EPISODE ONE
When Marabel’s plane landed at Lambert Airport in early September Saint Louis, Missouri, she took a deep breath in smelling the crisp chill on the horizon bringing in the best season of all. Her flight from Texas was the last scheduled, so the dark molasses sky dotted with stars that she missed dearly welcomed her back home to stay. Her appointed Town car pulled around and she generously tipped the skycap for ushering her five pieces of luggage curbside. Relaxing on the smooth black leather of the backseat, she pulled out her cell phone texting her ace in the hole Dabney.
“Hey beautiful, I have landed. Will give you a call tomorrow. Ciao Bella...xoxo.”
The driver started the engine awaiting her instructions. “Downtown Saint Louis to a nightclub named The Crush. Please stop by an IMOS and order me a medium deluxe with extra cheese.”
“Ms. Larue I am only a driver. I typically do not make stops to order pizza,” the driver stated peeking at her through the rearview mirror.
Marabel skirted her tongue over her nude lip, curling a slight corner into a grin that could make any man and some women double take. She scooted to the edge of the seat just enough that he could smell the mint of her breath and the floral bouquet of her bosom. “You typically do not make stops?” She purred, tittering at the comment. “That’s cute. IMOS. Medium deluxe with extra cheese.” She then slid back waiting on the evidence that her power had on most men - a deep gulp of his manhood descending beneath her.
It did not take long for the driver to obtain her meal while she took that time to call the broker that would hand her the key to her fully furnished loft apartment that sat somewhere in the general vicinity of the club they were to meet at. As the smooth ride took her down highway 70, the black posts outfitted with soft glows of lights became a blur to her as the sight of the Arch sparkling in the night air cracked into the skyline.
About a decade had elapsed since she last visited Saint Louis. Her parents had moved on to greener pastures so there really was no reason for her to visit in that timeframe spent away, but her heart of late yearned for familiar stomping grounds to possibly find roots in. The downtown area had received a much needed overhaul in the construction and rehabilitation of the urban area which brought in new business and an overall new demographic. There was a time in her childhood where she resided in low-income housing development only a few blocks away from the very spot that now housed executives and wealthy heirs, but the past was left far behind her with no looking back.
Downtown was full of life with people dressed to the nine flittering this way and that like ants at a picnic, but Marabel was too consumed with checking her email to take mention of the lively activities that surrounded her. The driver parked in front of a refurbished building with weathered bricks and a small smooth stone walkup. There was a line of scantily clad patrons talking and shifting their bodies to generate well-needed warmth in the slicing early autumn night air. The same wind that was assaulting the people in line danced up Marabel’s body when the driver opened the door for her saying with a commanding tone, “We have arrived at The Crush Ms. Larue.”
Marabel thought it odd to meet at a club to conduct a business transaction, but she could not help but to be drawn to the building that rumbled with life and entertainment on the inside. Given that she would be flying in beforehand, she opted on wearing a simple onyx leather skinny pant, a leather motorcycle jacket with the lapels pushed down to expose the rim of the violet lace bra she wore underneath. The driver offered his hand as she instructed, “I have a business meeting scheduled. I will return shortly.” Marabel soon spotted the youthful looking broker with a blond pixie haircut and a crimson business suit on.
The two women surpassed the eagerly waiting line venturing up the stone walk into the old building filled in every crevice with gyrating bodies. “This way,” the broker said, ushering Marabel down a flight of steps leading her into the bowels of the building. The open area allocated to important persons was nicely decorated with sleek ivory leather and suede couches, metallic tables and lit fireplaces scattered about. They took a seat at a table that housed the broker’s personal laptop and briefcase full of files.
She extended her hand to Marabel introducing herself. “My name is Jessica and I will be delivering the keys to your new furnished split level loft Ms. Larue. I do apologize that we had to meet in a nightclub of all places but with the timing of your flight, I wanted to assure that you would be comfortably situated in your home tonight.” Jessica immediately got down to business revealing the details of the furnishings, amounts due, and instructions while Marabel tuned her out taking in the environment.
The private area, even though large in the dimensions of the room, had an intimate feel to it with the dimmed lighting and soft soul music playing which was a nice contrast from the booming hip-hop of the main floor. Only a few smaller groups of people were situated around the room that showed no importance to Marabel, but there was something that did catch her eye leaning against the bar. His nectarine tinted skin made the black and crisp lines of his tailored suit call out to Marabel’s attention. The ridge of his full lip and burn of his amber eyes bore holes into her flesh as he glared back in her direction twirling a toothpick around on his tongue that gave her shivers even from a distance. He tipped his fedora sitting atop his head winking in her direction making her pants stick to her thighs when Jessica interrupted her lewd fantasies that were starting to unfold.
“Ms. Larue, I hope that everything that I have shown you is acceptable.”
Marabel put on a sweet smile, saying, “Everything looks great Jessica. You have done a wonderful job now where do I sign so I can settle in?”
After signing the papers, the two women stood to shake on the deal when Marabel caught her admirer from earlier approaching their table. “Okay Ms. Larue, everything is in order here. Your driver will not have far to travel, because your building sits adjacent to The Crush. Welcome back Ms. Larue and enjoy your stay,” Jessica stated packing up her things leaving the area.
“Marabel Larue,” his bass voice sang out to her from behind. Marabel faced the gorgeous, tall man that smelled like he did not have a worry or a care in the world.
“Excuse me? Do I know you from somewhere?” Without answering her, he began to circle her stripping her of all her clothes with only his amber portals before he stopped, standing face to face with her. Marabel gave a slight shudder then immediately gathered her senses crossing her hands over her pronounced chest. “Are you going to answer my question or not, because time is a precious commodity Mr. Stranger and I like to keep every ounce of time that I have to myself.”
“A bit more feisty than I remember, but I will never forget those thighs and that ass in those leggings.” He said sucking in his bottom lip as if he had sampled every inch of her body. He then grazed the pads of his fingertips through the chunky loose curls that cascaded down her chest lingering his knuckle against the heat of her nipple before he retracted his touch. “I never thought the day would come that you would walk into this building of all places. This is true fate.”
“Okay now you are talking in riddles, so I am going to bid you adieu.” Marabel began to ascend the stairs with him following suit making noises like he was eating his last meal. When they exited the building, her driver gave a quick nod to the man that was following her then he rounded the car sitting behind the wheel. Marabel was dumbfounded feeling her temperature boil under her skin when she faced the strange man once again. “Now I need answers,” she barked to his chuckle in response.
“I happen to recognize your driver, and I simply gave him the okay to have a seat.”
Marabel stepped a touch closer to his chest to show she was not in the mood for games. “See the thing is whomever you are, I am paying for that driver. With that being said, he follows whatever order I, Marabel Larue, give him not-”
“Coran Stone,” he stated interrupting her tirade rendering her speechless. When the name began to register, her mouth gaped open. “Coran Stone? The same Coran Stone from high school?” He planted a sly smile on his face nodding his head to her.
“Wow, thee Coran Stone.” Marabel began to mix memories of the cute guy who stayed two houses down from her childhood home in North County Saint Louis. “Yea, you were a bad one Mr. Stone. Had all the girls in and out of your doors back in the day,” she mentioned smiling at him.
“Not the girl that I wanted,” he rebutted back to Marabel with a wink of his eye.
“Oh is that right? If my memory serves me correct, all the girls would swoon over tall, handsome, Coran Stone with the pretty eyes.” Marabel found herself giddy reliving a past life that she really wanted to forget.
“Again I say, none of them were the girl that I wanted.”
“Who was this mystery girl that never crossed your threshold Mr. Stone?” Marabel toyed with him poking her finger into his arm for affect.
“Well she lived two doors down and her name had a ring to it,” he flirted back stepping in closer flipping his fingers through her loose curls. “Yes she used to wear leggings all the time, much like these,” he ran his touch up her hip causing her to take a step backing away from him. “Those leggings used to drive me crazy.”
“Oh really? Well if she would have known that she was so desired, that girl just might have graced your doorstep,” Marabel wanted to devour him on the spot, but a darker side of her wanted to play around with her meal first.
Coran stepped a breath closer admitting, “This girl that I wanted so much,” Marabel took another step back with her back touching the cool glass of the back door while he continued, “could have come over just like everybody else.” This time when Coran moved into Marabel’s space, the evidence of his want for her pressed against her thigh as he shielded her from the cool night air and the sight of the crowd who remained in line.
Marabel took a minute to scanned the face of Coran Stone from the glow of his cleanly shaven skin to the whirlpools of tinted gold that had so many drop to their knees giving him the world. She motioned with her finger for him to bring his head close to hers. Coran complied placing his hands against the frame of the car to steady himself. When he was close enough for her pleasure, Marabel placed her lips close to his, so close that she could taste the sweet intoxicating aroma of brandy. He readied himself to receive her when she bypassed his lips traveling to his ear, whispering, “I do not abide by an open door policy. If you wanted to ring this bell, you should have invited me in.” She then palmed his jawline applying her moistened lips to the tip of his earlobe causing him to release a gust of air from his lungs. “Now I must be going Mr. Stone. It was nice catching up with you,” she purred, locking eyes with him.
Coran plastered another half-crescent grin on his face, backing away just enough to open her door for her. Marabel took her seat inside not breaking their magnetic eye contact. “It was nice seeing you again as well Ms. Larue. I am hoping that this will continue in the near future.”
“It might,” Marabel volleyed back.
“Might..is good. It will...is even better. Do know that now, the man no longer a teenage boy, is inviting you in. Considered your invitation served...neighbor,” he stated chuckling at his final statement before he turned back in the direction of the club.
Neighbor? My invitation has been served huh? Coran Stone you have no idea what you are getting into my dear. No idea, Marabel thought instructing her driver to her new home in her old city.
“Hey beautiful, I have landed. Will give you a call tomorrow. Ciao Bella...xoxo.”
The driver started the engine awaiting her instructions. “Downtown Saint Louis to a nightclub named The Crush. Please stop by an IMOS and order me a medium deluxe with extra cheese.”
“Ms. Larue I am only a driver. I typically do not make stops to order pizza,” the driver stated peeking at her through the rearview mirror.
Marabel skirted her tongue over her nude lip, curling a slight corner into a grin that could make any man and some women double take. She scooted to the edge of the seat just enough that he could smell the mint of her breath and the floral bouquet of her bosom. “You typically do not make stops?” She purred, tittering at the comment. “That’s cute. IMOS. Medium deluxe with extra cheese.” She then slid back waiting on the evidence that her power had on most men - a deep gulp of his manhood descending beneath her.
It did not take long for the driver to obtain her meal while she took that time to call the broker that would hand her the key to her fully furnished loft apartment that sat somewhere in the general vicinity of the club they were to meet at. As the smooth ride took her down highway 70, the black posts outfitted with soft glows of lights became a blur to her as the sight of the Arch sparkling in the night air cracked into the skyline.
About a decade had elapsed since she last visited Saint Louis. Her parents had moved on to greener pastures so there really was no reason for her to visit in that timeframe spent away, but her heart of late yearned for familiar stomping grounds to possibly find roots in. The downtown area had received a much needed overhaul in the construction and rehabilitation of the urban area which brought in new business and an overall new demographic. There was a time in her childhood where she resided in low-income housing development only a few blocks away from the very spot that now housed executives and wealthy heirs, but the past was left far behind her with no looking back.
Downtown was full of life with people dressed to the nine flittering this way and that like ants at a picnic, but Marabel was too consumed with checking her email to take mention of the lively activities that surrounded her. The driver parked in front of a refurbished building with weathered bricks and a small smooth stone walkup. There was a line of scantily clad patrons talking and shifting their bodies to generate well-needed warmth in the slicing early autumn night air. The same wind that was assaulting the people in line danced up Marabel’s body when the driver opened the door for her saying with a commanding tone, “We have arrived at The Crush Ms. Larue.”
Marabel thought it odd to meet at a club to conduct a business transaction, but she could not help but to be drawn to the building that rumbled with life and entertainment on the inside. Given that she would be flying in beforehand, she opted on wearing a simple onyx leather skinny pant, a leather motorcycle jacket with the lapels pushed down to expose the rim of the violet lace bra she wore underneath. The driver offered his hand as she instructed, “I have a business meeting scheduled. I will return shortly.” Marabel soon spotted the youthful looking broker with a blond pixie haircut and a crimson business suit on.
The two women surpassed the eagerly waiting line venturing up the stone walk into the old building filled in every crevice with gyrating bodies. “This way,” the broker said, ushering Marabel down a flight of steps leading her into the bowels of the building. The open area allocated to important persons was nicely decorated with sleek ivory leather and suede couches, metallic tables and lit fireplaces scattered about. They took a seat at a table that housed the broker’s personal laptop and briefcase full of files.
She extended her hand to Marabel introducing herself. “My name is Jessica and I will be delivering the keys to your new furnished split level loft Ms. Larue. I do apologize that we had to meet in a nightclub of all places but with the timing of your flight, I wanted to assure that you would be comfortably situated in your home tonight.” Jessica immediately got down to business revealing the details of the furnishings, amounts due, and instructions while Marabel tuned her out taking in the environment.
The private area, even though large in the dimensions of the room, had an intimate feel to it with the dimmed lighting and soft soul music playing which was a nice contrast from the booming hip-hop of the main floor. Only a few smaller groups of people were situated around the room that showed no importance to Marabel, but there was something that did catch her eye leaning against the bar. His nectarine tinted skin made the black and crisp lines of his tailored suit call out to Marabel’s attention. The ridge of his full lip and burn of his amber eyes bore holes into her flesh as he glared back in her direction twirling a toothpick around on his tongue that gave her shivers even from a distance. He tipped his fedora sitting atop his head winking in her direction making her pants stick to her thighs when Jessica interrupted her lewd fantasies that were starting to unfold.
“Ms. Larue, I hope that everything that I have shown you is acceptable.”
Marabel put on a sweet smile, saying, “Everything looks great Jessica. You have done a wonderful job now where do I sign so I can settle in?”
After signing the papers, the two women stood to shake on the deal when Marabel caught her admirer from earlier approaching their table. “Okay Ms. Larue, everything is in order here. Your driver will not have far to travel, because your building sits adjacent to The Crush. Welcome back Ms. Larue and enjoy your stay,” Jessica stated packing up her things leaving the area.
“Marabel Larue,” his bass voice sang out to her from behind. Marabel faced the gorgeous, tall man that smelled like he did not have a worry or a care in the world.
“Excuse me? Do I know you from somewhere?” Without answering her, he began to circle her stripping her of all her clothes with only his amber portals before he stopped, standing face to face with her. Marabel gave a slight shudder then immediately gathered her senses crossing her hands over her pronounced chest. “Are you going to answer my question or not, because time is a precious commodity Mr. Stranger and I like to keep every ounce of time that I have to myself.”
“A bit more feisty than I remember, but I will never forget those thighs and that ass in those leggings.” He said sucking in his bottom lip as if he had sampled every inch of her body. He then grazed the pads of his fingertips through the chunky loose curls that cascaded down her chest lingering his knuckle against the heat of her nipple before he retracted his touch. “I never thought the day would come that you would walk into this building of all places. This is true fate.”
“Okay now you are talking in riddles, so I am going to bid you adieu.” Marabel began to ascend the stairs with him following suit making noises like he was eating his last meal. When they exited the building, her driver gave a quick nod to the man that was following her then he rounded the car sitting behind the wheel. Marabel was dumbfounded feeling her temperature boil under her skin when she faced the strange man once again. “Now I need answers,” she barked to his chuckle in response.
“I happen to recognize your driver, and I simply gave him the okay to have a seat.”
Marabel stepped a touch closer to his chest to show she was not in the mood for games. “See the thing is whomever you are, I am paying for that driver. With that being said, he follows whatever order I, Marabel Larue, give him not-”
“Coran Stone,” he stated interrupting her tirade rendering her speechless. When the name began to register, her mouth gaped open. “Coran Stone? The same Coran Stone from high school?” He planted a sly smile on his face nodding his head to her.
“Wow, thee Coran Stone.” Marabel began to mix memories of the cute guy who stayed two houses down from her childhood home in North County Saint Louis. “Yea, you were a bad one Mr. Stone. Had all the girls in and out of your doors back in the day,” she mentioned smiling at him.
“Not the girl that I wanted,” he rebutted back to Marabel with a wink of his eye.
“Oh is that right? If my memory serves me correct, all the girls would swoon over tall, handsome, Coran Stone with the pretty eyes.” Marabel found herself giddy reliving a past life that she really wanted to forget.
“Again I say, none of them were the girl that I wanted.”
“Who was this mystery girl that never crossed your threshold Mr. Stone?” Marabel toyed with him poking her finger into his arm for affect.
“Well she lived two doors down and her name had a ring to it,” he flirted back stepping in closer flipping his fingers through her loose curls. “Yes she used to wear leggings all the time, much like these,” he ran his touch up her hip causing her to take a step backing away from him. “Those leggings used to drive me crazy.”
“Oh really? Well if she would have known that she was so desired, that girl just might have graced your doorstep,” Marabel wanted to devour him on the spot, but a darker side of her wanted to play around with her meal first.
Coran stepped a breath closer admitting, “This girl that I wanted so much,” Marabel took another step back with her back touching the cool glass of the back door while he continued, “could have come over just like everybody else.” This time when Coran moved into Marabel’s space, the evidence of his want for her pressed against her thigh as he shielded her from the cool night air and the sight of the crowd who remained in line.
Marabel took a minute to scanned the face of Coran Stone from the glow of his cleanly shaven skin to the whirlpools of tinted gold that had so many drop to their knees giving him the world. She motioned with her finger for him to bring his head close to hers. Coran complied placing his hands against the frame of the car to steady himself. When he was close enough for her pleasure, Marabel placed her lips close to his, so close that she could taste the sweet intoxicating aroma of brandy. He readied himself to receive her when she bypassed his lips traveling to his ear, whispering, “I do not abide by an open door policy. If you wanted to ring this bell, you should have invited me in.” She then palmed his jawline applying her moistened lips to the tip of his earlobe causing him to release a gust of air from his lungs. “Now I must be going Mr. Stone. It was nice catching up with you,” she purred, locking eyes with him.
Coran plastered another half-crescent grin on his face, backing away just enough to open her door for her. Marabel took her seat inside not breaking their magnetic eye contact. “It was nice seeing you again as well Ms. Larue. I am hoping that this will continue in the near future.”
“It might,” Marabel volleyed back.
“Might..is good. It will...is even better. Do know that now, the man no longer a teenage boy, is inviting you in. Considered your invitation served...neighbor,” he stated chuckling at his final statement before he turned back in the direction of the club.
Neighbor? My invitation has been served huh? Coran Stone you have no idea what you are getting into my dear. No idea, Marabel thought instructing her driver to her new home in her old city.