Read Online To Love and Obey by Vera Roberts - Free Book Online

number one ho or the brains behind the operation. When we were younger, we didn’t know what our parents did. All we did know was that they had money and they showered us with it. They went to all of the school plays, school functions, and athletic events. My brother was into singing so they always went to his performances. I was more into sports and they were always went to my games.”
    Nick listened intently as Zerrin told her story. He knew about Sam the Man; all of New York did. He had the biggest drug operation in New York, employing over a hundred dealers, runners, and prostitutes. His operation serviced everyone from Wall Street players to low-income families in East Harlem. When Sam was finally arrested, the DEA seized over five million dollars in drugs, money, clothing, and cars. Sam’s wife and Zerrin’s mother, Jenna, also went to prison. They both died of natural causes in prison and a huge memorial celebration was held for both of them, paid by rappers and other gangsters who admired the Black version of Bonnie and Clyde.
    The press mentioned Sam had two young children who were placed in care with relatives. Nick never thought he would make the connection with the young woman before him.
    “And then it all came crashing down one day,” Zerrin grimaced, “I remember when I was in my seventh-grade class and all these cops came in, rushing me out. We went to the police station where the cops told me that my parents did a very bad thing and that it wasn’t my or my brother’s fault. We went to go live with my grandmother and that’s that. My brother decided to parlay his feelings into music. You may know him as the rapper, Dolce Gabbana. Like the designer label but definitely not as classy,” she laughed to break the ice. “Before my parents went to prison, they transferred a large portion of their money to off-shore accounts because they knew what was going to happen. They put money aside for me and my brother in trust funds until we were 21. My brother used the money to start his music career. I decided to go into academics.”
    “Well, some good came out of something horrible, right?” Nick asked.
    “Maybe. Whenever I spend a dime of my money, in the back of my head I wonder what poor mother left her children home alone so she can blow some random dude so she can get a hit. Yeah, my parents left us a substantial amount of money, but there’s blood all over it,” Zerrin let out a sigh, “so there, that’s my sob story. I’m sure I scared you off.”
    “Zerrin, I’m not going to punish you for your parents’ mistakes. Even if they were still alive and dealing, it wouldn’t deter me away from you,” Nick promised.
    “You make it sound like you’ll be around for a while,” Zerrin asked.
    Nick tightened his lips. Did he want to be around for a while? He hadn’t had a girlfriend in years and was almost proud of that fact. While his brothers, Eli and Kieran, were happily married with children, Nick kept a rotating door of dates like his younger brothers, Joey and Tony, did. “Maybe,” was all he could say. “Tell me more about your interests.”
    Zerrin noticed that Nick changed the subject and decided not to pursue anything further. “Well, I love to travel. I’ve been to Italy, Russia, and London. I love sports. Basketball.”
    “Who’s your favorite team?” Nick asked. “It better be the Knicks.”
    “Excuse you,” Zerrin scoffed, “I’m free to choose whatever team to support.” Nick simply blinked at Zerrin before she burst into laughter. “Yes, it’s the Knicks.”
    “What else?”
    “I love to read. I love getting lost in the characters and stories I read.”
    “Who’s your favorite author?”
    “Stephen King.”
    “Really?” Nick was pleasantly surprised. “That’s interesting.”
    “A good interesting or a bad interesting?”
    Nick locked eyes with Zerrin. He loved how certain angles would make her light brown eyes sparkle, making him wonder what she was