Aftermath (52 page)

Gillian came some more, kissing his neck, his collarbone, his face, sucking on his beautiful brown skin. Her pace quickened as he glided in and out of her. She gripped him with her sugar walls and he couldn't fight it anymore. She took him to his climax with the sway of her hips and the warmth of her pussy.

Gillian moved to dismount him but he pulled her back, held her closer to him. Her head rested on his shoulder, and she inhaled his beautiful scent. They held each other, her arms still tightly linked around his body, his arms encasing her in a wonderful embrace. His chest rose and fell as his breathing steadied. The rhythm of her breath fell into step with his, and soon she could hear him softly snoring, his eyes closed serenely, his arms still tightly wrapped around her. She lay there with him still inside of her, not wanting to disrupt the absolute bliss she felt in his embrace.

While he slept, she tried to come to terms with what had just happened. She hadn't meant to lose control that way and she felt angry with herself for allowing it to take place.

Gillian felt conflicted. She loved being in control of the Nobles family empire. But it meant nothing without Frankie by her side to share it with. Still, she felt as though she was letting him off the hook too easily and she wondered how long it would be before he went running from her again. She wasn't sure what to do.

Gillian climbed slowly off his lap and sat beside him on the couch, her mind reeling. She looked at Frankie, still asleep, his mouth open and his head laid back against her sofa.

Gillian stared at him. Try as she might, she couldn't stop loving him. She had gained control over every other aspect of her life—Baron had been removed from power, and his troubles with Danno were history; Mayra had been stripped of her father's fortune and was groveling at Gillian's feet in search of forgiveness; the Nobles crew was answering to her and her alone. She had achieved every goal she'd set for herself in recent months. But when it came to Frankie and her love for him, Gillian was powerless.

She kissed Frankie's sleeping face and went to take a shower. As the steamy water dripped all over her body, she closed her eyes and inhaled. Stepping into the stream of the shower, she let the water glide down her face as she flashed back to how Frankie had made her feel only moments ago.

Then she thought back on the pain he had caused her, how he had made her cry. She remembered how it had felt to learn that he had climbed out of the bed he shared with her and gone home to Camille in the middle of the trial. And now he had left Camille in the hospital recovering from childbirth to make a plea for Gillian's forgiveness. He always managed to get his way. She grew angrier the more she thought about it.

Who does he think he is?
she thought to herself.

She opened her eyes and lathered up, washed the scent of Frankie off her. This was a test, she decided. Him coming here this way—making love to her the way he had, taking control—it was a power move. He had come there today to reclaim her, to make her submit to him. She was not about to lie down, roll over, or jump through hoops the way Camille did for him. In the weeks since he had walked out of her life, Gillian had risen to a position of influence unlike anything she could have possibly dreamed up. Running an empire, having control over so much money, being able to decide who lived or died, it all gave her an incredible high. Her love for power—for control over the men who answered to her and over her own heart—was being put to the test.

She rinsed off and thought about how taking Frankie back into her life would change everything. The line would be blurred between which one of them was actually in charge of the Nobles family. Gillian wanted there to be no question as to who was running this show.

Her father had asked her once what she was looking for, what she wanted out of life. She knew now. She wanted the power, the influence, and the life of luxury she had now become accustomed to. She wanted the respect of her friends and enemies alike. They didn't have to like her. But she insisted that they respect her, if only because she was Doug Nobles's heir to the throne.

Gillian stepped out of the shower, toweled off, and walked naked into her bedroom. She dressed, draped herself in her family jewels—diamonds her father had given to her upon her graduation from high school years ago—and scrawled a note for Frankie. She left it on her coffee table as he lay on the sofa, softly snoring as he dreamed of his new baby girl.

Gillian lingered for a moment as she headed for the door. She watched him sleeping, handsome even in his slumber. She would miss loving him. But loving him was too costly. And Gillian was determined that she would not lose.

Frankie shifted in his sleep, but didn't waken. Gillian's note fluttered to the floor and landed near his sneaker. Her cursive letters written in black Sharpie stood out boldly against the hot-pink Post-it.

Frankie,

I'd appreciate it if you're gone when I get home. It's over. Daddy always told me to never go backward, never retrace the steps you've already taken. And I've always listened to his advice. I'm not going to stop now.

Congratulations on your baby girl. I wish you nothing but the best.

—Gillian

P.S. No hard feelings.

She opened the door, walked out into the sunshine, put her sunglasses on, and got back to her father's business.

Also by Tracy Brown

Dime Piece

Black

Criminal Minded

White Lines

Twisted

Snapped

Anthologies

Flirt

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

A
FTERMATH.
Copyright © 2011 by Tracy Brown. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.stmartins.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Brown, Tracy, 1974-

Aftermath : a snapped novel / Tracy Brown.—1st ed.

    p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-312-55522-1

1. African Americans—Fiction. 2. Inner cities—Fiction. 3. Revenge—Fiction. 4. New York (N.Y.)—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3602.R723A69 2011

813'.6—dc22                                                    2010038759

First Edition: February 2011

eISBN 978-1-4299-9188-9

First St. Martin's Griffin eBook Edition: February 2011