Duke's Jazz

Chapter 5

Jasmine

I all know is seeing Duke with Avery raised fear, happiness, and sadness. I wanted to cry, but I kept myself calm considering that the last thing I needed was to cry. I had been so damn long since I had seen him outside of his son’s features. He was also a lot bigger than I remember, considering he has been a muscle since high school, but now this man was huge and stacked. So I composed myself as I walked over to the yard to join Duke and Avery, praying to god Duke was too dense to notice Avery was his.

I was surprised when Duke stood up and then leaned down to pick me up and gave me a hug that made me wrap my legs around his waist. It was a hug that stated he wasn’t going to let go of me. I can tell the boy I knew had changed into a man. Considering under my hands, I could feel his corded muscles of his back and his abs were hard against my stomach. Pulling away, I looked into the same face I look at every day. When I look at Avery, the only difference is Duke's eyes are green and they had pain behind them. Wrapping my arms around him again, I whisper “I am happy to see you Duke.” He sighs and whispers back “me too” Reluctantly, he puts me down in front of him.

“Mom, you know Duke?” Avery asks now standing next to me and Duke with surprise on his face.

“Yes, Duke is my best friend.” And your father. I smiled, looking at Avery. “Now where is Grandma Millie?”

***

Eva

“So is he going to give you the money or not?” Mark looked at me mad as all hell.

“I don’t know. If I think I am starting to wear him down, if not, I will find another way to get the money, Mark.” I was hoping he would believe the first part, considering I knew Duke wouldn’t cough up the money. Granted, I hated Duke for what he did to me. He took me, the princess of my family, to a military base and left me for months at a time to take his s**t. I couldn’t get my nails done, or my hair. I was stuck and he didn’t give a f**k. When he was home, I always found him in his office looking at a picture of Jasmine, his b***** of a best friend. She was known as the orphan and charity case of the Black-Storm family. All the girls, including myself, hated her because she hung out with the hottest guy in school and all his hot younger brothers.

“Eva, did you f*****g hear me b*****?” Crap, he was pissed.

“Sorry, Baby what?” Adding baby was his weak point, granted I knew he was pissed. I also knew he wouldn’t hurt me. Considering he was working with the police to snag a drug lord, money was tight and we needed to get the f**k out of dodge, before the drug lords' gang came after us.

“Figure out how to get the money from him baby and fast or we’re both dead.” I shook my head at him, letting him know I would figure it out. I knew if I told Duke the truth he would probably give me the money, but I had too much pride to tell him and I hated him. So, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing I was below him and I don’t want his pity. So I was going to have to find a way to hurt him enough to give me the money.