Chapter 6
Today was supposed to be Savio’s day off, but he didn’t take it.
For what? He didn’t have shit else to do but work, and honestly, being around Cashmere the last few days had given him a new purpose.
Every day, he became more and more curious about the woman.
It was clear to Savio that Cashmere was a boss—a big boss.
It made him wonder how deep in the streets she really was and how she got to be in this position.
The other day, she alluded to being a survivor, so he doubted this empire she had was something she grew up with.
After showering and dressing in some black slacks and a black T-shirt, his self-designated uniform, Savio took a moment to look around his bedroom.
It had been a long time since he lived in such luxury.
Ivoree wasn’t lying that first night they met when she said Cashmere made sure the head of security’s wing was laid out.
He had everything he needed and some shit he didn’t.
His closet, for example, was so big, it made the small amount of clothes he had look absolutely miniscule.
He glanced at the king-sized bed in the middle of the room, up against the wall.
It was unmade, which bothered him. He knew there were maids who came through and cleaned every room in the mansion on a daily basis, like a damn hotel, but leaving his bed unmade made him uncomfortable.
It was a habit he picked up in prison, and he didn’t see the need to get out of the routine.
When he finished, and the gold and black bed setting looked pristine, he officially felt ready to start his day.
It was barely seven in the morning, but Savio had already been up for two hours.
Another habit that was formed in prison.
He couldn’t sleep past five in the morning, even if he wanted to.
Savio navigated through his wing of the house before coming out to the main part of the home.
His wing was on the first floor, which he preferred.
His nose led him toward the kitchen, and his eyes widened when he saw Cashmere at the stove.
She sang off tune to the music playing through a hidden speaker.
Shorty really seemed to be in her element.
In the few days he had been around Cashmere, he had yet to see her cook.
She ate out a lot or had her kitchen staff cook.
Savio assumed she didn’t know how, but judging by the smells wafting through the space, she might prove him wrong.
“Kitchen staff off today? Gotta fend for yourself?” Savio asked as he leaned his back against the counter and crossed his arms over his broad chest.
Cashmere jumped. “Shit! You scared me. You don’t announce yourself when you enter a damn room?”
“Not my style.” Savio grinned at her.
He loved seeing her squirm. He loved getting under that pretty caramel-colored skin too.
Cashmere got irritated easily, and Savio loved finding new buttons to push to get her there.
It was comical to him because he could tell she needed to release some stress in the worst ways.
He observed how hard she worked every day.
Baby girl barely sat down and made time for herself outside of getting her nails and shit done.
If she wasn’t at a warehouse accepting new shipments or counting inventory, she was scouting online for new licks to hit or hosting meetings.
If she wasn’t working, then she was taking care of Ivoree and making sure she was good.
Cashmere rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the stove, which gave Savio time to appreciate her in all her morning glory.
She wore a small ass silk robe that barely covered her ass cheeks.
The magenta fabric fell over one of her shoulders, and he caught a peek of a black lacy bra.
Cashmere had to know how sexy she was. The thing was, he could tell she didn’t really care about that shit.
Take now, for example. He got the sense that she didn’t wear this little ass robe and lingerie because she hoped he would see her in it.
She was genuinely comfortable and in her own home.
Nothing more. This was one of the reasons Cashmere intrigued him so much.
Most women vied for his attention, but she didn’t seem to care for him in the least. At least, she put on that front.
Savio knew differently. He could tell Cashmere was just as curious about him as he was her.
“Isn’t it your day off?” she finally asked as she put some sausages on a plate.
“I don’t take days off. Since when do you cook?”
She cut her eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Means I ain’t ever seen you cook.” He shrugged.
“You ain’t even known me a week. There’s a lot of things I do that you don’t know about.”
“Care to elaborate?” he asked, genuinely interested.
“No.”
He laughed loudly. “You know, you really are mean as fuck.”
“Not really. I just don’t like many people.” She shrugged as she flipped over a thick piece of French toast.
“What’s stopping you from liking me?” Savio asked as he leaned down to talk directly into her ear. He saw her shiver, and he grinned.
“You don’t listen, for one.”
Savio barked out another laugh. “I don’t listen? You the hardheaded one.”
“This is my fuckin’ house. I don’t have to listen to anyone in my shit,” she snapped. She fully turned to him and waved the spatula in the air as she spoke, which he thought was absolutely adorable.
“Aight, I’ll respect that, Precious. This yo’ shit.”
Her brows rose in surprise. He chuckled. Savio loved throwing her for a loop like that.
“Right . . . So maybe if you listened more, I would like you better.” She turned back to the stove, and he could tell it was because she didn’t want to hold his gaze.
“I ain’t here to listen, baby. I’m here to keep you safe. How many times I gotta tell you that? You precious cargo. My job is to make sure you don’t break.”
“I don’t break easily,” she muttered. Savio knew her words held a lot of weight, but he didn’t want to push her.
Instead, he reached out and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Makes my job easier.”
She glanced up at him, and for a second, he saw her completely disarmed. She cleared her throat, and just like that, her ironclad armor was back in place. “Since you’re up so early, you hungry?”
“I could eat. You sure you know what you’re doin’ though? I don’t want to get food poisoning,” Savio joked.
Cashmere smacked her juicy lips together but didn’t respond.
He watched as she piled a plate high with French toast, smothered breakfast potatoes, sausage, cheesy eggs, and grits.
She handed him the plate and said, “You know where the juice is if you want some. Why are you up so early all the time, anyway?”
Savio accepted the plate and sat at the island. High key, he was hungry as hell, and it had been a long time since he had a home-cooked meal.
“You really want to know?” he asked before he took a bite of the creamy grits. They were cooked perfectly. Cashmere needed to be very careful because the way to his heart was definitely through his stomach, and she could very easily have his nose wide open for her.
“I asked, didn’t I?” she asked. He watched as she made a plate and set it aside before she loaded another plate with food.
When she sat next to him with her food, he spoke. “I guess my body is still adjusting to being in prison. Always had to be up with the sun while locked down.”
He watched her carefully. Cashmere stiffened with her fork halfway to her mouth. She lowered it back to her plate before she glanced at him. “Prison?”
Savio nodded. He wasn’t ashamed of his past. It made him who he was today. It was a part of his story. “Just got home a month ago.”
“A month ago?” Her eyes were wide, which amused him.
He nodded. “Yeah. Cell and I go way back. Before I got released, I reached out to some people who I knew could connect me with a legit job. Cell ain’t hesitate. I made sure Twizz got a job too. He don’t need to be in the streets no more. Ain’t shit out there for him or me.”
“I feel that,” Cashmere said as she looked down at her plate.
Her response surprised Savio. “What you know about the streets?”
Cashmere snorted before she looked him directly in the eye.
“My parents have been mentally unstable for as long as I could remember. I left the house at sixteen and went back for my sister when I found out my daddy was trying to sell her to some nigga. I was on the streets and struggling for a very long time before I came up. I’ve seen a lot.
I’ve been through a lot. Trust me, I know a lot about how the streets don’t have nothin’ but bad shit for people like us. ”
Savio held her gaze for a moment. Her eyes told him a story of pain and struggle. He knew it all too well.
“I feel that,” he murmured, repeating her earlier statement.
The corners of her mouth twitched before she focused back on her plate. They ate in silence for a moment before she asked, “What were you in prison for?”
“Drugs. I was doin’ it real big before I went in. My lawyers got me off with only five years. I saw that as a second chance because I really should have been in there for life without parole, all the shit I did. That’s why I cleaned up my act, and I’m here playing bodyguard to yo’ stubborn ass.”
Cashmere giggled, and Savio had to do a double take. He had yet to hear her laugh, and he decided right then and there that he loved the sound.
“You do realize I’m a criminal, right? You didn’t get as far removed from the streets as you think.”
“Cell gave me his word that we’re untouchable though.”
Cashmere nodded slowly. “That, we are. Touché.”
“Why, though?”
“Why what?” She stiffened slightly again, which made Savio even more curious.
“Why are y’all so untouchable? How? Where I’m from, no nigga is safe if they’re doin’ dirt. Don’t matter who it is.”
Cashmere shrugged. He could tell she was searching for a lie to tell him, but she got saved by Ivoree entering the kitchen.
“Smells so good,” Ivoree said as she made a beeline for the plate on the counter. “This for me?”
“Yeah. I knew you had to be at the clinic early and wanted to make sure you had a warm meal on your stomach,” Cashmere said. Savio could tell she was grateful for the distraction.
Ivoree walked over to Cashmere with her plate in hand and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Thanks, Sis. Morning, Sav.”
“Morning. How are things goin’ with Twizz?” Savio asked as Ivoree sat down next to him.
Ivoree dug into her food like she was in a rush. “It’s cool. Bit of an adjustment. People just think he’s an obsessive boyfriend or something since he’s always around now.”
Cashmere grunted at that.
Savio shrugged. “Let them think what they want. Long as he’s doing his job.”
“He is. He’s been very respectful, and he’s taking it seriously, from what I can tell. He does let me drive my own car though. After the first day, I been driving myself around. He’ll ride shotgun sometimes or follow me in his car sometimes,” Ivoree pointed out.
“You’re a low-level security risk, so that’s fine. Even with you driving, there are several men following you at all times. You’re good.”
Ivoree’s shoulders seemed to droop at that. “Good to know.”
“Let me find out you want to be a passenger princess. I’ll trade with you,” Cashmere joked.
“I’m just sayin’, it would be nice.” Ivoree shrugged before her phone buzzed. She looked at it and hopped up. “I have to get going. Can you put this in the fridge for me?”
“I got you. Don’t forget we’re taking the day off tomorrow. Sister day,” Cashmere reminded Ivoree.
“I remember. Bye, love you!” Ivoree said as she rushed out of the kitchen.
“That girl is always on the go,” Cashmere muttered.
“Like her big sister,” Savio said.
Cashmere stood up with her half-empty plate. She grabbed Ivoree’s and wrapped them both in foil before she put them in the refrigerator. “I’m going to get ready for the day, and then we can get going. I have a full day, so we need to stop for gas first.”
“I’ll handle that so we’re ready to go by the time you’re done getting ready.” Savio ate the last of his food and stood, his stomach nice and full.
“You sure? That isn’t a part of your job description, you know?” Cashmere asked.
“Is it going to make your day easier?” he asked as he leaned his hands onto the counter behind her, trapping her.
He noticed her breathing pattern change as she looked up at him.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Then I ain’t got no problem doin’ it.”
“Why?”
“Ain’t no need for you to struggle anymore now that I’m here.”
With that, he walked out of the room and left her breathing funny with her nipples poking through that flimsy ass robe she wore.