BETRAYAL

In the waiting room, Zay sat impatiently, trying to control his worry for Samantha. What mattered most was that she was okay. She had gone into shock in the very backseat of his car. Her baby was gone, taken right out of her arms, and she couldn't do anything about it.

In her eyes, when she was pulled from that house, Zay was the enemy, although she didn't know the man who'd only been there to help her, was in fact Mike's bestfriend back in high school and college, not that Mike went, he had 'better' things to attain his time with. Zay was always there for her, even when her own boyfriend wasn't.

He'd taken claim on her baby girl as her honorary uncle once he'd found out Mike had a baby by his sweetheart. A baby that he didn't deserve, because he wasn't there to see her. Hell, the kid may as well have called Zay daddy instead.

Mike had taken everything too far when he'd dug himself in a deep hole that Zay had no desire to dig him out of. For years he'd seen Mike's life deteriorate. He'd saw his friend spiral on a downward path, but somehow, Samantha remained by his side through all the bullshit he'd put her through; how she did it, no one knew. Looking from the outside, anyone would claim they'd leave, but what was she to do with a baby? Yeah, she had a degree, but that was it.

Mike had her wrapped around his finger, or so he thought. Everyone around him seemed to do as he said, but that never was enough for him. Why?

Greed.

Didn't he learn his lesson back in '08 when he took that bullet to his right arm? When he'd decided to dabble in the drug game for the sake of his 'empire' he wanted to build. He craved to be praised, he wanted to be on top. He had a bad bitch at home, and plenty of em around Atlanta and their surrounding cities. He WAS the muthafuckin' man, and he dared anybody to say otherwise.

He wanted to be on top, and that was the very problem. He didn't care who had to fall down under him in the process. He didn't care about nobody or the fact that he was putting in danger every single person around him.

When his bestfriend, Xaiver--who everyone called Zay, saw what he was doing to himself, he stepped in, tried to help and talk some since into his knucklehead friend's head.

"You ain't gotta do this bruh, what about my niece?" Zay would encourage, but those words fell on deaf ears as always. Mike would plaster his infamous smirk on his handsome face, and say to Zay what he'd said plenty of times before.

"I can quit when I want. I do this shit for fun." And as always, Zay shook his head. He didn't know this Mike, and that's exactly why he began to distance himself from him, but he'd never lost contact with Samantha, and deep down, he knew exactly why.

Now, being the selfish and greedy man that Mike was, when he'd put his investment to use, in music, he had slowed down a bit, but kept his money flowing through the people around him. The same young niggas he use to shoot hoops with Zay on hot summer days was breaking down and bagging his drugs.

The same niggas that had hung at his Mama's house after a long day at school to suck down some of her sweet tea was killing innocent people with the white powder and the green herb he was supplying. It didn't stop there either, pills, bath salts, anything you could think of, and somehow, Mike had his hand in it, selling it, that is.

Even when he'd been with Natasha, but he did love her, and that's why he wasn't as heavy on it as in his younger days. But, sometimes, music wasn't the only thing he was producing at that big studio.

The women had made him cocky, too. Little did he know, a sexy little Latina fly was watching him, up close and personal too. See, Mike saw a pretty face, full lips, a plump ass, and thick thighs with a feminine mound in the middle that got wet on command.

He didn't see her for the surprisingly intelligent, street wise that is, queen of the streets that she was. Sure, she stripped, but she did that for fun. While men were drooling over her delectable body, she was milking their pockets, and they didn't even know it. So, when she called, like the dog he was, Mike jumped on that juicy bone, but little did he know, it'd soon be the last one he'd get a taste of.

"Mr. Voss?" Pulled out of his thoughts by the tired looking nurse, Zay looked up into her eyes, praying to hear good news about Samantha, and that hopefully he could take her home--his home, like he'd planned in the first place.

"Yes, is she okay?" He asked, walking over to her tiny frame, trying to read her face of any uncomfort or regret.

"She's fine," he smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder and the other over his own heart in relief, that was short lived by her next sentence.

"The problem though, Ms. Parks has amnesia. Now, according to Dr. Hughes' diagnosis and tests, she should only have it temporarily, which could be days, weeks, months..." She trailed off making sure he understood, to which he nodded, his body tense as his hands rose to his temples. He rubbed them I ease some of the uneasy feelings running through him.

"How did she, though? Nothing happened..." It was his turn to trail off as he reminisced on the past hour with her. She hadn't hit her head, but...

"Well, sir, did you secure in a seatbelt on hr drive here? Or did you let her rest, lying down? She could've easily hit her head on the door, arm rest, console, anything." She elaborated, and he had laid her down. He just wanted her to relax, her baby was taken from her.

Zay could've kicked his own ass. Why hadn't he made sure she was at least secured in s seatbelt? That she was definitely okay, but she was distraught, afraid. He really wanted her to be comfortable, but she still hadn't recognized him then.

"How much does she remember?" He asked, his arms now crossed over his broad chest.

"Let's go see her," she started, ignoring his question. "She's asking for a Xavier or Mike?" He rolled his eyes at the mention of the selfish son of a bitch. He had the audacity to go see the very bitch who was plotting against him and leave his kid and 'girl' at home when he new people were after him. H could've easily sent Samntha to her apartment. She hadn't moved in, not yet.

"Sir, come on. She's this way." The nurse said, encouraging Zay to follow her down to where Samantha was. He moved through the motions, not exactly sure how he got outside of room 401, but he was there. Through the glass, he could see the T.V. propped up on the wall, though he couldn't hear any sound.

Before the nurse opened the door, she briefed Zay on what he should expect.

"Just kind of go along with whatever she's saying. She is picking up on choppy memory, on what she thinks is the present. In her mind, she thinks its 2009, so ease her into the present. Sometimes, when these things happen, patients go to a time they loved. A time of happiness." He wanted o disagree, around this time in the past, Samantha hadn't seen Mike much, but a at least heard from a lot of Zay.

"Her memory should slowly begin to return, not today of course, but when it does, you have to be aware that her feelings and mind is going to be going through a lot, keep her calm, for her health." Zay processed what she said and nodded, wanting to see for his own eyes that Samantha was okay.

Walking in the room, he saw the beautiful Samantha sitting upright in the hospital bed watching the soundless T.V. She looked over their way, hearing the door, and her eyes immediately fell on Zay, them nearly popping out of their sockets. From her memory, she had seen him only three months ago when he left for the summer to visit his family in Florida.

"Zay what the hell have you been eating? Muscle juice?! You bulked up over night!" She exclaimed, laughing along with the two others. She motioned for him too come to her. She walked him stride her way, studying his sexy face and body, she liked the new look.

Zay couldn't believe this girl. He couldn't help but smile as he took at seat at her bedside, and the nurse quietly slipped out the room, leaving them to their privacy.

For a few minutes, they were quiet, but she reached for his large hand, and held it in her small one, intertwining their fingers. He internally groaned, even this little contact made his feelings for her return. Like they had left.

"Zay do you remember what you told me before you left?" Samantha asked, now turned on her side, and searching his handsome face. From his chocolate brown eyes, matching his cocoa skin, to the slight freckles that covered his cheeks, you could barely see them, but she had seen that face enough to know each and every one by heart.

While Zay had been away that summer, she had missed him something terrible, and her boyfriend, Mike had been so standoffish and distant. She wasn't dumb, she knew he was dealing, just like she knew he was messing around her, but she had a child growing inside of her and she needed him. She wanted her baby to have what she didn't, a father, but at what cost?

When Zay didn't say anything, she continued to refresh his memory.

"You told me if I needed anything, you'd be there. You said you loved me, and that Mike hadn't gotten to me first, I'd be all yours." She said, dreamily, playing with his fingers. Those words ringed in her head everyday, giving her hope.

Mike had pulled a disappearing act once again, and as always, he called his bestfriend to distract his 'bitching' girlfriend so he could do his 'business' in peace, which had been happening more times than not.

Zay smiled back, remembering saying exactly that, and he meaning every word, and then the nurse's words made him wonder, if she had remembered a time she was happiest, and it was 2009, it could only mean he was the source and that, that made his smile widen as he brought her hands to his lip, placing a soft kiss on the backside.

"Did you mean what you said, Zay?" She whispered.

He didn't even think before "Yeah." Came out, and she closed her eyes smiling at his deep voice, and so confident answer.

She opened her eyes, them a little misty, and patted the bed, moving over under the sheets.

"Can you hold me?" With no hesitating it was almost scary how much he wanted to be in that bed with her. He knew he shouldn't, being that was Mike's girl, but since when did he act like it? Since when did he even act worthy if being a bestfriend?

He slipped in beside her body, the body he wanted to protect, to hold, to touch and vie nothing but pleasure to.....

Neither of them spoke for a while. As Zay began to think Samantha had fallen sleep, she spoke softly.m"the nurse told me I have amnesia, but that's okay. Just be here for me, okay? Mikey's been gone since you left. He only called me twice, but he sends money." Zay's jaw clenched.

"Don't worry, baby, I'm here. Just rest." Another silence fell upon the two as she cuddle into his body, and kissed his chin. Naturally, he hugged her waist, bringing her closer, enjoying how their legs had tangled together. They both enjoyed the closeness as their hearts bested to the same beat, speaking the unspoken three words. Mike didn't deserve her.

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Thirty seven minutes.

That's how long Natasha had been running on that treadmill. Nonstop, she'd been teasing Dre's lustful eyes unknowingly, even forgetting he was there. She had her iPod plugged in while Trey Songz's soft voice whispered in her ear. Her eyes were closed, and she let her mind drift. She wanted to forget how bad she wanted her bestfriend, who she thought didn't want her, but she wanted him something serious.

From the weight bench, directly across the treadmill, but still at a distance, Deandre watched her like a hawk, as he lifted the heavy dumbbell, not paying attention to how heavy it was or how much his arm started to ache. He switched the heavy dumbbell from his left hand to his right, as he watched her like a hawk.

From her sweaty face, where stray hairs clung to her forehead, to her slightly opened lips, which were pink, to the bounce of her breasts, her sports bra clinging to her moist chest, to her flat stomach. Her belly button ring would swing wit her movements and sometimes shine in the light. Going lower, he surveyed the sway of her hips, down to her shapely thighs that would slightly rub as she seemed to move slower, maybe slow motion, and his eyes moved back up her body until he saw her hazel eyes looking back into his chocolate ones.

She continued to run as her pink tongue slid across her bottom lip, then back into her warm mouth as she but down on the plump flesh softly, the dimples at her cheeks slightly showing. Dre didn't tear his eyes away from her as he continued to lift his weights. He would've continued too, if a tall muscular guy didn't tap his shoulder. He hadn't realized, but he was hogging the bench, so he respectively gave it up, and when he turned around, he saw sweat dipping down the arch of Natasha's back, as she disappeared into the showers.

Feeling his shorts tighten, he decided he'd have a cold shower of his own.

* * *

Natasha let the steam encompass her body, mending with the warm water as she rolled her neck. Her thighs were slightly sore, along with her legs, but that wasn't he reason she was standing so wobbly.

She had let herself dream. She closed her eyes as she rubbed her body in the single stall shower in the soapy body wash. She thought of Dre, wishing the hands cupping her breasts were his. Then, she felt her own hands being pulled from her round mounds, and pinned to her side.

The hands were masculine, and so was the scent. For a minute, she stood there in her dream, and felt the hands caress her arms. In this dream, Dre was behind her.

His soft lips kissed her shoulder and ran down her back. She arched her body, moving towards the water as the hand ran down her spine, and to the crack of her ass. She gasped as his hands aggressively were filled with each cheek, and he squeezed, pulling her body against his.

Between them sat a throbbing dick that ached to be deep inside Natasha. Almost feeling like her dream was actually reality, she let herself moan.

"Dre..." She trailed off, leaning back into his hard chest. His soft lips kissed her wet shoulder, and then lingered as his warm tongue came out, drawing circles on her skin. One of his hands slipped between her thighs and only caressed her smooth skin.

"Open them thighs for me baby." His silky voice whispered in her ear. She gasped, jumping forward awakening herself as the now cold water thumbed against her. Dre had never spoken in her wet dreams, and she knew she had to do something, because they were getting more real everyday.

As she quickly rinsed her body, she was angry, angry that she didn't finish the damn dream!

She cut the water off and dried off quickly. In her towel, she made her way to the locker where her bag was, and lotion we her body before changing into underwear, then skinny jeans, that hung low on her waist, and a fitted tank top that showed off her mid-drift. She didn't plan on coming with Dre when she packed the bag, but she was happy with what she had on.

On her feet, she wore the black and white Concord Jordan's. she looked sexy, but chill at the same time. Going to the mirror, she towel dried her hair, and added conditioner to keep her curls in tact. Beside her, two young teenagers, no older than eighteen giggled along with the latest gossip.

"...And when I walked in here I swear I heard a woman moaning. Like, I'm telling you, whoever was in there, was laying it down!" Natasha tried to hide her bright cheeks as she blushed. She quickly out her studded diamond earrings in her ear before she left out that locker room, so embarrassed.

Well dam, how loud was I? She thought with a chuckle, walking towards the front of the gym. She didn't know it, but Dre had been standing on the wall, waiting for her. He bit his lip as he saw her round ass sway as she walked casually. Not caring, he came behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She smiled as she smelled his scent, and promised herself to keep it cool, even if her heart was thumping against her chest hard.

"Mmm. You smell good." He complimented her, nuzzling her neck. She giggled, feeling his lips graze her sensitive flesh.

"Thanks boo." She replied softly, stopping her walking as he pressed his lips down, kissing then lightly licking his tongue on her neck. On her ass sat an evident erection, and she thought she had slipped into one of her dreams, and she even pinched her taut skin.

Dre noticed and smiled against her neck. "I'm all real baby." He whispered, and squeezed her ass, coming from behind her and grabbing her hand.

"I wanna take you somewhere, but I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say." He said, now in front of her. She nodded her head and waited for what was to come next.

He slipped one arm around her waist, and cupped her chin with the other, lightly pecking her lips. "Go home in my car, and come to my house exactly at 7 tonight." He whispered. She started to ask why, and he shushed her kissing her lips again, and when she went to add tongue, he pulled away.

"Go, baby." He said, and she nodded, trusting what he wanted.

She started to walk away, and he stopped her one more time, handing her the keys, "Charge our phone." He kissed her cheek, and let her hand go, and walked the opposite direction, leaving ear there. She breathed in and out for ten seconds before she walked out the gym, and to his car, smiling wide. She almost got her man!