43. Everly
Montréal Idris Hamilton was hard-headed as fuck. He went to his room, grabbed clothes, and came right back to my room despite my sending him out. I sighed.
"Can you please stop attacking people? I mean, I saw you punch Naaman. And you really could've hurt my brother with that gun. He's a Marine, Montréal. He does special missions and shit. He not gon' let that rest," I said.
"Attacking? Them niggas started it! I told Naaman to mind his business, which wasn't you. And he almost made you fall--"
"I was fine!"
He shrugged.
"And yo' brother held a gun on me while you were in my arms. He signed up for that ass whooping. His being your brother is the only reason he breathing."
"Real!" I gasped, eyes big as hell.
He was completely remorseless. I threw up my hands and made an exasperated noise. But deep down, the fact that part of his anger was because he felt my safety had been threatened made something inside me smile.
After a quick shower, I dressed in black leggings and a black tee that fell off one shoulder. It had the word "Nurse" printed on the front three times in different colors. My favorite Chuck Taylors adorned my feet. I pulled my hair into a ponytail, my spiral curls doing their own thing. Moisturizer, a little mascara, and lip gloss were the only things to grace my face. And still, Real's eyes were ravenous when they swept over me. I managed to make it out my door and to the foot of the stairs before he caught me. He swung me around in his arms, pressing kisses along my nose and cheeks before his warm, supple lips dropped to my exposed shoulder.
"Real..." I murmured, working hard to keep the need he was igniting out of my voice. "What are you doing?"
His mouth moved to the curve where my shoulder met my neck; his next words were muffled.
"So fuckin' pretty when you all natural, Love. These freckles... yo' hair..."
His hand tugged on my ponytail, tilting my head back. His mouth hovered right above mine, then lowered. I turned my head slightly.
"That's not what I mean," I whispered. "What are you doing here? Why are you being so possessive? Why did you whisper that in my ear last night?"
That whisper... I'd called him an annoying ass man.
"I'm gon' be yo' man," his deep voice had rasped against my ear.
I shook my head at the memory.
"We don't... Reallll..."
I whimpered a protest as he nipped and suckled along my jawline, the heat and suction of his mouth making the area between my thighs jealous. His mouth was my Kryptonite, I swear.
"Fuck them rules. I told you that. I'on know what the fuck I'm doing. I'm being for you; I'm being with you."
My eyes widened. "No! We can't?—"
"Shut up," he growled before stealing a kiss so deep, I knew he swallowed my moan.
"Take y'all nasty asses right back in the room!" Theory popped off.
Shit, Real was fucking with my head so bad, I hadn't even heard them come down the stairs. Theory smirked at me and I felt my skin heat. Mid-blush, I realized this heffa couldn't talk about me, though.
"Theory... you... you're glittering!" I squealed, feeling the grin steal over my face.
Her eyes swept low and her cheeks reddened, only highlighting the subtle glittery sheen in her blush. Her gloss also carried a telltale trace, but I noticed it most on her arms, which meant she'd used her favorite lotion. Theory hadn't glittered in forever. It was one of her trademarks because she was just that kind of woman—glittery and bubbly and bright. I wanted to cry and laugh and hug her, but I settled for grinning at her like I was silly. Ms. Lady had some explaining to do about how this scarred giant had her feeling.
"Oh, Targen! You're glittering, too!" Real said in a high-pitched voice, indicating the glitter on Targen's cheek where she'd obviously kissed him. I smacked his chest.
"You're being annoying, Montréal."
Targen frowned at Real as he rubbed his face, only spreading the evidence.
"You're not gonna get it off that easy. They call that stuff craft herpes. It's impossible to get rid of," I said. "But get used to it. You'll glitter plenty around my cousin," I finished.
"Everly Love!" Theory snapped.
The big man scowled at me.
"Shorty, I don't fucking glitter," he growled.
I looked at him sympathetically.
"Oh, honey..." I sighed.
He'd learn.
We took one of their trucks to the grocery store. Despite Targen's Piggly-Wiggly crack, we had a regional grocery store called Ruvan Foods, a meat market, and a little mom and pop shop that brought in a few gourmet items, too. At Ruvan, Theory and I split the list that wasn't too long, and she and Targen headed one way while Real and I headed another. I watched as he put quite a few items in the cart.
"You all ahead of yourself, huh? You ain't staying that long and I ain't cooking for you no mo'," I teased.
He surprised me by giving me a serious look.
"I'm staying long enough. And I'm gon' cook for you," he said.
That shut my ass up.
As soon as we got back, Granny Nette had all of her grandchildren in that big kitchen, strung out. Shep, Everett, and my cousin KJ were no exceptions—Granny didn't play that. She'd taught her sons and grandsons to cook as well as her daughters and granddaughters. We cooked so much stuff that I didn't care if I ever saw food again. By the time we gathered around the huge table and PawPaw blessed the food, I was over it. Only the smug look on my Granny's face kept me interested. Well, that and slapping Real's hand away under the table. But my dear ol' grandma was up to something.
"Y'all know that I of course wanna celebrate my baby Everett being home. Even though he met with unexpected circumstances—" my shady OG cut her eyes at Real, "I know we're all glad he's here. Granny made your favorite Down Home sausage and hash brown breakfast casserole and a coffee cake just for you," she told Everett.
"Thank you, Granny."
He tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace with his split lip and swollen eye.
"I just wanna know how you had a gun on a sleeping man and got yo' ass whooped? That Marine training ain't nothing like it used to be," PawPaw fussed.
"He fight like his sister, huh, Em?" Hyacinth teased.
"Lee Earnest, Hy, y'all hush!" Granny waved them off. "Anyway, we have another reason to celebrate. I don't know why my grandbaby thought she could hide it from me, but..."
"Hy, you didn't tell them you were pregnant?" Emory whispered loudly.
"I know the hell not!" Aunt Cynt responded as Hy glared at Em.
Granny sucked her teeth. "Hyacinth ain't pregnant, now hush! I want everybody to congratulate Epiphany and Jag on their engagement!"
Pip turned away from the table just in time to stop the orange juice that shot from her nose and mouth from soaking her food as she choked. Jag rubbed her back.
"Granny—” she said finally.
"Don't try to apologize now. You know I got eyes and ears everywhere. I don't know why y'all tried to hide it from me anyway," Granny Nette sassed.
"We didn't?—”
"I have to apologize. We thought the family reunion next weekend might be a better time," Jagger said in that quiet, deep voice.
Pip's head swiveled and she stared at him.
"We did?" she hissed.
I hid my smile. That's what this heffa got for ke-keing at all of Real's antics yesterday.
"It's okay, Teddy. I'm sure Granny Nette understands how it slipped out as everyone was catching up last night," Jagger continued, using his nickname for her.
Still in shock, Pip said, "It did?"
"It's okay, baby," Granny said to Jagger, smiling widely. "I'm a little mad, but I'm much more on the happy side. I want my babies to love and be loved and taken care of and treasured. I want them to have what me and this old man have. I know my Pip can have that with you. I'm glad she had a darn epiphany and realized it!"
Pip had opened her mouth to set the record straight, I was sure, but Granny's words had her closing it right back.
"And some people should take note," Granny added, eyeballing Real and Targen.
"Granny!" Theory moaned, embarrassed.
"I got this, OG," Targen said, his eyes glued to my cousin.
Real opened his mouth and I squeezed his damn thigh so hard. He better not be giving my little romantic granny ideas. He didn't say a word, but he cupped the back of my neck and gave me a look that could thaw glaciers.
Damn him , I thought as I melted.
"Show her the ring, cousin," I said, adding fuel to the fire while taking the heat off me.
Pip glared at me. I smiled right back. I didn't know what Jagger was up to, but I was here for it. Granny was right about the way he'd love Pip. I had no doubt. For a minute, I glanced back at Real, wondering what it'd be like if he felt about me like Jagger did about Pip. Everett said he'd called me his, and he'd vowed that he was going to be mine. What if he meant it, I mused as Granny clucked over Pip's ring.
I shook that off quickly, though, and fought back the unexpected feeling of hope inside me. Real couldn't mean it.
That would be breaking all of our rules.
* * *
Our brunch gathering eventually spilled onto the front porch and into the yard, where PawPaw fussed at his noisy descendants about being careful around his beloved plants, and Granny threatened us if we even thought about tracking dirt into her spotless house. Wanting a moment of peace to enjoy the coffee cake I had swiped from my still-pissed-off brother, I walked past the huge purple rose and hydrangea bushes that hugged the front of the porch to the side of the house. Daisy, Aunt Cynt’s nosy little terrier, perked up as she spotted me with a plate. Her bad ass trotted beside me, tail wagging eagerly.
“I’on know what you so happy for. You not getting none,” I lied, cutting my eyes at her.
She yipped and yapped her reply, probably cussing me out as we climbed the porch steps. I sat on the top one, and she plopped down beside me. Sighing, I broke off a small piece of the cake and set it on the other side of her.
“That’s it for you. Might as well gon’ back with your crazy owner,” I fussed.
She ignored me, happily wolfing down the delectable dessert. Shaking my head, I slid my fork into the moist cake. As I eased the morsel into my mouth, I saw Real approaching. I rolled my eyes while chewing.
“So, you just leave your company? I know you were raised better than that,” he said, coming to stand in front of me.
I swallowed as I glanced up at him. “Uninvited company. How do you keep forgetting that part?” I snapped.
An all-knowing smile curved his full lips. “Uninvited but wanted.”
“Uninvited and conceited.”
He stared at me momentarily before reaching out and tugging on one of my tightly coiled tresses.
“You don’t get tired of being so hard, Love?” he murmured, releasing the curl and watching it spring back.
Although his voice was soft, the words stabbed me. For the last few years, my sister and cousins had called me out on the walls I had erected around my heart. I wasn’t hard; I was just cautious. Why wouldn’t I be? I opened my mouth to object but stopped as Prime called my name. He was walking toward me as my sister looked on with a smirk. I stood and then took off to meet him. I didn’t get very far before he was in front of me.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Just got a call from security. Heath McKinley is at the front gate to see you.”
I sighed before quickly looking over my shoulder to see if Real had heard—not that it mattered to my single self. He was busy on his phone. My eyes swung back to my brother-in-law. He raised an eyebrow.
“What?” I mumbled defensively. “Let him in. I owe it to him to try to explain this shit.”
“If you say so. Your sister is enjoying this way too much. She wanted me to let him on the homestead without telling you. I didn’t want to have to shoot yo’ nigga. This way, you can tell him first,” Prime teased.
“Optimus, shut up. I ain’t got a nigga. And I ain’t telling him anything.” I looked behind me again. Real was still in his own world. I took off toward the front yard to wait. “Let’s go.”
Prime blew out a loud breath. “I ain’t for this shit, Ev.”
“You worried?” I taunted.
He laughed. “Nah, shorty, never. But you? You probably oughta be.”