CARTER
"Why the fvck would your dumbass tell her that shît?!" I snapped at Camille who stood across my desk.
I was pissed at her but I was more pissed at myself. I should have told her but I couldn't find the courage to do it. It's nothing new that I don't like to keep my personal life a secret.
But I should've told her.
I spent all day trying to talk to Tiana but she wouldn't talk to me. She told she wanted space and that's what I'm giving her. I couldn't blame nobody but myself.
I fvcked up.
"I'm sorry, Carter, but she needed to know. I wish you two haven't had sex. She thinks you used her." Camille said making me more pissed.
"No thanks to your big mouth." I glared.
Camille sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I need to apologize to her. She shouldn't have heard it from me. Especially like that. I was pissed off because that bîtch kept sending threats to my phone and I have no idea how she got my number."
"She has your number?" I asked. She nods and hands her phone over to me. I go through her messages and indeed it was threats. I sighed irritatedly. This bîtch was running thin on ice.
"Trash it." Was all I said before grabbing the keys to my car.
"Watch Tiana and don't leave the house."
Camille nods.
I walk out my office and made my way through the house and downstairs. I motioned for Brian who sat guarded, watching Tiana.
She was outside sitting in the sand facing the ocean with Eva beside her. I noticed Rick standing to from afar watching her and Eva. I sighed when Eva handed her another tissue.
"Boss man?" Brian questioned.
"Tell Rick that no one is to leave this house and meet me at my car. We're going for a drive."
He nods and walks outside and off to tell Rick what I said. I looked back to Tiana and I saw her shoulders shake. I became more pissed at myself. I did this to her.
When I got back I was going to make it right. I tell her everything.
****
TIANA
"Please stop crying, Queen." Eva pleads.
As much as I tried. I couldn't. He hurt me by not telling me. I sniffed and wiped my tears but it was no use. Fresh ones cascaded down my face.
"H-He should have told me. I feel like an idiot for giving myself to him. I trusted him a-a-nd.." I sighed. "Ughhhh!!!!I just want to break something." I yelled in frustration.
I heard Eva sigh. "There's a reason he didn't tell you, Queen."
I frowned and turned to look at her. "You knew?"
A guilty look crossed her face. "Who else knew?" I asked when I had a feeling that it wasn't just her.
"Everyone. From the staff to the guards. Everyone knew."
I shook my head. This was ridiculous. "Why didn't know one tell me?"
She sighed. "It wasn't our place. I'm sorry that you heard it from Miss Camille. She had no right and it wasn't her place."
I scoffed. "She sure did act like it was her place." I glared away from her to look back out towards the ocean.
"I'm sorry you found out that way." Eva apologized again.
I sighed. "I understand. It wasn't your place. I-I really like Carter and it hurts that he allowed us to go that route when I didn't know he was married. I feel betrayed."
I felt another hand on my shoulder and I looked up and saw Rick. He gave me a look that sad he felt sorry like it was his fault.
"Can I tell you something about Boss man?" He asked and I gave him a nod.
"There are always three sides to every story. I know you feel betrayed, my Queen, but Boss has reason in keeping his personal life to himself. It's always been that way." He said.
I sighed and looked at my fingers. I felt Eva's hand on the other side of my shoulder. "Talk to him, Queen. Your mind will be at ease."
I nod my head. After a moments of conversations with them to make me feel better, they went inside together. I knew something was up between the two of them. It's all in their eyes. Rick looks at Eva with so much affection in his eyes and they are cute together.
I sighed. Nice to have that with someone.
I know I can't ask for a perfect life. I knew Carter was never one to open up but still, he should have told me. I heard he left with Brian a while ago so when he gets back when ever, I would talk to him.
The clouds became a darker gray and the wind began to pick up. It was getting a little cold and it was supposed to rain today. I had my hair pulled up into a high ponytail. I wiped my tear stained face as I breathed in while watching the waves. I let the sound of the waves and the bird noises be my comfort.
Until....
"Tiana?"
I sighed when I heard it was Camille's voice. Without looking away from waves I kept silent for a second before speaking.
"What do you want?" I queried in a whisper.
Despite how she told me things, I wasn't one to reply back in a nasty way.
I heard sigh and looked out the corner of my eye to see her take a seat next to me about two feet away. Good choice on her end because I honestly still wanted to slap her for being nasty towards me in the first place.
"I'm sorry." She said before continuing. "I shouldn't have spoke to you in that way. I was angry. Angry that you and my brother crossed that line with him knowing he was keeping a secret like that from you. But you needed to know. It wasn't suppose to come from me and I hope this doesn't ruin the friendship we started to built."
I shook my head. "I'm still trying to process everything. Not only did you talk to disrespectfully but Eva too. She's the help. I get that you were angry at whatever but don't take that shît out on me nor Eva. I didn't do anything to you and she didn't either. As for the friendship, I need to think on that."
She was quiet for a long time but I kept my attention on the waves. She then sighed and nod her head.
"I'm sorry." Was the last thing she said before walking back to the house.
I exhaled a long irritated breath. I don't think I was being harsh to Cami but she needs to control how she takes out her anger. It was getting colder and darker and I was still sitting outside in the same spot I was in for a while now.
I couldn't go back into that house. Not yet. I needed to get my mind right before I talk with Carter. I don't want to cry again or lash out without giving him a chance to talk to me.
Honestly, all I want from him is the truth. I want him to tell me a little bit about his personal life. Just give me something I can know about you. No judgement from me.
"Baby." A deep voice fill my ears interrupting my thoughts.
I felt my eyes water again at the sound of his voice. The voice that came from the man I developed feelings for. From the man who says he cares about me. From the man that was gentle with me.
I closed my eyes trying to control myself. It was hard for me. I took in a few breaths before standing to my feet and wiping the sand off my bottom. I wiped my fresh tears before finally turning to face him.
He had on black basketball shorts with a dark purple hoodie. His hands were in his hoodie pockets as he looked at me with a look. A look that said he wanted me to talk to him.
Right there he couldn't take me ignoring him for a certain amount of time. The more time here with him, the more he changes.
"I want to know everything, Carter. No more secrets that can effect both of us." I said.
"Alright." He said, holding out his hand for me to grab. I grabbed it with a little hesitation. He intertwined our hands and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of my hand.
A warm feeling washed over me as he lead us back into the house. We walked through the house to my-well his room. He allowed me to go first and closed the door behind him.
I slid my hand from his and took a seat on the nearby chair. I would sit on the bed but I was sitting in sand and I didn't want sand on the bed. I sat their staring at him, waiting for a explanation.
He stayed standing as he sighed. He then began to speak.
"It was a forced marriage arranged by my parents and Riena's parents. I had just graduated from high school and went to college for two years of business. It was suppose to be more years but I had to take over the family business but I had something building up on my own and my father wasn't to pleased to find that out. I had two businesses and I knew my father was jealous and he wanted me to get rid of it." He started but paused for a moment.
I asked curiously, "Well, did you?"
"Nah. I made him think I did. Made him believe I shut down everything. Camille came to me one day and told me how father wanted her to marry her off to some wealthy snob to make a better life for her. Knowing him, he wanted the power and the money which is the only reason Riena and I are married, babe."
I watched him come closer while his words settle into my mind.
"Camille told me she refused to marry a man she didn't love and she told me she couldn't live in Paris any longer and that red mark on her cheek proved that she was hit by our father. I made her stay with me in Italy. That was a few weeks before I went to Washington DC to clean up a snitch problem that was caused by Riena's indiscreet conversation she had in Paris with someone in my estate in Italy. I went to Howard to find the girl's sister that you know by-"
"Nova's sister?"
He gave me a nod. "I had to get rid of her and when she tried to leave she made sure to give someone else the message to spread. Nova. I had to end another life and it was helpful that she didn't know what I look like. I had to lay low for a while so I registered into a school and Howard was close. I couldn't do a hotel because my father's goons were onto me and were expecting me to still be in Italy. I then spread my other business to the states."
I sighed as I took this all in. "Then I met you." He said
"Why didn't you kill me when I was digging into your shît? Better yet, why not kill me when I am the sister of the man that stole from you?"
I stood to my feet with crossed arms.
"Because you're different."
"What makes me so different from the other girls?"
Carter sighed. "Why are making this difficult for me, Tiana?"
"I'm not going to be a fvcking side. I gave a married man my virginity. Something I can't take back. I trusted you despite the bullshît I've been through with you." I said and I didn't realize I was crying until a tear dropped on my skin.
I sighed. "Just......continue explaining."
Carter took a step back with an exhausting breath leaving his lips. "I haven't seen Riena in almost over a year. Her conversation that lead me to Howard was a conversation that can mess up everything I worked hard on. I can't divorce her until I figure out a solution to keep her quiet."
I wiped at my tears. "Why didn't you tell me you were married before this thing between us started happening?"
He sighed. "As you already know, I'm not one to share about my fvcked up life."
"But you should have told me before we went down that route. I felt used by you, Carter." I said sadly.
Carter suddenly took steps towards me. He grabbed hold of my hands and pulled me to him. "I promise, baby, I wasn't trying to make you feel used by me." He said and kissed my head.
He looked in my eyes and said, "Riena is nothing to me. Nothing happened between us. No feelings, no fvckings, and just nothing's. I feel a lot of things for you, Tiana, but know that I'm going to try and open up to you. This is new for me, babe."
I stared into his eyes and saw that he meant it. "We go slow, okay?" I said softly.
He exhaled a breath of relief and pulled me into his chest. I wrapped my arms around his torso and his over my shoulders.
"Whatever you want, babe." He said before kissing my head.
_____________
Thoughts on Tiana?
Thoughts on Carter?
Thoughts on Camille?
They made up and taking things slow.
TeamTiana/TeamCarter/TeamBoth