Chapter One

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    Today was the day. Knourish told herself repeatedly. It had been like a daily affirmation for her for the last few days. She had all her things packed. For her it would either be now or never. Change was what she needed. Her heart as well as her mental had taken a harsh beating. If she were honest with herself she should have been gone before today. Love…that pesky word had caused her a lot of heartache and so many tears. Not to mention humiliation at it’s finest. She absently rubbed the new ink on the inside of her forearm. Strength was beautifully tatted there. It was strength at this very moment that was causing her to stand on business.

    “Knourish, I know this isn’t easy for you, but it’s what’s best. You deserve so much peace and happiness,” her mother said behind her.

    “I know momma. This was my life for so many years although most of it was more bad than good.” She turned to look at her beautiful mother who had beat breast cancer a year ago. Her mother was so vibrant and radiant. Two years before her mother’s cancer she lost her husband Knox to a massive heart attack. 

    “Love should never have you out here accepting shit from a man who doesn’t know his worth. Love is beautiful and it’s patient as well as kind. When a man loves you sweetheart he enforces his love with actions.” Her mother lovingly patted her face.

    Knourish leaned into her mother’s touch. It was her mother’s strength along with hers that got her through. Most of all it was her mother’s prayers. Andrew Jones had done a number on her. He caused too much pain and never once cared. Everything was always Knourish’s fault. Of course it was his narcissists’ ways which lead him to believe he was never wrong and he was the best she would ever find.

    “I love you momma. I really wish you would go with me.” She pleaded with her sadden hazel eyes.

    “You’ve had a lot on your plate with no support. This is your time. Life is short and you need to live it even if it means moving to another place to do so.”

    “I should get going. Not sure when Drew will return, but I don’t want to be here when he does.”

    After a tear-filled goodbye all her stuff was packed in a moving truck.  Knourish waved good bye to her mother as she stood by her car. It wasn’t long before her mother pulled from a place she once called home. She was thirty-six years old and lived in hell for the last seven years.  Love…well what Drew gave her she knew it wasn’t love. It was mocking and controlling. All the cheating and lies among other things she had been through enough.

    On top of her broken relationship she lost her father and her mother battled cancer. If she was honest all her strength was gone. She had no more fight in her. No matter how much her mother spoke into her life, into her heart she just didn’t think the fight to move on and be strong was there.

    Knourish was a very successful tattoo artist in Columbia, SC. She had traveled near and far because her work was like that. Unfortunately for her Drew always made her feel like what she did was bullshit. It’s sad having a nigga jealous of their woman. The signs were always there, but as always they were ignored.

    She left the car and the house key there. There was no letters or goodbyes. She just wanted peace. Knowing how Drew was setup he was going to try to keep things cool on the outside while the inside would be in a silent uproar.

    “Okay Knourish you got this.”

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Chapter Two

 

    Cassius wiped the dripping sweat from his drenched face with the white towel around his neck. He had been in his home gym going hard like always. A soft smile graced his face when he looked at the picture of his mother with pink boxing gloves on her hands. 

    Catherine had her hands a fighting stance. That’s what she did for the last two years until eight months ago she lost the battle with breast cancer. It was hard watching his mother decline right before his eyes. He was so helpless and heartbroken being there wasn’t anything he could. He’d hired the best doctors and tried treatments, but nothing worked because the cancer had spread to her bones.

    Having an absent father in his life made him grow up faster than he anticipated. Cassius was five years old when his father left and never looked back. Once Cassius turned eighteen he knew who to go to in order to make money. He graduated high school with honors. Cassius didn’t go to college then. Later on he went to college. He made sure he obtained his masters in business and finance. Now at the age thirty-eight he was in every magazine and in the media. He was one of the wealthiest black men in Atlanta who was taking real estate by storm. 

    He damned near owned Atlanta. Cassius St. James was the man to see about property. His team had renovated so many properties that were ready for lease or purchase depending on the person’s needs. He knew his mother was smiling down from heaven on him. All he ever wanted was to make her proud and he did so. Now his mother was gone he still wanted to make her proud.

    The only thing he wished he could have done was give her the grandchildren she wanted. None of the women he dated he took seriously because they didn’t take him seriously. He was more than looks and fat pockets. What Cassius wanted was a woman who knew her worth. When a woman didn’t know or value their worth most would settle for less. His mother was a very strong woman regardless to each obstacle she faced.

    These days Cassius was so focused on growing his business the same way he had when he was in the streets. Back in the day he moved weight from coast to coast and state to state. Cassius St. James was a self-made multimillionaire. He was smart, but ruthless. Out in the streets so much blood was shed. He lost people on his team and peopled lost their life at the hands of him. After he got shot scaring the shit out of his mother he decided it was time to make some changes in his life.

    His business phone rang bringing him from his heavy thoughts. Cassius stood to his impressive height to retrieve his phone from the shelf near the door. Seeing it was his business partner and his best friend he knew it had to be something important.

    “What’s good Lance?”

    “There was a woman here today and her last name was St. James. She is inquiring about one of the newly built properties.”

    “So what you’re saying without saying the shit is the woman is my bitch ass father’s wife?”

    “Pretty much. I don’t think she has a clue she just walked into the lion’s den.”

    “She probably doesn’t. Knowing Cassian he knows what he’s doing. I’ll handle it.”