Chapter 1 MAJA
MAJA
Present day…
Entering the city limits of Niceville Shores never got old. Coming home was like breathing in a deep refreshing breath that I couldn’t take whenever I was away. Anxious to spend time with my family, I decided to get business out of the way before heading to Bell Estates.
Inside Niceville Shores Credit Union, I ignored the glances of other patrons. I stood out; this I knew. Dressed in an all-black, form-fitting dress that touched my knees and hugged my curves, along with a matching wide brim fedora hat that concealed my eyes, I was quite the spectacle.
Patiently, I waited my turn. Once I got this deposit made, I’d scoot on out of here and head…home. For good, this time. My shoulders relaxed with that thought.
“Next in line,” a young lady called.
I walked up to the counter and smiled at her as I glanced at her name tag, which read Iyana.
“Hi,” I spoke to her, “I’d like to make a deposit.”
“Sure! Do you have an account with us?” she cheerily questioned.
“I do.” I handed her my driver’s license, and she went to work pulling up my account.
“Thank you, Miss Storm. What would you like to deposit?”
Reaching inside of my purse, I produced the envelope containing the cash I had. As she ran it through a money counter, I was glad that she remained discreet. The large number of bills was sure to draw attention otherwise. She wrote the amount down on a piece of paper.
“Is this correct?” she questioned.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Smiling, she finished up my deposit. “You’ve had an account with us for years,” she stated for my ears only. “Which means you’re not new around here. You be careful out there, girl.”
Her nametag read, Iyana. I gave her a half-smile. “Noted.”
The last thing I was worried about was someone in Niceville Shores coming for me.
Not only was I a transplant Cooley and Bell, but I was the last person anyone wanted to cross.
Had she seen my eyes, she would’ve seen the crazy there.
That was the reason for the wide brim. I hated people looking into my eyes. Well…unless I was ending their life.
You’re turning over a new leaf.
Right, I reminded myself. This was the beginning of a new era for me. No more consuming myself with filth. No more creeping around places that stuck to me without the proper cleansing. No more…bodies. That part of my life was officially behind me.
“Here’s your receipt. Is there anything else I can do for you today?” Iyana asked.
“No, thanks. Have a wonderful day.”
“Be careful out there,” she reiterated.
“I will try.” Waving bye to her, I left out of the bank as smoothly as I’d entered… then I collided with something hard as hell. “Oh! My apologies.”
“Nah… My apologies.”
Underneath the brim of my hat, I really wanted to look up into this man’s face and see if his face was just as sexy as his voice sounded, or if his face was as delicious as he smelled.
Instead, my eyes focused on his broad chest in front of me covered in a white T-shirt.
The subtle richness of his cologne snagged the hell out of me.
His thick biceps were covered in tattoos and a few healed wounds.
A quick glance at the fingers wrapped around my forearms pointed to him having even more tattoos.
Lightly, I gasped when his fingers touched my chin and lifted my face unexpectedly.
“I really wanna see ya eyes,” he stated just as mine collided with his.
Oh…
He smiled, showing off his stunning smile.
Stunning was an understatement. The sun beamed down on his expensive grill and made the diamonds in his mouth come to life in dazzlement.
His long, thick hair was braided straight back in thick cornrows.
The strands dipped even lower than his chest. His lightly toasted brown skin held a hint of freckles that I found sexy on him. I noted that he looked oddly familiar.
“Vonshae Gunner,” he introduced himself.
The last name jarred something inside me, peeling a name straight out of my past. Detective Gunner. That was exactly who this man favored.
“Hi,” I croaked. Suddenly, my mouth was dry as hell. “May…Maja. Major minus the o and r, add an a, makes the ‘uh’ sound.”
He grinned. “Mm. I like that. A lot.”
His voice…it did something to me that I couldn’t explain. And I was too well-versed in playing men to not understand this feeling that wiggled inside me.
“You know what I think, Maja?”
Shaking my head, I replied, “No, I don’t know what you think.”
His eyes scanned my fingers, then his hand touched mine. He rubbed his thumb over my left ring finger, causing tingling to shoot up my extremity.
“I’m single as fuck. You’re single. It would be a travesty for me to walk away without askin’ you on a date,” he said.
A smile played along my lips, one that was surprising yet inviting. “First of all, how would you know if I’m single? Second of all, I don’t go out on dates with strange men.”
His eyes smiled right along with his plump, moisturized lips. “Ya ring finger is bare, and you think I’m strange?”
“What does a bare ring finger have to do with anything?”
“It has to do with everything. Answer my other question, baby. You think I’m strange?”
Strange? No. Dangerous? Hell, yeah.
“One date. If I impress you enough, you gotta give me a second one,” he bartered.
Biting into my lip to suppress a laugh did nothing. “Demanding.”
“Hopeful.” He leaned in close until I smelled the mint on his breath. “I’ll make it more than worth ya while.”
My body begged me to say yes. She didn’t know the feel of a man and was getting increasingly demanding. With each passing year, she reminded me that one night with a man wouldn’t be so bad.
Liar. I chuckled to myself.
“While it’s tempting, Vonshae… I’m going to have to decline.” He was related to someone I wanted to keep behind me. That part of my life was a touchy chapter.
He rubbed his thick beard and smirked as his eyes twinkled. “What if I don’t let you decline?”
My head slightly leaned back. “Let me?”
Chuckling, he said, “That did sound a lil’ crazy, didn’t it?”
I joined him in laughing. “It did.”
“Aight, how about this? If we bump into each other again, you gotta come up off that date.”
Knowing this man would never see me again, I replied, “You have a deal, Mr. Gunner.”
His smile made me a little uneasy. It warned me that this man wasn’t just any man. Mischief and mayhem resided there.
He’s related to Gunner. Likely, Gunner’s son. Right. But you’re intrigued. I surely was intrigued. Too bad nothing would ever come of it.
“So, you really gon’ make me chase you, Major minus the o and r, add an a, makes the ‘uh’ sound?”
Chuckling, I shook my head at his charming ass. I wasn’t easily swayed by any man. Not a single one.
“Actually, I don’t want you to chase me. I’d rather be left alone. However, since you’ve thrown it out there that if we happen to bump into each other again, I’m willing to let you try and chase me.”
He licked his lips so seductively, then grinned. “Aight, bet.” He came closer to me, causing me to tilt my head back even more. “When I catch you, Maja… You’re mine.”
Something my heart never did, was speed up in my chest at a man’s nearness. I didn’t even think this thing inside my chest operated when it came to the opposite sex.
“I’m no one’s,” I responded, although my heart was in my throat.
“Damn, let me re-introduce myself.” He tweaked my chin. “No One Gunner. It’s nice to meet you.”
I narrowed my eyes at him but then cracked another smile. “Your charm work on every woman you step to?”
“Guilty.”
Glancing away, I chuckled. “That’s no surprise.”
“Let me surprise you.”
“Aht, aht. If we happen to run into each other again…”
“Right,” he replied, sheepishly.
I could tell he wanted to take back the offer. However, I wasn’t about to let him.
“It was nice meeting you, Vonshae.”
“No One,” he corrected.
Resisting the urge to giggle, I replied, “Nice try.”
Moving around him, I walked away. Only then did I breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. That man’s everything was something serious.
Shaking him off me, I slid back into my sedan and cranked her up. It was exceptionally muggy for May, but I was okay with it. This type of weather was perfect for mornings and nights on the patio. I couldn’t wait to just kick my feet up and relax.
When I drove through the gates of Bell Estates, a genuine smile broke my face as I rode down the long private street leading to my house. Maddie, Poppa, Heir, Shyah, my brothers, Adir, and Coco stood in the driveway of 11 Bell Place, waiting for me.
Excited, I parked, then jumped out of my door before Poppa could open it.
“Hey, baby,” he spoke to me. He enveloped me in a hug that warmed my soul. He was always such a good man. He stepped in and brought stability to my life when it was on the brink of destruction.
“Hey, Poppa! It’s good to see you.”
Mama pushed Poppa aside to take me in for a hug. “My baby is finally home for good. I’ve been crying all week.”
Giggling, I said, “I knew you would, but I’m glad to be back.”
“Being away from home was rough for me, too,” Heir stated as she hugged me. “I couldn’t wait to get back home and have a decent meal.”
On the outside, I smiled. On the inside, I felt like complete shit for letting Maddie, my mama, and myself down.
After Cassidy’s death, I divided my time between my studies and nursing the anger that boiled inside me.
Since the night I killed Raphael, I’d been in the trenches doing things I could never speak of to either of them.
If Poppa or Adir knew of my transgressions, neither ever spoke of it.
Somehow, I wouldn’t be surprised if they knew exactly what the hell I’d been doing the last seven years.
I felt like shit, though. All they wanted for me was for me to lead a normal life. However, my life would never be normal.