Inevitably Love. (Complicated #2)

Epilogue

“ A nd if you need anything— absolutely anything —just pick up the phone and dial one, and your concierge will address your needs.” The host, dressed in a burgundy two-piece suit with smart glasses and a dazzling smile, was ending the orientation to the voyeur suite. “Oh!” he chirped. “There’s extra bedding in the closet. And extra bath linens in the closet in the bathroom. Remember, the food menu for room service is at the bar along with a list of adult entertainment genres for the television.” He paused with a practiced smile. “Any other questions?”

The suite was huge. There were countless gadgets, furniture pieces, and fixtures, all appearing intimidating. It blew my mind to know their purposes were for only one reason: pleasure —even if pain led you down a daunting pathway to that destination.

Shit .

What was I doing here?

“Yes,” my tone was abrupt yet honeyed in my tipsy state. I had to be quick. Ishaan would be done with his call and here at any minute. “How does the voyeur aspect work?”

“Oh! That is included in your play for tonight. That’s right!” He pointed. “There, in the corner, near the ceiling. When the light turns green, your onlooker is in the remote room watching your play. When it’s red, no one’s watching.”

“So, she’s not watching you and me right now?”

“No. She will not be escorted into the voyeur room until the scheduled time.” He checked his tablet. “And that’s in just a few minutes. Your guest was escorted to a lounge area where she’s been offered a drink and other accommodations to prepare.”

“Other accommodations like what?”

“Oh, perhaps lubricants, vibrators, clamps, towels…a gamut of things to be interactive from afar.”

“And she cannot record us. Correct?”

“No, ma’am. Onlookers must check all devices before entering the room. No recording at all.”

Good. In the contract Ebonee and I signed, she could not record or speak about what she will see tonight to anyone.

“Okay. Thanks for everything.” Nervously, I adjusted my very mini dress.

It was the same black dress with side cut-outs I’d worn when I met my baby’s daddy. He insisted I wear this tonight along with the same bob parted down the middle. The only difference in my look would be my footwear. Instead of my high-heeled, Just Nothing PVC Red Bottoms, he asked me to wear black, over-the-knee Amina Muaddi ’s Jahleel leather boots. I thought the request was strange but acquiesced to it because I was engaging in one of the most immoral acts of betrayal tonight.

“Enjoy your evening,” the host bade from the hall.

“I hope to,” I returned, being sure not to belie my strength. “Thank you.”

Closing the door made it official. My heart began to race, and my mouth went dry. What the fuck was I doing? What was I about to officially involve Ishaan in?

It was his birthday, the eighteenth of April. And man, had it been a long one. At the top of the morning, Ishaan and Mehki exercised since school was out for spring break. Then, the son took his dad out for breakfast and to visit First Sergeant E. Patterson’s grave at a veteran’s memorial cemetery. Dr. Patterson declined to go. She’d been busy helping me with Ishaan’s birthday luncheon. Mehki invited me to tag along weeks ago, and it tore my heart to tell him I couldn’t attend for the same reasons as Dr. Patterson. Apparently, going to the gravesite was a thing for Ishaan and was powered by Mehki.

Then, there was the birthday luncheon at Checkerboard . It was a club in Bloomfield, New Jersey, owned by none other than crooner, Ragee. I was grateful no one asked why a luncheon and not a dinner—hell, a party. It was because I’d already had Ishaan’s and my night booked here in Lower Manhattan. It was where Ishaan and I had dinner and drinks alone before we were due to end our night.

Jux Supper Club was an elite and grossly exclusive sex club. Ebonee and her weirdo debauchery was how we’d ended up here. When she gave the indecent proposal of watching Ishaan and me copulate, and wouldn’t waiver from it, it took my mind to desperate places. How could I make it happen? How could I protect Ishaan and me— Mehki and Sunny —if this shit got out? How could I pull it off and not inform Ishaan? Shit . I needed him to pull this madness off.

Then I recalled my boss, Lex’s, tipsy mention of a sex club in the City. When I asked her about it last month, she didn’t recall telling me. However, she damn sure had a wealth of information about said club. This place was so exclusive, not only did Ishaan and I have to become members, but we had to endure a lengthy application process. They had to perform background checks before allowing us to pay to fuck here. I rolled my eyes and groaned each time I thought about it. Tonight, Ebonee Williams would be our guest but with limited access.

Of course, Ishaan’s nasty ass was down to apply for a membership. He’d been so cool and easy peasy about the entire matter. We did an orientation together and even watched a “scene” here a couple of weeks ago when gaining our clearance. A “scene” was an event where two consenting partners perform sexual acts with a start and end point. It can be as short as five minutes or as long as hours depending on what was taking place. We watched a woman spank a man as he was strapped to a cross until he squirted his delight in the air without physical stimulation of his penis. I left amazed. Ishaan, not so much.

And tonight is the night …

Tonight, Ishaan and I would make a scene for Ebonee’s kinky ass. I was scared out of my fucking mind. Ishaan was going to leave me over this. I feared he’d break up with me and arrange joint custody of Sunny. Fuck. He’d probably attempt sole custody for this perverted shit I was attempting! Essentially, I was doing to him what I hated he’d done to me. I shared sensitive knowledge concerning him with Ebonee in secret. It was wrong, I knew, but I…needed my family. Together. Without add-ons. Ebonee’s resting embryo could be that add-on.

The doorbell ringing snapped me out of my fearful thoughts. I’d left Ishaan upstairs in the restaurant on the twenty-fifth floor with the most amazing skyline. He had a call to take, explaining it would be a minute, and asked that I come down to our assigned suite to get started by changing into my “costume.” I honestly had no set agenda here. I just knew I was about to engage in one of my favorite pastimes: sex with Ishaan Patterson. But tonight, I was more nervous than I was the first time I’d had him inside of me.

I pulled the door open, shocked as hell at what I saw. Ishaan stepped into the doorway and leaned on the frame. His hair was free of braids, thick with wavy patterns from unraveling them yesterday. His shirt was fully unbuttoned, exposing the eagle on his neck to the inked art on his breastplate. The fine hair on his abdomen ran hidden behind his low-hanging trousers with the side buckle clasp. And in one hand, he held a half-filled bottle of Mauve . His urbane beauty never failed to blow me away. Ishaan was such a dichotomy of pretty boy-thug and corporate executive. He was a stratagem, and not just for the enemies he took on in the name A.D. Jacobs, the one disarming me, too.

He removed a lollipop from his mouth, and his coquettish smile weakened me instantly. “Jane. Is it?” My face folded. I was confused as hell. His brows ascended. Those dark irises traced my body from the quaking Amina Muaddis to my clenched belly, and up to my bob. “Or is it Janie?” His hand reached over to finger my hair.

“Oh.” I blinked. “Role-play.” Then I swallowed. “Only my repeat clients call me by my first full name.”

“Oh, Ms. Janie.” He grinned salaciously. “This ain’t our first rodeo, you little sex worker you.”

Pushing off the door frame, Ishaan ambled inside and tossed the unfinished candy into a nearby trash can. After closing the door, I was afforded a second to see if our onlooker was present. To my great regret, the light posted near the ceiling was green. I watched as Ishaan’s attention swept the place. He observed the glass cabinet filled with adult toys and even the furniture built for wicked pleasure. Ishaan nodded then took a big gulp of Mauve before placing it on a nearby table.

He pulled out a piece of furniture. It was black metal with leather pads and straps all over it, resembling a straddling human.

“Let’s start with this.” He rolled it into the open space.

Immediately, I panicked then glanced up at the green light. “Ishaan.”

When he chuckled my way, his abs vibrated. “Boo-baby, this ain’t the time to get shy. You know the routine. Plus, it’s my birthday. I’ll pay extra.”

Then my wits kicked in. “We haven’t negotiated a price.”

“I know your price.” He patted the leather, asking me to mount.

“ Uhh —I’ve got options for you.”

“Like what?”

In spite of my tipsy mind and anxiousness, I licked my lips seductively. “I can call my friend in. She’s right next door. We can give you a show or make you a fellow cast member.”

His eyes remained tight from inebriation, but Ishaan’s smile widened into a beam. “Another girl. Huhn?” I nodded, smiling back at him. “Nah. I’m feeling a little exclusive tonight.”

“Okay. I can let you spank me for an extra grand. You can have a cream pie for an extra three because I don’t usually work without condoms.”

“Oh!” His grin turned salacious. “You’re expensive tonight. With options, but expensive.” My john nodded.

I shrugged. “I’ll let you give me a facial for an extra five hundred. But that’s as low as I can go. The last time a john got some in my hair it was hell getting into my stylist’s chair the next day.”

Ishaan nodded. “I like that, Boo-baby,” he groaned. “I like it a lot. You’re keeping the ship.” He winked, likely because he knew it to be true. Last month, I agreed to letting Ishaan orgasm on my face, and his sperm squirted into my hair. We didn’t understand how it had happened. “But enough with the upsell. Get your ass on this goat. I want my dick in your mouth.”

Slowly, I moved toward the furniture, sneaking a glance at the light in the corner, near the ceiling. A part of me hoped once Ebonee got here and saw the lengths I was willing to go, humanity would kick in and she’d leave. But nope. It was still green.

When I froze next to the furniture, Ishaan’s head cocked to the side with an expression of concern. “You need a drink?”

A drink?

Yes!

I nodded. I tried filling up on 1800 Reposado shots upstairs at the restaurant, but what buzz had accrued from that had waned by now.

“Yes, please,” I whispered, giving away my nerves.

My baby’s daddy shoved me into his hard body, grabbed the bottle of brandy, and turned me so my back was against his chest. He pulled the bottle to my mouth and his hand appeared at my throat.

“Not too little. Not too much,” he groaned directly into my ear. My eyes were on the green light near the ceiling when he poured the spicy liquid into my mouth. His portion was generous and when he stopped, Ishaan’s grip on my neck tightened, forcing me to hold the zesty liquor in my mouth. “You’re such a sneaky, naughty, nerdy girl. You know that?”

When I attempted to nod, he let up on my throat and I downed the Mauve in two gulps. My stomach was on fire when he grunted, “One more.” I let him repeat the act, but this time, Ishaan didn’t make me hold it. “Good girl,” he whispered. “Now, up you go.”

He placed the bottle back on the table. Then Ishaan assisted me onto the furniture where my belly and tits lay over a padded board, inclining toward the floor. My legs rested on leather pads, too, putting me in a yoga child’s pose. Needless to say, my ass was totally exposed. I couldn’t wear panties with this dress. Holy shit! Was I wet? Already, this had gone too far!

Ishaan moved in front of me. He wanted me to watch him unzip his pants and pull out his dick through the opening. I squirmed when he stroked himself, feeling the intended warmth of the Mauve already. That and my excitement at the sight of his body. He stepped toward my face, holding his erection. Its roasted peanut-hued casing bore wiry veins running the shaft. Its head was swollen and had met my mouth.

Ebonee …

I couldn’t forget her presence as I opened for him. Ishaan rocked into my mouth slowly. I stroked him with my tongue at the same pace with closed eyes, something I’d hoped our onlooker was doing as well. We continued at that pace until I heard a harsh WHACK then felt a sharp pain at my ass. My eyes flew open to find Ishaan leaning over me, his long arm at my trunk. Then his fingers pushed past my ass and strummed my clit, confirming my pre-arousal. This man’s simple touch made me do shit I’d never done. I was compromised. His delicious dick was in my mouth and his hand was between my legs at the same time. The position I rested in had me splayed for him.

My fists clenched and I moaned, loving our connection and touch. My head bobbed and tongue swirled around his head on each withdraw from my mouth. The pattern was easy and so damn arousing. The shit was so entrancing, I got lost in time. My orgasm was building quicker than my mind was perceiving. And then it burst.

“Ough! Ough! Ouuugh! ” I moaned around his thrusting dick. I cried from not being able to breathe.

My mind was about to explode from my inability to give a damn. There was a siren ringing in my ears, a drum in my pulse. My ass flopped in the air and spine jerked uncontrollably. It went on and on as he thrust into my face. When my orgasm slowed, Ishaan abruptly pulled from my mouth.

He backed away with low eyes, removing his shirt while gazing deeply into mine. His dense cock did not move while pointing northward. Ishaan was unleashing the freak, and all I could think of was Mehki being in class when phones were out, displaying images of pornography consisting of faces familiar to him. I didn’t want Ishaan naked for Ebonee. She may have slept with him, but on my watch, Ishaan’s body was just for me. He’d just rendered me undone. The perverted woman had seen enough.

In the same breath, I was eager for what was coming next. Because it was coming.

“Ishaan,” I panted weakly because that was precisely how I felt.

“ Shhhhh! ” he cooed. “The show is just getting started, Boo-baby.”

Holy shit!

Not again …

This time, I’d paced myself. It was easier to. Orgasms during intercourse were easier to control and manipulate than those drawing directly from my clitoris. As my hips squeezed and pelvis rolled and pussy clenched around his throbbing cock, I was losing the battle with the green light near the ceiling.

“ Mmmmm …” I moaned licking my lips.

My shoulders shifted and chest caved over his heaving chest. This shit was mind-blowing. The St. Andrews cross . It was life changing, and I liked this one in particular because it was sturdy, electronic, and versatile. Ishaan wasn’t strapped onto it at the wrists and ankles because he enjoyed controlling us. As I thrusted onto him, the cross was at a one-hundred-fifty-degree angle. Ishaan, with a knob, adjusted our bodies to the angle he wanted as I rode him. We were vertical and horizontal.

He made me keep the boots on. The heels hooked onto the metal openings astride his hard body. My hands were raised above his head where I was able to anchor myself. The handles on it gave my plunges more drive as the walls of my sex gripped his throbbing dick. So, unlike our first time in Vegas, I was still in my dress and boots, and Ishaan was completely unclothed. I hated it. It made him appear vulnerable to the woman watching from the camera hooked into the wall, giving her a theater-sized view of our activities where she sat.

This was fucked up. I enjoyed the torture of her watching to a degree, which was sick. And god only knew how long we’d be. With the right type of Mauve in his system, Ishaan’s hunger can go on for hours. My groin was burgeoning, urging my forceful thrusts. I could feel Ishaan thickening inside of me. It was what we did from time to time: cum together. It was a result of unplanned passion and excitable human connection.

We were in sync. With the meat of my ass slapping against his dewy, hairy flesh, things only ended one way when we reached this level of our combustive chemistry. When we’d bind like this, I was reminded of this new space I’d entered in life. Gone was Hayden who didn’t trust people. No more was that girl who could go ghost for weeks without anyone checking up on her or needing her. I hadn’t felt overwhelmed in months. Neither did I feel I operated in independence as I had my whole life.

“Isolation, lack of trust, and the ability to forge ahead during calamities instead of addressing the calamities head on all attract them,” Ezra’s foreboding warnings nearly a year ago still visited me every now and again. “You’re not a community woman because you weren’t raised to be one.”

I didn’t even recognize that woman anymore. My life had been filled with people making up a community. I still had more work to do in the trust and communication department, but I’d been so open to addressing those issues, too. I had to. The man beneath me wouldn’t allow my stubborn spirit to drift no matter my tendencies.

The uncontrollable passion preparing to combust right now between us was evidence of it.

“Damn, Hayden,” he whispered, eyes glassed, veins visible in his forehead. I knew this expression of his. Ishaan was about to explode.

And so am I …

“Ish—”

“Don’t you dare stop!” he grunted, heavy eyes wider now.

I didn’t realize I had. “But, baby! ” I cried. My body was trembling, breaths short and shallow as I tried to take control. “Wait?—”

“Ebonee’s gone. She…” He exhaled, body roiling similar to mine. “…was escorted out. Now, fuck me harder!”

Fuck!

“Oh, fuck!” That demand had my orgasm toppling in less than a second. The movement of my hips truncated, vibrating out of the cadence I had built.

My breasts bounced against his heaving chest, and the sounds of my flesh meeting his turned violent.

“ Daaaaamn! ” he cried, while slamming into my quaking walls over and over and over until we locked hips in erotic surrender.

My head was spinning and lungs wheezing. I couldn’t feel my toes crushed inside the boots when I asked, “How did you know…” I panted hard, body writhing. “… Eb onee was here?”

I noticed the crackling fireplace when I stepped out of the bathroom.

“C’mere, Hayden.” Ishaan, snuggled beneath the comforter, patted the empty area of the bed next to him.

Without hesitation, I traversed the suite and topped the high mattress of the canopy-styled bed. The top frame had all types of contraptions for kinky fun. The ceiling above was all mirrors. And the green light had still been silenced.

“What the fuck was that, Boo-baby?”

I lay my head on his stomach, facing the foot of the bed, feeling reduced to a child. “I’m sorry.”

“Nah. You’ve gotta do better than that.”

Then I turned to face him, resting on my elbows. “I know what I did was wild, but fuck that. I don’t regret it one bit. I’m just upset you stopped it. We have a signed agreement in place. It’s now void.”

“An agreement about her embryo.”

“How did you know?”

Ishaan pointed to his neck. The eagle . “I told you before: I know more about you than you think I do. You should have just come to me with your concerns, Hayden.”

“For you to do what? Apologize and try to convince me your plan was soundproof?” I spit out air and scoffed, “Yeah. Okay!”

“No. That’s now how the shit would’ve gone down.”

“You told Ebonee the choice was hers! I attempted to deal with her.”

“And she played you.”

“Played me how? You’re the one who had her escorted out before I could fulfill my portion of the agreement!” My mind began to race with how I could rebound from this.

“She played you because there is no damn embryo.”

My head shot up. “There is one more left. You told me!”

“Was,” he enunciated slowly. “There was one embryo left. I arranged to have it removed from Ebonee’s reach.”

My heart jumped from my chest. I couldn’t feel my lungs when I asked, “How?”

Ishaan’s eyes rolled somewhere out into the distance, and he swiped his nose with his index finger. “When we agreed to this, I had to protect myself from a facet of her personality I wasn’t sure no longer existed. Ebonee and I never launched as a couple because she had an emotional and violent knee-jerk reaction to just seeing me with another woman—a woman I wasn’t even pursuing.”

My eyes narrowed as a memory struck. “Why does this sound familiar? You mentioned almost dating a woman after Mandy. It didn’t work out because of some wild shit she did. Was that Ebonee?” I couldn’t recall the specifics at the moment, but Ishaan nodded in affirmation. “What did she do?”

He chuckled, “She keyed my car. That shit was wild and too damn reminiscent of Mandy’s unhinged ways. So, I ended the potential relationship. I swear…I believe in second chances and giving Black women room to grow. Dr. Patterson taught me that and more. But I always listen to my gut…just like I did back in February when you forgot your phone the night you went to the club with your cousins in A.C. It kept vibrating and Sunny was sleeping and?—”

I gasped. “You went through my phone?”

“I swear I’m not that type of man. But my gut has never steered me wrong. Yes. I went through your shit and didn’t get far before learning you’d been DM’ing and texting her. It pissed me the fuck off that you didn’t tell me, Hayden.”

“I know but?—”

“There are no excuses. If we’re going to be together, you have to trust me. I have eyes everywhere. My mind never stops. I know people…human behavior. I get tripped up once in a while like I did with thinking you were a prostitute in Vegas, but that’s a rarity. I could have saved you from going to this crazy ass extent.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

His eyes rolled up, and Ishaan eventually mumbled he didn’t know. “Maybe the relationship novice in me enjoyed a woman doing something this wild to secure a future with me.”

I shook my head, refusing to be finessed. “No, Ishaan. You let me negotiate with her for months—beg her! I had to involve my boss, who shared sensitive information about her kink. She’s making me wonder if it includes her pastor of a husband.” Which I highly doubted. “You and I spent a bundle on a membership we will never use again?—”

“Oh. We’re coming back here again. I knew exactly what I was doing when I consented to this shit.” When my jaw dropped in surprise he continued, “I went along with the ruse even for my birthday and how you didn’t opt for a night party. You jumped through all of these unnecessary hoops when I’d already called the lab I chose when I agreed to conceive with Ebonee and told them to destroy the embryo. What she did to you at the Sun-Bronzed Maroon let me know Ebonee would be a damn headache I didn’t need.”

I shook my head, feeling my anger boil again. “It would have been more than that!”

“More? I would never cheat on you with Ebonee. Having a kid with her would have never altered my fidelity to you.”

“You don’t understand.” My head continued to shake. “I’ve been watching you. Since last summer, I’ve seen what you do for a living…how unpredictable your workdays are—the extreme lows from them. You can’t take on another family with your workload.” I shook my head categorically. “I’m not sharing you with another household. And I’m going to speak for my baby. Sunny would never want to divide you that way. Remember, I grew up with that shit. I decided back then I didn’t want it. Why would I voluntarily give it to my child?”

“You wouldn’t have had to do shit. What could have happened between Ebonee and me?—”

“And me!” I argued.

He lifted to sweetly kiss my forehead. Then Ishaan whispered, “You’re right, baby. Your life would have been affected, too.” He lay back and exhaled. “What I’m trying to say here is I know you don’t trust me enough. You know that wouldn’t have worked for you. I knew that, too, Hayden. Shit. Even after meeting your father, so many red flags popped up about the balance of having children the same age by two different women. Believe it or not, I want to do right by you. I want to do right by Sunny.”

“You have.”

“It’s all I think about; you, Ki, and Sunny.” A growl stirred in his belly. “And my next baby you’ll give me.”

My eyes went wild. “Why do you want me pregnant so bad—so soon?”

Ishaan took his time before sharing, “Your pregnancy was some of the best days of my life. You were perfect, and I mean everything about you.”

“Even my mistrusting, not wanting to be bothered ass?”

“All of it. I felt a connection to you unlike with any other person other than my mother. I’m sure it was because you were carrying my child.” Ishaan’s head shook softly. “At first, I figured I wasn’t pressed about the paternity results because having you in my life was so damn satisfying, they were inconsequential. Now, I know it was because you were carrying a part of me inside you all that time.

“Having to deal with your resistance was a headache, yeah. But I was determined to do what I had to do to be…connected to you. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you…your history with your parents…your trauma…”

My eyes fell. “A real wack job I am. I know.”

“No, Boo-baby. You’re just a woman on a journey. Like me, your childhood had its challenges. Yours with the sexual abuse, lack of protection from your mother, and neglect from your father. Mine was emotional and a bit of mental and physical abuse from my father. We persevered. And now we get to write and right our story from here.”

I sighed, feeling that power deep in my soul. “I’m grateful for this. I’m grateful for you. I think about the wild shit I did last February and March, and how I didn’t deserve what I got out of it—you and Sunny.” I shook my head. “When I think about my reckless behavior paralleling with Mika’s…”

I was so damn happy she’d been out of her funk finally. Mika learned of Henry’s aka Brian’s philandering ways and how she hadn’t been the first he’d deceived. Apparently, at work was how Brian picked up girls. He’d target tourists who lived too far away from Vegas to feasibly pursue anything real with. It took my girl time to process it all, but she moved passed it, it seemed. Since, Mika had been dating again, and not just one guy at a time. She’d been happy being courted by more than one, vowing to be selective with whom she gives her body to.

“Mika, too, is on her own journey. She has every opportunity to write and right her wrongs, too. I’ve listened to the song your mother…” He snickered. “…performed at the baby shower. I paid attention to the lyrics. It gave me insight to just how bad the wrong relationship or relationship patterns can really fuck up someone’s psyche. Mika was on her road to it.” There was a brief pause before he murmured, “You were on your road to loneliness and despair, too, as it relates to being with a solid man.”

Without looking at him, I nodded. Ishaan was right. My lack of trust had me in a damn chokehold. Was I freed from it? Not fully. But through Ishaan, I’d been healing. “My heart has been so relaxed lately.”

“Running free?” I glanced up to find his beautiful smile. Then I nodded. “Good.” Ishaan reached beneath the pillows next to him and pulled out a purple box. Andreatta’s Promises. My heart thundered.

This was happening too fast. It was just months ago I’d been plagued by strange dreams about my father. They were so sad, lonely, and depressing. In one, he said, “Fuck all three of yous!” And in others he was dismissive. I’d still been working through them with the therapist Ishaan linked me with. One possibility the therapist offered was through the dreams, my mind—my subconscious—was working out what it would mean to include a man’s presence in my life. Like I’d been making room for Ishaan. But why would my father say, “All three of yous?” Did that mean I’d have a second baby?

And if I did have a second child with Ishaan, would that come before or after marriage? There were too many questions. Life had still been complicated.

“You know what’s inside. Right?” he asked.

Eyes locked onto the renowned purple box, I nodded. But … “It’s too soon.” I needed to be clear. “And not because we ‘don’t know each other.’ I’m past that. But because our passion propelled us beyond the proper timeline. Let’s continue enjoying the gift that is us and Sunny. Let’s earn our way there and not allow our complicated consequence to have us making yet another rash call.” I was finally able to look at him again. “I’m having fun. I’m feeling shit that feels…good. Let’s feel the feels.”

His face broadened into a smile again. “The therapist said marriage isn’t an easy institution to jumpstart. Merging lives with someone requires vulnerability and na?veté. It requires two individuals from different journeys to gather on one road and run a marathon on it together. That’s the hardest shit to do for distrusting, wounded souls. But it’s possible and has been done more than it’s been properly documented.”

“That’s…” I blinked. “That’s a mouthful. Powerful.”

“It is. And with that in mind, I won’t make this a formal proposal.”

“No?”

Ishaan shook his head. “No, Boo-baby. Yes, I was prepared to ask the big question, but what you said makes sense. I’ll slow down. Maybe give you another year to decide—or pick a date.” His smile bloomed as did my own. I rolled my eyes. So bossy! “Like I said, I heard the song Monica sang to you at the shower. Been replaying it over and over.” He removed the square, radiant cut, diamond halo engagement ring from the box and pushed it onto my finger. “Young heart, join mine, and let’s run fuckin’ free.”

Tears pooled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. The joy in my heart didn’t match that sentiment as I studied the absolutely stunning ring on my finger. “Why did you plan to propose to me tonight, knowing what was going on between Ebonee and me?”

“Shit, Boo-baby.” His big beam shrunk his eyes. “I’ve been so damn turned on about your covert moves to keep me. You damn right I was going to ask you for forever, after I chewed your ‘mission impossible’ ass the fuck out.” That made me laugh, sniffling my tears away. “And I’m ready to make my next baby.” He took my ‘ringed’ hand and guided it down to his astounding erection.

“Damn, Ish,” I croaked, weakened by his delicious aggression. “You never give up the ship. Do you?”

His smile turned dark as he shifted to roll on top of me. Ishaan’s talented mouth settled on my neck as I writhed beneath him. The sound of my phone didn’t disturb the ascension of my arousal. My hips widened and pelvis rolled to feel as much of his erection as possible. Then he moved up to my mouth where I got lost in tasting him. The delicious aftertaste of Mauve had been my latest, favorite thing. We took our time, orally making love, communicating non-verbally with our mouths.

When my phone rang for the fourth time, I groaned. Ishaan, understanding the irritant, let up from me. He reached for my phone and handed it to me.

Rolling my eyes, I answered, “Ma.”

“Oh, my god, Hayden! I’ve been trying to call you!” she screamed into the phone.

“What’s wrong?”

I knew it couldn’t be Sunny. She was home with Dr. Patterson tonight.

“I just hung up with the rehab facility. Billy’s missing!” She cried. “He’s been missing for five days now!”

I rolled my eyes again, reminded of her failure to read the room as it related to me giving a fuck about Billy. This was why Monica Washington would never have independent access to my daughter. Ever. I grunted, “How do you know it’s been days?”

Ishaan, down toward the foot of the bed, unraveled the waist strings of my shorts.

“Because I call him every other day. He hates it there…always complaining. So, I call to check in on him all the time. The man can hardly walk. If Billy called himself leaving, he wouldn’t get far!” She sobbed. “He can’t!”

I shook my head, taking a deep breath. Ishaan’s mouth was on my stomach, licking and kissing. That had to mean he couldn’t hear her manic cries. I didn’t know how that was possible. Then I caught a glimpse of the glistening diamond on my left hand. My ‘inevitably love’ symbol.

“Ma…”

“Yes!” she groaned.

“You know today’s Ishaan’s birthday. We’re childless and in the middle of celebrating.”

“Well, who else am I supposed to call, Hayden?”

Family? Your girlfriends?

“With all due respect, Ma,” I offered gently. “…someone who gives a damn about Billy. I don’t.”

For a few seconds, all I could hear were her muffled cries. “Goodbye, Hayden!”

I disconnected the call and in good timing. Ishaan was prying my legs apart, spreading me for his agenda. The view from my vantage point was lecherous. I was ready for my guy. I really was. But being disrespectful to my mother had never been a space I was comfortable in. I mean… What if the man was stuck in a well? Did I care? Should I feel regret for not giving a damn?

I bit my lip, watching Sunny’s father take a slow dive between my thighs. His dark, thick hair was now gathered at the top of his head. He was in a different headspace. The last person on the planet he’d care about was Billy. Why should I bring him up on his birthday?

Then a thought occurred. Ishaan would likely never forget about Billy. He was the one to convince my mother to remove him from her home. What if he…was responsible for this next disappearance?

B613!

“Ishaan—”

“Fuck Billy.” He kissed my swollen clit. “With two middle fingers.” Then he swiped it with his stiff, silken tongue. “Forever.”

That declaration said so much—meant so much. I felt seen. My childhood trauma was shared by another being besides Sundryia. Ishaan was presenting as my ally.

My avenger.

Had he been responsible for Billy’s disappearance? Did I care?

Less than ninety seconds later, I was clawing at the sheets, back bowed over the mattress, lungs riotous with cries of pleasure, and my heart filled to the brim with love for this man.

Fuck Billy .

Because, inevitably, Ishaan’s here and Sunny’s here. End the end, it’s, inevitably love. Full stop.

THE END

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