Chalkline's POV
"Who the fuck is this now?" I mumbled as I picked my phone up to see who kept sending me messages.
SL's Chat
SL: Garrick where are you?
SL: I'm not sure if you are in Miami because I went to your apartment and you weremt there. Are you at your house?
SL: I can't do this.
Me: Do what?
SL: You finally answer. Garrick what's going on?
Me: I had something to take care of, I will be back in a few days.
SL: You could have said something to me. We had a couple good days and then you disappeared.
Me: I'm sorry, I will call you as soon as I get in.
SL: Is this about the baby?
Me: No, it's not. I told you I was happy about our baby.
SL: Then you start acting strange. I really don't know if I can do this, you are making me scared, Garrick.
Me: Could you just relax? I told you I will be there soon, just give me some time. I promise, just relax and take care of you two.
SL: Ok, I will take your word for it.
Me: Ok baby, I love you.
SL: Love you too.
Ends Chat.
Frustration made me throw the phone so hard it almost slid off the desk. I was at my office early mornings and late nights just so no one would see me. Kelly was only one, here knew I wasn't really in miami.
A lot was going through my head, I wassn't sure where it began and how it would end but I knew for sure that everyone that played a role in getting to this point will pay, one way or the other.
Kelly entered my office with her key, she had to pretend that she was taking meetings with me in here or cleaning just so no one would be suspicious.
"I want to be alone," I said before she even closed the door.
"Unfortunately, that's not an option right now. Have you eaten anything all day?" she asked and I lifted a bottle of blends that I had in my office fridge.
"That's not food, remember you weren't blessed with weight, height, talent, charm, also a to die for smile but not weight, you have to eat. I will order something for you."
"I have no appetite so don't even waste your time."
She took a deep breath and sat on her favourite spot, the top of my desk, right before me. "Looking at you, living like a ghost. You need to take care of yourself."
"How!" I snapped at her. I tend to do that alot lately, I snap at everyone. This is one of the reasons I don't go around the kids because it was hard for me to control my emotions and I was easily triggered.
"This is not you Garrick."
"I'm afraid it will never be me." I ran my hand over my face, trying to wipe away all the torment in my head. "Imagine, knowing that the last man your wife kissed wasn't you."
"I know it hurts Ga—"
"You don't know, trust me you don't even begin to know the pain mi feel every single day knowing the woman I love was out in public kissing another man, right before she cut left me and her kids."
"I saw the pictures, I saw how badly beaten he was. Do you think he knows where she is?"
"Mi nuh know, but all mi know seh she fi dead and him and him fi bury alive on top her, face down, or vice versa. Which one yuh think?"
"For your sanity Garrick, I believe neither.
Always trying to protect my sanity like she doesn't see that's hopeless, not even me couldn't fix this shit even if I tried right now/.
"Kelly yuh nah help me enuh, yuh just in a yah annoy the fuck out of me."
"I am sorry Garrick, but I won't tell you to kill your wife. I know you don't want to because we all know if she should come through that door right now, everything that you are doing would be over and done with."
Funny how I imagine that scenario many times and it always ends with me strangling the life out of her while my hood deep in her belly.
I spun the chair to look up at her picture above my head and laughed. "No matter what I do, all the people a beat up, all the pussy I fuck, all the shit I'm doing it still don't change the fact that a next man had Stacy like that."
A next man had my wife crying on his shoulders. How can I ever come back from that?
"Someday all of this will be forgiven Garrick. Everyone gets to a point in their life where they believe it's the end for them. Just have some faith G, it will get better."
"When? 'Cause right now all that is stopping me from putting an end to all of this is my children that are here and the ones on the way."
"How many on the way?"
I spun around to face her with a smile. "Two, I might go three if the wind blows right. You want one?"
She laughs and pulls on my hair. "No, I am good. You need to get some food. Maybe after you eat you will feel better."
"Don't want any food."
"You ever thought that you might not be crazy and you're just hungry?"
"Kelly—" A knock on the door interrupted us.
"Who is that now?" I looked at the camera and saw that it was the girl Kelly left at her desk. "Wah she want?"
Kelly walked to the door and I got up to stand in a blind spot. I could hear Kelly but not the other girl. "Who?.. I don't know who that is... hold on."
She closed the door and looked over at me. "Look at the camera and tell me if you know the girl in the waiting area, she is asking for you."
I moved the camera to check. "Short dark skin girl? She doesn't look familiar at all. Wah she seh she name?"
"Tamara," Kelly answered and I thought for a moment where I heard the name before. I quickly took out my phone and placed her name into my files search.
"Bomboclaat! Kelly guh fi har."
"A who?"
"Just bring her in here and I don't want any disturbance."
"Garrick, tell me a who nuh please."
I pulled her to the camera and pointed at it. "This is my final nail in Xavier's coffin, that beautiful short, chocolate girl. I like chocolate."
"Garrick, your mental health —"
"Kelly, let me worry about that. Go get her."
I watched the camera as Kelly went to speak with her. This must be a fucking sign, she walked right into my hands, just as I was about to leave them alone.
Tamara's POV
After the girl disappeared into the office, I was about to leave. I told myself this was all a mistake and I shouldn't have come here.
"Tamara, You are here to see Mr. Walker?" Another girl emerged and came to where I was standing.
"Yes. That's Chalkline right?"
"Yes," she replied.
Shit, I never even knew the man's right name.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here."
"Ok, so you are leaving?"
"Yes, you don't even have to tell Chal.. Mr. Walker that I came."
"Ok, have a nice day," she said and followed with a polite smile. I turned and started walking when I heard someone shout my name. I looked back to see Chalkline standing at the door.
"I was about to leave."
"You are here to see me?" he asked.
"Yes, I was but nevermind."
"No, come, I'm not doing anything at the moment," he said, however the girl at the front desk wasn't so pleased.
"Ok." My heart was beating out of my chest as I approached him. He was so taller than I expected, it also just hit me that I didn't know anything about this man. Thank God for Sher, she told me how to get here.
"You can have a seat on the couch or the chair, if you want." I took a seat nearest to the door just in case I changed my mind and wanted to run.
"I am fine right here."
"Sure," he said, then sat at his desk. Inside his office was nothing like I've ever seen before, not even Mr. Chin had one like this. I looked up and saw his beautiful wife's picture over his head.
"You really love her right?" I pointed to her picture and he looked up. He returned his focus to me with a smile.
"Are you here about her?"
All I had was a picture as proof so he would have to take my word for it.
"I am." I took the picture from my bag and handed it to him. "That's your wife with my boyfriend." I watched as he inspected the picture and wiped his face.
I really did not want to hurt this man but this was my only way out.
"Suh you are really here about my wife?" he asked without even looking away from the picture.
"Look, Chalk—"
"Garrick, that's my name," he quickly corrected me.
"Garrick I am not here to ruin your marriage, however I am in trouble and I feel like it has something to do with your wife and my boyfriend, your wife might even be in danger."
He threw the picture down onto the desk. I had his full attention now. "Where did you get the picture?"
"I am not sure of the origin but I know it came to me along with some other things."
"What other things?"
There was no way I could give him all the information I had without securing some form protection or help from him.
"I can't say right now because I believe someone is blackmailing me and they might be doing the same to your wife or maybe they will soon get to her. I really need your help."
"So you came to me first?"
"Yes, that's what I did."
He got up from behind his desk and walked to the chair, took my hand, pulled me up from the chair then led me to the couch to sit.
"First thing first, you are not ruining anything, my wife and I will handle this like mature adults." I look at her picture on the wall and he turned my face back to his.
"Chal...Garrick, I am here because I am scared for my life. Someone took those pictures and made sure I got them. I am not sure what they want from me but I figure if your wife is involved, you can protect her and me, for bringing this information to you."
"So why didn't you go to your boyfriend?"
I knew that question was coming. If I wanted this man's help I had to be real with him.To my surprise he had a warm aura and he was soft spoken, made me feel comfortable talking to him.
"I couldn't, I don't trust him to be honest and I feel someone is after him and that's why they came to me."
"So you need my help."
"Yes."
"The person that gave you the pictures, did they say they need anything from you?"
"Yes, a lot of things."
"Show me."
"I don't don't have everything with me but I can get them to you, only if you promise to keep me safe."
He got up from the couch and walked back to his desk and pressed a button on the phone "Kelly, my appetite has magically returned, please order me some food, enough for two... as much as you can whatever we can't eat I will take with me."
He returned to me on the couch. "I will take care of you, just listen to me and do everything I tell you and you will be alright."
"Ok."
"Where do you live?"
"Off Green Avenue, Waltham."
"Not anymore. I will get you somewhere."
Shit, I never thought this through enuh, I can't leave my sister. They will kill her if they can't find me.
"I have my sister and nephew."
"That's fine, take them with you. I will handle everything."
"How soon?"
"Today," he said and flashed a smile.
He meant business, I didn't even feel scared anymore, I felt like he was someone that I could trust. However I believe that the love for his wife was the reason why he was helping me.
I saw the way he occasionally glanced at her picture on the wall.
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