Chapter 8 Sunni
“Where is he, Daddy?” I asked as I pushed through the door of his office. Respect and formalities were the least of my concerns. I needed answers, and I needed them now.
“Good morning to you too, baby girl.”
My nerves were bad. I hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in almost three weeks. Three long weeks of worrying about where Noble was. Three long weeks of wondering how he was doing. Three long weeks of feeling my body go through changes I was too scared to confirm on my own.
“It’s not a good morning, though. It hasn’t been since Noble went out into the world and cut contact with me.
He has to be reporting back to you. Where is he, and when is he coming home?
” I paced the office floor as I fiddled with my acrylic nails.
The clicking sound offered faux comfort in the moment.
“You really love him, huh?”
“Yes. I’m going to marry him. We’ll probably even elope as soon as he returns to me. Now, can you tell me where he is?” I begged. My voice betrayed me as it cracked with hidden emotions.
Daddy stood from behind his desk and closed the distance between us. He pulled me into his strong arms and hugged me tightly. I unraveled in his embrace. The nerves got the best of me, and tears poured from my eyes like a broken faucet. I shook with pure fear.
The man I wanted to spend forever with could be dead somewhere. He could be fighting for his life with no one there to save him. I needed him home. I needed him in my arms.
“Shh.” Daddy rubbed my back.
We stayed like this until my sobs turned to soft whimpers. Daddy took a step back and looked into my teary eyes.
“Noble sends weekly updates. The last update came on Thursday of last week. They killed the man in prison. There is an entire army of soldiers looking for Noble. He’s lying low and waiting for the best time to strike the current leader of the mafia.
When he does, the rest of the men and women will fall in line with Noble’s command.
He assures me the only option is to disband all parts of the organization so no one feels the need to come after us again. ”
“This is too much, Daddy. I didn’t know your job was this damn complicated.” I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted.
“I underestimated the power some of these men hold in the crime world. I promise you I will be more cautious in the future when handling dangerous criminals.”
“Do you know how long this is going to take?”
“It could take anywhere from another week or up to a month—”
“A month!” I cut him off.
“Clearing up crime families isn’t a walk in the park. We can’t do a montage and miraculously get through the hard shit fast. This isn’t a movie or limited series. This is real life, and shit takes time.”
“Okay. Guess I’ll just continue to wait on bated breath for the love of my life to return. Hopefully my heart can take being away from my soulmate for this long with no contact.”
“You’re more than welcome to stay in the manor until he gets back.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Please. I do not want to be anywhere near this place after dark.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Sir, you’re not discreet in the women you parade around here.”
He frowned. “How do you know about my women?”
“I know everything.” I chuckled.
“I’ll ask the girls to keep me company at my place instead.”
His frown deepened. “Please refrain from sharing with your friends the intricate details of what Noble is doing.”
“I’m not a dummy. I know how to keep a secret.”
“Good. I’m proud of you, baby girl. You handled this situation better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for not disowning me.”
“You’re the only family I have left, and you pay all my bills. I’d be a dummy to sever our relationship before they removed the target from my head.”
“You sure know how to reassure someone.”
I giggled. “Right.”
We talked for a little while longer before I strolled through the kitchen for a snack on the long journey back to my home. When I entered the kitchen, Giselle greeted me with a bright smile.
“Hey, Giselle.”
“Hey, Sunni. Long time no see. How have you been?”
“Stressed,” I admitted. I opened the pantry door and walked inside. I glanced around at the array of items before settling on a bag of spicy dill pickle chips. The kettle cooked finish made my mouth water as I plopped down on the island.
“What’s going on, honey?” She stopped wiping down the counters to give me her full attention.
After chomping down on several chips, I replied, “Where do I start?”
“Start wherever you need to.”
Inhaling a deep breath, I closed my eyes and gathered my thoughts before I dumped them all on Giselle. I trusted her not to tell anyone because Daddy’s staff signed extensive contracts and NDAs prior to working here.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, honey, . . . but are you pregnant?” she asked after my long rant.
The question caught me off guard and caused me to choke on the chips in my mouth. “Wh-what? After all the things I just told you, why would you ask that?”
“It’s because of the things you told me. I’ve seen these symptoms in myself and my sisters. I don’t mean to offend you, honey. Just answer one question: When’s the last time you had your period?”
I frowned. “I haven’t been keeping up with that. It comes when it comes.”
“And when was the last time it came?”
The question made my stomach flip. As I recalled my last period, I realized it had been well over two or three months since I complained about a cramp. It could have been a coincidence, though . . .
You actively told that man to nut in you damn near every time y’all got naked. Let’s use our common sense, Sunni.
“I’m finna be sick.” I covered my mouth and ran out of the kitchen.
Instead of finding a nearby bathroom, I ran all the way home.
My legs and arms pumped like I was Sha’Carri Richardson.
I pushed open the door and collapsed on the floor.
My chest rose and fell as the weight of the world took a place on my chest.
It was all fun and games until reality hit.
If Noble didn’t return to me, I’d be a single mother—the hardest job in the world.
Even if I had a solid village and money for childcare, the responsibilities were mine.
It would be my responsibility to love, nurture, and raise the baby.
Hell, I still had some growing up to do.
As the tears fell from my eyes, I curled into the fetal position. Instead of being proactive about my situation, I slept the stress away for the time being.
I’ll figure things out later.
Two weeks later
Curled up on the couch, I sipped my herbal tea. A movie played on the TV, but I’d been deep in thought, as I had been for the last two weeks. My life was changing rapidly, and with each passing day, I’d accepted the unfair fate that Noble wouldn’t come back to me.
I confirmed it last week when Foe moved out of the house.
He’d told me briefly how his presence was no longer needed and that the threat against me was no longer life or death.
All the other extra hired security had also been relieved of their positions.
The regular guards were back to holding it down themselves.
Now that the realization hit me that the man I’d fallen in love with wasn’t coming back, I went out and got a couple of pregnancy tests. I came back, peed on the sticks, and set an alarm to wait for the results.
“If I’m pregnant, I’m going to make some tough decisions.”
Would I abort Noble’s child? Would I keep our child and raise him or her as a single mother? I couldn’t abort the child we made through love.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The sound of the alarm startled me. I sat up and grabbed both of the tests. I got two digital ones because I didn’t want to leave anything up to interpretation. I needed the words to be clear as day.
Pregnant.
Pregnant.
I covered my mouth and gasped like it was the wildest thing I’d ever seen.
“Imagine telling that man to nut in me a hundred times and being surprised I’m actually carrying his child. The delusion is real.” I shook my head and placed the tests back on the counter. I let out a nervous chuckle and accepted my fate.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I glanced over at the front door and furrowed my brows.
“Who the hell is at my door?” I asked myself quietly. I set the cup on the coffee table and stood. I only had a robe on, so I tightened the knot and shuffled my feet over to the door. I looked through the peephole but couldn’t see anyone. I almost turned around, but something kept me in place.
“Lord, if this is my time to go, make sure my mom and brother are at the gates to greet me, please.” I unlocked the door and pulled it open.
There he was. The dark of night hid his features, but I knew my man’s silhouette well.
My Noble Protector had come home to me.
“Sunni,” he called out to me. His voice sent a shiver down my spine. I’d almost forgotten the sound of his voice.
“Noble!”
He took a step into the house, and I froze. Under the light from the foyer, his features came into view. His face was bloody and bruised. His bottom lip was busted, his eye was swollen shut, and his clothes barely fit him.
“Noble,” I shrieked. “What happened?”
“I handled the situation, baby.” He tried to smile but collapsed into me instead. It took all my strength to hold him. I pulled him into the living room and laid him on the couch before I hurried to lock the front door and grab what I needed to nurse my man back to health.
In the blink of an eye, I’d found out I was pregnant and had the father of my child return home. It felt surreal. It felt like a sick joke. It felt like I’d been on a scripted reality TV show, and the writers were playing with my storyline.
I couldn’t tell Noble about the baby until he was healthy again. I didn’t want to add to his stress while he healed from the wounds and noticeably broken bones.
As I placed a pillow under his head and dabbed at his bloodied face, the realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
Noble was back home.
The threat was gone.
We could have our happily ever after.
“Don’t worry, my love. I’m here. I’ve got you,” I whispered into his ear.