The Secrets of Paradise Bay (16 page)

The motel was a far cry from the multimillion-dollar home Clyde had begun to get used to. He questioned the wisdom of his decision to move out two weeks ago. Maybe he should have simply tried to coexist in a house where he had to see Ivana every day, and wanted but didn't dare have her. He certainly could have stayed on the job with the generous salary Trey was paying him.

But it all got to be too much. Trying to dance around Ivana every time she got near him without tipping their hand to Trey was something Clyde didn't have the stomach for. His brother didn't deserve that, regardless of Trey's often overbearing style and penchant for always trying to lead rather than follow.

This was precisely why Clyde had turned his back on the job. He didn't need to constantly be led by the hand of his big brother, knowing that Trey would forever be in the driver's seat. Clyde would rather scrap for pennies than be at Trey's beck and call.

Feeling hunger pains, Clyde grabbed his keys and headed out the door for a nearby McDonald's. He hopped into his car, the one thing given to him by Trey that Clyde kept.

Getting rid of the wheels would've been crazy. I need transportation to find employment and eat—even if both figure to be a struggle for the time being
.

Clyde drove off, fearing that his dream of being self-employed and successful suddenly seemed further away than ever.

Trey looked up at the One Stop Motel in a seedy part of town and cringed at the thought that Clyde had chosen such a place to stay over his comfortable house. Was it really pride that had driven him out? Or something else?

Trey had tracked his brother down, wanting to make one last-ditch effort to at least give him enough money for a decent place to live.
If that doesn't work, I won't feel guilty for not trying to do right by him.
He hated the thought of Clyde drifting back into a life of crime and waywardness. Not after all the progress he'd made in trying to get his life together since being released.
I owe him this much, whether he chooses to accept or not.

Trey's thoughts drifted to Ivana. Things had been better between them of late, if not still strained. It was as if Ivana was elsewhere, even when they were together. All he could think of was that she was still grappling with the miscarriage and wanting to blame it on his affair with Helene, even when they both knew that wasn't the case.

Trey felt that they seemed to be headed in the right direction. He didn't press her to have sex, though he longed to be inside Ivana's warm body with her wanting him there just as badly. Rushing her could jeopardize the gains they had made and put them back to square one.

I can wait as long as she needs me to. So long as she is still committed to the relationship and willing to meet me halfway
.

Trey also wanted to be there for his brother, though something told him that Ivana would prefer he left well enough alone. In this case, he had to use his own judgment and deal with the potential fallout.

He knocked on the door. It was quiet inside, but Trey knew Clyde was there, spotting his car in the lot.

Another knock, then the door opened.

“You look like hell,” Trey said truthfully, noting he was unshaven while wearing wrinkled clothing. “And smell like it, too.”

“No kidding,” Clyde offered sarcastically. “Guess I'm used to that.”

“You don't have to be.”

Clyde looked at him. “How'd you find me?”

“I have my ways.” Trey met his gaze. “Can I come in?”

“Do I have a choice?”

Trey felt there were always choices, but in this instance didn't want to risk being turned away. “Not really,” he said.

Clyde turned around and went back inside, leaving the door open. Trey took that as his invitation to enter.

“Can I get you a beer?” Clyde asked. “It's about all I've got to offer.”

Trey glanced around at the small, cramped room and saw the mini-refrigerator. “Yeah, give me a beer.”

Clyde got out two cans out and tossed one to Trey. “So what are you doing here? Or did you come to gawk at how the other half lives when not holing up in your grand palace?”

“You know that's not true.”

Clyde shrugged. “If you say so.”

Trey drank the beer. “Always so distrusting of me, Clyde. What did I ever do to make you feel I think I'm better than you?”

“How about everything you've done your whole life,” Clyde answered coldly.

“Being successful isn't a crime.” Trey regretted the insinuation right away.

“Yeah, guess that's what separates us—you're the good guy, I'm the bad.”

“I didn't say that.”

“You didn't have to. I've known since we were kids that you were always going to walk the straight and narrow, while I was more likely to stray whenever the opportunity was there.”

Trey tasted the beer thoughtfully. He wanted to say it was all about right and wrong paths, but refrained from preaching what Clyde already knew. Or should have.

“I'm anything but perfect, Clyde. I've made my fair share of mistakes over the years, so I certainly can't judge you.”

Clyde gave him an uncomfortable look. “Are you ever going to tell me why you're here? Or should I guess?”

“I wanted to check on you,” responded Trey. “Is that so wrong?”

Clyde softened his rigid face. “No. As you can see, I'm making due the best I can—which hasn't been very good.”

“So I take it there have been no job prospects?”

“Nothing serious. Not many people are keen on hiring ex-cons with bad tempers.”

One person is
. “Why don't you come back to work for me?”

“I don't need your pity,” Clyde said.

“I'm not here out of pity, Clyde. I'm here out of love. You're my brother. There's no need for you to live in squalor to prove a point.”

“What point?”

“That you don't need anyone but yourself—certainly not me.”

Clyde took a swig of beer. “Guess I've always been bullheaded when it comes to that.”

“Mama certainly wouldn't argue the point if she were still alive,” Trey said.

Clyde grinned. “Yeah, I guess not.”

“Why did you move out?” Trey gave him a straight look. “Was it something I did or said? Or didn't I do enough to help you?”

“No. Wasn't any of that.” Clyde turned away.

“Did Ivana say something to set you off? I know that you two haven't always gotten along, and she can be very opinionated at times as part of her nature.”

“Ivana never said or did a thing,” Clyde insisted. “Like I told you, it was all about me just wanting to do my own thing—even if it got me nowhere. At least I'd know I wasn't being propped up by my older brother.”

“You were never being propped up by me, Clyde,” Trey said. “You were earning your keep in more ways than one. You brought fun into our household again and fresh ideas at work. Come back to both.”

Trey hadn't planned to make such an offer, certainly not without talking it over with Ivana at home and his team at work first, but it seemed like the right thing to do. He would deal with the consequences later.

Clyde stared at the offer. “I can't,” he said after a moment or two. “I'm not going to intrude on your life again. I don't belong there. It's better this way for all of us.”

“Is
this
what you call better?” Trey took a sweeping glance and back.

“I call it my own thing,” Clyde said proudly.

Trey sucked in a deep breath.
This obviously isn't working. Maybe I need to try a different angle
.

“Let's talk about your ‘thing,' Clyde. You've alluded to ideas about what you want to do with your life. So tell me what it is.”

Clyde sat down on an old sofa and drank more beer, caught in thought. “All right, there is something on my mind.”

“I'm listening.”

“I'd like to open up a jazz supper club,” Clyde admitted.

Trey cocked a brow. “You mean like the Violet Supper Club?”

“Yeah, only I'd replace the piano music with some real jazz—a singer.”

Trey was surprised. He tried to picture Clyde running a jazz club. Crazy as it seemed, he could actually imagine such. Obviously, Clyde felt he could do it. Maybe he was right if given half a chance.

“So why not go for it?”

Clyde chuckled. “Yeah, right. Look around you. Does it look like I can afford to buy a jazz club?”

Trey thought about his friend Blake planning to retire and closing his supper club. What if they took it off his hands?

“Why don't we buy one together?”

“Together?” Clyde's head snapped back.

“Yeah, why not?” Trey asked. “I'm always looking for a good investment. Also happen to know a club that's about to shut down and its owner. I can buy half the club as a silent partner and lend you the money for the other half. It would be yours to run as you please. If you make it work, then the money should come in, and my investment would pay off nicely.”

“You would do that?”

Trey smiled. “Why not? If it's something you think you'd be good at, I want to help you bring it to fruition.” If it bombed, he could use it as a tax write-off and maybe coax Clyde into coming back to work for him. “So what do you say?”

Clyde's sipped more beer while chewing on the notion. “We would be partners, fifty-fifty?”

“Yes, you can even take fifty-one percent, if it makes you feel better,” Trey offered to sweeten the pot. “I just want us to do this as brothers.”

Clyde's eyes connected with Trey's. “Then I'm in.”

Trey grinned. “Great. I'll have my lawyer draw up the papers, so we can keep it all nice and legal. I think this can work, Clyde, and in the process, we can keep a local landmark from going under.”

“I'll drink to that.”

Trey raised his beer and drank some satisfyingly. Maybe there was hope yet for them being brothers again in all the ways that counted most.

Clyde heard Trey's car drive away. He hadn't known what to expect when his brother showed up at the door. His first instinct was to be suspicious and turn his back on what he saw as the high and mighty coming to rescue the down and out. A fleeting thought was that Ivana had told Trey about their one-night stand, and he had come there hell-bent on a confrontation, but then came the partnership offer. Though this caught him off guard, Clyde couldn't help but be interested, all things considered. He had to swallow his pride and look beyond the fact that Trey would still be in the driver's seat like before. Clyde thought of a promise made to Raymond to go into business together when he got out. This seemed to be a first step toward keeping that promise.

Clyde stepped outside for some fresh air, something he never got enough of after being denied it for years. He was still a tad leery about this new arrangement with Trey. After all, it meant Clyde would likely be seeing more of his brother than he cared to. This meant having more opportunities to run into Ivana. What if she tried to seduce him again? Or had it been the other way around? Did they really want to play with fire and end up getting badly burned, along with Trey?

Overall, Clyde believed it was worth the risk. This club could finally be his ticket to a good life on his own terms.

Maybe his luck was finally about to take a turn for the better. He'd learned, though, to never take anything—or anyone—for granted.

“I can't believe you're giving your brother a supper club—just like that.” Ivana's eyes locked on Trey across the dining room table.

“I'm not giving him a club,” he said defensively. “We're going into business together. I'm loaning Clyde half the cost, and he'll pay me back when the profits begin to come in.”

She peered at her husband with a healthy dose of skepticism. “What if there are no profits?”

“Are you kidding me?” Trey dabbed a napkin on his mouth. “People love jazz in this town. Turning Blake's club into a jazz showcase is a brilliant idea. I only wish I'd thought of it myself.”

Ivana forked a piece of her fruit salad. She supposed that it could be a profitable venture at some point down the line. Not that they needed more money. She didn't necessarily want to give it away either to someone who hadn't truly earned it.

“I suppose you want him to move back into the house?” Ivana asked, wondering if that was a bad or good idea. The thought of being able to slip into Clyde's bed again and make love caused a warm sensation between her legs, even if she wished that hadn't been the case. Ivana managed to suppress this urge. She needed to steer as far away from him as possible and hope Trey never found out what they had done. “I don't think that would be a good idea.”

Trey cut calmly into a roundhouse steak. “Actually, Clyde's planning to get his own place.”

“Well, good for him,” she voiced. “I'm sure Clyde is grateful to have a rich brother to dig him out of any hole he crawls in.”

Trey frowned. “Why don't you cut him some slack? He's out of your hair, so what do you care if I help him to get and stay on his feet? After all, that was the grand plan when Clyde got out of prison, was it not?”

“It was
your
grand plan!” Ivana made clear. “I only went along with it to try and keep the peace. I've stated all along that your brother could be trouble waiting to happen.”

Trey gave her a look of suspicion. “Do you know something that I don't?”

Me and my big mouth. I hate when he looks at me like he knows I'm hiding something
.

She swallowed the guilt in her throat and prayed that he couldn't read her mind “No,” she said convincingly. “I just want you to do a reality check. Clyde's agenda is not necessarily the same as yours. Who knows what type of people he'll invite or attract to the club? Are you sure you want to be a part of something that just might blow up in your face?”

“He's my brother. Clyde deserves a shot at achieving something he can proud of—and me too, frankly.” Trey lifted his glass of water. “I could see it in Clyde's eyes: he's really latched onto an idea that I believe he's totally committed to and has no desire to see fail.”

“If you say so.”

“Let's not fight about this.”

Ivana recognized that she was coming across as a spoiled and unreasonable bitch. Obviously blood was thicker than water in this instance. It did her no good to try and get Trey to side with her against his brother. It was in her best interests to not make waves. Clyde was not her lover or husband. They both agreed it was best to end things where they ended.

I'm not in love with Clyde, not matter how great we were together in bed,
Ivana thought. She loved Trey, realizing that now more than ever, even if taking a wrong turn with the worst possible person. Would that come back to haunt her?

“I hope you get the club, and it's a big success,” Ivana said in an about-face

“Do you?”

“I don't mean to be a bitch sometimes,” she said, trying to take the high road. “Clyde is your brother and does need to do something with his life to keep from falling back into the cracks. If this is the answer, I won't try to mess it up for him or you.”

“Thank you,” Trey told her, offering a smile.

Ivana tasted wine while wondering if Clyde's continued presence in their lives was bound to cause more trouble that either of them needed.

“So it's really gonna happen?” Raymond asked incredulously.

“Yeah, count on it,” Clyde assured him over the phone, knowing his time behind bars was drawing to an end. He was short on specifics, not wanting to get Raymond's hopes up too much, just in case things fell through. “With any luck, I'll have something solid on the table by the time you get out.” At least that was the plan. But plans did not always work out. For all he knew Trey might change his mind and decide to keep the supper club for himself.

“Glad to hear it. I'm looking forward to doing somethin' real with my life that don't include being on the wrong side of the law.”

“You and me too,” Clyde said.

“Who would've thought the financing for our dream would come from your brother, of all people—a dude you once despised almost as much as that Willie dude.”

“I think it was more the other way around.” Or so Clyde had come to believe over the years as a reason why he never got along with Trey. Maybe it was just that sibling rivalry thing. Or firstborn versus second born.

“Guess he's developed a soft spot for you as his next of kin.”

“Maybe we have for each other,” conceded Clyde, knowing Trey was the only brother he was ever going to have, like it or not. It was time that they stopped behaving as though enemies, even if often over the years it felt like they were. Right now that seemed like ancient history, as for once he and Trey had a common goal that could only bring them closer together.

“Are you bopping anyone yet, man?” Raymond's voice cracked. “And don't tell me you're still saving yourself for that special lady.”

Clyde thought about Ivana and how well he'd gotten to know her intimately one special night. He could still smell her sweet body and taste her orgasm. Yet Clyde wished to hell he had stayed away from her, in spite of Ivana making him feel like a man again.

“I had a little something,” he said unenthusiastically. “No big deal.” Not anymore.

“That bad, huh?”

I only wish it were. Just the opposite
. “Yeah, man, that bad.”

“Well, maybe the next one will be better,” suggested Raymond.

“Maybe.”

“And if you happen to run into someone right for me—nice on the eyes, big tits, bigger ass, full lips made for kissing mine—put in a good word for me, will ya?” Clyde grinned. “I'll do that.” A knock on the door startled him. “I've got to run. See you soon.”

“Yeah, later.” Clyde set the cell phone down and went to the door. He imagined, for some reason, Willie Munroe on the other side with a gun, ready to blow his head off the moment he opened the door.

Get a grip! He's got no idea where I'm staying. Not to mention he probably learned his lesson after our last meeting
. Nevertheless, Clyde was leery.

“Who's there?”

“It's Ivana . . .”

It took every bit of courage and several martinis for Ivana to show up at Clyde's motel room, having gotten the location from Trey's appointment book.

“What are you doing here, Ivana?” Clyde looked her up and down.

“I came to talk.” She noted he was shirtless and looking as hot as ever.

“Not a good idea.”

“Probably not,” she conceded, “but I'm here.”

“You've been drinking,” Clyde spoke in an accusing tone.

“So maybe I have,” Ivana hissed. “That never seemed to be a problem for you before.”

“My mistake.” He stared at her. “Does Trey know you're here?”

“He thinks I went to see a movie.”

“Did you tell him anything?” Clyde asked uncomfortably.

“What do you think?” She gave him a moment to consider it. “Why would I do that and ruin both our lives? Besides we agreed not to.”

Clyde sighed. “Yeah, we did.”

Ivana looked up at his eyes impatiently as they stood at his door. “Well, can I come inside?”

He hesitated. “What if Trey followed you?”

“He didn't,” she stated emphatically.

After a moment, Clyde stepped aside. She brushed against him when passing by, causing her body to react. She waited 'til he shut the door before moseying over to him.

“So I understand congratulations are in order?”

“You mean the club?”

“Yes, Trey told me all about your partnership.”

“It was his idea,” Clyde said uneasily.

“You don't have to convince me,” Ivana told him. “Trey's always coming up with something.”

“We'll be in this together.” Clyde gazed down at her. “But I'll be running the club without Trey looking over my shoulder or pulling rank.”

She wondered if Trey could truly have that type of willpower to back off and allow Clyde to run the show. “I'm sure you will, and you'll be very successful.”

Feeling tipsy, all Ivana could think of in that moment was being kissed by him passionately, the way he had that night. She wondered if the same thing was going through his head.

“You shouldn't have come here,” Clyde reiterated, but still remained close to her.

Her eyes lifted to his. “There's a lot of things we shouldn't do, but we do them anyway.”

“This can't happen again,” he told her succinctly, taking a step backward.

Caught in a fog of alcohol and lustful thoughts, Ivana ignored him and her better judgment, wanting to give in to her sexual impulses that he had ignited. She moved right up to him so she could breathe in his manly scent, feel his warm breath on her cheek.

“Why can't it?” she asked boldly. “I know you want me.”

Clyde's face creased. “No, I don't want you and you don't want me! Not really. We can't do this anymore, only to end up hurting Trey.”

Ivana's mouth became a straight line. “He can't possibly hurt as much as he hurt me.”

“Oh, I think he can hurt a hell of a lot more—especially if you keep this up.”

“Keep what up?” she demanded.

“Throwing yourself at men.”

She felt irritation at the insult. “How dare you. I've only cheated on Trey with one man—you!”

“And we
both
have to live with that,” Clyde said flatly. “Let's not make things any worse.”

“Why not? Trey never has to find out.” Ivana tiptoed and put her arms around his neck, forcing his face down to kiss her. She knew this was wrong and hated herself for succumbing to this sexual magnetism between them, yet couldn't help but want him again.

Clyde pried their lips apart. “Stop it, Ivana!” he said with a snap. “Go home to your husband and leave me alone. Don't mess things up for either of us. Please—”

Ivana was stung by the snub and ashamed for ever having come there. She fixed him with narrowed eyes. “I think it's a little late for that, wouldn't you say?”

He took a breath. “So why make it worse?”

She stepped closer. “Because I can't stop thinking about you—us . . . what we did—”

“Can't you see, there isn't any
us
,” he stated unequivocally. “And there never has been. We had a moment . . . now it's passed and we have to get on with our lives. Don't throw yours away over one stupid mistake. I sure as hell don't intend to.”

Ivana got the message loud and clear, even if it was painful to hear. He was just like so many other men—got what he wanted from a woman, then turned his attention elsewhere. What did she ever see in him in the first place? Why didn't she steer clear of the ex-con when she knew instinctively that he was very bad news?

“Go to hell!” Ivana hurled at him, turned, and got out of there as fast as she could.

Disregarding the part of him that wanted to quit while ahead, Clyde went after Ivana, not wanting things to end like that. But he stopped at the door, realizing this was precisely how things should end. If Ivana got him out of her system for good, then maybe she could refocus on Trey and making their relationship work.

If not, I'm screwed. Especially if she becomes vengeful and tells Trey about us
.

Clyde did not even want to think about that and what it could mean to their future partnership. Or relationship as brothers. He hated that, to a large degree, his hopes and dreams rested on Ivana keeping her mouth shut. But he had brought this upon himself. She was simply too much to resist for someone fresh out of the pen, whose judgment was clouded by beauty and physical needs. With Ivana's reckless drinking and continuing issues with Trey and him, Clyde feared it was only a matter of time before he had to face up to one night of passion and regrets.

 

 

Ivana quietly entered Trey's room. She could see his silhouette through the darkness, lying in bed atop the jacquard quilted comforter. He was snoring lightly and wearing only boxers. Ivana stared at her husband for a moment, having mixed emotions about being there. In the end, she knew it was something she had to do.

Ivana slid the silk charmeuse wrap off her shoulders, dropping it to the floor. She was completely naked. She climbed onto the bed and moved between Trey's legs, slightly parted as though waiting for her. Opening his boxers, Ivana bent down and put his penis in her mouth. Within moments, it had gone from flaccid to fully erect. She took him to the base of her throat and felt Trey's body tense.

“Baby . . .” Trey gasped.