The Side Effects of You Read online

  “How can you still pretend to be this soldier for the Lord, when you are just as vile as a man of the world?”

  “I’m a man of God, Ann, and whatever filthy thoughts or evil ideas you have about me, pray about it, because you are wrong.” He got up and went to the fridge. He grabbed my pinot and poured me a glass. That was a first. He handed it to me. “Here you go, sweetheart,” he said tenderly and then sat back down.

  I was confused. I was a second away from literally scratching my head when he said, “Drink up, love, and let this wine be the relief to the ill things that you have imagined about your husband. Whoever you got your information from is wrong. I want you to tell me right now, who told you this foolish thing?”

  “Why does it matter, Jeremiah? I know it’s true,” I said and sipped.

  “It’s not true!” he yelled. He stood and took a calming breath. “Who told you that I was involved with him?” he asked again.

  I sat in silence. I sipped my wine, and as soon as I put my glass on the table, he grabbed my neck again. He put so much pressure on my airway, I couldn’t breathe. I struggled to pull away from his grip, but he tightened his hold. My eyes teared up, and I tried to beg him to let me go, but no sound came out of my mouth.

  “Tell me, Ann. Who told you?” he asked through clenched teeth.

  This was the second time he’d tried to choke me. He let go only because one of the kids came running down the steps. I coughed uncontrollably, trying to catch my breath.

  “Mommy, are you okay?” my baby girl, Lena, asked.

  “She’s fine, baby. While drinking that wine, she swallowed it down the wrong pipe,” Jeremiah lied, patting my back, as if he was trying to help me.

  I had tears rolling down my cheeks, and I continued to cough. Finally, my coughing subsided, and my baby girl went back up to her room.

  “You gon’ tell me?” he asked.

  Scared he would kill me, I said, “Franklin’s wife. She knows.” In tears, I continued. “She saw you two in his home office,” I confessed. I didn’t tell him that she had recorded them, and I certainly didn’t tell him that she had sent me a copy of the video.

  “Now, was that so hard?” He laughed. “She is a liar, Ann, and I’ll see to it that Franklin puts his wife in her place. Good night,” he said.

  He stood and headed to his bedroom, and I sat there and sobbed. This putting his hands around my neck had to stop. I wasn’t going to take it anymore. I was tempted to call Quentin, but after our day, I knew he would end up in jail, because he’d kill Jeremiah.

  I got up, grabbed the wine bottle, and took it and my glass upstairs. I put them on my night-stand and went to say good night to my kids. Afterward, I locked my bedroom door and went into the bathroom. My neck had red marks on it from Jeremiah choking me, and I knew I’d have to wear a scarf the next day to keep clients from seeing traces of my crazy-ass husband’s attempts to choke the truth out of me. I turned out the bathroom light, got into bed, and texted Quentin.

  I miss u & I wish I was there with u instead of here.

  I miss u 2, and I was just thinkin’ the same thing.

  This is a nightmare.

  I know, baby, but it will be over soon.

  Are u sure u can handle my drama?

  Drea, I’m all in.

  Thank u.

  No need 2 thank me. I luv u.

  I know & I luv u 2, Q. We should have never parted.

  I know. U r the only 1 4 me.

  U r for me 2.

  Can I c u tmr?

  I am booked solid tmr. I will b at the salon all day.

  I understand. Afterward will be fine, even for 30 mins. I miss u.

  Okay. I can see u late. I want 2 come home & cook 4 my kids. I’ll come by after I’ve gotten them down. How about that?

  Will u b able 2 get out?

  I’m sure I will b. Jeremiah will not be here. Being here tonight was a scare tactic.

  How so?

  Don’t worry about it, babe. I’m fine.

  R u sure? If he is putting his hands on u, Drea, u know I will kill him.

  I know, but I’m fine. He’s not crazy.

  Don’t lie 2 me, Drea. U kno I luv u & I got ur bck, babe.

  I know, Q, but I’m fine, trust me.

  Well, I’m here, no matter what, day or nite.

  I know, baby. Get some sleep. I’ll c u tmr.

  Ok, beautiful.

  Don’t say that.

  Say what?

  Don’t cll me beautiful.

  Y not?

  B/c I’m not.

  2 me u r & don’t forget it.

  U always make me smile .

  That’s my job. I know Pastor Young ruined u with not lovin’ u, but I’m not him. U r beautiful inside & out. Don’t u ever 4get it!

  Thank u, baby.

  I luv u.

  I luv u 2, Q.

  So tmr.

  Yes, tmr. I promise.

  R u going to give me some?

  I blushed. Maybe ;-).

  I’ll take that.

  Gn, my love.

  Gn, my love. I’ll be up 4 a while. I’m working, so u can text or call me.

  Ok . . . I’m just in bed, sipping pinot, relaxing.

  Ok. Let me wrap this up, and then I will text u when I get in bed.

  Okay, Q. I’ll be waitin’.

  Ok .

  I refilled my glass, climbed back in bed, and then turned on the tube. I flipped through the channels, and by the time I was on my last swallow of wine, my phone chirped. It was Quentin. We spent the next two hours texting. Sleepy, unable to keep my eyes open, I said my final good night and fell fast asleep.

  The next morning, the blaring alarm woke me, and I headed downstairs to fix my children breakfast. When I glanced out the kitchen window, I noticed Jeremiah’s vehicle was gone. I went to his bedroom, but he was nowhere to be found. I wondered what had gotten him out of the house before seven in the morning. I returned to the kitchen, cooked, and fed my offspring. Then I went back upstairs and dressed for work.

  Since I was excited about seeing Quentin, my day was a breeze. I made it home before seven and threw a quick meal together. Once my kids had eaten and showered, I dressed and headed to Quentin’s.

  I hadn’t eaten the Hamburger Helper I made for the kids, so I welcomed the delicious meal Quentin had put together for me. With the good wine, good food, and good company, I smiled the entire time. After dinner, we cuddled on the sofa, and before I made my departure, he serviced my body. I drove home with a bright smile on my face.

  It was after one in the morning when I pulled up to my house. No Jeremiah. His vehicle wasn’t in the drive or in the garage, and he wasn’t in the house. Not feeling bad at all for my night spent with Quentin, I headed up to my bedroom. After two in the morning, I finally heard the house alarm chime. My husband was home. I didn’t bother to go downstairs to greet him, and, of course, he didn’t come upstairs.

  The next morning, I woke to the same routine. I was certainly over and done with this bogus marriage.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Josephina

  I listened to the lady’s voice on my GPS as I tried to find my way to Jayden’s new condo. I was so happy that he was checking out of the hotel and that I wouldn’t have to sneak in and out of his room in the early hours of the morning anymore. I could date him openly and freely now that he was no longer a hotel guest.

  I had a feeling that Ana knew what was going on, and I knew she was writing to her pop, telling him things about my personal life, but I didn’t give a damn. I was moving on with my life, and I wasn’t going to stay hooked on a jailbird. I wanted more for myself and my Angelica.

  Ana had already decided she was going to live to do evil, and no matter how many good moments we had, she would never change. I just had to get her out of my place, and for good. No matter how many times she stormed out or I put her out, within a matter of days, she’d be right back there. I wanted that to be over.

  I found the addres
s I was looking for and turned into the gated lot. After stopping at the gate, I reached for my phone and went to my text messages to retrieve the code that Jayden had texted me earlier. I keyed the four digits into the touch pad, and the gate opened. I found my way to parking space 24C, pulled into it, and turned off the engine. I did a quick mirror check and then headed over to the building, walked through the door, and stopped at the desk.

  The building was beautiful. Judging by the marble flooring and the mahogany wood finishes, I knew this was an upscale complex.

  “Good afternoon, madam, Can I help you?” the man at the desk said.

  I smiled. “Good afternoon, sir. I’m here to see Jayden Pierce. He’s expecting me. I’m Josie Ramirez.”

  He smiled back. “Certainly.” He picked up a phone and rang Jayden’s unit. After getting the okay from Jayden, he said, “It’s okay to go on up, ma’am. Just sign your name here for me, please. The elevators are over to the left.”

  I took the pen and scribbled my name quickly. “Thank you, sir.” I went to the elevator and pressed the call button. When the doors opened, I got on the elevator and headed up to the twenty-fourth floor. I walked down a short hallway, and when I got to Jayden’s door, it swung open.

  Jayden greeted me with a smile. “Hey, gorgeous. Come on in.” He stepped aside so I could enter, and then he shut the door behind me.

  I looked around, taking it all in. “Wow, Jay. Baby, your place is amazing. I mean, it’s not even fully furnished, and you haven’t finished unpacking, but I can tell it’s going to be spectacular.”

  “Thank you, babe,” he said. He grabbed my hand and gave me a quick peck. “Come and let me show you around.”

  The condo was maybe nine hundred or a thousand square feet, with one bedroom and a second room big enough to be an office. Since I didn’t see a closet, I figured it wasn’t a second bedroom. It had a half bath near the door, and his master bath was heavenly.

  “That tub is massive, Jay, and it has jets. I need one of these in my quarters,” I said.

  “You’re welcome to relax in it whenever you want.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I joked.

  “No, babe, I’m serious. Mi casa es tu casa,” he said, imitating me.

  “Not bad, Mr. Pierce. Your Spanish is a little better.” I laughed. “I’m going to hold you to that.” We both laughed.

  We went into his bedroom, where he had an amazing king-size platform bed.

  I sat on the wooden base. “Your place is nice, and this room is so spacious.”

  “Yes, this room is the largest of the entire condo. The living space doesn’t seem small, because of how open it is. My designer is coming by tomorrow to take measurements to get me the right-size pieces to make things flow well, so it doesn’t look as small as it really is. I’m thinking a built-in shelf around the fireplace will house my books and stuff like that. Plus, we have a storage in the basement, so I’ll be good. It’s just me.”

  “Yes, you’re right. When my Angelica goes off to college, maybe I’ll be able to get me something like this.”

  “Why wait?”

  “Well, my quarters are huge, with two spare bedrooms for my girls. And it’s rent free, with no utilities, so I can save some money for Angelica to go to college. Plus, she loves her school. She is involved in so many activities, and to move her would devastate her.” Looking around, I noticed a slider door. “You have outdoor space too?” I asked, getting up.

  “Oh, yes. That is the best part.”

  It was October and not too cold, so we stepped outside. It wasn’t a lakefront view, but he had a view of downtown and all its high buildings.

  “Wow. I bet it’s gorgeous at night out here,” I mused.

  “Well, I haven’t seen it at night yet. I moved in yesterday but stayed at the hotel last night because I didn’t have a bed.”

  “Well, I’m anxious to see it at night.”

  “Me too. Come. Let me pour you a glass of wine. When I went to the grocery store, I grabbed a couple of bottles.” I followed him to the other end of the balcony, and we entered the living room through another door.

  “This is neat . . . the way you have access from your bedroom and your living room.”

  “Yes, it is. I figured I’d put a small grill, two chairs, and a table at this end and two chaise lounges and a small table for drinks at that end, near my bedroom.”

  “That sounds like a plan.” I smiled.

  He moved into the kitchen after the tour and poured us both a glass of wine. We toasted, and I hung around and helped him unpack a few boxes.

  “So where were all your things?” I asked.

  “In a small storage. My pops helped me get them over here this morning after I checked out. I didn’t have much. I always wanted to wait until I had bought a place to do it big.” He laughed.

  “Well, you’ve done well, Mr. Pierce. Your place is awesome, and every time I can get away from that hotel, I plan to visit.”

  “Well, you’re welcome anytime.”

  “Yes. Until you meet another chick and then you will forget about me.” I sat down on the floor.

  “Why would you say something like that? I’m digging the woman I’m seeing right now.”

  “Really? Enough to be exclusive?” I knew it was early, so I wasn’t expecting him to say yes.

  He came over and squatted down in front of me. “I know it may seem hard to believe, because we’re still in phase one and getting to know each other, but I’m not a ladies’ man, Josie. I’m cool with one woman and one relationship at a time. Now, if you, on the other hand, think you want to see other men, just tell me, so I won’t be confused.”

  “No, no, no, Jay, no. I’ve never been a player, and I have no idea where to begin juggling two men. I’m just sorta, kinda really liking this great guy that I’m seeing, and I was too cowardly to just ask if I am the only woman he’s seeing.” I put my head down, embarrassed. I felt my face getting hot. I didn’t know if it was because of the wine or my total embarrassment.

  “Well, you are. From the first night we went out, I’ve been captured by your smile, your innocence, and the fact that you are humble. You have this ‘gorgeous woman’ thing going on, but you don’t use what you’ve got to entice men, at least from what I can see. The fact that you are just so meek makes me more attracted to you. Meeting someone as beautiful as you are and as genuine is rare, so I know you’re a keeper.” He leaned in and kissed my nose.

  “Those are very kind words, Jayden. I’ve been with only one man before you, so I’m coming out of my shell. It’s always been about José and chasing him and pleading with him to do right, to help me with the girls. The money I’ve spent on lawyers and crap . . . and he just kept spitting in my face, you know. Meeting you just felt . . . I don’t know. It just felt different. I have never felt this good about a man in my life, and I don’t know if I’m rushing or if I’m asking for too much, because this is new to me. All I know is I like you a lot and I think of you even when I try not to.”

  He sat beside me and grabbed my free hand. “Don’t worry, babe. We are on the same page. I like you a lot too.” He smiled.

  He kissed me, and I set my wineglass down on the floor. He started to undress me, and even though the hardwood was as uncomfortable as hell, we still made each other moan. I was an amateur when it came to sucking dick, but after he licked my clit again, I had to return the favor. I was a little clumsy with it at first, so I allowed him to coach me through it.

  “That’s it, baby. That’s what I like. You got it, baby. That’s nice,” he moaned. I had found my rhythm, and I enjoyed pleasing him.

  “I want to make that fat ass giggle,” he told me and groaned as he pulled away.

  I had always known I had a plump ass, and for a long time, I had hated it because all men did was gawk at me and make rude comments. I’d never wear anything sexy to show off my Puerto Rican curves, but with Jayden, I wanted to be sexy. I wanted to be desired, but only by h
im. I had purchased new underwear after we started dating, because I didn’t own a matching set.

  With my new do, my new makeup routine, and a few new pieces added to my wardrobe, I was starting to feel like a woman. A sexy woman, not just a mother and the wife of a convict. I wanted to be noticed in a crowd now, instead of fading into the background. I had scaled back on my hours at work. I was done with sixteen-hour, back-to-back shifts. And since I had to keep my payroll hours down, my baby, Angelica, worked more unpaid hours for me without a complaint.

  “Turn over and let me hit it from the back, baby,” he demanded. I turned and got on all fours. “Your ass is so sexy, baby, so smooth and beautiful,” he said before he planted a wet kiss on my cheeks. He rubbed the head of his dick down my crack and rubbed it over my clit a few times before he slid in.

  I was on fire, and he felt so good that I ignored the sharp pains in my knees from kneeling on the wood floor as Jayden pounded me with his thick pipe. He pumped fast and hard, then slow, then hard and fast again. I moaned in pleasure. Every time he plunged inside of my body, my tits bounced hard.