Authors: Tracy Brown
White Lines III (41 page)
“Let me be the man in your life, and the father figure in Bria's,” he asked. “Marry me.”
With tears streaming down her face, Camille said yes. She had never expected to marry again after having such a tumultuous union with Frankie. But when she said “I do” to Eli on August 4, she entered into a marriage unlike the one she'd endured previously. Eli was patient, kind, gentle, and attentive to both Camille and Bria. Their love provided the perfect atmosphere for her to grow up a happy and healthy young girl in the absence of her father.
Born, Jada, and their sons were officially a family now. Although Ethan was still a bit leery of Sheldon, they had managed to squeeze some normalcy out of what had once been an insane existence.
Anisa was none too thrilled with Born and Jada's marriage. Out of spite, she had threatened to move to California with Ethan. Anisa's parents had purchased a home in Anaheim, and she determined that since Born no longer wanted to be in her life, she may as well move to the west coast and start over. She was angry that Born had married Jada without warning. By the time Anisa found out about it, there was nothing she could do to stop it. Angry and jilted, she began to pack hers and Ethan's bags for the trip to Cali. But Born's mother, Miss Ingrid, had gone to talk with Anisa. Always one to keep it real, Miss Ingrid had pulled no punches.
“Do you know how many kids out there would love to have a father in their life? Whether he's with you or not, nobody can argue that Born is an excellent father. He takes care of you and Ethan financially, and he spends more time with him than most fathers I know. Don't let your pride cause you do something you'll regret. If you move Ethan all the way to the other side of the country, who do you think it's really gonna hurt? Huh? Born has already moved on. He's happy with Jada, so you might as well get over that. The only person who'll be hurt by that is my grandson. And I would really hate to see that happen.”
Anisa had stared at the floor, convicted. Two days later, she had called off the move to California. But she did pack up and move back to Queens, where she had grown up. She no longer wanted to live in the house Born owned, which now felt like an ungratifying second prize in a contest she had once been so desperate to win.
Born and Jada were glad to see her go. Jada needed no reminders of Born's trysts, and Born was happy to have a reason to sell the house on Bement Avenue. Ethan came to stay with them every other weekend, and as often in between as Born could manage. They split holidays 50/50, and the absence of Anisa gave them the chance to enjoy their relationship with no outside interference. They were finally beginning to settle into a peaceful family existence for the first time ever. They were ecstatic as they enjoyed their renewed romance, and it showed. They had come through all of the twists and turns of their livesânot unscathed, but certainly not destroyed.
Gillian's life as the head of a crime family had come to an end. Baron's death, the case against the crew, Frankie's betrayal, and her progression from queenpin to cold-blooded killer had forced her to accept one crucial truth. The drug game would never be the same again. There was no honor among thieves, no integrity to be found in a life that had once been the source of her family's wealth, power, and prestige. In Gillian's mind, when her father died, he took with him the last bit of glory that would ever accompany a life of crime. Baron and Frankie were dead. Zion was in jail. Born had settled into a life of domesticity, and Biggs had taken the ticket to freedom she had offered him and never looked back. Gillian found herself feeling lonely and unimportant for the first time ever. And it was ironic that the person she found herself clinging to was her mother, whom she had once reviled.
Mayra had helped Gillian cover her tracks in the weeks following Frankie's disappearance. She had been eager to forge a stronger bond with Gillian, and the crew's troubles had given her the perfect opportunity. Mayra spent less time with Guy London, the man she had been involved with for years. Instead, she and her daughter spent their days shopping, having lunch or dinner dates, getting their nails done, and making up for lost time. Mayra sold
Conga
, which was the source of understandable angst for her daughter. And now she had opened a new upscale eatery called
Monte Cristo
, named after a popular cigar from Mayra's native Cuba. Since Gillian had earned a college degree during the years before her ascension to the Nobles throne, Mayra brought her in as co-owner, and together they took the restaurant to the top.
Monte Cristo
became so popular among the who's who of New York City that it garnered rave reviews and became the toast of the town.
Still, Gillian wondered if her life would ever consist of the astronomical highs that she had enjoyed as a member of the Nobles crime family. Wondered, too, if she would ever find love again. She had no regrets about the blood she had shed to protect those she loved. But, every now and then, she found herself daydreaming about her life in the fast lane, and secretly she wondered if she would ever find fulfillment in the ordinary existence she enjoyed now. While she was grateful to have landed on her feet, free and clear, there still remained a yearning in her heart for the power and the danger that life on the edge had given her. In her heart, she knew it wouldn't be long before she found some new way to quench her insatiable thirst for what had been taken from her far too soon.
In the meantime, she made do with what she had, and quietly plotted and planned for the day when she would once again take over the world.
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TRACY BROWN
is the
Essence
bestselling author of
White Lines II: Sunny, Aftermath, Snapped, Twisted, White Lines, Criminal Minded, Black,
and
Dime Piece
. She lives in Staten Island, New York. You can sign up for email updates
here
.
    
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ALSO BY
TRACY BROWN
A
NTHOLOGIES
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CONTENTS
Â
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
WHITE LINES III: ALL FALLS DOWN
. Copyright © 2015 by Tracy Brown. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Cover design by Oceana Garceau
Cover photographs: woman © KULISH VIKTORIIA / Shutterstock; cocaine lines © GeniusKp / Shutterstock; city © Stephen McCluskey / Shutterstock
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Brown, Tracy, 1974â
    White lines III: all falls down / Tracy Brown. First edition.
         p. cm
    ISBN 978-1-250-04299-6 (trade paperback)
    ISBN 978-1-4668-4098-0 (e-book)
  1.  African American womenâFiction.  2.  Man-woman relationshipsâFiction.  3.  Life change eventsâFiction.  4.  Drug addictionâFiction.
    I. Title.
    PS3602.R723W49 2015
    813'.6âdc23
2015019393
e-ISBN 9781466840980
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at
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.
First Edition: November 2015
