Chapter 24

Tapiwa drew in a lungful of air as she broke the surface of the cool water and held on to the edge.

A wide smile played on her lips. This was exactly what she had needed after the recent stress she had been forced to endure. A day out by the pool with her friend.

The weather was perfect. It was just warm enough to make the cold water comfortable, but not so hot that Tapiwa thought she would burn.

Kicking her legs lightly to stay above the water, she looked around the large public pool. It wasn't the cleanest or fanciest of places but Tapiwa liked it.

She and Nicole had been going to the old Richard's place, as they called it, for as long as she could remember.

The place had once been a residential house to an old white man, Mr. Richard, hence the name. When he died, the house sold, and the new owners turned it into a motel of sorts.

No one ever went there to book a room for the night. It was more of an hour-by-hour booking for a quick tumble in the sheets. The perfect place for anyone having an affair or just scratching an itch with a paid hookup.

Ideally, it wasn't the best of places for two decent young ladies to be found but Tapiwa and Nicole knew the manager from church and they were always allowed to come over and use the pool which was often unoccupied but clean.

Splashing behind her warned Tapiwa that Nicole had finally reached the deep end. She turned in time to see her friend reach out for the side of the pull and wipe the water off her face.

"You are getting slow," Tapiwa teased and splashed her friend.

"Hey!" Nicole exclaimed before she returned the favor and then dipped back under the water and grabbed Tapiwa, pulling her down.

Moments later, they both resurfaced, laughing and wiping water out of their eyes.

Nicole then pulled herself out of the water, turned in the air, and sat on the edge. She reached for her towel, which she had felt folded on her slippers near the edge, and wiped at her face.

"Are you feeling any better?" Nicole asked after a long minute.

Tapiwa smiled up at her friend. "Much. The water always relaxes me."

Nicole nodded, returning her smile. "I know. That's why I always tell you Make lots of money and build yourself a big fancy house with a huge pool. Actually, forget the big house. Just build a small cottage but have a big pool. You will be happy."

Tapiwa laughed. "Is that what you will do? Looks like you are already practicing the arrangement with that tiny room you live in."

Mock glaring, Nicole slapped Tapiwa's folded arms on the edge of the pool lightly. "Hey, don't insult my paradise. I would take my one room over being home under my father's roof any day."

Tapiwa scoffed but she understood. "Yeah. At this point, I would trade comfort for peace as well so I get it."

"Hey." Nicole laid a hand on Tapiwa's arm. "Really, tell me. Are you okay? Is your mother still giving you hell about Asher?"

Sighing, Tapiwa shook her head. "She just keeps asking what he did and why I won't forgive him. Then she starts this long lecture about no perfect relationship and how Asher actually shows great potential to be a good husband. I mean, she has been at it for over a week, I thought she would be getting tired of it by now. I certainly am."

"Your dad isn't saying anything about it?"

"He's barely around. It's calving season at the farm so he is gone most of the time with Lute. But even if he was around, he would just warn me not to embarrass the family."

Nicole grimaced. "I wouldn't want to be in your shoes."

Tapiwa chuckled dryly. "I don't want to be in my shoes either."

Her friend didn't chuckle. In fact, Nicole looked worried and Tapiwa knew what was coming. Of course, Tapiwa had told her friend that Jadon had found out about their night together. Except, Tapiwa hadn't told Nicole that Jadon had only found out because he was being blackmailed. Tapiwa told Nicole that Jadon had simply remembered their night together.

"Has Jadon been in touch again?"

"Not since last Sunday," Tapiwa confirmed with a thoughtful frown. She actually wondered why he had been silent all week, the same as Asher. For two men who had bombarded her life at every corner to suddenly go silent was unsettling.

She wondered if it meant the brothers had spoken. Did Asher now know about her and Jadon? She cringed at the thought even though she was grateful he had left her alone finally.

Although she couldn't help feeling the drama with Asher was far from over. The thought just sat at the back of her mind taunting her like a ticking time bomb that would sooner or later countdown to zero.

With the blackmailer still out there with pictures of her and Jadon, anything was possible. Tapiwa felt she should enjoy every second of peace like it was her last. And it might be.

"Hey, Tapi."  Nicole touched her arm again and waited for Tapiwa to look up and meet her gaze. "Where did you go?"

"Sorry. My mind just wandered."

Nicole's brows dipped in concern. "I can see that. Tell you what? How about I get us something to drink from inside?"

Tapiwa looked toward the old house skeptically. "You know they won't serve us any alcohol. We would be lucky if they gave us water."

Snorting, Nicole stood up and wrapped the towel around her waist, which was just a must if she was going to walk inside and try to charm some drinks out of a poor soul. Although, Tapiwa thought, if her friend planned on using her charms, then maybe she should have left the towel off. Nicole wore a one-piece suit just like Tapiwa but with her friend more on the plump side it looked almost indecent to walk around without covering up. Not that Nicole minded.

Within a minute, Nicole was gone and Tapiwa went back into the water for another lap. She didn't know when she was going to get another free day to come over for a swim so she wanted to get her fill.

By the time she made her third round, Tapiwa felt her shoulders ache a little and knew it was time for a break. Besides, Nicole should be back with their drinks or bottles of water, whichever her smiles had earned them.

Back to the edge of the pool, Tapiwa held on and wiped the water off her face. Just as she placed the other hand on the edge, ready to pull herself out, a shadow fell over her.

Thinking it was Nicole, Tapiwa paused, smiled, and looked up, ready to tease her friend about the drinks. But then she realized the person hovering over her wasn't Nicole but a large man dressed in black, wearing a cap.

With the sun directly behind the man, Tapiwa couldn't see his features well but something told her she was in trouble. Before she could do anything, however, the man dropped to his knees and grabbed her wet hair in a painful grip.

Tapiwa opened her mouth to scream but before a sound could escape, water filled her mouth and throat as the man pushed her head under the water and held her there.

Panic surged wild and raw within Tapiwa. She immediately raised her hands and clawed at the hand in her hair. Tapiwa kicked and twisted under the water, desperate to get free.

For a moment, she thought it was her end. Her body trembled. Reflex had stopped her from drawing water into her lungs but now they burned with the need for oxygen. She had no idea how long she fought. It could have been mere seconds, but it felt like forever.

Then, suddenly, Tapiwa's head was out of the water and the hand disappeared from her hair. She was so grateful she didn't care to see what had happened. Alternating between coughing and drawing hungry lungfuls of air, her hands held onto the side of the pool for dear life.

The need to get out of the pool suddenly overwhelmed her. She wanted to be as far away from the water as possible. Using all the strength she had left, Tapiwa heaved herself out of the pool and dropped to the wet stone surrounding the pool in a fit of more coughs.

Seconds ticked by then she sensed a presence over her again. Tapiwa tensed. Her eyes flew open and she realized the man hadn't left.

Her already racing heart rate went up another notch. Tapiwa let out a pitiful whimper and tried to crawl away from the man and the pool.

In an instant, her pathetic escape was halted. The man grabbed her hair once more and brought his face close. Tapiwa was about ready to beg for her life but then his words stopped her cold.

"This was only a warning,"  the man gritted out. "Tell Jadon Paterson he had better do what he's told otherwise you will be met with a more permanent accident."

As abruptly as he had grabbed her hair, he released her and then the man walked away and was gone like a puff of air in the wind.

Tapiwa shuddered. She looked around but there was no one. She was alone, soaked, and shaking on the wet stone path next to the pool.

Tears rolled down her face. She had almost died. No. She shook her head. The man hadn't meant to kill her, only deliver a message for Jadon. Shit! What had Jadon gotten her into?