Chapter 9 #2
To close my set, I was singing “Tie Me Down.” It was one of the songs I’d negotiated to add to the album after I returned.
I’d had someone to select the guys that my dancers and I would be using for our performance.
So, on their cue, my girls stood from their chairs, and the guys all walked out on stage and sat down.
I stayed in place as my partner got in position, standing in front of me.
“You know what you’re doing when you’re doing what you’re doing to me,” I sang, looking up at him.
Slowly, I stood as I continued to sing. He turned while watching me circle him until my back was to the audience and his back was to the chair.
I grabbed his shoulder and shoved him down into the chair and leaned forward to sing directly in his face.
My dancers turned around first and sat in their partners laps, and I turned around to face the audience before I swiveled my hips as I walked around and stood behind him.
Once I was behind him, I ran my hands down his chest. That made the crowd go wild.
A firm hand on my shoulder almost made me jump out of my skin.
I looked back in time to see the look on Kannon’s face as he nudged me to the side and yanked ol’ boy out of the chair by his jacket.
Whoever he was took the hint and got the hell out of the way as Kannon moved around and plopped down in the chair.
His facial expression was unreadable as he stared up at me.
The audience must have thought Kannon’s intrusion was part of the show because they were eating it up. I picked up on my cue and started back singing as I walked around and placed my leg on his lap. Fire danced in his dark eyes as he looked up at me.
As I straddled him, he pushed my empty hand behind my back and reached up to grab my neck. In the midst of it all, I kept singing like there wasn’t a mad man right in front of me.
“’Cause even when you tie me down, you make me feel secure.”
Kannon tightened his grip on my throat as he pulled me closer to him. Pressing his lips to my ear, he growled, “Mine.”
Why was I blushing down at this deranged man who’d inserted himself into my set like it was nothing? I was grateful for my headset because the crowd was going wild behind me. Clearly, they loved to see Kannon’s shenanigans.
I couldn’t bite back my smile as I continued to sing the song that I’d written for him after I left.
Even though his face was expressionless, I knew he knew it was his song.
He made that clear. As I backed up, he helped me to stand.
When I turned my attention back to the crowd, Kannon pressed his lips into my ear.
“Don’t get none of these niggas fucked up, Carteay,” he said before strolling off the stage as if he had done nothing wrong.
Obviously, my mic picked up what Kannon said because the crowd reacted to his words before I did. When I say the crowd went bananas, they went bananas!
“Y’all give it up for one of my best friends in the world, my rock through all the unsteadiness in my life, and my personal knight in black sweats, Kannon!” I said before bowing.
When the curtain closed, Kannon rushed back over and picked me up. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re crazy. You know that?” I asked him.
“Crazy about you,” he replied, kissing my cheek.
“I guess.” I could still feel the huge smile on my face lifting my cheeks as he took me backstage. “This was fun, but I’m ready to go.”
“Good. I’m ready to get you out of here,” Kannon said, pivoting for the exit.
I kept my arms around his neck as he opened the door and pushed us out.
“I can walk from here.”
“OK,” he said, never missing a step until he slid me in the back seat of the car and got in beside me.
“Why did you put me down? We’re in the car now.”
He chuckled softly. “That’s why I put you down.”
“Well, I changed my mind now.”
I moved to get in his lap, and he held his arm up to block me. “Chill, C. I gotta keep my head straight. I can’t start thinking with this muthafucka down here. He gon’ make me nut up about that good ass pussy. I’m moving with my head and my heart right now, and I’m still feeling real homicidal.”
I shook my head. “Kannon, you wouldn’t.”
He kissed the side of my face. “We need to start your lessons again, Carrie. I have plenty of time to make you deadly now.”
I waved him off. “Uh-uh, I don’t want to be deadly. That’s what I have you for.”
“As much as I hate to say it, I know I can’t always be here, Carteay. I need to be able to relax in the knowledge that you can handle yourself until I get there.”
I shook my head, knowing that he wouldn’t back down.
If it would bring him comfort, I would let him start our training again.
Since we were stopped in traffic, waiting for security or whoever to clear up so we could move, I turned to the window.
There were still droves of people outside of the center, so I let the window down and waved at them.
“Carteay!”
People started cheering and calling my name, and Kannon grabbed me. I thought that he was going to let the window back up, but instead, he caught me off guard by kissing me instead.
“What are you doing?” I whispered when he backed out of our kiss.
“Letting them know you’re mine.”
“How am I yours when you won’t even fuck me?”
He grinned. “Is that what you want, lil’ bit?”
I shook my head. “Stop playing, Kannon.”
“I’m being serious, Carteay. Is that what you want?”
“Shut up. I thought I did, but since you wanted to play hardball, I changed my mind.”
“Yeah right. You can’t wait to feel this shit. You didn’t expect this dick to be so good. Did you? Your little ass thought I couldn’t fuck.”
“Oh, wow!” I laughed.
“Nah, I’m serious. We’re not talking about sex right now. We’re talking about us. Let these muthafuckas know you’re mine, Carteay. They already know there’s blood on anything that belongs to me.”
“Kannon, don’t do anything crazy on my behalf.”
“You’re mine, so anything I do on your behalf is also on my behalf.”
I shoved my finger in his face. “You know what I mean.”
“And now that they know you’re mine, I won’t have to. You saw how Cyrus’s people stood down when I had him yoked up. They already know I’m coming like that behind you every fucking time. They can take it how they want to.”
As much as I hated the thought of Kannon having to resort to violence, I loved how protected he made me feel. Kannon was something else, a crazy something else but something else.
“Why are you doing this?” I wondered.
Kannon reached out and grabbed my chin. “Because you are mine to love, fuck, and protect. Say you don’t know you’re mine,” he challenged.
It was silly that I was blushing, but I still managed to roll my eyes at him. “Whatever. You won’t even let me touch you.”
“Don’t front. You love being Kannon’s good girl, don’t you?”
“Boy, shut up,” I said, turning my face away from his before I crumbled under his gaze.
He closed the space between us, pressing his chest to my back. I shivered when his hand slipped around to the front of my neck.
“Tell the truth. That nigga never touched my shit again, did he? You can tell me. I’m gon’ kill him either way.
I know he didn’t. I could smell him on you if he had.
All I smell is wet pussy that’s begging for a good tongue lashing for being so good for me.
” When he kissed my shoulder, I clenched my thighs.
My pussy throbbed as his lips landed on my neck. “You want this dick, Carteay?”
“Yes,” I whispered, pissed with myself for giving in so easily when he had been pushing me away for days.
“Believe me, I want you more. I waited for you too, baby. I hope you’re proud of me. I almost slipped. I tried to get some head one day but ended up sending the poor girl home. She had a fat ass too, C. I can’t believe I didn’t fuck her back out. I’m kinda mad I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
I burst out laughing at how serious he was. “Wow, Kannon. I’m very proud of you.”
“You owe me for passing that up when you didn’t even want me. You better put that pussy on me, you lil’ fine muthafucka. You hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Just because I said I can tell you didn’t fuck him doesn’t mean that I’m worried about that shit, Carteay. I’m not worried about another man touching you because he could never fuck you like I fuck you. He couldn’t fill my spaces even if he tried.”
I kept laughing but decided against indulging in his crazy. “When was the last time you went to church? I can tell you’ve been slipping.” I asked him.
“We can go Sunday. You know my mama would love that.”
“I would love to go,” I cooed.
A soft smile played on his lips before he spoke again.
“Before, I asked you to let me take care of you. Now, I’m no longer asking for permission.
From now on, you will trust me to have your best interest in mind and make the best decisions for us.
I’m never going to fuck over you or try to control your career.
I don’t want to run your life, but when it comes to handling any kind of threat, disrespect, or any type of bullshit, understand that that’s my arena.
Let me handle that. Are we clear?” My simple nod must have been enough for him to continue.
“Let me be the man, Carteay. I’m never going to demand anything of you without proving myself. ”
“OK.” I nodded.
“I’m going to work my ass off every day to earn and keep your trust. You have to let me in and give me a chance to do that.
Don’t try to protect me, Carteay. I got me, and I damn sure got you.
You never have to fear another muthafucka breathing as long as you live.
Do you understand what I’m saying to you?
There is blood on anything connected to me. ”