Ruthless Rianna, page 1
Ruthless Rianna
A “Holy Rock Chronicles” Story
National Bestselling Author
Shelia E. Bell
Shelia E. Bell
2021 ©, Ruthless Rianna, Shelia E. Bell
Digital Edition, License Notes
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This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people living or dead, or to real locales are intended are to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is purely coincidental
Also by Shelia Bell
Holy Rock Chronicles (My Son's Wife spin-off)
Calling Dr. Daniels
The Woman In Apartment 3D
Ruthless Rianna
If Your Price Is Right
Love Shoulda Brought You Home
Christian Black, Esq.
My Son's Wife
My Son's Wife: The Beginning
My Son's Ex-Wife: Aftershock
My Son's Next Wife
My Sister My Momma My Wife
My Wife My Baby And Him
The McCoys of Holy Rock
Dem McCoy Boys
My Brother, Father And Me
My Truth My Time My Turn
Dem Folk At Holy Rock
Thicker Than Water
Redeeming Holy Rock
Whom the Son Sets Free
The Real Housewives of Adverse City series
The Real Housewives of Adverse City
Standalone
Beautiful Ugly
Watch for more at Shelia Bell’s site.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Shelia Bell
Ruthless Rianna (Holy Rock Chronicles (My Son's Wife spin-off), #3)
Acknowledgements
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
Words from the Author
Additional titles by Shelia E. Bell
Sign up for Shelia Bell's Mailing List
Also By Shelia Bell
About the Author
Thank you, Readers!
“Your stories are an eye opener! I can’t put your books down. Thanks so much for your amazing stories. I’ve not been able to read anyone else’s books!” Carolyn Denise Rooks Your #1 Fan
“I enjoy reading about them McCoy boys. This book is full of drama. I was enlightened about postpartum psychosis. My heart goes out to ladies who have to experience this. This story is well written and keeps you wanting more.” The Book Diva
“Didn't see any of this coming! No spoilers, but to date, I think this is the best in the series, but I may have to reserve judgement on that because there will be more shenanigans coming. Love Shelia Bell and Dem Folks at Holy Rock!” Avid Reader
“This series should be turned into a TV series. The McCoys and Graham families are something else. Can’t wait to read next book to see how the characters end up.” Ms. A.
“This author did not fail to disappoint. The drama continues! Jump right in! Highly recommended!” DannieLoves2Shop
“Oh, my goodness! I was totally drawn into this book from beginning to end! My how we reap what we sow. I can't say enough about this series! Each book left me wanting more! Shelia Bell is truly a gifted & talented author.” Monica Tatum
Acknowledgements
TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE supported my career and continue to support me over the years—thank you. To those who have just taken their first chance on reading my literary work—thank you! I’m fortunate and blessed to do something I absolutely love. When I am weaving and creating stories, I feel like I am living my very own purpose driven life.
Thank you to every book club, every avid reader, every book promoter, and every person who is in the literary arena.
Extra special thanks to my three sons—I love you and I appreciate you for sticking by me, helping me, loving me, caring for me, and being the best sons a mom could ever have! Thank you to my great grands. I love you so much!
Always thanks to my mommy for supporting me in all my endeavors and for singing my praises to whoever will listen. I love you, Mommy.
An extra special thanks to Ethel Woodard, aka author Eve Alexander, for sharing your vast literary knowledge, skills, and expertise. You are a hidden literary treasure, my friend.
Thanks to friends, readers and supporters, Rolonda (Frazier) Bridgewater, Regina (Robinette) Fleming-Dobbins, Marquitta Mason White, Quandra’ Swayze, Carolyn Denise Rooks, Yvette Williams, and Tasha Parker. Supporters like you help me to be successful!
"An eye for an eye.”
(Leviticus 24:19–21)
one
“Be ruthless for your own well-being.” H. Butcher
“I’m overcome with happiness. God is so good. You’re so good,” Hezekiah cried, lifting and twirling Rianna around in Apartment 3D while his young son played with his Star Wars Legos in the corner.
“How did you do it? Tell me how you pulled this off?”
“I told you. I love you, Hezekiah. I’d do anything to prove it. Don’t you see that now, baby?”
Hezekiah sat on the couch, rubbing his hand back and forth across his balding head.
“My baby boy, my son, Jude, is going to live with me. I...I can’t believe it. I’ve got to get the house ready. Baby, I hope you know that I have no choice now, I have to move into Lion’s Gate. I know how you feel about it, but it’s the best place for Jude. This seems like a dream. I can’t believe it’s real.”
“I know,” she said, and kissed him fully on the lips. She dismissed the continued lie Hezekiah told. He knew darn well he was already living in Lion’s Gate, if only he knew that she knew. She remained silent about it now that she’d gotten Hezekiah’s son from under his mother and pedophile stepfather’s roof. And sooner rather than later, she believed she would be moving into the house behind the gate as well!
“Don’t worry,” Rianna assured Hezekiah. It’s not a dream. It’s for real.” She looked over at the little boy, “He’s living with you now. I mean, what else can his mother do? Like her lawyer advised, it’s in her best interest and her son’s best interest to let things cool off until she can find out what they’re going to do about her pedophile husband.”
“Yeah, I...I just can’t thank you enough. I owe you,” Hezekiah cried, grabbing Rianna’s face and kissing her deeply and passionately. “What can I do to ever repay you?”
Rianna smiled. Let me count the ways....
Breaking News
A house fire was reported at 8:17pm by a resident inside the private Lion’s Gate Community. Firefighters responded and the fire was under control by 8:37pm. No one was reported to be at the resident at the time of the blaze which consumed primarily the back side of the home. Homes on both sides of the residence on Angel Lane were forced to evacuate until the blaze was contained. Cause of the fire remains under investigation. Tri-News MEM.......
“Look, you crackhead, dope fiend, raggedy mouth, stanky breath fool, I tol’ you...you betta stay away from me,” Rianna shouted, slinging a spray of saliva with every word.
She pushed past the man who had been harassing her just about every time she came to work. Enough was enough. Rianna was not going to put up with his strong armed tactics a day longer. She’d paid him to do a job...he’d done it, and now she needed him to get out of her life.
“If you don’t get outta my face, I swear, you’ll regret the day you ever laid eyes on me,” she said, cutting her baby brown eyes at the man.
“I did what you asked. I can do something else for ya,” the man said. “Come on, now,” he pleaded, “you owe me the rest of my money. You betta giv’ it to me too or else—
“Or else what? I know you ain’t calling yourself threatening me? What you gon’ do? I don’t owe you jack!”
The man stopped following Rianna as she strutted toward the entrance to the pharmacy.
She stopped abruptly and turned toward the man, almost causing him to bump into her chest. Shifting her narrowing eyes, looking from side to side, she moved in closer, almost closing the remaining space between them.
Turning her nose up and wrinkling her brow, she spouted, “You set that fire, not me,” poking her own chest. “I had nothing to do with it. And if you ever try to put me in it, you’ll regret the day you ever laid eyes on me. Now get outta my face, you useless bum!”
The man took a step back and gawked at Rianna like she was a mad woman.
Rianna pulled out her phone. She had a short video clip of a man who could easily be him, scaling the tall brick fence surrounding the outside
“You could very well be the suspect they’re looking for. I mean, where were you the night this prominent woman’s home was set ablaze? You betta watch your back; you don’t wanna be a suspect for arson.” She warned and started laughing.
Like a roaring lion, her maniacal laughter must have frightened the man because he raised both palms, stepped back, turned around, and ran to his beat down red bicycle.
“I know you don’t wanna go back to the pen now, do you?” Rianna laughed even louder, watching the man get on his bicycle and zoom off in the other direction.
Looking over his shoulder, he said, “You’re one crazy heffa,” and pedaled off as fast as the rickety bike would carry him.
two
“One lie is enough to question all truths.” Anonymous
“Tell me something.”
“Yea, what?” Rianna replied.
“What did you have to do with all the drama that’s been going on with my family these past few weeks?” Hezekiah questioned Rianna.
“I told you, all I know about is Jude’s stepfather being a pedophile and that Mariah knew about it the whole time they’ve been married. I can’t believe she’s allowed your little boy to be around him, let alone live under the same roof as that man.”
Hezekiah leaned in and kissed her. “That is until now. Because of you, I have my son.”
Rianna smiled, reached up and massaged Hezekiah’s bearded face. He was usually clean shaven, but it seems the stress of the past few weeks brought about a nervous change in him.
“I don’t want you to worry or stress about anything. You don’t want to have another stroke.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Hezekiah quickly said, turning over in the bed and fully facing Rianna.
“I want my mommy!” the curly haired boy whined, appearing in Rianna’s bedroom door, halting their conversation and make-out session.
“Hey partner, settle down. I told you, you’re going to spend some time with me,” shifting his glance to Rianna, “and Miss Rianna.”
Rianna smiled at Hezekiah and then at Jude. “We’re going to have fun getting to know each other. Okay?” she said, pulling the printed bedsheet up and around her shoulders.
The teary eyed boy nodded.
“Hey, no acting like a baby around here. Now, are you ready for breakfast?” Hezekiah asked, slinging the covers back and getting out of the bed.
“Hezekiah!” Rianna mouthed when he got out of the bed fully exposed.
“What?” Hezekiah turned back briefly but then disregarded Rianna.
“What did you say? Do you want some breakfast?”
“Yes,” Jude said, looking and sounding frightened and timid.
Jude called his stepdaddy, Clayton, “Daddy.” He only knew Hezekiah from pictures and a few facetime calls Hezekiah made over the years, mostly on Jude’s birthday and Christmas.
Hezekiah and Mariah had an affair for a year before she got pregnant with Jude. When Clayton found out about the affair and her pregnancy, he left, taking the other two kids with him. Mariah told Hezekiah she’d almost lost her whole family because of him.
To this day, Fancy McCoy, did not know about Hezekiah’s outside kid. The only one he had confided in about the boy was his son, Xavier. He told him about Jude when Xavier was questioning his own ability to be a good father to his twins.
Hezekiah thought back to a particular conversation he’d had with Mariah a few years ago.
“Let me say this to you, Hezekiah. I don’t need you messing up my life a second time. My husband and kids are back. He’s forgiven me for the affair and he’s accepted Jude as his own. Anyway, as far as the law goes, legally, Jude is his kid. And you can stop depositing money into my account for him if that’s what it’ll take for you to leave us alone,” Mariah pleaded.
Hezekiah had abided by Mariah’s wishes by not making a big deal to be in the boy’s life, but he continued to deposit a substantial sum of money monthly into Mariah’s bank account. He wasn’t that stupid. He listed it under the expense of Jude-child support. No one was going to catch him slipping. Always stay one step ahead was his motto. Now he had the upper hand. Thanks to Rianna—and her bombshell discovery. He would never have suspected Clayton for a convicted pedophile.
Hezekiah thanked God for giving him a clean slate, a chance to raise the boy better than how he raised Khalil and Xavier. He wasn’t going to make the same mistakes this time around.
“I’ll make you some chocolate chip pancakes,” Rianna said, “Would you like that?” she asked Jude.
“Yes,” he said, and a big smile appeared on his cherub face.
“Okay, then go brush your teeth and wash your face,” Hezekiah told the six year old.
“We’ll be in there in a sec,” Rianna added.
“Do you think he’s going to be okay?” Hezekiah turned and asked Rianna when the boy disappeared.
“Of course. You just have to be a little more patient. I mean, he misses his family. You said he really doesn’t know you. Give him time.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Standing on her tip toes, Rianna wrapped her arms around his neck.
He returned her embrace. The mere touch of his hands sent warm shivers racing through her like an electric current.
His mouth hungrily covered hers. Aroused now, she drew in even closer to him, if that was possible.
Hezekiah gently pushed her back. “Come on.” He chuckled lightly. “You know we gotta kid around now. This’ll have to wait.”
He kissed her on her forehead and proceeded to grab his robe and walk into the bathroom.
three
“People say I am ruthless. I am not ruthless. And if I find the man who is calling me ruthless, I shall destroy him.” Robert Kennedy
“Every praise, every praise is to our God!” the New Holy Rock Mass Choir song while clapping and swaying from side to side.
Rianna practically glided from one end of the pulpit to the other, hands flailing, voice lifted in song as she directed the choir. Being the minister of music made her feel proud. New Holy Rock Ministries was a growing congregation, so there were less than two dozen choir members. Rianna didn’t care. She was determined to make this choir the best ever. In time, more members would join, the church would grow, and she was going to be over everything related to music. She chose the songs, could hire and fire choir directors and musicians at her discretion, and say yes or no to those who wanted to join the music ministry. It was the kind of position she’d dreamed of having from the time she was a little girl growing up in a Baptist church. She would watch with bated breath as the choir directors, sometimes flamboyant and wild, led the choir in song, oftentimes bringing the church to a frenzy of shouting and praising God. Today, she felt the surge of excitement as she prodded them to sing louder.
“Sing, choir! Let the Lord use ya!” Hezekiah encouraged, standing to his feet, clapping his hands and doing a two-step like he was dancing to an R. Kelly tune.
Stiles was more subtle with his praise, choosing to remain seated. Waving one hand over his head, he mouthed the words to the song, while gently nodding.
Dressed in a lavish multi-colored choir robe, Rianna turned and stole a glance at her man. She was on a high, loving what she was doing.
Jude was in children’s church. Rianna had to get used to a kid being under foot. She could do without kids, but she’d never told that to Hezekiah. If having a kid would increase her chances of Hezekiah putting a ring on it, of course she would get pregnant. Other than that, she could do without changing diapers and raising a kid for eighteen years.
Rianna thought Jude to be a pretty good kid. In her opinion, Mariah had done a good job with him. Although, Rianna did notice that the little boy had some questionable tendencies. She didn’t mention it to Hezekiah. It was too soon, too early. For now, she would keep her eyes open to what was going on around her.
