Chapter 13 #2
“They dropped Amil off hours later at his mom’s crib. Just like we thought, those weren’t no damn cops. I told him to lay low until yo’ ass left the woods. Now you’re out, and things have just gotten started. They want me and you. My guess is Duce dangled us in order to get out early.”
“So what do you wanna do?” I questioned, looking at the ceiling. It wasn’t the first time a cop or fed wanted our heads, and it damn sure wouldn’t be the last. This type of shit came with the territory.
“He’s gonna cooperate and give them exactly what they want.”
I looked at Savior, confused. What the hell did he mean cooperate? With this nigga, I never fucking knew. He had one of those sinister minds where he thought shit out over and over until he hatched the perfect plan. Then he wouldn’t disclose the plan until it was in motion. This nigga.
LANE
I’d never loved anybody the way I realized that I loved Taurus.
When I got the call that he’d been shot, everything around me went silent.
It was almost like I went deaf until I was in front of him and the sound of the beeping machines and oxygen tanks filled my ears.
The type of love I had for this man was the type that had me wanting to commit the most heinous acts to those who tried to take him from my world.
Then, as if that wasn’t enough, I stayed here day in and out for exactly four days, seven hours, and fifty-two minutes watching him sleep.
With every passing moment, I grew more and more eager to see him open his eyes and hear him give me shit for how puffy my own eyes were.
Then here I was talking to Regancy over a cup of coffee, and it still didn’t feel real.
My body was coming down off the fight or flight hormone that had somehow been keeping me moving all week.
He’s fine, Lane! I continuously had to remind myself.
“You can stop shaking now. He’s fine.” She placed her hand on my thigh to stop the nervous tremor that I seem to have just developed.
“I know. I just keep thinking about if he didn’t wake up.” I wiped a tear from my eye before it could escape my lids.
“But he did, and he’s the same asshole he will always be, so stop allowing your mind to conjure up all of those what-ifs. Remember you told me that? Or have you forgotten?”
I chuckled a little. She was using my words against me for once. “You’re right.”
“I know I’m right, but that’s not the point.” She had a sympathetic expression on her face that washed away the moment a pain-stricken expression filled her face. “Shit,” she moaned lowly.
“Are you okay?” I asked, immediately concerned.
“I’m good, I’m just having those growing pains that I was warned about.” She shook her head and massaged her side.
I nodded my head. “Are you ready for this?” I decided to change the subject.
“Definitely not.” She chortled. “I feel like with Kale I was a baby too, so in a way, we grew up together. Now I’m all grown, and I am petrified of being a mother again. All I can think about is if I mess up or I just got lucky when it came to Kale.”
“Understandable, but you have this, and you know it. Especially with ‘Mr. I Got It’ in your corner.” I smiled.
A smile a mile long filled her face. “He’s excited to be a father, and he hovers.”
“As he should. You’re hardheaded as fuck.” I shook my head.
“Well, I’m sorry I can’t lay up and just get fat. I need to be—”
“Still. You need to be still and enjoy this time,” I reminded her.
Before she could respond, Savior was in the doorway. “Lane, that whiny ass nigga wants you. We’ll be back in the morning if y’all are still here,” he said with a smirk. He knew his boy well because he definitely said if.
I stood to my feet and hugged Regancy, then Savior. Then I headed into the room to my stubborn love.
When it was just him and I in the wee hours of the morning or night, I couldn’t help but stare at him and allow the worst scenarios to consume my mind.
The fact that they didn't happen was what kept me mentally stable. I wasn’t built for this, to be the bitch at home losing sleep and wondering what my man was out in the streets doing.
I just wasn't built for this, but I refused to let him go. I was in too deep at this point.
“If yo’ ass is over there thinking of a way to break up with me, then de—”
“I love you, Taurus White.” I was standing and making my way to the side of him.
“Damn, Lane, you gonna tell me you love me and try to break up with me in the same breath?”
“Would you shut up? Nobody is trying to break up with you, Taurus.” I glared at his crazy ass.
“Don’t be telling me to shut up. You shut yo’ ass up over there with those puffy ass eyes. Ya look bad, baby.” He had the nerve to look sympathetic when he said that shit.
I mugged him before shaking my head. “Just like a nigga to tell you how bad you look when he’s the reason you look bad. Boy, fuck you!”
“When? Lemme help you release some tension so yo’ ass can take a joke better.” He had the nerve to have a smirk on his handsome face.
I shook my head, still trying to be mad at him. He was so brutally honest that it sometimes annoyed me. However, I loved him enough to accept and appreciate that about him.
“Come here, Lane.”
I shook my head and tried to focus on anything but him. By now, I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the side of my face.
“Lane, get yo’ ass over here before I snatch yo’ ass up in this fucking room.” He had so much bass in his voice that it had the hair on the back of my neck standing and between my legs soaking.
Standing to my feet, I walked in his direction with a small smirk. Once I was within arm’s reach, he gripped the bottom of my shirt and snatched me in. By now, I was sitting on the side of the bed, and this fool was pressing a button to maneuver the bed up so that he was in my face.
“What do you want, Taurus? You already just told me that I lo—”
“I love you too, and as soon as I’m one hundred, I’ma put something on it that lets the fucking world know who you belong to.”
I couldn’t hide the mile-long smile that rested on my face, nor did I try. It was him for me, and at this exact moment in time, I realized that it would always be him. “Even though your mouth is slick, I still love you too.”
“You better. Matter of fact, yeen got no choice but to love me, girl. I almost died, and you let them bring me to this dead people ass hospital.” He looked around like the place disgusted him.
I giggled and looked around as well. “It’s not that bad here. It’s actually very clean, and they’re very nice. They even let me have you brought into a private room instead of—”
“Niggas die in here, bae.” He looked like a big ass kid.
“But you’re not going to.” I leaned into his space.
“I know that because we’re going home tonight.
” He had the type of expression on his face that let me know that nothing I said would be able to change his mind or sway his decision.
That alone let me know that I’d be home in his face instead of at work or in courthouses for a few days.
Somehow, even though I wasn’t looking, I found someone who I loved more than my career.
It was odd and even scary, but I welcomed it because this was definitely new territory for me.
He was new territory for me, and I knew for a fact I was the same for him.
REGANCY
A day or so later
His lips to the back of my neck brought a smile to my face.
It was his touch alone that had the ability to place me on the highest cloud with a smile wide enough to put cramps in my cheeks from smiling so damn hard.
We were in the car on the way to a tour of the school that Savior suggested Kale attend.
I got up this morning to go, but he claimed he wanted to go as well, so now it was me, him, and Kale.
Then he promised her we’d spend the rest of the day on his boat.
In the last few weeks, I loved how he’d stepped up and became a fixture in her life though I hadn’t required him to.
“You gonna play a sport for me, Baby K?” he asked her.
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t really like sports. I wanna do plays and acting or ballet.”
He nodded.
“But why do I have to go back to school on my birthday? It’s not fair.” Now this was a never-ending conversation between us. No matter what I promised, she wouldn’t let this go. It truly bothered her that she’d be in school the week of her birthday.
“What do you mean, baby girl?” he questioned. Of course, this was the first he was hearing about this, so he was confused.
“Kale’s birthday is the week she goes back to school. That Friday to be exact.”
“Okay, so she can have the day off. Problem solved.” Just like the man he was, he thought he’d solved the problem. He looked from me to Kale like he had just solved a whole fucking conundrum.
“No. She goes to school. Kale knows that the world doesn’t stop just because it’s her birthday. I told her we’d celebrate it Saturday.”
I watched him as he looked from myself to Kale before winking his eye in her direction. “We’ll talk about it.”
I shook my head. He did shit like this too.