10. Dutch
Every muscle in my body wanted to intervene and put space between Makari and Jahlil. Makari had this. She made it clear she didn't want me playing the black knight.
"You know your brother always spoke of you in high regard. What a shame he's not here to see what you're doing with your life," Jahlil's voice dripped with sugar-coated venom.
Makari tensed, her locs swaying as she whipped her neck. "Don't you dare!"
Fuck, I knew Jahlil hit a nerve.
"Why? We were all such good friends. I feel like he'd want me to look after his baby sister."
This bastard was playing games, and I could tell Makari was unraveling. She unconsciously rubbed Malakai's name on her forearm.
"Knowing your betrayal, I don't think he would."
Jahlil chuckled, and it grated my nerves. He knew she was hanging on by a thread.
"I can handle my shit just fine," Makari retorted.
"Just like you handled Darian, right?"
Makari flinched like she'd been slapped. That was a new name. Who the fuck was Darian? Another skeleton in someone's closet. I stepped forward, but Makari eyed me, and I stopped in my tracks. I nodded and respected her wish to back down for now despite my instincts warning me to get her away from him.
Their history and these silent threats had me on edge. Jahlil was dangerous because he had Makari shaken. I pieced things together through their fragmented conversation along with Malakai's death. It was always a bad nerve for Makari, but I was starting to wonder if there was more to it than she knew. I swear he was waiting for me to jump at his bait, leaving me to piece shit together.
"You handing over the ledger would nip this shit in the bud," Jahlil said.
"We're done here. I thought you wanted to negotiate," Makari stated.
Jahlil smirked. "You give me the ledger. That is the negotiation. The clock is ticking."
Hell, I wanted answers. I wanted to shake the shit out of them and stop the fucking power play.
Makari brushed past me, shoulder-bumping me. It was a deliberate 'I'm all right'. Still, tension coiled in my stomach.
Jahlil watched her with a smug grin on his face and then followed his goons outside.
"Makari, let's bounce," I ordered.
She nodded and fell in step next to me. My hand hovered near the small of her back in case she stumbled, but I also gave her the space I knew she needed.
Outside, the cool air was a welcome relief from the suffocating situations inside. I led her to my bike, which was parked next to the club's sign. She was quiet, and I didn't like it.
"Are you okay to ride?" I asked, tossing her the helmet.
Makari nodded and effortlessly caught it. I swung my leg over the seat, and she slid on behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Somehow, her holding me felt different.
I peeled out of the parking lot, and Jahlil's words replayed in my mind, as did Makari's reactions. I wasn't sure we could outrun this storm cloud. Makari's grip on me was tight, and I wanted to say something, anything, to make her feel better. Yet, all I did was drive.
We pulled up to a small grocery mart, and I pulled into the lot and cut the engine.
"What are you doing?" Makari asked.
I shrugged. "I thought you could eat. Come on."
She eyed me, still not in the mood to talk, but followed me into the store.
Inside, I grabbed a handbasket. "After that bullshit, I figured you could use a proper meal."
"You cooking a meal, tough guy?" Makari quirked an eyebrow.
"I just made you a burger. You forgot?" I asked. It felt mundane going to a store after the intensity of the club, but we probably needed some normality in our fucked-up lives.
"I feel like anyone can make a frozen burger," she joked, coming around to her regular jokester self.
We headed to the meat section, and I scanned our options. "A steak sounds good. Do you like ribeye?" I asked.
Makari nodded. "I'm sure it'll be better than the mystery meat in the freezer at the safe house."
I chuckled, tossing the steaks in the basket. "That's the truth." Then we passed through the produce aisle, and I grabbed a couple of ears of corn.
"Look at you putting together a meal," Makari teased.
Picking out food and doing normal shit with a woman reminded me the world still revolved.
"I've got to grab the wine." We headed to the liquor aisle, and I picked a red. It was nothing fancy, but it would work.
After a drive, we returned to the safe house. Inside, I got to work in the kitchen preparing the meal, shucking the corn, and seasoning the steaks.
"I like your domestic side," she quipped, leaning over the counter.
I flashed a smile. "You don't know a lot about me, darling." The truth was I liked cooking. I dropped the steaks on the griddle, along with some onion and garlic. I even got fancy and added a few twigs of rosemary.
"I guess you're right," Makari admitted.
In another skillet, I roasted the corn in butter, and it wasn't long before the food was ready. We settled at the table, and Makari closed her eyes after taking a bite.
"Damn, this is good."
I chuckled. "Listen, I told you I was talented."
We ate in silence for a while, not realizing how hungry we both were.
"Remember the time your uncle had a barbecue at his place?" Makari asked.
"Yeah, your brother was there too." The memory hit me.
Makari's eyes clouded over, but she pushed through. "He said you were the only one who could beat him on the grill."
I chuckled. "Wow, I didn't know that."
I poured us glasses of wine, and conversation flowed easier somehow as we reminisced about old times. We were careful to steer clear of heavier topics like old friends sharing a meal. Still, my mind wouldn't allow me to forget her connection to Jahlil and how much she wasn't telling me as I laughed at one of Makari's stories. I watched as she talked, alive and animated, but I couldn't shake the doubt, even though I wanted to.
"Hey, you still with me?" she asked.
I blinked and smiled. "I'm sorry, this food put me in a food coma," I said.
"Well, sit tight while I clean the kitchen," she offered.
I leaned back and swirled the wine in my glass like the fancy people did and sipped.
"Are you going to tell me what you're thinking?" Makari asked.
"What do you want to know?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know. Why are you quiet right now?" she questioned.
"Okay, this thing with Jahlil. What's the back story?"
Makari dried her hands, picked up her glass, and sipped before setting the glass down again. "What are you insinuating?"
"I'm not insinuating anything. I need to know everything, no secrets."
Makari was in my face now. "You think I'm not being upfront about things?"
She was so close I could smell her pheromones. "I believe we're both hiding things," I admitted.
I unbuckled her jeans and tugged at them.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I think you already know what I'm doing."
I lifted each leg, pulling off her shoes and removing the pant legs.
"Sometimes things are better left unsaid." Makari brushed my arm.
I grabbed her wrist firmly but gently. "Not this time, sweetheart."
Makari was so close that her body heat was boiling, and there was tension between us. I dropped to my knees, and my mouth covered her pussy. Makari's knees buckled when I slipped my tongue between her folds. She braced herself, grabbing my shoulders.
"Dutch—"
"Shhh,"
I grabbed her ass, pulling her closer to me with one hand, and I knew I'd hit a sensitive spot when she whimpered.
"Is this a bad idea?" she questioned.
I slid the other hand between her thighs and pushed two fingers inside her while pressing my thumb between her clit."
"It never stopped us before." I met her gaze as I stroked her with my fingers until she sang sweet obscenities.
Makari responded by pulling at my shirt. I stood and lifted her onto a countertop. I knew I should have pulled away. Instead, I unbuckled my pants and pulled out my dick. Pre-cum was already leaking out the tip. I teased Makari, rubbing my thick head between her wet ass pussy, and when she wrapped her legs around my waist, any rational thoughts I had left me.
"Yessssss, yes, yes!" she cooed as I plunged inside her. I pushed and pulled, stroking her like a man who'd just been released from prison.
"God, this feels good," she whimpered. I kissed her lips, realizing the passion that had always been present between us.
"Shit," I grunted as I pushed in deeply and held my stance as I released.
I carried her to the bedroom, where we went in for another round. I couldn't bring myself to worry about the consequences, not today.
With Makari's body keeping me warm, I stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of my emotions.
"You're thinking out loud."
I chuckled. "I gotta stay on top of my game."
Makari propped herself up on a pillow. "Do you have regrets, Dutch?" she asked.
"Nah, not at all. It's just I wish it came without complications."
"Truth."
I scrubbed a hand down my face. "Look at the shit with Jahlil?—"
She cut me off. "Can we not, at least for a few minutes?"
I lifted my hands, conceding. "I hear you."
After a few minutes of silence, Makari traced the tattoo on my bicep.
"I can't stay away even when I know I should," I admitted.
"Same, big man," she replied.
I grabbed Makari's hand, pressed a kiss to her palm, and pulled her close to me.