Chapter 8 #2
“Mmm, she must be something if she’s holding your attention.” I insinuated, gripping his chin and peering back into is warm gaze.
His teeth sank into his bottom lip when he palmed my backside and brought me closer. Something was on his mind, and of course I wanted to know what it was.
“I need to go out of town this weekend. I thought maybe you would like to go,” he suggested, and a bitch was floored.
“You want to take me on a trip? What about all this… discretion we are supposed to be using?” I questioned.
“We will be in Puerto Rico. Nobody knows us there. We can be whoever we want.”
“Mmm… sounds amazing. When do we leave?” I asked.
“Today. Come back Monday,” Frequency told me. “So pack a few necessities. Just enough to carry on the jet, ma. We will take care of the rest when we land.”
“A trip, you, and shopping. Damn. What a girl do to deserve all that?”
“There will be a lot more where that comes from,” he assured me, leaning in for a kiss.
His hand slid between my thighs, and he gently massaged my mound while tonguing me down. My moaning in his ear filled the room, and he eased me down onto the bed. His thick manhood swelled against my inner thighs as he rested between my legs.
“Mmm, we have to be careful. Ivy’s here,” I whispered.
He paused and lifted his face so that we could take each other in.
“Get ready. Plane is prepared to take off around two p.m.” He gave me one last peck to the lips before he brought himself out of the bed and adjusted his clothes. “I’m gonna go talk to Ivy and let her know what’s up.” I sat up slightly on my elbows and stared after him as he walked to the door.
He had this confidence that blew my mind. Each step he took was precise, and sometimes I found myself watching him… like now. Frequency paused at the door and did a slight turn.
“You’re good with my daughter. Not a lot of people would be so patient with a mouthy ass preteen. And she tries to act like she doesn’t like you, but… you’ve grown on her. I just wanted to say thanks for that. You a hell of a woman, Harbor.”
Warmth spread across my chest. I didn’t expect him to be so open or sweet.
He was starting to reveal a softer side to me as time went on.
Sighing, I dropped my head into the pillows and stared up at the ceiling with an arm draped over my stomach.
I was so high; I was beyond the clouds. Frequency had me floating and not wanting to be deflated in the least. What is this?
I didn’t even want to say what I thought it was, because the shit seemed so unreal and far-fetched.
Instead, I would continue to bask in his affections while he dished them out.
Frequency
The front door opened as I slid downstairs from the second floor, and Ledge strolled inside. Nigga had never knocked a day in his fucking life. But he was family, and that was how shit was. Wheeling my luggage behind me, I peeped him frown up when I left it beside the staircase.
“Taking a trip?” Ledge queried.
“Almost to that deadline. Six months, or it’s free. I ain’t trying to miss out on no paper,” I said, giving him a pound. “Noel will be in Puerto Rico this weekend, and so will I.”
“A’ight.” He nodded, both of his hooded eyes narrowing into a squint.
“The fuck is wrong witchu?” I asked, face balled up in contempt.
“I guess I don’t have to ask what got you practically gliding along these days,” he implied.
“Nah. You don’t. And I ain’t gotta answer to shit, nigga.” I made sure to square up with him until we were about a foot apart.
“Bitch got you open as fuck. Nigga getting tight about some pussy. Who would’ve ever thought?” Ledge mocked.
My fists had already balled up. “The fuck is ya problem, bruh, huh?”
“You letting her come in and opening your whole life to this bitch, Free! The fuck is that! She shouldn’t even be alive to tell that story. Now you fucking her!” he hissed in disbelief. “Not to mention every-fucking-thing else I found out about her from talking to Kut—”
“You talking to my father about what the fuck I’m doing, Ledge! That’s how we doing it? You going behind my back?” I interrogated.
Shit was ill to find out that he’d been having conversations about my life with Kut.
That man hadn’t gave a damn about me in a long time.
I was able to separate myself from him, and he hated relinquishing control.
Even with all the trauma he’d put me through with beatings and his so-called fucking “training”, I managed to be a better man than him.
I kept my distance because I still thought about killing him regularly.
The rest of my family thought I should get over it, forgive him, and let bygones be bygones.
That “turn the other cheek” shit wasn’t going to work for me.
“I’m just trying to figure out where your head is at.”
“So what did he have to say then?” I folded my arms across my chest and took a couple of steps back.
“He said you needed to stay away from this girl. She’s not the daughter of this Harold Lawson. She’s also the daughter to Halo St. John.” Ledge recited the name, and it didn’t ring any bells.
“Let me help you out. I’ll send you what he sent me. Check it out in your own time and let me know what you think. And enjoy your trip. You are taking her with you, right? Perfect getaway and cover for you.” Ledge smirked while shaking his head.
My phone vibrated as my email alert went off, and I went to check what he sent me before walking out the door. Reading through what he sent me, my stomach tanked then hollowed out from the revelation. Closing the application, I took a deep breath and heard someone come up behind me from the stairs.
“You going somewhere?” Celine asked, noticing my bag parked at the landing.
“Uh, yeah. A trip. Just for a couple of days. We will be back on Monday,” I informed her, running my hand down my beard.
“We?” Celine prodded, cocking one brow questioningly at me.
Pausing, I took a minute to think before I spoke. “Yeah. Harbor is going. It’s business,” I insisted, tucking my phone back into my pocket and bringing my eyes up.
“Oh, really?” Celine muttered, smirking as she bypassed me to the kitchen.
We fell in stride together, stopping at the counter where she paused to pour a cup of coffee before facing me.
“You think you will be okay getting Ivy off to school Monday?”
“Yeah, I think I can manage,” she told me with a half smile. “And boy, I know you don’t think that I am blind, dumb, or deaf,” she accused, bringing her mug to her lips covered in a wine-colored lipstick.
“What you mean?” I frowned and rested my palm on top of the counter.
“What I mean? Hmm, you and Harbor look at each other like you got some kind of hidden communication between the two of you. Can’t hide that kind of shit from anyone that can read people.
And I know you better than you know yourself,” she pointed out.
“And I have gotten to know her too. Ever since that night of the party, right?”
“How the fuck you know that?” I asked, shocked that she could pinpoint that because I could’ve sworn we were doing good keeping things low key.
“A woman knows, my boy. So… what is this with you two? It’s been months now, and you’re taking her on a trip. Is this turning into something?” Celine questioned.
I couldn’t answer that. I didn’t even fucking know.
The one thing I was sure about was I liked being around her.
She was addictive. We would talk until she fell asleep most nights.
She told me all her ideas and dreams, and I took notes.
I knew that dancing was an outlet for her, and she was damn good at it.
She was dope at so many things, and her pussy was good. It exceeded physical miles back.
“Nah,” I answered, shaking my head. “We kicking it, keeping shit casual.”
“Does she know that? She’s a young girl, Quency. She’s sensitive and guarded. She let you in. You can’t play with her like that if that’s not what you want.”
“Harbor knows what it is between us. We don’t even talk about that shit.
We enjoy each other. And yeah, I care about her, but…
I don’t know if I’m capable of anything beyond that after everything with Ivana.
I loved that girl, planned an entire future with her, and then she was just gone.
I didn’t think I would ever get past that shit.
And I’ve been with other women after her, so what’s so different about this? ”
“Hmm, I don’t know.” Celine teased. “You tell me.”
She was trying to get me to do some self-evaluation, but I didn’t have the time or energy for that right now. I had to focus on this job coming up and making sure that it was done right. Harbor was enough of a distraction by herself. Celine was bugging.
“Nothing to tell. We work together. Anything else is between us, not us and the rest of the world,” I informed her, making both of her brows lift.
“Well, have a good time then. I won’t disturb whatever is going on between you two. Just make sure you are transparent with her. Blurring the lines could cause complications that you don’t want to deal with,” she warned.
“Celine, you know I love you, right?” I reasoned. “But I don’t need this.”
“Fine. Have a good time then,” she told me.
* * *
Three and a half hours later, Harbor and I landed in Dorado Beach, heading for the Ritz Carlton.
She was surprised to see the private plane on the strip.
Once we loaded up, her excitement only grew.
It was cute as fuck how hype she was, beaming like a kid the whole way.
We walked into our suite holding hands, but she pulled away from me so that she could walk through and take everything in.
Straight ahead the balcony overlooked the beach and a perfect view of fucking paradise.
Harbor burst through the sliding door and and allowed the wind to sweep her up.
She lifted her head to the sky, taking in a deep breath.
“This is amazing. Do you see this view?” she asked but kept her back to me as I gradually made my way out to join her.