Scandal: Crossing Boundaries (Scandal Series #1 INTERRACIAL ROMANCE) by Jean St. Claire Read Free Book Online Page B

it was a struggle to stay current with their monthly mortgage payments.
    Davonte quickly got up and went over to lock his office door, returning to his seat a moment later.
    Leaning back into his chair, he brought up the porn site he was looking at before the woman had interrupted and then grabbed some lube out of his desk drawer.
    The stressful news had him needing a release.
    As he began his business, watching the two white lesbians go at it on his laptop screen, his mind continued to race. All he could do was hope that Cindy had been telling the truth about his work hours being temporarily cut, otherwise, the Johnsons might be looking for a new address soon.

Chapter 7
    T he sound of water filled Zack's ears as he swam just beneath the surface of his large swimming pool. Practicing for an upcoming swimming match on a Saturday afternoon, he had been at it for hours, striving for perfection.
    He was currently on the last stretch of a grueling lap cycle. Pushing himself to his ultimate limits, his arms burned with exhaustion as he shouldered himself through the water.
    He was concentrating not coming up for air, his lungs feeling like they were going to burst. Glancing at the end of the pool, he saw that he was almost there...only a few more yards.
    One, two, three, four...
    He gasped as he broke the surface, choking on air, his hands firmly grabbing hold of the concrete edge of the pool.
    Glancing at his water-proof stopwatch, he felt relief surge through his tortured lungs. He had beaten his previous record by ten seconds. At this rate, Zack would be more than prepared for his upcoming swimming match.
    "Zack."
    He groaned at the sound of his mother's voice.
    "Zack get out of there," Patricia called from the front of the pool. "There is someone here to see you."
    His golden-haired mother was garbed in a red dress, barefoot, with a wine glass in her hand.
    Whoever the visitor was had to be someone that his mother was comfortable drinking around. Usually one to keep up of appearances because of his father's position, Patricia always made sure to keep up a facade for the public and any guests that came over to their house.
    Wiping the water out of his eyes, he pulled his toned body out of the pool and made his way to his towel that was draped over the side of a pool chair. Quickly wiping himself off, he wrapped it around his slender waist, and shook his blonde hair around like a wet dog while making his way to his waiting mother.
    "Who is it?" he asked Patricia as he walked beside her across their neatly-groomed backyard, her favorite fragrance she wore everyday wafting to his nose.
    "You'll see," she responded coyly with a mysterious smile.
    "Oh come on mom, don't play games with me," Zack growled. "Just tell me who it is."
    Pausing as they came upon the back patio, his mother replied, "It's Mandy."
    Zack froze in his tracks, glancing at their large house. "I'm not going in there mom."
    Sighing, his mother turned to him and asked, "Why not Zack? The girl is beside herself about your guys' break up."
    "Mom, this is bullshit," Zack snapped, mightily irritated. "Why the hell would you let her in the house, knowing we aren't going together anymore?"
    "Hey!" Patricia half yelled, raising her arm as if to smack her son, nearly spilling some of her wine onto the grass. "Watch your mouth Zachery!" Glancing through the kitchen window, she quickly lowered her voice. "I was not going to turn her away Zack...not when your car was sitting directly in the drive way." She gently tapped him on the shoulder. "Just go in there and see what the girl wants," she urged him. "It can't be that bad."
    There was no point in arguing. If he didn't go inside his mother was bold enough to bring the girl out into the back to see him.
    Sighing in defeat, he said, "Alright."
    Inside the Palmer residence, a palatial-type estate, Zack found Mandy sitting calmly on the lush guest couch, her eyes on the flat screen TV in the middle of the living room.
    There was