For Better or For Worse Read online

  For better or For worse

  By Desirae Williams

  Published by Desirae Williams at Amazon

  Copyright 2015 Desirae Williams

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  About the other

  Other books by the author

  Prologue

  Lucy/1995

  I was coming home late from work at the local mall and was pissed as usual having to work a dead end job. I never thought I would have to work a day in my life until after college, due to the fact that my daddy had always paid for everything ever since I was a little girl. I’m talking French manicured nails, latest hairstyles, designer clothes, and just money to blow…Yeah I had it like that. I was the first teenager at my high school rocking a Louis Vuitton bag and believe me hefas was hating then and still are now. Now all of a sudden daddy didn’t want to run me no more dollars, talking about its time I learn to earn my own money…what kind of shit is that. Now daddy had been adamant about me getting a job but never really enforced it, just complained a lot… until six months ago. “C’mon dad seriously, why do I need to work?” I whined. My young mind just couldn’t grasp the fact that I needed to stand on my own two feet and get some work experience in before college. I didn’t want to hear any of that; I just wanted the Benjamin’s to keep coming my way. My dad looked at me with his old eyes and shook his head disappointedly as if I were a spending machine he had created.

  “Baby girl you need to learn the value of a dollar. Aint nothing wrong with a woman that’s got her own, I can’t take care of you all my life.” I smirked at him and finished applying the powder blue nail polish on my toes…to me he was talking crazy. “You have been doing it so far so why stop now…” I shrugged. “And besides there isn’t any value to a dollar…. unless it has a whole lot of zeros behind it you know what I’m saying?” I laughed at my own joke but my dad was about to flip out. He stood up from the kitchen table and peered over me. “Lucy enough! You have until the end of the month to find a job or I’m taking you to work with me.” As soon as he said that I started scanning every newspaper in the house looking for work…hell I would set up a personal car wash service my damn self before I worked with him.

  My dad owned a construction business, it wasn’t a huge company but he was making plenty of money, also providing jobs for most black men and women who couldn’t get hired. But I couldn’t work there. One thing Lucy doesn’t do is hard labor; all that sweating, lifting and operating heavy machinery I just couldn’t do it…it was so unwomanly. So I managed to find a little something at the mall. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get paid to be around clothes and shoes all day…until I had to actually work. The mall wasn’t any easier than construction. I had to work the cash register, fold clothes, attend to the customers, stock items and etc….from how hard I was working you would think I would be able to afford my own place, sadly that was not the case. The pay of a sales clerk wasn’t much but it got my dad off my back, so to me that alone was enough to keep working there. Today wasn’t any more annoying than usual, that was until I decided to take a shortcut home and managed to get a flat tire on some busted glass in the street. Knowing nothing about cars I was in a hell of a lot of trouble, especially being on the rough side of Lake City. I looked at all the run down houses, chicken heads walking up and down the streets and scrunched up my face in disgust.

  What in the hell possessed me to take short cut home was beside me. I noticed a few guys on the corner eyeballing my direction; they looked like typical dope dealers just hanging around the block with nothing better to do. I had a nice ruby red Mercedes that my dad brought for my sixtieth birthday; even though it was a little old I was not trying to get my car jacked. I stepped outside of the car onto the street careful not to get my pumps messed up.

  When I looked down at the tire and saw there was nothing I could do…especially in this cute outfit, I promptly removed my cell phone from my Chanel bag and began to call home. “Give me a minute precious and I’ll have you in tip top shape in no time…I hope” I sweet talked my car. I failed to notice that there was a tall dark figure watching from the corner and was now making his way over to me. Initially like any woman would I reached into my bag and held on to my pepper spray in fear of some hoodlum trying to attack me, but from this guy I didn’t get the vibe that he meant me any harm. This man had a striking appearance about him but it was not too scary, a rugged face but not too harsh, and a sexiness to him that seemed almost natural. “Need a hand miss?” I can remember that deep smooth voice like it was yesterday and it had my whole body trembling. My eyes couldn’t help but wonder him, I tried to not seem too obvious but it wasn’t working.

  He had dark eyes, a bridged nose, and full kissable lips. I was in the mist of wondering how his lips would feel against mine until his deep voice pulled me out of the trance. “Excuse me… miss?” he repeated. “Yes… uh… I guess I do.” I finally answered. He chuckled at me and extended his large hand. “Grant smith.” I reached for it and my hand seemed so small in comparison. “Natalia...but everyone calls me Lucy.” Oh my God he caught me staring, I thought. He strolled over to the trunk of my car and knocked on it. “You got a spare in here?” “Yes.” I walked over to open the trunk; I don’t know why I did that when I could have easily opened it with the click of a button on my keys from where I was standing.

  I guess I liked the thought of knowing that he was watching me from behind. I found it quite erotic. “Is that everything you need?” I asked him opening the trunk. Grant placed one hand on the hood of the trunk and leaned over me to peer inside. He was so close I could feel his chest on my back and I don’t know if I imagined it but I think he smelled my hair…different but still stimulating. With all this heat and friction going on I could have died but I did my best to hold it together. He placed his lips close to my ear. “Well you seem to have everything but I need a jack.” He backed up and suddenly I could breathe again. “I guess I could run down to the shop and get it.” I turned to face him realizing I didn’t want him to go through all the trouble and also leave me here on the street in the middle of the night. “Oh you don’t have to go. I just need to make a call so I can get home.”

  Grant shook his head. “No need, the shop is just up the street, that’s how I saw you pull over…I’ll be back in a minute.” A panicked look shot across my face but I couldn’t make it go away fast enough before he noticed. He chuckled. “Don’t worry baby, nobody is going to mess with you. Not while I’m here.” But you’re leaving and now I may come up missing on the ten o clock news; I wanted to say but I kept my mouth shut and nodded. I watched him walk up the street to get the jack. I felt uneasy at first, until I noticed all the guys on the corner had seemed to disappear. I didn’t know whether or not that was a good thing or bad one. After barely five minutes Grant returned, walking up the street exuding such a strong confidence about him, it reminded me of John Shaft or Tommy Gibbs in Hell up in Harlem. He carefully r
emoved the spare tire from the trunk of my car.

  I watched him slowly bending and straining as he worked, taking his time with every maneuver… damn it was sexy. Grant finished the final touches on my car and wiped the dirty grim on his white T-shirt. “Alright woman…You’re good to go.” I nodded and reached in my purse, I’d didn’t feel right just using his services and not compensating him…financially. “Here’s a fifty for your help. Unless you want more I’ll have to…” “I’m well taken care of baby. I don’t need that…” He cut me off. “But I could use your phone number.” He said penetrating me with those dark chocolate brown eyes again; they were very hypnotic almost like a snake charmer. I was hesitant, he wasn’t the scholarly type my father had always dreamed, but a part of me didn’t mind seeing him again.

  Grant picked up on my hesitance and switched up his tactics a little. “I just want to make sure you get home safe you know…it’s kind of late for a lady to be out this time of night.” He said through that sexy smile of his, I could see he clearly was lying. I eyed him curiously and stepped closer to him hearing the echoing of my pumps on the street. “My phone number huh? I don’t know that’s a pretty exclusive number…Can’t just give it to anybody.” I stopped directly in front of him eye to eye and toe to toe. “What makes you think your worthy of it?” He accepted my challenge by sticking out his firm chest and leaning in closer to me. “You seem to me like a very straight forward woman, I doubt you like your time wasted.” “No I don’t.” I agreed. I felt his lips brush against my cheek to my ear, we were so close I could feel the heat from his body…and I do believe I smelled a hint of Burberry. “So I doubt you would even have asked me that question if you felt I wasn’t worthy.”

  I damn near melted to the floor I was trembling so badly, I stepped away from him to shake it off; after I finally regrouped I turned back around. He quickly wiped a toothy grin off of his face; he knew what he was doing to me. I cleared my throat, “I can’t give you my number.” He looked confused for a moment not understanding my answer. “But I can take yours.” The grin eased back on his face and he quickly typed in his digits into my phone. “Better to call sooner than later.” He said helping me back into the car. I smiled at him. Hell it might be tonight, I thought. As I drove off I saw him staring through my rearview. Grant Smith huh? Let’s see what you have in store for me.

  ***

  Chapter 1

  Moving on up

  Lucy

  I chuckled to myself thinking back on the day my husband and I met; it all seemed so long ago judging from where we are now, even sitting in this huge lavish home filled with unpacked moving boxes and no help…damn. “Oh God this is so much work.” I complained. I sat in living area of my new home, hands sore from unpacking over six boxes already and more to come. I never saw so many boxes in my life until Grant and I moved into our first house.

  After I graduated high school, Grant and I decided to relocate to the big apple when he was offered a job at Good and Weldness Corporation. I was hesitant to make such a drastic move all the way from the only home I had ever known but I believed in my heart that my man was worth it and thank God he did not disappoint. After finishing college and landing a good job working for a magazine agency my new hubby and I upgraded from our Bronx apartment to the Carroll Garden suburbs into a lovely brick house with multiple rooms and a spacious living area. The décor of this house was incredible, with tile floors, cedar furniture and the best damn periwinkle colored bathroom I had ever seen. Of course my man fussed about the price but I saw this place on the market and I knew I just had to have it and if Grant wanted to live the rest of his life as happily married man he would gladly pay for it.

  “You almost done in there woman?” His loud voice roared from outside. “What the hell do you think?” I mumbled looking at all the remaining boxes we had to unpack. Grant brought in another box from off the moving van and set it in the kitchen. He was sweating profusely, so much that it was damping that white t shirt of his and his muscular body was bulking through the sheer material. I snuck in a devilish smile finding him utterly delicious. We had been married for four months now after years of dating. From the first time I laid eyes on that 6’4 figure and smooth deep brown cocoa skin I’ve been hypnotized. Clearly the spell hasn’t broken yet and I doubt it ever will. I went back to unpacking all of our newly purchased china we received as a wedding gift when I felt those familiar hands of his grasp my shoulders. “Baby what you are doing in here huh?” Grant leaned over me and kissed my neck. “I’m in a panic. There is so much to do Grant and were not even halfway done.” I sighed. He shook his head and grinned. “Oh hush that fuss, it’s not like we are going nowhere anytime soon… As much as I paid for this place we may die in here.”

  I looked around at all the work that still needed to be done and wanted to raise the white flag and surrender. “From how many boxes we got in this house we may not be going anywhere ever.” Grant threw his hands up in defeat. “Whatever you say princess.” I rolled my eyes at his comment; Princess was what he referred to me as whenever he thought I was acting spoiled…forget him. I knew damn well he wasn’t going to help me unpack shit, but was sure as hell going to sit on the couch and yell at the TV when the game came on. Grant took off his shirt and wiped the sweat off his face. I couldn’t help but stare at him admiring that perfect chiseled body; he was a work of art, like my very own Michael Angelo’s David. Damn, I couldn’t have gotten a finer man if I prayed for one, I thought to myself. Getting side tracked from the job at hand I glanced over to the Tempur -pedic mattress in the other room and then back at him. “Hmmm…Is that the new mattress we just ordered?” I asked with a sly grin. He caught my heavy drift and gave me some off that LL cool J lip action. “Why yes it is.” He said tossing his t-shirt to the side.

  I popped up off the floor like a toaster oven ready to go. “Well then, I say we forget these boxes and go test that bad boy out.” I figured what the hell; sex was the only way I knew I could get out of all this unpacking without Grant complaining… what a perfect plan. And, judging from the way his eyes lit up let me know it worked. It was always funny when that dopey look would get on his face when he was excited; it kind of reminded me of the cartoon character Scooby doo. “Well you don’t have to tell me twice.” He rushed over to me like football player ready to tackle, and scooped me over his shoulder. “Whoa…” I managed to get out before we landed on the mattress in the other room. I couldn’t stop laughing at his eagerness. “Boy what am I going to do with you. Huh?” Grant looked down at his watch.

  “Well the game doesn’t come on till nine, so we got about five hours to do whatever you can think of.” I pretended to look hurt and offended. “So the game is more important to you than me?” Grant softened his face as he kissed my cheek. “Of course not babe…not with all the commercial breaks and half time.” I burst into laughter at his silliness. Who would really pass up sex just to watch a damn basketball game, that type of shit was just unheard of? “You bastard.” I said roughly. “If you love Dwayne Wade that much you need to be having sex with him.” Grant looked at me playfully. “Now baby…you know Dwayne doesn’t look as good as you do naked.” He started pulling at my clothes and I smacked his hand away pretending I no longer desired him. “I’m not in the mood anymore.” I said rolling over appearing to be uninterested. Grant leaned over me and softly kissed my cheek brushing his tongue over my skin… And damn if it didn’t feel good. He placed another kiss near my ear causing the same reaction. “You still not in the mood?” He asked seductively. “No.” I lied wanting him to kiss me some more. Grant leaned down and started nibbling his juicy lips on my neck sliding his tongue across its surface. I let out a slight moan that let him know he had me. He made his way back to my ear and whispered. “You still not in the mood?” I turned to face him and tackled him to the other side of the mattress, and trampled down on his luscious mouth. I had my own full court game going and there would be no commercial breaks or half time.

&
nbsp; Chapter 2

  The upper hand

  Grant

  Mr. and Mrs. Grant Smith. That title still brought a smile to my face every time I thought about the day the love of my life and I became one. I could still remember the day we first met, the day that changed my life forever. Ever since that day I couldn’t get this woman out of my head and it wasn’t long before she crept into my heart. It had been years since then and so much had changed, I had taken up classes to become a welder before landing this job in NYC, Lucy had been attending college before traveling up to the big apple with me. If someone would have told me that kid who used to sling rocks on the coroner would be where I am now, I probably would have laughed in their face. And yet here I am, with a great job, beautiful home, and beautiful wife…I couldn’t have been happier.

  Lucy and I enjoyed our honeymoon phase for the next eight months. I’m talking breakfast in bed… including sex. Candle light dinners…including freaky sex. And just enjoying the pleasure of being with one another...And did I mention good sex. After a while things seemed to fall into an old routine. We both settled back at work and I started to feel a little empty, like we were missing something. During my lunch break I headed into Wal-Mart to get a quick snack, a little boy staring at a big wheel caught my attention. He was reaching his small hands up to grab the toy when his old man came around and got it for him. “Daddy I want to learn to drive that.” He said enthusiastically. The man smiled down at his son. “Well lil man if you continue to be good your daddy is gonna buy that for you.” “Yaaaaay!”The boy jumped up and down. I don’t know why but it really warmed my heart to see that…the love between father and son. I headed back to work thirty minutes later and I was in a more somber mood than before.

  I was getting sick of the day to day schedule, I felt like my life was missing something, I needed a change, some excitement… and I knew just what would do the trick. I wasn’t sure if Lucy was ready for what I had in mind though, so I came up with a little sexy plan that would coerce her decision. As I heard her stilettoes coming up the stairs I already had the bath water running and filling with bubbles to soften her up for our little discussion.