Tainted Black - Williams Shanora - Страница 68

I turned, walking back towards the house, and when I spotted the blue sticky note glued to the door, I took it off, and a large grin took over my face. My heartbeat quickened, and I laughed out loud.

I laughed on the way into the house, walking through the hallway, and onto the deck, spotting the red recliner that once belonged to Mrs. Black in the far corner where I left it. It would forever remind me of them. Of him.

I tousled with the paper, and as I stepped onto the sand and faced the ocean, I realized tears were now streaming, a mixture of joy and sadness flooding my eyes.

He was gone, and I was sad, but only because I knew I would never see him again. Mr. Black. Theo Black. My first of many. But I was also overjoyed because he deserved this. We deserved this. We obtained some form of happiness when it seemed utterly impossible.

I studied the paper, his macho handwriting. On the note was a sketch of the tribal wave his tattoo artist had created for him. I remembered his promise—how he’d give me something to remember it by. He swore he’d get the sketch for me, even after the artist told him he didn’t give the sketches away or make copies of them.

But Theo was Theo. I was sure he’d had this for a while now because, low and behold, I had an exact replica of the sketch in my hands. And written beneath it were the words, “Told you I would get it. I guess being a Black has its perks.”

I clung to that note. I kept it in the bottom drawer of my desk in my classroom for years.

I clung to hope.

To fate.

To love.

That man’s soul was no longer stained, dipped, or tainted in black.

His soul had been bathed in gold, baptized to become someone pure.

No matter how far I went in life, or how being with him was oh, so wrong, I was never going to forget someone so incredible. Someone so wonderful. Someone so amazing—a person I couldn’t sum up with words, no matter how many I used.

I was never, in all my life, going to forget that man.

My incredible first lover.

My beautiful Theodore.

My loveable Mr. Black.

The End

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are many people I could thank right now. So many!

First and foremost I’d like to thank my heavenly Father. My Lord and Savior. Without Him I’d truly, honestly be nowhere.

Thank you to my family, my little baby boy for keeping me on my toes. The beautiful man in my life, Juan Carlos. The reason I can create these sexy book boyfriends.

My sister Dajai for always making me feel like I’ve outdone myself and for reading every single one of my books.

Thank you to Stina Rubio, Tamsyn Bester, Heather Orgeron, Selene Malek, Miri and Yaya, Nancy Flores, Nanette Bradford, Kristie Wittenberg, and Julie Joyness! You ladies have been so supportive and amazing. Not even funny. I love you all!

Thank you to these lovely, super awesome readers on Instagram. You guys are an entirely different (and rather naughty) crowd and I love you all so damn hard! To SmuttyBookLover, KinkyGirlsBookObsessions, xxBookQueenxx, RentasticReads, ButThisBook, TiffanyTheBibliophile, CrazyBookLovers, DarkReadings, YABookshelf, BookBabe, BookWhores, BookBellas and so many more! These are in no specific order at all but thank you to each and every one of you for the shares, the teasers, and the freaking amazing graphics/edits! I can’t thank any of you enough. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Thank you Ena Bena for running your promotional services like a boss! I don’t know how you do it, but thank you, girl!

Gotta give thanks to my family for believing and supporting me to the fullest. I love you guys.

To each and every blogger and reader that has taken the time out to read, review, and give me so much love about Tainted Black… my word. I am seriously in awe. Sometimes I go absolutely speechless because I have never seen so much love all at once. I can’t believe how much love this novel has gotten but, trust me, I am NOT complaining! Thank you!