Diamond (The Heirs Series Book 2) Read online

  “You sound like your Aunt Lotus when she was waiting on Kent.”

  Xavier paid for his items and headed out to his truck.

  “Diamond is a Black…which means that she’s going to be more than a handful.” Xavier told his grandmother.

  “You can handle her.”

  “I believe I’m the only one who can.”

  Lavender sighed. “How do you think the rest of the family is going to deal with it?”

  Xavier opened his door and placed the bags inside.

  “Honestly, Grandma Lavender…I don’t care. I’ve waited years for Diamond to return, just like I knew she would, and no one is going to stop me from having her.” Xavier affirmed.

  “Except her,” Lavender pointed out.

  He closed the door. “Not even her…because I know that she wants me, too.”

  “Did she just return?”

  “Yesterday,”

  “And you know already that she wants you?”

  Xavier climbed behind the wheel and smiled. “Yes.”

  “You sound very sure,”

  “I am.”

  Lavender smiled. “I know not to doubt my grandson. There’s nothing you’ve wanted and didn’t succeed in obtaining it. From graduating top of your class from Harvard, becoming one of the top agents at the CIA, to building your home…if you want it, you make it happen.”

  He drove toward his house. “Diamond isn’t going to end my streak…”

  “Are you reading her thoughts?” Lavender questioned.

  “I don’t have to,” Xavier answered. “Diamond’s feelings are clear…to me.”

  “Hopefully, it won’t take them too long, to be clear to her, as well.” Lavender told him.

  Xavier smiled. “Thank you Grandma. How’s Michigan?”

  Lavender had moved to Michigan when she married her second husband, Lloyd Sable.

  “Wonderful, but I can’t wait to be back in LA for my grandson’s wedding.”

  He laughed softly. “Give me a minute. This is Diamond Black we’re talking about. Her father had to ask her mother like a hundred times, before she agreed.”

  Lavender chuckled. “But you’re Xavier Jackson…he can do anything.”

  Xavier agreed. “That’s true.”

  He ended the call with his grandmother, and arrived home a short while later. Checking his watch, he saw that he had enough time to shower and change, before Diamond arrived. Putting his items away, Xavier headed upstairs to prepare.

  ******

  Diamond’s car pulled up to the gate of the sprawling estate and she stared out of the window. Curiously, she looked around the well-manicured lawn and adjoining land. She’d known that Xavier had built a home last year, but she’d never visited his place.

  As the car drove up the winding driveway, to the home, she continued to take in the scenery.

  “Well damn, Xavier…” she whispered.

  He was waiting in the driveway as the car came to a stop. Opening her door, Xavier held out a hand to help Diamond exit the vehicle. Standing to her feet, she scanned the area.

  “Hello, Diamond.”

  “This is all yours?”

  He smiled. “Yes, it is.”

  “Wow…”

  “The house you grew up in, is this size,” he pointed out.

  Diamond looked up at the house. “Yes, but you’re like twenty-four. Who else lives here with you?”

  “No one.”

  She looked at him. “Then why do you have an estate this large?”

  “It was on the list.” Xavier turned to the driver. “I’ll make sure she gets back.”

  The man nodded and took off, then Xavier put a hand on her back. “Come inside.”

  As he led her to the door, Diamond inquired, “You still have that list?”

  “Yes, it’s almost completed.”

  Inside the home, Diamond stopped and looked around the professionally designed foyer with a beautiful painting on the wall. Xavier kicked off his shoes, then Diamond did the same before walking over to the artwork.

  “Aunt Lily painted this?” she asked, with a smile.

  He nodded. “Yes, and I have a few more of her pieces throughout the house.”

  “It’s beautiful…” Diamond told him.

  “I’ll tell her you said that.” Xavier led her into the Great Room where he had appetizers set up on a small tray.

  Diamond looked around the room with large windows that looked out over the grounds.

  “This is really nice, Xavier. I wasn’t expecting anything so…spectacular.” She turned to him. “I thought you’d have like a very nice bachelor pad or something.”

  He watched her. “I like having my own space to come home to…” Xavier explained. “And my intelligence work requires that I maintain a certain level of anonymity.”

  “Do you like working for the CIA?” Diamond asked.

  “Yes, I like working on complex issues…” He stared down at her. “As you can see…”

  Diamond laughed. “You picked a doozy.”

  He shook his head. “No, she picked me.”

  They stared at one another until he asked, “Do I get a proper welcome?”

  Quietly, Diamond stepped into his arms, and he enfolded her gently. “Hello, Xavier…”

  “Welcome to my home.” He told her, then released her slowly. “I have dinner for you.”

  Her brown eyes held his. “Thank you.”

  Xavier smiled. “Would you like a glass of wine?”

  “Yes, I think I’m going to need a few…” she answered.

  He led her to a sofa. “Have a seat, and I’ll be right back.”

  Diamond sat and placed her bag next to her, then watched him leave the room. In jeans and a casual shirt, Xavier was already raising her temperature. She glanced down to the tray in front of her and saw a bowl of dried apricots.

  “Damn you, Xavier Jackson…” Diamond sighed and reached for a few.

  Xavier returned with two glasses and handed one to her, before sitting on the couch opposite her.

  Diamond took a sip of the liquid and let it slide down her throat.

  “You have good taste in wine.”

  Xavier took a sip from his own glass. “My father once went undercover as a sommelier. That’s how my mother met Benjamin Rucker.”

  “That had to be a shock.”

  He chuckled. “She fell in love with him.”

  “Uncle Sean or Benjamin Rucker?”

  Xavier stared at her. “Both.”

  Diamond sat back and held his gaze. “A sommelier, I can understand. A rapper…not so much.”

  “The young men that are missing were all trying to break into the rap game, so Uncle Ray decided that if I appeared to be associated with that life, it would put me in a better position to make contacts with the people who may be involved,” Xavier explained.

  Diamond nodded and sipped her wine. “That makes sense…”

  He frowned. “You thought I just wanted to take my shirt off and regurgitate misogynistic shit about black women, for kicks and giggles?”

  Xavier looked down into his glass. “I argued with Uncle Ray about this…but when he explained it to me, the way I just explained it to you…it did make sense.”

  She looked surprised. “You didn’t want to do this?”

  “I have a mother, a sister, Aunts, female cousins, grandmothers…and a woman I love. I don’t think women are bitches and hoes, or instruments for me just to take my pleasure from,” Xavier told her. “And I don’t like perpetuating that…but I also don’t like black men being targeted and murdered.”

  Diamond sat up. “I hadn’t thought about this from your perspective.”

  He looked at her. “What did you think?”

  She shrugged. “That you wanted to stroke your ego and prove that you’re a very handsome and sexy man.”

  Xavier lifted his glass to his lips. “I already know that.”

  She watched as he took a slow sip. He lowered the glass an
d their eyes held for a long moment.

  “What are you going to do when you catch the killers?” Diamond asked.

  “Return the favor,”

  Nodding, she looked down into her own glass. “We need a code word for danger…” Diamond told him.

  “Ebony.”

  Her eyes met his. “You want to use my middle name?”

  “Easy for both of us to remember,” he pointed out.

  “How dangerous do you think this is going to be?” she questioned.

  Xavier sighed. “We’re dealing with kidnappers and murderers, so don’t let your guard down with anybody.”

  “I’m supposed to be protecting you, remember?”

  He shook his head. “We’re protecting each other, Goddess.”

  “I take my assignments seriously,” Diamond said firmly.

  “So do I, and with you, Lilac, Skye and Jade involved…I’m even more serious.” Xavier affirmed.

  Diamond sat back again and sipped her drink while Xavier did the same. Their gazes held until they both finished their glasses.

  “Okay, I guess we should address the elephant in the room…” Diamond said softly.

  “And that would be?”

  She cleared her throat and sat her empty glass on the tray. “This attraction…”

  “Mutual attraction?”

  “I think you know that already.”

  Xavier sat his glass next to hers. “Are you admitting it?”

  “Dammit, Xavier, I asked you to kiss me.”

  “You said that you didn’t recall.”

  Diamond smiled. “Well, I do now…”

  He nodded and waited for her to continue.

  “You’ve had time to come to terms with the possibility of us acting on this attraction,” Diamond began.

  Xavier remained silent.

  “I can admit that ever since you kissed me those years ago, something changed between us.” She said quietly. “Something that I’d hoped would disappear, just like it had appeared out of the blue.”

  She looked at him. “I don’t want to take tension into this mission or confusion. People’s lives are at stake.”

  “I agree.” Xavier said slowly.

  “So I’m asking you, can we table this for now?” Diamond asked, leaning forward. “And focus on our work?”

  “I’ve told you that I’m not pursuing you, Diamond. You’ll have to come and get me…”

  She frowned. “I’ll leave your ass right where you are.”

  “Then we know where we stand.”

  “You started all of this Xavier!” She jumped to her feet. “I was content being cousins!”

  He sat back. “I’m not your cousin.”

  Diamond turned to him. “You really think that I’m going to chase after you?”

  “I think I’ve mentioned that more than once.”

  “I’m not these damn women on social media,” Diamond snapped. “I’m not fantasizing about what you can do to me or vice versa!”

  “May I confirm that?”

  Diamond blinked. “What?”

  “Do I have your permission to find out what you’re thinking about me?”

  “Hell no!”

  Xavier stood to his feet. “Dinner’s ready.”

  She stood rooted to the spot with her brown eyes flashing, then Xavier walked over to her.

  “It’ll be worth it, Diamond.”

  “It’s not going to happen, Xavier.”

  He tilted her chin to lift her face. “Okay…let’s eat.”

  Diamond stared up at him. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I can wait until Diamond Black falls in love with me, the way I’ve always been in love with her,” he said softly.

  She closed her eyes. “Xavier…”

  He took her into his arms. “Do you trust me, Diamond?”

  “Of course,” she breathed. “You’ve never let me down.”

  “And I never will, Goddess…”

  Diamond wrapped her arms around him. “I’m not going to chase you.”

  “I know you believe that right now.”

  “I’m Diamond Black.” She told him as if that meant something…

  Xavier lowered his mouth to her ear. “And I’m Xavier Jackson…”

  She pulled back. “You think you’re a match for me?”

  His glance moved to her mouth, then back to her eyes. “Yes.”

  “Then let the games begin,” she whispered.

  “I’m a Master of all things,” he warned.

  Diamond smiled. “You haven’t come up against me.”

  Her smile made his heart jump and he pulled her close. “Do I have your permission?” he whispered, staring at her lips.

  “I thought I had to chase you,”

  “I have to let you know what you’re chasing…”

  Diamond felt his firm body pressed against hers and lowered her long lashes.

  “Let me sample the goods…” she told him, softly.

  “Beautiful goddess, I don’t want to be sampled by you,” Xavier whispered. “I’ve waited to be consumed by you…” He held her tightly. “I want to see my love for you, reflected in your beautiful eyes and hear my name whispered from your sweet lips. I want our hearts to beat in tandem when we’re wrapped in each other’s arms…and time to pass, without us noticing, because all that matters is being together in this moment.”

  Diamond stared at him, then whispered, “Damn…kiss me.”

  “Yesterday, you told me not to…”

  She reached up and pulled his head down to hers. When their lips touched, Diamond felt the same electricity she’d felt from the beginning. He deepened the kiss, sliding his warm tongue inside of her mouth and she willingly participated in the foray.

  Xavier caressed her gently as their mouths connected, pleasuring them both. Diamond linked her arms around his neck, keeping him in place until she’d had her fill…which wasn’t necessary, because Xavier wasn’t letting her go until he’d done the same.

  Finally, she pulled away and their eyes held.

  “I have to get to know this Xavier Jackson,” Diamond whispered.

  “If you hadn’t been avoiding me whenever you visited, you would know him.” Xavier told her.

  She smiled. “I’m not going anywhere now…in fact, we’re about to spend the next month together.”

  He touched her cheek. “We’re going to spend more than that together, Diamond.”

  “We haven’t really connected in years Xavier,” she pointed out. “I may not be who you were waiting for…”

  “Are you Diamond Black?” he asked and she nodded slowly. “Then you’re the one I’ve waited for…”

  “Am I on your list?” Diamond inquired.

  “Goddess, you are the list.”

  Diamond lowered her head onto his solid chest. “We should eat now.”

  Xavier rubbed a big hand down her spine slowly. “Okay.”

  He led her into his kitchen and Diamond spotted a picture on the wall. Amazed, she walked over to where it hung. After studying the black and white framed print of an empty playground, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning to where Xavier was gathering plates.

  “You got this from my Momma’s gallery…”

  Xavier paused and looked over at her. “Yes, I did.”

  “Why this one?” Diamond asked, already knowing the answer.

  He walked over to her and they both looked at the picture. “You know why, Diamond.”

  “My Momma took this when all the Diamonds visited Senegal, for Six’s introduction to the village,” she whispered. “This is the playground where we all played together with the village children, and you etched my name in the soil.”

  She pointed to the picture. “You can still see some of the letters, before Justice smeared the rest.”

  Xavier stood behind her, staring at the photo. “I wanted to kick his ass that day.”

  Diamond smiled. “It’s framed beautifully.”

&n
bsp; “Your mother’s gallery does good work.”

  She turned to him. “I can’t believe you put this in your house.”

  “It reminds me of you, every time I walk in here.”

  “Your home is beautiful,” Diamond complimented.

  He looked down at her. “I’m still adding things…”

  Diamond stood watching him, as he went about the task of preparing their meals. Her eyes went to the bouquet that sat in a crystal vase on the table. He’d also remembered that she loved colorful flowers.

  She glanced back at the picture on the wall, seeing the first few letters of her name that he’d written with a finger.

  “Damn, I just might have to chase this man…”

  Chapter 5

  Diamond sat across the table from the man who was masterfully weaving his spell on her. As always, she found Xavier’s cool exterior comforting in contrast to her own lively personality. Diamond remembered being amazed by the mature young man when he was a teenager. Now she was being amazed in another way.

  “I missed you,” Xavier told her, bringing her out of her musings.

  She looked at him. “I missed you, too. I’m sorry for avoiding spending time with you on my visits home.”

  Xavier shrugged. “I understood.”

  “I didn’t.” Diamond confessed. “I just knew that you’d done something to me.”

  He smiled. “I didn’t do anything to you.”

  “You kissed me,”

  “You gave me your permission,” he reminded her.

  Diamond shook her head. “You tricked me. I thought you were going to read my mind, not take it over.”

  Xavier laughed softly. “If I’d have taken over your mind Diamond, we’d be much further along than we are now.”

  “You do realize the uproar that something like this is going to cause?” she asked.

  “Like the uproar of your grandfather having an affair with my grandmother, and producing twins that they hid for years?” Xavier questioned.

  Diamond nodded. “Yeah, that one is hard to beat.”

  He reached across the table to take her hand. “Listen, we’re not doing anything wrong. Our mothers’ were college roommates and best friends, while our fathers’ grew up together from childhood. The only blood we share is through the twins that our grandparents made together, Uncle Trent and Aunt Chloe.”

  She listened as he explained.

  “We shared a love growing up in the Diamond family, but my heart belongs to Diamond Black and always has. So, anybody who wants to take me on about this, should be very prepared. I don’t care who it is…” Xavier vowed.