Chapter 12 Ocean
OCEAN
“Oh my God, I can’t believe my girl is pregnant,” Skye said giddily as I started the car and she slid her seatbelt over her chest. “I can’t wait to start planning the gender reveal. It’s going to be so amazing. I wonder what they’re—”
“So, what’s up? What were you about to say earlier?”
As happy as I was about having a niece or nephew, my concern was elsewhere. I wasn’t sure if I was hearing things right, but it sounded like Skye was having second thoughts about the Enzo shit.
“When?”
“When I was talking to your mom about handling Enzo.”
“Oh, that.”
“Yeah, that,” I replied, aggravated.
“Well, I was just going to say that maybe we should just dead the whole thing. I’ve already been through so much. I don’t want to keep going through shit. If you try to handle him—”
“There’s no trying to it.”
She reached over the armrest, placing her hand on my arm. She slid her hand up and down, making me clear my throat. The shit felt weird, but good at the same time.
“Ocean, you’ve gone to war for me since the day I met you, and I appreciate it. You make me feel cared for in ways that no other man ever has. But I don’t want this to keep getting bigger. I think everyone involved has figured out that fucking with you is a problem, and they don’t want it.”
“Nah, Enzo isn’t aware yet.”
“I’m sure Mecca let him know. Trust me.”
I heard what Skye was saying, but I ain’t never been one to let a nigga slide after he crossed the line with me. If I did it once, then trying me would become an option, and I wasn’t feeling that.
“Look—”
I heard Skye’s seatbelt click and slide to the other side.
“Ocean, just do it for me,” she whispered as she climbed over the armrest and into my lap. “I know I’m asking you to do some shit that you don’t really believe in, and I get that. But I want to move on from all of this. I think I finally have the chance to do that.”
I could feel the warmth of her pussy resting against my dick.
“Now, Skye, why you on a nigga like this?”
I could barely get the words out.
“On a nigga like what?” she whispered.
“Yo, quit playing.”
She lowered her face, pressing soft kisses against my neck.
I hated that I loved that shit. It made me feel weak as hell, and she knew it.
“Ocean, you know I appreciate everything about you, and I wouldn’t trade knowing you for anything.”
“Mmhmm,” I said, leaning my head back against the seat and closing my eyes.
“Every fucking crazy thing you do turns me on. I don’t want it to, but it does.” She sighed. “But at some point it has to end...we have to end.”
My eyes sprung open and I gripped her arms, forcing her back. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about? This...whatever it is...it can’t be. We need to chill and I can’t have you out here damn near killing niggas over me knowing that after tonight, you and I won’t be kicking it like that anymore.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“Because we can’t.” She blew out a heavy breath and returned to the passenger’s seat. “Like I said, I’ve already—”
“Been through so much,” I finished. “I know all that and I’ve respected that.”
“You have. But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re...we’re—”
“We’re what?”
“We’re too fucking close, Ocean.”
“Okay? And?”
“And?” She shot back. “You don’t see that as a problem?”
Hell yeah, I see it as a problem.
But I didn’t give a fuck about any of that.
I squeezed the steering wheel, my eyes glued to Nyx’s apartment building.
“Skye, we’re not going to stop being around each other.
You wanted us to stop fucking, I agreed to that.
You want me to leave Enzo alone? I’ll agree to that.
But this shit you’re talking about...” I motioned between us. “I’m not agreeing to that.”
Her shoulders dropped. “I don’t want to stop being around you either. I just—”
“Then don’t. We can figure this shit out.
I like having you in my space. But I also know you need time to work on you.
I respect that. I don’t want anything from you but your time, and that can be at whatever pace you choose.
” I slid my hand down the back of my head.
“I’m going to keep it real with you, I ain’t never been on no friend shit with a female.
..just kicking it to be kicking it. I like that shit, and I think I might feel some kind of way if I don’t have it anymore. ”
Her face softened, and I could tell those were words she’d never heard before.
“You’ve really never just been friends with another woman before?”
“Nah. Never wanted to.” My head shot back. “Hold up, how many niggas have you had as friends?”
“A lot.”
“And you didn’t fuck any of them?”
She looked away and started fidgeting with her fingers.
“Damn, for real?”
“Look, some of them—”
“Nah, chill on that. I don’t want to hear shit about another nigga you got down with.”
She laughed.
“What’s funny?”
“Nothing,” she replied before sighing. “Well, I guess, we’re not done kicking it with each other, huh?”
“Not at all. Glad you realized that.”
“Sounds like I didn’t have much of a choice.”
“You didn’t.”
She laughed again, reminding me of another reason I couldn’t give her up. I didn’t want to experience the rest of my life without that sound.
Damn, is this how my brother got caught up with Nyx?
She sighed. “Well, now that we’ve figured that out, I need to get home. Between my mother, the excitement of the new baby—”
“You sure you want to go home?”
“Do I want to? No. Do I need to? Yes.”
I blew out a heavy breath. “Alright, I’ll take you home.”
“Thank you.” She leaned over and kissed my cheek.
I backed out of the parking lot. “I heard your mom mention something about having a get together with your sister. Are you going?”
“I don’t know. I mean, my sister and I haven’t been in the same room in a while. That’s going to be awkward as hell. Especially if her husband is there, which I’m sure he will be.”
My jaw tightened.
Knowing what I knew, I had no choice but to hate that fool.
“Maybe she can convince him to fall back whenever y’all get together, so y’all can sort things out.”
“I doubt that. He’s always been the type to make it a point that he exists, and Leera would never leave him out. She’s too caught up in his bullshit.”
I nodded, my mind wanting to come up with a solution to her problem.
I wanted Skye to mend her relationship with her sister. No one on the outside should be able to come between a family bond.
“You want me to come with you?” I said before I could catch myself.
Her eyes widened.
“What? You would do that?”
I shrugged. “Shit, if you wanted me to. That’s what this friend thing is all about, right? Being there when needed.”
“I mean, yeah. But—”
“Of course, I know you could probably ask Nyx to go with you. I just figured—”
“No, it’s fine.” She rested her hand on my knee. “I would love to have you there with me. He definitely won’t talk shit while you’re there.”
Damn right he won’t. I’ll break his fucking nose.
“Cool.”
I turned down her street, my body tensing up at the thought of her no longer being in my space.
When we finally made it to her building, I parked and hopped out to help her out of the car.
“You don’t have to walk me up.”
I looked at her like she was crazy. “Skye, bring your ass on.”
Smiling, she placed her hand in mine and let me lead the way.