Part 15 (1/2)

”Okay.”

”Dior, be strong. I love you don't ever doubt that.”

”I love you too, baby.”

That night I dreamed about getting out and being with Dior again. I promised myself that I would never take her for granted or make her feel that my love for her wasn't real. Going through this bulls.h.i.+t made me realize what was truly important. I had so much and was this close to losing it all because of bad decisions. But I had no doubt I would beat the case and be back home to Dior.

The next day, the first opportunity I got I called Dior. I told her I would and I knew she was already feeling insecure about our relations.h.i.+p. I didn't want to put anymore doubt in her head.

”Hi, Lorenzo, I was hoping you would call.”

”Who is this?” the woman's voice sounded so muzzled I couldn't recognize it.

”Courtney.”

”Oh hey, Courtney. Can I speak to Dior?”

”Dior isn't here.”

”She stepped out, when will she be back?”

”She's not coming back. Dior died last night.”

”What did you just say?”

”Dior died of a drug overdose last night. When I came over early this morning, I found her body.” There was a long pause and I could hear Courtney crying. ”I'm sorry. I've been trying to hold it together. I've been crying off and on for hours and I thought I was done. But telling you...” her voice trailed off and I heard more sobbing. While she was crying it was hard for me to process what I was hearing. I had just seen Dior's beautiful face yesterday and now she was gone. What Courtney was saying seemed surreal to me. ”Lorenzo, are you still there?”

”Yes.” Was the only word I was able to say.

”I'm so sorry you had to find out like this. I know you loved her and so did I. She was everything I wanted to be. But now I don't want this anymore. I'm going back to school because I want a regular life. Fame killed her, Lorenzo. Without you being here she couldn't handle it.”

I couldn't listen anymore to what Courtney was saying. My mind was blown and my heart felt like it stopped beating and I had died. I fell to the floor and just cried. I remembered as a child, when my mother left me I'd promised myself, I would never cry over another woman again. I guess that's why they tell you, never say never because I knew for the rest of my life I would shed many more tears over losing Dior.

The End Dear Readers: What's up everybody! I'm super excited about the release of b.i.t.c.h A New Beginning which will officially drop in July. I know some of my readers might've been confused with how all of my books intertwine. In Trife Life To Lavish part 2, I brought all the characters together to prepare you for the new chapter of my b.i.t.c.h Series. So in case you haven't read everything, I've put the first chapter of Trife Life To Lavish part 2 in here with the Epilogue for Aaliyah. Hopefully this will allow readers to somewhat get caught up as we prepare for b.i.t.c.h A New Beginning! If it doesn't help, you still have time to go out and read all the books. I hope you enjoy and I can't wait for you to find out what Aaliyah has gotten herself into. Until then, SMOOCHES!!.

IN STORES NOW.

Trife Life To Lavish

Eye On The Prize

Chapter 1.

Arnez stood in the impressive penthouse suite, gazing out the 34th floor view of Times Square. He extracted a Zino Platinum Crown Series Rocket from the sleek metal tube, and then trimmed the end before firing it up with a palm-sized blowtorch lighter covered in silver reptile skin. He exhaled a cloud of smoke as a smile crept across his face.

”It is so lovely to see you again Genevieve,” Arnez smirked, admiring the ma.s.sive billboard she graced in the heart of Times Square. ”We have so much catching up to do, since the last time I saw you.”

Arnez walked over to the plush white couch in the center of the exotic wood floor and sat down before lifting up his gla.s.s of Sa.s.sicaia, the great Italian wine off the coffee table and taking a sip. He let out a deep sigh placing his wine gla.s.s down and then picked up the manila folder off the table. He opened it up and stared at the pictures of Genevieve that the private investigator he hired had given him earlier in the week. For the first time in months Arnez had a tangible lead on his prized target and he had no intentions of letting her slip through his fingers.

”Yes, Genevieve, I believe our reunion is long overdue,” Arnez said, before depositing his ashes across her face.

”Genesis, if we don't leave shortly we're going to miss our flight.”

”I understand that, but I have to wait here for this delivery. Maybe it's best you go ahead without me. I can take a flight out tonight or tomorrow morning.”

”I don't want to take the flight without you. We'll wait together.” Coco turned away from Genesis as she huffed, not wanting him to see her disdain.

”Finally!” Genesis said when he heard the doorbell. He anxiously made his way to the front door. The FedEx carrier greeted him with a smile and a pen as Genesis signed for the priority overnight envelope. He had practically ripped open the package before the door had completely closed.

”What is that?” CoCo was beyond curious to know what had Genesis' attention so occupied. And for that very reason he either ignored CoCo's question or just didn't hear it because whatever papers he was looking over had his interest on lock.

”This is it! I was expecting so much more...f.u.c.k!” Genesis roared, tossing the papers to the floor.

”Are you going to tell me what's going on?” CoCo asked, trying to quickly pick up the papers just in case Genesis decided he immediately wanted them back.

”This private investigator I hired to find my sister and mother said he came across some great information for me. I'm thinking he was close to finding their whereabouts but all this information is from over ten years ago, when they were living in Charlotte, North Carolina. This ain't no recent s.h.i.+t!”

”Wait, Genesis, did you see this?”

”See what?”

”Look,” CoCo reached her hand out to Genesis. ”When I was putting the papers back in the envelope I noticed this picture, it was kinda stuck in the corner.”

”A picture, I was pulling the papers out so fast I must've overlooked it.” Genesis took the picture out of CoCo's hand and was silent for a few minutes. He examined every inch of the picture and then turned it over and the names, 'Kevon, Genevieve and Teresa' were written on the back.

”Genesis are you okay?”

”This is my mother and sister. It's an old picture but it's them. Genevieve can't be no more than six or seven, and my mother,” Genesis said with a slight whisper to his voice as his finger traced over her face. This must be the man she married,” he reasoned, sizing up Kevon.

Genesis sat down on the sofa, clutching the picture. It was the first image he had seen of his family since the last time his mother came to see him at the juvenile facility when Genevieve was only a baby. Having something concrete in his hands once again brought Genesis hope that one day soon he would be reunited with his family and he wouldn't give up until that happened.

”Supreme, we really need to go.”