Epilogue
EPILOGUE
“Meeting adjourned.”
Chemistry’s words sounded throughout the room. I got up from my seat and headed for the exit. Honor was right behind me. But, as we neared the exit, he started in the other direction. The Triad of Ara meeting had concluded and it was likely I wouldn’t see either of the men I’d spent the last two hours with for another six months.
Because of The Chemist’s legal hardships, we’d lowered the frequency. The change proved to be beneficial. There hadn’t been any hiccups in our operations. All was well.
Six months ago, my position as the head of and spokesman for the Valentine family had been compromised. Per my father’s order, I was to step down and allow the second in command to take my position. Killian wasn’t willing. He rejected the promotion and doubled down on his admission to keep me as head of the syndicate.
Kofi co-signed, leaving my father without a choice but to reinstate me. Six months later and the boardroom had never felt so welcoming. I was exactly where I belonged. Kofi knew it. Killian knew it. My father knew it. And, the two men I’d been in fellowship with for years knew it, too.
9:38pm.
When I slid into my whip, it was nearing the ten o’clock hour. I had twenty minutes to get from one end of Mount Clarke to the other. I fastened my seatbelt and hiked the volume on my stereo. Like clockwork, my wife’s anthem began.
“I need a gangsta… to love me better… than all the others do,” Kehlani sang, sending chills up my spine.
9:56pm .
I pulled into the garage and hopped out of my car. With a push of a button, it lowered behind me as I scanned the wall for my mask of choice. I slid the red one over my face and started for the door. Just as I twisted the knob, a familiar voice came over the speaker.
“Welcome back, Mr. Valentine. It’s been a while.” Ursula’s voice was as intoxicating as I remembered. But, I was too drunk off the woman of my dreams to care.
“It has been. I’ve been a bit busy.”
“I hear congratulations are in order.”
“They are. Turns out, I didn’t need you to find her for me. She was within my grasp all along.”
“It’s crazy how things just work themselves out, huh?”
“It’s not crazy, Ursula. It’s fate.”
“Well, goodbyes are usually easy, but this one feels like a breakup. I will miss the two of you.”
“This isn’t goodbye. This is hello . Absolutely nothing has changed but the last name on the lease of her suite.”
“That’s what I like to hear, Mr. Valentine. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
9:58pm.
I stepped into the suite and headed up the stairs. Hennessy and a glass sat on the counter. I rinsed it and dried it with a cloth then proceeded to open the new bottle. The brown liquor filled the glass one-fourth the way before I sat the bottle on the counter again.
Mmmm . The first sip was nostalgic.
10:00pm.
The time had come. My eyes were set on the door.
Knock.
Knock.
I closed my eyes, savoring the sound of knuckles against the surface.
Oh how I’ve missed you.
One foot in front of the other, I made my way to the door. When I stretched it open, the fiercest, sexiest being to grace the planet stood before me in a black trench coat. She pushed both sides apart by placing her hands on her hips, exposing her bare body underneath.
My dick stood at attention. The hairs on my arms and neck rose to the occasion. My heart pounded against my chest. I reminded myself to breathe, but she’d taken the oxygen out of me with her selfishness, with her sexiness .
She didn’t move. She didn’t blink. She didn’t say a single word.
Good girl. I commended her.
Her obedience deserved the dick I was preparing to give her tonight. Tomorrow night. And for the rest of our lives.
Her arousal was prominent. I widened my nostrils to consume all it had to give. And, it was not until I’d had a decent helping that I decided it was time to put her out of her misery.
“Good evening, Rose .”
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