Our Mother’s sons: Jovani Bendetti

7. Voyage Ridley

Chapter 7

Voyage Ridley

My shift had ended, and I couldn’t be happier. Being the store manager, I mostly opened the store, but there were rare occasions when I closed it. Thankfully, today wasn’t one of them. The shift manager, Ivey, was due to close today, and I spotted her locks of auburn hair before she walked into the store.

“Hi, boss! I’m sorry I’m late, but traffic was crazy!”

Smiling, I waved at Ivey as I added change to both registers. I had two cashiers on duty, and while one was in the bathroom, the other was flirting with the barista boy in the coffee shop that sat on an elevated platform in the middle of the store. We were slow today; it was the first slow day in weeks. The workers were taking advantage of the downtime, and since the store was clean and stocked, I didn’t have an issue with them chilling.

“Girl, you’re good. You’re only three minutes late, and we have a fifteen-minute grace period. Take your time.”

I had no plans to be dragged across town with my cousin today, and I was happy about that. However, I’d been glad to be busy working and hanging with Baela. It kept my mind occupied, out of my feelings, and out of bed. There were some days when I had to sleep all day because my heart, mind, and body were so tired, but today wasn’t one of them. I was happy to be off early, but wasn’t ready to go home yet. So, an hour ago I made reservations at a restaurant and I would enjoy my meal solo.

Ivey ignored everything I said about taking her time because I could see her orange floral dress floating in the air as she put her white Chuck Taylors to work by running to the employee lounge.

Reader’s Paradise was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever worked. The owner had put some money into this store. Not only did it have three floors, but it also had a rooftop that had a seasonal bar that served some of the best cocktails and finger foods. Being up there with a book, a drink, and the ocean view was indescribable. I’d only ever indulged when I wasn’t employed here, but as soon as I got the job, I didn’t even look up at the rooftop. I wouldn’t be losing my job for being accused of drinking on the clock, and on my off days, I didn’t come this way.

This store was the ultimate bookstore and had the perfect name. The theme resembled that of a tropical rainforest with imitation trees and shrubbery. There was even a spot on the second floor called the den, which was dark and made it feel like you were in a rock cave. That was the reader’s favorite place. It was where I spent my lunch breaks, and what made it even better is that it was where the black author sections were. At first I felt some type of way that the African American literature wasn’t at the head of the store since it lead in sales but when I noticed how most people came in the store and got straight on the escalators to the second floor, I held off on putting a complaint in to the district manager. Working in the bookstore and running it made my chest swell with pride, seeing how social media was now pushing books. It made me even prouder that many black authors had been able to make a living by writing. I still wanted more black women on the shelves because many of my favorite authors weren’t even in stores, let alone ours. I didn’t know how to change that, but I made it a point to look into it.

When Ivey shooed me off, I checked on my employees one last time before heading to the back office for my belongings. I always made sure I was cute at work, even on days I didn’t want to change from my pajamas, and though we didn’t have a dress code, I mostly wore long dresses and skirts. Today, it was hot as hell outside, and since I hadn’t planned on going home after, I wore a mid-thigh dress. The skater style pale pink and cream striped dress was tan and fitted at my waist before flaring out. Since it was sleeveless and on the short side, I paired it with a long, thin cardigan and gold Nine West sandals that were comfortable enough to withstand an eight-hour shift. As soon as I left the store, I removed the covering and walked to my car. I was proud of my three-year-old Hyundai. She was silver, still had the new car smell, and the payments didn’t break the bank. I even had a sunroof; I instantly let it back when I started my car. The air-conditioning cooled me simultaneously as I pulled the visor down to check my face.

My makeup hadn't moved even after a long shift, mainly because we were slow. I’d been known to break out in a sweat or push my curly hair out of my forehead one too many times, wiping my makeup off. But ever since being caught lacking, I have made an effort to beat my face daily.

Twin was fine as shit. The fact that he was a twin was unfair as fuck. I’d never wanted to be trained a day in my life before seeing those men side by side. I didn’t even know his damn name but was ready to sit on it. It was something so sexy about a man standing gapped leg in the middle of the mall while counting off money for a lady to get what the fuck she wants. I wanted to jump his damn bones right there in front of the thirsty ass worker and my cousin. Baela hadn’t let up with the questions about him. But I didn’t have anything for her. He hadn’t called, and neither had I. I learned my lesson from chasing my last nigga and look at how that shit panned out for me. He had my number; if he wanted to use it, he would.

Fluffing my coarse curls, I reached into my bag and applied more lipstick. I’d used a new concealer and liquid blush when applying my makeup, and I was loving it. I was always skeptical about new products because I didn’t know how they would hold up in the dewy, damp, and humid Florida weather. Granted, I hadn’t been outside, but with how much setting spray I applied, I was confident it would last. Flipping the visor up, I pulled on my seatbelt and drove into traffic. Not only was it a pretty day, but I’d gotten paid and still had three thousand dollars left over from the money he’d given me. I paid my rent twice. Once with the money he gave, and another with my check, I was a month ahead. I would do the same with my car note, but since I’d never done it before, I wanted to research and see if paying on the principal over paying another note was best. He’d given me six thousand dollars, which still had me geeked. I swear, my pussy hadn’t dried up since I received that money and that was a week ago.

I had lunch reservations at a restaurant I’d been seeing all over TikTok. Jonah’s was a sexy ass bar with an upper echelon feel to it and according to the reviews I’ve seen, it was always packed and the food and drinks were indication as to why. It was on the other side of town and would take me over twenty minutes, but I took that drive with a smile. Baela was going to kick my ass when she found out I’d left her. But she was on one of her ten-day runs. My girl claimed that since I didn’t like hanging with her, she had nothing else to do but work. My cousin sure knew how to make me feel bad. No matter how tired I was, I was bringing her to Jonah’s on her next off day, even if I had to work.

Pulling up to the all black building, my belly swarmed with excitement. Even the outside was sexy. The brick was all black, and the big black sign on top of the building with the restaurant’s name sparkled in gold. Checking my face one last time because, according to social media, all the who’s who’s and even famous people came here, I wanted to make sure not a hair was out of place. I wasn’t scouting for anyone unless it was the paid twin, but I still wanted to look my best. Grabbing my Nine West chain purse from the front seat, I exited the car and locked my door. This place was in a nice side of town but still, Florida niggas would break in your shit even if you were parked at the mayor’s mansion.

I was shocked that no security guard had checked my bag at the front door, and I could easily walk in. Once I gave the pretty hostess my name, she showed me to the booth in the bar area I’d reserved. I didn’t want to sit at a table and have empty chairs, nor did I want to sit at the bar and appear to be conversational. So, I’d booked a small booth roomy enough for four people. It was in a darker part of the already dark building, but I had a view of the entire restaurant. As I sat on the leather, I gawked at my surroundings. TikTok hadn’t lied. This place was extremely aesthetically pleasing, and just like the exterior, the interior was black and gold, creating a masculine yet modern and expensive setting. If the food and drinks were as good as they claimed, Jonah’s would be getting all of my money in the future.

A waitress whom I complimented on having pretty nails took my order. I settled on crab cakes for the appetizer, lamb chops, seafood rice for my entrée, and their signature blackberry lemon drop with water on the side. Once she had my order, I handed her the folded black leather menu and pulled my phone out. I was so used to no one calling me that this was the first time I’d even looked at it since my lunch break, which was four hours ago. I didn’t even need it for the GPS since I’d used the one attached to my car to get here.

Seeing I had a missed call from Him, my heart accelerated. When I went to my call log and saw that the missed call was a day old, I frowned. My phone had been doing shit like that as of late. I would miss Baela’s call and wouldn’t be notified until the next day or days later. I guess it was Apple’s way of telling me it was time for a new phone. Anxiety spurted through me as I stared at his contact. I was more than twenty-four hours late seeing his call and knew it wouldn’t look right calling him back a day later. At the same time, I wanted to talk to him. It was crazy how I was saying I wasn’t looking for anything but, one sight of him and all that shit when out the window. Before deciding if I wanted to return his call, the waitress brought my crabcakes and lemon drop out.

Steam rose from my food, and the presentation was so lovely that I had to snap a picture. I wouldn’t be posting it to my stories, though, because Baela was known to hide in the supply closet and sneak on her phone while working, and I didn’t feel like hearing a tongue lashing from her. The food was just as good as the reviews claimed. I scarfed down the crabcakes quickly, and she was bringing my entree out when I got to the bottom of the lemon drop. I put in another order for the lemon drop even though I didn’t need it. Since I was good and tipsy, it was too good to pass up. Plus, I had some funds thanks to him.

As I bit into the lamb chop, something told me to look up, and when I did, the eyes staring back at me had me choking. The seasoned and tender meat had gone down wrong to the point that I had to pat my chest and sip water. When I returned to normal, I closed my eyes, hoping he would be a figment of my imagination when I opened them. Seeing that he was still standing there had my neck heating and my breathing slowing.

I hadn’t seen him in nearly a year, and even though it had been a while, the same hatred I harbored for him the day he left made an appearance. If I wasn’t in this nice ass restaurant, I would have hopped out this booth and pounded his fucking face in. Dutton. He was still the same fine ass boy because he damn sure wasn’t a man, but he looked more put together. Granted, Dutton’s womanizing ass kept some new shoes and a new outfit on because the women he dated made sure to keep him fresh but on his feet were a pair of shoes that I saw in Neiman’s that I knew costed well over fifteen hundred dollars. Not only that he was wearing a big ass ridiculous looking diamond chain that even though was shining, was too obnoxious. With the word Amiri stitched on the back of the jeans and the matching t-shirt I knew then, more than a woman was financing his life unless his ass was dating Giselda Blanca herself. On his wrist was a big silver watch that had to have cost some money, too. I knew damn well this nigga wasn’t out here shinning like new money when he had left me with rent he swore he would pay half on when in fact he’d only done that shit a few times. I loved my apartment but would have never picked a one-bedroom for nearly two thousand dollars. There were plenty of nice ones for half the price, and even though the neighborhood wouldn’t be as nice, I still had those options. I let Dutton sucker me into the shit and when the lease was up I let him sucker me into signing again like a fool knowing I’d struggled through the first year. Thankfully, I had a good job now, but he didn’t know that.

“Here, baby. I love your Benz.”

A pretty blonde-haired, blue-eyed, white girl in a floral skater dress that matched her eyes came alongside him and handed him a black and silver key fob. I was looking so hard that I could see the Benz emblem. This nigga. I doubted his uncle had put him on because he couldn’t sell water to a rich man dying of thirst. I also knew that Snow wasn’t financing his lifestyle. The white women here in Ausnor only fucked with black men if they had money. So how the fuck had he come up when with me all he did was take take take?

When the Blonde girl followed his line of vision and I locked in on her blue orbs too, because I was most definitely not looking away, Dutton cleared his throat and tugged her along. Oh hell no. This nigga had me fucked up. Grabbing my purse, I scooted around the booth to give him a piece of my mind when a dark shadow stopped me. Looking up, I gasped, and my suddenly dried-up cat was now drenched.

“Why you ain’t call me back yesterday?”

“Uh, hunh? I just got the missed call-”

“I’m fucking with you. I didn’t even know if that shit connected but with your response, I take it that it did.” He eyed me and even him calling himself reprimanding me was sexy.

He slid into the booth on the opposite side of where I was trying to escape, and when he reached his long arms around to pull me next to him, I melted at his side while my heart thudded in my chest. His long hair was crinkly and covering the sides of his face while hanging down his shoulders, and even though he was simply dressed in a black Nike hoodie, shorts, socks, and Gucci flip-flops with no jewelry outside of a watch, he was killing Dutton in every way possible. He smelled good, too. So fucking good. No longer were the fumes of the restaurant drenching my nostrils. It was his tantalizing cologne that wreaked of grown man, big dick, money, and heartache.

“So you pocket dialed me?”

He picked up one of my lamb chops I’d already bitten off and chewed the flavorful meat.

“Nah. I called you but had to hang up to take out the trash.”

Confused by his statement, I chose not to reply. I wanted to turn away so that I didn’t appear to be a creep, but no matter how much I willed myself to do so, I couldn’t tear my head away. He wasn’t dressed for the restaurant. He looked more like he’d walked in to get something to go, and that thought alone caused accusations to swarm in my head. Was he picking up food for himself and whatever chick was about to braid his hair? Imagining him sitting between the legs of another woman caused my body to heat, and not in a way it had the moment I spotted him.

Suddenly, a rambunctious laughter knocked me from my twin-induced trance and had my eyes creeping out of our bubble. There was Dutton’s fraud ass again but this time he was pulling out a seat for his date. I could have sworn he’d been seated in the back, so how was he now sitting a few feet away from me? Granted, he wasn’t close enough so that I could hear their conversation, but he was still too close for comfort. There were a few tables between us, and he would have to snake his body around to get a direct look at me, but the fact that he was in my line of vision had taken the last little bit of my appetite away. With the way this man was finishing off my plate, using my fork and all to eat my seafood rice not caring that he was swapping my spit, I wouldn’t have any food to eat anyway.

“Yeah, my brother did his big one with that new chef,” He sucked down on a lamb bone.

The waitress popped back up with my lemon drop.

“I apologize about the wait, girl. We had a rush out of nowhere, so this one is on me,” she smiled sweetly as she set my drink down. When she noticed him, she froze up.

“Oh, I didn’t know she was with you. I didn’t have her waiting long, please do not tell your brother,” her eyes became glossy, causing me to cover her hand with mine.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t waiting long.”

My assurance wasn’t enough because she was still watching him, waiting for him to tell her all was well.

“Aye, add some of these to my order. Get her another one to go as well.”

She nodded eagerly.

“Bring me a double shot of D’Usse, too. Bring the lady another one of those too, but bring that shit pronto, Betty.”

“Beatrice,” she corrected in a shaky voice.

“It’s going to be jobless if you don’t get a move on.”

The waitress nearly tripped over her feet to fulfill the order. He was still working on the bones, and the way his tongue licked off the sauce had me clenching my thighs together. I didn’t know what type of pull he had to threaten the waitress’s job, but she was scared as hell.

“You own this place or something?”

He dropped the bone on the plate and grabbed the napkin to wipe his hands.

“Nah, but my brother do.”

“Is that his name? Jonah?”

He smirked, “Is that a way of asking my name? But nah, that’s our pops’ name.”

I swept the restaurant again, trying my hardest not to look Dutton’s way, although I could feel his eyes on me.

“This place is amazing. I love the aesthetic, and the food was delicious. Your dad must be proud.”

Feeling mad that Dutton was only a few feet away, I lifted the signature cocktail to my lips and took a sip. One sip turned into three as he watched me. I was embarrassed that I didn’t know his name and trying not to think about how hoeish it really was. Like how in the fuck did I not know his name and he’d had his dick so far up my cooter that I nearly spit it out? I would keep hanging out with Baela because I was just as lonely as she was, but that was my last time letting her drag me to a club.

“He’s dead. Died when we were a few years old. Our paternal grandma raised us. She’s proud, though. I’ll tell my brother you fuck with it.”

His eyes hadn’t left my face, and his stare was so intense that it was almost as if he was picking out all the imperfections on it. I’d hoped like hell nothing was out of place. Just thinking about my makeup shifting from underneath my eyes had me taking another sip. God, I hoped I didn’t look a mess. This man was so damn fine that you wanted to look nothing less than perfect around him.

The waitress returned just as I took my final sip, and this time she had two brown paper thank you bags and our drinks. When she sat everything down, it was as if she was walking on eggshells. This fine ass man was intimidating but not that damn intimidating.

“I’ll take my ticket now.”

“Don’t insult me, love,” his deep voice vibrated next to me as he slumped back in his seat and counted off bills. When he handed the waitress four one-hundred-dollar bills and told her to keep the change, her mood went from somber to cheery.

Him picking up his glass prompted me to do the same and even though I knew that wasn’t good for me, I sipped. I was already on my level, this drink would put me on my ass. On my ass in the presence of this man who I knew for a fact could put a hurting on my pussy wasn’t a good combination. But I needed a distraction from going over there wearing Dutton’s ass out.

“So, who is that light bright ass nigga with that pregnant snow bunny that keep taking a peep over here?”

“Pregnant?” I snapped my head at him.

“Yeah, pregnant. He dared to try and walk his ass in the kitchen because his pregnant hoe is allergic to shellfish and he wanted to tell the chef personally. Fuck nigga almost got his ass blowed off.”

Hearing that Dutton had officially lost his fucking mind had me running my tongue across my teeth. I didn’t know what to do besides drink again, so that was what I did. The more I drank, the less I started to care about Dutton being in the vicinity. I had zero love left for that nigga and hadn’t had loved for him months before he left the relationship but it was the way he went about doing shit that pissed me the fuck off.

“That is my ex-boyfriend.”

“How recent is this ex? He got you kinda tight losing your appetite and shit.”

“Oh trust, I don’t want shit to do with his ass. He wasn’t good for me when we were together and damn sure isn’t good for me now. It’s just the principle of it all. He left me with an apartment, a car note, and other bills. Not only that…I was… not good mentally. We went through some shit and his answer to it was getting me pregnant. I was already paying all the bills and…well, he not only used me, but he cheated on me and was verbally abusive. I let him convince me to distance myself from my only family for nearly a year and shut her completely out of my life. So, seeing him out looking like a million bucks and having a pregnant person on his arm puts me in my feelings a little.” I truthfully answered. I didn’t want Dutton. God knew I didn’t, but the whole situation was delicate, and I couldn’t believe that had been my life.

“Well, I can tell you for sure that nigga don’t look like a million bucks. He look like a bootleg JJ fish with his buckteeth ass. He should have been getting some dental work instead of buying fucking jewelry. I hate to see what the fuck the baby gone look like. A light skinned, beaver teeth blue eyed fish with thin ass strangled blonde hair.” He had the nerve to shudder like he was disgusted.

Tossing my head back, I let out a laugh that was way too loud.

“You so wrong. I can’t stand him, but he’s not ugly. She’s cute too, and you’re acting like you're not light-skinned,” I scoffed as I took another sip of my drink.

“Me and my brother don’t act like other light skinned niggas. Our daddy was black as fuck so I like to think we got his characteristics. We chocolate at heart,” he slammed his glass on the table as I cracked up laughing.

He didn’t know it, but I needed that in this moment. Dutton had done a number on my ass for real.

“You want me to kill him, Bae?”

I was still laughing when his question registered. My giggles slowed as he intently stared, waiting for me to answer. My grin dropped when his hand reached under his hoodie and gripped the steel on his waist.

“Wait. You’re serious?”

“As a heart attack,” he stated without humor.

Swallowing hard, I peered at Dutton, who still had his orbs on me while his woman talked a mile a minute. They were sitting on the same side of the table, and when her hands rested on her small pudge, I nodded.

“Ima need verbal confirmation love,” he urged.

“Ye..yes.”

He hopped up and in that moment, not looking for anything, talk went out the window. I had stars in my eyes as he tossed his hood on his head and swaggered over to Dutton. The limp in his walk I knew came from not only the gun he was clutching but the dick he was toting around. I needed that shit sober but with the way my girl was hurting for days after, it was fact that the dick was horse.

Seeing him near Dutton, my senses returned, and I nearly broke my leg trying to get out of the booth. I stomped my toe and prayed I hadn’t cracked the nail as I caught up with him. By the time I reached him, he had his gun drawn and pressed against Dutton’s temple.

“Oh my-”

“Shut the fuck up Katy Perry. If you make a sound ima put your ass down like the stray poodle you look like along with this nigga.”

Grabbing his arm, my eyes were just as ballooned as Dutton’s. Now, being up close to his jewelry, it looked even more ridiculous than it did from a distance. Thankfully, the restaurant was dark, so all the patrons didn’t seem to know what we had going on, especially since Dutton’s table faced a wall.

“Man what the fuck is going on? I don’t want that bitch you can have her,” Dutton stated in a shaky voice. His hands were up, and his date was shaking in her boots. Dutton smelled of the same Prada cologne that I’d given him a month after we dated. When he wore it, I told him I didn’t like it, even though it smelled amazing at the perfume counter. It didn’t pair well with his natural aroma, but he continued to wear it.

“Nigga watch that bitch word and do it look like I need permission for something that’s already mine?”

He pressed the gun into Dutton’s dome and by now my pussy was drenched and my panties sticking to my flesh in a gooey mess from them being soaked.

“Where you want me to shoot him bae? I’m thinking headshot. You want me to shoot him in the heart since he broke yours?”

Dutton looked at me with pleading eyes, and his woman was silently crying so hard that snot dripped from her nose. She looked a damn mess.

“You… you won’t kill me in a restaurant full of people.”

“You calling my bluff? I will and I am. Do it look like muhfuckas paying us any attention? They busy sucking on lambchop bones.”

Applying pressure to his arm, he looked down at me.

“Head or chest, Fine Shyt ?”

As tempted as I was to end Dutton’s life, I couldn’t do it. For one, the damage with us was done, and there was no way the hole in my heart would be repaired. I let him play me, and I had to eat that.

“Neither. Just take me away from here. Please,” I begged.

He searched my eyes for a while before grunting. Raising the gun, he brought it down on Dutton’s head who went down like a sack of potatoes landing on his devastated boo.

“Bitch ass nigga.”

Tucking his gun, he grabbed my hand and led me to our table, where he grabbed the bags while I snatched up my belongings. Then, we were out of the restaurant. My eyes had to adjust since it was still very much daylight outside. I hadn’t realized I was being helped into his car until I melted into the buttery leather seats and the loud engine shook me from my thoughts.

“Wait, my car.”

With his hood slightly hanging off his head, he shifted his eyes from the road to me. Damn he fine. “My brother not gone have it towed. You good.”

The further we drove away from Jonah’s, the better I felt. Even though it was daytime, the way his dashboard lit up, resembling a spaceship, had me wishing I’d had something this nice. With the way he was zipping through traffic, this car was way too fast for me. And would never be in my fucking budget. It didn’t take me long to realize we were going back to his house. I let my window down, sticking my head out of it, watching the palm trees blur. The sight of the beach brought me back down to normal. Now, I could focus on the feeling the alcohol had bestowed upon me and put Dutton to the back of my mind.

“I would let the top down but, I don’t have a rubber band in here and ain’t up for my hair flying in my fucking face,” his deep tenor voiced.

Letting my window back up because the heat was becoming too much, I pushed my back into the seat.

“Thank you.”

“For?”

“Willing to end a chapter in my life that is the worst in my book.”

He swerved around a box truck and pushed the pedal to the metal.

“No need to thank me. I ain’t do shit. Now, when I kill that nigga for you. I’ll take a thank you. I have you know I take my thank you’s from pretty women in the form of fellatio.”

My cheeks warmed as I laughed. He joined in on it, too.

“Real shit. I ain’t had a nut since you put the Harlem shake on a nigga.”

Slapping his arm, he leaned into the door, trying to dodge me.

“No cap. But aye, check on the food back there. I think I knocked the shit over. When I smoke, ima need that.”

Turning in my seat, I noticed that he’d indeed knocked over the food. Once I sat it upright, a doll, half-drank bottle, and a pamper had my heart rate accelerating.

“You have a daughter?”

I asked as I turned back around. There was so much shit that Dutton had done to me and certain things gave me anxiety like anything baby related. I tried not to freak out around him because I did want to end my night with his dick down my throat. I didn’t remember seeing any baby stuff the first time I came over, but then again, I was so drunk and freaked out, as he and my cousin called it, that I hadn’t paid attention to the details.

“Yeah. I’d just secured a babysitter and was headed to let my stylist braid my hair. My grandma gone fuck me up when I come back with the same head. Unless you can braid?”

“Even though I have all this thick hair, I’m afraid I can’t. All I know how to do is wash and go.”

Baela could do a little something, but the hair bug had never bitten me.

“How old is your daughter?” I swallowed, trying to calm my nerves.

“She, uh. A couple months.”

My head snapped in his direction as he turned into his gigantic, modern beach home, which was breathtaking.

“You don’t know how old your daughter is? If I were her mama I would kick your ass,” I half joked.

“Shit she close to a year. That’s all that matters anyway. All that month to month shit is for the doctors and white folks.”

“It’s not,” I giggled.

“Fuck yeah it is. Muhfuckas walking around talking about their kid is twenty-nine months. Kid be damn near old enough to pay taxes and they putting months behind their age. Shit so stupid.”

I couldn’t lie; I hated it when people did that, too. Once the child hit the eleven-month mark, it was pretty much over for the numbered months.

“Will her mom mind that I’m in your front seat?” I had to toss out there. Bad enough, I didn’t know the man’s name. I didn’t need to be jumping a taken man’s bones. Plus, bitches didn’t play about their baby daddies.

“She ain’t got no mama,” he licked his lips.

“We accepting applications though. For the good kind. The ones that put her kids first. We ain’t fucking with deadbeats.”

Everything he’d said went in one ear and out the next. He was too fine for his own good . Shit .

He parked behind a tan Lamborghini, and I realized it had been the one we spotted outside Neiman’s that day. His driveway had at least seven cars in it, not to mention a six-car garage. I spotted the car he took me home in weeks ago, and my second heartbeat thudded.

“Uh, do you mind if we go on the beach?”

The first time I came here, we’d spent our time in the bedroom, but I wanted to explore his backyard this time.

“Hell yeah. The sun going down so I’m with it. Come on.”

He hopped out of the car, grabbed the food, and then grabbed my hand. We went into his home and even though it was spotless and looked like something I expected a very paid celebrity to live in with the high ceilings, chandeliers, expensive furniture and marble floors, I noticed a walkie, a few boxes of pampers and there was Similac on the counter in the kitchen along with bottles drying on a rack. He’d bought extra, so he put the rest of the food away, leaving our plates out, and then went through the kitchen to the laundry room to grab towels. When he removed his socks and hoodie, I drooled at the sight of his tatted arms in his wife-beater. I could see his chiseled chest through the thin fabric. I slid my feet out of my sandals, not wanting them to break by fighting against the sand while silently praying the sand wouldn’t be too hot on my feet. He was walking through his home while I followed like a love-sick puppy. I couldn’t imagine living in a house like this and walking around like everything was normal. Living like this was far from normal; it was a blessing. I wouldn’t ever leave the house.

Once he had everything, I followed him out to the beach. I admired his resort-style infinity pool and jacuzzi before we reached the sand. The way his backyard was set up, it looked like the pool blended in with the ocean, falling into it even though they were a few feet apart. This was a nice photo Opp area that Baela would have a field day at even though she didn’t fuck with the water.

We found the perfect spot on the beach and when he sat the food in the sand, he went to a shed at the top of the boardwalk. I waited as he opened it and pulled out two chairs and an umbrella. Once he set the blue striped chairs and umbrella up, I sat. We ate our food in a comfortable silence, and of course, I didn’t finish mine. He’d done it for me, though. While he finished my food, my eyes traveled to the dock where there was a massive yacht that had to cost a few million and two jet skis. This man was living the dream.

“One thing I love about Ausnor is how so many of us blacks can live like this. Granted, you’re the first person I had the pleasure of knowing living in a multimillion dollar home as such, but damn its nice. Motivating too.”

He was young as hell, I didn’t know for sure, but if I had to guess, we had to be around the same age. To see him living like this was so damn electrifying. I knew I could never afford this, but a girl can dream.

“Yeah, it’s plenty of young getting money muhfuckas in Ausnor. To keep this shit a buck with you, I wasn’t always one of these people with all of this. I was just a regular nigga hustling up money to keep a decent car and the latest shoes on my feet. I wasn’t a broke nigga but I wasn’t rich either. Now that I got this, I’ll do whatever to keep this shit. I only wish my grandma allowed me to get her up out the hood so she could wake up to this shit too.”

Hearing him talk about his grandma made me miss mine. Baela and I were prepared when she died since she’d been sick for a while, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

“Old people are stubborn. They like to live in the place they worked hard to obtain and maintain. They are content. It’s us new generation that think we supposed to have the world,” I chided.

Riker had tried to buy a house for my Madea. She wasn’t going for it, no matter how much he begged and bribed. In turn, he paid her house off, and every now and again, Baela and I spent the night at it. It hurt too bad to live in it, though. Baela kept it maintained since I couldn’t afford it. We vowed never to rent it out, wanting it to stay preserved forever. It still smelled like my Madea.

“Hell yeah. But fuck think ima have that shit…and you can too,” his voice dropped an octave.

His low eyes scanned my frame as he released the smoke from his blunt. I didn’t smoke, so I declined when he offered. Weed had never been my thing. I could barely take on liquor.

Standing, I walked toward the water, and when I was close enough, I pulled my dress over my head. By the time I was up to my knees in the water, I’d shed my bra and panties, being sure to leave them far enough away from the shore so that they wouldn’t wash in the water. With my back facing the horizon, I let the cool water tickle my skin as I heard him enter the water. He grabbed me by the waist and turned me so that I was facing him. He, too, was naked as the day he was born.

“You better be glad this shit is a private beach or else, I’d have bodied a nigga for real for watching your sexy ass.”

Without waiting for an invitation, he grabbed me, and my legs instantly wrapped around his waist. Before I knew it, we were lip-locking, and I was pleased that he’d either swallowed a peppermint or used mouthwash in the short time I came to the water. Sucking on his mint flavored tongue had me grinding my wetness into his stomach. His tongue dipped between the seams of my lips repeatedly as he smothered my mouth with erotic kisses. My mound heated on his stomach as I grinded into his skin like a dog in heat. The waves were strong, rocking us often, but he held his ground.

“Shit. Let me lay your pretty ass down.”

Walking to the shore, he kept me in his arms as he lowered to his knees. When my back hit the wet sand, and the water washed up my back, I fought a shiver. He’d brought me out just enough that I could feel the water, and he’d had me far enough away that it wouldn’t drown me while lying down. He pushed my legs back, exposing my delicate flower, and went headfirst.

“Ohhhhhh!”

His warm, thick tongue, the beach water, seagulls flying over our heads, and the sand on my back sent me into overdrive. The caress of his lips on my sacred box set me aflame. No matter how much water washed up my arms and back, I was heated as his lips skillfully worked my core.

The water came too aggressively, so I sat up on my elbows. With my nipples pebbled, we locked eyes as I watched him work. Never had a man made direct eye contact with me as he ate the box. When he sucked my clit into his mouth, I bucked against his face, fell backwards and grabbed his soft wavy hair.

“Oh DAMN!”

I was pulling his hair so hard that I was shocked that it hadn’t come from his scalp. My stomach tightened as my senses heightened. I wanted to continue admiring the view, but with the way he was feasting on me, I had to close my eyes. As soon as I did, my body jerked and I came undone.

“Shit that pussy wet.”

He kissed my middle again before kissing his way up my body. I was trying to catch my breath as I looked at him with nothing but love and when he grabbed my breast and sucked it in his mouth, I moaned loudly. He gave both my breast equal attention and just off that I was about to cum again. This nigga had to either been fucking every day or since he was a damn adolescent. There was no way that he was good at everything. Feeling his stiff dick on my thighs, I spread them open and he took the hint because he lined his dick with my entry way.

“Ohhhhhh!”

He was filling me up to the brim. There was no way this pink ass man had a dick this long, thick and perfect. When he was all the way in, he pulled back out and kissed my chin as I adjusted to his size. Wrapping my arms around his neck, water brushed us again. I latched on to his lips as we engaged in a nasty ass lip locking session while he beat the pussy up in the sand. God was funny. I’d been celibate for all this time and the first man he puts in my path is one that not only knew how to eat pussy with precision but could fuck like a pornstar. Now how in the hell was I about to walk away from this? Not only that, he was willing to punk out Dutton, and even if he had no real intention of killing my ex, the fact that he lil boyed him in a restaurant full of people was alright with me.

His movements went from slow to fast-paced to hard. Before I knew it we were rocking with the ocean as the sunset while we fucked like we ain’t have no God damn sense.

“Shit! You so fucking pretty. You know that?”

He hooked my legs in his arms, and that caused him to go deeper.

“Fuuuuck!”

He bit down on his bottom lip as I placed my hand on his hardened six-pack to push him back some.

“Un hunh! Take this dick.”

He slapped my hand out of the way and proceeded to knock my shit out the frame. My stomach clenched again just as his thrust almost came too much to bear.

“Fuck I’m ‘bout to nut!”

He thrusted his hips hard, and at the same time, a massive wave came down and covered us entirely. Water got in my nose, causing me to choke, but that didn’t stop either one of us from nutting. I was near death, but my body was convulsing in pleasure. I felt him flip us over, and when I felt air, I shot my back up and gasped for air. With my palm flat on his chest since I was now sitting on him, I reached down and pulled his head out of the water. He too took a big ass breath and someway his long dick was still inside of me.

“Damn, I really did drown in that pussy,” he coughed.

Putting my hand on my chest, I couldn’t stop the laughter that tore through me. We’d literally nearly fucking drowned. Grabbing my hips, he removed me from his dick and when he was out a rush of nut came out of me and landed in the water.

“If I pop up with some mermaid kids, I’m putting your ass on child support. Fucking sea creatures stealing my nut and shit.”

We both stood; our hair was soiled, and our backs and legs were covered in sand. He flopped down on the chair and pulled me in between his legs. That was undeniably the best sex I’d ever had. Our breathing could be heard over the water, and in this moment, it was the best time I’ve had in the last miserable year.

“I’ve had your pussy in my mouth and now ima be spitting out sand for a week. Yet you still ain’t asked my name.”

“You haven’t asked mine.”

“ Fine Shyt .”

“My real name.”

“It’s Voyage. I did my research on your fine ass. Thankfully, I saw you today because I was pulling up at the bookstore you manage next.” I didn’t know whether to be impressed or spooked.

“Um. Okay what’s yours?”

“Jovani. Jovani Bendetti.”

“Italian?”

“Yeah that’s word to my deadbeat ass mama.”

“What’s the story behind her?”

“Shit her family racist, they killed my daddy so she gave us to our grandma to raise so we wouldn’t be next. Now she’s trying to pop back up like it’s all good.”

“Jovani?”

“Wassup?”

“I know you don’t know me, but give her a chance. You never know what she went through. Sometimes mothers have to make difficult decisions.” I thought about all the times big mama had to make choices that benefited me and Baela’s favor since our mothers wanted to run the streets. They ran ‘em until the streets took their lives. We were too young to understand back then, but as we grew older, we realized our mothers chose fun in the streets over us.

Pulling me on top of him, Jovani pinched my nipple.

“You gone have to make a difficult decision in about three weeks when you piss on a stick and that bitch positive.”

He flipped me around, my hands went flat on his chest as he slid his dick inside of me and my wet hair drenched down my back as I tossed my head back. Crazy how I was welcoming his raw dick and nut when I nearly blew a gasket when Dutton wanted to get me pregnant at the end of our relationship. Fuck it, I’ll just have to get a plan B.

Jovani. Pretty ass name for a pretty ass man. It was a wonder that women weren’t beating down the block for his ass and now I understood why all the women at the strip club had been all over him like flies on a shit pile.

“Ima wife your fine ass up. You mine. You hear me? I need to wake up and go to sleep to this pussy. Come ere.”

He grabbed my neck, pulled me down, and stuck his tongue in my mouth. The chair croaked as I twerked on his dick, not missing a beat.

“Jovani! I know yo ass shamed!”

My eyes popped open, and so did his. Looking up, I spotted an older lady carrying what appeared to be a sleeping baby while she looked at us with disgust.

“Grams?”

I jumped up so fast that my leg got caught and I fell hard on my naked ass in the sand. She was far enough away from us, standing on the dock, but still she had a clear sight.

“Y’all ought to be ashamed of y’all selves.”

Jovani helped me up and wrapped one of the towels around my body, then pulled his shorts on in a hurry. Now that I was covered, I picked up my dress and undergarments. Keeping the towel around my body, I slid the dress over my head. My heart was beating a mile a minute. I had never in my life gotten caught having sex.

“You got me out here babysitting Girl lying like you getting your hair braided when you out here being nasty!”

“Gram, what are you doing here anyway?”

“Don’t be questioning me. You need to be questioning rather or not you got sand in that girl’s cooch.”

“Oh my God!”

My face burned in embarrassment.

“Grandma. Come on now.”

Turning her lip up, she gave me one last look before patting the baby’s back and turning on her heels. The baby had so much hair that it fell over grandma’s shoulder, so I couldn’t see her face. I could definitely see that she had her daddy’s genes, though.

When his grandma was gone, Jovani faced me with a grin. Even though I was pissed I couldn’t help but laugh at his sexy ass.

“I take it you want me to take you back to your car now?”

“Yes, Jovani. I’m going to the car. Get my shoes from the laundry room. I cannot face your grandma again,” I groaned.

Licking his lips, he frowned and wiped his face, trying to remove the sand.

“I gotchu, but I’m following you back to your place. I need that pussy all night since I don’t know when I can get it again. I have officially burnt out my babysitter.”