Single Husbands Page 18

  Can a man change his ways overnight?

  Lexington hated to admit that Nikki was right, yet he was thankful. He wanted all of his children in his life. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he recalled looking into his son’s eyes—eyes that mirrored his—that night they were at Café du Monde. Lexington was proud of his son, and disappointed in himself. His son was the one who’d called him after Lexington missed the graduation.

  He couldn’t claim his son’s success after his son told him how his mother sacrificed to keep him on the right path, saying, “My mom told me not to expect you to show up at my graduation. I wanted to prove her wrong. I sat on stage praying that you were somewhere out there. That I’d somehow overlooked you or couldn’t see you in the back. I prayed that when I made my valedictorian speech, acknowledging my parents, that my mother wouldn’t be the only one standing, clapping, and cheering for me. You know, Lexington, I wouldn’t be the man I am if it weren’t for my mother. She put my needs ahead of hers. Lexington, I can’t say that you’ve ever done that for me.”

  Damn, his son had called him “Lexington,” not “Dad.”

  No need to argue, his son was right. The time had come for Lexington to become more than a payroll dad, thinking money was enough to fulfill all of his children’s needs. Money was great, but there was no substitute for a father’s love. Lexington the second’s request to meet all of his siblings was one promise Lexington would keep. He’d contacted the mothers, glad they’d all agreed to send him his kids for a few days.

  “Baby,” Lexington said, calling out to Donna, “come here for a minute.”

  Lexington accepted partial responsibility for Donna’s outrage; he acknowledged he’d driven her insane. What feelings did his babies’ mothers harbor for him? Hate? Envy? Were they apathetic? Did his other children dislike him? Or were they like his son, longing to have him in their lives?

  “Donna,” Lexington said, then shouted, “Donna!”

  She appeared in the bedroom doorway, her hands on her hips. “What?” she grunted.

  “Come here,” he said, patting the mattress.

  “What?” Donna asked, sitting beside him.

  “Thank you for agreeing to let me have all of my kids together, here in my home,” Lexington said. “Go tell the girls to get dressed. You get dressed too. We’re going out for the day,” Lexington stated. “I’m going to pick up my kids from the airport. I’ll be back in an hour. Be ready to leave when I get back.”

  Donna walked away quietly. What was her problem? Couldn’t she give him credit for doing the right thing? Lexington stepped into his beige linen pants, button-up shirt, and tan leather sandals, then headed outside. Getting in the limo, Lexington reflected on his weekend with Brian and Herschel. That shit was crazy, and damn sure ’nuff worth doing again—sooner than later. He prayed his wife would do something more with her hair, but even if she didn’t, she would still remain his wife, because Nikki turned down his proposals four times.

  Donna was okay with him when he traveled out of town. She didn’t call or text him—unless it was something urgent about his girls. But when he was home and left her at home, that was when she protested. If Lexington was going to make amends with his wife, he’d have to travel more often for business and his sexual pleasure.

  The driver parked outside of baggage claim and opened Lexington’s door. Lexington eagerly hurried inside the terminal.

  “Here we are,” his son said, waving.

  Lexington greeted his son. Wrapping his arms around his son’s shoulders, Lexington held him tight, professing, “I love you, son. I apologize for missing your graduation, but I promise you, I won’t miss one of your football games and I’m going to visit you at times just so the two of us can hang out.”

  Letting go, Lexington watched tears form in his son’s eyes. “Don’t make me any promises. It’s okay you missed my graduation. I understand you had more important things to do.”

  Shaking his head, Lexington countered, “No, it’s not. It’s not okay.”

  “Well, maybe you can make it when I graduate from college and go pro. I’m just thankful for this moment to hang with you.”

  Lexington wanted the instant gratification and acknowledgments he wasn’t getting, and clearly didn’t deserve. Redirecting his attention to his two daughters, Lexington gave each of them a hug. Sixteen and seventeen, they were so gorgeous. “Hello,” they said, standing with their hands at their sides.

  Damn, had he fucked up so badly that his kids didn’t know one another or him? Both of his girls stared at him.

  “Give me some love. I know I haven’t been there for you, but that’s all about to change. This is your brother, Lexington the second. Lexington, these are your sisters Alexis and Alex.”

  “Well, pleased to finally meet you, Alexis and Alex,” his son sarcastically said, hugging his sisters at the same time. “I want to get to know you guys. Will you give me your cell numbers?”

  The girls laughed.

  “Okay, so you’ve met already. Let’s go,” Lexington said, escorting them to the limo. “Leave your bags on the curb, the driver will get them.”

  “I’m moving to South Beach with you,” Alexis said. “This is living.”

  Lexington got into the limo after his kids, and their ride to his house was hilarious. They laughed until their stomachs hurt. He didn’t know his kids were so smart and humorous.

  “Okay, no cracking jokes about my wife’s appearance,” Lexington said, leading them into the house.

  “Wow, this is it!” his son said, staring around the house. “I’m going to live like this when I go pro. Can I check out your crib, Dad?” he asked.

  “Sure, son. Knock yourself out, it’s your home too.”

  Alexis and Alex followed Lexington into the living room.

  “Where’s your mom?” he asked Alexandria and Alexandrea.

  The girls pointed behind him. “Whoa.” Lexington could not believe his eyes. The woman he’d fallen for ten years ago stood before him looking ravishing. Donna’s makeup was flawless. Her full lips glistened like sparkling raspberries. Her hair softly flowed over her shoulders. Her ankle-length dress, light, white, and tapered to her shapely body, made Lexington want to take his wife into the bedroom and make love to her. Donna was hiding her amazing body under oversized clothes and he’d grown so accustomed to not seeing his wife, he imagined her overweight and out of shape.

  Oh, my God, he was wrong.

  “Whoa, is that your yacht out back?” his son asked, hurrying into the living room.

  “Our yacht,” Lexington said.

  “I wanna see,” Alex and Alexis said.

  “Daddy, can we show them?” Alexandrea asked.

  “Sure, but be safe,” Lexington said, still stricken by the sight of Donna. “You look amazing,” he said. “Come here.” Lexington opened his heart first, then his arms. “I apologize for all that I’ve put you through. Can I have my wife back?”

  “I’m not the one who left,” Donna said.

  “I think we’d better sit on the back patio and keep an eye on the kids. Thanks for letting me have all of my children together with us today,” Lexington said, lounging on the cushioned patio chair. “Sit with me.”

  Donna clarified, “Your kids are my kids, and they were always welcome in our home. You were the one who didn’t want to invite them.”

  Holding Donna in his arms, admiring the five brilliant kids he’d fathered, Lexington was proud.

  “Can I tell you some things, and you promise you won’t get mad?” Donna asked.

  “After all you’ve tolerated from me, you can tell me anything and I promise I won’t get mad,” he said, cuddling her in his arms.

  “I went over to Nikki’s, thinking you were there with her, or in hopes of catching her home alone so I could talk with her, and . . .” Donna paused.

  The time had come for Lexington to let Nikki go, emotionally and sexually. He’d hurt her too deeply and didn’t want to cause Nikki any more pai
n. Admiring his kids, Lexington was glad his son had confronted him that night. If Lexington the second hadn’t came over to his table, Lexington’s wife would not be lying in his arms.

  Donna continued, “And I saw our neighbor Anthony, from across the way, fucking Herschel in the ass. They were on the patio cuddling and fucking like a man and woman.”

  Lexington moved his body from underneath Donna’s, saying, “You don’t have to make up lies about Herschel to keep me away from her. Let’s keep him out of this. I don’t want to hear any more about Herschel being with a man. Trust me, Herschel is one-hundred-percent alpha male, just like me.”

  Darting her eyes toward him, Donna frowned. “Believe what you want, I know what I saw.”

  His kids roamed around the boat, going upstairs and downstairs. His only son was at the helm, pretending to navigate. Lexington smiled. “Anything else?”

  “Yes, there’s one more significant thing,” Donna said, looking into his eyes and smiling with hers. “I bought my restaurant back from the guy I sold it to. I’m reopening in two weeks. I took out a full-page ad in the Times-Picayune, letting my customers know ‘Donna’s is back!’ I’m moving home to New Orleans permanently. I bought a house, I’m leaving next week, and I’m taking the girls with me. I’ve already enrolled them in private school. I’m not asking you to come with us. In fact, I don’t want you to come with us. Lexington, I want a divorce,” Donna said.

  “A what?” Lexington said.

  “A divorce. You don’t love me anymore and I’m tired of being miserable. Now you can be happy with Nikki or whoever else you want. I don’t want your money. But I do expect you to provide for me and the girls the same way you take care of them,” Donna said, pointing at his other kids.

  Whoa! All this time he was out running around, he thought Donna was home being lazy and she was plotting every move. An educated woman was a silent killer.

  “Come here. Let me show you something,” Lexington said, holding Donna’s hand.

  “I don’t care what you show me. I’m not changing my mind,” she said, following him.

  “I don’t want you to,” Lexington lied, leading Donna to their bedroom. He unlocked his safe, then handed Donna the title to a restaurant in South Beach. “I wanted you to be happy again. I bought this for you. It’s yours. You can have two restaurants. Or you can sell this one in South Beach.”

  “What about my husband?” Donna asked. “Is he for sale too?”

  Lexington raised Donna’s dress over her head, eased off her white boy shorts, and kissed her. “Oh, wait one minute,” he said, locking the bedroom door. “Don’t want any surprises.”

  “But what if they knock?” Donna asked.

  “We’ll pretend we’re not in here.”

  He kissed his wife’s raspberry lips, then pressed his mouth to her collarbone, trickling wet kisses down to her breasts. She shivered as he softly nibbled on her nipple. He laid her atop the comforter, then slowly undressed in front of her. Turning around to toss his shirt on the chair, she gasped, “Oh, my gosh. I didn’t realize I scratched you so—” She choked on her words, with tears in her eyes.

  “I’m okay,” he said, kneeling before her. “Let me make love to my wife.”

  His tongue fluttered on the tip of her clit, right before he suctioned her into his mouth. “I missed you,” he whispered, leaning back to look at his wife’s pussy. “I want my wife back.”

  “Don’t talk. Make love to me, Lexington,” Donna cried. “My body needs to feel a man’s touch.”

  Wow. All the sexcapades Lexington had had with Nikki and other women on the regular, he never once thought about Donna’s womanly needs, until now. Kissing her tears away, Lexington said, “I’m gonna make you happy. You’ll never have to cry again.”

  Was Donna telling the truth? Was his boy Herschel bisexual?

  CHAPTER 20

  Nikki

  Nikki opened her sleepy eyes. “Where am I? How did I get here?” she whispered, blankly staring at the ceiling. The pulsation beating against her forehead caused her to close her eyes, praying, “Please stop it.”

  The arduous demands of traveling extensively had cemented her worn body to the bed. She felt like a ton of bricks sinking into the mattress. Partying hard, staying out all night, fucking at the sex club, then fucking some more, she was tired and her pussy was exhausted.

  “Herschel,” she called out wearily. Lifting her head a few inches from her pillow, she looked around the room. “Okay, I am home,” she confirmed, looking at the crystal ball embedded in the bedroom wall. She’d left it there as a reminder to her husband to keep his hands off her.

  “Herschel,” she called out again.

  The breeze blew into her bedroom, pushing her head back against the pillow. “This is too much,” Nikki said. “I’m sick again. I’m too tired to get up.” She suppressed her urge to regurgitate all over the bed. After Lexington had left her hotel room, she’d emptied the contents of her wet bar into her stomach. Vodka. Gin. Tequila. Wine, red and white.

  The pain of knowing Lexington over half of her lifetime, and he hadn’t mentioned his son or his two other daughters once, wounded her. Nikki prayed she suffered from a terrible hangover and wasn’t pregnant.

  “Herschel! You hear me calling you! Ouch.” Nikki pressed her palms against her temples.

  Herschel was gone. She hadn’t spoken with Lexington since her return from New Orleans. How could he propose to her, then not call her? Where in the hell were they? How did she get to and from the airports to her bed?

  The bedroom clock displayed 8:00.

  Nikki’s cell phone rang. Clipping her Bluetooth over her ear, she answered, “Morning.”

  “Girl, it is not morning,” Venus said cheerfully.

  “It’s not.”

  “Get your sweet-ass pussy up. You been in bed since I got you home yesterday? I’m still in town and I want to check out that sex club in Fort Lauderdale tonight.”

  “What day is it?” Nikki asked, managing to toss her feet to the floor while her head remained on the pillow.

  “What difference does that make? I’m not accepting no for an answer,” Venus said.

  She might have to, if it was Saturday. Nikki could picture Venus’s smile. “No, I can’t go there again. That’s Lexington’s spot,” Nikki said, gazing at the clock on the nightstand. “I can’t believe I was twelve hours off. What’s wrong with me?”

  “You’ve overdosed on dick. And the best relief for a hangover, no pun intended, is more of the same thing that fucked you up in the first place. That means going to the club is ideal for you. Fuck Lexington. He doesn’t own the damn place,” Venus said with a serious attitude. “You are going with me, and that’s final. I’ll see you in a few, baby.”

  Oh, no. Please don’t come, Nikki thought, collapsing to the floor. She hadn’t been hungover since college.

  This was one time Nikki wished Venus wasn’t in town. She knew Venus well enough to take her seriously. Venus would be at her home shortly. Nikki picked up her cell phone and called Lexington.

  “What do you want?” a woman asked.

  “Huh? I must’ve dialed the wrong number,” Nikki said, holding her stomach.

  “You got that right. My husband is busy. I suggest you find somebody else’s marriage to wreck,” Donna said.

  “No, Donna, wait. Let me explain. You don’t—”

  Donna ended their call.

  Donna misunderstood Nikki. Nikki couldn’t change that she’d fallen in love with Lexington before he married Donna. Or that she’d never fallen out of love with Lexington. Who was she to judge why Lexington hadn’t spent time with his son? Nikki didn’t like this newfound relationship. Had Donna said, “My husband is busy”? Doing what? Nikki wondered. Hopefully, something Nikki had said to Lexington would make him a better father, but he wasn’t a bad person and she wasn’t trying to make him a better husband to Donna. Why was Nikki rationalizing Lexington’s behavior?

  “What? Oh, hell no,
” Nikki said, pulling herself up on the bed to redial Lexington’s number. “Did that bitch hang up on me?” Before she redialed him, her phone rang, with his name and number showing.

  “What the hell is wrong with you, Donna?” Nikki asked. “I didn’t wreck your damn marriage, you did!”

  “Nikki,” Lexington said, “calm down. Look, we need to talk.”

  “About what? What is there to discuss?”

  “Nikki, where’s Herschel?” Lexington asked.

  “Since when are you concerned about Herschel?” Nikki asked, staggering back and forth across the floor.

  “Is he there?”

  “No, and—”

  “I’m on my way over,” Lexington said, hanging up the phone.

  Nikki halfway closed her eyes, walking toward her bathroom. Staring in the mirror, she saw her hair was a mess. Stepping into a cold shower, she lathered her exfoliating gloves, quickly washed her body, brushed her teeth, huffed into her palm, gargled with mouthwash, then rinsed her mouth. As she walked out to her patio for fresh air, Lexington was sitting in her favorite wicker chair.

  “What was so important that you actually came to my house?” Nikki asked, sitting in the seat next to him.

  “I have to know,” he said.

  Frowning Nikki asked, “Know what?”

  “Are you pregnant, Nikki?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. What do you care? I have enough money to take care of a child on my own,” Nikki said, holding her forehead with one hand and her stomach with the other.

  “If you are, I want to do what is right,” Lexington said. “Come with me.”

  Nikki’s frown returned, causing her forehead to pound. “This is my house, not yours.”

  “Just come with me,” Lexington insisted, leading her into the bedroom.

  “What? You want to shower? Fuck? What, Lexington? What if Herschel comes home and finds us in the bathroom?” Nikki said.

  Lexington handed her a box way too weird-shaped to have a ring in it.

  Reading the box, then looking at Lexington, Nikki said, “This is a pregnancy test.”

  “I know what it is, I bought it. I want you to take it right now so we’ll know.”