“She told you? Well, good for her. Prefer our shit to be out in the open. And if she wants me to fuck her again, I will fuck her so hard, she’ll forget that she’s married…wait, that already happened. Guess I have to think about what new height I need to accomplish when I’m inside her pussy again. Somehow she still managed to keep it tight for me.”
“You muthafucka. Stay away from her.”
“Hey, don’t worry. I’m not trying to cause any confusion. Want to get to know my son, and for now, she wants to stay with you. I will respect that as long as she wants me to respect that.” I cradled the phone to my ear as I opened the wide double doors and stepped onto my veranda. “I have two questions for you. First one, can we work together, or should I go with another company? I’ll let you out of the contract and still give you the hundred thousand I promised for your inconvenience.”
Kody grumbled. “We can work together.”
“Then don’t call me threatening me over your wife’s actions. You left her alone for the weekend. She tried to tell you what had happened the night before we had sex because she wanted to remember her vows, and you fucked that up, and I fucked your wife.”
“It won’t happen again, you son of a bitch. I’m not losing my wife to you,” he grumbled.
“I ask again, can we work together because there are plenty of people who would love to have this multi-million dollar contract?” I asked calmly, internally shaking my head that Kody’s greed overshadowed any misgivings that he had aboutme being around his wife. I could be the poorest man and still wouldn’t work with a man who tempted my wife.
He sighed loudly. “I can separate the two.”
“Then don’t call my phone, threatening me unless you want this contract null and void. And that would be a shame since I like your designs. Looking forward to your ideas for my family home,” I said.
“Thank you,” Kody grudgingly replied. “What was the second question?”
“Does your wife know the truth about you?”
I hung up the phone before he could answer and walked to the edge of the veranda and stared out at the beautiful green lawn, the pool, and the basketball court. I know I shouldn’t have treated Jamaica like an object to taunt in front of Kody, but he fucking deserved that and so much more after what he did to me and continued to do to me by marrying the only woman I’ve ever loved.
“Your guests are on the way, and the game room is ready? Anything else you need from me?” My housekeeper asked from behind me.
“No, thank you.” I didn’t turn around as she left the veranda, and I returned to my musings.
All of this land and this house were mine and would be my son’s and his descendants. Who would have thought that the day of my hearing, when I thought my future was forever destroyed, that I would ever own all of this and a bank account that far exceeded any expectations?
SENIOR YEAR
My court hearing was supposed to be a preliminary date to decide if I should remain home or be locked up since I was already eighteen. It wasn’t supposed to be for a conviction or sentencing. Until my court-appointed attorney sat down next to me in the courtroom and quietly relayed that there was a witness to my crime and that if I didn’t take the plea, I was looking at fifteen years. Five at a minimum because there was a child in the home.
“I didn’t do it,” I said calmly, though I wanted to scream. “Who’s the witness?”
“We can’t say who it is. If we go to trial, then there’s a chance you’ll find out the identity of the witness. I don’t think you should take the risk. The judge is a reasonable man. Plead guilty, and you’re out in two years tops. Good behavior. One year.”
I shook my head. “One year is too long when I’m innocent.”
The white young lawyer’s face reddened at my refusal. “I didn’t want to say this, but the police arrested you because they found a watch and some other jewelry that was stolen buried in the clearing.”
My temples throbbed, and blood rushed to my head. I looked two rows behind me, where my father, brother, and Kody sat anxiously waiting to hear the outcome. Jamaica had had a change of heart and reached out to me, asking if she could come to court. I’d been mean when I told her to forget I existed. I didn’t want her to see me like this or hold her life back because I had a fucking mark on my back.
“Can I speak to my family?”
The lawyer nodded. “You have time. Tell them your options. I’m sure they’ll tell you to plead.”
When I approached my people, my father and Kody looked at me. Peace studied his lap. My heart pounded even faster. “Peace, can I holla at you for a sec?”
He nodded quickly and followed me to the empty back row of the court. Although I wanted more privacy, I didn’t want to be accused of being a flight risk in light of the new information. I sat down next to my brother, whose legs trembled terribly. His nails were bloody because he’d chewed them to nubs. “Just tell me the truth. Did you break into that house? You’re the only one besides Jamaica who knows about the clearing.”
“What about the clearing?”
“It’s where they found the stolen watch and jewelry. Said there was a witness who identified me.”
Tears started falling down his cheeks. “I’m sorry. I needed money for the class trip to Austin, and you were trying to pay for your prom. I was scared that you would sling again to make more money, and I wanted to help.”
The heat of someone’s gaze raised my head. Kody. He looked down when we locked eyes. “Kody put you up to it, didn’t he? Came up with the plan, but had you do it, and you were going to share whatever you made off it.”
