Memphis Streets 3: Revenge

Chapter 29- Brielle

Every part of me melts at the sight of Dice's smile on the other side of the window.

I try to take him in, but he's changed so much. It's the same handsome face, but fuller . . . more distinguished. His shoulders are huge, his chest wide, and his arms bulging with muscles. Dice winks and then cocks his head.

"Are you going to let me in?" I rush to unlock the window.

I'm so excited that I can barely get my fingers to work. He's here. I can't believe how good he looks.

"What are you doing here? How did you know I was home? How?" Dice silences me with a kiss.

Every question and thought flies out of my head. It's been so long and he feels so good. It isn't long before the salt of my tears blends with the sweetness of his lips. I'm on sensory overload as we cling together and devour each other's lips. I don't even remember how or when we moved from the window to the bed. All I know is how much I want him-how much I need him. I sense that he needs me, too. He's the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long while, but there's a troubling sadness dulling his brown eyes.

"What is it?" I ask, wanting to take his pain away.

He shakes his head as if he's unable to speak on whatever is troubling him. I try to wait him out, but he doesn't budge.

"I know about Fat Ace," I tell him, reaching for his hand. "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks. I appreciate that." An hour later, we're lying side by side, holding each other's hand staring into each other's eyes.

I want to make love to him . . . but I'm not ready yet-too many bad memories of that horrible night.

"Do you remember me coming to visit you in the hospital?"

"You came?" I ask, surprised.

"Once. You were still out of it, but I kind of hoped . . ."

More tears leak from my eyes. "I'm sorry-but thank you for coming. It means so much . . . but how did you get in? I thought Reggie and Tracee-"

"Jaleesa. She got me in."

"Oh." My gaze falls.

"Do you know what happ-" Dice presses his fingers back against my lips.

"No. Not tonight. There's plenty of time to . . . talk on heavier things later. A lot has happened while you were away. Right now I need to hold you-to make sure that you're real."

He kisses me again and for a while I feed off his peppermint-flavored lips, but then his hand touches my thigh and I tense. Dice pulls back and frowns. "Did I hurt you?" Fear and concern ripple across his face.

"No," I whisper, reaching up to caress the side of his cheek.

"You could never hurt me." His gaze sweeps my face as if memorizing every detail.

"I knew that you would come back to me." Shaking my head, I whisper back,

"I still don't understand how it's possible that you're here. I held you in my arms that night. I thought that you were . . ."

"Shhh . . ." Dice presses a finger to my lips because I'm on the verge of breaking down.

"I'm here because we belong together. We always have and always will." He peppers kisses across my face before zeroing in on my lips. Dice was my first lover and we have made love at least a hundred times since that night at the drive-in, but tonight it is different.

It is our first time all over again. He's so delicate with me as he pulls my nightgown up my body and then over my head. Seconds later his clothes follow mine, discarded on the floor. I gasp at the sight of his broad, muscular chest in the silvery moonlight.

"My God. Look at you." I reach out and run my hands over his new incredible body.

"You're so hard." My hands drift over his washboard abs. "What did you do, move into a gym?"

"You like?"

"No. I love." I draw his head down for another kiss. "But I love you no matter what you look like. You're my heart and soul. I didn't know how to live without you. Maybe that's why I was so lost." A sad smile hugs his lips as he caresses my face.

"That makes two of us." Gazing into Dice's handsome face is like staring into my destiny.

Him being here is already erasing the nightmares of Le'Shelle and her gang of rapists from my mind. Although the black-and-blue bruises are gone, he touches me as though he can still see the scars.

"I should've been able to protect you that night." He brushes his hand down the center of my ribcage.

"I let you down."

"Oh, baby, no." I cup his chin and force him to look at me. "Don't blame yourself for that night. You fought for me and that means more than you'll ever know. There's only one person responsible for that night and I will deal with her."

"Not if I get my hands on her first," he hisses with his jaw clenched. "Cousin Skeet has been blocking my ass on getting my hands on her. He says he's under pressure to get the city's violence under control. He has a cop posted outside her door for the past few months."

Surprisingly, conflicting emotions war within me before I vow, "I won't fail the next time."

"Don't tell me that my good girl has gone gangsta on me," Dice chuckles.

"Shhh. Keep it down. We don't want to wake up Tracee and Reggie."

He kisses my finger. "Well? Have you?"

"I don't know what I am anymore," I confess. "I just want her dead."

"Then you'll have it."

When his lips return to mine, it's as if we're the only two people who exist.

"We're together now," Dice whispers.

"Nothing is ever going to come between us again. I promise." A phone rings and Dice and I jump up.

"Get it before you wake Tracee and Reggie," I hiss urgently.

Dice falls over the side of the bed, sounding like a red oak crashing on the house. I slap my hand over my mouth to stop my bark of laughter. It seems like forever but Dice finally pulls his phone out of his pocket.

"It's Lucifer," he says and then answers the call.

"What's up." Lucifer must've got to the point because in the next second, Dice tenses. "I'm on my way," he says gravely and then disconnects the call. I don't like the look on his face.

"What is it?"

"I have to go," he tells me, jumping up from the floor and snatching up his clothes.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Your sister-she's awake."