Part 4 (1/2)

A hand on the back of her neck caused her to flinch. She turned around swiftly and grabbed the hand tightly, prepared for a fight.

”Rachel, it's just me,” Prince said.

She exhaled as she walked into his chest and rested her head against it. ”Oh my G.o.d. You scared me,” she whispered.

Just that quickly, an inclination to take a life had come back to her, but when she realized it was only her husband, she calmed down. She knew the emptiness that came along with committing that type of crime. It had taken her so long to fill her soul and truly live again. Once she went back to her old ways, she wasn't sure if she would make it out. Rachel Coleman would die in the world that Aries used to dwell in.

”You're trembling. What's wrong?” Prince asked.

”I just had a bad dream. I can't sleep,” she lied as she squeezed him tightly. ”Just hold me.”

His warm embrace did nothing to ease her heart, and as they made their way back into their bedroom, her senses were on full alert. Every little noise made the hairs on the back of her neck stand tall. ”I'm going to get Tre,” she said. ”I want him in here with us tonight.”

Prince lay back in their bed and mumbled an okay as Aries left the room. She peeked in on their son and then bypa.s.sed his room momentarily so that she could check the rest of the house.

It was pitch black in the Caribbean home, and she turned on no lights. She knew her house better than anyone else, so if someone was inside of it, the darkness would work to her advantage. She no longer owned a gun, and made a mental note to purchase one as soon as possible.

Aries crept to the kitchen and reached into her knife block, running her hands over the many knives until she located the large chef's knife. She paused in silence as she listened to the sounds of her house. She heard many sounds. The creak of the air conditioning as it turned on, the sound of the wind causing her white picket fence to open and close on its own: These were all sounds that were familiar to her. She was trying to decipher anything that sounded out of place.

When she was sure that nothing was moving inside, she turned on the lights. She went from room to room with the knife ready, but found nothing. She sighed in relief. I'm tripping, she thought. No one is here.

She retreated to the second floor and grabbed her son out of his bed. She took him into her bedroom, where Prince was snoring loudly. He slept so comfortably, completely oblivious to the sudden threat that had entered their lives.

She tucked the knife beneath her mattress and lay down with her son in her arms. She kept him near as her eyes scanned the room. She couldn't relax, not when she knew that her enemies were so close.

She had to make this problem disappear, and she knew that it meant returning to L.A. to repay a debt to her old friend Case.

Chapter Four.

Aries watched Prince dress for work and dreaded what she was about to do. She was tired of lying just to survive. No matter how hard she tried to live her life the right way, wrong had a way of finding her. In order to keep up one lie, she had to tell another lie, and another and another. It was all too much to remember, but at this point there was no turning things around. Aries was so far removed from the truth that not even she knew what it was anymore.

Aries smiled as she watched the love of her life struggle with his tie, and she stood up to help him. Her short silk robe hugged her wide hips as she walked over and reached up to adjust it for him.

”What would I do without you?” he asked playfully as he stood tall while she dressed him. She tied his tie and then grabbed his jacket, holding it out for him so that he could slip his arms inside.

”You'll never have to think about that,” she replied, hoping that it was true.

”I think I need to go back to the States for a while, Prince,” she said, throwing out the bait.

”For what? You just came back, Rachel. We may as well move back there you're back and forth so much,” he stated with displeasure.

”It's my mother. She's not getting any better, and she needs me. It won't be too long. The doctor says she won't live long, and I just want to be there with her. No one should have to die alone, Prince. Besides, I'm her daughter. I just need to go be with her,” Aries said, pleading her case so convincingly that her eyes pooled with emotion. Little did Prince know Aries had been a motherless child since she was a young girl.

Prince sighed as he felt sympathy for his wife. ”How long will you be gone?” he asked.

”I'm not sure. As long as it takes,” she responded. ”Hopefully she will go peacefully and in a few weeks I'll be back home. I wish that I could take you with me, but you have work and I don't want Tre to see her like that.”

”It's not like she'll want to see either of us anyway. She never approved of our marriage from the beginning,” Prince stated. ”Now you want to go away to her aid without telling me when you will be back. That's a lot to ask for a woman I've never met.”

Aries had told Prince that she and her mother had never seen eye to eye. He was under the impression that her mother disapproved of their relations.h.i.+p. ”What type of mother is she? She doesn't even want to meet your husband and child,” he snapped.

”She's the only mother I've got,” Aries defended. She sighed and wrapped her arms around Prince's neck and then kissed his neck sensually. ”Please, baby. I promise you that after this trip I will be all yours. You and Tre will be my only priority after I handle this last thing.”

Prince couldn't resist his woman and easily gave in. ”Okay. We'll be here waiting for you. Just make sure you don't let another man have any of what's mine,” he said as he put his finger in her mouth and then toyed between her thighs.

She was wet and more than willing to please him, but he was running late. He sighed, knowing that he couldn't stop to put his woman to bed. He had a very important meeting to get to and pulled away from her. ”I'ma handle that when I get home. When do you need to leave?” he asked her.

”As soon as possible. I'll probably book the first flight leaving out tomorrow morning,” she answered.

Prince shook his head, not really wanting to see her go, and said, ”Handle everything that you need to handle, Rachel. I want you home with me and our son. No more trips overseas after this. After you bury your mother, bury all of the baggage that keeps pulling you back there.”

”Okay,” she answered. Aries had no intention of leaving things undone this time around. She was going back for the last time. She was going to make sure of it.

Chapter Five.

Macy Sigel waved at the crowd of people as he stepped off of the stage. His tailored suit and diamond cufflinks added to his natural charm and attractive appearance. The people loved him, and he had the hearts of the entire city. Little did they know that he was once one of the most successful drug lords that Los Angeles had ever seen. The event was held in the convention center and the place was jam-packed. He had just delivered a speech and received a standing ovation from the community's patrons. The rally was held to stop the violence and growing drug problem in the city. Macy's bodyguards waited for him at the bottom of the steps, all of them draped in all black with black shades.

”The car is waiting for you in the back, sir,” one of the bodyguards said as they made their way through the crowd and toward the back exit.

Macy waved as he disappeared into the back. As soon as he got out of view of the public, his smile turned into a serious glare, and one of his bodyguards handed him one of his Cuban cigars, his favorite. Macy lit it up and took a drag. He loosened his tie and dipped into the limo that was waiting near the back door.

He was accompanied by five bodyguards; all of them were strapped liked the al-Qaeda and ready to pop off at any suspicious person who ran up. Macy's past life made him a moving target, and he knew that security was a must. At one point, Macy was deep in the drug game, and a lot of people felt that he owed them something. Macy understood that and took extreme precaution in protecting himself and his family.

He looked down at his Rolex and noticed that it was nearing six o' clock. It was his fifteen-year anniversary, and he had a special dinner planned for his wife and himself. He instructed the driver to head to the private venue where the party was being held, and just like that, they were on their way.

Fatima Sigel smiled as she watched her husband and his entourage enter the ballroom. Macy's close friends and some of his business a.s.sociates filled the room along with Fatima's friends and family. They were all there to celebrate their anniversary, and the place was extravagant, to say the least. Champagne- and gold-colored decor laced the venue, and the sound of smooth R&B pumped out of the speakers. Expensive champagne flowed into fluted gla.s.ses as the waiters kept no hand empty. It was a great mood for what was to be a joyous celebration.

Macy and Fatima locked eyes as Macy made his way over to her table. Along the way, Macy was stopped by various people giving him handshakes and small talk, but he quickly made his way to his beautiful wife.

”Happy anniversary, sweetheart,” Macy said in his low baritone as he bent over and kissed Fatima on her forehead.

”Hey, baby,” she said as she smiled and watched him as he took a seat next to her.

”I didn't see Boomer. Where is he?” Macy said, referring to their eighteen-year-old son.

”I don't know,” Fatima answered as she looked down at her watch. ”He definitely should be here by now. He promised me that he would come. I don't know about that boy sometimes,” Fatima said as she shook her head and was noticeably disappointed.

”Look, don't worry about that. Let's dance,” Macy suggested as he tried to take her mind off of their son not showing up to the event. He smiled and stood up as he extended his hand for her.

”Sure. I would love to,” Fatima accepted as she grabbed his hand and headed for the dance floor.

Macy held his wife close, and he could smell her sweet perfume as he pulled her close. He looked at her with his piercing eyes and released a warm smile.

”How was the rally?” Fatima asked as she wrapped her arms around Macy's neck and slowly two-stepped to the sounds of R. Kelly.