Page 45 of Audra: The Prequel

“Are you sure about that?” He asked the question with quiet confidence.

A cold chill went through Audra, and she straightened in the seat. He sounded as if he had a piece of juicy gossip he couldn’t wait to rub in her face.

She shouldn’t entertain his messiness but heard herself ask, “What are you talking about?”

Kerry blew out a breath, as if what he had to say was difficult to divulge. “I don’t know, Audra, it might be nothing, but… I saw a couple of photos of your man with someone else.”

Her stomach tightened, and her heart started pounding. Still, she dismissed what he said. “You’re making that up.”

“I’m not. I wouldn’t do that.”

Audra swallowed hard, hesitant to ask the next question but knowing she had no choice. “What’s in the photos?”

“Look, I didn’t know if I should say anything since?—”

“What did you see, Kerry?” Audra demanded, the pitch of her voice sounding particularly high inside the car.

He blew out another breath. “I saw a couple of photos of your man—with another woman. Looks like they were on a date, but like I said, it’s probably nothing, Audra.”

“It was one of those blogs, wasn’t it? Which one?” she asked, her throat tight.

“It wasn’t a blog. It wasPeoplemagazine. I’ll send the link, but don’t overreact. Give the man a chance. Find out for sure what’s going on before you go off on him. The photos could be innocent.”

“Thank you for the relationship advice,” Audra snipped. The gall of him.

“I know things didn’t work out between us, but I don’t want to see you get hurt. I also don’t want you to give up on a good relationship—assuming it’s good.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not,” Kerry insisted. “But I do find it interesting that you made all kinds of complaints about me and the pictures I took with other women. Then you end up with a man who obviously can’t keep it in his pants. Before you, he was working his way through every Black model and actress in the country. I’m surprised he had time to play ball!”

“Are you done?” Audra asked through tight lips. She wanted this conversation to be finished and for him to send the link so she could see for herself these allegedly damning photos.

“Yes, I’m finished. I’ll give my baby a call tomorrow when I have more time to talk to her.”

“I won’t mention it in case your plans change.”

He muttered a curse. “You couldn’t help yourself, could you? Guess what, Audra, if I didn’t work so hard, I wouldn’t be able to send those monthly child support checks. So maybe act a little more grateful that I’m not one of these men out here refusing to take care of his kid.”

His words bristled with anger, which kept Audra quiet. No point in arguing with him anyway because her head was spinning, preoccupied with chaotic thoughts about his Damon accusation.

Please let it be innocent. Please let it be innocent.

She desperately hoped Kerry was just being messy. Even if the photos looked bad, there was probably a very reasonable explanation.

“I can see you don’t want to talk to me anymore. I’ll hang up and send the link,” Kerry continued.

“Thank you.”Hurry!

Audra stayed in the parking lot, unable to drive away until she received the text. When it came through five minutes later, she hastily clicked the link and read the headline: “It’s a Home Run! Flash Foster and Supermodel Nami Deagan Heat Up NYC Party!”

Audra scrolled lower to the photo of Damon, who looked sexy as hell—but when did he not?—in a light-colored shirt open almost to his waist, exposing several gold chains against his chocolate skin.

With him was a woman she didn't recognize, but the caption identified her as Victoria's Secret model Nami Deagan. She was as tall as Damon in a pair of high heels, the two of them dancing up close, Damon’s arm resting on her waist. Nami wore a champagne-colored dress with spaghetti straps that shimmered against her umber skin. The short dress stopped mid-thigh and showed off her long legs. There was plenty of room around them, as if the other partygoers had cleared out of the way to give them space to dance.

Another photo showed the couple hand in hand, leaving the venue, with Damon leading the way. The wind blew Nami’s straight raven hair as they hustled out the door. Knowing Damon the way she did, he was probably horny from grinding on Nami while they danced, so he was taking her to a place where he could satisfy his sexual appetite.

Tears blurred her vision.

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