Cameron 5

  Cameron 5

  Jade Jones

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  This novel is a work of fiction. Any reference to real people, events, establishments, or locales is intended only to give the fiction a sense of reality and authenticity. Other names, characters, and incidents occurring in the work are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, as are those fictionalized events and events that involve real persons. Any character that happens to share the name of a person who is any acquaintance of the author, past or present, is purely coincidental and is in no way intended to be an actual account involving that person.

  Copyright © 2013

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portion thereof in any form whatsoever.

  Acknowledgments

  First, I would like to thank the Lord for blessing me with the gift of creativity and also helping me to perfect it. Of course, I can’t forget about my own group, Jade Jones Fan Group. I’d also like to give a special shout to Shontavia Bladen, Niles Manning, Qiana Groves, Neka Green, JoAnn Hunter-Scott, Carla Taylor-Fears, Angela Corum, Izaah Murray, Ms. Meka, Kim Murphy, Keisha Watson, Marla Dupree Adams, Lisa Cordero, Melanie Elliott, Denise Henson, Leritha Criss, Torika Harrison, and Antiniqua Bradley. Thank you so much for all the love and support.

  1

  Roses are red. Violets are blue…

  Your ass thought you could run, but guess who found you…

  Jude’s jaw muscle tensed as he stared at the crinkled up letter in displeasure. He wanted to believe his eyes were playing tricks on him—but he knew his sight wasn’t deceiving him due to the fact that he’d read over the two sentences twice.

  Ericka is here? In Atlanta?

  “I’m going to put Justin to bed. Can you run a warm bath for me?” Cameron asked. She was still a little sore and tender in some areas after a brief hospitalization. Abel Soden hadn’t shown Cam the slightest ounce of mercy after having his way with her in an abandoned shack. All of the anger and resentment he held in his heart towards Jude, he’d taken out on her.

  Unbeknownst to Cameron, Jude had ensured that Aso would never cause harm to his wife—or any other woman again—after putting a bullet in his head. Although it was no easy task it had to be done.

  Without consequences there are no lessons to be learned, was Jude’s boss’ infamous motto.

  Jude barely heard Cameron’s request. He was too busy staring at the nuisance that plagued his life. Just thinking about Ericka, he could feel the electric jolts from when she’d assaulted him with a Taser gun. Jude couldn’t believe that at one point in his life he was once in love with her psychotic ass

  “What’s that?” Cameron asked. She half-walked, half-limped in his direction. Because of the brutal injuries she’d sustained it would take a bit of time for her to return to normalcy.

  “Nothin’,” Jude quickly answered, balling up the dark poem Ericka probably found humorous. “Nothin’ at all.” He leaned down and pressed a delicate kiss against his wife’s forehead. There was a faint bruise near her temple from where Aso had hit her. “Go ahead and tuck Justin in. I’ma run a bath for you.”

  Trusting Jude’s words, Cameron started for their son’s bedroom. In silence, he watched her disappear from sight before releasing an exasperated sigh.

  Just fucking great, Jude thought to himself. Not only do I have to deal with the possibility of prison for a murder I didn’t commit, but now I have to worry about this persistent ass bitch.

  However, Jude was no longer the same easy going guy Ericka remembered. With everything he’d recently gone through he was a completely different person. His tolerance for bullshit was now lower than ever. After committing his first murder, he knew without a doubt that he’d do it again if need be—especially when it came to his family’s safety.

  I killed my own cousin. Words can’t express the damage I’d do to this bitch if she tries to hurt my son or Cameron.

  ***

  Go and get yourself tested.

  Rumor’s words continued to race through Roxie’s mind. Her sister’s unexpected suggestion haunted her so much that she could no longer sleep. Moonlight poured into her dark room and created a silhouette against her ivory sheets.

  Sitting up in her king size canopy bed, Roxie swung her feet over the edge, and raked a hand through her shoulder length hair. An exasperated sigh slipped through her plump lips.

  Roxie looked a lot like her older sister Rumor with her smooth chocolate skin, high cheekbones, and full lips. Following in her sister’s footsteps she was a full time stripper at Atlanta’s Blue Flame. Barely graduating high school, she tried the college thing for a few months but quickly realized the lifestyle wasn’t for her. Making quick and convenient cash was the chosen alternative—but what she didn’t bargain on was getting caught up with her sister’s man somewhere in between.

  Secretly, Roxie had been attracted to Calix since the first day Rumor introduced him to her. That was seven long years ago. They’d only slept together once after her constant persistence—and the dick wasn’t even worth it in Roxie’s opinion. Who would’ve thought one mistake and three minutes of loveless sex could’ve possibly put her health in jeopardy. Honestly, Roxie was a bit apprehensive about scheduling the dreaded appointment. She feared that she’d receive some disheartening news.

  What if I wind up with some incurable disease? God, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, she thought.

  Go and get yourself tested.

  Roxie replayed the words over and over in her mind. The tiny hairs on her forearm stood erect. She contemplated the choice of whether or not to go to the doctor.

  Reaching towards her nightstand, Roxie retrieved her iPhone and glanced at the time. Five minutes to midnight. She could’ve and should’ve spent her evening at work, racking up tips but her mind wasn’t on the hustle. Roxie couldn’t grind even if she wanted to. She was too preoccupied with the thought of carrying a life-threatening STD.

  Without further hesitation, she dialed Rumor’s number and pressed the cellphone against her ear. Roxie chewed the inside of her mouth as she nervously waited for her sister to answer. She half-expected to be sent straight to the voicemail, and was absolutely surprised when Rumor answered on the fourth ring.

  “What do you want?” Rumor asked in a low tone.

  Roxie was unsure if she’d woken her sister up or if she was just flat out angry. Either way she received the same curt greeting every time she called. “I wanna talk,” Roxie simply said.

  Rumor scoffed. “Bitch, since when do you call me just to talk. Stop wasting my damn time, and tell me what the hell you want.”

  Afraid that her sister might disconnect the call at any moment, Roxie blurted out, “I need you to come to the clinic with me!”

  There was a slight pause on Rumor’s end. “Need me?” she repeatedly skeptically. “When have you ever needed me?” Sarcasm dripped from her tone.

  “Right now,” Roxie answered. “More than ever…”

  Rumor sighed in disappointment. Up until now she relished the thought of her sister suffering. The only person that should’ve had her back no matter what had betrayed her. Even Calix’s backstabbing didn�
�t hurt as much as Roxie’s. She and her baby sis had never had the ideal sibling relationship, but Rumor still believed she could trust her. It felt like a spear had impaled her heart after finding out that her fiancé had slept with her sister—and unprotected at that. In the back of Rumor’s mind, she hoped that Roxie had contracted HIV. After all, it would only serve her right for the fucked up shit she’d done. However, hearing the neediness in her sister’s voice had compelled Rumor to have a change of heart.

  “Will you?” Roxie asked, breaking the silence.

  “Will I what?” Rumor spat out.

  “Will you come with me to the clinic? Roxie repeated. “I don’t think I—no, I know I couldn’t go alone. I just can’t…”

  Rumor pulled her cellphone away from her face and stared straight ahead. She hated the very sight of her own sibling. Surely she couldn’t deal with being in her company. Yet thinking back to when she’d received the life-changing news, Rumor hated the thought of Roxie going through that on her own. Calix had been at work at the time. When her doctor told her that she’d tested positive it took several nurses to restrain her.

  “I guess,” Rumor said coldly. “But don’t expect to hold your fucking hand when you hear some shit you don’t want to.”

  CLICK!

  Rumor coldheartedly disconnected the call before Roxie could reply.

  When?

  Roxie was saddened by the fact that Rumor didn’t have the slightest ounce of hope for her. Nevertheless, she was relieved that her sister had agreed to coming. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was weak—mentally and emotionally. She hated tackling problems head on, and if she could she’d pay someone else to take on her load of troubles.

  Fuck my life. Why me, Roxie asked herself.

  Suddenly, her self-pitying was interrupted by the loud banging on her front door. It was now past midnight. Most people knew better than to show up at her crib unannounced especially at this time of night.

  “Who the hell is that?” Roxie asked herself. She slipped her pedicured feet inside a pair of pink fluffy slippers.

  Running her fingers through her untamed hair Roxie shuffled downstairs to the front door. She lived in the Windsor at Midtown—a five minute drive to Rumor’s townhome but she doubted the unexpected visitor was her sister.

  Standing on her tiptoes, Roxie peered through the peephole. To her surprise, it was the last person she expected to see. The same man who paid her rent and afforded her the luxuries of life seemingly got a thrill out of toying with her mind and feelings. Despite that fact, she loved him to death.

  Roxie un-hatched the locks and slowly opened her front door. Stepped aside, she allowed O’ Zone entrance. Without a word, he swaggered inside followed by the enticing scent of his Burberry cologne. As usual he looked fly in a $4000 Versace jacket, dark blue jeans, and Christian Louboutin sneakers. His dreads were tied back, and shielding his eyes was a $500 pair of Oliver Peoples sunglasses.

  O’ Zone was just as sexy to Roxie as the day when they’d first met. His looks reminded her of the rapper Future, but he had a swag of his own. Beyond his good looks he was also manipulative, and the biggest womanizer Roxie knew. Although O’ Zone dealt with her whenever he felt like it, sh couldn’t deny that she was madly in love with him in spite of his doggish ways.

  O’ Zone walked over towards the cherry accent table, pulled his shades off, and placed them on top of it.

  “I wasn’t expecting to see you,” Roxie said, placing a hand on her curvy hip. “But then again I never do…”

  O’ Zone turned towards Roxie. She was taken aback at the sight of his bruised eye. Jude had whupped his ass weeks earlier, but the severity of the fight had caused him to heal slow. He’d even had to cancel shows to give himself time to recuperate. It took four whole days just for his left eye to open again.

  “Why you comin’ at me like that, shawty?” O’ Zone asked calmly. “Damn…I missed you. Ain’t I allowed to miss you?”

  ***

  Rumor seemed to be in a daze as she stared straight ahead into the darkness of the room. She sat motionlessly on the left side of her bed. For some reason she was still clutching her cellphone even though she’d hung up on Roxie less than five minutes ago. So many thoughts raced through her mind it was hard to think straight.

  Rumor slowly looked to her left at Calix’s lifeless body. He lay face up in a pool of his own blood. His eyes were still open, and an 8” chef’s knife rested in the center of his chest.

  2

  “I just wanna take all this shit away, Cam. All the pain…all the bad memories…all the fucked up shit that’s happened these past few weeks. I just wish I could take all this shit away and make everything alright. Make shit like how it used to be,” Jude said. “If I could you know I would, Cam.”

  Cameron closed her eyes, and allowed the Jude’s strong hands to comfort her. His fingers worked magic against the tension in her back.

  J. Cole’s “Sparks Will Fly” played softly on the bedroom’s built in audio system. Cameron laid naked in their plush king size bed. Even with the dark purple bruises scattered over her body she was more beautiful than ever to Jude. As he massaged the stress from her body he couldn’t figure out if he was more attracted to her looks or the fact that she was one of the strongest women he knew.

  I know my style ain't perfect…

  I know my smile ain't perfect…

  Nigga ain't perfect, it's true…

  Funny though I am perfect for you…

  All the drama seem worth it for you…

  She put up with the shit like she work at the zoo, true…

  Jude’s large hands glided along Cameron’s back and settled at the nape of her neck. Kneading his fingers against her tension, he used his free hand to massage the small of her back.

  “If I could I would carry the burden you feelin’,” Jude admitted.

  “I know you would,” Cameron said, eyes still closed. “But the fact that you’re here right now with me is more than enough.”

  Jude’s jaw muscle flexed. Her words inadvertently stung because he felt like he wasn’t there when Cam needed him the most.

  “At the end of the day Aso is gonna get what’s coming to him,” she said.

  If only you knew, Jude thought. If he could, he would’ve resuscitated the motherfucker and killed him all over again. That’s just how mad Jude was about the situation. However, the fact that he couldn’t get back at his boss, King for what he’d done to Cameron hurt most of all. Like some punk ass coward, Jude was forced to smile in the face of the man who’d ordered Cameron to be raped.

  King was like a puppet master to Jude; making him do any and everything he wanted him to in exchange for him and his family’s life. Jude signed a contract for the devil in blood the moment he agreed to joining one of the world’s largest car theft rings. As much as he hated to admit it, King owned him.

  ***

  Tigger’s tiny paws stamped footprints along the trail of blood gushing from Calix’s knife wound. A Newport hung out the corny of Rumor’s dry lips as she dragged his limp body to the garage—only this time she wouldn’t be tying him up and starving him for pure entertainment. Instead Rumor planned on dumping his body somewhere he’d never be discovered. By the time police found Calix, his body would be so decomposed he wouldn’t even be able to have an open casket funeral.

  Serves your trifling ass right, Rumor said to herself. Her jaw was bruised and swollen from being hit.

  For years Rumor had convinced herself that she could deal with Calix and the HIV—and more recently the fact that he’d slept with her sister. But tonight something had snapped inside of Rumor…something unexplainable.

  Earlier that week the couple had gotten into a heated argument. The added tension only made things worst between them. It had gotten to the point where Rumor questioned her love for him. He wasn’t worth her sanity.

  That night while Calix slept beside her without a care in the world, Rumor crept out of bed, and pad
ded barefoot to their gallery style kitchen. Sliding an 8” chef’s knife out its wooden holder she quietly made her way back to the bedroom.

  Straddling her boyfriend of seven years while he slept peacefully, Rumor raised the sharp knife high above her head. Seconds before Calix’s eyes shot open, she jammed the blade in his chest.

  Rumor was hoping that the first attack did the trick but Calix put up quite a fight. Reflexes kicking in to overdrive, he punched Rumor in the face immediately after stabbing him.

  Together they tussled in the sheets, but unfortunately it wasn’t in the midst of making love. Both were desperately trying to overpower the other, afraid that if they lost the battle they’d lose their life.

  Somehow Rumor managed to snatch the knife out of Calix before stabbing his body repeatedly. The shiny metal blade impaled his chest, throat, and even his right cheek. For those first few minutes of horror Rumor gave two fucks about Calix, his life, and their relationship. She wanted him to feel the pain she was forced to sleep with every night.

  Rumor climbed on top of Calix and heartlessly stabbed him over and over again. Even though she knew he was dead well after the fourth assault, she continued jam the knife into his carcass while screaming “fuck you” repeatedly.

  Rumor carelessly dropped Calix’s legs at her feet when she reached the garage. “Where the hell am I gonna put you?” she asked herself. Rumor hadn’t the slightest clue about disposing of bodies. Fortunately for her she knew who did.

  ***

  Jude was inside the finished basement’s office when he heard the faint sound of knocking on the front door. It was far too late to be expecting visitors so he couldn’t think off the top of his head who that the person might be. Jude should have been asleep, but instead he was going over paperwork for his next run out of state. Reluctantly, he worked as a transporter for King, taking stolen cars to the port and overseeing their shipments.