Free Thin Ice 5 - Checkmate by KR BANKSTON Page A

continued to mull over all the information he’d been given in the last few moments, the tumblers combining and falling into place. Deciding he needed some help on this one, he pulled out his cell and sent a text. The reply was almost instant and Ryan smiled slightly locking the phone and putting it back into his pocket.
     

8
     
    Tariq awoke to the sound of his phone going off. Disoriented he quickly gathered himself and answered seeing Kaitlyn’s name on the ID.
    “ Hello,” he answered groggily.
    “ Hey, did you pick up Tejdra last night,” she asked calmly.
    Tariq explained the meeting ran extremely late and Shells asked him to leave her at their place.
    “ Yeah, that’s straight,” Kaitlyn replied and held the phone.
    Things were extremely strained between them, event to point of their inability to communicate with each other.
    “ How did Tajdra do with him,” Tariq asked, the edge nudging its way into his voice.
    Rising he stumbled into the kitchen as Kaitlyn gave him a rundown of her time dropping the baby off. Tariq told her he was glad things went smoothly.
    “ I’m going to get her in an about an hour,” Kaitlyn told her as Tariq glanced the clock.
    It was already after 10 AM. He hadn’t gotten home until about 4:30AM this morning after talking with Carlita. “What time does your flight get in,” Tariq asked, mentally preparing himself to pick them up.
    Kaitlyn supplied an answer as he told her okay he would see her then and disconnected.
    Sighing deeply Tariq began to replay his evening in his mind’s eye. Carlita had been extremely hospitable allowing him to talk until he was exhausted from the effort, while she listened wordlessly and passed no judgment. “Tariq, maybe you should really sit down and talk to her,” Carlita had replied. “She may want out as much as you do right now, but doesn’t know how to say it.” Tariq thought about the statement and wondered if the woman wasn’t right. Surely Kaitlyn had to know things weren’t the way they used to be between them. The knock at the door interrupted further pondering as he went to answer.
    “ Good morning sir,” the delivery courier greeted him.
    Tariq returned the greeting as the man told him whom he was delivering the package for.
    “ Yes, that’s me,” Tariq replied as the man smiled and asked him to sign.
    Tariq scribble his signature and gave the man a five dollar tip. The driver scurried back to his car and sped off, headed to his next delivery. Tariq thought it odd the man was delivering on Sunday, but assumed he was being paid very well to do so.
    Walking back into the living room he noticed there was no return address on the package. Curiosity peaked, Tariq opened the plain brown wrapper finding a DVD enclosed with a note. ‘Man to man, I think you deserve the truth. Don’t you?’ the note read. Frowning deeply Tariq took a deep breath and put the non-labeled disc into the machine and pushed play. The screen immediately illuminated with Ian and Kaitlyn making love. Tariq was furious as he watched her kissing and touching Ian, purring softly as he brought her to orgasm and she cried out his name. “Mmm, Ian, yes,” Kaitlyn murmured as Tariq’s fury grew.
    “ Lying bitch,” he murmured angrily recalling her declarations of not being herself.
    He could see for himself Kaitlyn was fully lucid during their lovemaking. “No, Ian, don’t, please,” she pleaded softly, putting her hands on his chest and trying to push him off of her. “KiKi, I love you baby,” Ian assured her kissing her lips softly. “It’s okay, I know you’re scared, it’s okay,” he told her once more going back to his task, shuddering moments later as he finished. Tariq hurled the glass that moments earlier held his juice hearing it shatter as it connected with the opposite wall.
    *****
    Jaleesa was perusing the breakfast menu trying to decide on an entrée when Kim arrived.
    “ Hey girl,” Jaleesa greeted her smiling.
    Kim returned the