Dangerously In Love Read Free

free hand extravagantly, “if he had any doubt about your earning potential.”
    Reed jerked his arm away. “Yeah, that’s right. Your daddy gave us the down payment for the house. You know something? Accepting that money was a big mistake because every chance you get, you throw it up in my face.” Reed flung the cloth napkin he’d been clutching onto the dining room table. He stomped into the living room, and grabbed his briefcase. “I’m out! Don’t wait up for me!”
    The slam of the front door, followed by the sound of Reed’s car screeching out of the driveway, dashed all hopes of a civilized conversation that would lead to a visit to a qualified fertility specialist.
    Dayna sagged into the chair Reed had just vacated. Feeling disoriented, she tried to sort out her thoughts and figure out what had just happened. What had she said to set him off like that? Absolutely nothing, she concluded. The numerous PBP meetings and even the alleged meeting at the Hilton was probably just a façade, convenient excuses to get out of the house.
    He hated being around her; she was too fat. Oh God, why had she allowed herself to gain so much weight? Pondering the question, Dayna gobbled down the leftover potato salad on Reed’s plate as well as the untouched green beans that were slathered with butter. Pushing away from the dining room table, she got up and ambled to the kitchen, where she stuck her hand inside a plastic container lined with napkins and helped herself to two fried chicken wings, a breast, and a thigh.
    Filled to the gills, she felt worse than ever, but couldn’t stop eating. With spoon in hand, she sought comfort inside a container of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Then, shaking her head in bewilderment, she trudged up the elaborate winding staircase to relax and mentally prepare for another work day.

Chapter 2
    I gnoring the 25-mile-an-hour speed limit on Lincoln Drive, Reed pushed the needle on the speedometer to seventy. Like a man possessed, he took the dangerous curves without a thought of decreasing his speed. The former Victorian hotel on the corner of Lincoln Drive and Gypsy Lane that now served as a police station became a quick blur as Reed defiantly zoomed past. Official Philadelphia police cars parked outside did not deter Reed. As far as he was concerned, the officers of the law that occupied the ancient-looking police barracks seemed more like park rangers than real cops. Fuck ’em. Those suckers were probably inside knocking off a couple boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts.
    Reed gave a snort as he imagined his wife’s reaction if she were sitting in the passenger’s seat. He could just hear her: Slow down, Reed , she’d whine. It’s dangerous to speed on Lincoln Drive. You know what happened to that famous singer when we were kids —
    Then Reed would interject: Chill out, Dayna . I can handle these curves without breaking my neck .
    He suffered a spinal cord injury , Dayna the Know-It-All would correct.
    Neck, spine, whatever. Your face isn’t buried in my lap, so I know I won’t be going out like him .
    Irked by Dayna’s superior attitude, he’d feel compelled to drive even faster. Throughout her squeals of protest, her face contorted in fear, his wife would undoubtedly be holding on to the overhead handle while pressing her foot into an imaginary brake on the floor.
    But thankfully, he didn’t have to listen to her whine. Not tonight. Reed swerved to the left and headed for City Avenue. When he neared the Hilton Hotel, he accelerated instead of turning toward the parking lot entrance.
    He checked the time. Six-thirty. Plenty of time to take care of what he had to do. Then, after a couple of hours of stress release, he’d head back to the Hilton to network for the last half-hour of the seminar. Yeah, a half-hour was all a brother needed to make some connections. Reed had little patience for sitting around listening to a bunch of speakers.
    His car might as well have been on automatic pilot,