Chapter 6
When I got my hands out of those damn ropes, I was going to use them to snap Kannon’s neck. He thought it was hilarious to keep me tied to his bed while I was staying at his house. That low-down bastard even carried me to the bathroom when I had to pee to keep me from walking on my sprained ankle.
If I heard the phrase doctor’s orders one more time, I was going to chop him and that stupid doctor in the throat.
At the same time, I was grateful to be able to stay off my feet.
My ankle was killing me. Even if I forgot about the sprain, it was evident every time I tried to move.
Kannon’s crazy ass made sure it stayed propped up on the pillow.
It was hard to get comfortable with an injury. The ropes weren’t helping.
I was going to kill Kannon!
For some reason, he couldn’t understand how crazy leaving me tied up was.
He had the nerve to come in and ask me what I wanted to eat for dinner.
When I said I wanted fried lobster, mac and cheese, and a house salad from Eat Up with Key’s catering menu, he stood there and called his brother and offered to pay him to make it for me.
Two hours later, my fat, greedy ass was using one hand to stuff my face with four cheese macaroni and cheese laced with succulent fried lobster.
It was a wonder that Keywan’s wife wasn’t four hundred pounds at this point. I heard Kannon say she was pregnant a while back. There was no telling what her pregnancy cravings had him whipping up. I was already thinking about my next request.
As mad as I wanted to be with Kannon, he was waiting on me hand and foot to make sure I didn’t have to walk on my ankle.
It was late as hell as my personal security guard positioned himself in front of the bathroom door while I showered.
I changed clothes with one leg suspended on the shower bench he put in his walk-in shower for me to use.
The man was treating me like I was completely helpless.
The other thing I considered when I decided not to murder him in his sleep was how terrified he looked when he explained how he was trying to save my life.
I’d never seen him scared of anything. If I didn’t know how serious this shit with the label was before one of them drugged me, I did now.
“I’m done,” I called as I plopped down on the bench.
The door opened, and I rolled my eyes as Kannon wheeled that freaking wheelchair back into the bathroom. I didn’t even have the strength to ask him where in the world he’d gotten a wheelchair. There was no telling how he would act if he knew what I knew.
“Really, Kannon? I told you I don’t need that darn chair.”
“Either I carry you or wheel you. I’m fine with either option, lil’ bit.”
“It’s a wonder you let me bathe myself. I half expected you to hold my foot up to make sure I didn’t put any weight on it.”
“I considered it, but the bench was good enough, right?” he asked.
I had to laugh. “Of course.”
When we made it to the bed, Kannon’s hands were on me before I could make a move. I let him scoop me up and put me back on the bed.
“You need anything before I go?” he quizzed.
“Go where?”
“To bed.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You aren’t sleeping in here tonight?”
“Nah, I don’t think we should do that.”
I threw my head back. “Kannon, this is your room.”
“You want a drink?”
“No, I’m trying to quit.”
He looked down at me with lifted brows. “Good girl.”
“Reward me.”
“Good try,” he said.
“Kannon, maybe I shouldn’t stay here. I didn’t mean to impose again.”
“Don’t be silly, Carrie.”
“I’m being serious. If you’re just going to tie me up like some prisoner, then I’m no better here with you than I am with them.”
“I’m not trying to punish you, Carteay. I’m not tying you back up either. We’re close to three days. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to make sure you stay off your feet. You know how important it is that you heal properly. Do you need a bell or something to put in here?”
“No, Kannon, I need you. Why can’t you sleep in here with me?”
“Last time you were here, I crossed the line. I knew I was fucking up, but even more, I knew what I was feeling was the most real thing I had ever felt. My feelings for you haven’t changed, but now I know better than to want more than I can have.
Now I don’t have to wonder what you would do if it came down to me or your career.
Now I know that you’re always going to choose you, and that’s fine. ”
“Don’t say that, Kannon.”
“Why not? It’s true. They say the truth hurts sometimes, but I’m man enough to take it.
The bottom line is, I should have been there for you.
I let my feelings get in the way of being there for you the way I should have.
This time, I’m not asking for permission.
Good night, pretty girl,” he said, blowing a kiss before walking away, closing the bedroom door, and leaving me drowning in my tears.
The bed shifted under Kannon’s weight when he slid into bed next to me. My heart drummed in my ears as I anticipated what he would do. I had been lying there for hours, trying to fall asleep. So far, I hadn’t gotten one wink. I was devastated to know that Kannon felt so strongly about my actions.
One of his hands found my waist as the other landed on my throat. I took a deep breath, trying to figure out if I should be afraid or not. This was Kannon. Even though he’d tortured me by tying me up and keeping me in bed a whole day and a half under doctor’s orders, I wasn’t afraid.
Maybe I was crazy, but nothing would make me scared of him until he caused me physical harm. I allowed him to pull me closer until my head rested on his chest. Listening to the familiar cadence of his heartbeat brought me comfort from the brief moment of intensity.
“You hurt me, Carteay. I . . . I knew I should have been there for you.” Kannon kissed the top of my head before continuing. “This time, I’m not letting up until you’re free and those niggas are in the ground.”
“Kannon, please don’t do anything that could get you hurt. I’ll never forgive myself. I only left because I couldn’t let them hurt you.”
“You think I give a fuck about that? I can handle myself. I’m not asking you to let me fix it for you this time. Just know that I plan to.”
“I don’t want you to give up on us.”
“There is nothing to give up on, right? You asked me for a few days to escape from your shit, and I gave you that. It’s on me if I fell in love. That’s not on you.”
“But I want this. Don’t shut me out, Kannon.”
“You don’t have to say that, Carrie. You’re always going to choose you, your career, or whatever you need to choose to help you run when things get tough.”
“I don’t want to run anymore, Kannon. I want you.”
“I wasn’t trying to wake you up. I just . . . Get some rest, Carrie.”
I moved my hand down his stomach to the freaking steel beam that was tenting his pajama pants. Before I could wrap my hand around it, he grabbed my wrist.
“Carteay, stop. We’re not doing that.”
Instead of listening to him, I threw my leg across him and moved to straddle his hips.
I moaned when my pussy brushed across the hardness of his dick.
She was so sensitive these days that it was crazy.
I dropped my chest to his and kissed my way up his neck to his jawline.
His chest rose when he took a deep breath.
“Mercy,” he hissed.
“Kannon, don’t be like that. I know you want me. I can tell you want me.”
“Mercy,” he grumbled. “Carteay, get the fuck up.”
“Fine!” I spat, flopping onto my back and groaning as the dull ache from the residual soreness in my left ankle hit me.
“No, wait! I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
I choked down the lump in my throat before responding. “It’s fine, Kannon.”
“Come back over here. I’m just in my head right now. I wanna lay with you if you still want that. If not, I’ll go back to the couch. I haven’t slept in this bed since the night you left anyway.”
My brows snapped together. “Why not?”
“I just haven’t. I was going to try tonight.”
Carefully, I rolled over and crawled up his body until I touched his lips with mine.
“I’m so sorry I hurt you, Kannon. I love you more than anything. More than my career, more than the cameras. I’ll give it all up if—”
“I’ll never ask you to,” he said, cutting me off.
“Just know if it comes down to that, I’m going to choose you.”
“You’re just saying that because you want to get out of this bed, but I’m not budging. I plan to wait on you hand and foot for the next couple of days.”
“You do know how much of a diva I am, don’t you?”
“I love doing shit for you, and you know it.”
“And I love it. I missed you so much, like as soon as I got into the car to leave, I broke down crying. They made me feel like I didn’t have any choice but to come back.”
“I don’t wanna talk about that tonight, Carteay. Just go to sleep.”
“I gotta pee though,” I whined.
“You literally just peed, Carrie, damn. I wouldn’t have worked out today if I knew I would be carrying your slim, thick ass around all day and night.”
I rolled my eyes knowing that he couldn’t see how big I was smiling in the dark.
“I love you, bighead.”
“I love you too, beautiful. Don’t ever make my big overgrown ass shed a tear again, or that car blowing up is going to be the least of your little friend’s worries.”
I gasped. “What car?” Wait, Kannon cried over me?
“Use that wheelchair and go pee, Carrie Ann Glover.”
“You mean you’re not going to push me in there and watch me to make sure I don’t put any weight on my foot?”
“If you do, you won’t do it too many more times. A hard head makes a soft ass.” He chuckled.
I didn’t want to laugh, but I couldn’t help it. “You think you’re so hilarious.”
“Go ahead and pee and hurry back. Your little fine ass done gave me separation anxiety, dashing up out of here like an escaped hostage and shit. Nigga wasn’t doing nothing but trying to love your crazy ass.” Kannon fussed under his breath as I slid into the wheelchair.
“Next time, get me an electric wheelchair.”
“Next time I’m putting your broke foot mountain ass in the nursing home until you get better. This minor injury is about to worry all the hair off my head. I hate to think what would happen if you were really hurt.”
“Good night, silly. You don’t have to wait up.”
“You know damn well I’m not falling asleep until you make it back.”
“I’ll move fast,” I vowed.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Getting to the bathroom in the wheelchair wasn’t as easy without Kannon’s help, but I refused to tell him that. By the time I made it to the toilet, it was almost too late. I could only imagine how crazy this would have been a few months down the line.
Once I was done, I flushed and just sat there for a minute with my face buried in my hands. It was crazy how quickly you could lose control of your own life. The very people who’d given me the job of my dreams had tried to kill me—if not me, at least, my baby.
I took a deep breath and finally raised my head, ready to try to get back to bed. I rolled my eyes, but a smile lifted my cheeks when I saw Kannon’s sexy behind leaning against the front of the sink with his arms folded across his chest.
“Ready?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
Moving the chair aside, he scooped me up, helping me to straighten my clothes as he picked me up bridal style. After taking the few steps it took to stand in front of the sink, he set me on the counter and helped me to wash my hands.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“My head was killing me that first night. I’m fine now, aside from my throbbing foot,” I said, looking in the mirror.
“How are you on pills?”
“Good. I haven’t taken much of anything.”
“Don’t just lay there in pain if you don’t have to, Carteay. They make medication for a reason.”
“I’m fine. I’m more worried about how I’m going to do this freaking show in a few days.”
“Where is it?” Kannon asked, narrowing his eyes.
“I’m supposed to go to the Instapic Awards.”
“You need to cancel. You can’t be on your feet.”
“After tomorrow, I can.”
“I’m going with you,” he revealed.
“Good. I just have to get in touch with Tyler and let him know that I will be meeting with the stylist in a different location. I haven’t bothered to turn my phone on.”
He nodded. “I’ll take care of the location. Just give me the date and time.”
“Thank you, Kannon.”
“Carteay, you’re an amazing person, your pussy is A1, and I think you’re the most adorable thing in the world.
None of that is going to stop me from staying on your ass about not trusting me.
Do you understand what I’m saying to you?
I would . . . I will do any fucking thing in the world to protect you.
I’m going to do what I have to do to make this shit right for you.
Not only am I willing, but I’m also very capable of doing that.
I need you to trust me to have your best interest in mind when it comes to your safety. ”
“I do, Kannon.”
“Good. Let’s try to get some sleep.”