The Available Wife (9 page)

“Be your kids’ mother. You take care of them for a change. I’m meeting Tyrell and the boys for some last minute wedding stuff. If you have any problems, call 9-1-1,” Germaine mocked then walked out leaving me speechless. “And if you hit my son again, that’ll be your last time,” he added before walking out.

“This nigga has lost his fucking mind,” I growled under my breath as I powered up my laptop. The diaper change would just have to wait once again.

When I clicked on the folder named
Dream,
four photos of houses opened up. I couldn’t wait to show Kingston the houses in Modesto, California, Durham, North Carolina, Newport, Virginia and Sarasota, Florida. I wanted us to choose together which one of them we would live in. He’s never come straight out and told me that he wanted us to be together, but his actions spoke louder than his words.
Why else would he kill for me
? No man who didn’t love his woman would do such a thing.

I smiled as I closed each picture. Before I stood up, I noticed an icon flashing on my laptop to let me know that I had a new email message. I clicked on it, opened the mailbox and gasped when new photos of me and Kingston popped up.

“Fuck! Who in the hell could be following us?”

Agitated, annoyed and slightly afraid, I rocked Nathan a little harder causing the stench to fill the air. I knew that I needed to get the ball rolling a little faster before I was exposed and had to give Germaine half of my money.

CHAPTER 11

Days had passed and I still hadn’t heard from Kingston. I was pissed and confused because his actions were totally uncalled for. The following Friday night, I was sitting behind my desk at the label thinking about Kingston as usual. His absence and fucked up attitude was driving me crazy. Each time my phone rung, I would get pissed when it wasn’t him. I was a mess and it was all because of his ass.

My door was slightly ajar when I heard a few of my producers walk by. They were discussing what club they were gonna hit after they finished laying tracks and listening to demos from two new artists, Dizzy and Flex, I hoped to sign. My boys were with my mother for the weekend and I didn’t give a damn about Germaine’s whereabouts. It was time that I had me some fun and I knew exactly who to call. I had my fingers crossed that he hadn’t left town yet.

“Does that offer still stand?” I asked A.J. when he answered. There was loud laughter in the background.

“What?” he yelled over the noise. “Hold on! Let me go somewhere a little quieter!” I waited for a few seconds before he returned. “Niquole, is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me. I need to see you.” I didn’t have time to play games.

“What?”

“You heard me. Are you still in Houston?”

“Yeah.”

“Where are you?!”

“I’m at Dave & Buster’s on Richmond.”

“Can I see you?”

“You know you can,” A.J. replied. “Would you rather meet me at my hotel? I’m at the Doubletree downtown on Dallas Street.”

“No, stay where you are.”

“Okay. You want me to order some wings or something?”

“Naw, I have an appetite for something else.”

I hung up and grabbed my purse. There was no need for me to sit at my desk doing nothing especially when I couldn’t talk to Kingston. I closed and locked my door then headed out.

I called A.J. as soon as I arrived at the adult Chuck-E-Cheese twenty minutes later. He answered on the first ring. “You’re here?”

“I’m walking through now. Where are you?” I asked.

“I’m at the bar.”

“I’ll be there in a sec.”

The place was crowded, but I eventually made my way to the bar. I spotted A.J. sitting on a stool tossing back a shot and chatting it up with a few guys. As I walked toward him, the guys he was talking to immediately eyed me from head to toe. A.J.’s back was turned so he didn’t see me.

“So, you got a shot for me?” I whispered in A.J.’s ear.

He swung around and smiled at me. “Damn! You look good,” he gawked. I was wearing a pair of black leggings, a gray oversized top and some studded Valentino sandals. “What are you drinking?” he asked before gesturing for the waiter.

I leaned into his ear again then nibbled on the lobe. “Let’s get out of here and I’ll show you.”

Five seconds hadn’t even passed before A.J. placed twenty bucks on the counter then hopped off the stool. “It’s been real boys, but booty calls. I mean duty,” he addressed the guys before we walked off. “So, what do I owe this pleasure or better yet, who’s pissed you off?” he asked when we made it to his rental.

“Does it matter?”

He smiled. “It never has.”

“Then shut up and get me out of here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Once we got in the car, A.J. cranked the 2009, white, Dodge Charger then backed out of the parking space and drove off. “I knew you’d call,” he said with confidence. He was so full of himself, but he had ten thick, mind-blowing reasons to be.

“I knew I would, too,” I replied wishing he’d press the gas a little more.

“Miss Niquole. Miss Niquole,” he sang while cutting his eyes at me. “Just couldn’t stay away, huh?”

I could do without the small talk. I just needed him to help me get Kingston off my brain. I needed to shut him up and I wasn’t waiting until we got to his hotel. “Pull over.”

“Pull over? For what?”

I lifted my top up then pulled my breast out of my beige and chocolate half-bra. “You wanna wait ‘til you get to the hotel to taste these?”

A.J. damn near hit the car that was on the side of us when he jerked to pull over. When we made it to the shoulder, he eagerly placed the car in park. “I see you still got that freak in you,” he said before reaching over and adjusting my seat so that it was back as far as it could go. “I’m always that fucking remedy, huh?” he breathed on my chest after climbing on top of me.

I ignored him and slithered out of my leggings after unbuckling then kicking off my shoes. I wanted Kingston off my mind and I knew I was moments away from getting my wish.

A.J. teased my nipples with his tongue. He knew that drove me crazy. To intensify the pleasure he was already giving me, he slipped two fingers inside my wetness.

“Damn, girl. You already wet.”

“That’s all you,” I said in his ear. I think I excited him when I eased two of my fingers inside my pussy as well to assist him with the finger fuck.

“You a bad girl, Niquole…a bad girl.”

“Then punish me.”

I guess those were the words he was waiting to hear. “We need to get in the back seat, baby,” A.J. said before opening the passenger door. He climbed out first and I was a few steps behind him. A few cars passed by, but no one was the wiser or they pretended not to be. He opened the back door and we quickly dipped inside.

“Come on, A.J. Stop playing with me,” I begged while helping him undo his pants.

“I’m coming, baby. I’m coming.”

He pulled a condom front his front pocket, ripped off the wrapper and rolled it on. Seconds later, Kingston was temporarily the farthest thing from my mind. I wasted no time thrusting when he was inside.

“Damn! Shit, Work that pussy like you used to, baby!”

I thrust and rolled keeping up with every stab that he gave me. A.J. lifted up a little and grabbed the driver’s side headrest to hold him up while he hammered me. My fingers soon assisted.

“A.J., oooooh! Damn!”

“I got you, baby. I hear ya.”

My left leg was soon in the crease of his arm. I bit the inside of my lip because his slow roll was to kill for. I hated that we ended on bad terms because our sex together was dynamic. We both were selfish, greedy and secretive. Speaking of secrets, only a handful of people knew about the one that we shared.

“A.J., right there baby! Right there! Don’t you move! Don’t you dare fucking move!” I coached him when he hit the spot.

“I know what I’m doing, baby,” he replied conceitedly.

He lay in my pussy and rolled…then jabbed...rolled…then jabbed. I couldn’t take it anymore. My body began twitching like I was having an epileptic seizure. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, but he didn’t stop. He continued to roll…then jab.

“A.J., you’ve got to stop,” I begged and fought to break free, but he had a crucial lock on my leg. If I had kicked that window any harder, I’m sure he would be replacing it.

“Another one’s coming right?” he asked already knowing the answer.

My body answered for me as it jerked and twitched. He knew it so well. I howled like a wolf at the moon.

“Let’s take this back to my hotel so I can give it to you how you really want it,” he suggested with warm breath against my ear.

How in the hell was I going to say no to that?

****

I entered my house nearly four the next morning. I was floating, and A.J. had rocked my damn world. I didn’t even want to leave, but knew I had to. Germaine blew my phone up for nearly an hour until A.J. turned it off. Having A.J. inside of me would be worth the fight that I knew I’d be walking into. I hoped Germaine would be passed out when I got home, but that wish was never granted.

I walked to the kitchen for a glass of water. My throat was parched from the loud moaning and screaming. The neighbors definitely knew his name. I finished off the water in a matter of seconds then placed the glass in the sink and headed for the staircase. When I reached them and looked up, Germaine was standing at the top glaring down at me.

“Where have you been?” he asked harshly.

“Where in the hell you think?” I barked back.

“It’s almost four in the morning, Nikki.”

“And? I’ve stayed later than this at the studio before,” I shot back.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone? Better yet, why did you turn it off?”

I really didn’t feel like doing this back and forth shit with him. I needed to lay down and get some sleep. “I was in the studio. I couldn’t be disturbed,” I lied then slowly climbed the stairs. I damn near tripped as I walked up.

“Drunk, huh?” he asked after seeing me stumble.

Yeah. Drunk off of cum,
I thought
.
“I’m not like you, Germaine. I don’t drink to get drunk.”

He gave me one last glare then turned to walk away. “I hope you didn’t forget Tyrell’s wedding tomorrow.”

“How could I? You talk about it every day.”

“It must be raining outside?” he changed the subject.

“No. Why?” I asked curiously.

“Because your hair is a little wet.”

I stared at him while holding a straight face as I touched the ends of my hair. He was right. I forced back that smile that was fighting to come through as I thought back to the shower with A.J.

“Look, it’s late. We can do this shit later.” I continued up the stairs hoping he wouldn’t ask any more questions regarding my appearance. I had no answers for him even if he did.

CHAPTER 12

I stood at the buffet table at the Ayva Center with a frown on my face then turned up my nose and shook my head. What in the hell was I doing at this ghetto-ass reception? I should’ve known it would be just as ghetto as the wedding. The church was small, hot and packed like a can of sardines. I even had to leave and sit in my car. As hot as it was, I definitely wasn’t going to let the heat ruin my hair, makeup and outfit. The look that Germaine gave me as he stood next to Tyrell at the alter was death defying, but of course I didn’t give a damn. I needed air.

I assumed Tyrell and his new bride couldn’t afford to have the reception professionally catered after kicking out the rental fee for the center. They should’ve asked some of those frat brothers that Germaine spoke so highly of to pitch in because this shit was a disaster. Anyone and everyone had pitched in on cooking the food.

“What you want?”

I looked up at the greasy faced, chunky woman and fought back my laughter. This heifer had gold and purple weave in her head, about twenty gold necklaces around her neck and gold and purple nails. She clutched the spoon in her hand like she was a skilled chef. Did her ghetto ass really think she was about to serve me some food?

“I think I’ll pass,” I stated then walked off.

“Whatever,” she responded.

The gold and purple decorations were just as awful. Well, they were okay, but the decorator did a terrible job piecing it all together. Meagan would’ve showed her ass off if she had her hand in the event. Then it hit me. These were ghetto folks, and ghetto folks did ghetto things like buying cheap paper plates and cups, and not having enough food to feed everyone. Not only did I see a couple of guys bringing in coolers, but there were even a couple of instances where a few females were about to tussle with their baby’s daddies. It was a mess and I didn’t fit in…at all.

It didn’t take long for the chaos to cease when the DJ announced Tyrell and his lovely bride. She looked a hot mess in her ancient looking wedding dress. She must’ve dug that shit out of her grandmother’s closet and had one of her ghetto friends try and spiff it up. I wanted to take a picture and post it on You Tube, but just decided to laugh it off.

Whoever coordinated their wedding also did a horrible job. For one, the bride and groom should’ve hit the dance floor before any of their guests. Now, the DJ had to clear the guests off the floor so the bride and groom could have their first dance.

“I know good and damn well this mofo is not playing
Shake That Ass Bitch
by Splack Pack?” I mumbled to myself. The crowd roared and cheered as Tyrell and his bride cut a rug on the floor. “I can’t believe this,” I laughed under my breath. That fiasco went on for nearly ten minutes.

I was so happy when all of the frat
dogs
raced to the dance floor for a step show because it gave me a moment to myself. I wanted to get away from the loud, colorful guests. No one wore an outfit that cost over fifty dollars and they probably got a discount on that price. I noticed the eyes staring and noses tooting up at me because I had that
I’m the shit
look on my face and stance. There was no need to deny it, I was. I was the best looking thing in the room and they knew it. Roberto Cavalli should’ve paid me for looking so damn good in the draped, halter dress that I kicked out two grand for the occasion. I needed to let these people know what a real woman looked like.

After the ten minute step show, the men reclaimed their women. I assumed some of them must’ve forgotten that they’d left their stamina back in college because they were panting and sweating like real dogs.

“You okay?” Germaine asked when he found me at the buffet table shaking my head at the food. I was really hungry, so I decided to suck it up and grab something. The ghetto server had left the table unattended so I could pick through what I wanted.

“I’m good,” I replied before tossing a meatball in my mouth then spitting it back out in the plate I was holding. It tasted worse that it looked. Knowing I couldn’t go wrong with fried chicken since it was comfort food for black people, I tried that next. “Decent,” I said out loud.

“Hey man,” Tyrell interrupted, “the groomsmen are about to take pictures.”

Wow, shouldn’t they have done that already
? I thought.
This wedding is ass backwards
.

“Oh, okay,” Germaine addressed Tyrell who didn’t move. I guess he wanted to make sure that Germaine was going to follow him. Germaine leaned in my ear so that Tyrell wouldn’t hear what he was about to say. “Please come out front with me,” he whined.

I held back my laughter because he sounded so pathetic. I never understood why he allowed me to treat him like shit and continued to stay with me. I wondered if he had some type of ulterior motive because I would’ve left my ass a long time ago. That night at the album release party would’ve been the breaking point for me if the roles were reversed.

“Nikki, please,” Germaine whispered again.

I took a deep breath and nodded at him. He smiled…hard.

When we walked toward the lobby, I could feel the stares on me. Next, came all the snickers. I even heard one trick tell another that she heard I was crying in the bathroom at the album release party. At that moment I instantly thought back to the two females who I cursed out in the restroom. I could only imagine how far that gossip had spread. As much as I wanted to go off on their asses, I kept my cool.

As soon as we made it to the front lobby, my fingers went numb and the plate I was holding hit the floor.

“Are you okay?” Germaine asked when he saw my stiffened body and the terrified look on my face.

“I need the groom and the groomsmen on the steps, please,” the photographer spoke.

I snapped out of my terrified stupor when I heard the short, chubby, dark-skinned photographer address the wedding party.

“Nikki? Nikki?”

“What?” I snapped at Germaine.

Before he could respond, Tyrell had called out to him to hurry up for the photos. He walked away with a curious look on his face. After he left, I turned to Kingston.

What in the hell was he doing at the reception
? I thought.

When he rolled his eyes at me, I knew he was still pissed that I’d kissed Germaine at the party. Even though I was only doing it to make him jealous, by his actions, it seemed to have worked. I smiled at him when he looked at me. Again, he rolled his eyes.

His chocolate ass looked so damn good in the light grey Hugo Boss shirt and charcoal slacks. I glanced around the lobby to see if there was anywhere he and I could disappear to. I had to have him. I wanted him…bad. I needed to be near him. I needed to smell him.

As I was about to make my move, I halted my steps and gasped as I watched the figure bounce from the other end of the lobby and into Kingston’s arms. I glanced at her attire and realized she was part of the wedding party and she was the same bitch from the party…his wife. I immediately fumed.

“You’re done already, baby,” I heard him ask her.

“Yes,” she answered before leaning in to kiss him. He grabbed and squeezed her ass. That son-of-a-bitch knew that I was watching. “Stop that,” she laughed then playfully pushed his hand away. “Save that for later.” I’d reached my fucking boiling point.

My mind raced as I asked myself over and over what her connection could be to Tyrell or his bride since she was in the wedding party. The whole thing was odd and confusing.

“Do y’all think it’s appropriate to be doing that out here?” I addressed them once they started to tongue each other down. I tried to disguise the anger in my voice.

She glared at me then turned back to Kingston who was giving me the same expression.

“Come on. Let’s dance,” she suggested to him after rolling her eyes at me. She grabbed Kingston’s hand and pulled him back inside the reception area before he could agree. Of course, I followed them inside.

I lurked amongst the guests as I watched the two of them grind and slobber all over each other. I knew he was aware that I was somewhere watching and just wanted to piss me off or pay me back from the other night. But I couldn’t take it. I eased through the crowd like a slimy snake until I reached them. Mary J. Blige’s
Just Fine
had filled the room and I watched as that bitch threw her ass on my man. Kingston poured more salt on my wound by grabbing the front of her thighs and pulling her back to him so that he could grind on her ass. Before I stormed off the floor, I bumped into them. On purpose of course.

“I’m sorry,” his wife apologized as if it were her fault and not the other way around. She didn’t even bother to look up. I wanted to spit in that bitch’s face. When Kingston stared at me, I walked off.

A few minutes later, my cell phone vibrated. I pulled it out of my purse and read the text message:
Don’t try that shit again
. I knew it was from Kingston so I stored his new number in my phone.

I had to get your attention somehow since you’re ignoring me!!! Why did you change your number?
I replied.

I don’t play second fiddle to no man,
was his response.

I smiled because that was confirmation that he was jealous.

That’s not fair. You kissed your wife in front of me.

You can’t do what I do
,
he replied.

I looked up from my Blackberry and spotted Kingston walking off the dance floor. I quickly replied:
Baby, I’m sorry. I love you. I want us to be together. Just let me know what I need to do to make that happen? Meet me outside. I want you
.

After pressing the send button, I looked up and watched him read my plea. I was a little confused when I saw a sly smile form on his face and he slipped his phone in his pocket without replying. I couldn’t understand why he was playing games with me. I needed answers and I was gonna get them.

Before I had a chance to cross his path, a woman started screaming causing the entire party to come at a standstill. I followed the crowd that gathered around her.

“Not my baby! No! Lord, not my baby!” the middle aged, wig wearing woman screamed.

“What’s going on?’ I asked the guy standing next to me.

“She just found out that her son is dead,” he answered. “Hummer was a cool dude. He didn’t…”

“Did you just say Hummer?” I asked frighteningly.

“Yeah.”

I slowly backed out of the crowd until I spotted Kingston who was smiling heartily. Then he did the unthinkable.

“Didn’t he fuck around with other men’s women? One of them probably killed him,” Kingston blurted out.

Mouths dropped and eyes bucked including mine. I knew I could be insensitive sometimes, but that shit was downright cruel. Especially since he was the one who actually ended the man’s life. The crowd showed their disapproval by cursing him out. However, it didn’t seem to bother him one bit. As Kingston walked away from the mob, I spotted his wife in a corner trying to hide the fact that she was crying, too. Again, I questioned how she knew Tyrell and now Hummer, of course.
Damn, I wonder if she knows Germaine, too
?

“We need to get out of here,” Germaine startled me from behind.

I turned to him. His eyes were red as fire and filled with tears. I knew he wanted me to comfort and console him, but I couldn’t. I was the reason why his friend was dead.

“You want me to drive?” I offered.

He gave me a cold look, reached inside his pocket and handed me the keys. We flowed with the weeping crowd and exited the building. Once outside, I spotted Kingston and his wife talking. He lifted her chin and pecked her on the lips when he saw me staring at them. Then he went in for the kill. That tongue that I wanted down my throat was traveling down hers.

“Bastard,” I said loudly enough for him to hear.

“What did you say?” Germaine asked.

Without answering, I hightailed it to my car. As soon as I was within a few feet, all I could do was laugh when I saw all four of my tires flat on the ground.

“Jealous bitches,” I replied then smiled.

My grin quickly diminished when I realized that it could’ve been the person blackmailing me. I wasn’t sure, but either way, I needed to involve Kingston. I retrieved my cell phone to text him but Germaine’s presence stopped that.

“What the hell? Are you calling AAA?” he asked.

“Aww…yeah,” I stammered knowing that wasn’t the reason my phone was in my hand.

****

Around three a.m., I jumped up from my desk after briefly dozing off. I had a dream about me being in jail because of Hummer’s death and my involvement in it. I was dressed in scrubs surrounded by a bunch of butch lesbians waiting to take their turns with me. A light bulb went off in my head as I regrouped from the dream. I still hadn’t gotten rid of the jacket even though my intentions were to. When I left the office that day, I placed the bag in my trunk and planned to toss it in a dumpster on the way home, but it started raining which ultimately distracted my mission.

I tiptoed down the carpeted stairs with my keys clutched tightly in my hand making sure they didn’t make a sound. Once in the kitchen, I disabled the alarm and walked out the side door. Luckily, I didn’t have to disturb the garage door. I popped the trunk of my car and snatched the Target bag out before walking toward the back of the house where the two garbage bins were. Quickly looking over my shoulder, I lifted one of the tops and held my breath as the stench brushed past my nose. There were two garbage bags inside. I tore one of them open and shoved the Target bag deep inside. When I pulled my arm out, it was covered with bread crumbs, apple peels and a few strands of spaghetti. I wanted to curse, but knew Germaine would hear me from his bedroom window. After picking up a leaf from the ground and flicking the garbage off of my arm, I closed the lid. I thought everything had worked out until I glanced at the upstairs window and saw the panels moving back and forth. Nervously placing my freshly done nail inside my mouth, I hoped like hell that it was just the AC turning back on.