Danny reached under her skirt and pulled her panties down, making her step out of them. He dragged her by the arm and pushed her back into the car. He stood outside the car and looked in. He watched as his client popped every b.u.t.ton on her blouse. The client forced his face between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. From there he thrust his way inside her.

Aniyah thought of her family. Home wasn't so bad. Once the client was finished having his way with her, Danny opened the car door and pulled her out. The client handed Danny her pay. After that day, she never saw one dime of the money that she made.

She wanted to go home, but was too ashamed because she made no money to take back with her.

Aniyah lived the escort life for years until Danny got tired of her and brought in a new girl he found while vacationing in the Caribbean. He tossed Aniyah out onto the streets of Georgia with the clothes on her back. He vowed to kill her if she ever said a word about his business. The only thing she knew to do was to start her own business.

Aniyah went to nightclubs to look for men. She made money, but it had its price-bruises, black eyes, and two abortions.

Finally, she struck it big. A club owner knew of her work. One of South Carolina's very important men needed an escort.

Aniyah was informed that the service was private because the man was well known and married, but he paid well. The man could be a major client for her if she played her piano keys in tune.

The club owner took her to an upscale hotel in the downtown area of Atlanta. He gave her a key to put in the elevator to get to the suites. Aniyah knocked on the door.

Rupert opened the door. "h.e.l.lo, come inside."

Aniyah walked in. She saw an a.s.sortment of fruits on a tray. A bottle of wine chilled on ice. The man went over and poured them a drink.

"So your name is Aniyah?" he had said.

"Yes and yours?"

"That's not important," Rupert said.

Aniyah watched as Rupert poured two drinks. He handed her a gla.s.s. "To a wonderful night," he said as he raised his gla.s.s.

"I hope to fulfill whatever fantasy you have."

They sipped the wine. Rupert stroked her hair.

"You remind me of someone who used to work for me a long time ago. She had dark hair exactly like yours."

"How was she in bed?" Aniyah asked.

"Let's just say, I hope you can make up for what she lacked."

Rupert swallowed the rest of the wine and tossed his gla.s.s into a fireplace nearby.

He removed one strap at a time from her black dress, kissing her on the neck down to her shoulder. Aniyah stood and let him smell the scent of her body. He then took her gla.s.s from her, pouring the remainder of the wine between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He cleaned her up with his tongue. Rupert turned her on. Together they made their way onto the bed.

Aniyah undressed him. She saw the diamond ring on his finger. "Married," she whispered.

Rupert noticed he still had his wedding band on. "Not right now," he said as he slipped it off his finger. He pulled her close to him. Together they explored the juices of each other's bodies.

Aniyah woke up the next day cuddled in Rupert's arms. He snored as she removed his arms from her and got up.

Aniyah took a piece of fruit from the tray and chewed it. She opened the room door to get the morning newspaper. Flipping through the newspaper, she saw a photo of her date. The headline read, "Rupert Houston of Houston Commercial Construction Company to build a Houston Tower in Atlanta, Georgia."

Aniyah's eyes lit up. This was the man her aunt was pregnant by and the man who had shipped her back to Cancun, Mexico, to live with her family. She was quite aware that her aunt never told him she had a miscarriage because her aunt had received a small check from him for several years now for a baby that didn't exist. All her aunt's problems, Aniyah had learned from snooping in her aunt's journal.

Aniyah felt no remorse. She had struck it rich and would finally get the money she needed to take back home. The Sanchez family would never know where she got it. But they would be free of being slaves to others.

Before Houston woke up, she put the newspaper back outside the door for him to find.

"Where are you?" he wondered.

Aniyah grabbed two slices of an orange. She dived back under the bed covers. Rupert watched as she squeezed the juices from the orange onto her ample b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He sucked the juices from her.

She was paid well. Rupert ordered her to stay with him for the week that he was there. Her funds in her bank account began to add up. Rupert came to Georgia regularly on business with her as one of his main objectives.

The day came when he asked her to move to Lake Murray. He had purchased a home on the lake that she could occupy. She didn't have to worry about driving because he had limo service to carry her around. She went along with his program as long as he was good to her.

Aniyah lived there until he became tired of her, as other men had. The day came when he sent Clark, his driver, to tell her that she had to move out. She was handed two thousand dollars.

"Wow, tell Rupert, I mean Mr. Houston, that I said thanks," she said as happy as ever.

"Mr. Houston said you have to leave immediately. You can stay at an apartment he has for no longer than two weeks," Clark said sternly.

Aniyah's happiness turned into outrage. "d.a.m.n it, just like that he's kicking me out?"

"I guess so. I'll wait for you outside."

The driver drove her to a small apartment. "I feel sorry for you girls who think Mr. Houston is going to keep you forever. He has a wife and a family he loves."

That was all he said and left. Aniyah furiously vowed to get even with Rupert. She put her plans into motion. Now was the time for her to use what she knew about him to her advantage.

How would he feel if he thought he had slept with his own daughter?

Aniyah could not wait to see his face. She also aimed to find any dirt on his family to use against him.

Aniyah discovered Noelle's attraction to Baron. She had spotted them at a local cafe having coffee. They exited the cafe and Noelle reached up to put her arms around his neck. She kissed him. There was no obvious attraction on Baron's part. Aniyah could tell by the way he kept his hands by his sides. Noelle placed his arms around her.

Aniyah snapped a photo and had someone alter the photo-to strip them of their clothes. The alteration made them seem as though they were having pa.s.sionate s.e.x. The word was out that Rupert never wanted his daughters to have contact with his workers or helpers.

Aniyah vowed to be a part of his empire. He owed it to her for what he had done to the Sanchez family.

After several weeks, she contacted Houston. She demanded that he come to see her. She threatened to cause trouble for him.

"You're crazy," Rupert said as he entered her apartment.

"You dumped me like I was trash."

"You are trash!" he yelled. "Look at what kind of work you do."

"I'm going to move up in the world," she said as if she had a top-tier corporate position. She was only living off the money she had saved. With Rupert's help, she would give up the escort business. This was the man that had destroyed her family, so her goals had shifted.

Rupert laughed.

"Don't laugh too fast. I have info on one of your daughters," Aniyah said.

"You know nothing about my girls."

Aniyah laughed as he got serious. "The half-Mexican one."

Rupert rushed at her. He squeezed her shoulders to shake her. "How did you find out about her?" he wondered.

"Let go of me!" Aniyah fought back, having no fear of him. Danny had trained her well for physical abuse. "I want money."

Rupert shoved her. "I'm not giving you a d.a.m.n cent. You better keep your mouth shut."

"Let me move back to the Houston Villa. I'll keep very quiet," she begged.

"h.e.l.l no! I'm finished with you."

Aniyah saw that revealing what she knew about his daughter wasn't working so she began to dance.

Rupert watched as she danced erotically. "You're a crazy b.i.t.c.h, but you're s.e.xy."

Aniyah said nothing. She kept moving her body as she slipped out of her dress. Playing in her hair, she hummed an unrecognizable song.

Aniyah flagged for him to come to her. Rupert realized that he was playing with a hot candle. But he was going to take his chance and put the flame out. He moved closer to her.

Aniyah ducked under his arm and continued to dance. He discarded his suit jacket and pulled her into his arms. She unzipped his pants and released his manhood. She let him take her.

Rupert was exhausted. "You still are not getting a cent from me."

"Yes, I will, Papa."

Rupert almost choked on his words. "What the h.e.l.l?" He jumped up.

"I'm your daughter." She laughed.

He rapidly put on his clothes. He wiped the sweat off of his face. He thought of how many times he had been to bed with Aniyah. He could not believe that he had fallen into a trap. He adjusted his tie. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"I'm Tessa Sanchez's daughter."

Aniyah explained his situation with her aunt in detail. Rupert had no choice but to believe that she was telling the truth because she looked so much like Tessa.

Aniyah blackmailed him. She was determined that he owed her dearly and insisted that she be listed in his will as the owner of the Houston Estate upon his death. Rupert told her that he would leave her the Houston Villa.

"You put me out of the villa. So I want the estate," she demanded. "Leave that place to your other daughters."

At that time, she didn't tell him of the photo she had altered of Noelle and Baron. She kept that secret to seal the deal with his lawyer-making sure Baron didn't mess her up with getting what the Sanchez family was owed.

Aniyah got her wish. She met with Rupert at Chavis Law Firm. She witnessed as he handed his new will over to Baron. Rupert gave her enough money to live comfortably. She took the money and stayed in the apartment for the time being, until she thought of the life that she wanted to live. Her next thought was to figure out who she would hire to get rid of him, but his heart attack had saved her the dirty work.

Aniyah fell off to sleep. s.e.x with Baron and Pete had worn her out.

Chapter 16.

Tessa sat in darkness for two days before she decided to let any sunlight shine into her hotel room. She squinted as she opened the blinds to protect her eyes from the sunrays.

In a few days, she would have to check out of the extended stay hotel. She didn't know whether to pay more money for another week or head back to Mexico without seeing Baron.

She plugged in an iron that rested on an ironing board. Before she turned the iron on, she poured water into the spout for steam.

The room was silent-no sound from any radio or television. Tessa avoided listening to or watching the news. The reporters were fascinated with the Houstons' family saga as if they were the Kennedys.

Tessa carried on and pressed her blouse. Too quiet, she decided to turn on the television. She hoped that the media had found a new story to harp over.

The newswoman reported the weather before a newsman announced the top headline story.

The man reported: "The Houston Estate has been turned over to the illegitimate daughter of Rupert Houston. It's believed that the daughter is the child of one of his former Mexican housekeepers. We are in the midst of trying to gather more information. At this time, we do know that Mr. Houston's three other daughters, by his wife, Alana, were forced to move out of the estate-the home that they were raised in. It is believed that they are now living in one of his other properties, The Houston Villa."

Tessa clicked the television remote off and hurried to get her purse. She scrambled for Elsa's number. "Here it is." Tessa took out the slip of paper and called her.

"Good morning," Elsa answered.

"Elsa, it's me, Tessa. You didn't tell me Mr. Houston had another baby by a Mexican."

"Gracious Lord, you should know. It's your daughter."

Tessa confessed as she slipped her blouse on. "I have no daughter anymore. I lost my baby not long after I got back to Mexico."

"Well, rumor is, it's your daughter."

"No way; my daughter is long dead."

"But you made me think that she was all grown up."

Tessa calmed down. "I said that because all these years Mr. Houston sent me money to keep me quiet. He never knew I had no baby. I lied. I made him think my baby was alive. I sent him a picture of my niece."

Elsa grinned. "Good for the b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I didn't think this hot thing living in here could be yours. She's a mess."

"Stupid, like her father."

"A wh.o.r.e like him." Elsa laughed.