Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning Read Free

that seized him at six months old when Kaitlyn entered the nursery to find his body still and cold. Ian would never forget the scream of pain that left her or the blank, empty look in her eyes as she rocked the dead child. It’d been almost seven months now since his death, but Kaitlyn was still grieving. She took excellent care of the girls, Ian couldn’t deny or find fault there. It was the relationship between them that was suffering. She tried; he gave her credit for that. Kaitlyn was attentive and loving, they still made love, but he sensed it. He knew her well enough to know when his wife wasn’t in the same room while they made love, kissing and caressing each other. She would disappear at odd hours, sometimes leaving for days and returning without explanation. Any other woman Ian would have beaten the hell out of and killed by now, but Kaitlyn wasn’t any other woman.
    “ You could have called, texted,” Ian said calmly, turning on the light as she quietly came into the bedroom.
    Kaitlyn stopped in her tracks the light blinding her momentarily as she blinked waiting on her eyes to adjust.
    “ I’m here now,” she said simply, no hint of anger or sarcasm.
    She was simply choosing not to address the statement.
    “ Where have you been,” Ian asked again, rising and walking in front of her.
    “ Out,” Kaitlyn replied, her eyes meeting his.
    Her expression begged him to leave her alone, but Ian wanted answers.
    “ Out where,” he returned, his irritation beginning to grow.
    “ What the hell,” he mumbled, examining her closer and finally seeing the blood on her clothing, and spattered on her shoes.
    “ What have you done KiKi,” he asked softly, his eyes finding hers again.
    “ I warned the bitch,” she replied simply as Ian frowned deeply.
    “ Who baby,” he questioned carefully once again.
    “ Your whore, Ananda,” she replied the temper flaring.
    “ I haven’t been with Ananda, KiKi,” Ian told her honestly.
    She chuckled slightly telling him she knew.
    “ She called earlier, left you a message,” Kaitlyn enlightened as she undressed and went to the shower.
    Ian waited patiently, his mind whirling as she showered and finally returned to their bedroom.
    “ And the message made you go see her,” he tried, hoping Kaitlyn hadn’t killed the woman, but pretty sure she had.
    “ Yes,” Kaitlyn replied acidly. “She was spouting some bullshit or other about a baby and her losing it, and that you should know,” she growled.
    Ian sighed lightly.
    “ Ananda wasn’t pregnant by me, KiKi,” he patiently answered.
    She smiled again.
    “ I know that too,” Kaitlyn replied. “It was the fact that this trick thought I was joking with her ass,” she told Ian as he grunted and nodded.
    “ So you just beat her ass,” he questioned wanting to know one way or the other.
    “ At first,” Kaitlyn replied. “But then I realized the trick wasn’t going to stop, she would have called again, she was in love with you Ice,” she finished as he sighed deeply.
    “ I didn’t love her,” Ian reassured her as Kaitlyn stepped close to him and put her arms around his neck.
    “ I know,” she replied softly as they kissed.
    Ian couldn’t lie and say he was all that upset about Ananda’s death. He was just worried about Kaitlyn and the hair trigger she seemed to have these days. The soft kisses to his neck took his mind off any further contemplation, as the kisses went lower and he finally felt the warmth of Kaitlyn’s mouth on his quickly growing erection.

2
     
    Cyiarra and Layla were still laughing and joking as they walked into Baccheus. Everyone was already in place and the celebrating had already begun. They were celebrating the set up in Atlanta putting the final pieces in place for the move in the next few weeks.
    “ Hi, baby,” Tariq greeted Cyiarra sweetly, hugging Layla as well.
    “ Everyone this is my best friend Layla,” Cyiarra told them, introducing each of them by name.
    Layla said