His Soul, Her Heart

By Lisa Marbly-Warir

***Novella***

After being estranged from his family for years, Damian Sheppard is surprised to learn after his father’s death that he is next in line to pastor his family’s mega church. The life he’s lived has been less than stellar. Years of drug dealing and messing with women’s hearts and minds comes to a head when a woman from his past challenges him to be the man he was destined to be.

...He knew he was a hot commodity—a tall, fine, straight, actively working Black man with no baby mama baggage.
As if on cue, there was Sasha and Monique waiting for him...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Marbly-Warir
• Release date: Aug 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463610480

Lisa Marbly-Warir

Lisa Marbly-Warir is an avid reader and has been writing for years. She started out writing fan fiction of celebrities and TV/movie characters. Michael Jackson was her favorite to write about and it garnered her a small following. She published her first book Destinee romance novella (year of completion 2001) in January 2015. Painting and drawing is also a favorite pastime though she doesn’t do it as often as she used to. Next to reading, writing and drawing, Lisa also loves to travel. She has been to Europe, the Caribbean and North Africa as well as travels throughout the United States. You will see she incorporates some of her travel journeys into her stories. One of her quotes “Writing is an escape, and I love living through my characters and bringing them to life” Check out her other storiesTwo Become one-A Destinee romance book 2Jewel—A Chance at LoveBorn Out of Lust (novella) book 3Sista’s can we talk?Under the Irish MoonThe Millionaire—Diamonds Are ForeverA Kiss at ChristmasHis Soul, Her Heartwww.shimmergirlbooks.comwww.lisamarbly-warirauthorpage.weebly.comTwitter @LwarirFacebook Destinee romance Novellawww.Goodreads.com

Book preview

His Soul, Her Heart

A Story of lust, love and forgiveness

By Lisa Marbly-Warir

Cover by Sheer Genius—Fiverr

Copyright 2018

Editing by Karen Garrette

More books by Lisa Marbly-Warir

Dedicated to my late Uncle Joseph

The characters, names and places mentioned in this novella are purely fictional. Any similarities between the characters or places in this book and real people are coincidental.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Other books by this author

About the author

Chapter 1

Just one more hour and I will be out of this God-forsaken place Damian thought as he piled the last of the boxes onto the shelves at the Budget Emporium shipping facility where he worked. It was Saturday night and he was ready for some action—any action after work to release a week’s worth of tension that had been building up in him. Finally, the shift was over and he headed for the time clock.

Damian, man, where you rushing off to? Kenneth asked. He was Damian’s long-time friend and the person who had gotten him the job.

I got some dates lined up, Damian said laughing as he proceeded to punch out.

Dates? Kenneth reiterated.

You heard right, Damian replied.

Hey, I ain’t mad at you—but how about coming to service tonight? Kenneth was a Christian man, married and settled and he saw his friend wasting his golden years on some fast booty and fast living. He saw something in Damian that was God-ordained, even if Damian didn’t see it.

Nah, man, I’m good, thanks for asking though, Damian said.

I can’t say I blame you man, Kenneth said. I was the exact same way before I turned my life over to Christ.

That’s all fine and good for you, but I’m cool, Damian replied and went on to his car.

Damian’s father, Reverend Dennis Sheppard of Greater Zion Church had been hounding him for years to get his life right so he could eventually take over his ministry. Damian knew he had a calling on his life to preach. But, he wasn’t having it—he wanted his fun and freedom and didn’t figure being a pastor was the way to go. When the Lord wanted his attention, he ignored it. He continued to do things his way and for his own gratification and his father nor the Lord was going to stop him.

After speaking with Kenneth, Damian headed to his car. With music blasting on his car radio he headed home and let the cool night air take his thoughts to the pleasures he was sure he would enjoy that night.

He got home and put his keys and wallet into the basket next to the table of his one-bedroom, fairly rundown apartment building on the city’s east side. His apartment was neat, definitely a bachelors abode—black leather furniture and stark white walls with one big booty sista in a thong poster hung on the wall along with his sound system. He peeled off his clothes and made a beeline for the bathroom to shower. A few minutes later he was dressed in an expensive suit, smelling and looking good.

***

Hey, Damian, Chantele almost purred when she saw him walking into the club. It was her weekend scene and she always looked forward to seeing him—all six-foot-three inches of him.

How are you doing? He asked as his deep voiced reverberated around her body hitting her in the right spot while the smile he flashed did her in.

I’m fine; always a pleasure to see you, she said before her friend pulled her to the side after speaking with Damian.

Girl, leave him alone. He ain’t got no money, her friend, Bria said.

How do you know? Chantele asked, keeping an eye on Damian.

Because he works at some superstore, her friend said. So unless he is a manager, I doubt he brings home that much, and look at that rickety old car he drives."

You know he’s Pastor Sheppard’s son? Chantele’s friend said.

Yeah, so? Chantele replied. His father owns that mega church on Elder Road.

Her friend shrugged her shoulders.

From what I know, he’s been estranged from his father and family for years, she said.

It’s got to be a reason for it. Girl, please, leave that zero alone.

Chantele laughed. It ain’t like I’m trying to marry him. I just want to get in his pants, she said.

Yeah, you and every other woman, her friend said and pointed to the women who were looking in Damian’s direction.

Damian found his corner where he knew Sasha and Monique would meet him. They had known each other for years and had an arrangement. That way Damian got his cake and got to eat it too. He wasn’t ready for marriage or even a relationship. The set-up he had with the two women was perfect. There were no demands and he was still able to get off.

Where is Monique? Damian asked when Sasha showed up by herself.

Oh, her boyfriend got on her about staying out all night. She wants to have fun but she doesn’t want to end her relationship over it, Sasha said and ordered a drink.

It’s more fun when it’s just the two of us anyway, she continued as she took a sip of her drink and looked at Damian’s handsome face. A subtle crooked smile spread across his face. Sasha got moist at the anticipation of being under the weight of his body as she crossed her legs and leaned into him, hanging on every word he said.

You know, with that voice you should go into radio or do some voiceovers, she said.

So I’ve been told, he said leisurely and scanned the darkened club for another willing participate for his tryst that night. He saw no one to his liking and Sasha, knowing what he was doing, was relieved. She wanted him all to herself.

Sasha

Earlier that day

I have one more client and I will be finished for the evening, she told her manager, Erik, before putting items in her briefcase. She was a pharmaceutical rep in the metro Detroit area and made good money. She had a decent nest egg set up for herself—with a penthouse downtown, and a shiny new Lexus; her life was enviable.

K’ see you Monday, Erik said.

Ok then, Sasha responded and headed to her car.

When she got to her car she called her best friend, Dana.

You think he’ll be there? Dana asked, referring to Damian.

I hope so, Sasha said and turned on her car.

How come y’all never ask me to um, join you? her friend asked and listened to her reason.

Girl, no, no that wouldn’t work, Sasha said. Damian likes the fact that Monique and I aren’t really friends. I don’t know why, but it’s worked like that for three years. It ain’t broke.

Love you girl, but, I ain’t trying to see you naked, sorry, she added.

Yeah, I hadn’t thought of that, Dana said. Why haven’t I ever met him?"

"Why are you hitting me up with all of these questions all of a sudden? Sasha asked.

I’ve known you for how long, fifteen years? Dana said, "and this is the only man I’ve never

met that you’ve been in a relationship with."

"Maybe because it’s not a relationship, Sasha replied. You don’t go to clubs either. You could have met him a long time ago."

Nah, not interested in clubbing, been there done that, her friend said. You got a backup plan?

A backup plan? Sasha reiterated.

"Yeah, I can see you’re falling for this guy. You need to have someone else waiting in the

wings, Dana said. I know you. You fall too hard for the wrong men."

Sasha’s friend was the only person who knew about her arrangement and now she was bothering her. She had developed feelings for Damian and wanted it to be more. And her friend made her think about what she didn’t really have with Damian outside of wild sex. Sasha did wonder would he be interested in taking what they had further.