitlyn had been very different since their son’s death. Ian Cartier Bailey was perfectly healthy when he was born. 8lbs, 10oz’s of pure joy for them both. They never saw it coming, the sudden death that seized him at six months old when Kaitlyn entered the nursery to find his body still and cold. Ian would never forget the scream of pain that left her or the blank, empty look in her eyes as she rocked the dead child. It’d been almost seven months now since his death, but Kaitlyn was still grieving. She took excellent care of the girls, Ian couldn’t deny or find fault there. It was the relationship between them that was suffering. She tried; he gave her credit for that. Kaitlyn was attentive and loving, they still made love, but he sensed it. He knew her well enough to know when his wife wasn’t in the same room while they made love, kissing and caressing each other. She would disappear at odd hours, sometimes leaving for days and returning without explanation. Any other woman Ian would have beaten the hell out of and killed by now, but Kaitlyn wasn’t any other woman.