Page 34 of Faded Rhythm

Julian

Sable cooked for me.

Well, she cooked for all of us, but I’m so fucking giddy about it, I tell myself it’s especially for me.

We’re all at the table together, laughing, talking, the girls arguing about unicorns, sable trying to play referee while I chew on my chicken parmesan and try not to pretend like this is my family. Even with the chaos, it’s peaceful. And I like it.

My phone buzzes.

It’s AJ calling.

“Sorry, I gotta take this,” I mumble as I leave the table.

I step into my office and close the door behind me.

“Yeah,” I answer.

“Just sent over the Black Lace paperwork,” AJ says. “I didn’t clean it up because I thought you’d wanna put eyes on it as soon as possible.”

“For sure,” I say as I wake up my laptop. “I appreciate you.”

AJ hesitates, then adds,” Before you dig in…and I’m just being nosy here…who the hell is Damario Simmons?”

My finger hovers over the touchpad.

“Sable’s cousin,” I say. “Nickname Dash.”

AJ is quiet, then, “Why are you interested in him? He died almost a decade ago.”

“Long story,” I say quickly, rubbing the back of my neck. “He’s connected to all this. Just covering all my bases, that’s all.”

“I see.” AJ clears his throat. “You good, brother?”

I squeeze my eyes shut, grimacing as the truth bubbles up and out of my mouth.

“Not really,” I admit. “I think I’m…lowkey…maybe falling for her. Hard.”

There’s a pause, then a quiet chuckle. “Yeah, I figured. You sound different.”

I make a face he can’t see. “Fuck outta here.”

“I’m serious,” he laughs. “You sound…lighter. Happier. It’s a good look, brother. I’m not clowning.”

“Yeah, alright.”

“She’s easy on the eyes, that’s for damn sure.”

“That, she is. What picture did you dig up?”

He bellows on the other end. “I don’t know, man. She was on a beach somewhere. Bright pink bikini. And I ain’t mad at ya, fam. Enjoy. You ain’t the step dad, you the dad that stepped up. Let’s goooooo.”

Now I’m laughing. “You a goddamn fool, AJ.”

“I’m just saying. This is a win for me, too, J. I’ve had to watch you be miserable for years. I like seeing you happy.”

“I appreciate it,” I say. “I’m fully compromised now, man. Ain’t no going back.”

He blows out a breath. “Does she know everything?”

That’s the sticking point. The thing that requires me to crack myself open and pour myself out. She did it for me the other night.

“She knows enough,” I finally say. “For now.”

“Alright, man. You got it. You know I got your back regardless. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks, A. Stay close. I have a feeling I’m gonna need you again soon.”

I hang up and enter the password on the encrypted files AJ sent. Black Lace. The financial breakdown, historical changes to ownership, royalty agreements…it’s all here.

Ten minutes in, I find exactly what I’m looking for.

“Fuck.” I pick up my phone and call Sable. “I need you in my office. Now.”

She sits at my desk, her eyes scanning the screen on the page I left up for her. Her mouth is open, her brow crinkled.

I point to the second to last paragraph on the page.

She reads it, then looks up at me. “That’s why he wants me dead.”

I nod.

She puts a hand over her mouth. “I had no idea.”

It’s right there in black and white. Big Ray had fifty-one percent, while Dime only had forty-nine.

“Your husband wants to sell,” I explain. “I told you, even if he only had Redd’s catalog, that’s easily fifty mil. But he can’t sell without your family’s approval. You all have controlling interest.”

“Why didn’t he just ask?” Sable shakes her head, still in shock. “And why would he wanna sell so badly? He doesn’t need the money.”

I reach down and navigate to another tab. “Right there. Brett’s in debt, Sable. I’m talking about millions in the hole. Bad real estate deals, mostly.”

She sighs. “I feel sick to my stomach.”

“I guess he figures once Dime is gone, he gets his forty-nine. With you gone, he also gets the girls’ shares. Then, he’s in control and he doesn’t have to humiliate himself by telling you how leveraged he is.”

“Fuck.”

I give her space. Let her sit with it. The air in the room feels thick and heavy, like how it feels before a storm.

“But why would Dime send somebody after us? Do you think he’s in on it with Brett?”

I shrug a shoulder. “Don’t know yet.”

Fuck. I hate lying to her. But I can’t tell her. Not yet. If she knew my history with Dime, she’d probably never speak to me again.

“I’ll look into it,” I say.

She watches me for a moment, eyes searching, trying to read the things I’m not saying.

I walk over to the door, turning the lock.

“How you feelin’?” I ask as a sly smile curves across her face.

“It depends on why you locked that door,” she says.

“You’re upset. Thought maybe I’d relieve some of your stress. How’s that sound?”

Her eyes drop to my pants. More specifically, my dick, which is poking.

“That sounds…” she licks her lips, then bring her eyes back to mine, staring at me with a hunger I’ve never seen before.

“You good?” I ask, and we both laugh as she stands and walks over to me.

“Do I have to ask nicely this time?”

I grab her chin. “You don’t have to ask at all.”

Our lips meet, our tongues tangle, and I let myself lose myself in her. I’m biting her lip, sucking her neck, grabbing her ass. I walk her backward until she hits my desk.

With one swift yank, I have her leggings and panties around her ankle. She sits, I kneel, and when she opens her legs, I find myself staring at the gateway to paradise.

I run a finger down her clit, making her shiver. “I guess I’ve been on your mind today,” I say as I slide two fingers inside. She’s dripping wet.

“You’re always on my mind,” she breathes.

I fuck her slowly with my fingers, watching her face carefully. “And why is that?”

She stares down at me, blinking in slow motion. “I told you. I like you.”

“Yeah.” I lean in and kiss her swollen bud. “I like you, too.” Another kiss, with tongue this time. “And I like this pussy.”

“Mmmmm. I can tell.”

I nod. “What’s not to like? It’s pretty…tight…wet…” I flick my tongue back and forth until she squirms and moans my name. “The best part is that you told me it’s mine.”

Her head falls back. “It is,” she moans. “Oh God, I’m gonna cum.”

“Take your time, baby. No rush.”

She didn’t listen to a word I said. Not a minute later, her thighs clamp around my head. Her back arches. A high-pitched moan erupts from her throat as her pussy clamps around my fingers, squeezing and contracting.

I’m staring at her face when a gush of liquid hits my chin, soaking my beard. Her head’s still back; I don’t think she even knows what just happened.

But I do.

I run my tongue across my lower lip, tasting her sweetness. If I wasn’t already falling for her—

Knock, knock, knock!

“Mommy, are you okay in there?”

Sable pops her head up, her eyes going wide. “I’m fine, Kel. Go…go play.”

It’s silent for a moment, then we hear little footsteps moving away from the door and down the hall.

Her eyes finally focus on me, a sleepy little smile on her lips. “Almost go caught,” she says. “What’s all that?” she asks, inclining her head.

“That’s you,” I say, licking my lips again. “Squirted right in my face.”

“Are you serious? I’m so sorry!”

I pull my fingers out of her, bringing them to my lips. She watches me suck her off me.

“Haven’t you figured out by now that I like tasting you?”

I almost said love , but I caught myself, never one to use that word lightly.

I stand, wiping my beard with my hands. “Turn around.”

Sable turns and bends over my desk without a word. I line myself up, but I have some wisdom to impart first.

I grab a fistful of hair and tug her head back. “I can’t believe you really fixed them pretty lips to say I didn’t want you.”

She trembles against me. “It just felt like—“

“What does this feel like?” I say as I slide into her. “Does this feel like I don’t want you?”

She exhales. “Julian…”

“Does this ,” I pull out and push back in, “feel like I don’t want you?”

“Noooooo,” she moans. “Fuck. You feel so good.”

No more talking from me. I’m locked in, my eyes fixed on her ass, my dick hitting every last corner of her pussy. She cums again, then I let go, emptying inside her, feeling so good, it takes my fucking breath away.

After she leaves to check on the girls, my mood worsens instantly. I go to my safe, dust off the biometric pad, and place my thumb over the scanner. The blue light pulses once, then twice, before a faint click breaks the silence. The door swings open, and I find everything inside just as I left it.

Two matte-black handguns. Spare mags stacked in perfect rows. A custom combat knife in its sheath. Unlabeled folders tied with black string. Two burner phones, still sealed in plastic. Five thick wads of cash secured with a rubber hand. And tucked away on the top shelf, a wooden box.

I grab it and set it on the floor n front of me.

I open the top, my eyes settling on the contents.

Diamond earrings. A Rolex. A platinum wedding band.

A Cartier money clip. Other souvenirs I’ve collected over years of hits, which I have catalogued on a flash drive.

But what I’m looking for today is resting on the bottom of the box.

I hook a finger under the gold chain and lift it, staring at the gold dollar sign pendant as it swings back and forth like a pendulum.

It feels heavy as fuck now that I know how much it really cost.

Only a woman’s heart.