Free Love After All by Celeste O. Norfleet Page A

enjoyed doing.
    But that was her old life; she hadn’t seen him in years and certainly hadn’t played the game in years. At a certain point she realized that the risk wasn’t worth her freedom and definitely not worth her life. Her father took that chance each time he walked out the door on another one of his jobs. Robert Taylor knew, as they all did, that there was always a chance that he wouldn’t come home.
    Then it happened. A long con, it was a simple job, a quick switch and grab with a major payoff. Unfortunately, a member of his crew got greedy and went beyond the anticipated plan. That mistake cost the guy his life, and cost Robert fifteen years of his life. One member of the crew got away and her father never exposed him. Robert might have been undependable and conflicted, but he was also loyal. He’d never betray his crew, no matter what the circumstances. So he went to prison and so did his secret, leaving her and her mother with nothing.
    Unfortunately, Robert’s imprisonment eventually led to her meeting her ex-boyfriend, Eric. She was signing off on some paperwork at her father’s attorney’s office after work one day. A man grabbed her purse and Eric, stepping in, retrieved it and chased him off. He saved her.
    At the time she wasn’t sure if he’d followed her or not. He said that he hadn’t and just happened to see her leave the building at the last second, but now she knew that was a lie. But at the time she accepted his explanation and his offered friendship. He was a friendly face and had a smile that was infectious.
    He seemed perfect, tall, dark and handsome, and he treated her like a princess. He was the first man she trusted to tell the truth about her family. Being that they were coworkers, she didn’t want him surprised or embarrassed if anyone ever saw them together and knew who her father was. She told him just about everything about her family and he was okay with it. He accepted that her father was in prison and he even tried to convince her to visit Robert. But she never did.
    That seemed to disappoint him. It wasn’t until later that she figured it out. Their meeting, their romance, their love, was all one big con to get her to trust him and to get her to see her brother. The only thing he ever wanted was what her brother knew about the business.
    When it became obvious that she wasn’t going to be pressured into visiting her father or telling him how to contact her brother, Eric broke into her office, used her computer and stole money from their employer to pay off a con gone bad.
    He used her and she let him. The only saving grace was that she’d never contacted her father or told Eric how to find Jefferson like he wanted her to do. But as her mother said, family is forever and you never betray that. He tried everything to persuade her to make contact, but she had always adamantly refused. That was the one good thing she’d done.
    Now, seated at the window, Samantha looked out and watched the airport handlers load the last luggage cart and make final preparations for the plane’s departure. Her thoughts wandered to the path before her now. Jefferson’s message said that a friend of his would contact her. Not knowing who it was, she reminded herself that she needed to be open to anything.
    Like Kareem in the cab company, Jefferson had many friends.
    â€œExcuse me,” he said, interrupting her wayward thoughts. As she looked up, he smiled, his eyes dancing. “I think you’re in my seat,” Jackson said as he looked up at the small metal tab above the seats, then at the boarding pass in his hand. “I believe I have the window.”
    Samantha nodded, removed her reading glasses and sized him up quickly. To say that he was attractive was a stark understatement. The man was gorgeous. His face was as smooth as mocha silk with just enough evening shadow on his chin to make him look dangerous and sexy. His lips