Chapter 5
Cheat
Water drums against my back, pounding steady, rinsing the hear from my skin but not the thoughts from my head. Steam coils thick in the air, fogging the glass, wrapping around me like smoke.
I lean forward, palm pressed to the cold tile. Eyes closed. Zara flashes behind my lids, her body beneath me, back arched, breath catching, fingers digging into the sheets. Jah jah.
Missionary. A neva suh’m mi rate. Too tender. Too intimate. Too close. But with her? Mi damn near lost control. And mi know why.
Mi in love wid har. And that’s dangerous.
Not because love soft, but because when a man like me love a woman, it change everything.
Mi don’t think the same. Don’t move the same.
That kind of love can make you hesitate at the wrong time, and in my world, hesitation get you killed.
Even after she rode her high, I stayed. Held her.
Rubbed her belly. Watched her… man all a get jealous cause she a scroll through some likkle silly app.
I blow out a breath, sharp and low, twist the knob. Water cuts. Silence comes down heavy.
I step out. No towel, allowing the air to slap my bare skin. The air shifts with me, thick with heat, thick with her. I walk across the room, with quiet confidence. She’s watching. I feel her eyes without looking.
I turn my eyes to her and smirk. Her eyes parting in that drowsy way, tracking the sway beneath my hips. What’s swinging between my legs is heavy, and clearly a magnet, her eyes like a coin, sticking to it. I don’t say a word. I move like I don’t even notice.
But I do.
I pull on a polo underwear, then some LV shorts, the fabric hugging my hips. White tees over my head. Her gaze trails the whole process like it’s her favorite show.
Still curled on her side. Belly soft beneath the blanket. Mouth slightly open. I step to the bed, towering over her, she’s now ‘sleeping.’ I tap her arm, she plop her eyes open.
“What?” she has an attitude.
“Hey watch how you a talk to me,” my hand finds her throat.
She squints up at me, rolls her eyes. “Yuh nuh see mi did a sleep?”
“Unless me nuh know what sleep is. Yuh did a stare pan man.. But it’s two now. Come on. Yuh cya stay in the bed all day.”
She turns her face into the pillow. “Nickoi, lef’ me alone.”
I stare at her blankly. See wah mi a talk bout?
Fi have a gyal—well, mek mi rephrase that. She’s a different kind o’ girl. But fi have a woman a talk to me so foreign to me enuh.
A cause she pregnant mon.
“Get up.”
“Nah get up… I want to sleep,” she says, her tone laced with attitude.I reach down and wrap my hand gently around her throat, not hard, just enough for her to feel it. Her breath catches, and her eyes jump to mine, wide with surprise.
“Watch how you a talk to me, yer G?” I say, calm but firm.
She’s been testing me. She looks up at me, and I see it shift in her eyes.
The attitude softens, replaced with something still and alert.
Maybe fear. Maybe desire. Maybe both. I push her back against the mattress, my hand still resting at her neck, holding her there.
Not hurting her. Just letting her know who she’s talking to.
She doesn’t say another word. Just stares. Mouth slightly open. Breathing different now.
“Zara…” I say her name like a warning. “If you want this to work, you’re going to have to follow my lead. I don’t move with people who don’t listen.”
She stares at me, testing me it seems.
“My aunt’s gonna be your personal doctor, zeen. She gave me strict instructions, being active is one of them. So when I tell you come, it’s not a debate.”
My hand tightens at her throat, not hurting, just heavy enough for her to feel I’m done playing. “Mi love yuh, and that alone dangerous. That’s why I’m trying to handle you soft, but don’t ever think mi won’t check yuh if you start move wild.”
She swallows. “I-I understand,” she says.
I release her slowly. Watch the way her breath stutters out, like my hand is still there.
Exactly how I want her. I watch her carefully as she rises, slow and quiet.
She tries to pass me, but I step into her path and block her.
Grab her chin, lift it, make her eyes meet mine.
I kiss her. Deep. Slow. Full of control.
I suck her bottom lip like I’m tasting something that belongs to me, ‘cause it does. When I pull back, her eyes are all over the place, like she can’t focus.
“Mi doh like rough yuh up,” I murmur, voice dragging low against her lips.
“But you’re mine. And when I speak, I expect you to hear me the first time. I just want obedience. You get that, mami?”
She bites her lip, blushing hard, eyes slipping away like she can’t handle the way I’m looking at her.
“Look at me,” I order. She does. And mi swear… she a the prettiest girl inna the world.
Her eyes glint and I feel that pull, she don’t even realize the kind of power she hold.
“You can give me attitude. I like it. It cute when yuh vex,” I say, hand sliding behind her to grab her ass tight.
“But don’t move like yuh tryna disrespect me.
Don’t gwan like yah try diss me or likkle bwoy dung my thing. ”
I lean in, breath hot against her ear. “Yer that?”
She nearly melts. Face red, eyes flickering. She turns quick. “I’ll go take out the sheets,” she mutters, trying to walk off.
I catch her wrist without a word. She turns back slow, confusion written all over her face. “Forget bout that,” I say, pulling her back into my space, close, like I own her. I do. I lace our fingers and lead her out the room.
Halfway down the stairs, she glances at me, voice softer now. “What are we gonna do?”
“We’re going to play a game,” I tell her, and she laughs like I just said something crazy.
“What game?” Zara asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Need for Speed on the PS5, Mami,” I say, already moving to set it up. She sinks onto the sofa, waiting for me to finish. When I’m done, I grab the controllers and hand her one.
“Thanks,” she says, taking it as I sit beside her. I fire up Need for Speed, and she lets out a long sigh, eyes fixed on the screen.
“I’m going to lose this,” she admits, half resigned. I shake my head, taking a sip from my water bottle. Can’t find anyone more cynical. The thought makes me chuckle quietly. My eyes find hers just as she speaks again.
“You wicked, enuh. Why you want us to play if you know I’m going to lose?” she asks, shooting me a playful glare. I laugh.
Mek she win the first round, man.
“I’m starting now… wah you say?” I ask, watching her sit up, suddenly focused. I chuckle again as she glances at me.
“Nickoi… come explain the buttons to me, please,” she says.
I take the controller, breaking down each button like a pro.
“Alright, a beat me a guh beat yuh now,” she says excitedly, getting ready. I settle in, waiting patiently for the race to begin.
As soon as we’re off, I’m leading with her right behind me.
Her complaints beside me are priceless, she hates losing, and it’s hilarious.
I slow down just enough, letting her slip past. When she realizes she’s in front, she starts hyping herself up loud.
I press my hand to my lips, fighting to keep a straight face. She’s funny.
“A me do that!” she shouts, eyes locked on the screen. When we cross the finish line, Zara scoots over and sticks her tongue out at me.
She pats her chest proudly before leaning in to peck my lips. “A me do that!”
“Arite, Zara. Sit down,” I say, and she laughs, then flops onto the couch.
“That’s so rude,” she says, still giggling.
I chuckle and reset the game. “Ready fi di next round?”
She sits up straight like she really think mi a go let her win again. A wicked laugh slips from my lips as I start the game. No mercy.
The moment the race begins, I take the lead, cutting every corner smooth, handling the car like a pro. The gap between us widen quick; mi not even a see her car on the screen anymore. I laugh low to myself while she complains beside me.
“You unfair enuh, babe. Mi nuh think mi get a good start,” she says, tone sharp with frustration.
I glance over, grinning. “Lies.”
She huffs. “Start over nuh!”
I restart the game with a sigh. Always trying to please her. Nothin’ wrong with that still, she’s mine. We start over and this time, she shifts closer, brushing up against me. I’m still leading of course but when I glance at her, I catch her pouting while locked in on the screen.
I laugh under my breath. Zara looks over at me and smiles. “Babe, slow down nuh.”
I ignore her, eyes locked on the screen, fingers moving fast over the controls.
When she realizes she’s not catching up, she slips her arms around me, holding on tight like she can throw me off. She squeezes gently, then turns back to her controller, still holding me as she plays. Anuh like she can pass mi still.
That mi a say, too.
She looks at me again, brows tight with attitude. “Nickoi, mi seh slow down. A so yuh treat a lady?”
Bullshit.
“And yuh still playing? Mussi sick,” I laugh, barely looking her way.
She leans in again, arms curling around me before she sinks her teeth into my cheek, trying fi throw mi off then presses hard on the controller.
Her car fly past mine on the screen. She starts screaming like she win some championship. I hiss.
“Yuh nuh win nutt’n,” I tell her.
She throws up her hand, smug. “Blah blah blah… mi win and yuh lose. Gweh,” she laughs, loud and proud.
That’s when I spot my phone vibrating on the kitchen island.
I start a new game while walking over to answer it.
Still got a clear view of the screen from here.
Zara stays put, controller in her hand, goofy smile stuck on her face like she certain mi a go lose now that mi nuh close.
She don’t know mi know every shortcut in the game.
It nuh look so.
“Mamz, wah gwan?” I answer.
The fact she’s already chatting with someone in the background. Typical. Why would she call when she’s already talking with someone? Why are mothers so annoying sometimes? It’s like their specialty.
“Mommy?” I say again, this time a little sharper. She finally tune in.
“Nick… dem find Adonis dead, enuh.” Her voice measured. Like she already know I did it but want mi to admit it. I stare at the screen.
“Yeah… Mommy, wah yuh really a try seh?” Cause mi know she not calling just fi confirm what mi already know.
She goes quiet. The background noise cuts instantly.
The game starts again. Zara doesn’t say a word, but mi know she watching.
She think mi nuh notice the match start?
Think yuh slick? I can’t take my eyes off her.
She’s lit up, smiling wide, energy crackling like she just won the whole world.
Her hands tighten on the controller, fingers quick and sure.
She’s in the lead, talking trash, hyping herself loud enough to fill the room.
“Mi did just affi a’ act like mi miss the idiot cause everybody inside,” she whispers.
“Oh,” I keep my grip steady, thumbs pressing the buttons, but all I see is her, her laugh, the way her eyes flicker with fire, the curve of her jaw when she bites her lip to concentrate.
She doesn’t notice how close I’m watching, how every little move pulls at something deep inside me. When I ease my car past hers, she gasps sharp, half surprise, half frustrated.
“How?!” she screams.
I grin, low and slow, knowing she’s caught up in the game, but also in me.
“Mi just wah know seh yuh did have on gloves and yuh cover up enuh,” mommy breathes.
“Everything did Gov man,” I say, making a mental note to link Genius later.
Affi remove this call data…
“Arite, baby, memba yuh affi come show yuh face though, ‘cause yuh nuh waan go look guilty,” she whispers.
“Yeh, Mommy,” I say. As soon as I hang up, Zara jumps on my back, snatching my controller and wrapping her arms tight around my neck.
I hold her steady, can’t have her falling.
Ol’ crook.
She laughs, sliding slowly off me. “Baby, mi did affi thief yuh ‘cause you a thief me,” she says, grinning.
“You been a thief mi. Mi never a thief yuh,” I fire back.
She keeps laughing. “Well, me win.”
“Cause yuh cheat,” I hiss, and she laughs even harder.