Just yesterday, I was scrolling down one of my social timelines, when a particular post jumped out at me. One my newest Facebook friends posted a status that read, “Every good writer should also be a good researcher.” And I couldn’t agree more. Here’s why.

I think we can all agree that before you do anything you must – Do. Your. RESEARCH! I can’t stress it enough. This little piece of advice can be applied to just about every aspect of life, but when it comes to filling in the details of your storyline, the need can be obvious – especially if you’re inspiration stems from another time period, culture, or country. In order for the story to make sense then it’s important these descriptions are accurate throughout. Not only could careless mistakes take away from your credibility as a writer, once readers pick up on the inconsistencies in your work, they won’t be afraid to point them out.

I believe this is why many authors suggest, “Write what you know.” And I get it. They figure if you lived it, then it might translate as authentic. However, I don’t think this has to limit your creativity. The freedom you are granted as a writer can be a beautiful thing, and I want to encourage everyone to take full advantage of it. I am simply suggesting that before you try to play doctor or private investigator, you do your job as a writer first. That if you are still inspired to delve into the unfamiliar, you take the time to make your story believable. Often times, the details are what make whatever world you create feel real and true-to-life. That need for an escape is what sucks readers in.

But not only does this helpful tidbit apply to details within your storyline the same can be said for business associates. Over the years, the internet has made it easier to hide people’s true intentions behind a computer screen. Unfortunately, some of those same people have decided to pose as book reviewers, literary agents, editors, and even publishers looking to steal your hard earned money right along with your dreams.

Social media has become a key player in the game of deception, and they have used it to take advantage of those who chose to skip this crucial step. That is why is it up to you to determine how many of these so-called literary professionals have credentials to back up their titles? How many years have they invested in the business? Who do they work for? What have they accomplished? How can they help you reach your goals? Once you ask yourself these questions, it shouldn’t take long to sort out a trumped up biography from an actual resume.

So when looking to take your work to the next level, realize that word of mouth only goes so far, and that when it comes to writing books, you can’t cheat the work. Before you commit to any partnership, seek testimonials. Ask for references on and off the web. Because even though, the internet provides a wealth of information, it’s up to you what to do with it.

So it happened. You got your first one-star review and now you’re totally questioning your ability as a writer. You might even feel like writing is a waste of time. You may even start to wonder if you should put the pen down for good.

Believe it or not, I have shared some of these same thoughts. Since the release of my first independent project, Love, Lies & Consequences (The Fast Life Sequel), I have received quite a few positive reviews (Thank you) and some NOT so positive reviews (Thank you, too).

Take Tuesday morning for example. The first thing I did when I woke up was check on the status of my book. I was excited when I saw I had a new review on Amazon . . . Until I saw it was only one star. As you can imagine, my excitement turned to concern as I sat up to digest their comments. Their feedback was disappointing to say the least.
In the midst of my whining, I realized I had two options – I could sit there and harp over it for the rest of the day. Or I could use it as an opportunity to help others (as well as myself), learn how to cope.

It can be hard not to take bad reviews personal – even though they rarely are. After all this is your “baby” we’re talking about, and no one wants to hear someone criticize their “baby.” So when the big bad bully shows up at the playground, trying to push you around, it’s easy to understand why you feel the urge to protect your work or even defend it, however, there is no need to.

Personally, I dread seeing anything below a 3, but either way I’ve learned to be thankful. In fact, I’ve come to welcome constructive criticism because often times, people will rate the book, but they won’t give a reason why. So when they do care enough to tell you that your characters are “stupid, shallow, immature, etc.” don’t let it discourage you. Use it to improve.

In my opinion, bad reviews should motivate you just as much as good ones do – if not more. Because truth is, not everyone is going to like your book (no matter how bad you might want them to). It’s also important to understand that nothing is ever perfect. You will make mistakes, and that is okay. Over time your writing will grow and mature, which is something I hope to do, personally as well as professionally. Some days, I have to remind myself I am only 25. This is only my third book. In a lot of ways, I am still just getting started.

But regardless of ratings and reviews, at the end of the day, I can say I did my job as an author. They read it. They reacted. Which means I did something right. And being new to the indie side of the industry I take great pride in that.
And let’s face it. Every author has bad reviews. No matter how many bestsellers you write, guess what? It still does not guarantee 5 star ratings! And while I could spend all day comparing percentages, I won’t. Because that’s not really what this is about. One review doesn’t determine your success unless you let it.

So the next time you find yourself questioning your future as a writer, fear not. We are our own worst critics, are we not?

My Dearest Dreamers <3

Here we are. Exactly one month into a new year full of promise and potential. Those of you who welcomed 2014 with resolutions toward a better you and a better future may already be feeling positive changes taking effect. And while others started out with the best intentions, we all know how easy it is to get distracted by life’s many challenges. However, do not be discouraged. It is never too late to re-commit to your passion!

“Love, Lies & Consequences” February 2014

For everyone who got hooked on my sample chapters, not only do I want to thank you for accompanying me on this journey, I am proud to announce the official release of my first independent project has been set for next month! Love, Lies & Consequences will be available Friday, February 21, 2014 (my 25^th birthday)! In the meantime, I transferred *updated* chapters to Wattpad, where I will continue to post new material, including a third installment in the Fast Life series

With that being said, I hope to exercise the same discipline I did in regards to my writing to blogging as well. Through increased dedication and restructuring, I plan to re-focus on the purpose of this blog: doing what you love and motivating others to do the same. I was only 18 when I started my career. Since then, I have received many tweets, Facebook messages, and emails, asking about the writing/publishing process so I am eager to share my experience as a young authoress. Going forward you can expect to find more helpful articles and better networking opportunities. In addition to exclusive interviews, 16dreams will also feature guest bloggers so we can hear straight from the experts themselves!

Since its launch in November 2012, 16dreams has been viewed in over 50 different countries around the world and counting! Thank you all for your continued support! I appreciate every subscriber and every comment, and I hope every day brings you one step closer to making your dreams a reality!

Much Success,

Cassandra Carter

My Dearest Dreamers <3

Here we are. Exactly one month into a new year full of promise and potential. Those of you who welcomed 2014 with resolutions toward a better you and a better future may already be feeling positive changes taking effect. And while others started out with the best intentions, we all know how easy it is to get distracted by life’s many challenges. However, do not be discouraged. It is never too late to re-commit to your passion!

“Love, Lies & Consequences” February 2014

For everyone who got hooked on my sample chapters, not only do I want to thank you for accompanying me on this journey, I am proud to announce the official release of my first independent project has been set for next month! Love, Lies & Consequences will be available Friday, February 21, 2014 (my 25^th birthday)! In the meantime, I transferred *updated* chapters to Wattpad, where I will continue to post new material, including a third installment in the Fast Life series

With that being said, I hope to exercise the same discipline I did in regards to my writing to blogging as well. Through increased dedication and restructuring, I plan to re-focus on the purpose of this blog: doing what you love and motivating others to do the same. I was only 18 when I started my career. Since then, I have received many tweets, Facebook messages, and emails, asking about the writing/publishing process so I am eager to share my experience as a young authoress. Going forward you can expect to find more helpful articles and better networking opportunities. In addition to exclusive interviews, 16dreams will also feature guest bloggers so we can hear straight from the experts themselves!

Since its launch in November 2012, 16dreams has been viewed in over 50 different countries around the world and counting! Thank you all for your continued support! I appreciate every subscriber and every comment, and I hope every day brings you one step closer to making your dreams a reality!

Much Success,

Cassandra Carter

CHAPTER 19

 Justin held onto his hardhat when he entered the shell of what was going to be the newest Hartwell resort, The Lilliana. In addition to the sound of power drills and electric saws, contractors shouted orders from every direction. Electricians weaved wires together, bringing light to each fixture. Masons laid the marble floors while carpenters sanded their carvings into the woodwork, shaping its personality. It seemed as though their vision was finally coming to life . . . Until one of the architects came storming past him, cursing in another language. He tore his own work to shreds.

“Here are the duplicate permits you said you needed. There’s a back-up on file just in case.” Justin added the documents to his brother’s messy desk. “Whatever you said sure pissed him off. . .” he commented.

“If he wants to quit then let him!” Quentin sent the papers flying and waited for them to settle.

Justin didn’t flinch. He knew not to take his outbursts personally. Whenever Quentin was under a lot of stress, he took it out on those around him. It didn’t matter who it was. If something wasn’t done the way Quentin wanted it done, everyone had to hear about it. Much like their father, he had no tolerance for a mistake.

Quentin wasn’t above belittling his employees with snide remarks or letting them go on the spot. And he would do so in front of everyone, just to make an example of them. In the months they spent working together on The Lilliana, Justin never once heard him say, “Good job.” or “Nice work.” There was no such thing as a day off.  

“That’s like . . . the third one this month,” Justin counted.

“Our guests expect the ultimate five-star experience when they walk through those doors! It is our job to deliver!” Quentin unrolled the blueprint to compare them against their composite sketches. Justin followed his finger as he pointed out a series of red markings.

“He needs to tweak his design here, here, and here. I’m not asking for much! I mean, really!” Quentin flicked the paper before Justin took it off his hands.

“I see what you’re saying, but why can’t we stick with the original? You’re looking at another six to eight weeks worth of work if we go that route, which would set us behind,” he cautioned.

“Our name is on this!” Quentin fussed. “We have standards to live up to!”

“Look, all this extra stuff is nice, but it would put us way over budget, and I’m sure our investors wouldn’t be too happy about that. . .”  Justin held his position.

“Then what do you suggest?” Quentin showed signs of irritation before he even heard his answer.

“I say we capitalize upon what we already have. You’re just going to have to make the best of it,” Justin took a deep breath. “If I were you, I would-”

“Save that thought,” Quentin interjected. “I need to speak with you . . . in private.” He motioned toward his mobile office, leaving Justin no choice but to follow him. 

“I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been meaning to ask you about something. . .” Quentin hung his hardhat on his way to the kitchenette. From the outside, the trailer looked similar to those found on any construction site. But inside, it was designed to be as plush as the hotel they were building.

“Sure man, what’s up?” Justin perched himself on one of the bar stools. 

“What’s been going on with you lately?” Quentin retrieved two water bottles from the fridge and handed one off.

“I’m not sure I know what you mean?” Justin shifted under his brother’s critical stare. Even with the luxury of air conditioning, he couldn’t stop sweating.

“Eden called me. She said you’ve been acting strange: staying out until wee hours of the morning, sometimes not coming home until the next day. . .” Quentin twisted the cap and took a sip.

“I told her it was probably just a case of the pre-wedding jitters.” He shrugged. “Although I must admit I have my own suspicions. . .” All of sudden, Quentin’s eye began to twitch. “You’re seeing Kyra again, aren’t you?”

His question fall flat. Kyra was the one subject neither one of them wanted to touch.

“Aw, shit. Here we go again. . .” Justin mumbled under his breath. He knew what Quentin was going to say before he even said it.

“Damn it, Justin! Now even I’m convinced that bitch got you whipped!” he erupted. “When are you going to leave that girl alone? Hate to say it but Dad was right,” he snickered.

“Look, we’re both grown. I think Kyra and I are old enough to make our own decisions,” Justin noted.

“Yeah, and I’m telling you you’re not making a very good one!” Quentin paused to let his words sink in. “Think about it, Justin. What does Kyra stand to lose in all of this?”

Justin continued to avoid his stare and his questions, forcing him to jump back in and take control of the conversation again. 

“Exactly!” Quentin’s conclusion was matter-of-fact. 

“Don’t worry about me. I got this. I know what I’m doing,” Justin spoke with such confidence, but there was no convincing Quentin. 

“Justin, she will only continue to bring you down,” he argued. “Getting shot wasn’t indicative enough for you? If not, what will it take? I need to know!” 

“You make it sound like Kyra tried to kill me herself!” Justin stood up in her defense. “We were in the wrong place at the wrong time! No one was supposed to get hurt!”

“How do you know it wasn’t a set up? Maybe it was really you who was supposed to get robbed that night?” Quentin surmised.

Justin shook his head. He wouldn’t even entertain the thought.

“That’s what you think but how do you know?” Quentin pressed.

“Because I was there,” Justin chipped in. “Plus, you don’t know Kyra like I do. She wouldn’t do me like that.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. I don’t think any of us knew Kyra as well as we thought we did,” Quentin slipped in another bitter comment before the bottle touched his lips.

“Kyra’s not this mean-spirited person y’all try to make her out to be. We talked about happened, and she feels really bad about it, you know.”

“And she should!” Quentin’s eyes looked like they might pop out of his head. “She’s the one who got you into that mess in the first place!” he screamed.

“Fuck you, Quentin! Why are you always bringing up old shit?” Justin fumed. “That shit happened how many years ago? Things are different now. . .”

“Oh! I get it! That’s all it was! A big misunderstanding,” Quentin peppered his sentence with sarcasm. “You’ll believe anything she tells you, won’t you?” he scoffed.

“I don’t care what you say. You can’t keep me from seeing her,” Justin rebelled.

“I don’t even see why this is such an issue for you! You should be so angry with her you shouldn’t even want to see her!” Quentin yelled.

“Because I still love her, all right. . .” Justin met his brother eye-to-eye. Quentin was seething.

“Justin, I swear if you go back to her -”

“What are you going to do? Tell on me? Go ahead. Tell whoever you need to.” Justin put his chin up causing Quentin to clench his jaw. If Justin weren’t his brother, he would’ve punched him in his, but he knew his tongue would cause more damage than his fists ever could. 

“I just don’t get it, Justin. Make me understand what it is you love about Kyra oh-so-much? It doesn’t bother you that she left to be with another man?” Quentin took another swing at his pride. The hurt on Justin’s face let him know his words connected.

“Whatever, I don’t have to explain myself to you or anybody!” he insisted. “I know what’s real and that’s all that matters!”

“So you still can’t explain how you almost died chasing her ass half-way across the globe after she done ran off at a moment’s notice with some rude boy; some lowlife drug dealer who ‘just so happened’ to be her ex?” Quentin’s eyes looked like slits.

“Justin! She led you right into that shit!” he flared. “And I hate to be the one to break it to you, but technically, you ran away. I don’t know where you get off with these outrageous claims about Mom and Dad cutting you off and putting you out? They have been nothing short of supportive! We all have!”

“I did not ‘runaway’! I was going to come back! Matter of fact, I tried to come home! But because of them, I was stranded! Dad held my money for three years, while Mom sat there and let him! That makes her almost as bad as him!”

“When are you going to stop trying to throw blame around here? You did this to yourself!” Quentin put an end to his whining when he invaded his personal space.

“You left when they were out of town! They come home and nobody’s seen you. No one knew where you were or what happened to you. You didn’t tell anyone where you were going. Not even me! The least you could’ve done was called and filled me in on what the fuck was going on!” he scolded.

“And you had the nerve to take Michael with you? You chose him to hold you down over your own brother?”

Justin threw his hands up in the air.

“I already told you Mike wasn’t supposed to come! Besides, if you came instead, that would’ve put you in the same predicament as me. True?”

“No, had I been there nothing would have happened!” Quentin argued.

“And what were you going to do, Quentin? Save the day?” Justin laughed. “You sound stupid.”

“Yeah, well . . . I would’ve never let it come to this.” Quentin’s passion ran dry.

“You think I went there knowing everything was going to turn out like this? Not really! So you can stop rubbing my mistake in my face any day now, okay? I’m sorry! Damn! How many times do I have to say it?” Justin huffed some more.

“Look, Justin, try to understand Mom and Dad don’t want to see you throw your future away over some girl. Neither do I . . .  We’re just trying to protect you. . .”

“Thanks, but I don’t need you to protect me. I can take care of myself.” Justin straightened his shoulders. After almost being outcast from the only world he had ever known, and practically disowned by his parents, he had grown used to facing his problems alone.

“Imagine the sensationalism had someone gotten word of what really happened that night,” Quentin continued. “The media would’ve torn you – and Kyra – apart had they heard the real story. We would’ve had reporters from every news network swarming the island asking for an interview. . . 

Is that what you would have wanted? Paparazzi waiting to question you the moment you step out the door? Hiding in the bushes just to get a picture of you and your floozy little girlfriend?” He grimaced.

“You’re right. Maybe it would’ve been better if I had just died in Chicago? Then you wouldn’t have to worry about me or my problems!”

Quentin looked stunned by his tantrum.

“You take that back!” he demanded.

“Why? You know it’s true!”

“Justin, you have to understand, when we almost lost you, everything changed. You changed!” Quentin’s hostility was slowly rising.

“You’re telling me? Dad barely even talks to me, and look at you. You’ve got it made!”

“Look, I know you might not see it this way, but Mom and Dad did you a favor sending you to rehab when they did,” Quentin’s tone went cold. “You needed more help than any of us could give.”

“A favor,” Justin laughed. “They sent me away so they didn’t have to deal with me,” he stated.

“The last thing you needed was to have complete strangers poking around in your personal affairs, following you wherever you go, dissecting your every move . . .  every decision! Exposing every aspect of your life you had hoped to keep secret, all for the sake of a good story; for someone else’s entertainment! Your life would’ve been on display for the whole world to see – and judge.”

“Oh, come on!” Justin laughed off his exaggeration, but Quentin refused to let up.

“I’m serious, Justin! Do you have any idea how that headline would have read: ‘HARTWELL HEIR WOUNDED IN BOTCHED DRUG DEAL’? God only knows. You read the tabloids,” he grunted. 

“Why are you always so worried about what other people have to say?” Justin cocked his head in curiosity. “Who cares what they think. This is my life! I have a right to do what makes me happy!” 

“This isn’t about you, Justin! This is about all of us – as a family!”

“No! No, it’s not!” he sneered. “This isn’t about love or family! It’s about money! It’s always been about money! That’s all any of you care about!”

“If that’s what you think, then you have yet to understand what it means to be a Hartwell, dear brother. We were born into privilege and with that come certain responsibilities. There are certain things we simply cannot do . . .”

“You think I don’t know that?” Justin sighed. He heard the same speech one too many times from his parents. It was like the gift he never asked for. 

Growing up, it seemed like no matter how hard he tried to break free he was ultimately bound by family name and fortune. Most people would assume it would be great to spend their childhood in a mansion, but as he got older the walls that fenced them in started to make it feel more like a prison.

Not much had changed since then. Even as a grown man, Justin still wasn’t allowed to make any decisions for himself. He wasn’t entitled to his opinions. He had no control over anything. It was as though his life had already been mapped out for him. He was simply going through the motions.

“Now you listen to me, Justin. This right here; is not a game. This is serious business,” Quentin whispered. “Our father built this company from the ground up. He’s relying on us to uphold the Hartwell legacy long after he’s gone. Therefore, I need to know I can trust you. I need to know you can be responsible,” he lectured.

“That’s if he doesn’t leave it all to you. It’s no secret you’ve always been his favorite,” Justin flashed his resentment. 

“Whatever, bottom line is, we still have a business to run. Not to mention, you’re getting married in less than a week! Those are the things you need to be thinking about right now! Not some ghetto hoe like Kyra! If you continue to pursue her you could compromise everything!” Quentin gripped him by the shoulder, but his excitement failed to transfer.

“Look, I know you might not want to hear this, but you need to take a long look at your life, J. Seriously. I know this isn’t what you want. It can’t be.”

“I don’t think I know what I want. . .” Justin’s confession came in the form of a hopeless sigh. As much as he loved Kyra and Eden, the island of Prince Paul wasn’t big enough for the both of them. He simply could not have them both.

“You know what you have to do,” Quentin hinted at a solution. “Eden is a great catch. Only a fool would mess that up.”

“Look, even if I do break-up with Kyra now, it won’t make a difference. It’s not like that’s going to change what I’ve done or how I feel,” Justin stressed. He didn’t want to find out what it was like to grow old alone, but he knew that was what was bound to happen if he didn’t make a decision and soon.

“No, but it’s a start. . .  I trust you’ll do the right thing.” Quentin added a pat on the back for encouragement – not that it worked. Each had his own interpretation of the “right” decision when it came to his relationship with Kyra, and they couldn’t be more different.

The problem was Justin couldn’t picture a future without his family or Kyra. It was easy for them to label her as the sole source of all his problems, when really she was the only one who could make him feel like he didn’t have any. And although, marrying Eden would make Justin more valuable in the eyes of his father, that also meant Kyra would be free to marry someone else, and he didn’t like that idea either.

Every glance at the calendar was painful for Justin. With the 16^th rapidly approaching, his doubts were beginning to creep up on him, as was his guilt. He had made a serious commitment when he asked Eden to marry him, and being the man that he was, he felt obligated to keep it. Much like his indiscretions, it was too late to take it back.

“Answer me this. . .” The sound of his brother’s voice stopped Justin from walking out.

“Is she worth it?”

Justin refused to dignify his question with an answer. Much like his love for her, Kyra’s worth was one thing he never felt the need to question . . . Until now.

CHAPTER 18

The following afternoon Kyra made a trip to the capital of Cockburn Town. Hailed as the historical centerpiece of the Turks and Caicos, Grand Turk was the largest island in the chain; boasting a first-class cruise center complete with a 3000-foot pier, in addition to a 19th century lighthouse, and a national museum. The town’s Salt Era charm was preserved in the form of Bermudan-style buildings which had been re-opened as rustic inns or private residences. Most of the government offices, banks, churches, and other commercial buildings were located downtown, although traffic was sparse minus the horses or donkeys roaming the alleys. Sand dusted the main streets. 

White wrought iron framed the glass walls of the public conservatory however, it was the central dome that made it most unique. Nestled in acres of meticulously kept gardens, a colorful array of flowers surrounded the old structure for as far as the eye could see. Exotic birds made their homes amongst the diverse greenery housed in each wing. Butterflies fluttered about.

A plaque outside stated that the conservatory had been built in 1822 by a wealthy salt merchant named Francis Middleton. Sadly, Middleton died of malaria one month before his floral palace was to be completed, but Kyra didn’t stop to read the rest of the story. She bypassed a tour and the gift shop as well.

Hidden behind a pair of sunglasses and a floppy sunhat, Kyra entered the tea room. She stood five inches taller in Giuseppe heels, and the black Chanel piece she had on fit her better than the mannequin. Factor in her wild curls and her favorite lipstick; it was her confidence that was wearing off. 

After the last conversation she and Justin had, Kyra was looking for a little reassurance, but it soon became clear that if she expected to find it there, then she had come to the wrong place.

“Kyra . . .” Eden faked a smile for appearance’s sake. “Care to join me for some tea?” She picked up the teapot, perky as could be.

“Cut the bullshit, Eden. Where is Justin?” Kyra propped one hand on her hip and let the other fall at her side. Eden could sense her dirty looks even though she couldn’t see her eyes.

“He’s not coming. Now, sit.” Her smile was replaced by tight lips. She dropped two sugar cubes into her teacup, and stirred until they were dissolved. When she was done, she rubbed her spoon against the edge, and laid it gently on the saucer. Although the steam rising off of it made it a tempting weapon, it was still too hot to drink.

“This doesn’t concern you, Eden. You need to mind your business,” Kyra lit into her the moment her butt touched the seat.

“In your text, you said you had something important to tell him. And, well, he is my fiancé so yes. I do believe that qualifies as my business.” Eden folded her hands and smiled, yet the look in her eyes said she was ready to flip the table.

The heat between them raised the temperature in the room. 

“What do you want Eden? I didn’t come here for this,” Kyra groaned in annoyance. Out of all the delicious pastries laid out in front of her, she wasn’t tempted to try anything. For all she knew they were poisoned.

“I wanted to let you know that I know.” Eden leaned half-way across the table. “I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s not going to work,” she whispered.

“And what is that?” Kyra laughed louder than she should have.

Several heads turned in their direction.

“Come on, Kyra. I know you don’t really think I’m that stupid. I already know he’s not working late every night he says he is.” For the first time in their conversation Eden looked at Kyra, not as though she was trying to look through her.

“Well maybe if you worried more about him than me you wouldn’t have that problem,” Kyra muttered.

“Oh, please, Kyra. I would consider you more of a pest than a problem.” Eden stuck her pinky out when she took the first sip.

“Does Justin know that you’re here?” Kyra asked.

“Don’t worry about Justin or what he’s doing,” Eden snapped. “I am not about to let you steal my husband!”

“Um, in case you forgot, Justin is not your husband.” Kyra looked at her like she was crazy.  

“Not yet anyway. . .” Eden flaunted her ring. “God, I cannot wait to see the look on your face when you have to call me Mrs. Hartwell!” she teased.

“Yeah, okay. Like that’ll ever happen,” Kyra mumbled.

“You know, I don’t think I like your attitude.”

“That’s okay. Your ‘husband’ likes it enough for the both of you.” After spending just a few minutes with Eden, Kyra seemed to have mastered the art of insulting her with a smile. But instead of cussing her out or making a scene, Eden smiled wider. 

“You know, I am really trying to be nice right now. But you are not making it easy,” she chuckled.

“You act as though you are anywhere near my level, when the only thing you and I have in common is Justin. And even that is temporary.” Eden broke a cookie in half, took a bite, and watched the rest crumble in between her fingers – all the while wishing she could do the same to Kyra.

“So if that’s the case then why don’t you tell him to stop callin’ me? I can’t help if he still checkin’ for me,” Kyra gloated in return. 

“Because I don’t care,” Eden delivered a swift answer. “Just because he fucked you that don’t mean he loves you,” she reasoned.

“And just because he tells you he loves you that doesn’t mean he really does,” Kyra added.

“Then you would be wise to take your own advice,” Eden shot back. “I mean, seriously, Kyra, where is your dignity . . . your self-respect? Clearly, you don’t have any.” 

Kyra folded her arms in defiance.

“Whateva, Eden. I’m not goin’ anywhere. So you might as well get used to me.”  Eden laughed.

“Kyra, sweetie, you don’t want it with me. You need to learn when it’s time to walk away.”

“I’ve never been one to walk away from a fight,” Kyra informed. 

“I don’t have to fight for what’s mine.” Eden barely blinked.

“Why? Are you scared? Or is it because you already know you’re not going to win?” Kyra smirked.

“I’ve already won.” Eden held up her ring finger, and Kyra’s smirk was gone.

“Then why are we here?”

“Okay, Kyra. Let’s cut the small talk.” Eden threw her napkin down on her plate.  “I don’t want you coming around anymore. I find your friendship with Justin inappropriate and unnecessary, and as his wife I am going to have to ask that you put an end to it immediately,” she explained. 

“So you do realize I still work for Justin, right?” Kyra squinted at her request. “It’s not up to you to fire me. Only he can do that.”

Eden nodded.

“You’re right. I can’t fire you . . . Which is why I’m giving you the option to quit,” she said. “You would be smart to take it.”

“And what are you gonna do if I don’t?” Kyra’s attitude resurfaced.

“It’s simple really: you agree to stop seeing Justin. And I’ll agree not to tell him that you slept with Dominic.” Eden shrugged.

“What the hell are you talkin’ about?” Kyra masked her worry with a slight laugh.

“Oh, you know,” Eden giggled. “I heard all the details. I know all about you, girl.”

“You don’t know shit!” Kyra hissed. “Whateva Dominic told you, is a lie!”

“Even if Dominic is lying, which I doubt, Justin has no reason not to believe me. Whereas with you. . .” Eden waved her index finger. “Well. We all know you haven’t always been the most forthcoming with him, now have you?”

“Okay, but what about Dominic? You would really be willin’ to put his business out like that?” Kyra pulled the sympathy card – only to find out Eden didn’t have any. Not even for her brother. 

“If it meant getting rid of you: then yes,” she snorted. “Because while you may have Justin fooled, you don’t fool me,” Eden came at her with increased hostility. “I see you for what you really are. You want to make it seem like you’re all ‘in-love’ when really, you’re just another gutter bitch looking for a sponsor.”

Kyra opened her mouth to defend herself, when Eden cut her off.

“And that’s fine,” she continued. “So long as you know it’s not going to be Justin.” Eden sat back satisfied she had gotten her point across.

“However, since you seem to be a woman about her money, I have a proposition for you,” she purred.

“Whateva it is, I’m not interested,” Kyra grumbled.

“I’m only going to make this offer once. You might want to listen up.” Eden reached for the tan Birkin bag sitting next to her.

“And my answer is still gonna be no,” Kyra declared.

“I will write you a check for twenty-five thousand dollars if you to get on a plane tonight and disappear. I’ll buy you a one-way ticket wherever you want to go.” Eden snatched off the cap to her pen. She had her checkbook sitting wide open right in front of them.

“Read my lips. N – O,” Kyra slowed her speech as if Eden was hard of hearing.  Meanwhile, Eden rattled off figures like an auctioneer.

“Go ahead. Name your price. Thirty thousand, forty, forty-five. . . I’ll sign the check myself!” 

“Sorry, Eden, but you can’t put a price on love. I would’ve thought you figured that out by now?” Kyra cringed at Eden’s idea – and at her for even suggesting it. 

“Maybe not. . . But I can put a price on your life!” Eden huffed.

“Bitch, don’t get treated! It’s still Chi-town all day. I will fuck you up!” Kyra bumped the table, creating quite a noise.

“Okay. Don’t say I didn’t try,” Eden exhaled in her usual dainty way. She put away her checkbook when she stood up, and clutched her purse close.

“While I enjoyed our little chat, I’m afraid I must get back to Providenciales. I don’t want to be late for my fitting.” Eden dismissed herself wearing the same snarky smile that irked Kyra to the bone. Everything she did was in an attempt to get under her skin. And this time, it worked. 

Something about Kyra and Justin’s situation was starting to feel all too familiar. And Kyra didn’t like it. It was almost as though she had been there before. Like she already knew how their story would end. It seemed everyone else got to move on with their lives while she was stuck to pay the consequences.

“Ma’am, is everything all right?” One of the servers came to her side seconds after Eden left, but Kyra refused his handkerchief.

“Check please.”

CHAPTER 18

The following afternoon Kyra made a trip to the capital of Cockburn Town. Hailed as the historical centerpiece of the Turks and Caicos, Grand Turk was the largest island in the chain; boasting a first-class cruise center complete with a 3000-foot pier, in addition to a 19th century lighthouse, and a national museum. The town’s Salt Era charm was preserved in the form of Bermudan-style buildings which had been re-opened as rustic inns or private residences. Most of the government offices, banks, churches, and other commercial buildings were located downtown, although traffic was sparse minus the horses or donkeys roaming the alleys. Sand dusted the main streets. 

White wrought iron framed the glass walls of the public conservatory however, it was the central dome that made it most unique. Nestled in acres of meticulously kept gardens, a colorful array of flowers surrounded the old structure for as far as the eye could see. Exotic birds made their homes amongst the diverse greenery housed in each wing. Butterflies fluttered about.

A plaque outside stated that the conservatory had been built in 1822 by a wealthy salt merchant named Francis Middleton. Sadly, Middleton died of malaria one month before his floral palace was to be completed, but Kyra didn’t stop to read the rest of the story. She bypassed a tour and the gift shop as well.

Hidden behind a pair of sunglasses and a floppy sunhat, Kyra entered the tea room. She stood five inches taller in Giuseppe heels, and the black Chanel piece she had on fit her better than the mannequin. Factor in her wild curls and her favorite lipstick; it was her confidence that was wearing off. 

After the last conversation she and Justin had, Kyra was looking for a little reassurance, but it soon became clear that if she expected to find it there, then she had come to the wrong place.

“Kyra . . .” Eden faked a smile for appearance’s sake. “Care to join me for some tea?” She picked up the teapot, perky as could be.

“Cut the bullshit, Eden. Where is Justin?” Kyra propped one hand on her hip and let the other fall at her side. Eden could sense her dirty looks even though she couldn’t see her eyes.

“He’s not coming. Now, sit.” Her smile was replaced by tight lips. She dropped two sugar cubes into her teacup, and stirred until they were dissolved. When she was done, she rubbed her spoon against the edge, and laid it gently on the saucer. Although the steam rising off of it made it a tempting weapon, it was still too hot to drink.

“This doesn’t concern you, Eden. You need to mind your business,” Kyra lit into her the moment her butt touched the seat.

“In your text, you said you had something important to tell him. And, well, he is my fiancé so yes. I do believe that qualifies as my business.” Eden folded her hands and smiled, yet the look in her eyes said she was ready to flip the table.

The heat between them raised the temperature in the room. 

“What do you want Eden? I didn’t come here for this,” Kyra groaned in annoyance. Out of all the delicious pastries laid out in front of her, she wasn’t tempted to try anything. For all she knew they were poisoned.

“I wanted to let you know that I know.” Eden leaned half-way across the table. “I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s not going to work,” she whispered.

“And what is that?” Kyra laughed louder than she should have.

Several heads turned in their direction.

“Come on, Kyra. I know you don’t really think I’m that stupid. I already know he’s not working late every night he says he is.” For the first time in their conversation Eden looked at Kyra, not as though she was trying to look through her.

“Well maybe if you worried more about him than me you wouldn’t have that problem,” Kyra muttered.

“Oh, please, Kyra. I would consider you more of a pest than a problem.” Eden stuck her pinky out when she took the first sip.

“Does Justin know that you’re here?” Kyra asked.

“Don’t worry about Justin or what he’s doing,” Eden snapped. “I am not about to let you steal my husband!”

“Um, in case you forgot, Justin is not your husband.” Kyra looked at her like she was crazy.  

“Not yet anyway. . .” Eden flaunted her ring. “God, I cannot wait to see the look on your face when you have to call me Mrs. Hartwell!” she teased.

“Yeah, okay. Like that’ll ever happen,” Kyra mumbled.

“You know, I don’t think I like your attitude.”

“That’s okay. Your ‘husband’ likes it enough for the both of you.” After spending just a few minutes with Eden, Kyra seemed to have mastered the art of insulting her with a smile. But instead of cussing her out or making a scene, Eden smiled wider. 

“You know, I am really trying to be nice right now. But you are not making it easy,” she chuckled.

“You act as though you are anywhere near my level, when the only thing you and I have in common is Justin. And even that is temporary.” Eden broke a cookie in half, took a bite, and watched the rest crumble in between her fingers – all the while wishing she could do the same to Kyra.

“So if that’s the case then why don’t you tell him to stop callin’ me? I can’t help if he still checkin’ for me,” Kyra gloated in return. 

“Because I don’t care,” Eden delivered a swift answer. “Just because he fucked you that don’t mean he loves you,” she reasoned.

“And just because he tells you he loves you that doesn’t mean he really does,” Kyra added.

“Then you would be wise to take your own advice,” Eden shot back. “I mean, seriously, Kyra, where is your dignity . . . your self-respect? Clearly, you don’t have any.” 

Kyra folded her arms in defiance.

“Whateva, Eden. I’m not goin’ anywhere. So you might as well get used to me.”  Eden laughed.

“Kyra, sweetie, you don’t want it with me. You need to learn when it’s time to walk away.”

“I’ve never been one to walk away from a fight,” Kyra informed. 

“I don’t have to fight for what’s mine.” Eden barely blinked.

“Why? Are you scared? Or is it because you already know you’re not going to win?” Kyra smirked.

“I’ve already won.” Eden held up her ring finger, and Kyra’s smirk was gone.

“Then why are we here?”

“Okay, Kyra. Let’s cut the small talk.” Eden threw her napkin down on her plate.  “I don’t want you coming around anymore. I find your friendship with Justin inappropriate and unnecessary, and as his wife I am going to have to ask that you put an end to it immediately,” she explained. 

“So you do realize I still work for Justin, right?” Kyra squinted at her request. “It’s not up to you to fire me. Only he can do that.”

Eden nodded.

“You’re right. I can’t fire you . . . Which is why I’m giving you the option to quit,” she said. “You would be smart to take it.”

“And what are you gonna do if I don’t?” Kyra’s attitude resurfaced.

“It’s simple really: you agree to stop seeing Justin. And I’ll agree not to tell him that you slept with Dominic.” Eden shrugged.

“What the hell are you talkin’ about?” Kyra masked her worry with a slight laugh.

“Oh, you know,” Eden giggled. “I heard all the details. I know all about you, girl.”

“You don’t know shit!” Kyra hissed. “Whateva Dominic told you, is a lie!”

“Even if Dominic is lying, which I doubt, Justin has no reason not to believe me. Whereas with you. . .” Eden waved her index finger. “Well. We all know you haven’t always been the most forthcoming with him, now have you?”

“Okay, but what about Dominic? You would really be willin’ to put his business out like that?” Kyra pulled the sympathy card – only to find out Eden didn’t have any. Not even for her brother. 

“If it meant getting rid of you: then yes,” she snorted. “Because while you may have Justin fooled, you don’t fool me,” Eden came at her with increased hostility. “I see you for what you really are. You want to make it seem like you’re all ‘in-love’ when really, you’re just another gutter bitch looking for a sponsor.”

Kyra opened her mouth to defend herself, when Eden cut her off.

“And that’s fine,” she continued. “So long as you know it’s not going to be Justin.” Eden sat back satisfied she had gotten her point across.

“However, since you seem to be a woman about her money, I have a proposition for you,” she purred.

“Whateva it is, I’m not interested,” Kyra grumbled.

“I’m only going to make this offer once. You might want to listen up.” Eden reached for the tan Birkin bag sitting next to her.

“And my answer is still gonna be no,” Kyra declared.

“I will write you a check for twenty-five thousand dollars if you to get on a plane tonight and disappear. I’ll buy you a one-way ticket wherever you want to go.” Eden snatched off the cap to her pen. She had her checkbook sitting wide open right in front of them.

“Read my lips. N – O,” Kyra slowed her speech as if Eden was hard of hearing.  Meanwhile, Eden rattled off figures like an auctioneer.

“Go ahead. Name your price. Thirty thousand, forty, forty-five. . . I’ll sign the check myself!” 

“Sorry, Eden, but you can’t put a price on love. I would’ve thought you figured that out by now?” Kyra cringed at Eden’s idea – and at her for even suggesting it. 

“Maybe not. . . But I can put a price on your life!” Eden huffed.

“Bitch, don’t get treated! It’s still Chi-town all day. I will fuck you up!” Kyra bumped the table, creating quite a noise.

“Okay. Don’t say I didn’t try,” Eden exhaled in her usual dainty way. She put away her checkbook when she stood up, and clutched her purse close.

“While I enjoyed our little chat, I’m afraid I must get back to Providenciales. I don’t want to be late for my fitting.” Eden dismissed herself wearing the same snarky smile that irked Kyra to the bone. Everything she did was in an attempt to get under her skin. And this time, it worked. 

Something about Kyra and Justin’s situation was starting to feel all too familiar. And Kyra didn’t like it. It was almost as though she had been there before. Like she already knew how their story would end. It seemed everyone else got to move on with their lives while she was stuck to pay the consequences.

“Ma’am, is everything all right?” One of the servers came to her side seconds after Eden left, but Kyra refused his handkerchief.

“Check please.”

CHAPTER 17

It was business as usual for Kyra as she hopped in her new Maserati and headed out for the day. She had gotten used to leaving her boyfriend at the house without telling him where she was going or when he could expect her back, and eventually, Cincere stopped asking. He rarely believed her answers anyway.

Completely engrossed in their affair, Kyra and Justin didn’t care to limit their love-making to late nights at his condo. Their spontaneous hook-ups took place wherever and whenever time would permit. It wasn’t hard to guess who bought Kyra the car she was driving. Right after he gave her the keys, Justin put it on her in the backseat.

Kyra was more than ready act out another one of her freaky fantasies, when all of a sudden she developed a different kind of anxiety. The sinking realization that her phone was missing put Kyra in a panic. She dumped the contents of her purse out on the passenger seat, but the most she came up with was some money, a couple crumpled up credit card receipts, and the basic girlish necessities.

There was only one other place it could be.

“Shit!” Kyra cranked the wheel, causing the car behind her to honk at her. She was less than a mile from the docks when she made the painful decision to turn around and go back home.

What she found when she got there, however, turned out to be much more than what she was looking for.

Kyra sat and watched as two of Cincere’s friend carried their brown suede couch to a rickety pickup truck parked out front. In the short amount of time she was gone, they loaded up the leather recliner, two side tables and the lamps she picked out. They were taking everything.

“What the hell do you think you’re doin’? Put that down!” Kyra got out of the car so fast she neglected to close the door. Both of them looked at her, so she knew they heard her, yet her orders went ignored.

“What the fuck is goin’ on? Where is Cincere?” Too upset to wait for an answer, Kyra sought him out for herself.  

“Damn it, Cincere . . .” Kyra went on to scold him after nearly falling over the tower of cardboard stacked by the door, but as she looked around, her next breath was stolen.

The living room was empty except for the TV which was now sitting on the floor. The handmade rug had been rolled up, exposing every knick in the hardwood underneath. Even the walls were bare.

What was even more shocking was that instead of trying to stop them, Cincere seemed to be helping. Kyra caught him with a box in his hands.

“Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?” Cincere greeted her like he was inconvenienced by her presence. The rest of his friends were smart enough to clear the room without being asked.

“Yeah, I did – I mean I do but that can wait.” Kyra brushed off her plans as though they were unimportant. Just a second ago, she was dying to find her phone and leave, but something in his eyes made her want to stay.

“What the hell is goin’ on? What are you doin’ with all of our stuff?” she asked.

“You mean my stuff?” Cincere raised his brow. “It’s coming with me.”

“Where are you goin’?” Kyra suddenly felt weak. The screeching sound of him sealing another box with tape was maddening.

“It doesn’t matter where I’m going.” Cincere’s tone was as cold as a killer’s, and yet Kyra felt burned by his stare.

“So that’s it? You were just goin’ to leave and not even say anythin?” Kyra squinted in disbelief. The man across the room looked like Cincere. He sounded like Cincere. But this wasn’t the Cincere she knew. 

“What’s the difference? You’re hardly ever here. As soon as we have a fight, as soon as shit gets a little rough, you’re ready to bail out. I might as well leave you before you leave me!” Cincere went from talking to yelling in a matter of seconds.

“Look, I’ve been doin’ the best I can, Cincere. I don’t know what else you want me to do,” she argued.

“I want you to stop lying to me, Kyra! I want you to tell me the truth!”

Silence filled the room.

“But you can’t can you? All that talk in the beginning about telling the truth when you can’t even do it.” Cincere went about gathering the rest of his things at a furious speed.

“So you never said anythin’ about movin’ out! Our lease isn’t up until the end of November! What am I supposed to do?” Kyra followed him to the bedroom where she discovered the bed had been stripped. All that was left was the mattress and the frame.

“Oh, you’ll be fine. I’m sure you and Justin will figure something out.” Cincere didn’t even try to hide his laughter. He cleaned out the four drawers that belonged to him in a matter of minutes.

“Seriously, Cincere, this is not funny!” Kyra’s voice turned mouse-like to the point where she started to squeak. Between her heart and her brain, she didn’t know which was going to explode first. “You can’t just leave me like this!” she cried.

“You know this is the last thing I ever wanted to do, but you’ve left me no choice,” Cincere sighed when he looked at her however, it wasn’t out of anger. It was to express his anguish and exhaustion. He didn’t want to lose her, but her recent actions made him question whether she was ever really ‘his’ to begin with.

“I’m sorry, Kyra. I really wish it could’ve worked out between us. I really do.”

Kyra swallowed hard. She had been dreading this moment for a long time, and although she knew it was coming, the pain associated with their break-up turned out to be a lot worse than she thought it would be.

“But you could’ve been out. You could’ve been said forget it. Why didn’t you? Why didn’t you give up a long time ago?” Sensing that Cincere had the urge to cry made it even harder for her to resist. Kyra closed her eyes at the slightest caress in an effort to savor their last intimate moment as a couple, and probably ever in life.

“Because I fucking love you, Kyra . . . And I thought you loved me.” Cincere went back to stuffing his clothes into a garbage bag as though he were mad at them. Meanwhile, Kyra was left standing there, trying to explain herself.

“I do love you, Cincere, it’s just . . .”

“Not as much as you love him?” Cincere shot her a scornful glare. “Go ahead. Admit it! There’s no use in denying it now!” he exclaimed.

“Look, this hasn’t been easy for me either, alright? It’s not like I walk around here feelin’ good about this shit!”

“You’re the one who made it this way! You didn’t have to do what you did!” Cincere made sure to scream over her, as though it were a contest.

“Cincere, you have to know I never wanted it to end like this. . .”

“I sure can’t tell. Seems to me like you got everything you need,” he mumbled.

“Don’t get me wrong, Cincere, you’re a good guy and everythin’-”

“Then what is it? What’s changed?” He waited with baited breath.

“Me . . .” Kyra could barely part her lips enough to speak.

“Oh, I get it. You would rather be another man’s mistress than be with me?” Cincere sucked his teeth. “I mean, I know I might not be able to buy you $100,000 cars or anything, but you can’t say I wasn’t good to you. At least I was faithful!” he argued. 

“Let’s not make this any harder than it already is, okay, Cincere?” Kyra turned her head so she wouldn’t have to look at him.

“Look, Kyra, all I’m saying is, you deserve better. . . We both do.” Cincere exhaled through his nostrils.

“You’re right.” Kyra cut her eyes in his direction.  

“I know you think you love him, but one day you’ll realize real love isn’t one-sided,” Cincere continued to taunt her. “Why can’t you see he’s just using you? Justin is going to break your heart just like he did the last time. You know it. I know it. And when it happens again, don’t call me,” he said.

“I really am sorry if I hurt you, Cincere, but I can’t change how I feel.” Kyra held the door open for him.

“And neither can I . . .” With his bags in one hand, and his dignity in the other, Cincere left without so much as a hug, a kiss, or a goodbye. 

Seconds after she turned the locks, Kyra slid down the door. She thought she would be happy to be free of him, but she felt as empty as the room she was sitting in. She never felt more alone than she did in that moment.

Kyra was so distraught she almost didn’t hear the buzzing coming from the kitchen. Low and behold, there was her cell phone, dancing across the countertop. Had any other name other than Justin’s popped up on that screen, there was no way she would have answered. 

“Sorry, babe, I got a little caught up. I’m about to leave now.” Kyra cut back on her sniffling.

“Good, I’m glad I caught you before you left,” he panted.

“Why? What’s up? You want me to meet you somewhere else?” Kyra perked up enough to ask a few questions. Hearing his voice jolted her back to life however the tone he used diluted her excitement. 

“I can’t. It’s Eden-”

“Eden?” Kyra practically bit his head off. She didn’t care if Eden was still his fiancée. The girl could be in the hospital as far as Kyra was concerned. That would still be no excuse.

“Yeah, apparently she made plans for us to have dinner with our parents tonight.” Justin seemed to share Kyra’s irritation. He sounded bored already.

“So try to get out of it,” Kyra barked. Justin sighed even harder.

“I can’t. I already tried,” he claimed.

“Then tell her you’re not goin’! It’s not like she can force you!”

“It won’t look right if I don’t go. Everybody is going to be there,” he said.

“You mean everybody except me?” Kyra’s voice cracked, allowing her pain to leak out in the form of a question.

 “Like I said; I’m really sorry to do this to you, but I just found out a few minutes ago myself. . . Why are you so upset?” Justin chuckled to hide his confusion.

“Because, Justin, I really need to see you,” Kyra whined. Her heart couldn’t handle another disappointment.

“Maybe we can meet up later tonight?” Needless to say, Justin’s casual suggestion failed to cheer her up. Truthfully, Kyra wasn’t sure she even wanted to see him anymore.

“When are you goin’ to tell her about us? I know you don’t think I’m goin’ to let you keep stringin’ me along like this,” she sassed.

“I’m going to tell her. I just need a little more time. . .” he sighed.

“How much more time do you need, Justin? The wedding is a week away!” Kyra spoke with new urgency now that she was single. She wasn’t about to end up alone, with nothing in the end while him and Eden sailed off into the sunset.

“So it’s not like I want to be with her. I want to be with you,” he whispered.

“Then what’s stopping you?”

“Hold on. I thought I heard someone coming. . .” Justin covered the mouthpiece for a second. “Look, I really gotta go. Can we talk about this later?”

“Whateva Justin it’s really not that complicated. Either you hurry up and make a decision. Or I’ll do it for you.” Kyra got so frustrated she hung up.

Now that they were seeing each other again, she automatically assumed Justin would leave Eden, but Justin kept coming up with excuses for them not to be together. It was like he could talk about it all day, but when it came time to follow through he seemed to be dragging his feet.

And while Justin might have been scared to tell Eden about their affair – Kyra wasn’t. She was tired of sitting around waiting for something to happen. It was time for Kyra to take what she wanted.

It was time to take matters into her own hands.

As some of you may know I have been hard at work trying to self-publish ”Love, Lies & Consequences” – a sequel to my first novel “Fast Life.” But what some of you may not know is what the book is about.

Well, I recently came up with a blurb to answer that question, but I could definitely use some feedback, especially from those of you who have read the first book and/or the new content I have posted on the site.

Please read and VOTE!

XOXO

C.C.

Love brought them back together . . . Will lies tear them apart? 

After witnessing yet another tragic shooting, Kyra Jones barely manages to escape the streets of Chicago with her life and her freedom. Since then, Kyra has managed to settle down and stay out of trouble, but even though she seems to have moved on with her life, she just can’t seem to move on from her ex, Justin.  Having been separated for the past five years and forbidden from any form of communication, Kyra assumes she will never see Justin again, however, his return to Prince Paul proves just as shocking as the news he has to deliver: Justin is getting married.
Completely crushed by his engagement, Kyra struggles to respect the boundaries of their newfound friendship, but in the weeks leading up to his wedding, it becomes quite clear that Kyra isn’t the only one with unresolved feelings. Entangled in secrets, lies, and sabotage, Kyra and Justin fight to keep their love alive, but it doesn’t take long before insecurities arise, temptation becomes too great, and accusations start to fly. Once a simmering jealousy sparks thoughts of murder, it doesn’t take long for the young lovers to realize that even love has its consequences . . .  And it’s time to pay up.

CHAPTER 16

“Daddy!” The moment Eden looked through the peephole she started squealing like a little girl. It wasn’t like her father to show up unannounced, but that didn’t mean she was any less happy to see him. She practically jumped into his arms. 

“You should’ve called and told me you were coming!” Eden greeted him with a kiss on both cheeks however her smile was quickly waning. She kept trying to move their conversation to the kitchen, yet her father remained stationed by the door.

“To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?” Eden giggled nervously under his scrutiny. His eyes were as hard as the marble floors they were standing on, but it was his silence that was most intimidating.

“Who is this Kyra Jones I’ve been hearing about?” Mr. De La Cruz folded his hands in front of him. Neither one of them were leaving until he had an answer.

“Mmm. Her.” Eden pursed her lips. As Justin’s fiancé, she had a natural disdain toward all of his ex-girlfriends – Kyra especially. Out of all the girls he dated, she was the only one he ever really talked about.

“So you do know her?” Mr. De La Cruz took one small step forward. His tone fluctuated along with his interest.

“Sure. I’ve met her before. She’s a friend of Justin’s,” Eden reverted back to her light, airy demeanor in order to derail his suspicions. Meanwhile, she was busy trying to pick her stomach up off the floor.  Justin swore he had always been faithful to her, but her father wasn’t the first person to tell her otherwise. And in this instance, Eden didn’t even have to question who was telling the truth. 

“This isn’t good. . . ” Mr. De La Cruz started pacing to the point where he was breathing hard. “People are starting to talk, you know!”

“So let them talk.” Eden cut her eyes at him when he started to yell. 

Despite the rumors, sitting on top of the wooden entry table were two dozen roses from Justin. Delivered just days ago, the soft, red petals brushed against the tip of her nose as she breathed them in, but as soon as she spotted a few brown edges, all pride was diminished. They were dying already.

“I’m worried this Kyra may be interfering with our plan,” her father continued. “She’s become a distraction – a distraction we don’t need,” he hissed.

“Trust me, Daddy. Justin isn’t going anywhere.” Eden turned to the closest mirror in search of reassurance, and she still came up short. It didn’t matter that she had been complimented on her looks since the day she was born, her father’s comments tickled insecurities that lie far deep beneath the surface. “Who told you that silly nonsense, anyway?” Eden tried not to sound too curious when she asked him. 

“Don’t worry who told me. Is it true?” Her father’s retort was sharp and quick. 

“No! Of course, not,” Eden burst out laughing like the story about Justin cheating was the most preposterous thing she had ever heard. Mr. De La Cruz, on the other hand, had quite a different response.

“Eden, don’t you dare lie to me,” he growled. “If there’s something going on then you let me know. . . We have come too far to mess up now,” he fussed.

“Have I ever?” Eden looked her father directly in the eye when she answered him. She could tell he was trying to remember a time he could use against her. Not that she was worried. When nothing came to mind, his frustration was still there.

“Need I remind you how dire our situation is?” he whispered. “It is imperative that we solidify our alliance with the Hartwells . . .  This marriage is our only hope!”

Eden took a deep breath to keep from buckling under the weight of her father’s expectations.  It was driving her crazy listening to him talk about her marriage in terms of business. Because that’s all it was to him: a contract. Eden’s wedding didn’t have any real meaning. Love had nothing to do with it. 

“Yes Daddy. You know I would do anything for our family. . . ” Regardless of her feelings, Eden still managed to hold her head up high. While she didn’t agree with being used as a pawn in her father’s power struggle, she was fiercely loyal to her bloodline. And even though Justin was the first man to ever test that loyalty, Eden and her father would be bound forever, if not by blood, then by secrets.

In the late 1990’s, at the height of his career, Mr. De La Cruz had an estimated net worth of 55 million, several vacation homes, and a collection of classic cars, however several old bank statements showed he managed to blow through most of that by the end of 2010.

Blinded by his bad habits and his title as a businessman, her father blamed their current financial situation on the recession and the stock market. He didn’t want to admit it was getting harder to fund his gambling addiction now that they were running out of money. The De La Cruz family was one bad investment away from bankruptcy, and no one even knew it.

Desperate to recoup some of the money he lost, Mr. De La Cruz convinced Eden that the only way they could maintain their standard of living, was for her to marry Justin – and then divorce him for a hefty settlement. He made destroying another man’s life sound simple enough in the beginning. And it probably would have been, had Eden not fallen in love with him.

Her father first introduced them at a charity auction, and they began dating at his urging soon after. Eden had one objective when she began her relationship with Justin, but once she got to know him, she found that she and Justin were much more alike than they were different.  Having grown up constantly fighting for acceptance, in hopes someone else out there understood; Eden had been waiting all her life for a man like him.

Nowadays when Eden told Justin she loved him, she was telling the truth. Nothing compared to waking up next to him. It was like falling in love all over again, every single day.

Even at such a young age, the prospect of growing old with him really didn’t seem all that bad. Plus, she was sure they would have some cute kids. After seeing the way Quentin interacted with Angel and his family, Eden had hoped Justin would be the same way with her.

Eden always wanted to settle down and have a family of her own someday. But she already had a family that loved her, and she couldn’t let them down.

“Just remember; this is only temporary. All you have to do is stick it out 180 days and you can file for divorce.” Her father’s cheerful reminder brought forth Eden’s resentment for him. She told him before she didn’t want to let go of her ring – or Justin – and yet he was still forcing her to do both.

The flawless diamond resting on her finger had been appraised for more than $50,000 dollars, but the only reason Eden know how much Justin spent was because her father made plans to pawn it the same day they got engaged. In his opinion, there was no such thing as sentimental value. All he saw was dollar signs.

“I need to go make a few phone calls. In the meantime, don’t you so much as utter the word ‘pre-nup’,” Mr. De La Cruz took his time rolling up the sleeves to his navy blue linen suit. “If we are able to file on grounds of adultery, we’ll have an even better chance at walking away with half of everything Justin owns,” he schemed.

“You can relax, Daddy. Dominic and I have everything under control.” Eden sounded confident, but like so many other things in her life, it was all for show.

“Oh, you do?” Her father mocked her claims. “Then where is Justin? Shouldn’t he have been home by now?”

Eden choked on the silence that followed his question. She didn’t have an answer for him, but then again she didn’t need one. She already knew why hours went by before he would text her back. It seemed like every time she called he promised he would call her back, but he never did. 

“You might want to rethink that and get back to me. . .” Mr. De La Cruz patted his patted his pocket square to make sure it was in place. When he adjusted his collar, he did in the smuggest way possible.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle Kyra . . .” Eden mumbled, and it was almost as though her father smiled at her misery.

 “That’s my girl,” he said.

CHAPTER 16

“Daddy!” The moment Eden looked through the peephole she started squealing like a little girl. It wasn’t like her father to show up unannounced, but that didn’t mean she was any less happy to see him. She practically jumped into his arms. 

“You should’ve called and told me you were coming!” Eden greeted him with a kiss on both cheeks however her smile was quickly waning. She kept trying to move their conversation to the kitchen, yet her father remained stationed by the door.

“To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?” Eden giggled nervously under his scrutiny. His eyes were as hard as the marble floors they were standing on, but it was his silence that was most intimidating.

“Who is this Kyra Jones I’ve been hearing about?” Mr. De La Cruz folded his hands in front of him. Neither one of them were leaving until he had an answer.

“Mmm. Her.” Eden pursed her lips. As Justin’s fiancé, she had a natural disdain toward all of his ex-girlfriends – Kyra especially. Out of all the girls he dated, she was the only one he ever really talked about.

“So you do know her?” Mr. De La Cruz took one small step forward. His tone fluctuated along with his interest.

“Sure. I’ve met her before. She’s a friend of Justin’s,” Eden reverted back to her light, airy demeanor in order to derail his suspicions. Meanwhile, she was busy trying to pick her stomach up off the floor.  Justin swore he had always been faithful to her, but her father wasn’t the first person to tell her otherwise. And in this instance, Eden didn’t even have to question who was telling the truth. 

“This isn’t good. . . ” Mr. De La Cruz started pacing to the point where he was breathing hard. “People are starting to talk, you know!”

“So let them talk.” Eden cut her eyes at him when he started to yell. 

Despite the rumors, sitting on top of the wooden entry table were two dozen roses from Justin. Delivered just days ago, the soft, red petals brushed against the tip of her nose as she breathed them in, but as soon as she spotted a few brown edges, all pride was diminished. They were dying already.

“I’m worried this Kyra may be interfering with our plan,” her father continued. “She’s become a distraction – a distraction we don’t need,” he hissed.

“Trust me, Daddy. Justin isn’t going anywhere.” Eden turned to the closest mirror in search of reassurance, and she still came up short. It didn’t matter that she had been complimented on her looks since the day she was born, her father’s comments tickled insecurities that lie far deep beneath the surface. “Who told you that silly nonsense, anyway?” Eden tried not to sound too curious when she asked him. 

“Don’t worry who told me. Is it true?” Her father’s retort was sharp and quick. 

“No! Of course, not,” Eden burst out laughing like the story about Justin cheating was the most preposterous thing she had ever heard. Mr. De La Cruz, on the other hand, had quite a different response.

“Eden, don’t you dare lie to me,” he growled. “If there’s something going on then you let me know. . . We have come too far to mess up now,” he fussed.

“Have I ever?” Eden looked her father directly in the eye when she answered him. She could tell he was trying to remember a time he could use against her. Not that she was worried. When nothing came to mind, his frustration was still there.

“Need I remind you how dire our situation is?” he whispered. “It is imperative that we solidify our alliance with the Hartwells . . .  This marriage is our only hope!”

Eden took a deep breath to keep from buckling under the weight of her father’s expectations.  It was driving her crazy listening to him talk about her marriage in terms of business. Because that’s all it was to him: a contract. Eden’s wedding didn’t have any real meaning. Love had nothing to do with it. 

“Yes Daddy. You know I would do anything for our family. . . ” Regardless of her feelings, Eden still managed to hold her head up high. While she didn’t agree with being used as a pawn in her father’s power struggle, she was fiercely loyal to her bloodline. And even though Justin was the first man to ever test that loyalty, Eden and her father would be bound forever, if not by blood, then by secrets.

In the late 1990’s, at the height of his career, Mr. De La Cruz had an estimated net worth of 55 million, several vacation homes, and a collection of classic cars, however several old bank statements showed he managed to blow through most of that by the end of 2010.

Blinded by his bad habits and his title as a businessman, her father blamed their current financial situation on the recession and the stock market. He didn’t want to admit it was getting harder to fund his gambling addiction now that they were running out of money. The De La Cruz family was one bad investment away from bankruptcy, and no one even knew it.

Desperate to recoup some of the money he lost, Mr. De La Cruz convinced Eden that the only way they could maintain their standard of living, was for her to marry Justin – and then divorce him for a hefty settlement. He made destroying another man’s life sound simple enough in the beginning. And it probably would have been, had Eden not fallen in love with him.

Her father first introduced them at a charity auction, and they began dating at his urging soon after. Eden had one objective when she began her relationship with Justin, but once she got to know him, she found that she and Justin were much more alike than they were different.  Having grown up constantly fighting for acceptance, in hopes someone else out there understood; Eden had been waiting all her life for a man like him.

Nowadays when Eden told Justin she loved him, she was telling the truth. Nothing compared to waking up next to him. It was like falling in love all over again, every single day.

Even at such a young age, the prospect of growing old with him really didn’t seem all that bad. Plus, she was sure they would have some cute kids. After seeing the way Quentin interacted with Angel and his family, Eden had hoped Justin would be the same way with her.

Eden always wanted to settle down and have a family of her own someday. But she already had a family that loved her, and she couldn’t let them down.

“Just remember; this is only temporary. All you have to do is stick it out 180 days and you can file for divorce.” Her father’s cheerful reminder brought forth Eden’s resentment for him. She told him before she didn’t want to let go of her ring – or Justin – and yet he was still forcing her to do both.

The flawless diamond resting on her finger had been appraised for more than $50,000 dollars, but the only reason Eden know how much Justin spent was because her father made plans to pawn it the same day they got engaged. In his opinion, there was no such thing as sentimental value. All he saw was dollar signs.

“I need to go make a few phone calls. In the meantime, don’t you so much as utter the word ‘pre-nup’,” Mr. De La Cruz took his time rolling up the sleeves to his navy blue linen suit. “If we are able to file on grounds of adultery, we’ll have an even better chance at walking away with half of everything Justin owns,” he schemed.

“You can relax, Daddy. Dominic and I have everything under control.” Eden sounded confident, but like so many other things in her life, it was all for show.

“Oh, you do?” Her father mocked her claims. “Then where is Justin? Shouldn’t he have been home by now?”

Eden choked on the silence that followed his question. She didn’t have an answer for him, but then again she didn’t need one. She already knew why hours went by before he would text her back. It seemed like every time she called he promised he would call her back, but he never did. 

“You might want to rethink that and get back to me. . .” Mr. De La Cruz patted his patted his pocket square to make sure it was in place. When he adjusted his collar, he did in the smuggest way possible.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle Kyra . . .” Eden mumbled. It was almost as though her father smiled at her misery.

 “That’s my girl,” he said.

CHAPTER 15

 It was close to midnight when Kyra arrived on the secluded end of northern Providenciales. Justin lived in a gated community 30 minutes away from her mother’s house, but Kyra made the drive in half the time. She had been in such a rush to see him, yet once she was there it took her at least ten minutes to get out the car. A thousand questions were swirling around in her head while she waited to be let in.  

“What’s goin’ on? Is everything okay?” Kyra stormed past Justin before he could even say hello. She had been expecting to find him distraught and in need of comforting, but as it turned out, all of her worrying had been for nothing. Not only did Justin appear to be perfectly healthy, when she took a look around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“Everything’s fine now.” Justin stood back to reveal a manipulative grin. He knew Kyra would come through for him. She always did.

“You’re lucky I don’t cuss you out for blowin’ up my phone like that! You made it sound like it was an emergency!” Kyra hissed.

“You can relax. It’s just us.” It didn’t take long for Justin to pick up on Kyra’s uneasiness. Assuming Eden could come walking through the door at any minute; Kyra treated his home like a museum. She refused his offer to sit down and made sure not to touch anything.

“Nice place you have here,” Kyra complimented the unobstructed ocean views, bamboo floors, and vaulted ceilings as they roamed from room to room.

“Thank you,” Justin cleared his throat. “Eden’s been trying to talk me into selling it.” The short tour of his condo ended at the bar cart, where he proceeded to pull out two glasses and pour them each a generous amount of cognac.

“You don’t sound like you like that idea very much?” Kyra noted his vexation. “I’m not really sure if I want to. Buying a house is a big investment.” Justin brought his glass to his lips again.

“And marriage isn’t?” Kyra snapped.

“Eh, it’s still nice to have your own space.” Justin stood near the window, gazing into the darkness beyond.

“But it’s so quiet,” Kyra complained.

“That’s okay. Quiet is good sometimes . . . Gives you plenty of time to think about things. . .” Justin went on sipping his drink.

“Like what?” Kyra was almost scared to ask. Her anxiety peaked under his stare.

“Like you. . . Us. . .” Justin leaned against the glass.

“Okay, Justin, seriously, why did you call me over here?” Kyra tried to keep her eyes off of him for as long as possible, which wasn’t long at all. She was convinced he’d loosened his tie and left his shirt unbuttoned on purpose, just to distract her.

“No reason. I miss your company. That’s all.” Justin shrugged his shoulders.

“Isn’t that what you have a fiancée for?” Kyra cut her eyes at him in a way that told him she wasn’t happy with their current situation. And to her surprise, the feelings were mutual.

“You’re right. I do. . . I just always imagined it would be you,” he admitted.

“Okay, Justin. That’s it. I’m goin’ home.” Kyra started to walk off, but Justin didn’t plan on letting her go that easily. He held onto her with one arm.

“I know you’ve probably been wondering why I didn’t come back right away. . .” Justin looked at her with pain in his eyes, and in that moment, it was as though Kyra could feel it, too.

“Justin, please. You said it yourself. The past is the past. . .  I suggest we leave it there.” Kyra moved toward the door when Justin reached for her again.

“It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. And it for damn sure wasn’t because I don’t love you. . . I couldn’t,” he stressed.

“That’s okay, Justin, you don’t need to explain yourself to me.” Kyra waved him off.

“Yes, I do. I need you to know how I feel, Kyra . . . I need you to know the truth,” he panted. “I never blamed you for what happened, Kyra. It wasn’t you who pulled the trigger,” Justin said.

“Then why do I feel just as guilty?” Kyra got so choked up she couldn’t even speak. And even though, Justin wanted to be there for her, every time he tried she pushed him away.

“Listen, what happened that night was both our fault. I should’ve been upfront with you from the beginning and told you who I was.  . . I should have never given you a reason to question my love for you.” Justin looked her in the eye when he confessed.

“Justin, I don’t even know why the hell we’re talkin’ about this right now! I have a boyfriend, and you’re gettin’ married in a few weeks! End of story!” Kyra was headed for the door when suddenly, she stopped.

“Is it?” Justin broke his silence the second she reached for the handle.

 “What did you just say?” Kyra looked back over her shoulder. The door was open. She was free to go, but it was like there was something holding her back.

“Who says this has to be the end?” Justin walked up on her, smooth and slow, like a predator approaching its prey. 

“Justin. . . ” Kyra closed her eyes and sighed. Meanwhile, Justin took it upon himself to close the door.

“Kyra, just because we’re not together, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. You do know that right?” Justin lowered his voice, and that was when Kyra knew she was really in trouble. His voice was much deeper now and so much sexier.  

“Justin, I really can’t talk about this with you right now. . .” Kyra quivered in his presence.

“Why? Is it because you know there’s still something between us?” Justin asked.

“Um . . . in case you forgot…. there is no ‘us’. You ain’t my man no more.” Kyra looked him up and down when she checked him.

“So you mean to tell me you can honestly sit here, look me in the eye, and tell me you don’t feel anything anymore? Nothing. . . Nothing at all,” Justin stepped up to challenge her. Kyra kept her back straight.

“Yes.” She didn’t so much as blink, but Justin could tell she was lying.

“So is that why you reacted the way you did when you saw me at the marketplace?” he scoffed.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” Kyra replied.

“Yes you do! Because you feel it, too, don’t you? I felt it that day we were at the marketplace and I feel it right now as we’re standing here. . . I’ve felt it getting stronger every day ever since the day I met you, Kyra . . .” he whispered.

“Justin, you and I both know this is never gonna work. How are we ever gonna see each other? It was hard enough as it was and now look,” Kyra started getting worked up, but Justin knew how to calm her down. 

“I don’t know, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Nothing can keep us apart. Not if I can help it.” He gently brushed her hair out of her face so that he could caress her cheek.

“I know it sucks we won’t be able to see each other every day like we’re used to. It’ll be hard but we can make it work. I don’t know how right now, but we’ll figure something out. If anybody can do it, we can. Look at all we’ve been through. Compared to that, this is nothing.”

“No, but Justin, you don’t understand. . . I can’t lose you again. . .” Kyra was overcome by a warm and hazy feeling after hearing his little speech. The liquor had her feeling right, and Justin was saying all the right things.

“Look, Kyra, I’m just as scared as you. What makes you think I would ever want to be without you?” His lips gently grazed hers, taking a moment to taste her cherry-flavored lipgloss before returning for more.

“This isn’t right, Justin.” Kyra wiped her lips when she broke their kiss.  

“Shh come here.” Justin dispelled her concerns with the deepest, most passionate kiss either of them had the pleasure to experience.

“Uh-Uh Justin. . . This is wrong,” Kyra gasped. She was unsure at first, but one kiss was all it took to spark the undying passion that lay dormant for the past 5 years. One kiss and she was ready to surrender to him completely. 

Justin wanted Kyra so bad they didn’t even make it to the bed. He bent her over the edge of the dining room table as he announced his arrival with a soft kiss on her shoulder blade. It had been so long, Kyra had almost forgotten how good his kisses were. Each time it was as though he were planting sweet reminders of his love for her on her skin.

As Justin continued to shower her with kisses, he reached around from behind, using his fingers to stimulate her with her own warm lubricant. He was in such a hurry, Justin proceeded to hoist her skirt up and pull her panties to the side. He wasn’t in the mood to waste time with foreplay. He wanted Kyra to know he wasn’t playing any games.

“Damn baby. . .” Kyra was exceptionally wet and the pressure of him entering her triggered a sense of euphoria for the both of them. Justin gripped her hips tighter as he dipped further into uncharted territory.

“Stop running,” he pulled her back onto him and met her with a hard thrust. Kyra was as surprised to see Justin show so much aggression as she was turned on by it. Her cries grew even louder.

“Justin!” Kyra arched her back to its breaking point, repeating his name as though he were the greatest. It was as though she had awakened his inner beast.

The first time Kyra had an oragasm her legs almost gave out on her so Justin picked her up and set her on the surface. He was so eager to be inside her he grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her down to him. The way he gripped her thighs when he slid inside let Kyra know she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“I know you ain’t tapping out already,” Justin turned Kyra on her side so he could whisper in her ear while he hit it. He let his hands roam over her thighs and breasts while he continued working hard to please her.

“Oh yes,” Kyra moaned in delight. Justin’s stroke game was even more phenomenal than she remembered. While most guys might last a good fifteen minutes, Justin could go for hours, and make it seem effortless. He had a fluidity to his method that couldn’t be matched.

“Oh, you like that, huh?” Justin couldn’t resist talking shit while he was in it. All Kyra could do was nod.

“Justin?” Kyra turned the other way so he couldn’t see her face, but Justin knew she was crying. He could hear it in her voice.

“Yes, baby?” He breathed in her ear. 

“I’ve wanted this so bad, baby, you just don’t know,” Kyra whimpered.

“Tell me how bad you want it,” Justin continued kissing and licking on her flesh until her moans escalated to shameless screams. As he dug deeper inside her, Kyra dug her nails into his forearms. 

“Oh, Justin, I missed you so much.” Kyra clung to him as one move seamlessly blended into the next. Justin was known to test her flexibility, and he did so by pushing her legs back until she thought they were going to break.

“I missed you, too baby,” he whispered to her in between kisses. She’d already came twice and they were nowhere near finished.

As soon as she noticed Justin was starting to get tired, Kyra took charge and mounted him. Justin sat up to meet her, and Kyra threw her head back toward the ceiling, as she began to ride slow.

“Tell me you love me,” Kyra wrapped her legs tighter around his midsection as he yanked on her curls. Justin ran his hands up her back, gripping her shoulders while she rocked back and forth.

“I love you, Kyra.” Another kiss on the lips and Kyra didn’t even think to question him. Their future together may have been uncertain, but they this was their moment and no one could take that from them. 

After tonight, there was no more holding back. One kiss was all they needed to convey their feelings for one another. One look and they knew the love they had for each other was deep and everlasting. Kyra and Justin would always have each other. They were in it until the end.

CHAPTER 15

 It was close to midnight when Kyra arrived on the secluded end of northern Providenciales. Justin lived in a gated community 30 minutes away from her mother’s house, but Kyra made the drive in half the time. She had been in such a rush to see him, yet once she was there it took her at least ten minutes to get out the car. A thousand questions were swirling around in her head while she waited to be let in.  

“What’s goin’ on? Is everything okay?” Kyra stormed past Justin before he could even say hello. She had been expecting to find him distraught and in need of comforting, but as it turned out, all of her worrying had been for nothing. Not only did Justin appear to be perfectly healthy, when she took a look around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“Everything’s fine now.” Justin stood back to reveal a manipulative grin. He knew Kyra would come through for him. She always did.

“You’re lucky I don’t cuss you out for blowin’ up my phone like that! You made it sound like it was an emergency!” Kyra hissed.

“You can relax. It’s just us.” It didn’t take long for Justin to pick up on Kyra’s uneasiness. Assuming Eden could come walking through the door at any minute; Kyra treated his home like a museum. She refused his offer to sit down and made sure not to touch anything.

“Nice place you have here,” Kyra complimented the unobstructed ocean views, bamboo floors, and vaulted ceilings as they roamed from room to room.

“Thank you,” Justin cleared his throat. “Eden’s been trying to talk me into selling it.” The short tour of his condo ended at the bar cart, where he proceeded to pull out two glasses and pour them each a generous amount of cognac.

“You don’t sound like you like that idea very much?” Kyra noted his vexation. “I’m not really sure if I want to. Buying a house is a big investment.” Justin brought his glass to his lips again.

“And marriage isn’t?” Kyra snapped.

“Eh, it’s still nice to have your own space.” Justin stood near the window, gazing into the darkness beyond.

“But it’s so quiet,” Kyra complained.

“That’s okay. Quiet is good sometimes . . . Gives you plenty of time to think about things. . .” Justin went on sipping his drink.

“Like what?” Kyra was almost scared to ask. Her anxiety peaked under his stare.

“Like you. . . Us. . .” Justin leaned against the glass.

“Okay, Justin, seriously, why did you call me over here?” Kyra tried to keep her eyes off of him for as long as possible, which wasn’t long at all. She was convinced he’d loosened his tie and left his shirt unbuttoned on purpose, just to distract her.

“No reason. I miss your company. That’s all.” Justin shrugged his shoulders.

“Isn’t that what you have a fiancée for?” Kyra cut her eyes at him in a way that told him she wasn’t happy with their current situation. And to her surprise, the feelings were mutual.

“You’re right. I do. . . I just always imagined it would be you,” he admitted.

“Okay, Justin. That’s it. I’m goin’ home.” Kyra started to walk off, but Justin didn’t plan on letting her go that easily. He held onto her with one arm.

“I know you’ve probably been wondering why I didn’t come back right away. . .” Justin looked at her with pain in his eyes, and in that moment, it was as though Kyra could feel it, too.

“Justin, please. You said it yourself. The past is the past. . .  I suggest we leave it there.” Kyra moved toward the door when Justin reached for her again.

“It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. And it for damn sure wasn’t because I don’t love you. . . I couldn’t,” he stressed.

“That’s okay, Justin, you don’t need to explain yourself to me.” Kyra waved him off.

“Yes, I do. I need you to know how I feel, Kyra . . . I need you to know the truth,” he panted. “I never blamed you for what happened, Kyra. It wasn’t you who pulled the trigger,” Justin said.

“Then why do I feel just as guilty?” Kyra got so choked up she couldn’t even speak. And even though, Justin wanted to be there for her, every time he tried she pushed him away.

“Listen, what happened that night was both our fault. I should’ve been upfront with you from the beginning and told you who I was.  . . I should have never given you a reason to question my love for you.” Justin looked her in the eye when he confessed.

“Justin, I don’t even know why the hell we’re talkin’ about this right now! I have a boyfriend, and you’re gettin’ married in a few weeks! End of story!” Kyra was headed for the door when suddenly, she stopped.

“Is it?” Justin broke his silence the second she reached for the handle.

 “What did you just say?” Kyra looked back over her shoulder. The door was open. She was free to go, but it was like there was something holding her back.

“Who says this has to be the end?” Justin walked up on her, smooth and slow, like a predator approaching its prey. 

“Justin. . . ” Kyra closed her eyes and sighed. Meanwhile, Justin took it upon himself to close the door.

“Kyra, just because we’re not together, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. You do know that right?” Justin lowered his voice, and that was when Kyra knew she was really in trouble. His voice was much deeper now and so much sexier.  

“Justin, I really can’t talk about this with you right now. . .” Kyra quivered in his presence.

“Why? Is it because you know there’s still something between us?” Justin asked.

“Um . . . in case you forgot…. there is no ‘us’. You ain’t my man no more.” Kyra looked him up and down when she checked him.

“So you mean to tell me you can honestly sit here, look me in the eye, and tell me you don’t feel anything anymore? Nothing. . . Nothing at all,” Justin stepped up to challenge her. Kyra kept her back straight.

“Yes.” She didn’t so much as blink, but Justin could tell she was lying.

“So is that why you reacted the way you did when you saw me at the marketplace?” he scoffed.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” Kyra replied.

“Yes you do! Because you feel it, too, don’t you? I felt it that day we were at the marketplace and I feel it right now as we’re standing here. . . I’ve felt it getting stronger every day ever since the day I met you, Kyra . . .” he whispered.

“Justin, you and I both know this is never gonna work. How are we ever gonna see each other? It was hard enough as it was and now look,” Kyra started getting worked up, but Justin knew how to calm her down. 

“I don’t know, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Nothing can keep us apart. Not if I can help it.” He gently brushed her hair out of her face so that he could caress her cheek.

“I know it sucks we won’t be able to see each other every day like we’re used to. It’ll be hard but we can make it work. I don’t know how right now, but we’ll figure something out. If anybody can do it, we can. Look at all we’ve been through. Compared to that, this is nothing.”

“No, but Justin, you don’t understand. . . I can’t lose you again. . .” Kyra was overcome by a warm and hazy feeling after hearing his little speech. The liquor had her feeling right, and Justin was saying all the right things.

“Look, Kyra, I’m just as scared as you. What makes you think I would ever want to be without you?” His lips gently grazed hers, taking a moment to taste her cherry-flavored lipgloss before returning for more.

“This isn’t right, Justin.” Kyra wiped her lips when she broke their kiss.  

“Shh come here.” Justin dispelled her concerns with the deepest, most passionate kiss either of them had the pleasure to experience.

“Uh-Uh Justin. . . This is wrong,” Kyra gasped. She was unsure at first, but one kiss was all it took to spark the undying passion that lay dormant for the past 5 years. One kiss and she was ready to surrender to him completely. 

Justin wanted Kyra so bad they didn’t even make it to the bed. He bent her over the edge of the dining room table as he announced his arrival with a soft kiss on her shoulder blade. It had been so long, Kyra had almost forgotten how good his kisses were. Each time it was as though he were planting sweet reminders of his love for her on her skin.

As Justin continued to shower her with kisses, he reached around from behind, using his fingers to stimulate her with her own warm lubricant. He was in such a hurry, Justin proceeded to hoist her skirt up and pull her panties to the side. He wasn’t in the mood to waste time with foreplay. He wanted Kyra to know he wasn’t playing any games.

“Damn baby. . .” Kyra was exceptionally wet and the pressure of him entering her triggered a sense of euphoria for the both of them. Justin gripped her hips tighter as he dipped further into uncharted territory.

“Stop running,” he pulled her back onto him and met her with a hard thrust. Kyra was as surprised to see Justin show so much aggression as she was turned on by it. Her cries grew even louder.

“Justin!” Kyra arched her back to its breaking point, repeating his name as though he were the greatest. It was as though she had awakened his inner beast.

The first time Kyra had an oragasm her legs almost gave out on her so Justin picked her up and set her on the surface. He was so eager to be inside her he grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her down to him. The way he gripped her thighs when he slid inside let Kyra know she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“I know you ain’t tapping out already,” Justin turned Kyra on her side so he could whisper in her ear while he hit it. He let his hands roam over her thighs and breasts while he continued working hard to please her.

“Oh yes,” Kyra moaned in delight. Justin’s stroke game was even more phenomenal than she remembered. While most guys might last a good fifteen minutes, Justin could go for hours, and make it seem effortless. He had a fluidity to his method that couldn’t be matched.

“Oh, you like that, huh?” Justin couldn’t resist talking shit while he was in it. All Kyra could do was nod.

“Justin?” Kyra turned the other way so he couldn’t see her face, but Justin knew she was crying. He could hear it in her voice.

“Yes, baby?” He breathed in her ear. 

“I’ve wanted this so bad, baby, you just don’t know,” Kyra whimpered.

“Tell me how bad you want it,” Justin continued kissing and licking on her flesh until her moans escalated to shameless screams. As he dug deeper inside her, Kyra dug her nails into his forearms. 

“Oh, Justin, I missed you so much.” Kyra clung to him as one move seamlessly blended into the next. Justin was known to test her flexibility, and he did so by pushing her legs back until she thought they were going to break.

“I missed you, too baby,” he whispered to her in between kisses. She’d already came twice and they were nowhere near finished.

As soon as she noticed Justin was starting to get tired, Kyra took charge and mounted him. Justin sat up to meet her, and Kyra threw her head back toward the ceiling, as she began to ride slow.

“Tell me you love me,” Kyra wrapped her legs tighter around his midsection as he yanked on her curls. Justin ran his hands up her back, gripping her shoulders while she rocked back and forth.

“I love you, Kyra.” Another kiss on the lips and Kyra didn’t even think to question him. Their future together may have been uncertain, but they this was their moment and no one could take that from them. 

After tonight, there was no more holding back. One kiss was all they needed to convey their feelings for one another. One look and they knew the love they had for each other was deep and everlasting. Kyra and Justin would always have each other. They were in it until the end.

CHAPTER 14

It was late when Justin slipped out onto the adjoining terrace connected to his secret hideaway. Elevated high above the waterline, he stood fixated on the water below. Justin watched as the tide crashed against the shore and receded into the black abyss that was the ocean. The waves were illuminated by the moonlight; however, the sights and sounds of the Atlantic did little to calm him.

Justin hadn’t heard from Kyra in a few days, but she never left his mind for more than a few minutes. It didn’t seem to matter where he was, who he was with, or what he was doing; his thoughts almost always drifted to his ex. Justin felt bad for even thinking about cheating on Eden, but his cravings were becoming so intense he didn’t know how much longer he could talk himself out of it. Too much time had passed since he made Kyra climb the walls, and seeing her with someone else made Justin question if he still held that power. There was only one way to find out.

Justin was momentarily distracted when he received an alert on his phone. He walked back inside to see he had a new text from Eden, but he didn’t bother to read it. Justin set the phone face down on his desk as he threw back the rest of his nightcap.

He didn’t plan on coming home anytime soon.

*****

“Congratulations on your new job, Sweetie!” Kyra’s mother lifted her wineglass in celebration. They each tapped glasses before taking another sip, but Kyra kept drinking until the last drop of red liquid was gone.

Although Kyra appreciated Meeka’s input, she figured Meeka was probably getting tired of being dragged into her drama, so she decided to give her ears a break and ventured over to her mother’s instead. Working a full-time job kept Kyra from stopping by to see her as often as she would have liked, but when she did, they always had plenty to talk about. The wine continued to flow as did their conversation.

“So, tell me more about this new job of yours. Where is it? And what are you going to be doing?” Her mother wore her excitement in a smile that she carried with her all the way to the kitchen. Once there, she started putting together a salad in between sips. 

“What would you say if I told you I’m a stylist?” When Kyra got up from the couch, she made sure to grab the bottle – just in case.

“And what made you decide that? You just woke up one day and said ‘This is what I want to do’?” Kyra was confused by her mother’s laughter. She didn’t know if she laughed because she thought she was incapable or because it sounded unrealistic. Either way, Kyra was offended by how quickly her mother’s surprise turned to skepticism.

“I know this might seem kind of sudden. . . But I mean, think about it, Mom. It’s perfect! Even when I was little, I used to always love playin’ dress up. I’ve always been obsessed with clothes. . . Everybody who knows me; knows I’m all about bein’ fashionable,” Kyra rambled on and on.

“Whew, child, I remember those days! You used to love trying to walk around the house in my heels. Had me scared to death you were gonna fall and break your neck!” Her mother shook her head and laughed again. Whenever she couldn’t find Kyra, she knew she was either playing with her make-up or picking through her closet. Not much had changed in twenty years.

“Yeah, but I didn’t.” Kyra hit her mother with a rather stern reminder, but it was like she didn’t even hear her.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how did all this come about? Don’t you need some kind of schooling to do something like that?” Her mother stopped to munch on one of the carrots she was cutting up.

“Yes. . . No . . . I don’t know. All I know is that the restaurant will be there. This opportunity won’t.” Kyra leaned back with her arms folded.

“Have you put any thought into going back to school or moving to another area?” her mother asked. “I can’t imagine you’ll really make that much money around here,” she added. “Especially without a degree. . .”

“I have. But for right now I’ll just have to learn as I go,” Kyra said. “Plus, I already have two clients. Not bad for somebody who is just startin’ out right?” Now that the news was out, Kyra’s confidence was dwindling by the second. The one thing she wanted most from her mother was her validation; however, she had yet to receive it.

“I don’t know, Kyra. Something doesn’t sound right. . .” Her mother scooped up the little pieces of carrots and added them to the bowl of lettuce. “Are you sure it’s not some kind of scam?” her mother posed another question just as she began to slice into a cucumber.

“Just trust me on this. I know this is what I’m meant to do.” Kyra locked eyes with her mother, if only for a second.

“Well! You seem like you already have it all figured out. Why are you even asking me?” Her mother got snippy with her all of a sudden. She started slicing through the rest of the vegetables so fast, Kyra was scared she was going to cut one of her fingers off.

“Because you’re my mother. . . Hello.” Kyra got smart with her.

“I already told you what I thought. Just because it might not have been the answer you wanted, doesn’t mean it’s changed any,” she said.

“But . . . Don’t you want me to be happy?” Kyra squeaked. The hard look on her mother’s face softened instantly.

“Of course, I want you to be happy, Kyra . . . And if this is what it takes, then hey, I say go for it.” Her mother sighed as she added the cucumber to the mix. “I’m sure it’ll be pretty easy for you. It’s not like you’ve ever had a problem spending other people’s money,” she joked with her as she diced up a tomato.

“Ha, ha, you’d be surprised.” Kyra let out a dry laugh. Her mother sucked her teeth.

“Really, Kyra, how hard could it be?”

“Well, just know it’s a little more complicated than pickin’ out clothes. . . ” Kyra had to look away once her nerves took over.

“How so?” asked her mother.

“Because. . . I’ll be workin’ for Justin.”

The steady chopping sound stopped at the end of Kyra’s sentence. Her mother’s hands were so shaky she dropped the knife.

“Not Justin Hartwell?” All the color drained from her face and her wide eyes captured her fright.

“Yes . . . him,” Kyra mumbled, too afraid to say his name again. The way her mother placed her hands on the countertop it was as though she needed it to hold herself up.

“Kyra what the. . .”

“I know,” Kyra groaned.

“But I thought you. . .”

“I know.” Kyra finished the rest of her wine in one swallow. She reached for a refill only to find that the bottle was empty.

“I’m not going down this road with you again, Kyra. You can if you want to, but I’m not!” Her mother pointed at her in her frenzy.

“Chill out! We’re just friends!” Kyra squealed.

“You’d be smart to stay away from that boy altogether, Kyra. You got lucky the last time, but baby, people like the Hartwells are far more dangerous than these little thugs on the street claim to be.”

“Mom, please. Don’t start. . .” Kyra made sure to put an end to her rant before she could get started.

“But Kyra, you have made so much progress! I just don’t understand. Why would you want to go back to that?” Her mother scrunched her eyebrows in concern. Kyra relayed her frustration in a sigh.

“Mom, you don’t understand. It’s not like how it was before. Things are different now. . .”  “I’m just saying. You gonna wait until somebody dies to end it? After everything you went through in Chicago I’d hate to see something similar happen here.”

Kyra shot her mom the craziest look.

“What do you have against Justin? He never did anythin’ to you,” she argued.

“He broke your heart, Kyra. And he left me here to pick up the pieces. . . In case you forgot!” Her mother snapped on her, and both women fell silent afterwards.

“You know he’s gettin’ married in a few weeks. . . ” Kyra blurted out the main thing that had been bothering her and all her mother had to say was, “Oh. . .”

“Yeah,” Kyra gave her confirmation and an attitude. “So like I said; for the fifty-millionth time: Justin and I are just friends. And this job is just that – a job.”

“Well then you need to find another one,” she grunted.

“Why?” Kyra challenged her orders.

“Because I can see how easy it would be for you to get wrapped up in him all over again,” she said. 

“But, Mom, where else am I going to find a job that combines all my interests? At least I get to have fun at this job. Plus, I get paid really well. And eventually, I’ll get to travel. Maybe I’ll even meet a few celebrities. You never know,” Kyra protested.

“And you get to see Justin.” Her mother added to her list and Kyra twisted her mouth. Why is that such a bad thing? She wondered.

“You’re better off without him, Kyra. You would see that if you gave yourself time to heal.” Her mother tried to comfort her, but her words didn’t bring Kyra much relief.

“Mom, can we please talk about somethin’ else? You killin’ me right now,” Kyra placed her hand on her forehead as though she were in actual, physical pain.

“Alright, but just remember, sweetie, you’re only 23. You have your whole life ahead of you,” she continued. “Trust me, Kyra. You’ll find love like that again. It’ll come. When the time is right, it will happen,” she said. 

“Yeah, well I’m not getting’ any younger here,” Kyra commented.

“Oh, sweetheart, there are other guys out there. Better guys. . . What about Cincere?” Her mother perked up when she said his name, but Kyra didn’t. 

“Ugh. What about him?” she grumbled.

“How is he? I haven’t seen him in awhile. . .” The look on her mother’s face was one of pure disappointment.

“You’ll have to ask him ’cause I don’t know and I really don’t care,” Kyra pretended to study her manicure for chips, as though that were more important.

“I thought things were going pretty good for you two? What happened?” Her mother continued to pry into her private life causing Kyra to sigh again.

“Yeah. . . They were. But that was before he started trippin’. As soon as he found out I was even talkin’ to Justin, he accused me of cheatin’ on him so you can imagine his reaction when I told him he offered me a job.” Kyra rolled her eyes; something she did far too often when thinking of her boyfriend.

“Well I can understand why he would be mad. Justin isn’t just your friend. He’s your ex. That’s totally different.” Her mother laid out the facts, but Kyra didn’t have a chance to dispute them before Matthew walked in the room.  

“Hey, you,” Matthew snuck up behind her mother and began massaging her shoulders. She then fed him some food to taste.

“Mmm, that’s good.” Kyra wasn’t sure whether Matthew was referring to the food or her mother’s kisses. It was still kind of awkward whenever she caught them being intimate, but she really had no complaints. She rarely saw them argue. Matthew seemed perfect for her mother in every way.

“Oh, hey there, Kyra, how’s it going?” Matthew offered her the same friendly greeting he always did.

“Good! She was just telling me all about her new job,” her mother answered before she could. She’d cut their kissing short to fix her lipstick, and was acting as though she were a teenager who just got caught kissing her boyfriend.

“Oh you got a new job? Congratulations!” Matthew lit up.

“Thank you, Matthew. At least somebody is happy for me.” Kyra directed her comment toward her mother.

“Hey honey, I was just finishing up here. Why don’t you go wash up? Dinner should be done in a few. . . I’ll call you when it’s ready.” Matthew nodded, and her mother dismissed him with a kiss. She pressed pause on her current conversation until he rounded the corner, but when her mother opened her mouth again, her voice was soft and steady.

“Look, Kyra, I know how you feel. After your father, I thought I’d never love again . . . Which is why I am so grateful to have met Matthew. He’s helped me realize that I’m still young. He’s helped me see that despite all I’ve been through in my life, I’m stronger now because of it. There is no need for me to still be toting that baggage around with me all these years later. With his help, I’ve overcome those obstacles, and they’ve helped make me the woman I am today,” she testified.

“You know, Kyra, not a lot of people know what it’s like to love someone for all they are – and all they aren’t – but at some point, you have to see it for what it is, not what you hope it will be.”

Her mother’s advice didn’t even have a chance to sink in before Kyra shifted her attention to her cell phone. She looked at her mother and then back at the name on the screen. Justin was calling, and that $10,000 dollar retainer he gave her meant when he called, she answered.

“Excuse me. Sorry, but I have to take this.” Kyra put one finger up and pressed the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“Kyra, I need to talk to you,” he declared.

“Sure. . . What is it?” Kyra cleared her throat. She could feel her mother staring hard, and assumed that the only reason she was quiet was because she was listening.

“I’ll tell you when you get here. Just get here as soon as you can,” he said. 

“Okay, okay. I’m on my way.” Kyra hung up the phone and grabbed her keys. It was late and she was tired, but she was too intrigued to go home and go to sleep. Justin said he needed her, and that was all she needed to hear.

“Sorry, Mom, but I gotta go.” Kyra caught the side-eye when she kissed her mother on the cheek. She didn’t even bother to ask her where she was going. She already knew.

“You be careful, Kyra.”

Ladies, now that summer has arrived, the temperature isn’t the only thing on the rise – so is the pressure to look good.

I already know how important it is to keep your hair and nails on point. I know how hard you’ve been trying to shed those extra pounds so you can turn heads in that bikini. But, I also know how overwhelming it can be trying to keep up with all the latest trends when it comes to makeup, skincare, fitness, and all the other areas we women tend to obsess about, especially when you have a busy schedule.

So whether you’re a college student, a working mom or an author/blogger like me, don’t worry. My BrownBox has you taken care of. A subscription beauty service for women of color, My BrownBox focuses on much more than appearance – it reminds us how important it is to celebrate our beauty inside and out.

Never used a subscription service before? Here’s how it works: a diverse team of #BrownBeauties go out and select the latest and greatest products from some of the hottest brands on the market, helping you simplify the decision making process. For just $20/month you get 5 – 6 beauty & lifestyle products delivered right to your front door! Not only is My BrownBox affordable and convenient, each beauty box is tailored to your personal beauty profile, making it that much easier to find the perfect product to fit your needs!

Founded by Michigan State University alumni and member of Fashion Bloggers Detroit, Brittney Marshall officially launched My BrownBox on January 5, 2013, selling out in less than 30 minutes! In this edition of 16dreams, find out how what began as an interest in fashion, propelled Brittney to start her own company at the age of 23.

16dreams: What year did you turn 16?

Brittney: I turned 16 in 2005. At that time I was a sophomore in high school.

16dreams: What high school did you go to?

Brittney: I attended Huron High School, located in Ann Arbor, MI. Home of the River Rats!

16dreams: Describe what you were like when you were 16 using 6 words or less.

Brittney: I was carefree.

16dreams: When you were 16, who did you look up to?

Brittney: At the age of 16 I was self-centered, so I had this me against the world mindset going on.  But naturally, I have always looked up to my mother. When I was 16 I shared all of my ‘me against the world’ secrets with her. She was my confidant and still is to this very day. 

16dreams: Did you already have your future planned or have your plans changed since then?

Brittney: Ever since childhood I had dreams to work in the fashion industry; whether it was being a fashion designer or working for a large magazine company, which was Seventeen Magazine at the time.
 During my junior year in high school I was exposed to experiential marketing and from there my interest in marketing & advertising continued to grow.  I begin looking at brands from a business perspective.
In 2007 I graduated high school and attended Michigan State University; there I studied Advertising. While attending school my dream of working in the fashion industry changed, a little. I no longer wanted to be a designer, but instead I wanted to be behind the scenes working on the logistical side of things. I desired to intern at a magazine company or an advertising agency, where I could still work with well-known brands on a larger scale. Eventually I began working on my own business venture and from there my story continues to unfold. I am now doing everything that I love. I have combined my interest in fashion, beauty, advertising & marketing into one vision; My BrownBox.

16dreams:  What issues did you face as a teen? How did you overcome them?

Brittney: The main issues that I faced as a teen were relationship & family issues. My dad didn’t like me visiting my boyfriend’s house late at night. I also faced very minor friendship dramas. It was typical teen stuff, the average growing pains. I overcame them with growth and self-discovery. With time I became more familiar with my likes and dislikes, and the type of people and things that I should avoid. I’ve always been on a constant journey for self-improvement. For me, it started early.

 16dreams: What prompted you to start your business “My Brown Box?”

Brittney: The personal experience that led to the birth of My BrownBox is me being a woman of color in the marketplace. Far too often, I find that we are overlooked and underrepresented in the beauty and fashion industries. Even to this day when I contact brands about offering their products to My BrownBox members, they lose interest because of our target market.
I wanted to create something that all women of color could identify with and relate to. My BrownBox has been a wonderful way to support minority owned businesses all while creating a community where women of color connect, inspire and inform one another.

16dreams:  What do you enjoy most about your business?

Brittney: There are so many different facets that I love about my business. But one thing that I love the most is that My BrownBox pushes me to think outside of the box on a daily basis. It never allows my mind to be idle. Every day I’m working to find a solution to improve my business.

16dreams: What is the #1 fashion/beauty tip you’ve received this year?

Brittney: The number one beauty tip that I received this year was, pat concealer on using your ring finger, and don’t rub it.

16dreams: What advice would you give young women who may be struggling with their body image?

Brittney: The simplest advice that I can ever give to a young woman is to practice self-love. Find the things that make you unique, and embrace them. There are already enough critics in the world that will break you down. Don’t be your own worst critic.

So now that you know all about My BrownBox, make sure to visit the official website for news and exclusive deals: www.mybrownbox.com! You will also find lots of cool DIY projects, ways to manage stress, healthy recipes, and more on their blog http://mybrownboxblog.com. I encourage you to reach out and connect with other #BrownBeauties around the world by liking their page on Facebook as well. You can also follow My BrownBox on Pinterest , Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr, too.

And while you might be lucky enough to get your hands on a one of these “beauties”, My BrownBox is hosting an event on Saturday, July 27th at The Natural Market located at 204 E.Grand River Detroit, MI 48226. From 6 – 8 pm, you and your friends are invited to participate in raffles, giveaways, and live prodcut tutorials, all while enjoying cocktails, cupcakes, and additional product sampling. Make sure to RSVP at MyBrownBoxDetroit.Eventbrite.Com to join in the celebration of #BrownBeauty!

CHAPTER 13

“Cincere, come here!” Kyra came bursting into their apartment later that evening with several large bags weighing down each arm.

Once Justin gave her permission to use his credit card, Kyra wasted no time putting it to use. Still brimming with excitement in regards to her new position – as well as the fabulous perks that came with it – the fresh smell of retail gave her a high she had yet to come down from. Being able to shed her work clothes for the cute silk romper she wore out of the store was symbolic of her revival, and Kyra was more than ready to embrace the life she was always meant to lead.

“Hey, you’re home early. . . ” Cincere noticed the three hour difference before her new outfit. He came running in, looking startled by all the noise, but stopped short when he saw the living room floor littered with shopping bags. “What’s all this?” he asked.

“I went shoppin’.” Kyra stated the obvious as though it was some kind of accomplishment. Tired and out of breath, she took in the mess she made with great satisfaction.

“Damn girl! Did you have to buy the whole store?” Cincere laughed like he was joking with her however he seemed just as anxious to find out what was inside the bags as he was to find out who was footing the bill. “Since when do we have money for all this?” Cincere questioned one of the mile-long receipts, his forehead scrunched with worry.

“Babe, relax,” Kyra chuckled a bit. “Half this stuff isn’t even for me,” she admitted.

“Then who’s is it?” Cincere became agitated when he discovered that most of the bags contained men’s clothing – none of which were in his size.

“It’s for work. . .” Kyra slowly removed the Dior frames from her face and returned them to their case. Cincere let his suspicious glare speak for him.

“Baby, guess what?” Kyra bit her lip to keep from smiling too hard.

Cincere entertained her with a rather unenthused, “What?”

“Ya girl got a new job!” Kyra got hype again. It was hard not to be considering all the possibilities: the places she could go, the people she could meet. . .

“Congratulations. . . Where’s it at?” Cincere looked confused but that didn’t keep him from being supportive. When he opened his arms for a hug, Kyra gave him a peck on the lips.

“Baby, you are never goin’ to believe this! I was at work today when Justin came in-” Kyra started to tell him all about it, but Cincere shut her down before he got to hear the whole story.

“What was Justin doing at your job?” he investigated.

“He came up to the restaurant and offered me a chance to work for him,” Kyra explained.

“Doing what exactly?” Cincere stepped back to assess the situation.

“I know this might sound kind of crazy but . . . he asked me to be his stylist,” she continued.

“And you agreed?” Cincere huffed in disbelief.

“Well . . . yeah. I mean. . .” Kyra wrestled with her reply. His stale reaction made her wish she’d kept the good news to herself.

“But you already have a job.”

Kyra rolled her eyes at  him for reminding her.

“Correction: I had a job,” she mumbled.

“So you quit? Is that what you’re telling me?” Cincere kept poking at her with his questions, still trying to grasp what she was saying. All Kyra had to do was nod, and that was all it took to set him off.

“What the fuck! You can’t just quit your job!” Cincere came down on her hard. He was so mad he started pacing back and forth, cursing up a storm. “Damn it, Kyra! I would have appreciated it if you had at least talked to me about it first!” he huffed some more.

“I’m sorry, baby, but I had to take it. If I didn’t take this job I wouldn’t have a job, period.” Kyra tried to be as gentle as she could when she approached him, but Cincere lashed out at her anyway.

“No. You didn’t have to. You wanted to! There’s a difference!” he hollered.

“Whateva, Cincere! You weren’t even there!” Kyra was trying to keep calm, but her bad attitude seeped through her voice.

“I don’t even care. Take this shit . . . all of it. Tell Justin we don’t need him – or his money.” Cincere balled up one of the shirts, stuffed it back in the bag, and shoved it out the way.

“What? I can’t take all this stuff back.” Kyra looked around and let out a weak laugh. They were practically swimming in new merchandise. Plus, she’d worked too hard to carry all them in just to turn around and carry them back out.

“I said take it back!” Cincere hurled one of the bags toward the door, scattering its contents. Kyra ducked just in time to avoid being hit.

“What the hell, Cincere? You are really fuckin’ trippin’ right now!” Kyra screamed at him as her eyes welled with tears. As her boyfriend, she expected him to offer his love and support, but Cincere refused to give her either.

“No. The only person who’s trippin’ right now is you!” he yelled over her. “You think I’m fucking stupid, Kyra? You don’t even know the first thing about being a stylist!”

“Damn, my bad. I thought you would’ve been happy for me.” Kyra put one hand on her hip and let the other one hang. “Do you know how much more money I’ll be makin’? This will be good for the both of us!” she argued.

“And besides, it’s not like I’ll be workin’ for just him. I’ll work for other people too . . . As a matter of fact, I’m scheduled to meet with one of my other clients tomorrow,” Kyra pointed out. Meanwhile, Cincere stared her down as he ran his tongue along the inside of his lip.

“Oh. You don’t believe me?” Kyra scrambled to find her purse amongst the many bags. She pulled out what was left of her bankroll, fanning the hundred dollar bills out for him to see, but Cincere’s expression never changed. He turned his back to her and put his phone to his ear.

“Um, excuse me, but . . . who the hell are you callin’?” Kyra shifted her weight in offense. She was baffled at how he could just start a new conversation without finishing theirs first.

“I’m calling Chris,” Cincere was firm in his announcement. “You need to talk to him, Kyra. Tell him you’re sorry for what happened and you want your job back.” Cincere held the phone out for her. The timer had started already which meant it was ringing. The pressure was on.

“Now you and I both know I’m not about to do that.” Kyra took the phone from him and put an end to the call, as well as his idea. Now that Justin had put her on, Kyra couldn’t even think about going back to bi-weekly paychecks that didn’t even last a full two weeks. Not even for Cincere.

“I swear, I’m starting to think you be trying to make me mad on purpose! Like the shit is funny!” Cincere shared his speculations out loud. “Keep thinking this shit is a fucking joke, Kyra!”

“Whateva, Cincere. I don’t know what your problem is. You’re always mad at me about something.” Kyra sucked her teeth as she tossed the phone aside. With the way he was acting, she couldn’t even take him seriously.

“No. I am not always mad. You just do shit to piss me off!” Cincere raised his voice again. Kyra slowly counted to five before she got ready to speak.

“Look, Cincere this is the one thing I might actually be good at in life. If it wasn’t for Justin, I’d probably be stuck at that damn restaurant forever. At least this is an opportunity-”

“Don’t you see what’s going on, Kyra?” Cincere cut her off mid-sentence. “This isn’t about you. This is about Justin! This is just his way of keeping you close to him!” he claimed.

“Come on now, Cincere. I thought we were past this.” Kyra leaned against the back of the couch as she let out a heavy sigh.

“Yeah. . . So did I.” Cincere went cold as he retreated to their bedroom. Kyra tensed up when he slammed the door.

As she sat there in silence reflecting on what just happened, warm tears started to flow down her pretty face. Kyra looked over at the unopened bottle of wine sitting on the coffee table, and didn’t know whether to celebrate or drown her sorrows. Because at the end of the day, all she had left to hold onto was hope for a better tomorrow.

With yesterday’s drama behind her, Kyra got up early the next morning to put herself together. She knew if she was going to go around telling people she was a stylist, then it was important she look like one. From now on, she would be required to put much more effort into her everyday appearance: otherwise no one was going to take her advice.

And although, Kyra never quite pictured herself in the position of fashion stylist, the more she thought about it, the more it started to make sense. Sure, the fact that she’d been thrust into her new role without any warning or preparation, no one to observe or learn from, and practically no schooling, was a little nerve-racking to say the least, but Kyra was confident in her ability to put together a showstopper. She’d done it before and under the right conditions, she knew she could pull it off again. All the reassurance she needed was in the mirror.

Looking good and feeling good had always been synonymous for Kyra, and today, she felt unstoppable. After yet another lengthy internal debate, she decided to wear a belted, raspberry-colored pencil skirt, with a sleeveless, cream-colored satin top, and a metallic gold Michael Kors tote to set it all off. The metallic T-strap sandals she wore were also made by Michael Kors – minus the MK monogram.

Pressed for time, Kyra hurried up and finished by tying her hair up in a top knot. She would have to apply her lipgloss in the car.

In her rush to make her very first consultation, Kyra couldn’t help but think about how happy she was to leave Cincere and their drama at home. It hadn’t even occurred to her that she was speeding. The faster Kyra got away from Cincere, the faster she could get to Justin’s. And when it came to her success, she wasn’t about to let anyone slow her down.

After last night, Kyra had really been looking forward to meeting with Justin – which would help explain why she was so disappointed when she saw who he brought with him. Having Eden around always made for an awkward situation. When it came to their chemistry, it was clear that Eden didn’t mix.

For one, Kyra hated having to censor herself just because Eden felt like she had to be right there to monitor their whole conversation. Not to mention, this time, Eden seemed to be staring harder at her then she was at Justin. Kyra caught more than a few dirty looks while she and Justin were in the midst of discussing the season’s hottest trends. It didn’t surprise Kyra that Eden managed to point out something wrong with each one of her selections. Unlike Justin, Eden was mean, demanding, and almost impossible to please.

Thankfully, Kyra only had to put up with her for a few minutes before it was time for her to make her way to her next appointment. Her heart was still beating a mile a minute when she pulled up at the Black Pearl Hotel around 11:30 A.M. A thousand scenarios were running through her mind as she made her way across the lobby. She was looking for Suite 717.

The longer Kyra had to wait for someone to answer, the more anxious she became. It was then that she realized, other than the time and location Justin provided, the man behind the door was a total mystery.

“Oh, hello, you must be Kyra.” An older gentleman came to greet her not long after she knocked. He was short and stocky, so much so that Kyra could see that he was balding. What little hair he had left had turned white, but the light in his eyes remained bright and youthful.

“Yes, hi,” Kyra perked up all of a sudden, but the only reason  she held her smile for so long was to hide how shocked she was. Is this the man I’m supposed to meet? She wondered.

“Ah, yes. Right this way, Madam.” The butler ushered her in and Kyra let out a sigh of relief. She followed him through the opulent, two-story suite to an infinity pool outside.

“Thank you,” Kyra stopped near the water’s edge. The butler bowed before leaving.

Kyra was slow in making her way over to the much younger looking brother on the other side of the pool. She couldn’t see his face from where she was standing, but from what she could tell he was built like a God. He made doing push-ups look easy.

“Dominic.” The click-clack of Kyra’s heels against the pavement stopped at his head. Dominic traced her lovely stems all the way up to the frown on her face.

“Woo-Woo,” he whistled.

“Save your compliments, Dominic. What do you want?” Kyra asked.

Once he reached two hundred, Dominic hopped up to retrieve his water bottle, lifted it to his mouth and proceeded to suck it down. Dressed in nothing but a pair of white boxer shorts, the tattoos on his arms and neck were merely an extension of the artwork adorning his upper body. His sweaty chest was gleaming. His breathing was just beginning to slow down.

Kyra got hot just looking at him. The fact it was 87 degrees and sunny had nothing to do with it. Not only did he know how to identify her weaknesses, Dominic was an expert when it came to playing upon her vulnerabilities. Kyra didn’t even have to tell him about how she and Cincere got into it last night. It was like he already knew.

“Oh, hi, Kyra, nice to see you, too,” Dominic flashed his signature smile.

“How can I help you Dominic?” Kyra loaded her question with sarcasm. Had she known he was the person she was supposed to be meeting with, she definitely would have cancelled.

“Justin referred you to me. Said you’re one of the hottest stylists around.  . . Is that true?”  Dominic wandered over to one of the lounge chairs. Kyra opted to stand.

“Your sources would be correct.” Kyra smiled proudly. “But since when do you need a stylist, Dominic? It’s not like you don’t know how to dress,” she added.

“I am pretty fly huh?” Dominic held his chin up. Kyra sucked her teeth at him and laughed.

“You a’ight,” she joked.

“So then why did you try to play me like that at the engagement party?” Dominic got all serious all of a sudden. His eyes locked on hers.

“I didn’t play you, Dom. You played yaself.” Kyra snapped. “I told you what it was. You knew I had a boyfriend from the beginnin’,” she said.

“Nah, you were trying to show out.” Dominic shook his finger at her.

“Look. . . Dominic, I came here to work. If the only reason you hired me is because you thought you were about to get some ass, you can forget it,” she warned.

“No, that’s not the only reason. . . I wanted to see you . . . But since you wanted to be difficult. . .” He sighed.

“Ugh. Whateva, Dominic. Just for that, I should walk out of here right now.” Kyra glanced back at the entrance to the suite.

“You could. . . But that wouldn’t be smart.” Dominic squinted when he looked up at her. His remark made her sit.

“Dominic, I really don’t have time for this. . .” Kyra sighed to show her irritation.

“I don’t know if Justin told you or not, but my birthday is coming up next month.” Dominic blotted the beads of sweat on his forehead with a towel. “I’m going to be 27 this year, and I think it’s about time to start making some changes in my life – starting with my wardrobe,” he said.

“Okay, well since I’m here do you think you can you give me a general description of your style preference? Oh and I’ll also need to know your sizes.” Kyra leaned forward, ready to take notes on her tablet.

“Well I guess you could say I’m looking for something that stands out.
Something different . . .  Something hot. . .  Something real . . . grown and sexy you feel me?” Dominic licked his lips in a provocative manner.

“Umm, let’s try to stick to the subject, please. We’re supposed to be talkin’ about fashion, remember?” Kyra could feel her lust for him creeping up her spine again. The tingling sensation between her legs made her squeeze her thighs together. Her body was desperate for a release.

“Yeah. . . What else did you think I was talking about?” Dominic replied with a sly grin that told her he was the furthest thing from innocent.

“Mmm, hmm, just makin’ sure,” Kyra hummed pleasantly. There was slight pause in conversation as she finished up on her iPad and put it away.

“Alright, unless you have any questions for me I think I have everythin’ I need. If not, I’ll call you.” Kyra stood up, ready to head out. Dominic followed close behind her.

“I gotta go to this stupid rehearsal dinner tomorrow, but feel free to hit me up.” Dominic handed her a check for $1,500 once they were at the door.  “Here you go: this should cover it for today,” he concluded.

“Thanks.” Kyra quickly zipped it away in her bag. Her next stop was the bank.

“Hey. . . Before you go. . . I was also hoping you might be able to help me sort through my closet sometime this week? I need to get rid of some stuff. If I don’t, it’s going to be hell when it comes time to pack,” he complained.

“Sure, I can do that.” Kyra agreed in hopes Dominic would finally let her leave, but he just kept on talking.

“Oh, and Kyra, if you don’t mind I have a couple items at the dry cleaners that need to be picked up,” he added.

“Anything else?” Kyra wasn’t afraid to get smart with Dominic. She didn’t care if he was a client. She was his stylist, not his personal assistant, and she needed him to respect that.

“Actually. . . Yeah there is. . .” Dominic moved fast in his attempt to kiss her, but Kyra knew better than to let him do it. It was already hard enough not to succumb to his passion, and those delectable lips. Just one taste was dangerous.

“You just love teasing me don’t you, baby?” Dominic sounded frustrated and turned on all at the same time. Kyra was up against the door, and he was up against her, holding himself up while caging her in with his arms.

“C’mon. When you gon’ stop teasing me mami. Give me what I want,” Dominic was breathing heavy. The tip of his nose grazed Kyra’s ear, before his lips settled on her neck.

“Uh, uh, Dominic. . . Nice try, but this is strictly business.” Kyra grabbed Dominic by the face and forced him to look her in the eye. Her free hand found the handle, allowing her to slip out.

While waiting for the elevator to take her back to the ground floor, Kyra looked back to see Dominic was still posted in the doorway, looking puzzled. Not only did Kyra know how to keep him guessing, she always found a way to keep him wanting more.

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CHAPTER 12

Three long days had passed since Justin’s big engagement party, and Kyra was still suffering from the side-effects.  It was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday. The restaurant wasn’t even that busy, and Kyra was still struggling to keep up with the tables in her section. Her mind was on everything but work.

After such an eventful weekend, Kyra was burnt out. The friendly smile she used to greet her customers and co-workers was nothing more than a façade used to cover up the nausea, sleeplessness, and depression: all the common symptoms that came along with being lovesick over Justin. It wasn’t like there was some magic pill she could take to alleviate the pain she carried within. No doctor could help her. There was no cure.

When she ran into Justin that day at the marketplace, it was as though all of her old wounds had been ripped open again. Kyra truly wanted to believe that her heart would heal eventually. All she had to do was give it time. . . But if she hadn’t gained some sense of inner peace after five years, how much longer would it take?

With Kyra’s list of regrets getting longer by the day, agreeing to help Justin celebrate his engagement had to be at the top. Kyra already knew from previous experience that seeing Justin with another woman was enough to classify as some form of psychological torture so she didn’t know why she was so quick to subject herself to such torment. Being forced to make nice with his fiancé made Kyra feel like she was being punished for every bad thing she’d ever done.  

Kyra tried to move past it, but somehow every thought brought her back to that night, along with the emotions she felt at the time. Flashbacks of Justin touching Eden invaded every waking moment. Her skin practically tingled with jealousy when he kissed her right in front of her like it was nothing. The sinking feeling she got in the pit of her stomach when Eden showed her, her ring still hadn’t gone away. It felt as though she had been forced to ingest the humungous rock and lug it with her wherever she went.

Suddenly short of breath, Kyra stopped to rest against the edge of the closest table. Functioning on just a few hours of sleep, her vision became blurred, and she felt unsteady on her feet like she’d been drinking. Kyra felt so overwhelmed by her emotions they were beginning to manifest as physical aches and pains. Kyra wasn’t sure if she was about to vomit or faint.

“Hey, Diane do you think you can cover me for a few minutes? I’m not feelin’ so good . . .” Kyra reached out to the first person who passed her.

“Sure. It’s pretty slow right now.” Diane took a look around the half-empty dining room.

“Thank you.” Kyra exhaled with gratitude. She’d already started loosening her apron. No matter what Diane said, she was going.

“Are you going to be okay?” Diane looked concerned. A single-mother with a teenage daughter of her own, it didn’t take long for her motherly instinct to kick in.

“Mmm, hmm,” Kyra nodded to avoid any more questioning. She slowly walked off the floor to the area designated for employees only, however, her pace quickened the closer she got to the backdoor. When Kyra pressed all of her weight against the metal bar to open it, warm sunlight met her in return.  

“Oh, thank God.” Kyra was even more relieved to see Meeka already outside enjoying her lunch break. After holding so much inside, she couldn’t wait to sit down with her and unleash.

“Hey, you! What are you doing out here?” Meeka checked the time on her phone. “I thought you don’t get a break until four-thirty?”

“I don’t, but I couldn’t wait.” Kyra claimed a chair for herself. “I just . . . I need a minute.”

“What’s with you? You and Cincere get into it again?” Meeka swatted at a pesky fly trying to steal a bite of her food.

“No . . . Not exactly. . . ” Kyra kept stalling, unsure how to answer. She had noticed a change in Cincere, too although it wasn’t quite the change she’d been hoping for. These days, Cincere seemed to view her as more of his roommate than his girlfriend. At least that was how he treated her.

“Then what’s the problem? One of these customers getting on your nerves again?” Meeka let out a little chuckle thinking back on some of the horror stories they’d shared.

“I met Eden. . .”  Still traumatized by the experience, Kyra couldn’t look Meeka in the eye for very long. It took all the strength she had left not to cry.

“Now, Kyra, why would you go to that party?” Meeka shook her head at her stubbornness. She already looked like she pitied Kyra, and she hadn’t even heard the full story. “I thought you said you weren’t going to go!”

“It’s not like I really wanted to!” Kyra squealed. “Justin kept askin’ me,” she argued.

“So you guys have been hanging out a lot lately?” Meeka continued to probe, however, Kyra was quick to kill her assumptions.

“I wouldn’t say all that. I’ve only seen him a few times since he’s been home,” she recalled.

“I still can’t believe you went to his engagement party!” Meeka exploded suddenly. “What were you thinking?”

“I wish I could tell you. . .” Kyra gave a weak laugh. Looking back on it, it was almost funny to think her plan would actually work. When it came to love, it never was that easy.

“Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve went with you. . .” Meeka whined. “And please tell me you didn’t go there by yourself.” Her eyes widened with worry, as though Kyra had actually put herself in danger by going, however Kyra remained prideful.

“No. I had a date,” she replied.

“Who?” Meeka jerked her neck back in surprise.

“Cincere,” Kyra told her.

“You took him with you! Kyra . . .” Meeka left her mouth wide open as she sat there staring in disbelief. She kind of wanted to laugh, but she felt like she would be wrong if she did. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Kyra was quick to shut her down before she could get started with another one of her lectures. Meeka was her friend. Kyra respected her opinion, but she was going to have to save all that for another time.

“So is she pretty?” Meeka’s bluntness made Kyra cringe, but Kyra couldn’t even fault her for asking. It was the number one question every girl wanted to know. The second a girl found out her ex had a new girlfriend she automatically rated the new girl’s worthiness based on whether she was uglier or prettier than her. Out of all the criteria they were judged upon, looks always seemed to be most important.

“She’s okay. I guess. . . ” Kyra’s comment was accompanied by a salty look. Because while Eden might’ve already had the Hartwell’s approval; she would never have hers.

“Ugh, I am so over you and Justin.” Meeka closed the plastic to-go container she’d been eating out of and tossed it in the trash. “When are you ever going to tell me about what happened with you and that one guy from the club? Dominic?” she asked.    Every time Kyra heard that name, she rolled her eyes so hard they almost fell out of her head. Running into Dominic at the engagement party was certainly a surprise, although Kyra wouldn’t describe it as pleasant. Feelings of shame and guilt resurfaced as soon as he did, except this time they were for a different reason. Not only did Dominic know Justin. They were practically related. Finding out Dominic was Eden’s brother was just another reason for her not to like him. 

“Oh. You’ll never guess who his sister is.” Kyra hinted.

“Wait. . . So he was there?” Meeka was slowly starting to catch on.

“You know, Justin’s fiancé, Eden? Well she’s the little sister he was tellin’ me about.” Kyra filled her in on the disaster she’d been faced with.

“No!” Meeka covered her mouth.

“Yes.” Kyra nodded.

“So do you think Justin knows about you and Dominic?” Meeka panicked.

“No. But at this point, does it even matter? We’re not together anymore so it’s not like he can really be mad at me. . . Plus, if you saw how he was with Eden, you would know he clearly doesn’t care about me.” At first, Kyra started to get angry, but the more she talked about it, her anger dissolved into hurt.

“Not that I don’t feel bad,” she sighed heavily. “I mean . . . what are the odds that the one time I decide to have a one night stand it’s with his brother-in-law?” Her expression was one of disappointment and disgust.  

“Very high, apparently,” Meeka tried to get a laugh out of her, but Kyra wasn’t amused by her sarcasm. She wasn’t happy that because of Dominic, she had to delete Justin from her phone and ultimately, her life. All she had to do was push a button, but it wasn’t that easy to delete him from her mind.

“Come on, Meeka you know it is. It’s only a matter of time before my name gets brought up and Justin starts askin’ questions. How does that make me look?” Kyra stressed.

“Yeah, you got a point there.” Meeka agreed.

“How are things goin’ for you, though? Do you still talk to his one friend, Rico or whatever?” Kyra posed a question of her own.

“Not really.” Meeka shrugged. “We exchanged numbers, but he got on my nerves always asking me to send a pic.”

“Ugh!” Both of the girls looked at each other and laughed when they realized they shared the same reaction. They even made a similar face.

“Alright well, let me get back up in here before Chris get to yellin’.” Kyra got up to head back inside. She didn’t even want to think about how much trouble she would be in if she got caught taking an unscheduled break.

“Okay. Just remember you can call me if you need anything.” Meeka made sure to remind her.

“I will.” Kyra smiled as was leaving. She appreciated her offer, although she silently hoped she wouldn’t have to take her up on it.

Thankfully for Kyra, she managed to creep back inside the restaurant undetected by her boss and take back over her section. Kyra wasn’t surprised to see not much had changed since she was gone. It was almost as if she had never left.

“Hey, Kyra, can I talk to you?” Kyra thought she was busted until she realized who the deep voice belonged to. Justin had been walking so fast he practically bumped right into her. The way he came storming into the restaurant, Kyra thought maybe somebody owed him some money. She had never seen him look so determined.

“Hey. . .  What are you doing here?” Kyra’s laughter came as a result of confusion and excitement. That night after the engagement party, Kyra swore she would never talk to Justin ever again however it was hard to keep those promises when she was looking right at him. When it came to Justin, her willpower was practically non-existent.

“I came to see you . . . You got a minute?”

“My shift isn’t over until eight.” Kyra groaned over the fact she still had six hours left. “Call me later?”

“I would, but we need to talk – now. This can’t wait.” Justin sounded almost irritated by her suggestion.

“Well, it looks like it’s gonna have to.” Kyra shot back. As she went about checking on her tables, Justin followed her close.

“Excuse me sir, is there a problem?” Kyra’s manager, Chris, came over to join their conversation. He had no reason to address Justin in such a polite, yet confrontational tone, but one look at the baggy Balmains Justin was wearing and Chris assumed he was there to make a scene.

“No problem.” Despite the manager’s nasty attitude, Justin kept a cool head. It was hard to get mad when he knew he had enough money to buy the building they were standing in. He could even have it named after him if he wanted.

Still, Chris refused to leave Kyra alone with him. He didn’t even know Justin, so it wasn’t like he could take his word for it. He had to check with Kyra first.

“Is everything okay here?” Chris turned his next question over to her.

“Yeah. . .  We were just talking,” Kyra put her head down in embarrassment. People were starting to stare.

“Sir, I cannot have you distracting my staff and disturbing my guests. . . I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave,” Chris whispered.

“I’ll leave.” Justin grabbed Kyra by the hand. “But she’s coming with me,” he announced.

“I beg your pardon?” Chris clearly didn’t understand what Justin meant and neither did Kyra. She looked just as confused as he was.

“Kyra will no longer be working for your establishment effective immediately.” To their amazement, Justin took the liberty of speaking on Kyra’s behalf. Justin had such a hold on her she had to practically fight to get her hand back.

“Justin!” Kyra stepped in before he could do any more damage. “Chris, don’t listen to him,” she pleaded.

“Kyra, go get your stuff. . . We’re done here.” Justin ordered her along despite what she was saying. The way Justin spoke to her let her know Chris wasn’t in charge anymore. He was.  

Her manager looked to Kyra for answers, but Justin shot her a look that shut her up. Not that that stopped her form glaring at him on her way to clean out her locker. She didn’t know what provoked him to do it, or what was about to happen next, but from the time he got there, Justin made it clear he wasn’t leaving unless Kyra was leaving with him. He didn’t care if he had to carry her out himself. 

“Justin, what the hell are you doin’?” Kyra tore into him the second they reached the street.  “Are you fuckin’ crazy? I can’t just leave!” she screamed.       

 “I’m doing you a favor,” Justin answered calmly. He wasn’t fazed by her one bit.

“A favor?” Kyra squinted at him. “Justin, you probably just cost my job! Now what am I goin’ to do?” she whimpered.

“That’s because I have a better one for you.” Justin finally turned to face her once they reached his car.

“What?” Kyra sniffed back the tears that were forming.

“You remember Chicago?” Justin leveled with her eye to eye.

“Like I could forget. . .” Kyra sighed.

“What happened that summer changed the both of us . . . But I would like to think it changed us for the better, wouldn’t you?” Justin continued.

“Justin. . . What the hell are you talkin’ about?” Kyra pushed away from him when she snapped out of her daydream. She’d gotten so lost in his eyes she almost forgot she was mad for a second. It had to be at least ninety degrees outside, and the firmness of his chest pressed against the softness of hers still gave her chills.

“I want to help you,” Justin explained. “But only if you let me.”

“And you really thought this was the best way to go about it?” Kyra came back at him with full-blown attitude.

“Maybe not . . . But I’ve been meaning to ask you this for awhile now so here it goes. . .” Justin took a deep breath to hide his nervousness. “Kyra . . . I want you to be my personal stylist.”

“Oh my God, Justin, you cannot be serious.” Kyra mumbled. He’d tried to make it sound like it was some grand idea, but she didn’t look nearly as excited as him.

“Hell yeah, I’m serious! Do you know how many compliments I got on the suit you picked out for my party?” Justin struck a pose that made her giggle. “Plus, I know fashion has always kind of been your thing. So I figured hey why not let you worry about it? I’m too busy to keep up with that kind of stuff, anyway,” he reasoned.

“Justin, just because I like to dress nice doesn’t mean I know what I’m doin’. I don’t know the first thing about being a stylist,” Kyra admitted.

“Don’t worry. You can start with me until you build your clientele. Trust me, I know a few people who could use your help.” Justin laughed at his own joke. “It’s just with me still being so new to this industry I need to make a good impression. I can’t afford to let people think they can run over me. . . . And besides . . . You know what I like.” Justin licked his lips after he looked her body over. The second he put his hand on her shoulder, Kyra soaked her panties all the way through.

“Consider this your retainer for the month.” Justin pulled a thick stack of money from his pocket, and Kyra’s eyes lit up.  The thick stack of hundreds was bound by a mustard-colored band.

“But Justin. . . Its $10,000 dollars here. . .” Kyra ran her thumb over the bills and the same excitement she felt when she first saw him came rushing back. That was more than enough money for her to catch up on some bills and do a little something nice for herself. It was as though all of her problems were solved. All of them except one. . .

“That’s nothing. You’ll see. That is . . . if you’re serious about this?” Justin raised his brow.

“Wow. . . You have no idea what this means to me, Justin. . . Thank you.” Kyra couldn’t deny she was tickled by the gesture. An opportunity was the most valuable, meaningful gift Justin could ever give her. That was worth more than money.  

“So it’s settled then.” Justin opened his car door. “If you’re free tomorrow, I need you to do some personal shopping for me.”

“Sure. What do you need?” Kyra asked.

“Well I have a charity event coming up in a few weeks so if you could pick out a couple different outfits to choose from that would be great. When you’re done make sure you call me, and we’ll set up a time to go over everything. In the meantime, here’s my card.” Justin handed over his black American Express as he ran down her instructions. Once he got her to agree, he went right back into business mode.

“Don’t let me down, Kyra. I really need your help on this one. I need someone I can trust,” he confessed.

“I won’t,” Kyra promised.

“Make sure you get some rest tonight. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow. A good friend of mine has a few events coming up so I set up time for you to meet with him as well. Okay?” he added. “Okay.” Kyra perked up when he kissed her cheek.

“Let me know if there is anything else I can do. If there’s anything else you need, anything at all . . . Don’t hesitate to ask.” Justin looked up at her from the driver’s seat. One tap on the gas and he was gone.

Justin left Kyra stuck trying to figure out if she was more stunned by the money he put in her hand or the kiss he planted on her cheek. Whenever she was down, Justin always knew what to do to pick her up again. No one else had the power to make Kyra feel like he did.

CHAPTER 12

Three long days had passed since Justin’s big engagement party, and Kyra was still suffering from the side-effects. It was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday. The restaurant wasn’t even that busy, and Kyra was still struggling to keep up with the tables in her section. Her mind was on everything but work.

After such an eventful weekend, Kyra was burnt out. The friendly smile she used to greet her customers and co-workers was nothing more than a façade used to cover up the nausea, sleeplessness, and depression: all the common symptoms that came along with being lovesick over Justin. It wasn’t like there was some magic pill she could take to alleviate the pain she carried within. No doctor could help her. There was no cure.

When she ran into Justin that day at the marketplace, it was as though all of her old wounds had been ripped open again. Kyra truly wanted to believe that her heart would heal eventually. All she had to do was give it time. . . But if she hadn’t gained some sense of inner peace after five years, how much longer would it take?

With Kyra’s list of regrets getting longer by the day, agreeing to help Justin celebrate his engagement had to be at the top. Kyra already knew from previous experience that seeing Justin with another woman was enough to classify as some form of psychological torture so she didn’t know why she was so quick to subject herself to such torment. Being forced to make nice with his fiancé made Kyra feel like she was being punished for every bad thing she’d ever done.

Kyra tried to move past it, but somehow every thought brought her back to that night, along with the emotions she felt at the time. Flashbacks of Justin touching Eden invaded every waking moment. Her skin practically tingled with jealousy when he kissed her right in front of her like it was nothing. The sinking feeling she got in the pit of her stomach when Eden showed her, her ring still hadn’t gone away. It felt as though she had been forced to ingest the humungous rock and lug it with her wherever she went.

Suddenly short of breath, Kyra stopped to rest against the edge of the closest table. Functioning on just a few hours of sleep, her vision became blurred, and she felt unsteady on her feet like she’d been drinking. Kyra felt so overwhelmed by her emotions they were beginning to manifest as physical aches and pains. Kyra wasn’t sure if she was about to vomit or faint.

“Hey, Diane do you think you can cover me for a few minutes? I’m not feelin’ so good . . .” Kyra reached out to the first person who passed her.

“Sure. It’s pretty slow right now.” Diane took a look around the half-empty dining room.

“Thank you.” Kyra exhaled with gratitude. She’d already started loosening her apron. No matter what Diane said, she was going.

“Are you going to be okay?” Diane looked concerned. A single-mother with a teenage daughter of her own, it didn’t take long for her motherly instinct to kick in.

“Mmm, hmm,” Kyra nodded to avoid any more questioning. She slowly walked off the floor to the area designated for employees only, however, her pace quickened the closer she got to the backdoor. When Kyra pressed all of her weight against the metal bar to open it, warm sunlight met her in return.

“Oh, thank God.” Kyra was even more relieved to see Meeka already outside enjoying her lunch break. After holding so much inside, she couldn’t wait to sit down with her and unleash.

“Hey, you! What are you doing out here?” Meeka checked the time on her phone. “I thought you don’t get a break until four-thirty?

“I don’t, but I couldn’t wait.” Kyra claimed a chair for herself. “I just . . . I need a minute.”

“What’s with you? You and Cincere get into it again?” Meeka swatted at a pesky fly trying to steal a bite of her food.

“No . . . Not exactly. . . ” Kyra kept stalling, unsure how to answer. She had noticed a change in Cincere, too although it wasn’t quite the change she’d been hoping for. These days, Cincere seemed to view her as more of his roommate than his girlfriend. At least that was how he treated her.

“Then what’s the problem? One of these customers getting on your nerves again?” Meeka let out a little chuckle thinking back on some of the horror stories they’d shared.

“I met Eden. . .” Still traumatized by the experience, Kyra couldn’t look Meeka in the eye for very long. It took all the strength she had left not to cry.

“Now, Kyra, why would you go to that party?” Meeka shook her head at her stubbornness. She already looked like she pitied Kyra, and she hadn’t even heard the full story. “I thought you said you weren’t going to go!”

“It’s not like I really wanted to!” Kyra squealed. “Justin kept askin’ me,” she argued.

“So you guys have been hanging out a lot lately?” Meeka continued to probe, however, Kyra was quick to kill her assumptions.

“I wouldn’t say all that. I’ve only seen him a few times since he’s been home,” she recalled.

“I still can’t believe you went to his engagement party!” Meeka exploded suddenly. “What were you thinking?”

“I wish I could tell you. . .” Kyra gave a weak laugh. Looking back on it, it was almost funny to think her plan would actually work. When it came to love, it never was that easy.

“Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve went with you. . .” Meeka whined. “And please tell me you didn’t go there by yourself.” Her eyes widened with worry, as though Kyra had actually put herself in danger by going, however Kyra remained prideful.

“No. I had a date,” she replied.

“Who?” Meeka jerked her neck back in surprise.

“Cincere,” Kyra told her.

“You took him with you! Kyra . . .” Meeka left her mouth wide open as she sat there staring in disbelief. She kind of wanted to laugh, but she felt like she would be wrong if she did.

“Yeah, yeah,” Kyra was quick to shut her down before she could get started with another one of her lectures. Meeka was her friend. Kyra respected her opinion, but she was going to have to save all that for another time.

“So is she pretty?” Meeka’s bluntness made Kyra cringe, but Kyra couldn’t even fault her for asking. It was the number one question every girl wanted to know. The second a girl found out her ex had a new girlfriend she automatically rated the new girl’s worthiness based on whether she was uglier or prettier than her. Out of all the criteria they were judged upon, looks always seemed to be most important.

“She’s okay. I guess. . . ” Kyra’s comment was accompanied by a salty look. Because while Eden might’ve already had the Hartwell’s approval; she would never have hers.

“Ugh, I am so over you and Justin.” Meeka closed the plastic to-go container she’d been eating out of and tossed it in the trash. “When are you ever going to tell me about what happened with you and that one guy from the club? Dominic?” she asked.
Every time Kyra heard that name, she rolled her eyes so hard they almost fell out of her head.

Running into Dominic at the engagement party was certainly a surprise, although Kyra wouldn’t describe it as pleasant. Feelings of shame and guilt resurfaced as soon as he did, except this time they were for a different reason. Not only did Dominic know Justin. They were practically related. Finding out Dominic was Eden’s brother was just another reason for her not to like him.

“Oh. You’ll never guess who his sister is.” Kyra hinted.

“Wait. . . So he was there?” Meeka was slowly starting to catch on.

“You know, Justin’s fiancé, Eden? Well she’s the little sister he was tellin’ me about.” Kyra filled her in on the disaster she’d been faced with.

“No!” Meeka covered her mouth.

“Yes.” Kyra nodded.

“So do you think Justin knows about you and Dominic?” Meeka panicked.

“No. But at this point, does it even matter? We’re not together anymore so it’s not like he can really be mad at me. . . Plus, if you saw how he was with Eden, you would know he clearly doesn’t care about me.” At first, Kyra started to get angry, but the more she talked about it, her anger dissolved into hurt.

“Not that I don’t feel bad,” she sighed heavily. “I mean . . . what are the odds that the one time I decide to have a one night stand it’s with his brother-in-law?” Her expression was one of disappointment and disgust.

“Very high, apparently,” Meeka tried to get a laugh out of her, but Kyra wasn’t amused by her sarcasm. She wasn’t happy that because of Dominic, she had to delete Justin from her phone and ultimately, her life. All she had to do was push a button, but it wasn’t that easy to delete him from her mind.

“Come on, Meeka you know it is. It’s only a matter of time before my name gets brought up and Justin starts askin’ questions. How does that make me look?” Kyra stressed.

“Yeah, you got a point there.” Meeka agreed.

“How are things goin’ for you, though? Do you still talk to his one friend, Rico or whatever?” Kyra posed a question of her own.

“Not really.” Meeka shrugged. “We exchanged numbers, but he got on my nerves always asking me to send a pic.”

“Ugh!” Both of the girls looked at each other and laughed when they realized they shared the same reaction. They even made a similar face.

“Alright well, let me get back up in here before Chris get to yellin’.” Kyra got up to head back inside. She didn’t even want to think about how much trouble she would be in if she got caught taking an unscheduled break.

“Okay. Just remember you can call me if you need anything.” Meeka made sure to remind her.

“I will.” Kyra smiled as was leaving. She appreciated her offer, although she silently hoped she wouldn’t have to take her up on it.

“Thankfully for Kyra, she managed to creep back inside the restaurant undetected by her boss and take back over her section. Kyra wasn’t surprised to see not much had changed since she was gone. It was almost as if she had never left.

“Hey, Kyra, can I talk to you?” Kyra thought she was busted until she realized who the deep voice belonged to. Justin had been walking so fast he practically bumped right into her. The way he came storming into the restaurant, Kyra thought maybe somebody owed him some money. She had never seen him look so determined.

“Hey. . . What are you doing here?” Kyra’s laughter came as a result of confusion and excitement. That night after the engagement party, Kyra swore she would never talk to Justin ever again however it was hard to keep those promises when she was looking right at him. When it came to Justin, her willpower was practically non-existent.

“I came to see you . . . You got a minute?”

“My shift isn’t over until eight.” Kyra groaned over the fact she still had six hours left. “Call me later?”

“I would, but we need to talk – now. This can’t wait.” Justin sounded almost irritated by her suggestion.

“Well, it looks like it’s gonna have to.” Kyra shot back. As she went about checking on her tables, Justin followed her close.

“Excuse me sir, is there a problem?” Kyra’s manager, Chris, came over to join their conversation. He had no reason to address Justin in such a polite, yet confrontational tone, but one look at the baggy Balmains Justin was wearing and Chris assumed he was there to make a scene.

“No problem.” Despite the manager’s nasty attitude, Justin kept a cool head. It was hard to get mad when he knew he had enough money to buy the building they were standing in. He could even have it named after him if he wanted.

Still, Chris refused to leave Kyra alone with him. He didn’t even know Justin, so it wasn’t like he could take his word for it. He had to check with Kyra first.

“Is everything okay here?” Chris turned his next question over to her.

“Yeah. . . We were just talking,” Kyra put her head down in embarrassment. People were starting to stare.

“Sir, I cannot have you distracting my staff and disturbing my guests. . . I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave,” Chris whispered.

“I’ll leave.” Justin grabbed Kyra by the hand. “But she’s coming with me,” he announced.

“I beg your pardon?” Chris clearly didn’t understand what Justin meant and neither did Kyra. She looked just as confused as he was.

“Kyra will no longer be working for your establishment effective immediately.” To their amazement, Justin took the liberty of speaking on Kyra’s behalf. Justin had such a hold on her she had to practically fight to get her hand back.

“Justin!” Kyra stepped in before he could do any more damage. “Chris, don’t listen to him,” she pleaded

“Kyra, go get your stuff. . . We’re done here.” Justin ordered her along despite what she was saying. The way Justin spoke to her let her know Chris wasn’t in charge anymore. He was.

Her manager looked to Kyra for answers, but Justin shot her a look that shut her up. Not that that stopped her form glaring at him on her way to clean out her locker. She didn’t know what provoked him to do it, or what was about to happen next, but from the time he got there, Justin made it clear he wasn’t leaving unless Kyra was leaving with him. He didn’t care if he had to carry her out himself.

“Justin, what the hell are you doin’?” Kyra tore into him the second they reached the street. “Are you fuckin’ crazy? I can’t just leave!” she screamed.

“I’m doing you a favor,” Justin answered calmly. He wasn’t fazed by her one bit.

“A favor?”Kyra squinted at him. “Justin, you probably just cost my job! Now what am I goin’ to do?” she whimpered.

“That’s because I have a better one for you.” Justin finally turned to face her once they reached his car.

“What?” Kyra sniffed back the tears that were forming.

“You remember Chicago?” Justin leveled with her eye to eye.

“Like I could forget. . .” Kyra sighed.

“What happened that summer changed the both of us . . . But I would like to think it changed us for the better, wouldn’t you?” Justin continued.

“Justin. . . What the hell are you talkin’ about?” Kyra pushed away from him when she snapped out of her daydream. She’d gotten so lost in his eyes she almost forgot she was mad for a second. It had to be at least ninety degrees outside, and the firmness of his chest pressed against the softness of hers still gave her chills.

“I want to help you,” Justin explained. “But only if you let me.”

“And you really thought this was the best way to go about it?” Kyra came back at him with a full-blown attitude.

“Maybe not . . . But I’ve been meaning to ask you this for awhile now so here it goes. . .” Justin took a deep breath to hide his nervousness. “Kyra . . . I want you to be my personal stylist.”

“Oh my God, Justin, you cannot be serious.” Kyra mumbled. He’d tried to make it sound like it was some grand idea, but she didn’t look nearly as excited as him.

“Hell yeah, I’m serious! Do you know how many compliments I got on the suit you picked out for my party?” Justin struck a pose that made her giggle. “Plus, I know fashion has always kind of been your thing. So I figured hey why not let you worry about it? I’m too busy to keep up with that kind of stuff, anyway,” he reasoned.

“Justin, just because I like to dress nice doesn’t mean I know what I’m doin’. I don’t know the first thing about being a stylist,” Kyra admitted.

“Don’t worry. You can start with me until you build your clientele. Trust me, I know a few people who could use your help.” Justin laughed at his own joke. “It’s just with me still being so new to this industry I need to make a good impression. I can’t afford to let people think they can run over me. . . . And besides . . . You know what I like.” Justin licked his lips after he looked her body over. The second he put his hand on her shoulder, Kyra soaked her panties all the way through.

“Consider this your retainer for the month.” Justin pulled a thick stack of money from his pocket, and Kyra’s eyes lit up. The thick stack of hundreds was bound by a mustard-colored band.

“But Justin. . . Its $10,000 dollars here. . .” Kyra ran her thumb over the bills and the same excitement she felt when she first saw him came rushing back. That was more than enough money for her to catch up on some bills and do a little something nice for herself. It was as though all of her problems were solved. All of them except one. . .

“That’s nothing. You’ll see. That is . . . if you’re serious about this?” Justin raised his brow.

“Wow. . . You have no idea what this means to me, Justin. . . Thank you.” Kyra couldn’t deny she was tickled by the gesture. An opportunity was the most valuable, meaningful gift Justin could ever give her. That was worth more than money.

“So it’s settled then.” Justin opened his car door. “If you’re free tomorrow, I need you to do some personal shopping for me.”

“Sure. What do you need?” Kyra asked.

“Well I have a charity event coming up in a few weeks so if you could pick out a couple different outfits to choose from that would be great. When you’re done make sure you call me, and we’ll set up a time to go over everything. In the meantime, here’s my card.” Justin handed over his black American Express as he ran down her instructions. Once he got her to agree, he went right back into full business mode.

“Don’t let me down, Kyra. I really need your help on this one. I need someone I can trust,” he confessed.

“I won’t,” Kyra promised.

“Make sure you get some rest tonight. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow. A good friend of mine has a few events coming up so I set up time for you to meet with him as well. Okay?” he added.

“Okay.” Kyra perked up when he kissed her cheek.

“Let me know if there is anything else I can do. If there’s anything else you need, anything at all . . . Don’t hesitate to ask.” Justin looked up at her from the driver’s seat. One tap on the gas and he was gone.

Justin left Kyra stuck trying to figure out if she was more stunned by the money he put in her hand or the kiss he planted on her cheek. Whenever she was down, Justin always knew what to do to pick her up again. No one else had the power to make Kyra feel like he did.

CHAPTER 11

The animated rhythms of the twenty-piece jazz band hung in the air as Kyra and Cincere stepped into the Grand Ballroom of the swanky Golden Palms Hotel. They, along with over 300 other guests, were transported to an all-white wonderland that was truly dazzling upon first sight. Everything from the tablecloths to the elaborate floral arrangements that adorned them was crisp. Candelabras were placed at each of the tables to set a warm, romantic mood. The crystals that hung from them shimmered in the light.

It was a joyous occasion; a time to celebrate love and togetherness, and yet Kyra wasn’t feeling it. She and Cincere had been there all of five minutes, and she was already tempted to turn around and go home. As if the large sign announcing Justin and Eden’s engagement wasn’t enough to send her running for the door, her anxiety made her feel as though she were attending someone’s funeral.

In a sea of vibrant colors, Kyra was one of few women wearing black. The dress itself wasn’t made by a brand worth mentioning, but its design was a perfect balance between sexy and classy. It was nude in color, with a black lace overlay that created the illusion she was naked underneath. The material stopped mid-way down her thigh and showed just enough leg to peak a man’s curiosity. Kyra’s make-up was light to accentuate her features – not hide them – and she kept her natural curls.

Kyra had gotten all dolled up for just tonight, and still, she was struggling to feel confident standing next to women clad in formal ball gowns worth thousands of dollars and jewels appraised at far more. It didn’t matter if she had on a nice, new dress. In a room full of rich people it wasn’t hard to tell who was and who wasn’t. Cincere stood out like a sore thumb in a pair of khaki slacks and a plain black button-up, whereas the rest of the men were decked out in their finest tuxes, discussing business and politics.

Kyra took a good look around at everyone talking, smiling, and laughing. They all seemed to be having a good ol’ time, and yet she felt so far removed from everything that was going on. Kyra had never been to a party of this magnitude before, but given the circumstances, she couldn’t even enjoy it. If anything, she couldn’t wait for it to end.

From the moment her and Cincere set foot in the room, Kyra felt like they had all of high society looking down on them. They caught quite a few curious looks as to who they were and why they were there. Thanks to Veronica, Kyra assumed most of the people there had probably heard about what happened between her and Justin, and that they were all judging her for it. Every time she heard someone laugh, Kyra took it personally, as though the joke were on her.

“Can I just tell you, you look fantastic?” The sound of Cincere’s voice brought Kyra out of her trance. He followed up with a kiss on the lips like no one was watching. And even if they were, he didn’t seem to care.

“Mmm what was that for?” Kyra purred with satisfaction when they were finished. Her mouth was stuck in the form of a smirk and she was slow to open her eyes afterwards.

“Just because I love you,” he smiled. “Now here, take this. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.” Cincere slipped Kyra a much appreciated glass of champagne and raised his flute.

“Thanks.” The two of them made eye contact as their glasses clinked together. Cincere took a small sip while Kyra had to stop herself from downing the whole thing. She felt so unwanted and out of place she began to question why she even came. And then suddenly, she remembered.

“Oh, look. There’s Justin.” Kyra tried to mask her excitement when she spotted him in the crowd. “Let’s go say hello.” She tugged on Cincere’s arm in her hurry to catch up to him. Justin was busy making his way across the room, but he couldn’t move more than two feet without someone stopping him.

“Justin! Hey!” Kyra waved to Justin as she made her way toward him, and Justin smiled in return. He was more than happy to suspend his current conversation to talk to her.

“Kyra . . . You came.” Justin seemed both shocked and pleased to see she actually showed up. He was trying to be discreet in the way he was eyeing her dress, but Kyra could tell she had a winner. They hugged, but only briefly.

“Of course,” Kyra was cheesing hard as she took him in. Justin looked so dapper in the suit she picked out for him. Her heart was bursting with pride.

“And who is this you brought with you?” Justin acknowledged her date indirectly, even though Cincere was standing right there, staring him down.

“This is my boyfriend, Cincere.” Kyra squeezed his hand, and Cincere pulled her next to him, almost as if to claim his territory. At these types of events it was customary for men to shake hands when introduced, but Cincere decided a simple head nod would do.

“Congratulations on your engagement, bruh. That’s major,” he said.

“Yes, congratulations to the both of you,” Kyra pushed herself to sound upbeat, but the subtle half-smile she gave was equally artificial. The light in her eyes seemed to fade a little, though she held her smile.

“Thank you. Eden and I are looking forward to finally making it official,” Justin rubbed his hands together in anticipation. His giddiness was noticeable whenever Eden was mentioned. “Matter of fact, here she comes now,” he announced.

“Stop the music! Stop the music!” A short, fat man in a double-breasted suit had no problem dishing out instructions as he stepped up on the stage and stole the mic from the host.  The room went quiet in seconds.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce to you to my beautiful daughter, and the future Mrs. Hartwell, Ms. Eden Josephine De La Cruz!” Mr. De La Cruz redirected everyone’s attention towards Eden, who stole the spotlight the moment she entered the room. Guests broke out in dainty applause as Eden began her graceful descent down the Grand Staircase and the band performed with new life. Cameras flashed from every angle, and there was a group of admirers waiting for Eden at the bottom, all clamoring for a moment of her time.

As Kyra watched Eden interact with her family and friends, her stomach began to flip-flop. Everyone seemed to love her – not just Justin – and it was easy to see why. A Spanish-speaking siren with curves that could kill, Eden had the kind of body a lot of women envied and most men adored. Her eyes were hypnotic pools of green that looked like they glowed, and her skin was sun-kissed. She had her long brown locks pinned to one side of her head with an iced-out hairpiece to hold the style in place. The waistline of her flowy, mint-colored dress was embellished to match.

Although she would never admit it, Kyra was intimidated by Eden. She had shown up expecting to meet someone way less attractive than her, but Eden possessed the kind of natural beauty that inspired legendary poets and great works of art. Kyra examined Eden closely for flaws, only she couldn’t find any. Everything about Eden was perfect. Even her dress was on point.

“Hi, sweetie, sorry to keep you waiting. . . What did I miss?” Eden’s voice was smooth and sultry. It had been years since she left her native country, and she had yet to shake her thick Dominican accent.

“No worries. It was well worth the wait.” Kyra had to look away when Justin met Eden for a kiss. Whenever Justin addressed Eden, it was as if they were the only two people in the room. Throughout their conversation, his attention never strayed.

“Ahem,” Kyra cleared her throat in an attempt to steal some of Justin’s attention for herself. The longer he waited to introduce them, the lower her patience.

“Eden, my dear, I’d like for you to meet my good friend Kyra Jones and her boyfriend, Cincere.” Justin hurried to explain when Eden hadn’t even asked a question. Had he not said anything, she probably wouldn’t have even noticed Kyra or Cincere.

“Hi.” Despite Justin’s enthusiasm, Eden reception was rather dry. She’d summed Kyra up within the first five seconds, and judging by the way she stuck her nose up in the air, Eden viewed Kyra as beneath her. She didn’t give Cincere the time of day.

“Kyra and I used to go to high school together,” Justin continued.

“Um. . . Actually . . . We used to date.” Kyra didn’t hesitate to jump in and correct him. She didn’t appreciate the way Justin was trying to downplay the seriousness of their relationship now that their spouses were present. The way he was so nonchalant when telling their story gave Kyra the impression that he’d never once even mentioned her to Eden before tonight.

“That’s right. Kyra is a good girl. You be sure to treat her right.” Justin wrapped his arm around Eden as she cozied up to him. They were constantly kissing or touching in some way or another, which only added to Kyra’s discomfort. Whenever she was near him, Justin kept Eden tucked safely next to his heart.

“Oh, I can assure you I have no problems doing that.” Cincere flashed his arrogance and Kyra checked him with a look. Just because Cincere and Justin’s rivalry remained unspoken, that didn’t make it any less real.

“What about you, Kyra? Are you and Cincere thinking about getting married anytime soon?” Eden chimed in, her eyebrows lifted in curiosity. The couple in question turned to each other for answers, but neither was quick to volunteer.

“Maybe someday. . .” Cincere looked to Kyra to take over. Like most men, he didn’t even want to touch that topic. As soon as he even heard the word “marriage” he started sweating.

“I think right now we’re just taking it one day at a time . . .” Kyra made eye contact with Justin, if only for a split-second. Meanwhile, Eden gushed over him like they just started dating.

“You know, I must admit I was pretty surprised when Justin asked me to marry him. It was just so romantic!” Every time she giggled, Kyra wanted to cringe. Eden hadn’t even been there that long, and Kyra was already tired of her and her happy-go-lucky attitude. The sound of her voice was enough to get under her skin.

“Go ahead, darling, show them your ring.” Justin took another sip of champagne and Kyra did the same. When Eden stuck out her hand, everyone within a ten-foot radius was lucky they weren’t blinded. A three-carat diamond sat proudly in its center, surrounded by even more diamonds which were set into a platinum band.

“Wow.” The word fell out of Kyra’s mouth as if it were heavy on her tongue. She didn’t even want to look at it, as pretty as it was. Based on the cut and clarity, Justin practically worshipped her. She didn’t even want to imagine how much he paid for it.

“Yup, I had it specially made. Just like Eden, her ring is truly one of a kind.” Justin proceeded to dote on Eden, who simply looked up at him and smiled. Anyone with eyes could see how much he loved her. He was proud to call her his.

“Sweetie, I was just telling Natalie and her husband all about our trip to Saint-Tropez,” Eden changed the course of their conversation, but Kyra was convinced the only reason she brought it up was to rub it in. “It was amazing. Justin and I spent most of our summer vacationing overseas. . . Well, that’s when he wasn’t busy with negotiations.” Listening to Eden talk, Kyra began to understand why Justin didn’t feel the need to brag. He didn’t have to. Eden did enough of that for the both of them.

“So, Cincere, Kyra tells me you’re in the construction business. Is that true?” Justin tried to reach out to him again with his question; however, Cincere acted like it pained him to speak to Justin.

“Yeah, I heard about the Lilliana project. A couple of buddies of mine are working at that site. They said it’s really coming out nice. . . You Hartwells have really outdone yourselves this time,” he said. The dull tone he used left Justin wondering whether his compliment was genuine.

“Thanks man. I appreciate it.” Justin casually stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You know if you’re ever looking to make a little extra cash I’ve got a few more projects lined up for next spring. I’m sure we could always use the help.” When Justin flexed on him, he did it with a smile. Kyra knew Justin well enough to know Justin wasn’t offering Cincere a job to be helpful or considerate even. Justin was a boss and Cincere was a worker. He had to put him in his place.

“Oh! Kyra, Cincere, before you go, I’d like for you to meet my brother, Dominic. He’s visiting us all the way from New York City,” Eden perked up. “Hey, Dom, come here for a second!” Eden called out to her brother even though he was all the way across the room. She motioned for him to come over with the biggest smile on her face.

“Dominic? Where have I heard that name before . . .?” Kyra kept her thoughts to herself. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but as she probed her memory she couldn’t match it to a face.

“Dominic, I’d like for you to meet Kyra Jones, Justin’s friend.” A tall gentleman came from out of nowhere and took his place beside Eden. One look in his eyes, and Kyra nearly dropped her drink.

“Hello, Kyra.” Dominic’s grin was a devious one.

Kyra appeared calm, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Dominic was the one night stand that could cost her everything, and there he was, not even two feet from her and her boyfriend. Not to mention, his connection to Justin. . . Dominic was the devil in a white suit.

“Nice to meet you,” Kyra gently placed her hand on her chest when she coughed. She tried to pretend like she was just meeting Dominic for the first time, but the way he licked his lips said he knew her very well.

“My pleasure. . . I’m sure.” Dominic seemed to be having fun toying with Kyra’s emotions. The immature smirk he wore might as well have been permanent.

“Do you two already know each other?” Of course, the first to pick up on the tension between them was Justin. He glanced at Dominic, then Kyra, and back at Dominic again.

“No, I don’t believe so.” Kyra warned Dominic not to say anything, and she did it with her eyes. Needless to say, when Dominic winked back at her, it didn’t have the same effect it did that night they were at the club.

“Are you kidding? How could I ever forget a face like that?” Dominic continued flirting with Kyra openly, regardless of the fact she had her boyfriend there.

“Dominic is it?” Kyra felt somewhat relieved when Cincere finally stepped up to put an end to it, but that relief soon turned to worry. Dominic stared Cincere down like he was one-wrong word away from losing his teeth.

“And you are . . . ?”

“I’m Cincere, Kyra’s boyfriend.” Cincere stood by her, ready to defend her and their relationship.

“Justin was just telling us how he and Kyra used to go to school together at the academy,” Eden tried to wrangle the boys in before things got too out of hand.

“Oh, well, while I wish I could stay to hear all about it,” Dominic’s eye roll matched his sarcasm. “I was just on my way to the bar. Can I get you anything? Justin, what you drinking man? You good?”

“I’m good bro. Thank you.” Justin acknowledged him by raising his glass, which was still half-full.

“Dominic, don’t you go getting drunk. This is the engagement party not the bachelor party.” Eden teased him as though she were the older sibling. Everyone let out a stuffy laugh.

“Alright I’ll see y’all later. . .  Nice meeting you, Kyra.” As Dominic walked away, Kyra continued to grim him. Something told Kyra it would be wise to keep an eye on Dominic from now on. . .

“Oh, honey, that reminds me! Guess who wants to see you?” Eden sang as she cuffed Justin by the arm and roped him in. “Kyra, Cincere, it was so nice to meet you. Now, if you will please excuse us.” Eden and Justin turned away from them, but not before Eden threw Kyra a victorious smile. That was her way of telling Kyra to back off. That Justin was hers now, and that next time she saw her, she wouldn’t be so nice.

As the young couple was flooded with well wishes and congratulations, Kyra had a sinking feeling. She couldn’t help but feel like that should be her standing next to Justin, not Eden. As they stopped to pose for pictures, Justin placed his hand on the small of her back while Eden rested her hand on his chest. Neither one of them could stop smiling. The crowd whistled and cheered when they kissed.

As much as Kyra hated Eden, she had to admit she complimented Justin well. Eden exercised a wide vocabulary that said she was well-educated and well-traveled. She was used to spending her summers abroad, when prior to moving to Prince Paul, Kyra hadn’t been more than 30 minutes outside of Chicago.

Eden was the first girl to make Kyra wonder if Justin’s family was right. Maybe she wasn’t worthy of somebody like Justin. Maybe they shouldn’t be together. When it came down to it, they came from two completely different worlds, and while she didn’t used to think mattered, it does. And apparently, for people with money, it mattered a whole lot.

“See. Are you happy now? I told you nothin’ is goin’ on.” Kyra gave Cincere the confirmation he was looking for. With Eden in the picture, there was no hope for her and Justin.

“I still don’t like him.” Cincere squinted in Justin’s direction. His stance suggested he was ready to go after him.

“God, would it kill you to be nice?” Kyra laughed, but only slightly.

“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out.” Cincere lightened up with a joke.

“Hey babe, I don’t know about you, but. . . I could really use another drink.” Kyra hugged his arm as she rested her head on his shoulder. The throbbing in her temples was sharp and intense.

“Tell me what you want and I’ll go get it for you,” he offered.

“Oh, I don’t know. . . Surprise me.” Kyra put her cheek out for him to kiss it and Cincere left with a promise to be right back. As much as Cincere didn’t like Justin, he sure had no problem sampling the fancy hors d’oeuvres or indulging in the open bar he provided.

Once Kyra was left alone with her thoughts, she began to obsess over Justin. As she stood there on the sidelines, watching all this go on, she couldn’t help but wonder how her plan backfired so horribly. She came there with the intention of making Justin jealous, but in the end, she seemed to be the only one feeling that way. Justin wasn’t even worried about Kyra. All he cared about was Eden.

Watching them interact with each other, Kyra felt like she was on the outside looking in. It hurt her to the core knowing she wasn’t a part of Justin’s life anymore. That time would turn them into strangers, and eventually, it would be as if they never even knew each other. It was in that moment that Kyra came to realize her worst fear had already come true. Justin didn’t love her anymore.

“I was hoping I might see you again. . .” Kyra sucked her teeth when Dominic approached her by one of the ice sculptures. She thought he was smart to make such a quick exit earlier, but Dominic couldn’t stay away for too long. It was like he couldn’t wait to step in the moment Cincere stepped away.

“Oh, it’s you.” Kyra kept it short. Now that she could talk to him, she didn’t really want to. She had no interest in getting to know Dominic or be his “friend.”

“I see the way you keep looking at him. . . I used to look at my ex-girlfriend the same way.” Dominic tilted his head as he studied her.

“And what do you know about heartbreak, Dominic?” Kyra whipped her neck around as she pushed away from him and the familiar way he touched her. “I bet you don’t know the first thing about love and relationships,” she snapped.

“I know a thing or two. . . You know you’re not the only one who’s had their heartbroken before, Kyra.” Dominic looked her in the eye, his voice low and tender. Kyra stepped in real close so no one else would hear her.

“Listen, Dominic, what happened that night on the boat was a mistake! Cincere and I . . . we’ve been goin’ through a bit of a rough patch, which may have led me to do or say some things I shouldn’t have. Things that maybe made it seem as if we could be more than friends, but . . . we can’t!” she hissed.

“It’s cool, Shorty. We can keep this between us. Nobody has to know.” Dominic reached for her waist, but Kyra smacked his hand away.

“Dominic, you need to chill! I am here with my boyfriend!” she whispered. Kyra didn’t know whether to call Dominic bold, or just plain stupid. Cincere would be back with at any minute.

“So that’s never stopped you before,” he snickered.

“Yeah, well, one thing’s for sure. That’ll never happen again!” Kyra folded her arms and turned her face the other way.

“What you getting your heart broken or having sex?” Dominic questioned.

“Both!” Kyra threw her hands up in exasperation. She started to storm away from him, but she didn’t get very far. Something was holding her back. “By the way… That night on the boat. . . Did we . . . ?”

“You don’t remember?” Dominic looked somewhat disappointed when Kyra shook her head no. Truth of the matter was she didn’t know what happened that night. The only person who did was Dominic.

“Then why don’t you let me remind you?” Dominic played with the charm on her necklace, sending Kyra’s heart rate through the roof.

“Look Dominic, I really don’t think now is the time or place for us to be discussin’ this.” Kyra snatched the gold chain back from him.

“Well when else are we going to talk about it? You didn’t exactly leave behind a glass slipper. No money on the nightstand, either. Come to think of it, I never even got your number. . .” Dominic looked somewhat peeved by the fact Kyra slipped out the following morning while he was sleeping, when usually, it was the other way around.

“That’s because there is nothin’ for us to talk about, Dominic. What don’t you get?” she said.

“C’mon, Ma you gotta stop and ask yourself; when was the last time you fucked with a real nigga like me? Be for real.” Dominic laughed in her face. His cockiness came across in everything he did, including his smile. “I know you gotta be tired of fucking with that lame.”

“Here’s your drink, honey.” Cincere pulled up, and pulled Kyra in close. Kyra couldn’t get the cup to her lips quick enough.

“It’s cool, Yo, like I said. No rush. When you’re ready, you’ll know where to find me. . . I’ll leave you two to enjoy the rest of your evening.” Dominic excused himself as soon as Cincere returned, however his dark mood hung over them long after he was gone.

“What did he say to you?” Cincere noted Kyra’s vexed expression. “Is everything okay?”

“I wish you would stop asking me that.” Kyra put some distance between them. It seemed like every time she turned around Cincere was right there. She was beginning to feel smothered. Not just at the party, but at home, too.

“Why was he all up on you like that just now?” Cincere went on with the irritating questions.

“I don’t know. Maybe you go should ask him.” Kyra copped an attitude as she plucked the cherry out of her drink. She swiftly removed it from the stem using her teeth and started to chew.

“Whatever, Yo, I’m out. See you at home.” Fed up, Cincere finished his whiskey and coke in one big gulp. He was in such a hurry, he never even apologized to the people he bumped into on his way out.

Kyra was just about to chase after Cincere, when suddenly, she stopped. She couldn’t walk out on Justin. Not again. Besides, it would be rude to just leave and not say anything. Kyra wanted to talk to Justin one last time, preferably when Eden wasn’t around, but the chances of her catching him alone were slim.

“Excuse me.” Kyra tapped a woman on the shoulder trying to get to Justin, but when she turned around, Kyra was too shocked to move. It didn’t matter if they hadn’t seen each other since high school. She would recognize those blue eyes anywhere.

“Kyra . . .?” Angel seemed to share the same disbelief. The awkward silence between them was broken by shrieks and screams.

“Oh my goodness, Kyra!” Angel opened her arms for a hug and Kyra rocked her from side to side.

“Angel! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you!”

“Say hi Kyra!”Angel prompted her daughter to speak, but her little girl hid behind her leg.

“Aw, are you shy?” Kyra’s heart melted when she finally got a smile out of her. She’d even inherited her mother’s blue eyes. “Angel, she is too cute! What’s her name?”

“Sanaa. . .” Angel petted her daughter’s head. Sanaa looked so adorable in her layered tulle skirt. Her patent leather shoes had matching ruffle socks and her pigtails bounced when she walked. Kyra just knew when she got older Sanaa was destined to be a knock-out.

“She’ll be three in February, but with some of the things she says, you would think she’s turning 20,” Angel shook her head and laughed.    “Anyway, how have you been?”

“I’ve been . . .  okay. . .” Kyra drew a deep breath to continue. “I see you and Q got another one on the way. When are you due?”

“At the end of August,” Angel groaned.

“Oh that’s soon!” Kyra gasped. She was surprised by the firmness of Angel’s belly when she touched it. For someone who still had a few weeks to go, she already looked like she was about to pop.

“Yeah, girl, not soon enough,” Angel chuckled. “I am so ready.”

“And I love your hair!” Kyra complimented Angel’s new do. Angel’s soft black hair had been cut short in the back with long bangs swooped across in the front, similar to how Rihanna used to rock hers way back when.

“Thanks! I just got it cut not that long ago. It was just too hot. I had to do something.” Angel ran her fingers through it while she talked.

“Well, I like it. It looks good,” Kyra added.

“I agree.” Quentin interrupting them was similar to a storm cloud rolling in. His presence changed the whole dynamic of their conversation. Angel looked nervous, like she was in trouble just for talking to her.

“How are my babies doing?” Quentin greeted both his wife and daughter with kisses. Sanaa extended her arms to the sky so he would pick her up and he did.     “Kyra,” he grumbled when he looked at her.

“Quentin.” Kyra’s smile disappeared.

“Sanaa, why don’t you and mommy go see Nana for a little bit?” Quentin used a gentle tone when speaking to his daughter. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a couple words with Kyra.” Quentin’s last statement was meant for Angel; however, he kept his eyes locked on Kyra the entire time. Sanaa started to cry when he set her back down.

“Sure. Come on Sanaa,” Angel put her hand out for her to take it. “Say bye, Kyra, bye-bye!”Angel used her baby-voice before switching to the regular. Sanaa started crying even louder. “Bye, Kyra. It was good seeing you.” Angel stole one last hug before she left. Quentin waited to speak until he was sure she was gone.

“You mind telling me what the hell you’re doing here?” Quentin came at her through clenched teeth.

“What do you mean? I was invited.” Kyra backed away slowly. She seemed to be the only one uncomfortable with him invading her personal space.

“Stay away from my family, Kyra. I’m not going to say it again.” Quentin’s whole demeanor was threatening. The look he gave her as he walked away was just as chilling as his warning.

Kyra took a deep breath to decompress and told herself to focus. She had to remind herself this wasn’t about her and Quentin. It was about her and Justin.

“Hey I just wanted to come and say goodbye.” Kyra was finally able to smile when she found Justin ducked off in one of the main entry ways by himself. Seeing him somehow made everything she went through tonight worth it.

“Oh. You’re leaving?” Justin stood up straight to address her.  He appeared to be in deep thought prior to her showing up.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go,” Kyra sighed. “Cincere said he’s ready to leave so. . .”

“Well, it was great having you. And by the way, people are digging the suit.” Justin played with his lapels.

“Duh, you know I have good taste!”

“In clothes, anyway,” Justin tried to mumble, but Kyra still heard him.

“Uh-uh, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know. . . I just always pictured you with someone kind of… different,” he admitted.

“What? You mean somebody like you?” Kyra shot back at him and Justin seemed paralyzed by her honesty. As they got lost in each others’ eyes, the live music and conversation from the ballroom faded into the background. It was just her and him.

“Goodnight Justin.”  Kyra held in the tears she knew were coming, but each step she took toward the door was a struggle. Unlike all those previous times, Kyra truly believed this goodbye was final. Justin, on the other hand, refused to say it back.

Meanwhile, Dominic and Eden were tucked away in the shadows, where no one could see them, quietly observing Kyra and Justin’s conversation. Justin was being a little too friendly with his ex-girlfriend for Eden’s liking, and her disapproval showed all over her face. Dominic could tell she was livid by the way she was breathing.

“I wouldn’t let her get too close if I were you,” Dominic cautioned.

“I don’t intend to.” Eden carried on with her scheme. “What do you know about her?”

“Not much. Her name is Kyra Jones. She’s from Chicago. . . That’s about it.” Dominic shared what little information he had on Kyra.

“See what you can do to distract her.” Eden instructed. “I want you to find out everything you can.”

“I already tried that,” Dominic huffed, still irritated from their little tiff earlier.

“I said I need you to distract her, Dominic, not try to fuck her.” Eden called her brother out for his womanizing ways. The opposite sex had always been his weakness. Dominic was almost worse than their father.

“And what do you suggest?” Dominic raised an eyebrow to relay his interest.

“I don’t know, Dominic. Just get rid of her!”

As the president and CEO of Black-Smith Enterprises, Janaya Black is a woman of many talents.  A passionate writer at heart, Janaya self-published her first fiction novel, The Breaking Point, in 2004, followed by As Told By the Other Woman in 2006. The third and final installment of the “Prison Chronicles” series Beautiful Rage: The Break of Dawn was published later in 2010.

It was actually the release of her first book that sparked Janaya’s love for film making. After teaming up with her husband to create a trailer for The Breaking Point, she then went on to write, direct and produce four more short films as well as her first full-length picture, Till Death. . . , which was released at the end of 2008. You also might remember her as one of the producers from the independent movie, Why Do Men Cheat?

In this edition of 16dreams find out which book has influenced Janaya the most throughout her career, as well as what she loves most about turning her ideas into films. 

16dreams: What year did you turn 16?

Janaya: 1993.
16dreams: What high school did you go to?

Janaya: John Glenn (Westland, MI).
16dreams: Describe “16-year-old you” in 6 words or less.

Janaya: Outgoing, curious, smart, independent and square.

16dreams: How did you celebrate your Sweet 16?

Janaya: My parents threw me a surprise sweet 16 party.

16dreams: Do you ever miss being 16?
Janaya: Sometimes. I remember 16 as being a very happy time in my life but I’ve always been a person who loved having freedom so I enjoy that about adulthood.

16dreams: Your daughter also wrote a book about being bullied called The Lonely Kid. Were you ever bullied? How did you get through it?

Janaya: I remember being bullied in 7th grade and then encountering that same bully again in high school. What helped me through that situation was a friend who stood by me and encouraged me to tell and the situation was immediately addressed.

16dreams: Has anyone ever tried to talk you out of doing what you love? What made you stay on course?

Janaya: I can honestly say that I’ve never had anyone try to talk me out of doing what I love. I have been blessed with a husband and family who has always been very supportive of the things I’ve wanted to pursue.
The thing that has made me stay the course in the midst of different hardships that have come up is understanding that nothing worth having is ever going to be easy to obtain. My mother raised me to always believe that I could do anything that I put my mind to.

16dreams: What book or author has influenced you the most?
Janaya: The Bible is the book that has influenced me the most. Over the past few years, I have developed a greater desire for studying God’s word and learning more about His purpose for my life and learning to live by those principals.

16dreams: In addition to being an author, you’re also a producer. What is your favorite part of the film making process?

Janaya: I love the whole creative process that goes into making a movie. As a writer the whole process of watching my thoughts on paper come to life on screen is an amazing process.
16dreams: What advice would you give to readers who are approaching 16? Do you have any advice you would like to give to their parents?

Janaya: The advice I would give to readers approaching 16 would be: Never fear your greatness and embrace your potential. All too often young people stifle their potential because they’re too busy trying to “fit in” with their peers, or they avoid trying new things because they fear failure. Or even worse – they fear they will succeed and more will be expected of them.

For parents, my advice would be to learn how to communicate with your kids. That means taking an interest in what’s going on in their lives and learning how to listen to what they say . . . And what they don’t say. And above all, don’t be afraid to be the parent.

 
When Janaya isn’t busy writing books or making movies, you can find her with her husband and two children, playing sports and reading, of course. Aside from running her own media enterprise, Janaya is also a managing partner and founder of the Trinity Film Coalition, a Michigan-based film organization dedicated to the advancement of independent film. Every year, Trinity Film Coalition gives independent filmmakers from around the world an opportunity to showcase independent films through their annual Film Festival.

All my movie-lovers be sure to check out the trailer for her newest project, My Sister’s Keeper.  And For all my aspiring directors, actors, authors, and screenwriters, I encourage you connect with Janaya on Facebook or Twitter @janayablack. You can also visit her official website, www.black-smithenterprises.com. 

Upon first glance, many of you might think the man in the photograph above is “Blue” from BET’s The Game, but look again. That handsome face belongs to none other than a budding young actor from Detroit by the name of Wynn Sarden.

At the age of 26, Wynn has acted in several hit stage plays like Secrets & Spirits in My Bedroom, as well as a few commercials. He has done some modeling for couture designer Mark England and has appeared in music videos such as Sylena Rai’s “Share My World.” You can also spot him in the remake of Sparkle (2012).

However, it wasn’t until last August that Wynn landed his first starring role in the independent feature film, Why Do Men Cheat?

In an attempt to answer the age-old question, the film follows three different couples whose lives are complicated by infidelity and deception.  One man is a celebrity athlete who struggles to balance money, fame, and opportunity with his love for his pregnant fiancé. That would be Wynn’s character; Chop Richardson.

In addition to his experience as an actor, some people may also know Wynn for having promoted some of the most successful VIP events throughout Atlanta and Detroit, but Wynn recently made the big move to Cali in pursuit of his dream.

In this edition of 16 dreams, find out how Wynn’s love to entertain blossomed from the classroom to the movie screen, and how his passion for acting (and some good advice) has managed to keep him out of trouble.
16dreams: What year did you turn 16?

Wynn: Year 2002.

16dreams: What high school did you go to?

Wynn: First 2 years at Oak Park high and last 2 at Warren Cousino – both in Michigan.

16dreams: What were your feelings on turning 16?

Wynn: I would say nervous. I was becoming a man at an early age. Doing a lot of things that most my age couldn’t. Scared at times on what the future had for me but ready for whatever.

16dreams:  Use 6 words to describe what you were like at 16. Would you say you’ve changed?

Wynn: LOL At 16 I was definitely a playboy. I was very popular from running around with the older homies but I was definitely into the ladies full-time LOL. Athlete, very social, and a party animal.

16dreams: What was your favorite movie?

Wynn: Wow, favorite movie back then would have to be Paid in Full. Belly and Scarface would definitely be up there as well.

16dreams: Did you know you wanted to pursue acting at 16? If not then, when did you know for sure?

Wynn: At 16, I was a class clown. I mean I loved putting on a show and entertaining but never pursued professional acting. It wasn’t until later that I decided to go head and really get involved in the acting industry.

16dreams: Are there any actors you admire?

Wynn: Of course Denzel Washington. Also, Will smith.

16dreams: What do you love most about what you do?

Wynn: I love the feeling the audience and fans get from seeing me perform. It’s nothing like a warm welcome, thank you, pictures and the overwhelming support from those who support what you do. Being able to reach and touch certain topics that people can relate to and appreciate you for bringing it to life.

16dreams: Has anyone ever tried to dissuade you from pursuing your dreams? How did you react?

Wynn: Yes of course. Not only in acting but there are always going to be doubters and people who want to bring you down and not support pursuing something you love. So the best thing for me is to block them out. I know that nothing will make me happier than doing what I love and have a passion for. In the end I’m proving them wrong.

16dreams: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Wynn: Hard to say the best. A mentor of mine said “Life is short, do any and everything you want to do while you can and dream big.” And also, “Make wise choices because every decision you make has an end result.” Which I contribute to me staying out of trouble.

When you’re done reading this make sure to take a listen to Wynn’s interview on The Nikki Rich Show, where he stopped by to talk about what spurred his move to L.A and his latest project: The Price of Love Web Series, which is set to be released this summer.

Get the latest news straight from Wynn by following him on Twitter and Instagram @WynnSarden! 

CHAPTER 10

Kyra lugged the heavy wash basket all the way from the laundry room to the living room and set it down by the couch. She wiped the sweat from her brow and inhaled the fresh scent of fabric softener as she sat down for what felt like the first time that day. Kyra had just finished the last load of laundry and was busy folding clothes, while Cincere was sitting on the floor next to her, tapping the red and green buttons on the X-Box controller furiously. Dinner was on the stove.

It was a typical night at home. Kyra should’ve been relaxing, but thoughts of Justin kept her on her toes. She couldn’t stop thinking about him and what he said to her at lunch the one day. It wasn’t so much what he said it was how he said it. Beneath his friendly tone was this layer of protectiveness that hadn’t gone away.

Justin had this habit of doing things that lead Kyra to believe he still cared about her, but with all the mixed signals he was sending, it made it harder for her to interpret his true feelings, let alone figure out her own. Kyra agreed to meet with him thinking maybe she might be able to accept the new terms of their friendship once they talked about it. The problem was, after having the chance to spend a little more time with him, Kyra wasn’t sure she was ready to give up on Justin just yet.

Kyra wasn’t about to be the crazy ex-girlfriend who comes busting in when the preacher asks if anyone objects, but she wasn’t about to stand by and do nothing either. Her pride wouldn’t allow it. If Justin went through with marrying Eden he would be making the biggest mistake of his life – Kyra just had to figure out a way to make him realize it.

Up until now, Kyra had never been afraid to say how she felt, especially when it came to Justin, but she knew in order for her plan to be effective, she was going to have to take a more subtle approach. With their “friendship” still so fragile, Kyra had to be particularly careful when dealing with Justin. She didn’t want to do anything that might offend him or make him stop talking to her altogether . . . Like blow off his engagement party.

Kyra rolled her eyes at the thought. She didn’t even want to share the same air as Eden, let alone the man she loved. The only reason Kyra was even considering going was because she knew it would make Justin happy. Because while Justin tried to make it seem like she had a choice, Kyra knew the truth. Underneath it all, she and Justin were friends first, and if she had any desire to keep it that way, then she had to show her support.

The first time Justin mentioned it to her, Kyra thought he was doing it just to be nice, but when he brought it up again at lunch, it was clear he expected her to be there. Of course, Kyra’s first instinct screamed not to go, but now that he asked, she felt obligated to make an appearance. Either way, Kyra had a feeling she was going to regret it.

And while Kyra didn’t like the idea of having to contend with another woman for his love and affection, her curiosity was growing in regards to Justin’s fiancé, Eden. As much as she despised her existence, Kyra was eager to size up the competition. She also wanted to let Eden know that not only did she love Justin; she was fully prepared to fight for him. Kyra was determined to win Justin back, no matter the cost.

As she sat there plotting her next move, Kyra deflated in a hopeless sigh. If she was going to go, she couldn’t go alone. It was crucial she have a date. Kyra thought about asking Meeka if she wanted to go, but that would defeat the purpose. Kyra already told Justin she had a boyfriend. Now she just needed for him to see her with him.

Kyra still didn’t know whether she was crazy or genius for what she was about to do, but with little over a month until the wedding she was willing to try anything. She felt bad about using Cincere, but bringing a girl just wouldn’t have the same effect, and there was no point in going if she didn’t have anyone to go with her. Cincere’s cooperation was critical to her plan’s success, but getting Cincere to agree was going to be tricky. He was the only person she knew who probably didn’t want go more than her.

“Cincere . . .” Kyra tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

 “One second, Babe,” Cincere signaled her to stop talking. He hated to be interrupted while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops.

“Cincere, I need to talk to you.” Kyra continued to pester him anyway.

“What is it?” Cincere pretended to be interested, but he was so absorbed by his mission, Kyra could’ve been trying to tell him the place was burning down and he wouldn’t have realized what was going on until he smelled the smoke.

“Can you stop  for one second and look at me?” Kyra huffed in annoyance.

“Yeah, yeah go ahead. I’m listening. . .” Cincere continued tapping away at his controller.

“Okay. Promise you won’t be mad at me but. . .  I talked to Justin and . . .” Kyra stumbled through the rest of her confession, scared to disclose all the details. Based on Cincere’s opinion of Justin and their relationship, she knew it wouldn’t be smart to tell him she spoke with him in person.

“Justin?” Cincere pressed Pause and sounds of gunfire and explosions stopped immediately. “When was this?” He twisted around to look at her.

“The other day. . .” Kyra kept her answers vague, almost ashamed to admit she was with Justin just a few days ago.

“What the hell, Kyra? I thought I already told you I didn’t want you seeing him.” Cincere got up, threw the controller down, and cut the system off. His sudden change in mood let Kyra know he wasn’t playing when it came to the boundaries set within their relationship. As his girl, Cincere expected nothing less than loyalty, and lately, she’s been falling short.

“I know. But Cincere, you don’t understand. . .” Kyra vented in the form of a sigh. She was getting tired of having the same conversation with him over and over again. Kyra didn’t need for Cincere to like the fact she was still friends with Justin. Life would be so much easier if he would just accept it, even though, she knew he probably never would.

“You’re still in love with your ex, Kyra. I think you’ve made that quite clear, don’t you?” Cincere shot her a nasty look that evoked her attitude.

“Did I say that?” Kyra snapped.

“No, but you didn’t have to,” he replied. “It’s pretty fucking obvious.”

“Look, like I said before, there is nothin’ goin’ on between me and Justin. The only reason he called was to see if we wanted to come to his engagement party.” Kyra answered all snotty.

“We?” Cincere had to question if he heard her correctly.

“I know you probably don’t want to go, but I figured. . .” Kyra stopped there, unsure whether she should continue or if she was just making things worse.

“Okay, Kyra. Now you’re pushing it.” Cincere’s stale laughter did nothing to dilute his anger towards her. Cincere was pissed, and he wanted to make sure Kyra knew it.

“Cincere, it’s only for one night. I really don’t see why you’re makin’ this such a big deal,” she argued.

“Man, fuck Justin and that party! This is about my respect!” He hit his chest as he yelled, as if that would somehow help prove his point.

“So I don’t respect you now? Is that it?” Kyra shifted her weight to one side, but kept both hands propped on her hips. It wasn’t as though their relationship was always this turbulent.

“Nah, you’re right. I’m trippin’. Now that I think about it maybe I’ll call up my ex and see what she’s doing this weekend. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Cincere cut their conversation with sarcasm as though he was trying to hurt her feelings on purpose. And it worked.

“Cincere . . . Don’t do that.” Instead of yelling back at him, Kyra lowered her voice. As much as she loved Justin, it still bothered her to picture Cincere with someone else. Just the thought of him being with another woman made her want to cry.

“I mean, why not?  There’s nothing wrong with it, right? You do it.” Cincere followed up with another not-so-nice remark.

“Whateva, Cincere. Do you want to go to this party with me or not?” Kyra repeated the question; her irritation high and her patience wearing dangerously thin. She was growing tired of the constant bickering and the frequent headaches. All the arguing was pointless.

“That depends. Do you want me to go?” Cincere flipped the question back on her which only added to her frustration.

“Of course I want you to go or else I wouldn’t have asked!” Kyra had to get up and walk away for a minute. She was going to snap if Cincere didn’t give her an answer – and soon.

“I don’t know, Kyra. Give me some time to think about it.” Cincere reached for the remote as his way of saying he didn’t want to talk about it anymore, and Kyra stepped in front of him to block the TV. Their discussion was far from over.

“Well I need to know so I can RSVP. The party is comin’ up and I need to tell him if we’re comin’,” she stressed.

“When is it?” Cincere continued to stare past her looking all grumpy.

“Saturday I believe,” Kyra mumbled; her way of playing it off like she didn’t know all the dates off the top of her head. It wasn’t like she could just come out and say that every day they got closer to July 16th she could feel her anxiety building. Kyra couldn’t tell him that when Justin told her that was the day he was getting married he might as well have been telling her how many days she had left to live.

“Wait . . . this Saturday?” Cincere’s eyes popped open in surprise. Kyra simply nodded.

“Alright I’ll go,” Cincere exhaled heavily after weighing his options and outcomes. “But that’s only because I don’t want you going by yourself.” He scolded her with a wary look. “I think it’s about time I met this little ‘friend’ of yours,” he added.

“Thank you!” Kyra dangled her arms around his neck as she kissed Cincere on the cheek. Cincere snuck in a kiss on the lips before she could let go, but he didn’t say anything. The serious look on his face said enough. Because little did Kyra know, when it came to her and Justin, Cincere was working on a plan of his own. . .

After they ate, Kyra left it to Cincere to clean up while she headed straight for her closet. Now that she confirmed they were going, the next most important thing for Kyra to do was figure out what she was going to wear. Just knowing Justin was going to be there meant Kyra was going to have to bring her “A” game. However, after sorting through the hangers, nothing really caught her eye.

Kyra sucked her teeth. Either she was just being picky, or everything she owned was a little too short or a little too tight for the occasion. Kyra already knew she had to be extra careful about how she presented herself, but all the added pressure of being Justin’s ex-girlfriend made it nearly impossible to choose. As his ex, she didn’t want to come off as desperate or make it seem like she was trying too hard. This time, Kyra wanted make sure she was going to be remembered for all the right reasons.

As she compared different options in the mirror, Kyra held up the third and final dress. She’d already passed on the pink hi-low dress with the ruffles at the bottom, as well as a coral peplum dress she bought from H&M, but as she pressed the white, sparkly sequins against her body, Kyra couldn’t help but smile. Out of all the dresses she owned, she thought the white one looked the best. The low-cut backless design was simple yet elegant with a high slit that let her leg peek out when she walked. All she had to do now was find the right heels to go with it and she would be all set.

It wasn’t until Kyra was in the middle of assessing her shoe collection that she actually began to feel any sort of excitement. She had been dreading going to Justin’s engagement party ever since she found out about it, but now, she couldn’t wait to strut up in there and show him what he was missing. Kyra couldn’t remember who told her that looking good was the best revenge, but if that was true, then she knew the perfect way to make Justin and his girl jealous.

CHAPTER 10

Kyra lugged the heavy wash basket all the way from the laundry room to the living room and set it down by the couch. She wiped the sweat from her brow and inhaled the fresh scent of fabric softener as she sat down for what felt like the first time that day. Kyra had just finished the last load of laundry and was busy folding clothes, while Cincere was sitting on the floor next to her, tapping the red and green buttons on the X-Box controller furiously. Dinner was on the stove.

It was a typical night at home. Kyra should’ve been relaxing, but thoughts of Justin kept her on her toes. She couldn’t stop thinking about him and what he said to her at lunch the one day. It wasn’t so much what he said it was how he said it. Beneath his friendly tone was this layer of protectiveness that hadn’t gone away.

Justin had this habit of doing things that lead Kyra to believe he still cared about her, but with all the mixed signals he was sending, it made it harder for her to interpret his true feelings, let alone figure out her own. Kyra agreed to meet with him thinking maybe she might be able to accept the new terms of their friendship once they talked about it. The problem was, after having the chance to spend a little more time with him, Kyra wasn’t sure she was ready to give up on Justin just yet.

Kyra wasn’t about to be the crazy ex-girlfriend who comes busting in when the preacher asks if anyone objects, but she wasn’t about to stand by and do nothing either. Her pride wouldn’t allow it. If Justin went through with marrying Eden he would be making the biggest mistake of his life – Kyra just had to figure out a way to make him realize it.

Up until now, Kyra had never been afraid to say how she felt, especially when it came to Justin, but she knew in order for her plan to be effective, she was going to have to take a more subtle approach. With their “friendship” still so fragile, Kyra had to be particularly careful when dealing with Justin. She didn’t want to do anything that might offend him or make him stop talking to her altogether . . . Like blow off his engagement party.

Kyra rolled her eyes at the thought. She didn’t even want to share the same air as Eden, let alone the man she loved. The only reason Kyra was even considering going was because she knew it would make Justin happy. Because while Justin tried to make it seem like she had a choice, Kyra knew the truth. Underneath it all, she and Justin were friends first, and if she had any desire to keep it that way, then she had to show her support.

The first time Justin mentioned it to her, Kyra thought he was doing it just to be nice, but when he brought it up again at lunch, it was clear he expected her to be there. Of course, Kyra’s first instinct screamed not to go, but now that he asked, she felt obligated to make an appearance. Either way, Kyra had a feeling she was going to regret it.

And while Kyra didn’t like the idea of having to contend with another woman for his love and affection, her curiosity was growing in regards to Justin’s fiancé, Eden. As much as she despised her existence, Kyra was eager to size up the competition. She also wanted to let Eden know that not only did she love Justin; she was fully prepared to fight for him. Kyra was determined to win Justin back, no matter the cost.

As she sat there plotting her next move, Kyra deflated in a hopeless sigh. If she was going to go, she couldn’t go alone. It was crucial she have a date. Kyra thought about asking Meeka if she wanted to go, but that would defeat the purpose. Kyra already told Justin she had a boyfriend. Now she just needed for him to see her with him.

Kyra still didn’t know whether she was crazy or genius for what she was about to do, but with little over a month until the wedding she was willing to try anything. She felt bad about using Cincere, but bringing a girl just wouldn’t have the same effect, and there was no point in going if she didn’t have anyone to go with her. Cincere’s cooperation was critical to her plan’s success, but getting Cincere to agree was going to be tricky. He was the only person she knew who probably didn’t want go more than her.

“Cincere . . .” Kyra tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

 “One second, Babe,” Cincere signaled her to stop talking. He hated to be interrupted while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops.

“Cincere, I need to talk to you.” Kyra continued to pester him anyway.

“What is it?” Cincere pretended to be interested, but he was so absorbed by his mission, Kyra could’ve been trying to tell him the place was burning down and he wouldn’t have realized what was going on until he smelled the smoke.

“Can you stop  for one second and look at me?” Kyra huffed in annoyance.

“Yeah, yeah go ahead. I’m listening. . .” Cincere continued tapping away at his controller.

“Okay. Promise you won’t be mad at me but. . .  I talked to Justin and . . .” Kyra stumbled through the rest of her confession, scared to disclose all the details. Based on Cincere’s opinion of Justin and their relationship, she knew it wouldn’t be smart to tell him she spoke with him in person.

“Justin?” Cincere pressed Pause and sounds of gunfire and explosions stopped immediately. “When was this?” He twisted around to look at her.

“The other day. . .” Kyra kept her answers vague, almost ashamed to admit she was with Justin just a few days ago.

“What the hell, Kyra? I thought I already told you I didn’t want you seeing him.” Cincere got up, threw the controller down, and cut the system off. His sudden change in mood let Kyra know he wasn’t playing when it came to the boundaries set within their relationship. As his girl, Cincere expected nothing less than loyalty, and lately, she’s been falling short.

“I know. But Cincere, you don’t understand. . .” Kyra vented in the form of a sigh. She was getting tired of having the same conversation with him over and over again. Kyra didn’t need for Cincere to like the fact she was still friends with Justin. Life would be so much easier if he would just accept it, even though, she knew he probably never would.

“You’re still in love with your ex, Kyra. I think you’ve made that quite clear, don’t you?” Cincere shot her a nasty look that evoked her attitude.

“Did I say that?” Kyra snapped.

“No, but you didn’t have to,” he replied. “It’s pretty fucking obvious.”

“Look, like I said before, there is nothin’ goin’ on between me and Justin. The only reason he called was to see if we wanted to come to his engagement party.” Kyra answered all snotty.

“We?” Cincere had to question if he heard her correctly.

“I know you probably don’t want to go, but I figured. . .” Kyra stopped there, unsure whether she should continue or if she was just making things worse.

“Okay, Kyra. Now you’re pushing it.” Cincere’s stale laughter did nothing to dilute his anger towards her. Cincere was pissed, and he wanted to make sure Kyra knew it.

“Cincere, it’s only for one night. I really don’t see why you’re makin’ this such a big deal,” she argued.

“Man, fuck Justin and that party! This is about my respect!” He hit his chest as he yelled, as if that would somehow help prove his point.

“So I don’t respect you now? Is that it?” Kyra shifted her weight to one side, but kept both hands propped on her hips. It wasn’t as though their relationship was always this turbulent.

“Nah, you’re right. I’m trippin’. Now that I think about it maybe I’ll call up my ex and see what she’s doing this weekend. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Cincere cut their conversation with sarcasm as though he was trying to hurt her feelings on purpose. And it worked.

“Cincere . . . Don’t do that.” Instead of yelling back at him, Kyra lowered her voice. As much as she loved Justin, it still bothered her to picture Cincere with someone else. Just the thought of him being with another woman made her want to cry.

“I mean, why not?  There’s nothing wrong with it, right? You do it.” Cincere followed up with another not-so-nice remark.

“Whateva, Cincere. Do you want to go to this party with me or not?” Kyra repeated the question; her irritation high and her patience wearing dangerously thin. She was growing tired of the constant bickering and the frequent headaches. All the arguing was pointless.

“That depends. Do you want me to go?” Cincere flipped the question back on her which only added to her frustration.

“Of course I want you to go or else I wouldn’t have asked!” Kyra had to get up and walk away for a minute. She was going to snap if Cincere didn’t give her an answer – and soon.

“I don’t know, Kyra. Give me some time to think about it.” Cincere reached for the remote as his way of saying he didn’t want to talk about it anymore, and Kyra stepped in front of him to block the TV. Their discussion was far from over.

“Well I need to know so I can RSVP. The party is comin’ up and I need to tell him if we’re comin’,” she stressed.

“When is it?” Cincere continued to stare past her looking all grumpy.

“Saturday I believe,” Kyra mumbled; her way of playing it off like she didn’t know all the dates off the top of her head. It wasn’t like she could just come out and say that every day they got closer to July 16th she could feel her anxiety building. Kyra couldn’t tell him that when Justin told her that was the day he was getting married he might as well have been telling her how many days she had left to live.

“Wait . . . this Saturday?” Cincere’s eyes popped open in surprise. Kyra simply nodded.

“Alright I’ll go,” Cincere exhaled heavily after weighing his options and outcomes. “But that’s only because I don’t want you going by yourself.” He scolded her with a wary look. “I think it’s about time I met this little ‘friend’ of yours,” he added.

“Thank you!” Kyra dangled her arms around his neck as she kissed Cincere on the cheek. Cincere snuck in a kiss on the lips before she could let go, but he didn’t say anything. The serious look on his face said enough. Because little did Kyra know, when it came to her and Justin, Cincere was working on a plan of his own. . .

After they ate, Kyra left it to Cincere to clean up while she headed straight for her closet. Now that she confirmed they were going, the next most important thing for Kyra to do was figure out what she was going to wear. Just knowing Justin was going to be there meant Kyra was going to have to bring her “A” game. However, after sorting through the hangers, nothing really caught her eye.

Kyra sucked her teeth. Either she was just being picky, or everything she owned was a little too short or a little too tight for the occasion. Kyra already knew she had to be extra careful about how she presented herself, but all the added pressure of being Justin’s ex-girlfriend made it nearly impossible to choose. As his ex, she didn’t want to come off as desperate or make it seem like she was trying too hard. This time, Kyra wanted make sure she was going to be remembered for all the right reasons.

As she compared different options in the mirror, Kyra held up the third and final dress. She’d already passed on the pink hi-low dress with the ruffles at the bottom, as well as a coral peplum dress she bought from H&M, but as she pressed the white, sparkly sequins against her body, Kyra couldn’t help but smile. Out of all the dresses she owned, she thought the white one looked the best. The low-cut backless design was simple yet elegant with a high slit that let her leg peek out when she walked. All she had to do now was find the right heels to go with it and she would be all set.

It wasn’t until Kyra was in the middle of assessing her shoe collection that she actually began to feel any sort of excitement. She had been dreading going to Justin’s engagement party ever since she found out about it, but now, she couldn’t wait to strut up in there and show him what he was missing. Kyra couldn’t remember who told her that looking good was the best revenge, but if that was true, then she knew the perfect way to make Justin and his girl jealous.

CHAPTER 9

Even though Justin promised to keep in touch with Kyra, she wasn’t really expecting him to follow through and do it. So when she got a random text from him asking her if she wanted to meet him for lunch, she was conflicted on what to do.  After having just patched things up with Cincere, Kyra really couldn’t afford to jeopardize her relationship for a second time, but when it came to Justin, she couldn’t help herself. Just when Kyra thought she was over him for good, Justin found his way back into her life again.

As for Justin, it was only Monday, and he already couldn’t stand the thought of being cooped up in the office. The mountain of paperwork on his desk seemed to be growing by the minute, but unfortunately, the same could not be said for his desire to do it. As soon as Kyra texted him back, Justin told his secretary to cancel the rest of his appointments and set out to enjoy the rest of his day. If anyone called for him while he was gone, he would get back to them. Until then, they could leave a message. When it came to Kyra, everything else could wait.

It was so nice out, Justin even decided to let drop the top on his newest toy; a silver DB9 Volante from Aston Martin. The sun illuminated the spellbinding hues of turquoise in the water and there wasn’t a single cloud in the magnificent sky as he pulled out of the parking garage. The tops of the palm trees swayed in the light breeze as he sped past the other cars on the street. Too bad it wasn’t strong enough to bring him any relief from the heat.

As Justin drove toward the heart of Regent Village, the premier shopping plaza on Providenciales, he started to question whether he should have skipped out of work early, but the second he saw her, he knew he made the right decision.
Kyra looked so pretty standing next to one of the water fountains. She was wearing a long, royal blue maxi dress which flaunted her figure, along with a pair of gold chain Gladiator sandals and matching gold accessories; all of which complimented her skin tone. One day in the sun and she looked like a bronzed goddess.

“Hey!” Kyra opened her arms for a hug and Justin was more than happy to give her one. She had her curls pulled up off her neck, which helped accentuate her face, along with that smile Justin still loved so much.

“Thanks for agreeing to meet me here on such short notice.” Justin smiled back at her, completely captivated by her beauty. He took one look in her eyes and he was under her spell.

“It’s cool. I’m happy you called.” Kyra made it sound like she didn’t drop everything she was doing the second she saw his name come up on her phone, when really, she came running. No one would’ve ever guessed she got showered and dressed in under thirty minutes.

“Yeah, you know, I hadn’t heard from you since we went to dinner so I figured I’d check up on you and see how you were doing. . .” Justin struck up a conversation as they started walking down the paved walkway, past the meticulously well kept gardens and other businesses. Kyra wasn’t even sure where they were going, but she felt comfortable letting him lead the way.

“That was very thoughtful of you.” She looked away bashfully. Just knowing he still thought about her was enough to make her feel good.

“You know, Kyra, just because I’m getting married doesn’t mean we have to stop talking. . .” Justin glanced over occasionally while friendly strangers passed them and said hello.

“Actually, that’s exactly what it means,” Kyra laughed half-heartedly as Justin opened the door to the restaurant he picked. The maitre d’ seated them underneath one of the big umbrellas outside and gave them their menus. Their server would be with them shortly.

“Thanks again for coming. I’ve just been feeling so bogged down between work and the wedding. . .” Justin let out a heavy sigh once they had some privacy. “It’s nice to be able to get away for a little bit.” He flashed a smile to hide his stress, but when Kyra looked in his eyes she saw sadness. Unsure whether she should ask him about it, she nodded and smiled anyway.

“Speaking of weddings. . .” Justin cleared his throat. “Have you given any thought as to whether or not you’re coming to my engagement party?” he asked.

Kyra paused; surprised he would even bring it up again. She couldn’t believe that was the first thing he asked her. They just sat down not even two minutes ago.

“Yeah . . . About that. . .” Kyra winced at the thought of being in the same room as the girl he wanted to marry. “I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.”

“What? Why not?” Justin looked shocked, if not a little saddened by her response.

“Hmm, I don’t know. Let’s see. . .” Kyra tapped her finger on her chin. “For one, I’m sure your parents would throw a fit! Oh. And then there’s the fact that I’m your ex-girlfriend.” Kyra ran down her list of reasons, making sure to emphasize the time they spent as more than friends.

“Yeah, but that was years ago. It’s not like we’re still messing around.” Justin grabbed another breadstick out the basket and kept munching. It bothered Kyra that he could be so nonchalant about it when it was slowly tearing her apart.

“Still. . . I’m sure your fiancé wouldn’t appreciate me being there,” Kyra’s tart remark matched the sour look on her face. Even the slightest mention of Eden made her feel a certain way.

“It’ll be fine!” Justin laughed. “Besides, it’s my engagement party, too,” he added.

“My answer is still no.” Kyra kept it short and to the point. She was kind of mad at Justin, and it was getting harder not to show it.

“Kyra, I don’t expect you to understand why I’m asking you to do this, but just hear me out. . .” Justin reached across the table for her hand and her icy stare melted.     “Just know this is a really big deal for me, and it would really mean a lot to me to know I have your blessing. . . As weird as it sounds, it won’t feel right without you there,” he continued. Everything about him was gentle from his tone to his caress, but Kyra was trying hard not to roll her eyes as she listened to him. As much as she loved Justin, when it came to him marrying Eden, she couldn’t respect his feelings. She wanted to stand up and scream, “This is some bullshit!” but, “I’ll have to check with work and see,” sounded much more appropriate considering they were in a public setting.

“See, look at that! You know everything there is to know about me, and yet I don’t even know where you work.” Justin positioned himself so that he was comfortable. He seemed much more relaxed where as Kyra became instantly nervous. She quietly debated whether or not she should make up something that sounded a little more impressive than her current title, but that would be childish. She figured if anyone was going to tell him it might as well be her. If Justin didn’t want to talk to her after that then that was on him.

“I know you probably won’t believe me . . . but . . . I’ve been waitressin’. . . ” Kyra reached for her water to help her swallow the lump in her throat, but it did nothing to relieve her embarrassment. Sitting across from her was this successful businessman who went on to college and got his degree. No one could argue Justin wasn’t doing big things, and here she is, stuck waitressing.

“Since when?” Justin held back his laugh. He didn’t mean to offend her. It was just hard to imagine Kyra doing anything that involved her getting dirty or possibly breaking a nail.

“I thought you worked at that one boutique. . .” Justin racked his brain trying to remember the name of it. “How did you wind up doing that?” he asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Kyra expressed her unhappiness in a sigh. She had to have asked herself that same question at least a thousand times. “Slow money is better than no money I guess. . .” She shrugged.  “I gotta make a livin’ somehow.”

“Well I still think you should try and come,” Justin concluded their conversation as he stuck his head in the menu.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Kyra said whatever she had to in order to pacify him for the time being. Justin getting married was the last thing she wanted to hear about, talk about, or think about. But as much as much as Kyra didn’t want to go, the last thing she wanted to do was let him down. And then there was Cincere . . .

Kyra and Justin spent the next couple hours dining on French food and fine wine at one of the sidewalk cafés, completely wrapped up in each other’s conversation, as they watched the world go by. Afterwards, the two of them continued their stroll down Ocean’s Row; known for all the big-name businesses and designer boutiques.

“Justin? Can I ask you somethin’?” Kyra shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked up at him. They had to have covered almost every topic imaginable over lunch, but even after their long talk there was still one question weighing on her mind.

“Sure. Go ahead.” Justin continued to stare straight ahead, his pace slow and steady. He was in no hurry for their time to end.

“Why did you call me out here today?” Kyra stopped abruptly.

“What do you mean? I already told you why.” Justin tried to laugh off her question and keep walking, but the look on her face said he better not.

“Yeah, but I mean, I’m sure you didn’t come all the way down here just to discuss the weather and make small talk. I want to know the real reason why.” Kyra held her breath, waiting for him to say something; anything that might give her hope that one day they would be together again. If Justin had any love left for her then Kyra needed to know now.

“Okay,” Justin took a deep breath to start. “Kyra, the real reason I called you is because the other night, when we were at dinner I noticed you didn’t say much about yourself. It kind of left me wondering. . . How are you . . . really?”

“I’m fine. Why do you ask?” Kyra fidgeted under his scrutiny. The fact that she was sweating had little to do with the fact it was in the high 80’s, and everything to do with the way he was looking at her.

“I mean, we’re friends right? I’m allowed to be concerned. Just because we’re not together anymore doesn’t mean I want to see you unhappy.” The deep creases in his forehead backed up his claim. Justin kept trying to establish eye contact, but Kyra wouldn’t look at him for more than a few seconds at a time. “Are you happy Kyra?”

“Yes, I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?” Kyra laughed to hide the fact his questions were making her uneasy. Justin laughed because he knew right away she was lying.

“Okay, this time I’m going to ask you again and I want you to tell the truth,” he chuckled.

“Whateva, shut up!” Kyra pushed him in a playful way. “While you talkin’, I could be askin’ you the same thing. . . Are you sure you’re really ready to get married?” she teased.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I mean, you fall in love, get married, and have kids. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right?”

Yeah. To me! Kyra thought.

“Remember when we used to talk about getting married?” she asked jokingly. Her and Justin were only teenagers at the time, but they had it all planned out. They already knew what colors everyone would wear and who they were going to invite. They even had a couple baby names picked out, just in case. Kyra was looking forward to building a life with Justin once they graduated from the academy, but their fairytale ended unexpectedly when he followed her to Chicago. Their love was just another casualty of the city’s well-publicized gun problem, and Kyra knew better than anybody that the streets weren’t at all forgiving.

“Yeah, I remember,” Justin laughed softly. The fact that he was soon to be a married man became very real in that moment and his nerves spiked suddenly. This time, he wasn’t just talking. In exactly 37 days, he would be tied to Eden . . . Forever.

“Funny how life has its way of working out differently,” he commented.

“I know right. Now look at us. We’re all grown up,” Kyra smiled at the memory, although her smile was bittersweet. They were too young to be talking about marriage back then, but she had faith that one day, it would happen. Even now it was hard for Kyra to picture another man as her husband. In all her time with Cincere, she never really looked at him in that way.

“Can you believe my engagement party is in less than a week and I still don’t even have a suit yet?” Justin slowed to a stop in front of a shop that just so happened to specialize in high fashion suits for men. Kyra could tell he was in deep thought as he admired the beige suit on display in the window.

“You want to go take a look?” she asked, hoping he would share whatever it was he was thinking.

“Nah,” Justin waved off her suggestion. He was adamant about leaving, but Kyra ignored him.

“Come on. Let’s see what they have,” she said.

A small bell chime hanging above the door announced their entrance, and a man in a blue dress shirt greeted them as soon as they walked in. The shop was laid out very nicely, but other than the man who greeted them and the tailors who worked there, she and Justin were the only ones in the store.

“Mr. Hartwell! How are ya?” The salesman extended his hand to Justin who shook it firmly. Kyra couldn’t help but notice the way the man treated Justin with a certain familiarity that said he either already knew Justin or he knew of him, one of the many perks of having a wealthy family.

“Doing well, thanks for asking.” Justin continued to roam about as they talked, looking at different ties and what not.

“So, Mr. Hartwell, may I ask what brings you in today?” Thomas followed behind Justin as he continued browsing, offering additional information along the way.

“Well, Thomas, I need your help. See, I’m getting married, and next week-”

“Congratulations!” Thomas clapped his hands together as he rejoiced in the news. “You two must be so excited!”

Kyra nearly dropped the pair of cufflinks was looking at when she realized he was referring to her. She looked at Justin, waiting for him to correct Thomas, but when he didn’t, she kept quiet and waited for the awkward moment to pass.

“Hey Thomas, I think I want to try this on.” Justin picked out a unique white jacket with black piping and a pair of black pants by Hugo Boss, as well as a pale blue summer suit from their Summer 2013 collection.

“Okay, well why don’t we get you measured up first, and then we can pull a few more pieces and see what works.” Thomas suggested.

“Sounds good,” Justin took off his burnt orange blazer and gave it to Kyra to hold as he stepped up to the three way mirror. She watched closely as Thomas started to measure the width of his shoulders and then down just past his wrist.

Kyra exhaled, wishing it was her who got to come up behind him, and reach her arms around the fullest past of his chest. She wanted to be the one to run the tape from the bottom of his neck all the way down until he told her to stop.

“Is that long enough?” Thomas looked up to Justin for his approval. Justin nodded and Thomas jotted down some more notes before going on.

In order to size the pants, Thomas took the tape around Justin’s waist, making sure to leave it just loose enough to fit a finger in between. To get the length, he measured from his waist down to his shoes.

And lastly: the inseam. Kyra was having a hard time keeping her thoughts PG-13 as she watched Thomas start at the top of Justin’s leg, right around his crotch area. It had been five years since they last had sex, but she remembered what was underneath quite vividly.

Once Thomas was finished, he grabbed Justin a few dress shirts and some neck ties to try on with the suits he picked out. Justin went into the dressing room to see how they fit, and the entire time Kyra was waiting for him to come back out, she wished she was bold enough to follow him. Kyra often fantasized about sneaking off somewhere and having her way with Justin one last time. This seemed like as good an opportunity as any. After all, if she was going to help him pick out his clothes, it was only right she get to see him take them off.

“That suit looks great on you.” Thomas gave Justin the okay sign when he stepped out of the room, and Kyra rolled her eyes. Of course he would say that, She thought.

“I don’t know. . . Kyra, what do you think? You’ve always been better at this than I am.” Justin admitted. He looked to Kyra for advice, and it was as though once they made eye contact, neither of them could break it.

“Ah yes it is smart to get a woman’s opinion.” Thomas chimed in.

“It’s okay. . . I kind of like this one though.” Kyra held up a hanger with an all black suit attached to it. It was made of silk wool with black satin accents throughout. The suit came in two pieces with a notched lapel, two buttons and two front pockets, along with one on the breast. The tag inside indicated that it was made by Tom Ford, and nearly three times the price.

“You’re right. She does have good taste.” Thomas nodded to Justin and smiled at her.

“Here, try this on next.” Kyra handed it over to him and Justin sighed as he headed to the back again. This was why he put this kind of stuff off so long in the first place.

Meanwhile, Kyra’s urge to shop was getting stronger the longer they were there. She felt like a kid in a candy store looking at all the different color combinations and accessories. It didn’t matter if they weren’t shopping for her. She wandered off to look at the rest of the merchandise, but when she came back, she gasped at what she saw.

“How do I look?” Justin held his hands out his sides for inspection. Kyra watched him in the mirror as he took his time admiring himself, trying to get a feel for it. He adjusted his collar with this cocky look on his face that let Kyra know he was feeling himself, and he had every right to feel that way. Justin was as fine as they come, but in a suit? His sexiness was on a whole other level.

“That’s it. That’s the one.”