Temperatures Rising
Chapter fourteen~part two
Harlem sighed drastically, moving away from the woman that he had been sleeping with for the past year. One of his booty calls. Someone who worked for his father, she was someone to keep his mind off of things and keep his other self satisfied and at bay. He had a lot on his mind, and he just wasn't feeling sex tonight. Although she was looking like a full course meal at the moment, his mind wasn't even on her or sex. He sat on the side of the bed, for some reason his mind went to Heaven, he didn't know why but it did. He reached over grabbing his phone, shooting her a quick text.
"Harlem. You got me over here in this fine ass lingerie and you're texting another bitch?"
Harlem locked his phone, tossing it on the counter. Catching her by her legs, he pulled her roughly to him, grabbing her by her neck. "What do you say?" She stammered over her words. "Nothing." Harlem nodded. "I thought so, refrain from using those words when it refers to her. Got that?" She sighed deeply. "What's so special about that girl?" Harlem wondered the same, he wondered why even after all these years she was on his mind and he didn't know why he was all into her, but he knew it was because she had this air about her, she was always sweet and kind to everyone around her. She had a heart of gold, she was always protective of the people closest to her, she was a beauty like no other. She was just a gem. "Doesn't matter."
"I mean, why you here with me when you could be fucking her? She's eighteen now, right?"
Harlem shook his head. "I'm here with you cause I needed my dick wet, but now I don't so I'm out." He stood up grabbing his shirt off the nightstand putting it over his head, walking towards the dresser where his pants lay, she made her way to the end of the bed by her knees. "Are you coming later?" He checked his watch. "Maybe. You want to wear something like what you got on for me?" He bit his lip, she smirked. "You already know. If I'm sleeping, wake me." He nods, grabbing his jacket. "I'm out." Harlem made his way out her penthouse, walking down to the elevator that led to the lobby. Pulling his hoodie over his head, he walked over to his car and unlocked the door, he stepped inside and grabbed his phone. He called his brother but got no response, he just brushed it off figuring he was asleep or something.
"Auntie." He called out for Carmen, opening her front door
"In here, Harlem."
Harlem chuckled, shaking his head. "And how do you know it was me?" Carmen was in the kitchen cooking with his daughter on her hip, he took her and kissed her cheek. "Hey dada baby." She grinned at him, he peeps over to see what Carmen was cooking. "Boy, I raised your ass. I know the difference between you and that crazy ass twin. You coming to take my baby?" He shook his head no. "I actually need you to keep her a little longer, something came up. What are you making?" She sprinkled in some salt. "Mm just some spaghetti, the Italian way." She smirked. "And, alright, that's fine. NuNu called in, so I'm gonna say she was with you? You're messing with my money, stealing my best girl."
"So, bill me."
"You not an enemy."
Harlem tossed his daughter in the air and caught her as she fell back down, she laughs and giggled. Her giggles brought joy to his heart and soul. "Speaking of, you need to get her on that nigga Meeko. You find out where he is?" Nubian was one of their best girls, she was an assassin, their seductress and they knew she could handle Meeko. If anybody could, she could. "I was getting her to do that today but you were too busy sticking your little wee where it doesn't belong." She pointed her knife at him.
"Let's get this straight, this is not little."
"Boy," Carmen laughs.
He chuckled, kissing his daughter's cheek before placing her down so she could run to her uncle Roman. "Roman, what are you doing here?" Roman picked up his niece, although the brothers didn't see eye to eye, they were family. "Minding my shit."
"I'm not deon, so cut the shit."
Roman shook his head. "You need to get some new tattoos or some cause' I swear I can't tell the two of you apart now." He shrugged. "That's good, confuse any nigga. I gotta get going though auntie. You watch this clown with my baby, she get hurt on his watch- I won't hesitate to put a bullet between his eyes." Carmen shook her head. "Y'all need to stop that and work whatever issue you have out." He snickered. "My issue with him is he is so far up pop ass he doesn't see reason."
"And here I thought you were the smart twin."
"I'm smart, but I'm not biased."
Roman shook his head. "Cap." Harlem rolled his eyes making his way towards the door and leaving, once he got in his car and made his way back to his crib, he saw the reverend standing outside talking on the phone, he just ignored him and walked into the house to get ready, heading up the stairs, he browsed through his closet for something simple but up beat. He wanted to cook for her and shit but with her pops being home it spoiled the plans, lying out his clothing. He went to shower.
"Harlem."
"Yo."
He walked out the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Camila walked in. "Hey, I have to go meet some friends and my car won't start. You think I could borrow the range?" I nodded my head. "Yeah. Just bring it back in one piece or we're gonna have an issue." She nodded. "And, I'll have Rodney come look at your car before I get ready to leave."
"Alright, thanks."
"Yep."
She went to turn to leave but stopped turning back around just as he dropped his towel. "Damn it, Camila!" She quickly covered her eyes. "I'm sorry. I was about to tell you that I found an apartment. I should be moving out soon." Harlem wasn't even mad anymore, he was glad she was about to move out. He needed his peace and quiet and it was just becoming weird having his baby mom sister still living with him when they weren't even together anymore. "Aight, coo'. Now close the door and get out." Camila nods rushing out, but not before slightly smiling at seeing what he was packing. Now she understood.
——
He nodded his head, the car stood still as he tapped his finger on the steering wheel waiting for the red light to turn green so he could go. The car was silent, the only thing you could hear was the roaring of the engine and her soft heavily accented voice speaking. She spoke with a full on Brooklyn accent that didn't seem to go away after her year of being gone and away from him. He was just happy to be in her presence, being around her.
"So there's something else I remember about that night. I need your help understanding."
She moved the string of hair that kept finding its way in her eyes, she had my undivided attention. Every little detail. From her beautiful dark brown eyes, to her cocoa powder skin, to her plump pink and dark lips that shined with the gloss she coated them with. Her mascara was running just a little from her tears but she was still beautiful to him regardless. "How did you find me and get me back in my bed?"
"Uh."
The sounds of the people blowing their horns behind him caused him to mutter a couple curse words under his breath as he made his way through the green light, continuing their drive to the hotel that seemed even further away now. "I was driving past headed to the trap house. At first I almost went past you but I recognized your coat. I could see you stumbling and shit."
"So I was walking?"
He nodded his head, glancing over at her then back at the road. "Yeah, but barely. You were using the buildings for support like how you were when you had alcohol poisoning that time. You seemed out of it, like incoherent." He didn't remember much from that night but he was going to answer all he could for her. "I don't remember much from that night but, I just remember wondering what you were doing on that side of town- wasted like that. I remember wanting to yell at you and scream at you but I was also grateful that I was the one who found you in that state."
"I'm pretty sure I was still in and out of it from the Ketamine or whatever date-rape drug I was on."
"I'm sure you were too. I kept calling for you, motherfuckers were blowing behind me so I had to get over."
He let out a sharp exhale. "You must didn't hear me or some, I don't remember but you fell down and hit your head. I remember asking you what happened and shit but you were just slurring your words and muttering under your breath." Heaven was trying to recall all of this but she had no memory of this. She couldn't recall it. I didn't notice anything on you at the time as far as bruises or blood other than from your head and the cut on your foot. I kept asking you what happened, but you kept muttering that you just wanted to go home. I figured you were just out of it and wasted so I drove you home. Now I regret it because if I had taken you straight to the hospital like my initial plan, they would've caught who raped you." He sighed.
"It's not your fault, how could you have known?"
"It just felt off to me. I mean you were barefoot and had a ripped blouse but I don't know- I don't know why I didn't think of what could've happened."
Heaven reached over and grabbed his hand. "Hey. Don't beat yourself up, that was a long time ago and honestly I'm way past it now. I just, I wanted clarification. How were you able to get me in bed? My dad and brother were probably home that night." He pulled into the park in front of the hotel, putting the car in park. His eyes met with hers. "The door was unlocked. It was hard but I managed to carry you in the house, up the stairs and shit without waking your dad. I cleaned up your wounds and would've bandaged them but your dad started to wake so I left." Heaven chuckled. "You were so delicate with me, isn't that cute." She teases, slightly pushing his arm.
"Shut up." He laughs
"No but really, thank you."
He nods his head. "You shouldn't be thanking me, I should've taken you to the hospital." She leaned closer to the arm rest, she turned his face so he was looking her in the eyes. "I'm glad you didn't. I didn't want my business out there like it is now. You did the right thing. Sure my rapist isn't caught or found but that doesn't matter to me, what matters to me is the fact you were the one that found me. I'm just glad it was you. Okay?" Big nodded his head and sighed, she smiled, kissing his forehead. "So we going to talk about you ghosting a nigga?"
"That was childish of me." She pouts. "I apologize."
"Mm, it's all good. Glad you reached out now."
She smiled. "I'm glad I did too, I did miss you. I missed fighting with you and getting smart with you and shit." He shook his head and chuckled. "Yeah, not many people got away with testing me since you've been gone. I missed you too." His eyes went from her to his surroundings. "I have to be somewhere in about two hours but I want to spend some time with you, you're gonna invite me up or what? I don't bite."
"Last time I invited you up shit got a little too heated."
She blushed, shaking her head. She started to reminisce on the way his tongue just made love to her pussy, hell the people she was seeing couldn't do her like him. She felt her body change. The more she remembered the more wet she became. She twisted in her seat. "We are both adults now. I won't start anything if you won't." That was the thing, he didn't know if he would be able to keep his cool. He nods. "All right." He waited for the car to past before stepping out the car, walking around the hood and to her side, she got out and took his hand as he led her towards the building. "Welcome back, Mr.Sterling." The bellman greeted. He nods. "Thank you."
"Oh so you mister popular now?"
"Maybe a little."
He smiled down at her. She smiled back, they walked through the lobby doors and onto the elevator. She rested her head on his arm. "I must be honest though, I'm a little mad I didn't get to see what that dick can do to. And if it's half as good as your tongue, I'm a little sad I'm gonna miss out." He chuckled down at her. "You don't want any of this, little one. I got one crazy bitch after me, I don't need another."
"Good thing I'm not a bitch." She smirked
She backed up as the elevator doors opened on the floor taunting him to move out the elevator. He chuckled, shaking his head, running over and picking her up. She giggled and laughed as he threw her over his shoulder. "Big!" She squeals.
"Mm so what's new in your life?" Big questioned as we laid in bed together.
Heaven looked up at him. "I don't know, my life's pretty much the same just different state. I am seeing a therapist though, I'm thinking of moving back to New York for college. But I haven't made my mind up yet." He brushed the tip of his nose. "Therapy? That's that white folk shit." She flicked his forehead with her fingers. "That's the mindset that put us back in society." She placed her hands back on her stomach. "It helps. It's been hard. I had a mental break down eight months ago. So, I had to do it. For myself. I was hurting a lot." She sighed.
"Because of what happened to you?"
"Among other things."
Turning on her side, she moved closer to him, wrapping her arm around his torso. "Are you doing better now?" She nods. "Mhm. I'm taking the prescribed medications, doing therapy three times a week, I'm working a stable job, I have good friends and a lot of shit keeping me occupied." She placed her chin on his chest. "And, what about you? Other than your appearance change which I have to admit, the fade suits you way better." He chuckled. "Yeah well I happened to like the new dog."
"I never said you didn't look good, I just liked your fade."
"So you wanna tell me what happened with you?"
He sighed. "You know I can't really get into my life, and I have never been one to share it." He took her hand into his big ones, she watched as their hands linked with each other. "You've always been open with me, even when you didn't want to." He leaned down kissing her, she looked in his eyes kissing her back, he reached over pulling her body on top of his. Their lips became in sync, he grabs her thigh giving it a squeeze as he sat up. His body pressed against the headboard. The kids became more intimate, more passionate until her phone rung. "Don't answer it." He pleaded with her. She reached over and chuckled. "Hello?" She mumbled against his lips as he bit down softly on her bottom lip unbuttoning her jeans. "Heav, where you at?"
"Jacob?"
"Yeah, who else?"
She pushed herself off of him. "I'm about to head back there now to change. I have someplace to be in about an ho- Oh shit! Imma be late. I'll see you in a minute." She quickly hung up. "Damn it." She rushed towards the door, he sucked his teeth pushing himself off the bed, running towards the door almost sliding. "Uh uh, where you think you going?" He scooped her up by her waist pulling her back to his chest. She giggled. "I have somewhere to be."
"What's more important then me?"
"My dick appointment." She smirked.
He turned her towards him. "Your what?" She laughs. "I'm late." He sucked his teeth. "You got dick right here yet you wanna go running off to this Jacob character? Come on, let me give you what you've been begging for." He kisses on her neck, then her shoulders. "B-Big." She moaned. "I-I can't do this." She grabbed her shoes. "Heaven, you serious?"
"Big, I'm not about to get something started with you."
"And why not?"
Slipping her feet in her shoes, she looked back at him. "I want this. I want you. But I didn't come here for this, I wanted to see you yeah but I'm also not about to do this. I'm with someone, and this just ain't gonna happen." He pulled her closer, kissing her. "You think I care if you're seeing someone?"
"What do you want with me, Big?"
"What I've always wanted.." he trails off. "You."
————-
She looks Big in the eyes as he said those words. Not knowing how to feel. She knew that she was in love with Big, she made that discovery on her own, she knew that she wanted Big. She had wanted him for a long time, what was that saying? You get a little taste of something forbidden. It becomes the only thing you crave. Big was her fruit, her forbidden fruit. With him it was dangerous, sexy, lustrous and all she wanted. But she knew, she knew that it was all just temptation, the feeling of being in love was just wanderlust.
"Are you in love with him?"
"I have to go."
He nods. "Tell me you're in love with him and I'll leave it alone, tell me the real reason you came back had nothing to do with me, baby, and I'll let you leave." Her heart skipped a beat. "I don't love him, or her. My heart is torn." And It was. The truth was, she didn't know which brother she truly wanted. Blinded by being in love with one but it could be the other. She was playing a dangerous game. "What you mean, him and her?" Heaven chuckled. "It's a lot you don't know about me, Big. I'm not the same little girl I was when I left here." She leaned over kissing his cheek.
"Excuse me."
She pushed herself through the people on the subway, holding onto an empty rail. Sending a quick text to Harlem thag she was running late but that she was coming as soon as she could, she scrolled through and saw messages and missed calls from her father, brother and Destinee. She ignored all except her brother, shooting him a quick she loves him, she smiled just thinking about Big. Big always brought a smile to her face. She didn't know why but he definitely had her heart.. and he was the one she hated the most.
𖥸
"Well, well, well."
Heaven looked up from her phone smiling. Her smile faded and the instant fear puzzled her brain, she quickly tried to move to run or get someone's attention, but her body froze. She just stood there shaking, she couldn't utter a scream. She knew that voice. She knew those eyes. She knew that tattoo. That tattoo and those eyes that haunted her dreams. "How are you beautiful?" He smirked, placing his hand on her face, she tried to move her face, but she couldn't move
"P-please."
"Aw baby, is that some way to treat someone you've been intimate with?"
Heaven's heart skipped a beat, she looked at him. "I hear you went blabbing to the cops." He whispered into her ear. "And now you fouled my plan. I don't like that." He forced his hands into her pants and she was able to get a scream out. Everyone looked in their direction, she ran as soon as the doors of the subway vehicle opened, he chased her. She ran and ran and ran. "Help! Somebody help me! He's chasing me!" She dropped her phone and everything. She just kept running. Next thing you know, shots was being fired, she ducked and ran. People on the street screamed. "Where is that fucking detective when you need her?" She asked herself.
"Sir. Please."
He ignored her, pushing her out the way. Finally, she rushed into the hotel her and Jacob was staying in, she repeatedly pressed the button on the elevator. He clenched his jawline as he paced back and forth watching her, waiting to see what button she pressed for what floor. She pressed the wrong floor and decided to take the stairs to go to her floor, just to throw him off. She rushed up the stairs as fast as she could banging at the room she was staying in. "Jacob!" She screamed in terror. "Jacob! Please! Let me in!" She cried.
"Heaven, what's going on?" Jacob frowned pulling her inside
She just was shaking. "Heaven, you're trembling. What's going on? You're scaring me baby, what's going on?" She just shook in his arms. He held her in his arms until she was calm, she jumped up and rushed to the phone. She wanted to dial the detectives number but.. she found herself dialing another number instead. "Okay. Okay." She quickly hung up.
"We need to get out of here. You have your gun?"
"You want to tell me what's going on? Why you so spooked?"
She didn't bother grabbing any luggage. She looked around for his gun. "Here. Let's go." She wasn't about to get into details, she was trying to save his and her life, she waited for the phone to ring, just waited. "Heaven."
"I'm being followed."
He frowned. "By who? What does the person look like?" He cocked his gun, looking at her. She just sat there In shock, she was coherent but she wasn't at the same time. She was terrified. He got in front of her holding her face. "Heav- You're bleeding." He pull at her blouse. "Fuck! You've been shot, hold on." He pulled her blouse off, looking at the gunshot wound on her upper right hand shoulder.
𖥸
"Just keep pressure on it." Harlem told him.
Jacob held Heaven in his arms, keeping pressure on her shoulder. She was going in and out of shock. She started mumbling shit. "Hold in there baby. We almost there." The gunshots ringing out as Rodney shot back at the car following behind them. "It burns." Heaven muttered.
————-
"I know how you and your brother work, my brother does business with the two of you but don't you think we should've let the police handle this. She was being followed, and shot at. Does this have anything to do with you two?" Jacob asked the twins with concern.
The twins looked at him with their arms folded, one thing they hated was to be questioned. But he didn't care, all he cared about was Heaven and how all of this shit took place in the matter of twenty-four hours since she's been home. He should've never left her alone. "I shouldn't have let her leave without me." Big muttered under his breath, Harlem raised an eyebrow. "Hold up, she was with you?" Big nods. "Yeah, long story but it's irrelevant. She told me she had a car waiting for her. I watched her get inside and she texted me the entire ride to let me know she was okay. I-I don't know what's going on." Jacob shook his head pacing back and forth. "Kid, stop pacing. You making me nervous and I don't like to be nervous." Harlem warned Jacob.
"Excuse me! My girl is in there getting a bullet taken out of her!"
All their boys pointed their guns at him, he pointed his back. "Go ahead, kill me. I don't care about that. Somebody need to tell me what's going on." Big walked over to Jacob. He sucked his teeth and pressed the point in his neck sending him to his knees.
𖥸
"What did you do to me?"
Harlem rolled the stress ball in his hand. "I didn't do anything to you. My brother did. Heaven's out of surgery. She's fine but she's talking to my brother right now and he's telling her what happened." Harlem looked over at his IT guy hoping to get footage and capture the person who was following Heaven. "You said your brother does business with us? How do we know this person isn't after her trying to get at you?"
"I'm sure this person isn't after me."
Harlem tilted his head slightly. "And what makes you so sure?" He watched on the video as Heaven ran through the streets of New York in terror and no one stopped and asked her if she was okay, if she was all right. "Chocolate face. How you feeling?" Harlem stood to his feet and smiled at her, she walked into his arms and he held her close. "scared." She choked against his chest. Jacob dropped his head. "It was him." She repeated. Harlem pulled back, she looked up at him and he looked down at her. "Him, him?" She nodded. "He knows I told that agent about him."
"Boss." Rodney tapped his arm. "It's MEEKO."
"Heaven, is that him?" Harlem pointed to the screen. "Yes. That's my rapist."
———
This is part two that was supposed to be added earlier but here you all go