Thin Ice 5 - Checkmate (30 page)

Carlita was furious at this point, screaming that she deserved her inheritance. “That slimy bastard made my mama lose her job,” she yelled back as Kaitlyn listened, unmoved. “He disowned me, told my mama she was a whore and I could have been anyone’s baby,” she ranted as Tariq’s head spun.

Mook was in a state of disbelief himself.

“
We struggled dirt poor with nothing, my mama died from the fuckin’ disease his sick ass gave her, gay bastard,” Carlita screamed.

Kaitlyn shrugged slightly before speaking again.

“
So that gave you the right to come here and seduce my husband,” she threw back calmly. “What was the plan Carlita, to have him divorce me, marry you, and you have all that money you thought Carlo should have given you, the satisfaction of taking something from me,” she asked as Carlita confirmed that was exactly her plan.

“
Tariq is a good man, he deserves better than a bitch like you,” she yelled once more as Kaitlyn smiled slightly.

“
Now on that much, little sister, we agree,” she said simply. “But I can’t let you hurt Riq like that,” Kaitlyn began anew as Tariq and Mook both got a sinking feeling. “You’re definitely a piece of work, I’ll give you that,” Kaitlyn continued to talk, her voice growing colder.

“
KiKi, don’t kill her,” Tariq pleaded.

“
Are you in love with her,” Kaitlyn asked calmly.

“
No,” he answered back immediately.

“
Then it doesn’t matter,” she replied firing three times in rapid succession dropping Carlita where she stood.

*****

Mook told Tariq to take Kaitlyn home; he would clean up the mess. Quickly calling Ramell he began doing just that as she allowed Tariq to drive her back to their home.

“
Where are the girls, KiKi,” he asked calmly after they reached the house and came inside.

“
They’re at home,” she replied evenly. “Riq, I’m not staying,” she told him calmly.

“
KiKi, baby, you have to come home,” he tried, hoping she would see reason.

“
Riq, seriously,” Kaitlyn began, standing and giving him a look as he blocked the door and continued to hold the keys in his hand to her car.

“
KiKi, we can work this out baby,” he tried again. “We always do.”

She smiled sadly and walked up to him, gently reaching up and caressing his face.

“
Tariq, do you remember when we met,” she asked softly, never taking her eyes from him.

“
Yeah,” he replied, smiling at the memory and kissing her hand.

“
You were a cook then, all this drama, all this blood, was never a part of your life,” she told him as Tariq tried to speak and she covered his lips with her fingers. “Do you remember your brother dying, and you burying him,” Kaitlyn asked as her own tears came and she blinked them back.

“
Yes, but KiKi,” he tried as she shushed him again.

“
Do you remember the pain we felt when we buried our daughter,” she went on as Tariq’s heart began to ache. “The nights your worried about me because Ice had taken me, the nights you endured abuse because I didn’t know who I was, locked in a mental hospital,” Kaitlyn urged.

“
Baby, please,” Tariq tried, knowing where she was going and not wanting to take the trip.

“
Riq, it was never, ever, meant to be between the two of us,” Kaitlyn finally spoke the words as the tear rolled down her cheek. “You know it, just like I know it, but neither of us wanted to admit it,” she continued as Tariq’s own tear rolled down his cheek.

“
KiKi, I can’t let you go,” he told her honestly.

“
I know,” she replied softly. “That’s why I’m letting you go,” she added, stroking his face again. “Sign the papers I left for you on the dresser Riq, sign them, file them and go on with your life,” she told him as he continued to shake his head no.

“
You know what I’m saying is right,” Kaitlyn began again. “Look at this latest mess,” she pointed out once again. “Two babies and neither of them you fathered, a crazy ass half-sister with her sights set on ruining you and getting some twisted revenge on me,” Kaitlyn told him, tears flooding her face at this point. “It’s time I stopped killing you Riq,” she added quietly, breaking down as he pulled her to him and held her tightly, beginning to cry with her.

“
KiKi, baby, no,” Tariq whispered, it hurt too much to speak. “You can’t leave me,” he tried again as she began pulling away.

“
Riq, I have to leave you, it’s the only way I can repay you what I owe,” she told him kindly, smiling now as she wiped his tears.

“
Baby, you don’t owe me anything,” Tariq told her, as she stepped back, out of his arms.

“
Yeah, I do,” Kaitlyn told him, taking the keys from him as he offered no resistance. “I owe you your freedom and your life back, while you still have plenty of it to live,” she told him. “There’s a wonderful woman out there for you Tariq Taylor, who is going to love you and make you happy without remorse,” Kaitlyn told him as Tariq continued to look at her, the hurt almost breaking her reserve.

“
Find her,” she told him softly. “Find her, and hold onto her forever and ever,” Kaitlyn told him as a final thought, turning to leave the house.

Tariq grabbed her pulling her back to him, kissing her passionately.

“
Please KiKi, baby I need you,” he told her as she smiled sadly and pushed him away.

“
No, Riq, what you need is to be free of me,” she told him one last time, making it out the door and to her car.

Tariq was too stunned to move, simply collapsing into the recliner that sat to his immediate right, head in his hands, heart shattered.

26

Kaitlyn didn’t know how she made it through the last week, but somehow she did, completely on auto pilot. Her heart still ached every time she thought of Tariq and the end of their union. She picked up her phone, tempted to at least text and check on him, but resisted, knowing she had to let him go once and for all. The tears came again without warning as the hurt resurfaced.
Why couldn’t he be the one,
she thought miserably as they cascaded down her face. Kaitlyn loved him so deeply, but she was poison to him and she knew it. Carlo had seen to that. There wasn’t a man on this earth who could deal with the monster that raged inside her, unleashed and loosed at any moment of anger.
There is one, but you keep pushing him away,
her subconscious corrected. Closing her eyes Kaitlyn cried harder. A part of her did indeed love Ice in a strange and twisted way, but that was the part she didn’t want to face. It was the piece of her she wanted to deny.
“You cannot change who you are, Hangman’s daughter,” Socrates voice rang again and again in her head.

Forcing herself to get up, Kaitlyn checked on the girls as they sat in the living room, transfixed on the children’s show blaring from the TV. Olivia gave her a short smile and nod as Kaitlyn smiled back and went into the bathroom. The woman had come over every day and watched the girls as Kaitlyn dealt with her emotions. She’d given her a key so she could come and go basically as she pleased. Kaitlyn’s mind was racing as she showered. She had to get herself together and make some serious decisions. She also had to manage to stay out of jail. Kaitlyn didn’t kid herself. She knew Ian was still out there and he was turning over each and every stone to find her and the girls.
I can’t let you take my babies,
she continued to brood, deciding that for now they were safe enough that she could risk staying another six months or so. After that Kaitlyn hoped to have her game plan in place. She thought about the divorce papers again and prayed Tariq would file them. She’d already signed them, asking for nothing and giving him his freedom. It was up to him to take it.

Feeling better after the shower, Kaitlyn ventured into the living room again, the girls noticing this time, smiling as they got up and walked to the kitchen when she was.

“
Hey ladies,” Kaitlyn greeted, kneeling down and hugging them both tightly kissing their chubby cheeks.

They both began babbling at the same time, trying to tell her about the show, their play, and whatever else they seemed to think they were saying. Kaitlyn listened as they chattered, not really understanding but giving them the impression she did.

“
Come back girls, Patty is back,” Olivia called out referring to the television show.

The girls turned walking as fast as their little legs took them and headed back to the TV. Kaitlyn chuckled again, returning to her task, just as her cell vibrated. She saw the text icon, fear overtaking her. She was terrified to open it fearing it was a message from Tariq. Swallowing hard, Kaitlyn summoned her courage and clicked on it. To her relief it was another message from Socrates. He wanted to see her again, giving her the time, but not the place. Sighing lightly, Kaitlyn told Olivia she had to go out and headed into her bedroom to dress.

*****

Mook was worried as hell about Tariq. His partner was definitely still in a state of shock and he was operating without emotion or feeling. That wasn’t good, not even in this business. Tariq refused to talk about the breakup, only saying it was over and Kaitlyn wasn’t coming back. Mook found the papers she’d left for him when he went over to check on Tariq, finding him passed out in their bedroom. He finally coaxed him into taking a shower and eating something, but he was still just a shell of the man he used to be.

“
Hey baby,” Kim greeted, coming into the kitchen where he sat enjoying a hot dog.

“
Hey girl,” Mook replied amiably.

Kim grabbed an apple, sitting down and cutting it up as she ate it.

“
How’s Tariq,” she asked concerned.

Mook sighed deeply telling her he was still basically the same.

“
I knew he would be messed up, but shit,” Mook again spoke aloud.

Kim touched his hand lightly and told him they had to give Tariq time.

“
He really, really, loved her Mook,” Kim told him as he sighed again. “This has got to be the hardest thing he’s dealt with in a while,” she added as Mook again told her she was right.

“
What about the other business,” Kim asked, steering them away from Tariq and Kaitlyn.

Mook told her that for now everything was pretty much settled. Ian wasn’t causing issue and Ray was busy trying to make sure his godson didn’t die.

“
Everyone seems to have other focuses now, so maybe we can get back to business, keep this unspoken truce and everyone stay in their own fucking lane,” Mook replied irritably.

Kim told him she agreed. It was way past time for all the drama to end.

“
It’s always Ice that starts the shit,” Mook told her.

“
Well there’s no longer a reason for that now,” she replied softly almost to herself and Mook knew what she meant.

Ian seemed to always be on a mission to get Kaitlyn away from Tariq. Now she was gone so there was no reason the two men should ever cross paths again. They definitely didn’t run in the same circles or maintain the same territories. Mook just hoped that finally they could build their empire without interference or hassle.
Will she hook up with him now,
he thought of Kaitlyn and Ice. He supposed it made sense. Hell it was almost as if there was some invisible force pushing them together. She even had two kids from the man. Pushing the thoughts aside, Mook rose heading over to Baccheus, picking Tariq up on the way.

*****

As before, the car was waiting when Kaitlyn came downstairs. She got in without hesitation this time, enjoying the scenery as they drove and she relaxed in back. She noticed they were taking a different route this time, surmising the meeting place had changed.

“
What the hell,” Kaitlyn mumbled seeing the facility in front of her.

The driver got out, coming around and opening the door for her.

“
They’re waiting for you inside,” he said simply and returned to the car to wait.

Frowning slightly, she entered the building, immediately met by another well-dressed man, who asked her to follow him. Kaitlyn took in her surroundings immediately depressing her all over again. She saw the feeble attempt at brightness in the soft green paint the walls employed with brightly colored flowers used as borders. It still didn’t take away from the constant stench of sickness and lurking of death you felt with every step. They corridor seemed to never end, when they finally came to another set of double doors and walked through them.

This portion of the facility was much nicer with big plate glass windows, piped in music, and the smell was pleasant and aromatic. They walked another few feet stopping in front of the door numbers 5505 and walked inside. Kaitlyn was stunned, seeing Socrates hooked up to the various machines, his breathing labored, eyes half closed as if he was at the cusp of coma.

“
Walk over to the bed,” the man instructed evenly. “He isn’t very strong,” he added as Kaitlyn again swallowed hard and did what he asked.

“
Hangman’s daughter,” Socrates managed, seeing her now.

“
Hi Socrates,” Kaitlyn returned, her mind still trying to absorb he was dying.

He’d seemed so strong the other day when they talked.
Guess it was one of his last few good days,
she thought as he reached out for her hand and she placed it in his own.