Soul's Temptation

by Navi' Robins

Genres: African American Urban

Synopsis

Daniel Bennet has become a cultural phenomenon after penning an international best-selling novel based on his ordeal trying to bring a powerful criminal to justice. He has everything he could ever want: a beautiful wife, son, and wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But something lurks in the shadows of his mind, sparked by the warning from the mysterious assassin, John Smith, that one day he may return to finish the job. And that day has finally arrived…

Release date: March 30, 2021

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

A hell’s fire . . . The burning in his chest felt like a dark magician had conjured the bottomless pit of hell in his lungs, and the pain was unbearable. However, nothing burned more than having to look at the blue-eyed assassin loom over him, watching in the darkness with a look of intense satisfaction as he died painfully from the lethal injection they administered. His mouth opened and closed like a giant catfish out of the water, trying to breathe, and each time he inhaled, death drew closer. As the neurotoxins moved through his veins, clotting his blood, and shutting down his respiratory system, the ultra-attractive, blue-eyed assassin periodically checked their watch. As his large body started to shake, the assassin braced all their weight on the man’s chest, preventing him from getting up from his king-size bed. Suddenly, the man began to convulse and bounce violently on the bed, his body making one last attempt at surviving before the cobra’s venom took its toll.

Now, the man’s eyes began to bleed out, and his lips turned pale as he took his last breath. The assassin carefully examined the man’s body while checking for a pulse. After a few seconds, the assassin cautiously picked up a black bag from the floor. The bag immediately began to twist and hiss as the king cobra inside tried to fight itself free from the murderer’s grip. Observing the bag vigilantly, the killer watched the bag move, calculating where the cobra’s head and tail were. Then clutching the bag with both hands and twisting it brutally, the assassin snapped the cobra’s back in two. The cobra began to violently thrash around in the bag as the assassin turned the bag upside down and watched the wounded cobra fall on top of the still body.

The cobra’s reflexes went into overdrive as it repeatedly sank its teeth deep into the body’s flesh, injecting massive amounts of poison into the corpse. Satisfied that the mission was accomplished, the assassin slowly backed away into the shadows and disappeared . . .

John Smith stood on the roof of the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo, taking in the majesty of the Nile River as its pristine waters reflected the Egyptian sunrise over the horizon. As he admired the sunlight licking the top of Cairo’s impressive city skyline, he felt a sudden vibration in his inner left blazer pocket. Without looking at the screen on his phone, he placed the phone to his ear and said, “Speak.”

“Father is requesting your presence in the field.”

“I’ve just finished a harvest. Get someone else to do it.”

“Father doesn’t trust anyone else to handle this harvest. Father feels your previous experience with this crop will prove most useful.”

A confused look erupted on John’s face right before he responded, “There’s no such thing as previous experiences with harvests. They are either harvested, or they’re not.”

“That wasn’t a harvest. It was a survey of the fields to persuade the plants to grow in the direction that Father found profitable.”

John immediately understood who and what was being asked of him, and he sighed while rolling his eyes at the idea of having to revisit a previous assignment. He’d given his word they would be left alone, and he always kept his word.

“Father gave the assurance that the crop in question wouldn’t be harvested if it was compliant.”

“There’s been another development that could drastically deplete Father’s yearly profits if this crop is allowed to grow.”

“I gave my word. I’m sure Father understands what that means to a man in my profession. With all of Father’s influence, he should’ve seen or anticipated this new development coming and instructed me to refrain from giving my word that the crop would be allowed to grow without interference. At this juncture, I am unable to take this assignment. He’s going to have to get another farmer to harvest this crop.”

A long silence followed as the man on the other end of the phone contemplated his response to John’s refusal of the contract. Thirty seconds later, that man cleared his throat and responded, “Father doesn’t care about keeping your word. Father only cares about your loyalty, but I will inform Father of your decision as you wish. A stern word of advice: stay clear of this harvest. If Father finds out of your interference in any capacity . . . the harvester will become the harvested.”

Rolling his eyes, John abruptly ended the call and threw his phone like an outfielder aiming for home plate. Gritting his teeth, he looked down at the ground and kicked the gravel covering the roof of the five-star hotel. Sighing forcefully, he looked up at the sky, contemplating if it would have been better to accept the contract instead of allowing someone else to break the promise he made to the Bennetts.

A quiet hiss escaped her lips as he pulled her blond hair, snatching her head back. She suddenly felt his warm and wet tongue passionately move up and down her neck, the sensation causing her entire body to tremble with pleasure. Biting her neck, he pressed himself against her ass and began to grind on her slowly. A loud moan escaped her lips as she felt his hard, thick, and warm ten-inch rod move between her cheeks. The anticipation of him ravaging her body drove her insane. Pushing her head against the wall in front of her, he leaned backward and smacked her on the ass, her peach-colored skin turning red from the contact. His condo’s front door was wide open, allowing the cool night breeze to invade the large entryway into his home, causing her nipples to swell and tingle.

Lifting her arms above her head, Timothy ran his tongue down the back of her neck and slowly down to the small of her back until he reached the top of her ample backside. Spreading her butt cheeks apart, he inhaled deeply and plunged his entire head between her assets. The sudden sensation of his warm tongue exploring her forbidden parts caused her to scratch and claw at the wall as she leaned forward, allowing him more access to her.

Oh my God, what is he doing to me?

As he continued to devour her, Meagan began to feel the building heat and vibrations announcing the coming of an orgasm so intense that someone would need a mop to clean up its aftermath on the black marble floor in the foyer.

“Oh, shit, baby, I’m coming; don’t stop. Please, don’t stop. Keep eating that pussy. Oh yes! Fuck me with your tongue . . . mmm . . . Yes, that’s it. Suck that clit . . . aaah. . . shit.”

She suddenly felt her inner tunnel tighten and the roaring rapids of her orgasm rushing out of her. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her mouth flung open, and her body shook as if a bolt of lightning just struck her.

I’m really gonna fuck her ass up now.

Without warning, the man reached forward, gently spread her lotus lips, and began massaging her clitoris in a circular motion. The sudden sensation made her scream and tumble backward. As her body went limp, he braced her against his thighs, holding her against the wall. Bending her over, he slowly got down on the floor while pulling her down with him. Still holding her by her hips, he pulled her down and guided her onto his waiting and throbbing muscle in one fluid motion. As soon as she felt him slide inside of her, she leaned forward, digging her nails into his legs, attempting to brace herself for the pleasure and pain of his size and girth. Shaking and shrieking, she began to bounce while moving her hips like an exotic dancer, and he watched her in curious amazement.

“Gad damn! Look at that ass bounce. Take this dick. Take it, take it, take it, take it. Oh, fuck. This shit is good, ain’t it?”

Trying to contain the scream dancing on her tongue, she bit down on her bottom lip and whispered, “Mmm-hmmm.” Within a few minutes, she felt another climax building as his muscles tensed up, his legs began to tremble, and his toes started to curl.

Mmm . . . Yes, he’s coming, she thought, right before she jumped up, spun around, and shoved all of him in her mouth. She immediately closed her mouth around him while making wavelike motions on the underside of his shaft. A roar erupted from his lips as he released a massive load of his essence inside her mouth. As she felt his warm nectar fill her mouth, she closed her eyes while moaning deeply, allowing the vibrations to add to the sensation of her sucking him while he climaxed.

Feeling his self-control peel away, he started twisting his body to the side, attempting to remove himself from her mouth, but each time he tried, she locked her jaws tighter around him while being careful not to let her teeth scrape him.

Panting and slamming his hand down on the floor, he quickly accepted he wasn’t going to shake her, so he braced himself as his explosion continued longer than he’d thought possible. Noticing he was done, she slowly lifted her mouth from his shaft while making sure not to leave a drop of his essence behind. Smiling, she stood up and strolled into the hallway bathroom.

After a few seconds, the toilet flushed, and the bathroom sink faucet started to run as she reached into the medicine cabinet, pulling out her toothbrush, and began brushing her teeth. Still lying on the floor in complete awe, he turned his attention to the wide-open front door and smiled. He knew his nosy neighbors heard the commotion and probably attempted to sneak a peek, but he didn’t care. Meagan was incredible and worth the trouble of a fine from the condo association. So, if she wanted to keep the door open, that’s exactly what Timothy did. He’d rarely met a woman like Meagan, and he did everything he could to show her exactly how much he cherished her body and mind.

Meagan walked out of the bathroom, smiling while watching Timothy tremble on the floor. Suddenly, a cold draft blew up her sweaty back. Shaking, she turned and noticed the open door and quickly closed it.

Timothy sat up and watched Meagan stroll toward him and asked, “No swallowing, huh?”

Shaking her head, she responded, “Nope, but I dropped your kids off at the pool. Besides, swallowing means that I love you, and we both know that’s not what either of us wants, so . . .”

No, that’s not what you want, Timothy thought as he stood to his feet.

“Anyway, babes, I gotta go. You really relaxed me. Thank you.” Then reaching down and touching herself, she said, “Lucy definitely thanks you. She really needed that. How long it’s been?”

“Three long months,” Timothy responded coldly.

Looking at him like a cute pet, Meagan reached out and ran her hand along his cheek.

“So, you’re actually leaving right now?”

“Yes, I am. I have to go see Ayana, and what I have to tell her is gonna be devastating, but I have to tell her.”

“What is it?”

“What is what?”

“What you have to tell Ayana?”

Exhaling, Meagan responded, “President Ibrahim Bassa Alraheem is dead.”

“Huh . . . how . . . how . . . how did he . . .?” he stammered while placing his hand on his forehead.

“Snakebite. Actually, it was a king cobra. They say it put enough venom into him to kill an elephant. Fortunately, the man was so strong he killed the snake before his untimely death created another conflict in South Sudan, which is the last thing they need right now. That man was just . . . amazing. He was a great leader, and I know Ayana had such high hopes for her country under his leadership. The vice president isn’t such a bad guy either, but with another election coming up in a little under a year, things could turn out dreadful if the wrong person were elected to office, like that Thomas Bossa.”

Without warning, he suddenly felt light-headed, and the room started to spin. Stumbling, he quickly braced himself against the wall behind him. Noticing his reaction, Meagan rushed over, trying to stop him from tumbling to the floor. Searching his eyes, she asked, “Babe, what’s wrong?”

Looking up at the ceiling while trying to regain his balance, he nodded slowly. Then letting out a quick chuckle, he responded, “I think I must’ve come so hard, I got dizzy or something. Woman, you’re trying to kill me or something?”

Giving him the side eye, Meagan flashed a sarcastic smirk while watching him walk over to the living room and flop down on the oversized, dark brown leather couch.

He’s just going to sit bare ass on the leather, I see, she thought while turning up her nose. Note to self: never lie face down on that couch again.

Forcing a smile, although she felt nauseated, she asked, “Babe, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good,” he responded while waving his hand in her direction. “Go ahead and get ready to go see Ayana.”

“Are you sure? Just a minute ago you weren’t too happy abou—”

“Yeah, I was tripping,” he said, cutting her off. “Get ready. I’ll be fine.”

Meagan stared at Timothy for a few seconds longer before she shrugged, snatched up her overnight bag, and rushed into the bathroom to get ready.

The reflection in the mirror made Ayana’s stomach churn as she turned from right to left, praying there was an angle that could hide this new yet downgraded body of hers. She placed her hand over her womb and stared at the many stretch marks that lined her belly. A smile grew on her face when she noticed the shea butter cream was working to remove them, but she still had a long way to go. Turning to the side again, she sighed while shaking her head at her stomach and excess fat that lined her hips and inner thighs. She’d vowed to herself that after she was able to move around on her own, she would work off the baby fat. However, life sometimes has a different plan, and after two years of being a stay-at-home mother, she hadn’t done one push-up or run a single mile. In her defense, Li’l Timothy was an energetic and curious child, and she always chased after him around the house, trying to prevent him from getting into everything he had no business getting into.

Daniel promised her that he would help with Timothy’s care, but after his book became an international phenomenon, he couldn’t keep his promise. His sudden literary fame, paired with his obsession with training, made him a ghost around the house. Even when he was home, he wasn’t home. The very thought of it caused her nose to flare as her anger began to build.

Suddenly, she noticed how gravity and the lack of exercise affected her breasts, and she whimpered as her eyes began to water. Feeling hopeless, she threw her hands up and stormed out of her massive closet, deciding she’d had enough and should take the opportunity to get ready while Timothy was napping.

An hour later, Ayana answered her doorbell, and, at the sight of Meagan, she leaped into her arms, and the two friends embraced for over a minute. Meagan’s eyes widened as she took in their massive mansion, and by the time the two women were seated in the family room, Meagan was highly impressed.

“Wow, Ayana, you have a beautiful home,” Meagan proclaimed while looking around with admiration. “Definitely a huge upgrade from that downtown penthouse.”

“Thank you. Yes, it is,” Ayana replied, smiling while looking around and reminding herself just how much her life has changed since the day she walked into Daniel’s office.

“How are things, girl? I see you’ve settled into the housewife life,” Meagan teased while playfully shoving Ayana’s shoulder.

Desperate housewife is more like it. Save me, Meagan, Ayana thought while forcing a smile so exaggerated that it alarmed Meagan. She knew Ayana better than anyone, and she knew something was wrong. So, she reached out, held her hand, and said, “Ayana, talk to me.”

“I’m not used to this life, Meagan. A stay-at-home mom who’s barely holding it together and gaining more weight every day,” Ayana complained while looking down at her midsection.

“Girl, you’re not fat. You look great.”

Ayana’s head shot up, flashing Meagan a look that chilled Meagan’s blood. Feeling uncomfortable, she quickly responded, “Okay, maybe you’ve gained a little weight, but you still look better than most of the women that have had a baby.”

“I’m sure, but I don’t feel like myself anymore. I feel lost and spread out all over the place. Don’t get me wrong. I love my life, my husband, and I love Timothy with all my heart and soul, but I feel like I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now that I’m a mother.”

“Have you talked to Danny about how you feel?”

Ayana rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth at the very idea of Danny listening to her. The longer she thought about his absence, she suddenly didn’t want to be touched, so she snatched her hand away from Meagan.

“Ooh, that can’t be good.”

“He’s never home. I know he’s a celebrity and everything, but I thought that after he became a multimillionaire from his book sales and didn’t have to work at the hospital, we would have more time together. But he’s either traveling somewhere for another interview, or he’s at that fucking training facility.”

“Training facility?”

“Yeah, ever since he came in contact with you know who, he’s been obsessed with training and learning how to fight and protect us, just in case he returns.”

“Ayana, you have to understand that until that time, Danny didn’t know men like that existed. Once you run into those kinds of people, most respond by running and hiding or preparing yourself. Danny isn’t a runner, so he’s trying to do what he has to do to keep his family safe.”

“But he needs to be home to do that, right? How can he protect us if he’s never where we are?”

Nodding, Meagan said, “You make a great point.”

Ayana sighed forcefully, folded her arms, and lay back on the couch. Meagan looked at her and then looked away. She had no idea her friend was such an emotional mess, and she wondered if now was the best time to break the bad news to her. Suddenly, a confused look came over her face, and she started looking around.

“Girl, where’s Li’l Timmy?”

“He’s taking a nap.”

Inhaling deeply, Meagan tapped Ayana on her leg, and Ayana sat up, and when she looked into Meagan’s eyes, she knew something was terribly wrong.

“What’s going on, Meagan?”

“Ayana, I’m so sorry. I hate to add more stress to you, but your friend President Alraheem is dead.”

Ayana screamed and covered her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. Frantically, she began looking around as if someone were calling out to her, and her body shook as tears ran down her face. Trying to console her, Meagan reached out to hold her, but Ayana jumped up from the couch and walked over to the large fireplace, turning her back to Meagan. Meagan sat on the sofa, listening to Ayana moan in agony until it began to move her to tears. Meagan wanted to join her friend by the fireplace and hold her in her arms, but she knew Ayana needed to mourn her friend in solitude. After crying until her head ached, Ayana aggressively wiped the tears from her eyes, turned around, and asked, “Who killed him?”

Oh shit, Meagan thought, right before she jumped up from the couch, waving her hands in the air. After experiencing Ayana backtracking to her days as the unwilling wife of a warlord, the last thing Meagan needed was for her friend to pick up another assault rifle and go looking for a killer that didn’t exist.

“Wait, Ayana! No one killed him. A cobra got inside his room and attacked him while he was asleep. The poison and the president’s weight contributed to his death. He was not murdered.”

“A cobra?” Ayana asked with a look of disbelief.

“Yes, it was just a cobra. Nothing more.”

“If that’s the case, can you explain how a cobra got to the third floor of a heavily guarded building and didn’t bite anyone else before reaching the president’s room? There’s too much traffic at the palace for that snake to make its way up to his room and not be noticed.”

“Ayana, the doctor’s confirmed he died from snake’s venom.”

“Yes, but, Meagan, you of all people should know that no president’s death is that innocent or cut and dry. Would you believe a snake killed your president in the White House?”

“No . . . huh . . . no . . . why would he . . . I don’t understand the question, Ayana,” Meagan stammered while shaking her head, trying to understand what Ayana was saying.

“My point exactly. Just because my president lives in Africa doesn’t mean death by a snake bite is an acceptable excuse. Someone murdered my friend and tried to cover it up. I need to get home at once.”

“Ayana, you are home. You can’t allow your need to feel important to cloud your judgment. Timmy needs you here, not back in Sudan.”

“If you think I’m going to let them murder my friend and president and get away with it, you have me fucked up, Meagan.”

“The last time you were over there trying to save the world, you ended up in a coma for almost two years. If what you’re saying is true, and Alraheem was murdered, that means you are diving right back into the frying pan with some people that are more ruthless and powerful than Kronte—especially if they can murder a head of state and cover it up. We are talking about people like the ones your husband has been training for. Going against those kinds of individuals usually doesn’t work in your favor. You can rest assured, Daniel will follow you over there, and the two of you could be killed, leaving Li’l Timothy with whom? Your in-laws? Timothy?”

Without warning, Ayana began screaming at the top of her lungs and then collapsed to her knees. Meagan jumped back and almost fell over the coffee table when Ayana’s piercing scream filled her ears. Ayana started rocking back and forth, trying to calm the rage building up inside of her. She wanted to uncover the assassination of her country’s president, and if this had happened four years ago, then she would’ve dismissed Meagan’s warning and went to war. Today, however, she had more to lose than she ever had in her entire life, which rendered her powerless to do anything about it. She knew with this new covert attack on her homeland that it was only a matter of time before th. . .