Loving Jacob Read online

  “Speak your mind, girl!” I heard a woman yell.

  “Take your time, sister,” a male’s voice accompanied hers.

  I closed my eyes and just allowed my subconscious to flow with impunity…

  “Baby, I’m starting to feel like

  You don’t want me like you used to

  I remember when I would walk

  Into a room and your whole world would change

  It was as if you already had me on your brain

  Your best friend couldn’t stand me

  The look in your eyes made it plain for her to see

  The spell I had over you could not be broken…

  The days of your heart roaming from this lady to the next was revoked

  All conversation would cease as I walked toward you

  I was the air oxygenating your every part

  The intricacies of your tough and tender heart

  You’d feast your eyes upon me

  As if you were anxiously awaiting my touch

  Yearning to feel my body next to yours

  The desire within you burned so deep

  What happened to that part of you now

  Did it die, or is it asleep

  Maybe I’m starting to lose my glow

  Am I too refined…is my age is starting to show

  When I walk into a room now

  You see me, but don’t even make eye contact

  Instead of reaching for me, you turn your back

  Barely acknowledging my presence

  From the looks of things, it would appear

  You’d rather I not come near

  How did we get to this place

  How do we get back and erase”

  Something magnetic jolted inside of me. I opened my eyes and scanned the room in search of Tasha. Blinking, I stilled at the profile of the man I knew soul to soul.

  Jacob.

  My poetry spitting lips halted, as my breath caught.

  Thinking I paused for effect, the audience clapped and snapped, demanding more. Jacob’s dark, searing eyes insisted the same. A tear fell down my cheek as I silently challenged him with the same two questions that ended my piece.

  Then, I found Tasha’s face in the crowd. Her big eyes and sincere smile told me she coached me to the stage to bare my raw feelings so Jacob could hear. Or, was it a simple case of him having his security follow me everywhere I went? Maybe I didn’t lose them like I thought I did.

  Either way, snaps ricocheted throughout the room, bringing my attention back to the stage where I stood locked in panic. I looked out again into Jacob’s curious eyes and gave him and the crowd what they wanted, more.

  “Your attention, I’m constantly wanting

  Our passion’s fire can’t be allowed to die

  The thought that we could ever be over, the devil is a lie

  The fire in our soul is destined to catch

  You bring the gasoline baby and I’ll bring a match

  Let us live in truth…

  Let’s be lovers and do what lovers do

  This day

  ...all day

  ...and baby all night

  I want you

  To want me

  Like you used to

  But it has to be true”

  The room erupted in a firestorm of snaps, claps and one woman yelled, “He better come correct or keep it moving!”

  “If he don’t do you right, I will,” a handsome man wearing a blue blazer and jeans said after the racket died down.

  “Hold on, buddy. It’s just a poem. I’m doing right by her now and forever,” Jacob responded to the man as he walked to the edge of the stage where I exited. “We need to talk,” he said close to my ear, clasped my hand in his and started toward the door.

  “Jacob, I came here because I needed some time away from home.”

  “Then what’s that poem about?” he asked, continuing the beeline down the stairs and toward the front of the club. “You know what, don’t answer that. You will have all the time you want, either to yourself or talking to me, once we leave here.” He stepped in front of me and opened the front door. “This is no place for you to be hanging out. When my guy told me you were on this side of town, I immediately had Henry drive me over. You know this isn’t safe.”

  So, Tasha didn’t tell him where I was.

  “My God, Jacob! You saw for yourself that it was a relaxed crowd. There is nothing wrong with that place,” I said, suddenly on the defensive side for the poetry spot.

  “Well, you’ve had your time out. I hope you enjoyed yourself. It’s time that we go, so I can show you that I do want you more than ever. I didn’t realize you felt that way, or that I had gotten distant from you.”

  “You didn’t have to have me followed to figure that out.”

  “You’re going to have security with you, until I feel that you will be safe without it. That’s nonnegotiable. If there’s one thing this whole ordeal with Justine’s ex being found murdered taught me is that I would be crushed if anything happened to you, Montana or Junior. You three mean the world to me. I will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe, even if it means protecting you from yourself.”

  “Jacob, I don’t want to be followed everywhere I go.”

  “I feel better having security protect you when I’m not available.”

  “Speaking of available. I thought you had an important meeting you were attending.”

  “Destiny, I’m available at the drop of a dime to come to you. All I have to do is hear of some funny business like you coming to a club on the west side, and I will end a meeting with a filthy stinking rich Japanese supplier at the snap of a finger. Mr. Fukui can wait. I’ll finish our meeting whenever we’re good. After hearing what’s on your mind tonight, I’m not so sure about that, and I don’t like being unsure about anything.”

  I started to walk away from him, but he grabbed me by the waist and drew me back to him. Standing behind me with his arms holding me in place, he yanked me around and forced me to face him. “What was the meaning of your poem in there?”

  “I have a lot on my mind.”

  “The meaning?”

  “I didn’t even know that was going to come out like that.”

  “The meaning, Destiny. It’s obvious something’s going on in your beautiful mind that’s bothering you,” he touched the side of my face. “You’ve been pulling away from me and I don’t understand why you would do that when you know that I will never let you go.”

  “It’s not me that’s pulling away,” I told him, spitting fire into his orbs from mine. “It’s you.”

  “Destiny, I would never pull away from you. As much as I crave to be with you every moment of the day, that’s the least of your worries.”

  “Yeah? Well, what did that look in your eyes mean that night when Justine mentioned the colors in our bedroom and study? You looked like the life had been siphoned out of you. Since then, you’ve been acting overbearing and had security hovering over me when you’re not home. They follow me everywhere I go like there’s something you’re hiding and don’t want me to find, more so than for my protection.”

  “There is something I need to tell you, Destiny,” Jacob said, his voice freefalling, dropping octaves as he spoke. “We can’t talk about it out here in this parking lot, though. Let’s go.”

  Judging by the aloof, remorseful look he bestowed upon me, what he had to say would be explosive. He promised he’d always be truthful, and I promised him the same, once we entered our marriage. I had the unnerving feeling that his truth would be our undoing.

  Chapter Two

  Jacob

  Let’s Get Away

  I nodded at Henry and he knew where to go and what plans to put in place. Once we turned onto the highway, Destiny sat up in her seat.

  “Jacob, where are you taking me? I thought you said we were going home. If you must go back to your meeting, that’s fine, but I don’t want to go with you. I’m too tired to be around anymore people.”


  “Destiny, this is important. There’s something I would like to show you.”

  “Can’t it wait until the morning? I’m tired from my long day, and we already have a lot to talk about,” she said and yawned.

  My heart fluttered a few beats as I watched the woman I loved lay back on the seat, spent, and look at me with need in her eyes. Destiny needed me to protect her. I internally grappled with how I would be able to do that while coming clean to her about Justine.

  “No, like I said, what I have to do is of great importance. It can’t wait. I’ll take you where you can relax shortly,” I said and eyed Henry, so he would step on it.

  My lady was growing impatient and I couldn’t have that. We were headed to my private jet where Junior and Montana waited for us. I had instructed Lynetta to prepare them for a few days away from home and she would be accompanying to care for them.

  “Jacob, it looks like we’re going to the airport. Why are we going to the airport that houses your jet, Jacob?” She snapped up and surveyed her surroundings before spinning her neck in my direction.

  “I want to take you somewhere. Lynetta is bringing the kids to meet us, and I’m taking us away for the next twenty-four hours. I called Lynetta to set this up as soon as you began your poem. It looks like we’re leaving town ahead of schedule of what I planned for this weekend, but this has to be done.”

  “Jacob, why are you talking in circles? I came clean to you about Montie. It hurt me to tell you that truth, but I did because I wanted to be open and honest with you. If you have something to tell me about Justine and you, skipping town will not help. There’s nowhere you can take me that will remove the nagging feeling that something dreadful is on the horizon for us,” she said.

  I turned her face and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her sweet lips. Her essence combined with mine linked us in an eternity of tenderness that I was unwilling to let go. I needed her. She rescued me from the routine life of a rich man and showed me raw emotions, feelings, and beauty that money can’t buy. I had to have her for the rest of my life.

  I pulled her into my lap with every intention of filling her with all I had to physically give as a symbol of everything I wanted to be for her, and more. When she didn’t resist my touch, my fingers went rogue, running from her tangled locks to the crease of her plump backside.

  I struggled to maintain control of my actions. We did have to talk, but I could show her how much I cared for her better than I could tell her. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I pulled away from her and looked toward the jet.

  “Right now, I’m just asking you to trust me, Destiny. I will explain everything when we get where we’re going.” Henry opened the back door and Destiny’s hot body slid from my lap into the seat, leaving me feeling cold and alone. I got out and held out my hand out to her.

  She sat frozen and defiant.

  “Get on the plane with me, my love.”

  I hoped what I had planned would not only work, but remind us how deeply our love flowed for one another.

  Destiny had a faraway look in her eyes, as she slowly reached her hand to me.

  “I trust you,” she said once she stood in front of me.

  I read far between the three words she said to me, and her admission cut through my heart like an obsidian blade.

  “All I have ever wanted to do is trust you with all my heart,” she said, slicing my deceit once again.

  I touched the side of her face and stared into her peering eyes—a lovely shade of brown. Her beauty wouldn’t be able to hide the hurt that would surface once she knew the truth. The woman I fell hand over foot for should never understand such pain on my watch. Still, I had to tell her everything after I showed her how we got to this place to start with.

  Chapter Three

  Jacob

  Atlanta

  I had Henry take Lynetta and our sleeping kids to the hotel, while I loaded Destiny into the car I had readied for our arrival. I fired up the chocolate brown, Jaguar XJ and breezed through town toward the downtown area.

  “Where are you taking me?” Destiny asked as we turned onto the street where we met. “Jacob, why are we at Tazi’s restaurant?” she asked.

  “Chocolate mousse cake.”

  “Really Jacob? This place is closed and we could have eaten cake in Miami.”

  “But it wouldn’t have been Tazi’s mousse cake.”

  This place was sentimental for us. I expected that we could rekindle what we meant to each other on that neutral ground.

  “We can be anywhere and love each other, Jacob. Coming here in the middle of the night won’t fix us, if we’re even broken. I wouldn’t know because you haven’t told me what you have to say yet. We have to be honest with each other, at all times,” she said, eying me suspiciously.

  Another piercing-like strike went through my heart.

  Fuck it.

  I opened my mouth to tell her the whole story about Justine sneaking into our home and seducing me, while making me think she was Destiny. What did I have to lose? I could tell the truth and convince Destiny that she owed me a second chance just like I gave her one after she slept with Montie, or I could continue lying by omission and have the suspicion hang over us until Justine blurted it out, leaving me looking like a two-faced cheater.

  “Look, I’m not proud of what I’ve done, but I have to tell you about that day when the lights went out in the city. I was in my study and—”

  “Are you two love birds going to come in or not?” Tazi Jefferson, the owner of the bakery’s voice infiltrated my slightly cracked windows. She stood in the door of her establishment peering out at us.

  I rolled my window down the rest of the way.

  “Yes, Mrs. Tazi. We’re on our way in. Give us a moment,” I said to her.

  “Alright, I have everything just the way you requested and a little extra. Park down in my private parking deck, so you don’t get towed. I’ll buzz you in there.” She watched us a little longer before she went back into the store and behind the counter.

  Destiny sat with her arms folded across her chest. The semi-smile she had when she waved at Tazi had retreated into the confines of her stoic facial features. I loathed that she was holding her natural beauty from me. But not as much as I abhorred ever laying a hand on Justine, much less sharing intimacy that was reserved for my wife. I had yet to understand why I couldn’t discern between the two women. I had to agree with Destiny on one thing, something was off about the situation.

  “Are you going to explain to me why you brought me cross state lines for cake when my only request was to have a heart to heart conversation with you?”

  “My love, I figured the best place to make that happen would be here…the place where to unsuspecting people sat for hours, bared their naked soul as strangers and by the end of the night were inseparable.”

  “Jacob, I love you so much,” she said as a tear slipped from her right eye. I reached across the seat, arms stretched wide and eager to embrace her. She waved me away. “Don’t…It shouldn’t take all of this for you to say nothing happened between you and her. Just fucking say it!”

  “I love you, Destiny. I love you and you only, dammit!”

  I grabbed her face and seized her lips. I kissed her with every bit of passion in me. She struggled to get away from me and murmured her protest. I wasn’t having any of it. I had to express my love for her in a universal language. I allowed my tongue to let her know how deep my love flowed for her.

  She continued to resist until she had no win against the fiery passion shooting through me into her spirit. When she let out a deep, throaty moan, I withdrew from her and drove into Tazi’s personal parking garage, where only her BMW was parked.

  The double doors came down behind us. I rushed around to Destiny’s door and pulled her to her feet and into another kiss. I growled like a fierce lion, opened the backseat, and lowered her onto the seat never taking my lips off hers.

  She writhed against me trying to sit back up.
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  “No, Jacob. We can’t do this here.”

  “Watch me.” My cock thrust against the fabric of my pants, as I tore her shirt open and buttons went flying across the car.

  “Jacob, we can’t—” she managed to rasp out through hazy passion that exuded from her flawless brown skin. She closed her eyes tight, clenched her legs together, and attempted to sit up once again.

  I yanked her pants down her legs and quickly discarded every article of her clothing. I slid my hand down to her neatly shaven pussy and grabbed it whole into my hand.

  “I want you now.”

  “Jacob…baby…no, you can’t do this.”

  “Is that right? Tell me I can have you now,” I demanded as my tongue glided across her pretty flower and began flickering her sweetly scented bulb. “I’m not a begging man, but I’ll do it for you,” I said, licking her bulb one last time before I slithered my tongue up her stomach to her breasts. “Tell me.”

  “No.”

  “So, you’re going to make me beg?” I asked before my tongue entered her mouth and tangoed with hers, mixing her essence in the hot pot of passion that was brewing.

  “Can anyone see us?” she asked, her constitution withering.

  “No, we’re in here alone,” I said.

  Her legs spread eagle, and her hands flung around my waist pulling me into her.

  My head nestled in her nape. I unbuttoned my pants, cupped her voluptuous ass in my hands and filled her sweet cunt to the brim. I sucked her neck hard, leaving a new mark of my love along with the many others she had in various stages of healing. I kissed circles around the bruises and basked in the splendor of her sweetness. She didn’t deny me of what I hoped would always be mine, and for that I was a fortunate man. We would get through the storm ahead. It was a must.

  “I will always love you, Destiny,” I said, taking my time to kiss her lips thoroughly. “Forever, I will love you more than anything of this earth.”

  “I love you, too, Jacob,” she said.