Free Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning by KR BANKSTON

rolled her eyes. “Warn you, CiCi, are you serious,” she told her incredulously. “That heffa is probably trying to cover for her girl because she doesn’t want you to actually find her and confront her trifling ass,” Layla calmly explained.
    Cyiarra frowned slightly as she breathed deeply.
    “ We’re still going to find out who the bitch is,” Layla threw out once again. “We need to try and figure out a list of who this Jaleesa chick knows that obviously Tariq knows too, and then we’ll know who miss thing is,” she explained as Cyiarra nodded slightly.
    She couldn’t lie and say she didn’t want to know who the woman was. She wanted to see her completion. See if the woman was younger, prettier, just what exactly it was about her that caused Tariq to forget his promise of fidelity and go outside their relationship.
    “ Shit Layla, I don’t really know the inner circle like that,” Cyiarra finally admitted.
    Layla was thoughtful for a minute before coming up with a new idea.
    “ You talk to Kim right,” she asked as Cyiarra told her yes. “Cool, you invite her for a girls lunch and we’ll all talk, we’ll ask pointed questions, but not enough to raise her suspicions, then we’ll go from there with the info we gather,” Layla told her as Cyiarra nodded that it sounded like a great idea.
    “ When do you want to do it,” she asked as Layla told her the sooner the better and Cyiarra pulled out her cell dialing Kim’s number.
    *****
    Tyshon smiled as she entered the restaurant. He motioned and Kim turned walking toward him.
    “ Hey, glad you made it,” he told her, rising and pulling out her chair.
    He kissed her cheek gently as Kim’s head spun. She was paranoid as hell sitting in the restaurant with him. Relax, Mook is having dancer auditions, her mind told her as the jealousy flared once more.
    “ You look beautiful,” Tyshon told Kim taking in the atomic tangerine sundress.
    It flattered every beautiful and vivacious curve she possessed, keeping his eyes glued to her the entire time they sat.
    “ Thanks Ty,” Kim returned amiably.
    They chatted pleasantly about inconsequential things while they waited for their food and even into the meal. Just as they were finishing up, Tyshon asked a question.
    “ Is it too late for us, Kim,” he asked calmly, never taking his eyes off her.
    She sighed lightly. This was the conversation she’d been secretly dreading since running into him.
    “ Ty, I’ve made a new life,” she told him as gently as she could. “I have a son, a husband,” she added hoping it would answer his question.
    He seemed to think about that for a while before putting his fork down and addressing her again. “So you just forgot all about me, about us, you just stop loving me all together huh,” he asked the hurt mingled with anger and frustration surfacing.
    Kim swallowed hard. She didn’t want to hurt him, but he was talking about a love affair that was over years and years ago.
    “ Ty, it’s not like that,” she began as he continued to watch her wordlessly.
    “ I mean look at it from my perspective, you disappeared without an explanation for years,” Kim told him logically.
    He relaxed to some extent then.
    “ I know Kim,” he replied softly. “It just hurts to know that another man has your heart now, especially since I still love you so very much,” he told her reaching over and caressing her face.
    “ Ty, I don’t think you love me, I think you love what we used to have,” Kim tried, wanting him to see reason.
    “ Can we go to the zoo after lunch,” he asked out of the blue.
    Kim frowned slightly, before sighing and telling him sure. She’d forgotten the unconventional things he liked to do from time to time. Rising he paid their check and asked her to follow him to his house; they could just take one car.
    Arriving Kim parked her car in his garage as he directed, accepting his invitation to come inside as he grabbed something he’d forgotten.
    “ You