Betrayal of Trust Page 2

  Cedrick glanced over his shoulder toward the direction of the ladies’ room, then back at Victoria.

  “Don’t fret. Your lady friend–––”

  “My wife,” he corrected.

  “No disrespect intended,” she replied, holding her hands in the air. “Uwezo Oma–––”

  “Don’t call me that.” He rose, towering over Victoria’s slender frame. “I go by Cedrick now.”

  “Whatever.” She flung her arms around his neck. “I’m so happy to see you. Everyone back home thought you were either dead or in jail the way you vanished without a trace.” She released him, dabbing the area under her bottom lashes to keep sudden moisture from ruining her eyeliner.

  Cedrick’s brow dampened, and the wetness under his armpits trickled down his sides. Thankfully, he was wearing a dark colored shirt.

  The visual of his father lying in a pool of blood with a fork lodged in his neck, clasping the Quran flashed through his mind. Cedrick shook that horrifying memory aside. He glanced down at Victoria.

  “And it must stay that way.”

  “I don’t understa–––”

  “Don’t tell anyone you saw me,” Cedrick pleaded, gazing over his shoulder to make sure Sierra hadn’t seen him with his old friend.

  Other than Cedrick’s mother, Priscilla, Sierra didn’t know anyone from his life before he moved to Chicago, and he planned to keep it that way for both their safety.

  “This must be the lovely Sierra,” Chef Brasseur said with a smile brighter than The Bean in Millennium Park.

  Cedrick wiped his clammy palms along his pants before shaking Chef Brasseur’s hand. “No, this is my friend, Victoria. Sierra’s indisposed at the moment, but she’ll be right back.”

  “My apologies. Bonjour ravie de vous rencontrer mademoiselle,” Chef Brasseur greeted, kissing the back of her hand.

  “Oh my.” Victoria giggled.

  Her laughter reminded Cedrick of the many times they’d played truth or dare. She’d always choose truth, then giggle because no one could make her do anything ridiculous. He had always thought playing with Victoria was unfair since she never picked a dare.

  “It was nice seeing you, Vicki.” Cedrick hoped she took the hint and retreated to her table. He wanted her to leave the restaurant, but since he wasn’t in his own establishment, he didn’t have any grounds to have her escorted off the premises.

  Victoria swiped Cedrick’s phone from the table and tapped the screen as if typing a text. He opened his mouth to speak just as her phone rang.

  “There.” She flipped the phone around. Victoria’s number was splayed across the top of the screen. “I’ll lock your number in, and you do the same with mine. Call me so we can catch up. I have so much to tell you about what’s going on back home.”

  That’s the last thing Cedrick wanted to hear.

  Chef Brasseur glanced down at his wristwatch. “If you need a few minutes–––”

  A woman wearing a toque blanche hat and double-breasted jacket barreled out of the French kitchen doors.

  “We have a situation,” she whispered with a quivering voice over Chef Brasseur’s shoulder.

  “If you’ll excuse me,” Chef Brasseur said in a commanding tone.

  “We can reschedule for another time,” Cedrick suggested, catching a glimpse of Sierra heading their way. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “Merci,” Chef Brasseur said, pivoting on his heels, rushing toward the kitchen with the Sous Chef in tow.

  “Don’t tell anyone you saw me,” Cedrick mumbled loud enough for Victoria to hear, grabbing Sierra’s cardigan from the back of the chair. “I’ll call you when I can.”

  Victoria’s brows furrowed. “What’s going on with you?”

  “I mean it ... you never saw me.”

  She took a seat as Sierra walked up behind Cedrick. “Sorry I took so long,” she said glancing in Victoria’s direction. “The lines in the ladies’ room were crazy.”

  After a slight pause and a questioning glare, Sierra asked, “Do I know you?”

  Cedrick’s heart jolted. He wanted to disappear in the kitchen with Chef Brasseur.

  “I don’t believe so,” Victoria replied.

  “Then why were you chatting with my husband while I was gone? Are you one of these food-obsessed-Instagram chef groupies?”

  Cedrick eyeballed Victoria and gave a warning frown before turning his back on her and facing his wife.

  “Sierra––– let’s not do this,” Cedrick stated, holding up the cardigan so she could slide her arms inside the sleeves. “Chef Brasseur had an emergency. We’re going to meet at another time.”

  “Who is she?”

  “A patron of this restaurant.”

  “I’m tired of these fangirls.” Sierra pursed her shimmery-bronzed colored lips.

  This was one-time Cedrick’s local celebrity played in his favor.

  “I’m begging you, please don’t cause a scene. I’m trying to woo Chef Brasseur to come work for me. You confronting one of his customers is not a good look.”

  Sierra ignored her husband’s warning. She leaned over Victoria’s table and hissed, “I’m watching you.”

  Victoria snickered. “I hope you like what you see.”

  Sierra reared back into a defensive stance.

  All eyes and cell phones were on them.

  Cedrick wrapped his arm around Sierra’s waist and ushered her out of the restaurant before she had a chance to utter another word or do something they’d both regret.

  Chapter 3

  Sierra slid in the passenger’s seat and whipped out her phone. Opening Instagram, she searched Smokehouse_Chef to see if the woman she’d seen in the restaurant was one of Cedrick’s followers. Something about her seemed familiar. It was unsettling.

  Women salivated over Cedrick like he was the tender beef brisket he marinated, smoked, and served in his restaurant. They’d ask for her husband’s autograph or a selfie in her presence while apologizing for interrupting their outing. Sierra was accustomed to that, but to wait until she left the room, that was uncalled for sneakiness, and it got her hackles up.

  Turning to Sierra, Cedrick asked, “We have the rest of the afternoon free, sweetheart. Any ideas?”

  She pondered the question as he maneuvered the Dodge Charger out of the parking garage. Despite the light tone he used, Sierra couldn’t keep the edge out of her voice at not finding the woman she searched for amongst his followers. “Take me to the office.”

  Cedrick sighed aloud. “On a Sunday? Come on, Sierra. This is the first afternoon I’ve had off in months, and you want to spend it at the office?”

  “I won’t be long,” she promised, rubbing a hand along the side of her smoothly tapered curly afro. “We’re right down the street. I need to go over the files for the Eastside Development Project one last time before we meet with the client tomorrow. I’ll only be a couple of hours.”

  “That’s all I have is a couple of hours before the dinner rush surges,” he shot back. “You know I’m the only joint open late on Sundays in the area. I need to get back there before it gets crazy.”

  Sierra sighed. She wanted to spend the afternoon with her husband, but this had to be done. Had Cedrick not rushed her out of the restaurant, they could’ve enjoyed some quality time together, but now she was pressed for time, especially with her mother watching their kids for the day.

  “You don’t even have your work bag.”

  She patted the oversized Burberry leather tote. “Everything I need’s in here.”

  “So, you already had this planned,” Cedrick pouted, swerving into the taxi lane of the mirrored skyscraper.

  “Babe, of course not, but my work is just as demanding as yours,” she reminded him. “The only difference now is that you’re here feeling what I go through every morning.”

  Cedrick put the car in park and turned to his wife. “Meaning what?”

  “Come on, Cedrick,” she replied with exasperation. “You leave every day at
the crack of dawn and don’t return home until after the kids, and I have gone to bed.”

  His expression grew pained. “Sierra, it’s not–––”

  “Shhhh.” She pressed a finger to his full lips. “I didn’t say that to make you feel bad. I just want you to understand that it goes both ways.” She plucked a keycard and ID from her tote. “Go get Carrington and Lena from mom. Hang out at Navy Pier for a few hours. It’s not too cold for a Ferris wheel ride. They’ll love that.” She grabbed the handle. “I’ll catch an Uber home, get my car and meet you to pick them up.”

  “Okay, but I miss you, Sierra.” Cedrick caressed her cheek and leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

  Sierra inhaled his sweet woody scent, a stark contrast to the smoky aroma that usually flanked his clothes and body. She almost changed her mind. Almost.

  “I miss you too. I’ll wait up for you,” Sierra promised, sliding a hand over his thigh before floating out of the car.

  * * *

  Cedrick put on the hazard lights, hopped out the car, and fell in-step with Sierra. “I want to make sure you get into the building okay.”

  “Always the gentleman.” She smiled, swiping her keycard, punching a code in the keypad, then leaning over a screen that scanned her irises. A few seconds later, the red button on the keypad flashed green, and the glass door clicked open.

  Cedrick held the handle, permitting his wife to enter. “Text me when you make it upstairs.”

  “Will do.”

  “You make sure she’s alright,” Cedrick said to the security guard sitting behind the desk.

  He sat in his car, awaiting Sierra’s confirmation. Besides wanting to spend the day with her, Cedrick didn’t like Sierra being in the office alone. It was only a few weeks ago that she told him that one of her colleagues had been assaulted in the ladies’ room while working overtime on the weekend and the perpetrator was still at large.

  Once Sierra texted, Cedrick made a U-turn, heading to his mother-in-law’s house to get the girls. He got caught by the red light, directly in front of Chef Brasseur’s restaurant. Gazing at the marquee, he couldn’t help but wonder why Victoria was in town? Did she know the real reason he left Reno?

  He drove a couple of blocks, then pulled over. Curiosity got the better of him. He needed to know why Victoria was in Chicago. His life and the ones he loved, lives depended on it.

  Only thirty minutes had passed since he’d left the restaurant. There was a chance that Victoria was still there, so Cedrick called the last number dialed on his phone. Victoria answered on the first ring.

  “Are you still at the restaurant?” he asked before she could say hello.

  “Yes.”

  “Meet me outside in two minutes,” he said, checking the side mirror for oncoming traffic before pulling away from the curb. “I’m in a black Dodge Charger with tinted windows.”

  After disconnecting the call, Cedrick tried to focus on driving, but it was difficult. The whole afternoon had been upturned. He’d gone through the full gamut of emotions since Victoria sidled up to his table earlier. Shock, dismay, worry, and fear were just a few. Now there was some tension between him and his wife because of Victoria’s inopportune drop-in.

  Unable to help himself, his mind wandered back to his old life with his best friend. The goodbye kiss Cedrick planted on her lips fifteen years ago should’ve never happened, but if he had to have his first kiss with anyone, he was glad it was with Vicki, regardless of the circumstances.

  “What’s up?” she asked, sliding into the car. “You can imagine how surprised I am to hear from you so soon. Earlier, you treated me like I had Ebola or something.”

  Cedrick’s hands trembled. His expression darkened.

  “Uwezo.” She grinned, laying her purse into her lap. “It was a joke.”

  His features didn’t soften. That name. The past. All bad vibes.

  “This isn’t a good idea, Vicki.” He cranked the engine. “I think you should go.”

  She touched his shoulder. “Hold up, Uwezo.”

  Cedrick shook her hand off.

  “I mean, Cedrick,” Victoria corrected. “You’ve got to tell me what’s going on with you. I haven’t seen or heard from you since you ghosted me years ago. I asked your mother where you were, and she told me you were at your Aunt Makayla’s house. Then I freaked out when you didn’t show up to school the next day, or the next. Didn’t I mean anything to you?”

  “You know better than to ask that,” he cautioned.

  “Then I suggest you start talking because you owe me an explanation Uw—Cedrick.”

  Cedrick closed his eyes.

  Victoria whispered, “You not coming to school didn’t make sense. Education was everything to you. Even after your dad broke your foot and refused to take you for medical treatment until you studied the Quran, you hobbled to school in a makeshift cast.” She batted the tears away. “So, after you missed a few days, I came by after school to check on you––– the house was empty, and the car was gone.” Her voice broke, and tears came in earnest.

  Cedrick thought about that memory. That one incident alone was what caused him to swear he’d never force religion on his girls. They had the right to choose their path. His job was to raise well-rounded, kind-spirited, respectful children who knew right from wrong. He’d like to think that thus far, he and Sierra had accomplished that.

  He eyed Victoria. “Why are you here in Chicago?”

  She reared back in her seat. “After everything, I just said––– that’s your response?”

  “Look, I don’t need a tour guide down memory lane to be reminded of all the bad things that happened to me.”

  “Whoa,” Victoria remarked, shifting in the seat, leaning closer to Cedrick. “This is me … the one who traveled that dark road with you. The only friend you trusted with your truth. I’m still that person.”

  That’s the problem. Cedrick couldn’t trust it. He loved Victoria more than she would ever know. Because of her friendship and the fact that she kept his secrets, he had the strength to get out of an abusive situation. But her father was a cop. Cedrick couldn’t chance coming clean to her. Not now. Not ever.

  “I want to believe you.”

  A rapid tap on the driver’s window by a policeman alarmed Cedrick. Fear catapulted into his stomach causing it to clench in knots. Whenever he grew worried, his digestion system was the first to suffer. Right now, his nerves were stretched so taut he felt he’d lose his bowels if he weren’t careful.

  She set me up.

  Cedrick glared at Victoria as his worst fears came to light. His best friend, the keeper of his painful secrets had betrayed him. The past had finally caught up at the hands of his most trusted friend. Images of his wife, mother, and kids visiting him in jail through a thick glass panel made his eyes water.

  The officer tapped again, this time a little harder. Cedrick reluctantly lowered the window. At that moment, the Sahara Desert had more moisture than his mouth.

  “Yes, officer.”

  “Move your car. Now. You’re in a loading zone.”

  “Sorry,” he replied with relief and prayed the officer didn’t notice his anxiousness.

  Cedrick hadn’t been this jumpy in years. One glimpse of Victoria and he was fourteen again––– weak and afraid.

  “I have to go,” Cedrick said to Victoria, putting the gear in drive.

  “Wait, I’m not leaving,” she countered, fastening the seatbelt. “You’d better move before Officer Friendly gives you a ticket,” she teased in a tone not matching the joking banter.

  Cedrick’s face echoed the exasperation he felt at her stubbornness. He mumbled under his breath but still drove a few streets over, down Columbus Drive, and parked across the street from Buckingham Fountain. The meters were free on Sundays, so they had time to talk without interruptions.

  “Okay, you aren’t getting a ticket, we’re parked and in no immediate danger. So please quit stalling and tell me what the heck’s goin
g on with you?” Victoria poked Cedrick in the arm as she spoke and didn’t stop until he returned eye contact. “Fifteen years ago, you asked me to forgive you. I thought you were talking about the kiss.” She hesitated. “But now, I think it’s about something else.”

  “Why do you keep questioning me?”

  “Because my best friend disappeared from my life almost two decades ago and by the grace of God, I ran into him today. I deserve answers,” she cried out, her voice breathy and filled with emotion. “Where’ve you been all this time? Why didn’t you reach out to me? My life fell apart after you left. I needed you—– and you weren’t there.”

  Unable to continue, Victoria turned toward the window.

  Cedrick stared in disbelief as she struggled to pull herself together. Her emotional outburst gave him pause. Not once had he ever considered the impact that his absence would have on Victoria.

  Every raised fist, every hurled object, every broken bone, all in the name of Allah––– it disgusted him.

  He never understood why his father disliked him so much, initially thinking he was being disciplined for bad behavior. During the early years of suffering, Cedrick witnessed the overt pleasure his dad displayed at hurting him. It was in his eyes the first time his father fractured his wrist. Cedrick’s cry for help was met with a violent shove to the floor and a throaty laugh. He knew then that his father and Lucifer were well acquainted.

  Beaten and damaged, after that incident, Cedrick refused to let his father have the satisfaction of seeing him whimper. He’d never made that mistake again.

  “Earth to Cedrick.” Victoria snapped her fingers in his face.

  Blinking out of the trance, Cedrick gripped the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles protruded. “So much has happened––– I can’t talk about it,” he muttered. “Believe me. I would if I could, Vicki.”

  “I don’t know what you’re so afraid to tell me. You used to tell me everything,” Victoria reminded Cedrick, leaning toward him. “But if it’ll ease your mind––– I’m in town on business. My father-in-law’s a partner at a big-time law firm here in Chicago. I’m the architectural engineer on the deal he’s closing with Eastside Development Project and–––”