Dipping Into Sin 2: Digging Deeper Into Sin Read online

  “Thanks for tonight,” she simply said as she stood up and faced me. She was expressionless and treated their sex-fest like it was a business meeting; not that I was entirely ungrateful for her cool and calm demeanor. Shit, she sounded a lot like me.

  I knew that her sexed up body had gotten a thorough workout based on all of the positions that I had put her in. I lost count of how many times I made her come all over my rod tonight. She did, however, live up to her proclamation…she owned my dick tonight. Standing up, I walked over to the closet and stopped short.

  “Spend tonight with me,” I commanded, rather than asked. My back remained to her as I silently cursed at myself for the half-thought-out statement. For the life of me, I didn’t understand what came over me when I made this statement. I never asked any woman to spend the night with me. In fact, I couldn’t recall ever being in any formal committed relationship. I appreciated women—mainly for my sexual pleasure. But, I couldn’t envision settling down with just one woman. Although my mother pressured me to settled down with a traditional Italian woman, I knew that it was not the life for me. For now, I’m perfectly content with keeping women around—only for casual flings.

  Looking at her, I hated to admit that she was different. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was about her, but I knew. Perhaps it was because she was like me…a person who set out to have casual sex with no strings attached. Still, she intrigued me in more ways than one. For starters, I wanted to fuck her again. At least, one more time tonight.

  “No,” she responded curtly before she made her way to the door.

  I watched her open the door and walk out, leaving me to hold onto my fully erect cock. Shutting my eyes briefly, I began stroking my angry cock up and down to relieve the current condition that she left me in. Sure, I came two times tonight, but still.

  “She did want…‘one night only’,” I announced out loud in the empty hotel room.

  Chapter Ten

  Simone

  Finally, I’m out of here. Walking out of the hospital, I made a quick dash to the car when I looked at the time. Shit, I only have an hour to get ready. Andre made reservations for us at this well-known soul food restaurant here in Charlotte. I couldn’t come up with one sound reason why I shouldn’t go on a date with him or any other man.

  Coming closer to the car, I noticed an envelope with another long stemmed rose tucked under the windshield wiper. Dropping my duffle bag on the ground in the hospital parking lot, I reached for the envelope with shaking fingers. Tearing through the envelope, I exhaled before I read the letter.

  Bella Mia,

  On this day, six years ago, we met for the first time at The Land.

  I still remember the dress you wore, the way you smiled, and the way that I felt when I saw you.

  Six years ago, I was not the same man that I am today. I led a life with no boundaries. I led a life with the belief that it was all about power. Even as you walked away that night in my lounge, I knew that I had to find you again. It was an unexplainable emotion that tugged at me. What I confused as being sexual lust, could’ve been my heart claiming you as my one and only.

  Later that night, in my restaurant, I knew that I crossed the line when I kissed you…touched you…tasted you. But, I didn’t know what came over me especially when I stared in your eyes and saw my life appear clearly. Six years ago, I met the love of my life.

  A.

  Falling from my hands, the letter dropped on the ground as I slipped into a state of confusion. Paralyzed with rage, I refused to live my life in the shadows any longer. I refused to succumb to a life filled with fear of loving another man. Picking my duffle bag up from the ground, I stepped over the letter and left it behind me. Andriano will have to accept that he has no place in my life, not now—not ever.

  ~****~

  Andriano

  Watching her from afar, I couldn’t control the feeling of uneasiness crawling through my body as she peeled out of the parking lot. Fuck this shit. I’ve been more than fucking patient with Simone. I’m done keeping this distance between us. She’s going to have to face her feelings. Starting…fucking…now.

  Speeding out of the parking lot, I drove the short distance to her house and double-parked alongside of her parked car. Walking to the door, I began pounding with my balled up fist. As the door opened, I braced myself for the fight that I was more than ready to start. No one is going to stand in my way this time.

  “Hello,” said the older woman who came to the door. The attractive elderly woman with a head full of salt and pepper strands of hair couldn’t have been more than five-feet as I towered over her the moment she stepped onto the porch.

  Using her body as a stopper, she shut the main door and allowed the screen door to rest against her. With both hands on her hips, she sternly asked, “How can I help you?”

  “Good evening,” I said, trying my best to be polite despite my growing irritation.

  “Andriano Balducci,” she announced in a low raspy voice.

  Smiling at her bluntness, I said, “You must be Simone’s grandmother.”

  “A few years ago, I would’ve given you a piece of my mind for treating my grandbaby like shit. But, I’ve learned over the years to leave revenge up to God. Get off of my property before I forget that I’m a Christian,” she said before turning around and slamming the door.

  A throaty chuckle escaped my daunting lips. I couldn’t help but be amused by the feistiness of Simone’s grandmother. Moreover, I felt a wave of relief that Simone was not living with another man as I presumed. Drawing my hand to knock on the door again, I stopped myself before my knuckles landed on the door.

  If I’m going to win Simone back, I had to come up with a new plan. Walking away from her door, I turned back and saw the curtains on the side window shuffle. I’m going to finish what I started five years ago…

  Chapter Eleven

  Simone

  “You look beautiful Simone,” Andre proclaimed. Wrapping his long arms around me, I embraced the snug fit that accompanied his toned arms and broad shoulders. A whirlwind of emotions channeled through me as I finally realized just how long a man has been absent from my life. Inhaling his earthy scent, I became lost in the tantalizing combination of his cologne and masculine smell.

  “Thank you,” I said as he released his hold. Pulling out my chair, I sat down and watched as his long muscular body slid into the chair effortlessly in front of me.

  “Good evening, my name is Alicia and I will be your waitress for tonight. Tonight’s special is the Cajun Seafood Gumbo. Can I start you off with any drinks? Are you two celebrating any special occasion?” said the young waitress.

  Before I could answer, Andre said, “Yes we are. This beautiful woman has finally agreed to go on a date with me. We’ll take a bottle of white wine.”

  “Great, would you like anything else in addition to drink Miss?” asked Alicia.

  “I’ll take a glass of water with lemon on the side. Thanks.” I ordered.

  “Great, I will put in the order for your drinks while you two look over your menu,” Alicia said as she walked away.

  “I’m not a big drinker. So I apologize ahead of time if you see me nurse one glass all night,” I commented with a smile. Truthfully, ever since I had my daughters, I limited the amount of alcohol consumption to a glass of wine.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought that tonight was worth celebrating. We can cancel that order,” he replied with a hint of regret as his sorrowful, yet urgent eyes scanned the room in search for the waitress.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I insisted with a wave of my hand. “Please don’t cancel. Tonight is worth celebrating, and I will definitely toast to that.” I said as I stared into his longing eyes.

  His tense shoulders relaxed as he straightened his body in his seat. Picking up the menu, I looked over the different Southern dishes that this soul food restaurant was known for. In truth, I would’ve liked to have gone to another type of restaurant since most of
this food is usually the same food that Grandma prepares for Sunday dinner. After placing our orders, I listened closely to Andre as he talked about his love for swimming and teaching.

  Taking a sip of my water, I asked, “Seeing that you are really good with kids, do you have any?”

  “No kids. My wife—ex-wife,” he cleared his throat and adjusted his posture. “We’ve tried to have children.”

  Taking a sip of his wine, he continued, “I guess that was not in the cards for us.”

  Sensing his sadness, I asked, “How long have you been divorced?”

  Leaning back in his seat, he responded, “Three months. What about you? Were you ever married?” he asked, transitioning the spotlight onto me.

  “I’ve never been married. My last relationship was five years ago,” I answered forwardly.

  “Five years ago? I’m surprised,” he said as if shocked by my answer. “I don’t know how any man could let you go.”

  “Well, I kind of isolated myself from the dating scene. Yes, there were men who were interested but I chose to focus on raising my daughters and finishing school. Now that I’m finished with school, I’m ready to start dating again,” I responded truthfully.

  “How does your children’s father feel?” he asked, leaning back in his seat.

  Did he really just ask me that?

  Taken aback by his question, I cleared my throat and said, “My children’s father has nothing to do with my dating life.”

  “Here you go,” announced the waitress, as she placed our meals in front of us. A wave of relief showered over the awkward tension that suspended in the air between us.

  “Enjoy,” Alicia stammered as she moved away from our table.

  “Thank you,” I said before putting a spoonful of crab cake into my mouth. It doesn’t taste like Grandma’s, but it is a close second, I thought, as I took another bite.

  “I’m sorry for asking you that question. It’s just that,” he began as he placed both of his elbows on the table. “…I look at you and wonder how he ever let you go. I mean you’re smart, beautiful, and the most nurturing mother that I’ve ever seen. Those are the qualities that any man in his right mind would want to have in a woman—especially the mother of his children.”

  Smiling, I reached for my glass of water and took a sip. “It was for the best. We are both content with how our lives panned out.” I replied after a moment of gathering my thoughts. Andriano did not know about my daughters; therefore, I couldn’t really judge him on his parenting. But, then again, he damn near prompted me to end my pregnancy. Drifting back to his letter that I received earlier today, I shook my head lightly as I recollected on his words verbatim, like a teleprompter. Just as life began to go back to normal, he decided to pull this stunt. I’m shocked; yet, relieved that he chose to keep his little charades at my job instead of my home.

  When I got home from work earlier, I immediately jumped into the shower and massaged the anger away with the help of the flowing warm water. A newfound wave of troubles weighed heavy on my heart.

  Shaking my head, I pushed my troubles to the back of my mind and focused on the man before me. Now is the time for me to move forward and explore the possibilities with Andre. But, even as Andre’s penetrating eyes bored into me, I couldn’t evade the feeling that arose from Andriano’s daunting words.

  Watching me intently, Andre finally said, “I will right everything that he has done wrong.”

  ~****~

  Andriano

  Diverting my eyes back and forth between Simone’s file and the lighter, I became perplexed as I stood in front of my hotel bathroom sink. Five years ago, I made Lucas find everything out about Simone. It was the same technique I used in business. Whether it was searching for enemies or researching potential clients. Five years ago, I read her file through and through, from front to back, learning about the details of her life. In truth, I wanted to be a step ahead of everything, including her. But that’s where I messed up. Simone’s not my enemy nor is she a business deal. The only threat that she posed was the one on my heart.

  For the past few weeks, since receiving her file, I couldn’t bring myself to read about the details of her life after me. Simone could not be retrenched and curtailed to one measly file. As tempted, as I was to read every detail about her life within the past five years, I stopped myself each time that I lifted the flap. Perhaps, the fear of learning that Simone had moved on discouraged me. Things were easier five years ago when I was driven by everything other than love. It was easy to read through her file and gather enough information about her. Back then, I was driven by lust and eagerness to play with her body. Back then, I lived by a one-track system of three principles while I pursued Simone: study, plan, and strike. Simone was supposed to be temporary, but somehow the lines got blurred, and my heart refused to let her go.

  This time, no one was going to get in my way of getting back what is rightfully mine. After contacting my attorney two days ago, I asked him to draw up divorce papers for Josephine and three care packages for my goomahs. They each had enough money to start a new life, just not with me in it. They did, however, have to vacate all of my properties within 30 days.

  Staring at the lighter, I brushed my thumb across the striker and became captivated by the orange flame. Bringing the flame close to the edge of the papers, I watched as pieces of the file succumbed to the burning flames. Looking down at Simone’s burning file in the sink, I watched as all of the information of the past five years diminished into ash.

  She could fight me every day for the rest of our lives, but in the end, she’ll have to accept our reality... I’m not going anywhere.

  Chapter Twelve

  Victoria

  New Jersey

  “How is she today?” I asked Heather, the nurse’s aide who stayed with Mother during the middle of the night. Ever since the death of my father, Mother had slipped into a deep state of depression. Her once glimmering green eyes were now deep, shallow pits of a soulless woman. Her once smooth milky skin was now covered with dullish gray blotches. She never slept; rather, her eyes remained fixed at one position…the ceiling. The darkness surrounding her eyes seemed to add another ringlet of purplish-blue circles each time that I saw her.

  “She’s unresponsive and had another accident. I cleaned her up, but I think that we should consider putting disposables on her because—” she began.

  “A diaper? Do you really think that’s necessary?” I asked, cutting her off mid sentence. Feeling a tension headache forming, my left eye twitched uncontrollably at the prospects Mother needing assistance for the rest of her life.

  “I know that it’s hard to conceive the thought. But, I’ve tried everything from teaching her sign language to showing pictures to communicate her needs. It has all proven to be useless. I’m sorry.” Heather’s crestfallen brown eyes lowered to the ground, as she too, knew of my mother’s impending fate.

  Walking past my still frame, Heather beckoned for me to come closer to my mother’s bed. Moving her body side-to-side, we switched Mother’s position to avoid the bedsores that were beginning to form.

  After leaving Mother’s bedroom, I set out to search for answers. Andriano will pay for this, I vowed as I dug through my father’s boxes. His office building was now vacant and all of his belongings were now in his home office. Overwhelmed by the sea of boxes filling up each corner of his office, I picked the first box that was on his desk labeled DELICATES. As I pulled out each item, I struggled to hold back the tears that begged for freedom as a wave of memories washed over me.

  Working my way through the scattered boxes, I managed to empty six of the twenty boxes within the first two hours before my phone started vibrating. Simone, I thought, as a smile touched my lips, and I answered, “You were supposed to call me when you got home from your date three days ago, Missy.”

  “I didn’t expect to get home so late.”

  “Oh do tell. Did you have a little nightcap with Andre?”

  “De
finitely not! Vic, I’m trying to take it slow.”

  “Well, it’s been five years. I just thought that maybe Andre gave you what you’ve been missing.”

  “Nope, he didn’t. But, I have decided to go on another date with him next weekend.”

  “Hopefully, next weekend you’ll get lucky. Hold on, I got a text coming

  through.”

  Feeling my phone vibrating again, I looked down at the text message. Thomas Bernstein, my father’s lawyer, had sent me a link.

  “Simone, I’m going to call you back. Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  Clicking on the link, the complete bio and a picture of this beautiful African-American woman appeared on my phone screen. The article title read: The Youngest New York City District Attorney.

  “Reign Johnson,” I read her name out loud. Skimming through the article, I couldn’t understand why Thomas was eager for me to learn about this new District Attorney in New York City. Picking up my phone, I scrolled down my text list and stopped at Thomas.

  Victoria: Why did you send me this link?

  T.B.: Send her the box that is labeled 9L9C3N8

  Victoria: ???

  T.B.: Please just do it.

  Looking across the room, my eyes skimmed over the boxes that were within my view. Rising up from chair, I walked over and stopped in front of the moderate sized box labeled 9L9C3N8. Carrying the box over to the desk, I grabbed the box cutter and sliced the tape on the box. Pushing aside the foam balls, I pulled out a large keep safe box. Putting the cardboard box to the side, I placed the keep safe box in front of me. There was a padlock that was plastered to the front of the lid. Lifting the box, I attempted to see if there was somehow a piece of paper attached to the bottom. Nothing. Plugging in my birthday, my parent’s anniversary, my father’s birthday, my mother’s birthday, and a series of important years in our family; still the box remained shut.