Olivia: Book 2 of the Wife Secrets Series Read online

  OLIVIA

  THE SECOND OF THE WIFE SECRETS SERIES

  Nicety

  Copyright © 2014 BLACK CHERRY PUBLICATIONS

  Facebook: AM.I.NICETY

  Twitter: @IAM_NICETY

  YouTube: mswordpoison

  Instagram: Iamnicety

  This novel is a work of fiction. Any resemblances to actual events, real people, living or dead, organizations, establishments or locales are products of the author’s imagination. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission from the publisher and writer.

  Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication, and may no longer be valid.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Giving honor to God. He who is the head of my household.

  Thank you to my family; I will love

  you all until the end of time, you are the air that

  I breathe.

  To my friends; thanks for keeping me afloat

  when I thought I would sink.

  To my fans and many followers; I love you

  all more than words can say.

  Thank you for the love and support

  you deliver each day!

  DEDICATION

  I would like to dedicate this book to my family and my friends

  who supported my dream of becoming a published writer.

  They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself years ago.

  I’m making you proud now! Also to my readers for

  without you there would be no me. I love you all!

  Special Shout outs to #TEAMNICETY, the bullets to my nine!

  I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart

  for always supporting me and making sure that I

  remained focused on the task at hand, which was getting

  your books to you on time. Laughing but dead serious.

  To my husband, the perfect verse over a tight beat.

  Thanks for being nothing more than you!

  **If I have forgotten anyone, know that

  I love you still**

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  Chapter 1

  “Stop sweating me.”

  “Why do you keep doing this to yourself every weekend, Liv?” He caressed my right cheek gently as he did on most days when he wanted to get his way. “You know I have to take her back to her mom’s house.”

  “All I’m saying is can’t she pick her up at least once, Carter? With her lazy ass. I mean, why does she expect you to do everything and why can’t I ever come with you?” I pouted, crossing my arms. "The fuck you trying to hide?"

  “That’s the dumbest question I’ve ever heard and you know it. Y’all don’t get along, Liv and can barely stand to look at each other. So, why would I put y’all in the same room knowing the outcome?”

  My feet nearly paced an oval shaped hole into the floor, as I crossed my arms panicking that he was going to go over there and fall right into that Puerto Rican bitch’s trap all over again. He was weak for her and I knew it. But still, I had the ring. Even though he had been procrastinating like a motherfucker on setting a date, I had the fucking ring. It was going to take a hurricane and tornado combined to pry it from my warm-blooded fingers.

  “I could sit and wait in the car. All you’re gonna do is walk her to the door and that’s it right?” I pressed further as I looked out into the hall noticing a small, two long pig-tailed shadow lurking behind the doorway.

  Nina was as cute as a button at six years old. Her fair skin and beady eyes reminded me of a doll that I used to have when I was a little girl. To me she was the spitting image of the Strawberry Shortcake doll with the rosy and chubby cheeks. Even though she wasn’t totally mine, I dressed her like I would my daughter when I bought her clothes. Nina wore nothing but name brands when she was with me.

  She was no taller than my waist and was very quiet and polite when it was necessary. Lately, her mouth had become slicker than a can of oil. On one too many occasions it had me looking at her sideways. Something about her didn’t sit right with me. Then again, she was her mother’s daughter.

  “Yes, but baby I’m going to kick it with the guys tonight. You know how I hate for you to wait up. It’s the only off night I have and I wanna enjoy it peacefully and with no bickering or arguing.”

  “That was a low blow, Carter. You don’t think that I’m tired of us fighting and shit too? I’m sick of a lot of shit. I just want us to get each other back. I want us to be like how we used to be years ago…before you made this added addition and changed our lives forever.”

  Now I was throwing the blows. He didn’t like it when I talked about the indiscretion that led to the birth of his daughter, Nina. She was the one thing that I felt was tearing us apart but he felt like she was a blessing from God or something. How could I think of her as a blessing when she was conceived with his side bitch? A side bitch that had no intention on leaving my man alone and made that perfectly clear during our last fistfight in the middle of the mall.

  Three of her stupid ass friends thought it would be funny to loudly talk shit as they walked behind me. I tried to ignore them but once they all started chanting I was the side bitch and not Salina that was when I drew the line. I couldn’t have that bitch thinking that she had one up on me no matter how true Carter was slowly making it. Without warning, I hauled my Neiman Marcus bags behind me launching them into the row of chickens clucking hysterically.

  “Oh no this bitch didn’t,” one of them barked as the entire crew including Salina charged at me.

  At first I was worried, since I knew all of those hoes were gonna jump me like some cowards seeing as though I was by myself. But once I started throwing punches and holding my own, grabbing bitches by their weaves and clinking their heads together like Moe and Curly, my confidence began to grow. They were trying to get me to fall to the ground but I wasn’t going.

  What they didn’t know was that I worked out six days a week and had excellent core balance. I was a tree stump, unmovable no matter how hard they tried. Besides, they were a bunch of skinny frog looking bitches with barely any muscle mass on their bodies. My fist met with Salina’s face only a few times before she called off her goons and retreated as the mall’s flashlight cops made their way to the scene past the crowd of onlookers.

  “This ain’t never over you black bitch,” Salina gurgled through her busted lip as they darted away.

  "Fuck you silly ho," my lips growled.

  But I digress. Meanwhile as I stood leaning against the bedroom door watching as Carter beautified himself for his visit with her, I couldn’t help but think about how beautiful she actually was. She was tall, modelesque even. She had long dark hair and chestnut eyes.
Her cheeks were long and contoured as if she was airbrushed for life from a fashion magazine. Her skin looked as smooth as a baby’s bottom and each time I thought about it the only thing I wanted to do was kick her face in. Her young, twenty-two year old face.

  Yeah, Carter fucked her when she was only a teenager claiming that she lied about her age. But after he found out, that didn't stop him from sticking her again. It irked me to my core that some little young bitch was trying to take my spot. Even though I was only a few years older than her at twenty-six, that bitch needed to learn to respect her fucking elders.

  I don’t know why I was so jealous. I wasn’t half stepping on my looks myself. I was 5’7” and thicker than a snicker in the waist. The only problem was that Carter was a connoisseur of big breasts and I was only sitting pretty with a B cup but a healthy B cup nonetheless. My theory was that no man needed anything more than a mouthful anyway and found it pointless to destroy my perfectly perky tits by filling them with something fake. My chocolate skin was only a few shades darker than his but it was the second thing that I felt always sent my damn fiancé running into the arms of lighter skinned women. Yeah, I said women because this wasn’t the first time this prick has cheated on me.

  But I was the one with the engagement ring. I was the one he was about to commit his life to. Those other bitches didn’t even have shit on me and the things that I did for that man. He knew what he had at home and would always come home to momma. Carter and I had been together seven years with no kids having met when my mother’s house burned down one year. We were polar opposites it seemed with me being a writer for the Chicago Sun-Times’ and him being a fire fighter.

  The five-alarm fire wasn’t the only thing sizzling that day. But he had only recently popped the question to me a few months ago. Apart of me felt like the only reason he did it was to shut me up about the six-year-old daughter he had with his young hotheaded side chick. I could bet money that he was still fucking her to this day even though he blatantly denies it to my face. Deep down inside even behind all of his guarantee that he wasn’t, I knew he was. No definitive proof needed.

  “Liv, I don’t need this shit right now. Okay? I’ve gotta drive her back home and that’s that. Now I’ll be back when I get back,” Carter huffed as he stormed towards the bedroom door.

  “And how long is that going to be?” I folded my arms.

  “Stop sweating me.”

  “I’m sweating you, cause you are leaving and this is the Sunday we have your father over for dinner. You know how he hates it when you’re late.”

  “That old man will be here when I get here and if not you can entertain him, right? Be a good hostess. Besides, all that yapping he does when I get in goes in one ear and out the other. I ain’t thinking about that man.”

  “But Carter—“

  “I’m gone, Olivia.” He walked out the bedroom door inserting his hand in Nina’s.

  Her eyes cut from him to me, squinting tightly. I swear I could have sworn that little girl didn’t like me. On her visits, we used to have the utmost girl time. I would take her to get a manicure and pedicure, a facial and on a miniature toy shopping spree. Then she would go to her room and play with her new toys until her daddy got home. But for the past few months, all she's been doing was shooting me an sharp evil eye.

  It had even pained me to have to move my office to the living room to give her a room of her own in our condo. But it was only to show Carter that I supported him and accepted her. Now all she does is go in that room refusing to come out until it is time to go. If I go to check on her, the door is always closed and locked. When she finally goes back home, I investigate the room hoping to find something strange or unusual but come up empty. That little girl was beyond creepy though.

  Chapter 2

  Dinner As Usual

  Like clockwork and always on time, Carter’s father Key rang the doorbell at approximately 7:30pm. It was like he arrived a few minutes early every time just to stand at the door and ring the bell at the stroke of the second the time turned. Having had these family dinners since Carter’s mom passed three years ago, the front desk downstairs in my building knew exactly who he was and was given permission to let him up as freely as he needed. Besides, he was family or at least he would be once Carter and I finally tied the knot. The disgust fermenting inside of me from the thought of his procrastination sent my eyes rotating. Ugh.

  “Good evening, young lady,” Key stepped through the door examining the living room before giving me a hug. “My son is missing in action yet again I see.”

  “Yes, Key, but he should be arriving back any moment now. He just went to drop Nina off back at home.” My teeth gritted slightly as the words flew from my lips and I shut the door.

  “Yes…I’m sure he will be here shortly.” The tone in his voice let me know that he was just as disappointed as I was. “You know, I don’t understand why he just doesn’t do it earlier so he can be here on time. But that’s my son for you.”

  We both chuckled as we made our way to the living room. My condo was a two-bedroom two-bath dream even if it wasn’t as big as most come. Key told me that he liked my color scheme of black, red, and white because those were mainly his favorite colors. I was no interior decorator, but I had a keen sense of putting things together and making them work. My red microfiber suede sofa and loveseat complimented the steel and glass coffee and end tables very well.

  I could watch my 50 inch screen Vizio TV above my fireplace from my patio as plain as day and if I wasn’t on the fifteenth floor I’m sure everyone outside would be able to as well. I loved black panthers and had them adorned not only as artwork on my walls but also on the rugs as well. We weren’t living the lifestyle of the rich and infamous but Carter and I both worked hard and did pretty well. I made a ton more money than he did but he contributed to the house just the same.

  “I’ve always loved coming here. In fact, I look forward to it every week. Your home is very cozying, comfortable, and full of life. You’ve really put this place together, woman. Perhaps one day when you’re not busy you can come to my house some time and hook me up with something new.” Key pulled the top of his slacks slightly before taking a seat on the sofa, widening his legs as he lowered into the cushions.

  “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that. Red wine?” I offered him.

  “Don’t mind if I do. Thank you.”

  “I wouldn’t mind doing that for you, Key. But, are you sure you’re ready to change everything that your wife did?” I was hoping to keep my inflection sincere so as not to offend him in any way.

  “Oh yeah. It’s been three years. She would have wanted me to move on by now. Hell, I haven’t so much as had a female dog in that house in all this time let alone another woman. But I think…I think it’s time. You know?” He sipped his wine focusing his contemplation on the floor.

  “I’m sorry, I just had to ask because I know how hard you took her passing with the cancer and all.” I took a seat next to him and placed my hand on his. “And I remember that you said she put most of the work into your big beautiful house.”

  “Yes, well we would’ve been married for twenty two years this coming December. You know we got married when Carter was just three years old. He was our little ring bearer. But now she’s gone. Nothing will ever bring her back unfortunately but at least I have what’s left of her in my son to remember her by. Even if he doesn’t care that much about me.” Despair read on his face. “Her life insurance has been more than enough for me to live off of and then I’m about to open the club soon, so eventually I’ll be too busy to even notice his blatant dismissal of my presence.”

  “Oh my gosh, I almost forgot about that. Congrats on the club, Key. I can’t wait for the grand opening. And no, I’m sure he loves you very, very much. It’s just that he has a bad way of showing it...” I wasn’t so sure I was telling him the truth after the way Carter had been acting lately. I side eyed my glass before taking another sip. “To everyone.”
/>   “And what about you? Are you sure he loves you too?” He asked turning to me as if he read right through my façade.

  “Yeah…yeah. I mean yes. He loves me. I’m just ready to set the date, you know, for our wedding and he’s been kind of putting it off. Acting like we have so much time to do all of that. I just want to be married already.” The nervous laughter erupted from my mouth even when I tried to hold it in.

  “Hmm. My son has never cared much about nothing more than what he focuses his mind on. Remember that doll face.” Key downed the last little bit of his wine before signaling for another round.

  I snatched his glass quickly and jumped up to fix him another one. At the open island counter, I couldn’t help but to stare at him noticing how much he and Carter looked so much alike. Key was nothing but an older version of his son, wearing his age well. He was tall, brown skinned with a thin goatee that he shaped very nicely. His hair was cut low and there was very little gray showing. He dressed as if he was dressing for success everyday in slacks, a casual shirt, and jacket. His shoes were always casual leather. He had broad shoulders as if he worked out on a regular basis and was an overall well put together forty five year old man.

  Carter and I were the same age. He, on the other hand, was tall brown skinned with only a mustache. He decided to keep his beard cut every week because he hated the itching it caused while growing in. He was very thin with very little muscle but he was majorly strong, probably from all his work as a fire fighter. The man had a mouthpiece for days though. In the bed and out of it. Key always told me that his son had the gift of gab and could talk the First Lady of the United States right up out of her panties if he wanted to. That was for damn sure. The man had me hypnotized so bad that I couldn’t see past his bullshit for some reason. I was so deeply in love with him and love will have a chick doing some crazy shit. But the more I stared at Key, the more I thought about how right he was about everything he had said about his son.