18. July
I was in bed looking through the pictures I took when we were on Sorrel Island. The sparkle in her eyes and the joy on her face were a far cry from where we were today. In those pictures, all eight of us looked radiant and high on life.
I hadn’t lived long, but I didn’t care who said what. The twenty-somethings were the best years of your life. No mortgages, unless you were ready. No kids. No credit card debt. No shit to worry about, unless you included a broken heart.
I wasn’t a simp ass nigga, but I was fucked up over the shit that happened between Abril and me.
I was trying to figure out a way to get through to her to find out exactly what Briana had done.
The only thing I gathered from the few clues I had was that she had been in my apartment when Abril came over.
What was said, I didn’t know. And that was the shit that bugged me.
My doorbell rang, and I tossed my phone on my bed face down.
Everyone had been in my comments when I first posted those pictures.
All types of cuties were putting sad faces that I was no longer on the market.
Some wished me well and said she was beautiful and we made a cute couple, but then there were always the haters.
One follower claimed she wasn’t ugly, but she was a’ight.
Someone else said she was probably a gold digger, which was funny because Abril had no idea how much money I made off the shit I did.
She wasn’t in my world like that, and she wasn’t really interested in it.
Living in an apartment, no matter how upscale, didn’t speak to the extent of my wealth that I created through smart investments and my connections in the music industry.
I slid my feet into my slides and headed for the front door. Surprise filled me when I looked out the peephole and saw her little ass there. She stood with her arms crossed over her breasts and her head tilted sideways.
My eyes dropped to take in her curves in the three-piece cotton legging set she wore.
The sleeveless taupe knit crop top was cut low and showed off her abs and her cleavage.
The leggings clung to her like a second skin, outlining her thick thighs and curvy hips.
While I couldn’t see it, I knew her ass was sitting up like a donkey.
She had a long, open sweater over her outfit.
“Wassup, ma?” I asked, licking my lips as I took her in.
“I have something I want to show you.”
“You just cussed me out not even a few days ago, and now you want me to run to your place? You ’bout to body my ass or something?”
She rolled her eyes. “Follow me, please.”
“Hold up. Let me grab my keys and phone.” I grabbed my things and headed to her place.
“It smells good as hell in here. Whatcha cooking?”
She crooked her fingers at me, beckoning me into her dining area. I followed her again, and she pulled out a chair.
“Sit down and eat.”
I eyed her warily, and she shook her head.
“What?” she asked with a smile playing on her lips.
“Nah. Ya li’l ass cussed me out, and now you cooking for me? I’ll pass. You not ’bout to poison me.”
“What’re you doing?” she asked, pointing at my phone as I LiveTimed Thad.
“Yo, big homie. Wassup?” he greeted.
“Aye. I told you how Abril cussed me out the other day, right? Well now she done cooked for a nigga. Tryna get me to eat her food, and she ain’t even apologized, my nigga.”
Thad guffawed and dragged his hand down his face. “Nigga, y’all wildin’ over there.”
“Nah. I need someone to be my witness. Nigga, if I die, y’all betta come get her ass.”
“Don’t eat that shit, man.”
Abril jumped from behind me and tugged my arm until my phone faced her. “Hey, nothing that I cook is shit, okay?”
“My bad, li’l one. You know you’re my li’l homie. But don’t take my nigga out, a’ight?”
“You know I got your back, Thad,” she stated and winked at him.
I smacked her ass and gripped it.
“Heyyy! What was that for?” she asked and looked at me.
“Don’t be winking at another nigga, especially not in front of me.”
Thad laughed. “A’ight. I’ma let y’all two lovebirds get to it. I’ve got some shit I’m over here working out myself.”
Kamaia’s face slowly came into the camera as she rose over Thad’s bare shoulder. I could tell that they had been up to something.
“Yeah, I’ma let y’all get back to it,” I stated.
“Don’t hurt him, boo,” Abril called out beside me.
Kamaia winked. “You know how I do.”
“A’ight. That’s enough. We’re out,” I declared and ended the call. Turning back to Abril, I crossed my arms. “Wassup, for real, though?”
“I wanted to apologize to you because I jumped to conclusions. Well, actually, your ex helped me get there, but I didn’t give you a chance to explain.”
“A’ight, tell me all about it while I eat. I guess the least I can do is listen since you went all out and cooked a nigga’s second favorite meal.” I pulled out the chair and sat down to the oxtails, cabbage, and rice and peas.
Abril pulled out a chair beside me and explained everything that happened.
I ate while I listened, but I burned with anger.
I wanted to go back over there and run my car through the house and tear that bitch down.
Then I wanted to strangle the fuck out of Briana until she stopped breathing.
But my thoughts always strayed back to that innocent, harmless baby.
I hoped for her sake that Briana got her shit together.
I patted my lap for Abril to come and sit on. I wrapped my arm around her and pressed my lips against her neck.
“We don’t have to worry about her anymore. I got a restraining order against her, so she’s done.”
“And me?”
“Well, you should’ve given me the benefit of the doubt. Next time, make sure that you do that shit. I don’t care what the evidence looks like. I want you to trust me with your heart, Abril. I won’t hurt you. My only intention is to love you,” I whispered as I nuzzled her ear.
She dropped her head back, and I tugged at the bottom of her crop top. Her breasts fell free, and I leaned in and sucked one into my mouth. Her hands rested on the top of my head, ensuring that I did not move.
My free hand went to her other breast to rub her nipple into a hardened peak. Abril moaned as she arched her back.
“Hold up,” she murmured.
I lifted my head, and Abril stood and shimmied out of her leggings.
When she was completely nude, she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my chair.
I watched her ass cheeks bounce up and down individually.
My dick jerked in my pants, and I grabbed and massaged it.
Just like me, he couldn’t wait to get inside of that tight ass again, but first, I had to get him wet inside of her pussy.
When she led me to her bedroom, I undressed.
“Before we do this, I have something to say.”
I sat on the bed and pulled her onto my lap. “I’m listening.”
“I have been so afraid to let go and just let myself fall into you, July. You’ve been so good to me from the day we met, chasing my cans and picking up my tampons.”
I tilted her chin. “That’s how I always know what you like during your cycle. Your man paid attention from the jump.”
She sucked her teeth, rolled her eyes, and bit back a shy smile. “Who said you was my man? Ain’t nobody said all that.” Her voice had gone a little high-pitched.
I smacked her ass. “You know I’m ya man, Abril. Play if ya wanna. You gon’ fuck around and find out I’m the best thing to come into your life.”
She giggled and looped her arms around my neck.
“You are. That leads into what I was going to say. I wanted to tell you that I’ve been falling for you for a while.
But I tried so hard to let it not be. I was scared of getting hurt, and then when you seemed to be doing the same thing that Devon did, I was devastated.
Juju, I’m sorry that I didn’t give you the benefit of the doubt.
I can’t help but love you, boy, because you’ve always been what’s best for me.
You care for my heart and treat me tenderly.
I couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend than you. ”
“You ain’t got no boyfriend, baby girl. You got a man.”
She stuck her tongue out and tilted her head sideways. “My man, my man, my man! I love you.” Her eyes grew wide as if she hadn’t meant to speak those words. But they filled my heart with delight, and it squeezed in my chest.
I pushed her onto her back and spread her legs. “I know you do. It was my mission to break you down until you fell in love with me the way that I love you, girl.”
“Why do you love me?”
“Don’t be playing that humble shit with me. You know you made a nigga fall in love with you the minute I got a taste of this pussy,” I answered, sliding my hand between her thighs.
“Stop playing,” she whined, shoving my shoulder.
“Nah, girl. I fell in love with you because, despite your edgy attitude, I knew you were a good girl who wanted to be loved. You listened to me and cared about what mattered to me. How could I not love you? You tried hard to keep this as a casual fuck, but it wasn’t meant to be.
I’m in this with you, and I promise I will never be careless with your heart.
How could I be reckless with something that’s a part of me?
My heart beats for you and only you, Abril,” I explained as I grabbed her hand and pressed it against my chest.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Tears fringed her eyelashes, and I pulled back, spread her thighs, and feasted on her nectar like I hadn’t just had a full coarse meal.