Dawning and Resurgence (The Collective, #2)

by K.C. Mills

It had been years since I’d laid with my wife Sasha and I never once cheated. Even when we fell apart and I knew there was no feasible way to repair what was broken between us, I still didn’t cheat. Even after discovering she had been sleeping with the man who truly owned her heart, I held to my vows.

It was about me and who I was as a man. Being faithful was about my commitment to honoring my promise to God. I held onto what little I could control. I was so far removed from being a perfect man that the concept was laughable. I did wrong, sure. But the commitment I made to my wife I could control. I honored her even when she refused to honor me. Tonight, those vows no longer existed and I was celebrating.

folded. I desired the feeling of being chosen. I hadn’t been chosen in years and maybe that was deeply embedded in my subconscious.

“You are attractive with those dark eyes highlighted by flecks of hazel, your rich dark skin, silky black beard, waves in a classic fuck boy Caesar cut. The tattoos are a nice addition, juxtaposed against the very expensive suit you’re wearing. It’s custom tailored, right?” I smiled and nodded. Perceptive. I liked that. I also liked how she smirked with each detail she rattled off. “You’re sexy, smooth, arrogant in a confident, not cocky, way. More convinced than conceited and you’re also rich. All of the above remind me of the reason I’m here at the bar. So, to answer your question, I’m not interested in you or anything you might offer. I’ve already had both in one version or another and wasn’t impressed.” This woman was perfect.

I knew if she agreed and allowed me between her legs, she wouldn’t have the pleasure of never thinking about me again. With what I planned for this woman; it would be impossible to not revisit the memories. However, I still offered that as a compromise. I had years to make up for and I wanted her. Years of mediocre sex with my wife because she never really wanted me, followed by years of no sex at all. I planned on blessing a special woman with all that pent up repression while thoroughly pleasing them in ways they could never imagine possible. Afterwards, I would walk away and never look back.

This is insane. I agreed to have a one-night stand with Ezekiel Omari. The Ezekiel Omari. He had no clue who I was but I surely knew who he was. How could I not? Their family was well-known and respected in Crescent Falls. My family didn’t register on a radar here.

There was something weighted about his spirit that convinced me he too was in need of something—someone. Tonight I would be that for him.

“I have seen your car. Things don’t define who we are or determine your value. Your car is not a determination of what your standards are. I wouldn’t dare assume that what I think is acceptable is good enough, so I’m asking. Is this okay?” “Ye-yes. It’s perfect.” Shit, this man is intense. And sexy.

Things don’t define who we are or determine your value. Your car is not a determination of what your standards are.

“I’m rambling.” “You are but it’s kind of sexy. If rambling alleviates some tension about what we're doing then by all means.” He was amused and I was horrified. Did I seriously just use my promiscuous behavior in college as an excuse for one-night stands?

This man knew how to handle a woman and I loved being handled.

“You said five. My goal was to take your number and double it. That’s how many times I want to make you cum.” My breath hitched and he smiled even more seductively. “How’s that sound?” “Dangerous and impossible.” “Maybe, maybe not but I’m going to try and you’re going to let me.”

He stretched me and soothed that ache by filling me to the point of satisfaction. Then he fucked me nice and slowly. So thoroughly and completely that I belonged to him. My body was no longer my own. It belonged to Ezekiel Omari and my satisfaction was now his.

One night. That was all this was. One that would forever change the course of my life but I knew better than to make it worse by asking for more. Ezekiel was not what I needed nor was I what he wanted.

Although I knew who he was, I wouldn’t seek him out. Either way we’d both gotten what we’d needed. I had been blessed with one night and now it was time to get back to my life. A life that I had no clue how I was going to navigate moving forward.

“Tread lightly. You’re dangerously close to disrespecting my wife. Doing so is disrespecting me which I will handle accordingly.” I noticed the fear flicker in Forrester’s

From what we knew about the Devereauxs, Christian’s father was very deeply connected.

The idea that Christian was potentially involved was a discord I had with him. He’d assured me he wasn’t like his father. I would hate to learn I had been wrong for trusting his word because the lie would change how things worked between us. Christian would be tossed up as the sacrificial lamb, the best decision for those I loved. The Collective would do anything to save their asses and keep their power, money, and prestige. None of us were ever truly safe from reproach.

“Do you know what kind of problems you’ll have if this touches my wife or my children?” Elias asserted.

Elias and I had gotten our hands dirty often.

“We choose our family, always.”

Cress is mine. Nobody touches her or our children, but Christian is her brother. Even if I choose what’s best for you both and can live with the decision—and I will choose her over Christian—the decision won't be that easy for Cress.”

“I choose to steer clear of anything connected to you, your wife, and your bedroom. The point is, we need to figure this out.”

“We protect ourselves, but we also do what we can to help Devereaux out of this.” “He said he wasn’t following in his father’s footsteps,” Elias murmured. I sensed his agitation elevating. “And I said I wasn’t following ours, but the lines often become blurred. It’s not as easy to detach or erase the sins of the past. Even with the best intentions.”

Having Cress was the best thing for my brother. The way she loved him was beautiful. The way she stood beside him was a show of her strength and commitment to their love. The way she accepted him as not only her lover but also her protector. I wanted what they had and almost believed the type of love Elias and Cress shared was so rare that not everyone would be privileged enough to experience.

“The roles have shifted and you’re not good. You’re avoiding moving forward. You deserve to be happy, Ez. One failed marriage, which you shouldn’t have committed to in the first place, is not the end of the world.”

“It’s necessary to keep your head level. You refused to cheat on your wife, which I understood even though you had every right to. After you two officially separated you still chose not to move on with your life. She was flaunting another man’s ring while carrying your name and you remained committed to bullshit vows. You’re divorced, Ez. Get some pussy, it’s long overdue.”

“Family, you are not, Mother. You lost the privilege when you fucked over my brother for the last time. The day of his wedding, no less. Now get the fuck out of my office.” “Are you serious right now? This is about him?” The venom and hate on her tongue for her own son was sickening. Not surprising but still disheartening.

“No, he hasn’t given you a second thought since you tried to ruin his wedding. Elias has no idea about any of this because he doesn’t fucking care. You’re not relevant enough to register in his world but I care. I fucking care more than I should and because I do, I’m making sure you understand just how irrelevant and powerless you are. You can expect your allowance to start over at the first of the year. The deposit will hit January first.”

“Unfortunately, you at dinner with the family won’t happen. Keeping you away is the only demand Elias made. Your things were packed and moved out the house the night after his wedding. Notice I said three homes, not four. You’re no longer welcome at our family property. You will never get to know my niece and nephew. And if you try to get anywhere near them, I’m pretty sure you’ll soon be occupying the plot next to your husband courtesy of Elias. I’ll spend every penny I have to ensure he never spends a second in jail because of it. It’s best you heed my warning. Testing me is far worse than testing him, but when it comes to his wife and children…” I smirked. “That’s a guaranteed death sentence.”

“I know your secrets. All of them. Maybe it’s time I tell your brother everything. I’m sure he would be surprised to know he’s not at fault for Lucas’s death. We blamed him because he was an easy target. However, we all know you’re the reason we lost Lucas. How do you think Elias would feel about that?”

“I’m exhausted with all of this. Maybe it needs to come out so we can move on with our lives. Find a place of peace. None of this is on me or Elias. The only blame lies with Cole Devereaux. It died with him; it was buried with him. He’s the reason we lost Lucas.” “He pulled the trigger but you set things in motion. Stop fucking playing with me, Ezekiel. Or I’ll make sure you lose him too.”

Her brow lifted slightly. “No?” “You heard me. I don’t give a fuck about you exposing my secrets. I’ve done nothing wrong. All I’ve ever done is protect everyone in this family. I’ve done the best I could with the hand I was dealt. If you want to expose my truths, Mother, then so be it. I’ll deal with whatever feelings or consequences but you can go to hell. I’m sure your husband would love the company.” My eyes traveled over her face before I smirked and added, “Or maybe not, considering the source. Get the fuck out of my office.”

“But it is. Reality happens to prove those with the means have a better quality of life. Those whose pockets are a little less accommodating don’t, but that’s where we come into play. BWB would like to help bridge that gap. It will not be an overnight fix but we can get it done, create some balance, and ensure there are resources available. Nice affordable housing, community centers, qualified physicians of color, and affordable healthcare. The communities are strong because of family ties and neighborly bonds but we can make them stronger.”

You don’t just walk away, Jhorie. I’ve invested time and money in you. Trust me when I say this isn’t over. Such an entitled, arrogant asshole.

“Perfect. Then you and Ezekiel should get along just fine.” Ezekiel. There was no way. She lifted her phone again, swiping and tapping a few times before I had her attention again. “I just sent you his contact information. It’s his personal line but has the address to his office downtown. I’ll shoot him a text to let him know to expect you. How’s three?” My mind wandered back to that night. That very memorable night where I was blessed with his hands, his mouth, those lips… “Huh?” “You sure you don’t mind?” “Yes, I’m sure.” I forced a smile. If the world was truly this small and her Ezekiel was my Ezekiel… Shit, this is already going terribly wrong. He wasn’t my anything.

“Girl…” She waved me off. “I’m not worried about that. You’re more than qualified. Honestly, more qualified than me. This is something I believe in but you’ve done the work. Your credentials are astounding. I hired you because you’re the right person for this undertaking. Now let's finish up here. Enough business for now.”

I managed to make what little experience I had look great on my resume. I was qualified but my last four years had been spent living a lavish lifestyle and traveling the world. Not much philanthropy, but I intended to change that. I needed to do something that mattered and this did.

Who could come after him to even get close to the happiness he had delivered in one night. No one.

Everything about him screamed forbidden which made him that much more tempting.

“I have no idea what you told Elizabeth to finesse your way back here but there are only two reasons you would show up here to ambush me. The first being that you want to alter the agreement we made to share one night and walk away. The second would be to announce you’re pregnant with our oops baby. You might possibly like to see if you can somehow strong arm your way into a come up. Let me be clear. I will not be fucking you again nor will I be offering you money or a settlement as a way to convince you not to have this fictional child you might be here to present me with. I say fictional because I am certain I couldn’t have gotten you pregnant. I was more than careful. Although mistakes happen, one did not happen that night. Now, please choose your next statement very carefully.”

She was brilliant, had a keen sense for business, and a passion for others’ wellbeing.

“Perfect, then you’re my guy…” Careful of what you wish for, Ms. Abraham. “Let me toss out that next time we meet, I’d like to discuss affordable healthcare. It also has to be a priority.” Let’s just dive right into the demands then.

Jhorie was passionate about the things I believed in. She was brilliant and a perfect fit for the initiatives I had in place. I needed her on those projects. So when she stood and accepted my hand, and I felt the reminder of how soft her body was, I pushed those thoughts away and shook firmly.

I watched her collect her purse and leave my office. Her thick curvy body caused my dick to ache a little more with the realization that she was the last pussy I had enjoyed. Unfortunately, I would have to rectify my physical needs with someone else because Jhorie was off limits. That didn’t, however, stop me from making a call as soon as she was gone.

“You don’t think I know that shit too?” he sneered. “I didn’t have anything to do with that governor’s granddaughter being taken. I ended all the stuff my father had his hands in years ago. I have not lied to you.” I believed him but my vote didn’t count. “Someone wants people to believe you’re still in the middle of that shit. Why? Who did you piss off?” “I don’t know.” “Then we need to figure this shit out. The Collective is demanding I tell them where I stand…”

“We have the same family.” I smirked. “We don’t. Cress is an Omari. Her children are Omari. They come before you, Devereaux. Their happiness is the priority and if anything unfavorable happens to you, my brother and I will be there for them. Jona as well if need be.”

“I can’t believe my sister danced here all those years and I didn’t fucking know.” “I can. You’re trafficking women and don’t know. Seems to me like you’re not very connected to or observant with what’s going on in your life.” He glared my way but I kept my eyes on the stage and smirked. “Am I wrong?” He didn’t respond.

“I’m not that fucking twisted, Ez. I know the history. I also know what people think of my father and the things he’s done. I’ve been trying my best to be a better man than he was. Something you should understand.” I did. “It’s hard to escape the sins of our past, not impossible but also not easy. This one will destroy you if you don’t get a handle on things. I will do what I can. I meant what I said, Devereaux. I like you. We are family in a sense, but no one I love will be touched by this.” At that I walked away. Nothing else needed to be explained.

Yes I was being petty because he’d had his assistant call instead of doing the honors himself. He didn’t owe me anything but still… “Very. Thanks for reaching out. Have a great day.” I ended the call then cringed. This was my job. Samiya had made it very clear my job was working hand-in-hand with Ezekiel. She didn’t, however, say that I had to be at his complete disposal.