Deadly Love Read online

  IN TOO DEEP 2

  DEADLY LOVE

  A Novel By,

  YVONNE BENNETT

  www.afterhourspublications.com

  All rights reserved.

  Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage without express permission by the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Contains explicit language & adult themes suitable for ages 17+

  TAKE A PEEK BETWEEN OUR PAGES

  WWW. AfterHoursPublications.Com

  CHAPTER ONE

  Cool, salty night air floated through Bobbie's open bungalow window, causing her to tighten her blanket subconsciously in her sleep. Nestling into her pillow, she drifted deeper into sleep. Soft gibberish echoed from down the hall, and her ears jumped, yet she didn't get up. Minutes passed, the gibberish growing stronger and clearer.

  "Ma, Ma, Ma, Ma." Bobbie's eyes popped open, a frustrated sigh leaving her lips.

  She threw the blanket from over her and sat up, stepping into her bedroom shoes. Standing, she made her way out her open bedroom door and down the hall to the room at the end. She hit the switch, making light flood the room, instantly silencing her chatty infant. Bobbie giggled as her son covered his eyes quickly, causing him to fall on his butt. Walking over to his crib, she lifted him up and placed him on her hip.

  "What is it, Emilio? Are you hunger? Wet?" Bobbie asked, a huge yawn falling from her mouth.

  Emilio opened his eyes and began babbling, pointing at his doorway. Bobbie took the cue and made her way out of Emilio's room and through the living area towards the kitchen. Cutting the kitchen light on, Bobbie stepped over to the fridge and took out one of the premade bottles she prepared earlier tonight, removing the cap. Handing it to Emilio, she watched him suckle rapidly, then she shut the fridge. As she left the kitchen, she shut the light off and then ventured toward Emilio's room and did the same. Strolling into her semi-dark room, Bobbie sat Emilio in her bed and peeked at the digital alarm clock on her nightstand.

  1:45 am, it read.

  There was no chance in hell Emilio was going back to bed right now. Snatching her remote off the stand, Bobbie pressed the power button. Light brightened the room as her Netflix home screen popped up. She went to her son's favorite show, Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug And Cat Noir, and hit 'play'. Rounding the bed, she sat down on the edge and pulled out a diaper from the container under her nightstand. Leaning over, she felt around the bottom of Emilio's light blue jumpsuit, feeling for any wetness. He was a little wet but not to the point he had to be changed.

  Just to be on the safe side, Bobbie changed him anyway. She smiled softly as she secured the tabs on either side of his diaper, watching as he focused intently on his show. He was so adorable with his thick, jet black curls and deep pecan colored skin. And his eyes...the same haunting green eyes as… Bobbie shook the thought away and zipped up Emilio's jumpsuit, then placed him back against her pillows. She sat back in bed and pulled her blanket over her legs as she cuddled into her son. After about five episodes, Emilio was fast asleep, his bottle resting against his chest, held tight by his little hand. Bobbie slid the bottle from his hand and sat it on her stand before standing and making her way toward her bathroom.

  Without turning on the light, she used the restroom, wiping then flushing. Stepping over to the sink, she washed her hands and sniffled a little. She looked up at the mirror quickly then back down at her hands. She did a double-take at her reflection and gazed at the person staring back at her. She was still Bobbie Smith but, at the same time, she wasn't 'Bobbie Smith'. She was now Elaine Stone, 28 yr old party planner and waitress for Larry's Crab&Steak Hut in Marathon Key, FL, and mother to one yr old 'Austin Stone', who was actually Emilio Roberto Smith. With these new identities came a new ID, Two new birth certificates, and $50,000. When Ana Maria first agreed to help Bobbie escape, Bobbie was flabbergasted and confused at the amount Ana was offering to send her away but didn't question it.

  She was just happy Ana granted her and her child freedom instead of offing them. When Bobbie thought back to a year and three months ago, she couldn't believe she was...here...free. When Ana asked her where she'd like to go, Bobbie didn't hesitate to say Florida. It was home, and the only place she knew. Some might call it stupid, but Bobbie called it smart. There was no chance in hell he would come looking for her in the same place twice. And seeing as it had been over a year, she may have been right. Even though it had been months, Bobbie still kept her guard up.

  Continuously.

  She knew if she grew too content in her comfort, He could swoop in on her and Emilio at any time. When she first arrived in Florida, it was via Key West. Bobbie spent a month in a local hotel, reluctant to use her new identity to find shelter. Ana had used Bobbie's new identify to schedule her flight, yet once Bobbie touched down on Florida soil, she had no idea what to do. Partly because the man she unfortunately once called 'husband' had basically held her hostage the majority of their marriage, to the point Bobbie was afraid of being by herself. It was almost like she was a newborn baby all over again. When she went to buy a cellphone, she barely could conduct the transaction with the cashier because everything seemed so... Foreign.

  Not to mention the overwhelming fear of Agostino finding her. It took her two weeks to get the hang of her phone, which puzzled her because it was the same model she had before she was kidnapped. Once she familiarized herself with the phone, she began looking up homeless shelter information. She found a few, but they were closer to the mainland, which meant she had to travel. She packed up all her belongings in the hotel room once she was accepted by the first shelter, and booked it to Marathon. They housed her for three months and then used a standard social worker and housing program that partnered with local renters to help homeless women with children find somewhere to live, to place her and Emilio. And coincidentally, by her third month in the program, Emilio was born a week early. Bobbie not only had help transferring from the shelter to actual residential housing, but also, she had a team of social workers and other women helping her through being a first-time mom.

  Even though Bobbie didn't really need the enormous amount of baby items that she received from the women in the program, thanks to Ana, it was still very much welcomed. It made her feel...normal. As if... everything she had gone through prior was just a figment of her imagination. But... Every time she looked into her newborn's eyes, she saw him, and it made her heartbreak while at the same time beat erratically. She still feared him, that...that was something that would never change. But, there was something else. Something Bobbie had pondered on since she got on that plane back in Columbia. And once she realized what it was, she thought herself silly and a bit mad. But she knew… she knew it the first night she slept alone in Key West. She knew it the day she gave birth to Emilio and saw him. She knew it whenever she thought of his touch. But the rational side of her mind just didn't want it to be true.

  She couldn't…

  She just possibly couldn't be in…

  "Mmm." Bobbie was pulled out of her thoughts as Emilio hummed and smacked his lips in his sleep.

  She smiled at his little form and shut the water off before walking out of the bathroom and crawling into bed next to her son.

  ********

  "Hey, Lainy, could you take table 6 for me, please?" Bobbie looked up from the bright red table she was wiping down and over at her coworke
r and the owner's daughter, Marsha.

  "Yea, give me a sec." Bobbie nodded before turning back to the table.

  She finished cleaning it off, then went and placed her sanitizing bucket under the grill behind the counter. She quickly washed her hands, then grabbed her notepad and pen and rounded the counter, making her way over to table six. Bobbie smiled as she grew closer to the table, seeing an elderly black couple seated. There weren't many black people down in the keys, so whenever a few came into Larry's, Bobbie always treated them extra special. She had probably ran into about 15-20 black people since being here, and the majority were usually on vacation. The ones that do live in the keys were usually from the keys more inland.

  "Good afternoon and welcome to Larry's, my name is Elaine. What drinks can I start you off with?" Bobbie greeted, catching the couple's attention.

  "Ah, yes, can I get a tea and lemonade mix with two lemon wedges?" The woman of the duo spoke first.

  Bobbie quickly wrote it down.

  "Would you like the lemons in your glass or one the side?" Bobbie raised a brow as her pen stalled.

  "On the side would be fine." The woman nodded, her silky grey curls bouncing lightly.

  "And for you, sir?" Bobbie peered at the handsome older gentleman.

  He reminded her of Richard Lawson, Tina Knowles-Lawson's husband, but a little lighter.

  "Just water, ma'am." The man grunted.

  Bobbie wrote his drink order down then peeked at their open menus. "Are you two also ready to order or would you like a few more minutes?" She beamed as she asked.

  "Are you ready to order, Frank?" The woman asked softly.

  "Are you? If you need a few minutes, I can wait to order with you." Her husband replied.

  And just like that, Bobbie's excitement diminished. Even though it was such a minuscule gesture, it was still sweet and thoughtful and showed Frank was patient with his wife, something Bobbie never experienced with him. Licking her lips and inhaling deeply, Bobbie composed herself and focused on her patrons.

  "No, baby, I'm ready to order now." The woman nodded and turned to Bobbie and began listing off her order.

  Once she finished, it was her husband's turn. After jotting everything down, Bobbie made her way behind the counter and slid her order sheet into the order rack. Pivoting around, she began preparing the couple's drinks, enjoying the smell of beef and seafood in the wind from the open side deck that blew into the main area. She wondered what Emilio was doing right about now at Daycare? Looking over at the clock, she saw it was 11:15am. He was probably being fed, in preparation for a nap. A light smile lit her face at the thought as she continued her task. Grabbing a tray for the drinks, she turned and made her way back to the table.

  The couple thanked her, then began enjoying their drinks. Bobbie ventured back to counter, her eyes planted on the couple. The man grabbed his wife's hand and began stroking it, the two engaging in light chit chat. She wished for that. To have someone just to talk to… Of course, she had Emilio, and she was thankful, but he was a baby. He couldn't talk to her about the day to day goings on or about her favorite shows and activities. She had a few co-workers, like Marsha, that she hung out with from time to time, but that was different.

  She wanted someone she could be open with, whether it was seriously or playfully. Intimately or mundane. She just wanted...someone. She thought she had that someone in Freddie, but that turned out to be a lie. It had taken a while, a LONG, HARD WHILE to get over and come to terms with the fact that Freddie was the cause of all of this. He had offered her up like steak to a wild dog, not thinking of her feelings or the totality of the situation. Did Freddie actually think that man was going to treat her like a fucking regular house guest when he decided to offer her as collateral?

  Did that fool not realize his own damn life was on the line, aside from hers? Freddie played..., and he paid for it. Bobbie hated to admit it, but...she was glad he was gone. After everything Freddie and that monster put her through, death was just too good. She suffered daily beatings, being violated multiple times, a one-sided marriage, and an unexpected child while Freddie got to rest! How fucking rich was that!? Every time she thought about what she went through over a damn robbery she had no part of, she grew furious because it showed Freddie saw no humanity in her, the woman he claimed to love.

  Her life was akin to a few thousand dollars and ounces of Coke to him.

  That was some depressing ass shit.

  "Lainy!" She was broken out of her thoughts by Marsha.

  "I got a guy on the phone that wants to rent out the side deck for his daughter's birthday next week." Marsha relayed, motioning to the phone in her outstretched hand.

  Bobbie walked over and took the phone, pressing it to her ear. "Good morning, Larry's Crab&Steak hut, B-Elaine Stone speaking." She greeted.

  "Good morning, Ms. Stone. My name is David Gomez, and I'm thinking of renting out the side deck for my daughter's birthday when we come down to visit next week, and I'm looking to spare no expense for my hija." The man on the other end, relayed in a thick Spanish accent.

  "Well, that's perfect, and happy early birthday to your daughter, Mr. Gomez. How many people do you think will be attending? And would you like for us to email you a selection of our party themes and platters to help with deciding on your party menu and vibe? That is, if you do select us?" Bobbie pulled her note pad out.

  "No, Ms. Stone, I've been to your restaurant many times while traveling to Key West to conduct business, I'm very familiar with your menu. But I am very curious on your party themes." Mr. Gomez said in thought.

  Bobbie began listing their three most popular themes for kids when the man stopped her.

  "I'm sorry I didn't clarify, Ms. Stone. My daughter is actually turning 18, so I'm sure she'd prefer a much more mature theme." The man chuckled humorously.

  "Oh, we have a bit more themes for our adult parties than we do for our children's parties and it'd take a while to describe them all, but our two most popular adult themes are; 'Seashells At Night', where the entire deck is decorated in string lights, native Floridian seashells, and mini lighthouses; and our 'Dolphins At Midnight' theme, where you're placed on the opposite side open deck, giving you a great view of the active dolphins near the bay and docks. You're also able to feed them with the provided chow bucks we offer on the deck. Again I can always send an email with all of our themes and food selections, that is, if you'd like?" Bobbie explained.

  "I do believe that would be less worrisome for you, huh?" Mr. Gomez replied lightheartedly, and Bobbie smiled.

  He gave her his email and phone info, and she sent him everything. Bobbie also told him he could plan a party online and just call in if he had any specific requests. She hung up and handed the phone back to Marsha.

  "How's Milio doing?" Marsha asked as she took the phone.

  Bobbie rolled her eyes, causing the blonde to laugh.

  "Still not sleeping through the night by himself yet?" Marsha lifted a brow.

  "Nope! That kid just has to be in bed with me to stay asleep. I don't mind it though, it's just the fact that he'll rise like a Phoenix from the ashes if he even thinks I'm trying to get out of bed. And if I do, I have to take him with me. I couldn't even do my hair on Sunday without him waking up and coming to sit by the door." Bobbie rolled her eyes playfully as she laughed softly while running her hand through her pixie cut.

  Along with a new identity, she had opted for a new appearance, as well. Gone was her long, thick curly hair, and in its place was a sleek, silky pixie cut. Bobbie had also lost weight as well, although it wasn't intentional. Once she gave birth to Emilio and phased out of the shelter, she was scared shitless that he'd pop up and dragged her and the baby back to Columbia. She spent months neglecting to eat because she was too busy looking over her shoulder.

  "He'll grow out of it soon, Lainy. He just likes being under his momma bear." Marsha teased.

  "And his momma bear would like to get under someone as well, preferably a
man. With a long tongue." Bobbie mumbled, causing Marsha to cackle.

  "I tried to help you with that by hooking you up with my cousin, but as I recall, you don't like the tall, dark, and handsome type, even if they do have long tongues." Bobbie rolled her eyes at Marsha's comment.

  If Marsha only knew how dangerous Tall, dark, and handsome could be regardless of the tongue…

  CHAPTER TWO

  A light smile lit Bobbie's face as her bike glided down the narrow streets of Marathon, the salty wind blowing haphazardly through her short hair. She rolled her shoulders, trying to loosen the tension and pain in her tired back from working and the food-filled back up she was lugging about. She turned down the street, passing two bungalows before stopping in front of a peach-colored one with various toys littered throughout the front yard. Bobbie swung her leg off the bike and guided it into the overcrowded yard, before nudging the kickstand down. She jogged up to the door and knocked. Rustling was heard, then the sound of the lock being undone. The door swung open, and an elder brunette stood in the doorway.