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Author’s Notes…
It took me a week of a lot of stuff.
- Pondering
- Crying
- Figure out crap
- More Crying
- Avoidance
- Cleaning – more avoidance
- Crying some more
And then finally sitting my butt in a chair and crying.
I kept hearing Beverly Jenkins’ voice in my head saying Just put your butt in a chair.
I need a song that will go with this story. What would you suggest? Let me know in the comments.
Getting Zuri’s life together was more complicated than I thought. I had assumed she was the easier character because she seemed simple, but there was a lot of complexity to her life before her father became determined to clean up his daughter and get her straight, perhaps because her mother was so f’d up.
A reader brought to my attention that Zuri’s last name is Carter, and if you read Her Substitute Husband… His Brothers, you know how f’d up the Carter line is.
But what readers don’t know is where the Carter line originated, and I have to keep that a secret until King’s Paradise.
Yes, I know you want that book, but we aren’t discussing that monster yet.
Anyhoo, I thought I was scared of bringing FT into the story. I know why I stopped this story, and it was because of him. He scared the be-jesus out of me. I knew if I brought him to paper, it would show something in me that terrified me, but I was like, you gotta do it. You gotta justify the evil, and only FT can pull this off.
I can use him to set up a lot of crap. He’s the anti-hero everyone needs, and in his journey with Zuri, he’ll finally get what he wants. We’ll settle his soul or come as close as possible. (click here to buy me a cup of coffee).
BTW, I’m loving the new readers. Getting to the post office by Monday, so if you need something like an autograph copy (hint, hint, hint), get to my shop and get a book.
It’d be a lovely holiday gift for you and me. Thank you in advance
Companion Books
The Other Side of Love (WIP)
Enjoy. Happy Reading. Your Author, Sylvia Hubbard
Chapter 17 – Lines We Shouldn’t Cross
Zuri closed her eyes and thought about her night to come. A dark blue cocktail dress with a flared mid-calf length skirt, matching shoes, and underwear was delivered to her room by Lucas three hours before her date. Before his arrival, she had been looking over pictures from the Bellini Account of ruined art objects.
Taylor Bellini oversaw all the art the family owned, acquired through various real estate purchases. A lot of the art was in good condition, but there were some estates where no one had ever taken care of any of the art, and it had to be junked. Yet, there were rare pieces she had pulled from the junk that she felt could be salvagable with a lot of work.
Taylor had spent a lot of time getting these pieces cleaned and put together for auction, yet there were some ruined ones where no one could identify the stains and were hesitant to restore them, feeling theyโd destroy the piece, or the art was so destroyed by stains that no one wanted to touch them.
She wanted Zuriโs forensic analysis to identify the stains and determine the best way to remove them without damaging the art. Zuri felt that, with her education and work, she could accomplish this goal. Taylor needed someone with plenty of time on their hands and enough education to take on this project.
The opportunity to use her education differently, when she had always thought sheโd go into her motherโs line of work, was exciting to Zuri. She wasnโt stuck in the shadow of her motherโs life; she could forge new contacts and build other networks.
Zuri had all of that and was even granted security access to Taylorโs building, so she could go in at any time to gather pieces, take samples, and analyze them further. Once she had access to a lab, she could do a lot more, but the detailed pictures had given her a heads-up about the challenge she faced.
โYouโll be having dinner on the roof at seven. I’ll take you up there, but I was instructed not to come on the roof with you. He’ll escort you back to your room after dinner,” Lucas explained, as he set the large black box in her front room. “But you can contact me at any point if you need me.”
All afternoon, since watching the video with her mother and ex-fiance, Zuri had been pondering her new life and adult decisions. “Lucas, I know you’re getting paid not to show your judgment of me, but I want to know.”
Lucas shifted his weight around with a frown. “What do you want to know?”
“I know you understand he is paying me to be with him. You can’t just watch what’s going on and not think something.”
“I think you’re doing what you have to do to survive. My brother and I had been in a somewhat similar boat, so I hold no judgment for your decisions, which is why Mr. Black hired me. You couldn’t afford personal security, a hotel room like this, and all the amenities. After the scare you had with whoever was trying to hurt you, you had to protect yourself. Since you didn’t have any other dependable family, this was your solution. There is no judgment.”
Zuri smiled gratefully for his understanding. “Thank you, Lucas.”
“I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
When he was gone, Zuri started to get ready and thought about her family. With no outer family, she had always depended on her mother. After her father passed away, no one came to claim her or show up at the funeral to say they were part of her fatherโs side of the family. On her mother’s side, there was more or less found family, but they weren’t close, and Zuri was sure some of them were in jail. Her mother never spoke of that.
Thirty minutes before the appointed time, when she was almost dressed and was working on her makeup, there was a firm knock on her door. Looking out of the keyhole, she was shocked to see the lawyer and another well-dressed black man standing beside him.
She opened the door to see what this unexpected visit was about. “I thought I wouldn’t see you until tomorrow at the bank.”
“Lucas can assist you at the bank. I saw how you presented yourself with Taylor Bellini, and I’m confident you can handle yourself without me.” Tyler said, walking past her, and the guy followed him. “You don’t need me, and I hope to have your lab by next week. This is my partner, Dylan Knight. We have a dinner appointment in the lobby in an hour, and he’s tagging along with me.”
Dylan extended his hand with a kind smile on his pearly white teeth, and Zuri determined that this man made himself small around Tyler, but she could understand it, since Tyler looked irritated by the air around him. A usual contenance for the brash lawyer.
Tyler formally introduced her. “Dylan, this is Zuri Princess Carter.”
Dylan’s face dropped. “Carter? Are you any relation to Amos Carter or Sherrie Carter?”
“Those names don’t ring a bell. My father was an only child, and my mother only had a few family members,” she explained. “And my father actually took her last name over his name.”
“What? How did that happen?” Tyler questioned.
“I remember his mother being furious, and she stopped speaking to my parents when my father refused to reverse what he had done. It didnโt even matter that I was her only grandchild, either. Thatโs how angry she was, and she never contacted me, even after my father died. Iโd tried to contact her after the funeral, but she never returned any of my calls or letters. Later, I found out that his mother was even more angry because my father couldn’t be buried with the rest of the family, but I really think my father wanted that.”
“So what is your real father’s last name?”
“It’s Prince,” she answered. “He added my mother’s last name. Because she wouldn’t change hers, she said something about how important her last name was to the only family she had.”
“So you could be some relation to Amos or Sherrie Carter?” Dylan said.
“Who were they?”
“Two awful people,” Tyler growled, shooting his partner a cold look. “But that’s not why we came.” He produced a security card and a gold envelope. “I’ve finalized the four-month contract with Magnum Knight. You will have a full lifetime membership at Gate’s Spa. I worked that in your deal.’
Zuri was shocked. “That’s a lot of money. I don’t have to give it up even after our arrangement is complete?”
“All expenses will be on his tab for the rest of your life. For four months, your grooming will be on his orders; after that, you’ll fill out your profile with new information. That’s what the gold envelope is for. The other one is a security card to his home.”
As Zuri was shocked even more, Dylan looked surprised and hungrily eyed the card. She tucked the card in her chest and put the envelope in her bag.
“He willingly gave that card over to you?” Dylan questioned Tyler.
Tyler looked reluctant to answer, but huffed, “I showed him some pictures of people who we’ve spotted on this floor hanging around a little too long, and he made arrangements for her to stay at the home for her safety and convenience.”
“Stay at his home? With him?” Zuri asked, slightly rattled, wringing her fingers together.
“It’s a private two-bedroom suite with an office on the second floor. I gave it a look around, and it’s even larger than this place, and it’s secure. He has no access, and Lucas will take lodging in the upper garage area. There are two rooms, and he’ll have the outer room that gives him access to come over to you. You’ll also have a private entrance and can park in the back, so you can come and go without bumping into anyone if you prefer. Also, the contract includes a day of rest. Sundays. You may do whatever you wish. And during the day, Lucas can escort you back and forth to the lab starting this Monday. By the time you return from the bank, we’ll have this place packed and delivered over to your place. Lucas has a passcode to the outside of your suite but not the rest of the house.”
Zuri nodded in understanding, but the wariness of being so close to him and having access so readily scared her.
That voice that wasn’t his voice. “You want this!”
The demand pulled at her again, and then she remembered his fingers and what they had done to her body. Moving to the bar, she poured herself a small drink, but she knew this wasn’t going to quench a growing thirst inside of her.
“Your dread is understandable,” Dylan commented, watching her intently, with his eyes drifting to her chest, but she knew he wasn’t sizing her up sexually. That man was drooling over the card she placed there. “He’s not tolerable by anyone, but he’s been like that all his life. I’m just shocked he’s letting you into his home when it’s clear he doesn’t like anyone there. Those pictures must’ve terrified him, but I’ve never thought Magnum to be scared of anyone except FT.”
Tyler sneered quickly to his partner, “Right now, it’s not in her interest to know his fears. Ms. Carter will only have to endure Magnum for a short time, and we both know she’ll never have to cross paths with that even more vile man. Her safety is my only concern, and with Lucas and Magnum, I assure you she’ll be fine.” He seemed to gather himself as if he had lost control. “We’ll leave you alone, Ms. Carter. Lucas will be here soon to escort you to the roof.”
“Wait,” she said. “Should I be worried about those people in the pictures?”
“With Lucas and your new location, there is no way you can be reached,” Tyler assured her. “Dylan, go catch us an elevator.”
When Dylan walked out, Tyler said, “You’ll be fine. Just keep your head in this and not your heart. Keep me updated on your progress with your father’s work and on any work you take on for Ms. Bellini’s project. Iโve also worked with your school, and the work you do in the lab will go towards the credits you need. Your professor approved my request just this afternoon. I’ve started a lab journal, and he and I will be checking in on it regularly.”
“Thank you, Tyler.”
“Don’t thank me yet. It’s an investment for me, and I expect results soon.” Tyler looked again to make sure Dylan was heading for the elevators, then spoke to her in a low voice. “Understand this is only for four months, Zuri. You will not get your emotions involved. This is a means to an end, and once this is over, it’s over.”
“Why do I feel this is a warning?”
“Because Manum Knight isn’t the type of man you imagine running off into a happily ever after. He’s not meant for that. Use him and get as far away from him as possible once this is over.”
“That’s my plan.”
Tyler seemed appeased by her response. “One last thing. I added a clause in the contract that if any harm comes to you by his hands or by his fault, you will be allowed to breach the contract, report to the police, and he will owe you three million dollars in compensation, along with payment for any hospital or therapy bills.”
Zuri began to get alarmed. “What are you telling me, Mr. Black?”
“Only this. Protect your heart, mind, and body from getting involved with Magnum Knight for the long haul.”
The elevator signaled its arrival, and Tyler promptly left without another word.
She knew she would never get involved with another man, not after Rodney.
This whole endeavor with Mangnum was to take her mind off her current issues, spoil her, and care for her until she could care for herself, and to enjoy herself without guilt with a very sexy, wealthy man. True, it wasnโt what her father would approve of, and since being dragged from her horrible past by him, Zuri had always tried to live a life he would be proud of her. Still, she felt he would have understood that, under the circumstances, she was trying to do the right thing without slipping back into her former ways.
There was a payment for sex.
It didnโt equal her past. Back in the day, she was not taking money for sex. She was accepting sex to drown out her need for even worse addictions.
Zuri tapped her chest, feeling the key card. The dress came with a small purse she could put her hotel card in, but she also set the other card in it, clutching it tightly in her hand, still feeling the creepy, hungry eyes of Dylan Knight.
Just as she was starting to reach for the drink to calm her nerves, a powerful urge to go to the door hit her, and she walked over and flung open the door to the hotel room, but no one was standing there. The elevator dinged, and she rushed out of her room, getting to the elevator just as the doors were closing, and she saw him.
He was dressed in black jeans and a dark red turtle neck with a black baseball cap low over his head and a wicked smirk on his lips just as the doors to the elevator closed on him.
Her heart was racing, but not because she had run. That look. That hot, intense look in his eyes, complemented by that wicked look, shook her core, and she almost wanted to run up the stairs to follow the elevator up, but no…
The elevator was going down.
She pondered following it. Everything inside of her wanted to.
“You want this.”
What the hell was happening to her?
Get back in your room!
Zuri was glad she hadn’t set her purse down and could get back into the suite.
Forcing herself to concentrate on finishing up her makeup, she had to pause to take several deep breaths as the time came closer to date night.
Why would he come to her door? How had she sensed him? He hadn’t knocked or made any noise, but everything in her body told her he was out there.
How?
Lucas knocked at the appropriate time, and she greeted him. It was on her mind to speak to him about the hallway incident until she saw the beautiful dark-blue silk cloak with a black mink collar he presented.
“It’s a cool night, and I was instructed to make sure you wore this,” he said.
Zuri caressed the material, loving its feel, before putting it on. “It’s beautiful.”
“As unfriendly as he seems, he seems to know what he’s doing.”
“You spoke to him?” she asked, feeling a little jealous that Magnum didn’t contact her directly.
“No. He sends text messages to me.”
Zuri tried not to feel left out as they took the elevator to the roof access door.
“I could have gotten up here by myself,” she said.
“You could have, but I don’t think you’re safe alone, Zuri. From the way Mr. Black states, I don’t think your mother and ex-fiancรฉe mean anything good for you.”
Zuri huffed. “I think I can handle myself if I bump into them.”
“My momma used to say, all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk. Let me handle your safety, miss.”
Feeling Lucas was taking his job a little too seriously, Zuri appeased him, saying, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
He walked her to the access door, but stopped there. “Have a good night.”
“Thank you, Lucas.” She walked out of the door and saw a path of roses that led her around a corner to a dining set up lit up with candles. Soft music played from somewhere, and the night was cool, so the cloak was somewhat needed.
No one was around, but there were roses all over the roof in their area, and she wondered if she should take a picture of this.
Quickly pulling her phone from her purse, she captured the moment, then noticed the note on the table.
Go to the edge where the petals end and stand there holding on to the rail. Do not turn around or speak.
Zuri shivered even though the cloak gave her the warmth she needed, but she was far from cold.
Following the flower path to the edge of the hotel roof, there was a cooper waist-high rail. She was looking out towards downtown Detroit, and in the darkness could almost see the Detroit River with the lights from even Canada on the horizon.
It was a beautiful night, and Zuri really didn’t know what to expect.
As instructed, she placed her hands on the railing, taking a deep breath and opening herself to whatever was going to happen. She gasped as a thick arm moved around her waist and his body pressed behind her. He didn’t have the shirt that she had seen on the elevator. He wore a white dress shirt with silver cuffs bearing his initials, MK.
His other hand moved down to the side of her leg, where the split in the dress began.
Zuri had been in mid-inhale and immediately expelled his breath as the warmth of his body from behind enveloped her.
Remembering the note, she zipped her lips closed and waited for his next move, excited for what was to come.
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…Enjoy. Happy Reading. Your author, Sylvia Hubbard
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- Companion Books
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- Blackโs Innocence
- Sinโs Iniquity
- The Other Side of Love (WIP)
- Tannerโs Devil
- Dreams of Reality
- Emperors Addiction / Heart
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