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The Prada Plan 2: Leah’s Story
Ashley Antoinette
Dedication
I dedicate this to the new little man who came along and stole my heart. I never knew I could love so deeply until I helped create you. You bring out all the best parts in me. I want to be better because of you. This one is for my new joy, my son. Your father and I prayed for you…our dream baby…our first child…
Quaye Jovan Coleman
I also dedicate this to my husband and soul mate, JaQuavis Coleman. We’ve been through a lot…more than the average couple could withstand. Good thing we aren’t average, huh? We are extraordinary together.
I LOVE YOU…
wholeheartedly, without apology, and through controversy. There isn’t anyone or anything that can tear us apart. Nobody! Many have tried, but no one has succeeded because they have no idea how strong the glue that binds us is. Only we know the type of love we share. We are two halves of the same puzzle; one doesn’t make sense without the other, and I am so honored to be the leading lady in your life. In addition to so many other things, you are my very best friend…always have been, always will be. Other people don’t have to understand it. They don’t live on our planet anyway. It is you and I against the world, fuck everybody else. Oh yeah, I guess we have to add Quaye into that equation now too, lol. It’s all about our family. No one else matters. Every time you tell me you love me, I know that those words and your heart belong only to me.
“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it…”
—Song of Solomon 8:7
Acknowledgments
I have to thank God, because only He knows the challenges that I have faced along this literary road. Writing this one was a miracle, considering all the obstacles I had to go through, and although I don’t understand why certain things happened in my life, I know that He will never give me a test that I cannot pass. This gift that He has given me, this amazing life that I have been afforded, and the beautiful husband and son that I was blessed with are enough for me to always be grateful to Him.
I would like to thank all of the fans that continue to support me. I do this for you, and I appreciate all of you who have been on this ride with me since my Dirty Money days. I hope you enjoy this new Ashley Antoinette classic. You are the best, and I will do this for you until I can’t do it any longer. I read your e-mails, and I appreciate your positivity. Know that all of you are my inspiration.
I would like to thank my mom for her constant and unyielding love and support; my daddy for his strength, wisdom, and heart; my siblings for their purity and motivation. I love you all so very much. I’m blessed with an amazing circle of unending love, and the more I experience life, the more I appreciate how genuine you all are.
I would like to thank Carl Weber, of course. You are truly family, and you have taught me so many things about this business. This is a partnership, a team, and I know that I would not be where I am without the intricate part that you play in my success. I appreciate your belief in me and in my ability as a novelist. Thank you for your patience with this one. Forty weeks of pregnancy definitely slowed me down, but I’m back and better than ever! Time to take it to the next level…no ceilings.
Speaking of which, I would like to thank our super agent, Mr. Marc Maguire, lol. You are truly the best at what you do. I am so thankful to have you on this Ashley & JaQuavis team. You singlehandedly took me into a crazy tax bracket, lol, and you have turned what I once considered a hustle into a lifelong career. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us. I see big business ahead. Of course, I have to include Ms. Sasha in this acknowledgement for all of her hard work as well. You two are a pleasure to work with. Murderville is next on the New York Times list, guys. Just wait and see. It is going to be epic!!!
I would also like to thank Natalie, Brenda, Denard, Martha, Walter, and the entire Urban Books/Kensington family for your hard work, for all of the feel-good e-mails throughout my pregnancy, your dedication to our brand, and for your support. You guys are the best in the business. It is all in the family, so my success is your success as well. We’re in this together.
I would like to thank some of my dearest friends for being authentic and for being true even when it is not easy: Ashley Mustafaa, Shonda Gaylord, Charlynn Midock, and Christine Love.
Last but most certainly not least, I would like to thank Cash Money Content for choosing Ashley & JaQuavis as one of the starters for your new book line. We’re going to knock this thing out of the park. I promise! Can’t wait to get started.
You can visit me at readerordieonline.com or ashleyjaquavis.com
Previously in The Prada Plan
Disaya sat straight up in the middle of the night and looked around the darkened room. She was in a cold sweat and her heart was beating erratically. She looked at the clock. It read 4:45 A.M. She held her breath as she listened silently.
“Indie,” she whispered as she shook him out of his sleep.
“What’s wrong, baby?” he asked.
“Something’s not right,” she said, her eyes wide and alert.
“Everything’s fine, ma. You just got to get used to the new house,” he urged as he kissed her lips. “Go back to sleep.”
Disaya threw the covers off of her body. “She usually wakes up, Indie. Skylar doesn’t sleep through the night yet. She wakes up around three every morning.” She stood up and raced out of their room. Her panicky mood made Indie follow her into their daughter’s room.
The sight of the empty crib brought Disaya to a halt as she stared into the darkness in anguish. “She’s gone! Indie, she’s gone!” Disaya screamed as she fell into his arms crying. “Where’s my daughter, Indie? Where is she? Who would take her, Indie? Who would do this?”
Her terrified screams only intensified as the situation sank in and the shattered heart of a mother awoke the neighbors and pierced through the still of the night. She had no idea that her worst enemy was lurking around her. She had left New York in hopes of leaving her horrid past behind her, but trouble always seemed to follow. It was the story of her life.
Leah looked down at the tiny child in her arms. She was so gorgeous that Leah couldn’t help but imagine what her own baby might have looked like. The child in her arms was still asleep, but the crying in her ear was as loud as ever.
Waaa! Waaa!
“Shut up!” she yelled. Baby Skylar whimpered, but settled down without so much as a peep. Leah was confused. Where is the crying coming from?
As she stood in the back yard of the house that Indie had built, her eyes darted around frantically until she found the source of the ear-piercing sound. It was coming from the grave where she had buried her dead baby. He was screaming, taunting her…haunting her.
Leah then looked at the tiny grave she had dug next to her baby’s, and a smile crept across her face as she looked down at Baby Skylar. Indie and Disaya were going to pay for fucking her over. They were going to pay for all of her pain.
“Your mommy and daddy should have never fucked with me. Now, their precious little baby has to pay.”
THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER!
THE PRADA PLAN 2
IS HERE.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One