42. Real
"Yo, you smooth as fuck," Juvie said over his shoulder as we strolled down the hallway.
I shook my head at his silly ass.
"Why aren't you somewhere in somebody's preschool?" Love snapped at him.
"Shiii, I'm learning all I need to from my OG. He walking away with the girl, and he didn't even have to wipe the floor with yo' cowboy's face," he crowed.
I swallowed my laughter as she sucked her teeth.
"Juvie, gone ‘head and get the truck," I ordered before Love unloaded on his ass.
She was definitely tense. I could feel it as my hand rested against her back. Watching her, I knew she'd been having a good time until that group of nasty bitches circled her and Pip. I knew what type of shit they were on, but Love was too secure, too beautiful to be moved by them. The only times she showed that she had any issue with her weight were the occasions I tried to pull her into my lap. She had no problem being naked in front of me and she damn sure had no shame when we were fucking. But something had her on edge and I didn't think it was the exchanges between me and Danny.
The warm, heavy night surrounded us as we stepped outside, a big difference from the air-conditioned building. Louisiana was humid as fuck, the air thick with it.
Markel let out a low whistle.
"Juvie needs to hurry his ass up. It's hotter than a bitch out here," he mumbled.
"It's hotter in South Texas," Love said.
"We ain't got this humidity, though. Feel like I'm melting!"
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, Markel, please."
This time I couldn't hide my smile.
"Louisiana Love got a sarcastic streak, huh?" I teased, circling my arm around her waist.
She looked up at me and rolled those pretty brown eyes. "Ya little employees bring it out. They?—"
"Yeah, something gotta be wrong with him. Prolly just got out of jail and she taking care of him. Don't get me wrong; Everly always been pretty, but he too, too fine for her."
The loud whisper carried to us, the words slurred. Bitch probably didn't know how loud she was with that liquor in her system. For a second, Love froze. That reaction had me ready to kill a bitch, my eyes already scanning the little groups gathered outside, looking for the culprit. But then another thought came to me. I backed Love against the building, her gaze flying to mine.
"Real, what are you?—”
“I can't wait to get you home," I rumbled.
And then I laid the hottest, wettest kiss on her, my hands traveling all over the figure that I loved, squeezing and stroking the softness of her plush body as my tongue greedily explored her mouth. By the time I pulled back, she was breathless, her eyes squeezed shut, and my dick was hard as fuck.
"Sorry, baby. I know how you feel about PDAs, but you look so good tonight, I couldn't help it. I'm ready for this—" I pulled on the fabric of her jumpsuit, "to come off."
I could feel the eyes on us, the conversations closest to us suddenly hushed or stopped altogether. Love looked up at me wordlessly. I heard a vehicle pull up behind us and Markel let me know it was Juvie. Taking her hand, I led her to the truck and helped her into it. Climbing in, I reached over to buckle her seatbelt before securing mine. She was quiet the whole time. I expected her to go into her little proper, distant mode and tell me which rule I had broken. But she surprised me by leaning over and resting her head against my arm. She took a few deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly, like she needed to center herself. It made me want to turn around, go back, and fuck up everyone at that damn reunion.
When we got to the Stone House, she finally spoke.
"I'm kind of tired, Real. I'm just going to shower and go to bed. I'll see you in the morning. If you get up early, you can catch Granny's breakfast. If not, we have the stuff from the grocery order," she said, voice low.
I nodded, but I had no intention of leaving her alone yet. I went to my room and grabbed lounging clothes and my toiletry bag before letting myself into her room and then her bathroom. I opened the shower door and stepped in.
"Real—"
"Be quiet. I ain't on what you probably think I'm on."
I wasn't there to fuck her. Instead, I pulled her close and held her for a minute. And then I washed her and whispered to her, reminding her of how beautiful and desirable and sexy I found her.
After our shower, I grabbed the oil she was using to moisturize her skin while she was still damp and rubbed it in before helping her dry off. And then I spread her thick frame on the bed and used my mouth and hands to worship every part of her beautiful body. My lips paid homage to her full breasts, her soft, rounded stomach, her thick thighs and calves, the little rolls on her back, the lushness of her ass. Then, I turned her back over and spread her legs to look at her pretty, fat, wet pussy.
"Shit is perfect," I mumbled before diving in.
A long time later, after she finally pushed my face away from her over-sensitive center, I held her close as neither of us slept.
"I mostly ignore bitches like those tonight. I've heard the same shit all my life. I'm going to continue to hear it, living in this body. But I love me and my body and the way I look. You don't have to feel sorry for me, Montréal," she said softly.
I squeezed her tighter.
"I don't. I see your confidence, Love, but we all get shook sometimes. And during those times, I just want to remind you how fucking bad you really are. Your body is only part of it."
She stirred restlessly before speaking again.
"During those times? You talking like you gon' be there. I'm possibly the opps, remember?"
I was over that shit, but I wasn't about to tell her smug ass. Besides, she was still a threat to me, to my fucking heart if she didn’t stop being so difficult.
"You might be, hell. But if you not..."
I let my voice trail off.
"If I'm not?" she finally pressed.
"I got plans for you," I said vaguely.
She moved, rolling on her back so she could look at me.
"Real—"
I kissed her. And every time that I stopped, and she tried to talk, I kissed her again. Eventually, she huffed out a frustrated breath and gave up, turning over to be the little spoon again.
Smiling, I kissed the shell of her ear.
"Good night, Love."
"Shut up, annoying ass man," she grumbled.
I lowered my mouth to whisper something in her ear. She gasped and tried to turn over again. I wouldn't let her.
"Montréal! What did you mean? What does?—"
"I already said good night, Love. I'm done talking."
And I was.
She mumbled her shit, but she let me hold her. Just like I'd discovered in Texas, having her in my arms led to the best sleep I had had since I was a jit. That was probably why, the next morning, I didn't hear the crazy ass nigga standing above me with a Sig Sauer pointed at my head at first. Instinct would've had me tensing, but I purposely kept my body loose, ready for the opportunity to disarm him and beat his ass.
"We need to talk. And get the fuck away from her," he hissed, looking with disgust at the way Love's naked body was draped over mine beneath the sheet.
I smiled at him as I shook my head and gently squeezed a handful of her plump ass.
"Nah. I ain't the type to let go of what's mine."
His jaw clenched, teeth grinding before he spoke again.
"Yours? Bitch ass nigga, she ain't yours!"
This time I chuckled in his face. His eyes were ice cold, and his arm didn't waver. I could see the military air around him. He might not have any pussy in him, but he had me fucked up.
"Look at her, at us. Does it look like she not my shorty?" I goaded him.
Love moaned as she stirred, her sleep interrupted by this little exchange.
"Real," she murmured drowsily, her eyes still closed.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Go back to sleep, Love."
I was going to take the gun from this nigga and kill him. The less she saw, the better.
She shook her head. "I don't want sleep."
A silky leg and thigh slid across my hip as she started to lift herself on top of me.
"Hell, nah, Everly!" The man boomed just as there was a knock on the door.
Everything happened quickly, then. Love's eyes flew open, and she screamed, scrambling for the sheet, right before the door burst open and Targen charged in, a wide-eyed Theory on his heels. It was just enough of a distraction for me to grab the man's wrist and twist viciously before spinning the gun away from us as I stood. He tried to fight me, but I hit his ass hard enough to make him rock backwards. Taking advantage of his momentary shock, I wrenched the gun away and immediately knocked him in the head with it.
"Real, nooo!" Love screamed.
But I was beyond what she was saying. I used my leg to sweep him off his feet, then knelt over him. This mothafucka should've pulled the trigger instead of trying to talk. I was on his ass, now. I watched in satisfaction as the skin above his eye split beneath the force of my blows. I was gon' knock this bitch's teeth in, too. He was fighting me back, almost managed to change our positions a couple of times, but my already considerable strength was reinforced by my rage. It wasn't anger for myself, but for the fact that he'd had a gun that close to Love. Any fucking thing could've happened. I lifted my hand again, but it was caught in what felt like a band of steel. Seething, I looked up into Targen's grinning face.
"Don't fuck with me right now, Targen. This asshole?—"
"Ay, man, I get it. But you gotta let this one ride. Shorty saying this her brother," he interrupted.
My gaze flew to Love where she stood clutching the sheet and glaring at me, tears sparkling in her eyes. She huffed before making her way to the fuck boy currently groaning and struggling to stand. Theory followed her and together, they helped him sit up.
"Everett, what the fuck were you thinking?"
He scowled at her. "Nah, what the fuck you thinking? I get home at 4 o'clock in the morning, thinking I'ma surprise y'all and be here for the family reunion next weekend. I start talking to some of the farmhands and PawPaw. I hear some big, shady looking niggas done come on Miller property sniffing around behind yo' ass. Then, Danny's ass won't say nothing, but I can tell he ain't feeling this shit. I came to warn these niggas. I thought you were gon' move more carefully this time, Ev?" he thundered.
A frown stole across her pretty features, an expression of hurt, and her tears spilled over. I took a step forward, about to finish what I'd started on this nigga's head.
"You fuck up her brother, ain't no coming back," Targen muttered, stopping me in my tracks.
"I did everything Prime and I discussed. And you know Prime checked them out before he let them set foot on the farm. But nothing gives you the right to bust in my room holding a gun, Everett," Love said, her voice low. "I'm sorry, Brother, but that was dangerous... and stupid."
This time, nothing Targen said could stop me as I crossed to her, looping an arm around her waist and tilting her trembling chin back.
"You don't have to apologize or explain to him, Love," I told her.
Everett kissed his teeth. "You gon' tell me who this mothafucka is, Ev, talkin' about you his? Then got this crazy-looking nigga with Theory? You know she—" he cut it off abruptly, a guilty look crossing his face.
Theory huffed and frowned, anger written all over her pretty features. Targen's annoying ass grin was suddenly gone. He pushed away from the wall on which he'd been relaxing, his expression dark. Theory stepped in front of him, her arms stretching up so she could rest her hands on his shoulders and capture his eyes with hers. Silence, tense and thick with the threat of violence, reigned for a long moment. I decided to give Targen his chance at Everett since I'd started the process, but I guess Theory wasn't having it. Finally, Targen visibly relaxed—slightly—and she cleared her throat and faced us again.
"Good morning, everyone! Everly, I was just coming to tell you that Granny wants us to run to the store. She said she needs more breakfast stuff," she announced brightly.
Everett, Love, and I stared at her. I was in disbelief that shorty was bringing up something so random in this situation.
"The fuck y'all looking at?" Targen growled. "Real, you and yo' girl need to get ready to go to the Piggly Wiggly or whatever they got, and this nigga can go on about his business."
I snorted. "All these chickens and cows and pigs they got, and we gotta go to the store?"
"Yeah, the three of y'all should go to the store while I talk to my sister," Everett piped up at the same time.
My top lip curled as I looked at him.
"Fuck you, nigga. She going where I go," I spat.
Love's hand grabbed my bicep and squeezed, stopping me.
"Real. I got it," she whispered, before turning to her brother. "Everett, you know how Granny is about Sunday breakfast, which she must be changing to brunch. That means she's celebrating your arrival. I'll talk to you after we get it together."
She wouldn't be doing that shit by herself. and I hoped the look I gave him over her head as I pulled her against me told his ass that.
"Now, respectfully, can y'all all get out so I can get ready?" Love requested.
She wouldn't be doing that shit by herself, either.