refused to fall into her clutches again. Jefferson hadn’t forgotten the moments he’d spent with her, compromising his marriage and his reputation, but they were just that, moments of the flesh, and although his life with Margo was on shaky ground, she was the only woman he’d ever love. They finished their lunch and agreed to go back to Angelica’s hotel room to look over Hamilton’s will and the other documents.
41
Traffic was heavy for late afternoon. Margo drove toward the center of town to get a bite to eat. She had completed a mound of paperwork back at the office, and instead of going home, she opted for time by herself to reflect and think.
Her mind was conflicted. It seemed she couldn’t turn off thoughts of Malik, although she felt an obligation to her husband to make their marriage work. Playing over and over in the back of her mind was yesterday’s scene at the office. There couldn’t be any more near misses between Malik and Jefferson. Margo was fascinated with Malik, but his obsession for her was making her crazy because he was bent on her making a decision between him and Jefferson sooner than she thought she was ready. And then there was her conscience that wouldn’t allow her to entertain an adulterous proposition such as leaving her husband for another man, especially since she had made a pact with the Lord that she was His and Jefferson’s.
As she drove on, Margo silently asked the Lord to forgive her fornicating thoughts. A good Christian wouldn’t entertain thoughts of the flesh, even though Margo was weak. There was nothing left to do but tell Malik that she was committed to her husband, and they needed to do what was right. She couldn’t risk both of them going to hell.
Margo pulled into the parking lot of Logan’s and proceeded to get out. In doing so, she faced O’Charley’s and the surrounding parking lot. Her mouth flew open as she saw Jefferson leave the restaurant with a woman that looked very much like Angelica.
Anger replaced surprise. Life with Jefferson was not good, but Margo hadn’t expected to see him with Angelica after he had sworn that he wanted nothing else to do with her.
She jumped back into her car and turned on the ignition. As soon as Jefferson pulled out, she followed them at a safe distance. She hadn’t expected them to stop so soon. They drove around the bend and pulled into the parking lot of a hotel that sat on the backside of the restaurant and a Sam’s Club.
She couldn’t believe her eyes. Right out in the open, before God and all of Fayetteville, Angelica was getting out of Jefferson’s car. No, he didn’t run to her side of the car and open the door, but the mere fact that they were about to enter a hotel was reason enough to follow them and pump their bodies with bullets from a gun she wished she had. Instead, she watched as they disappeared through the double doors of the hotel lobby entrance, dropped her head on the steering wheel and cried.
With tears still flowing, she lifted her head and proceeded out of the parking lot unaware that Edward had passed in front of her and parked his car near the front of the hotel. There was no need to delay her decision about what to do with her marriage. It was settled. Whenever Jefferson returned home, his things would be waiting at the front door or on the sidewalk. She didn’t care which. This would be the last night they would share the same address. The hunger pangs would have to wait. There was one stop Margo had to make before she headed home.
Horns blared as Margo weaved in and out of traffic, cutting off two or three victims of her reckless driving. She honked back, oblivious to the fact that she was the culprit that was deserving of those honks. Ten minutes later, Margo jerked the car to an abrupt stop in front of SuperComp Technical Solutions.
With her purse swinging at her side, Margo rushed from the car as if it were on fire. She was a woman on a mission, but not to purchase a computer or any other piece of electronics.
Surprise registered on Malik’s face as he saw Margo making her way toward him. There was alarm on her face. “What’s wrong, Margo?” Malik asked, assuring his customer that he would return in a moment.
“I need to talk to you,” she said, “but not here.”
“Why don’t you go into my office, and when I’m finished with this customer, we can go wherever you want,” Malik suggested. “It’ll take a few minutes.”
Margo waited ten to twenty minutes before Malik returned. The wait was driving her crazy. She couldn’t let go of the last image she had of Jefferson and Angelica entering the hotel. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” Malik started, shuffling a few papers on his desk and looking around for his jacket. “After yesterday, I thought you were too busy to see me.”
There was no response from Margo. For the first time since she arrived, he stopped and took a good look at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Angelica is in town.”
“And why do you care? She’s probably here because of Hamilton.”
Margo looked at Malik. He was thinking like a man, but she didn’t care. She needed someone to talk to. “I followed Angelica and Jefferson to a hotel this afternoon. And to think that bastard had the nerve to tell me that Angelica meant nothing to him and he was glad she was out of his life. I believed him.”
“I tried to tell you earlier that that scheming witch was no good. I’ve never trusted her and could see straight through that demented mind of hers the moment she was back in town. With all of Jefferson’s professing to be in love with you, the first thing he does the moment Angelica rides back in town is to go sniffing like a hound. I told you he didn’t deserve you.”
“Okay, that’s enough. Can we get out of here?”
“Wherever you like. We’ll take my car.”
Margo followed Malik to his car and got in without looking back or at him. Malik put the car in gear and drove away.
“Where would you like to go?” he asked, not sure of Margo’s mood.
“Why don’t we go to your place; I want to talk.”
“We’re on our way, Ma’am.” Malik patted her thigh. Although she didn’t brush his hand away, Margo looked straight ahead.
They rode in silence until Malik turned abruptly, hit the remote to raise the door to his underground garage and entered. It had been awhile since Margo was last here, and her body began to tense.
Malik opened the car door. Margo followed him through a door that led into the foyer off to the right of the living area. Malik still maintained his love of art with new pieces by Poncho and Charles Bibbs merged in with the old ones that hung on the walls. The rooms were cozy, and Margo scanned them as she walked from one to another. She even managed a slight twirl as she also surveyed some of the African art pieces.
“Beautiful,” Margo said, finally sitting on one of the oak bar stools that flanked the high-top counter that separated the kitchen from the living room.
“You’re beautiful,” Malik said as he walked and stood in front of her. He took her hand and gently kissed her fingers. “Let me take your coat.”
He watched as Margo graciously slid from the stool, one foot dropping to the floor and then the other. Malik moved behind her to catch her coat as it slid from her shoulders as if in slow motion. He sniffed her fragrance as he dragged her coat across his nose and then briefly shut his eyes. Intoxicated!
After hanging up her coat, Malik invited Margo to sit with him in the living room. Margo began to share what she was feeling-the feeling of deja vu. Margo’s lips moved but Malik was in a trance, smitten by the woman standing next to him.
“Make love to me, Malik.”
42
