Love UnCharted (Love's Improbable Possibility)

  Love UnCharted

  of the

  Love’s Improbable Possibility Series

  by Love Belvin

  Published by MKT Publishing

  Copyright © 2013 by Love Belvin

  All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidences are fictitious and the product of the author’s imagination.

  Cover design by Marcus Broom of DPI Design

  Love Acknowledges:

  Love’s Promoters: Thank you to all of my family, friends and L.I.P.’ers for your assistance in promoting the L.I.P. series. Juaquanna, Angela, Karmen, Tondi, Zakiya, and other #TeamLB members, I alone couldn’t do it. We have a journey ahead, but are on the right road because of your efforts. Special thanks to Brandy of Momma’s Books for your tireless resources!

  Marcus Broom of DPI Designs: once again, thanks for your talented artistry on the L.I.P. covers.

  Tanya Keetch - The Word Maid: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Great feedback and catches! Feels like we’ve come such a long way from Love Lost in terms of the flow of the books, right? What a journey with these characters. I love it!

  In-house editor: Zakiya Walden of I’ve Got Something to Say Incorporated. Keep bossing Love around. It pushes me towards a greater me.

  MDT: Thanks for being about that LB life. Another one for #TeamMKT!

  To my Master, my Jireh, my Rohi, James 1:17. My gift belongs to the Gifter.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 1

  Rayna

  That was as forward as it gets. She wanted Azmir. The emotions I felt were some that hadn’t eclipsed since I was a kid going through the drama with O and Keysha. The distant memory from the pain of betrayal was still acute.

  I reached up and returned the phone to the nightstand and immediately started experiencing hot flashes. My armpits excreted sweat and my heartbeat picked up. Azmir opened the bathroom door and I practically jumped out of bed in search of a few toiletries before hitting the shower myself.

  As much as I thought I’d improved on my responses to unfavorable situations, that familiar urge to shut down, run, and protect myself was too tempting—too easy. I was quickly slipping to self-protection mode, a place where Azmir wouldn’t survive.

  The elevator ride down was in complete silence and I found my eyes glued to the floor, trying to quest through my ruminative thoughts of the Dawn Taylor intrusion. I slipped on a pair of black leather leggings that were cut short just above my ankles, a retro Run DMC white off-the-shoulder sweatshirt that exposed my left shoulder, a red shimmery scarf, double wrapped around my neck with black, pony hair booties that displayed buckles running across the toes and around the ankles.

  Azmir bought the booties for me a few weeks back and finally I thought to wear them. I had prayed he’d be impressed. After all, I was trying to prove to him that I was warming up to his desires to splurge on me. A few times since leaving the suite, I had the urge to ask him about the texts from Dawn, but didn’t have the guts to do it, feeling I had no rights to him.

  “Hey…you okay?”

  His question startled me out of my private thoughts, causing me to slightly joggle. He looked delectable standing there in his crushed valor, smoke gray sweat suit with the hood covering his head. This was his relaxed look, much to the contrary of the designer suit he had worn the night before.

  “Yeah…yeah.” I sighed. I didn’t even believe me.

  “Are you sure? You’ve been a little distant since you got out of bed.” He paused, but I wasn’t prepared to answer. “Was my conversation too heavy for you…or was I too aggressive?”

  I knew he was referring to our sex from earlier when he mentioned aggressive. Though he was aggressive, I relished every moment of it. It made me feel desired and wanted. I could get used to that.

  I swallowed. “Ummm…no. You were great. No paw marks this morning.” I attempted humor. I had to get the spotlight off me. “I’m a little tired from waking up so early. I guess my body is on its weekday schedule.” I gave a mirthless chuckle as I adjusted my scarf, trying to sound convincing and distract from my disingenuousness.

  He moved up from behind me, pulled the back of the scarf down from my neck to expose my skin and whispered into my neck, “You can wake me up anytime of the morning or night with that type of restlessness. You were sooooo good last night…and this morning. I can’t wait to get you home to return the favor.” He kissed and sucked on my neck, causing a stir deep down inside of me. I didn’t want it; I couldn’t handle it at the time, but I had no will in me to tell him to stop, my body would betray me. It always did for Azmir.

  “I love your look today. It’s urban and classic. You’re killing those Monolos,” he sang in between kisses into my neck until the elevator rang its arrival at our destination. As the doors opened, it had caught me gazing deep into his eyes, feeling aroused, but also full with questions and doubts stemming from those texts from Dawn Taylor. He let off me and with a quick jerk of his chin, prompted me to lead us out of the elevator. It was hard for me to break my gaze deep down in his honey brown irises. Once again, I was lost in the rapture of Azmir.

  As we entered the designated section of the restaurant, I was so happy to see Kim. My heart warmed at the sight of her nestled next to Petey, demonstrating a rare display of affection in public. I really had hoped that they’d work things out. I held no judgment in my mind if Kim still wanted to be with him, nor did I hold contempt in my heart towards Petey for his transgressions. I was just happy to see two people who had been together so long persevere. I wish I’d had the same endurance.

  As we approached them, Petey stood with his hands in the air and shouted, “Damn. I thought you two wasn’t gon’ come, man! What ‘chu doin’ to my man, Ray?”

  I shot him an expression that feigned offense to his carnal allegations and popped him on the arm before hugging him. He returned the enfold with adoration.

  “Hey, baby girl! Good to see you again.”

  “Hey, Petey,” I sang before leaving his embrace. I didn’t forget about his deceptive orchestrations the night before, but until I had proof, I couldn’t react.

  I went over to hug Kim while she was seated and then sat next to her.

  “Hey, girl! You look cute.”

  “Thanks, Kim. I appreciate that.” I gave a graceful blush. “You’re glowing. Is there a baby number five in the oven?” I teased to her delight.

  “Girl, no! I would love another child, but my ass is too old. How ‘bout you carry it for me and then I’ll take over.”

  “Deal!” I acceded and together we giggled like lifelong buddies. “Where’s everybody? It’s almost one o’clock.”

  I looked around the private room of the restaurant, landing my eyes on the buffet table that the wait staff was assembling. The food smelled delightful. I was starving.

  “Man, that food smells good! I am hungrier than a runaway orphan. Azmir didn’t feed me last night,” I joked.

  “From what I heard he was too busy tryna’ feed from yo ass!” Kim bit out with humor.

  I scrunched my face with a smile. “What are you talking about?” I asked knowing full well what she meant.

  “Y
ou know them bitches can’t keep their mouths closed for shit. On the way back to the room, they was talking about how they hooked Divine up by setting up a whole bunch of candles in y’all’s suite and shit.”

  Showing poise, I smiled with a closed mouth. “Oh, so that’s who did all of that. It was a nice scene.” I nodded. She laughed at my discretion. “So, what’s going on with you? You seemed a little unlike yourself last night—not with me, but you didn’t socialize with the other girls.”

  “Girl, dem bitches ain’t shit. I’m too old to call phony foes friends,” she snapped.

  I gave her a playful pout. I didn’t know how else to respond. It would have been deceitful of me to ask for details when likely I had gotten them all from Chanell. I didn’t want to get involved. They all had a history; I was the new chick.

  Speaking of Chanell, she flew into the private area with the local girls in tow. I braced myself, not knowing what type of vibes I’d be getting from them during this function. I looked over in search of Azmir to find him in the corner talking to Petey. I put my purse in the seat to the left of me to reserve it for him, though I doubted anyone wouldn’t have already known it.

  Chanell waved at me from across the room as she talked to the wait staff. I could only imagine the lack of etiquette in that exchange. I loved Chanell with all my heart, mostly because of her rawness and sincerity, but I was fully aware of her dearth in the class and decorum department. What was more interesting was how they used her as a front man for coordinating this weekend’s events.

  “Where’s Syn? Why hasn’t she been involved in the planning of this weekend?” I nodded my head toward Chanell.

  “Shit. Syn’s ass is doing what Syn know how to do best. She been drunk since she got here. She drove down with her cousins because her dumbass got into it with Kid when Petey was booking our flights and rooms down here. It got to the point where he said ‘fuck her’ and told us to book without her. So she packed her cousins and friends in two cars and came down drunk as hell. Kid was so fucking mad. I keep telling Syn that she fuckin’ up with him. She just don’t know how to express herself, then get mad, get drunk, and fuck up everything.”

  Hmmmmmm… “That’s too bad,” I sympathized and couldn’t help but to wonder what her problem was with me.

  Kim cut her words short because the girls started taking their seats at the table. Kid glided into the room without Syn and we all shouted birthday greetings out of sequence. He smiled and waved. I noticed his oversized Versace shades that were likely to façade his hangover.

  “Hey, party people,” he greeted.

  By this time Azmir and Petey had returned to the table and gave Kid birthday dabs the way that manly men do. Almost immediately after, Syn wandered in about a half of a dozen deep with her girls. Kid sat across the table from Kim and me. Syn took her rightful place to the left of him placing her directly across the rectangular table from Petey. Kim sat face to face with a recovering Kid.

  Syn didn’t acknowledge me at all, but took on a heavy conversation with Kim. I chalked it up to her simply not liking me and certainly wouldn’t allow it to damper my mood. In all truth, I’d much prefer not to share space with her either, but had no choice.

  We were all seated and eating at the table. Conversations flowed, everyone seemed to have been engaged in one. The spread was great with an assortment of traditional breakfast and lunch menu items, none of which my diet called for and I did the best I could to exercise self-control. Azmir offered to order me a vegetable omelet, but I whispered my adamance of not wanting to draw attention to myself at Kid’s birthday celebration. I stuck with eggs and fruit.

  I caught Syn gawking into my profile and could see from my peripheral view when she shoved the girl next her who automatically looked at me. I could tell she spoke about me to them beforehand. I simply shook it off as I always do.

  Azmir seemed to be relaxed and Wop and the other Clan members weren’t shy of stories filled with doltish gossip from the neighborhood. At some point during the sit-down, the waiters served us all mimosas to my dismay and Wop stood and tapped his glass, trying to make an announcement.

  We all quieted down, giving him our undivided attention. “X’cuse me, er’body. I just wanna show sum love to my dude who done took me under his arm and showed me sum love over the years. He make sure I keep gettin’ money to feed my son. He don’t hate. He always got my back. And…dis is from me to you, playa.”

  Wop pulled out a massive square gift wrapped case and handed it to Kid. After the unwrapping, it revealed a bright, clustered diamond chain with a humongous diamond crusted cross. It was every bit of what you see your average rapper wearing. So them. But I could appreciate the sentiment behind it. From the sounds of it, Wop was gifting his mentor and that was admirable within itself.

  “Thanks, man. Love you, man.” Kid beamed, giving him some special handshake that I’d seen of this “Clan” and pulling him into a bear hug.

  What type of work did Wop do to earn the money for such a piece of jewelry? I could only imagine the expense. Kid slid the chain over his neck and the girls clicked pictures on their phones.

  “Dat’s stacks on stacks right there on ya’ neck, play boy!” Wop shouted as he sat down. The girls at the table oooooh’ed and ahhhhhh’ed in amazement of the bling.

  Petey then stood and gave a few words.

  “You know, play boy, you my strong peoples. Over ‘da years my respect fa’ you done grown more than I eva’ thought it could. I remember you from snatching chains ‘dats about forty-nine stacks cheaper than da one you wearin’ right now.” In unison, the table burst into laughter. It was clear they all had history. “I remember my dude, Rock, tellin’ me to watch out for ‘dis light skinned kid who was robbin’ fa’ jewels. Memba ‘dat, Divine?”

  Azmir nodded his head and smiled, apparently at the recollection of it.

  “Yeah, ‘cuz, I told Divine and ‘dem, I’ont give a fuck how young he is, I got sum heat fo’ ‘dat ass if he run up on me or my duke!” Petey said in laughter, referring to Azmir. He always protected Azmir. I quickly surmised after meeting him, that was his role. As if it were more than a friendship, like an assigned position of some sorts. “Well, Im’ma just say happy thirty-fifth birthday and give you ‘dis. I got mad love for you, homie. You been a strong soldier in da field.”

  Petey handed Kid a smaller wrapped gift. Upon opening it, we learned it was an eighteen karat rose gold Audemars Piguet watch—or in this case—timepiece. I was floored. I knew that brand of watch without diamonds can run about fifteen to thirty grand, but when you add in the bling, I was out of my league.

  Can Petey afford that with his strip club earnings?

  Everyone clapped and affirmed the value of the gift as Kid reached across the table, giving Petey the same dap that he had just given Wop minutes ago. I could tell Kid was overcome with emotions, as he should have been. These were extremely profligate gifts! What next?

  Petey motioned to Azmir and I was beside myself in anticipation of what he was going to say and give. Azmir stood.

  “Kid, you’re a solid soldier, far surpassing my expectations. I’m not a man of many public pronouncements, but I will say that you’ve done well and are a vital piece to The Clan. May your loyalties remain true and your belly stay fat. Happy birthday.”

  Chanell squealed, breaking my attention away from Azmir. That’s when I noticed the heavy anticipatory expressions across the table—I mean, I saw mouths open and some even looked as though they were holding their breath!

  I turned to see Azmir pulled out a five by seven sized wrapped case and was handing it over to Kid. More jewelry? Is that Kid’s thing? Kid seemed to have taken forever to open the box and I realized that I wasn’t the only one to feel that way when one of Syn’s girls yelled out, “Hurry the fuck up, Kid!”

  I can’t lie, a nervy side of me brought on by the mimosa shot her a look of, Shut the hell up and stop acting like a damn hood rat! because I knew much of the reason for her sus
pense was due to the fact that Azmir was the gifter. Shoot! Even I was on edge in anticipation.

  Kid opened the box and discovered a car key fob with a huge emblem on the ring that I wasn’t familiar with. He read from a piece of paper, barely audible to those at the table. That was until he screamed, “A fucking Aston Martin One-77?”

  The table went up in a roar. I was frozen at the table, steeling in my seat, unable to move.

  What in the…?

  “Holy shiiiiiiiiiiit!” Wop screamed and jumped his five foot seven inch frame from his seat at the opposite end of the table from me.

  The other Clan guys were right behind him in their shock, approval, and envy of this over the top gift that had just been bestowed upon Kid. I really didn’t know much about the dynamics of this group, or The Clan for that matter, and felt that it was an odd phenomenon.

  I swear, I felt like I was at the table of an organized crime family with their interactions, but knew the thought was silly and didn’t wrestle with it long.

  Honestly—you’re living with the man, if there was anything illegal going on you’d know!

  I recalled some of the things Chanell told me in Puerto Vallarta about Azmir being the leader of The Clan, but I never thought to ask what was the mission behind the group. I suddenly questioned where all the money was coming from. Things started feeling weird—cognitively and physiologically.

  Azmir tenderly rubbing my shoulders hurled me from my ruminative thoughts. He took to his seat next to me. I peered over and found him searching my eyes for answers.

  “You okay, Ms. Brimm?” he whispered in my ear so low that I doubted if even Kim to the right of me could hear.

  “My stomach’s feeling a little queasy, but I should be okay.” I was telling the truth. My stomach had begun bubbling and I couldn’t figure out why. Could it be the eggs?

  “We’ll be leaving soon enough. I’ll have you home resting.”

  I gave him a slight smile, trying to force politeness. I also noticed Syn all in our faces. I may have even cut my eyes at her. I don’t know.