Chapter 11 #3
Kong brushed by, pausing in time to kiss her on the lips gently before his cologne assaulted her nostrils.
She admired him in his suit. She could tell he was done for the day since the first two buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing the tattoos on the top of his chest. She thought she had it bad for him before.
Being home had its challenges, and while everyone was allowing her to have her space, there was tension brewing.
Ayla had no idea how to fix it, aside from staying busy.
One thing she knew she couldn’t do was hide from the world.
“She’s sleepy anyway. I gave her some pureed sweet potatoes with some squash, and she tore it down. Ain’t that right, Rara?” Ayla cooed, closing and locking her door.
Her living room was bright and full of life, just like her.
From her bright fuchsia colored tufted sofa to the gold framed abstract pieces on the wall full of bright teals, aquamarine, tangerine, and pink.
On the table, an arrangement of flowers sat with a few floating candles and issues of Essence and cooking magazines scattered as well.
The TV was tuned to the Food Network like he suspected as he carried his contents over to the counter.
Ayla bounced with Iara to the marble countertop between her living room and kitchen.
Kong removed his jacket and draped it across one of the chrome finished bar chairs.
Kyro and Kara dropped their bags in the room they shared in back and raced right back to the front of the condo.
There was a bathroom and laundry area off to the side of the kitchen, while Ayla’s master suite was upstairs.
“I said sushi, but I didn’t think you would get everything on the menu.” Ayla watched him unpack multiple dishes along with bowls of pho, too.
“I was starving, too, and you know the kids like it. I was thinking after we got them all settled, me and you could find a flick to watch.”
“Did you now?” Ayla grinned.
Kong’s keen eyes swept over her. No makeup, hair pinned over to the side but hanging down in back.
She wore this 3-piece terry cloth style loungewear set with her stomach on display.
Although it had returned to its normal state, he took in the stretch marks that were left there from carrying their child.
“Yeah. I want you to tell me all about your day, too.” He rested a hand on her hip and stroked her cheek.
“I’m going to put her down in her portable playpen upstairs. Can you turn on the baby monitor down here?”
“I can.” Kong’s hand lowered to her waist, finally resting on her ass, and he brought her closer, sealing the space between them.
“Then, I’m going to shower and change. Hopefully by that time you will have Kyro and Kara tucked in as well.”
“I like how you think.” Nodding, Kong stole another kiss before pulling away from her. “Go handle your business. I got them.” He nodded toward the kids strolling in with their mouths salivating.
Kong was setting up things in the living room for them.
A lowkey date night in sounded lit to him.
The kids had been fed and were now tucked in bed with their devices for the night as the heavy rain started to fall outside the condo.
Shit was simple but perfect. He’d just grabbed the wine and two glasses to take to the living room when he got the call from Mozzi.
“Where my daughter at, bro? Don’t be banging Ayla’s back out with my baby girl in the room. Only I can do that.”
“Moses, shut up!” Coast yelled at him in the background.
“Fuck you.” Kong shook his head and moved toward the living room. “She’s upstairs with the baby monitor anyway. We chilling in the living room.”
“Ah shit, real girls get down on the flo!” Mozzi chanted, and Kong was about ready to hang up on him.
“The fuck you want?”
“Ain’t that a bitch? You hit me. But if you don’t want this information tonight, I can—”
“Nigga quit beating around the bush then. Spit that shit out.”
“I forgot how short-tempered niggas be when they ain’t getting no pussy.
Let me stop playing. I sent everything to your phone in a PDF.
Everything I could find on Emeric and Darcy.
You know he ain’t squeaky clean. She was emancipated when she was fifteen, and I’d say he’s been funding her life ever since.
Only recent changes I see comes from their medical.
They added a newborn baby boy. Adoption records with the state show—”
“What you mean adoption records? That’s not their kid?”
“Nah. Looks like he was just adopted through some agency a few months ago,” Mozzi informed him.
Kong’s silent alarms went off in his ears. Standing in Ayla’s living room, he listened to her footsteps upstairs as they neared the staircase. She was heading back down.
“Anything else?” he asked, blinking rapidly and taking a breath.
“Yeah, ya boy got no problem paying for pussy. He’s spent embarrassing numbers on Mira’s girls.”
Confirmation. Kong’s heart beat rapidly in his chest as Ayla smiled, descending the stairs.
She took his breath away. Hair swept up into a messy bun, skin glowing against the red silk of her two-piece camisole and short set with little bows in the detail to the spaghetti straps.
She was effortlessly perfect in his eyes.
“Find out everything about that adoption and get back to me,” Kong said in a rush before hanging up.
Ayla caught the concern on his face when she padded in his direction.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “It’s just been a long day.”
She glanced past him at the picnic he had arranged on the floor for them. All her favorite rolls were lined up on a service tray with wasabi, soy sauce, and chopsticks. Her stomach rumbled at the idea of a California crab roll. Kong even lit candles, giving the room a romantic ambiance.
“You did this for me?” she asked, big brown eyes filled with admiration like he was the only man in the world for her.
Kong’s shoulders relaxed, and he tried to push the information Mozzi had given him out of his mind, at least for tonight.
“I fucked up that first go round.” Kong swiped his beard, and Ayla watched how he seemed to struggle with what he wanted to say. “I made bad decision after bad decision, and each time, it hurt you. I’m not trying to ever do that again. I need you to know that.”
She had no idea what he struggled with. Mira’s words ate at him all the time following that night.
He’d put off mentioning it to Audiemar because he was afraid of what he would find out and what it would change.
Now, on top of everything else, this whole situation with the Whitakers was pulling at his intuition.
“You’ve made that pretty clear since I’ve been back.” Ayla grabbed his hand, and her warm chestnut eyes landed on his. “Nobody can ever say you Blackmoor men aren’t persistent if nothing else.” She tittered.
The familiar tone of her cell going off caught Ayla’s attention. She picked it up off her coffee table and studied the screen where her sister’s face flashed. Kong noticed the hesitation. Ayla didn’t answer. Instead, she let her go to voicemail and then turned the phone on DND with a sigh.
“When are you going to let her in?”
She faced him, void of any type of expression before shaking her head. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that you’ve been holding Inari at arm’s length for months. She doesn’t deserve that. She grieved you for months—”
“You her cheerleader now?” Ayla queried, arms folding across her breasts.
“She was there for me, and I was there for her. I saw firsthand what she went through when she thought you were dead.”
“I don’t want to talk about this.” Ayla threw her hands up and reached for the bottle of wine on the table.
The cork had already been popped, so she just had to pour.
Grabbing her glass, she filled it to the top and took a gulp with her back to Kong.
He came up behind her, hands falling on her shoulders, which caused her to tense.
She didn’t need Kong telling her how to move in her relationship with her own sister.
She’d deal with Inari when she felt like it.
The whole time she was locked in that room, all she kept thinking about was how her own sister had lied to her for nearly her whole life.
How were they supposed to come back from that?
“I’m not trying to tell you what to do.” He kissed her shoulder, and Ayla sighed with her next sip waiting at her lips.
“I know.” Shoulders shrinking, she shut her eyes and absorbed his touch.
“Then let’s forget about that and everything else right now. Come on, let’s eat.” With his hands on her hips, he spun her so she was facing him, a cute pout on her lips.
Kong reached for her free hand and led her over to the living room, where he had everything set up for their night together.
Grabbing her glass from her hand, he set it on the table and nodded for her to take position on the cashmere cover he’d arranged.
She had to admit, it was perfect, and she was truly grateful for the moment.
A soft smile claimed her lips, and Kong picked up the chopsticks.
He picked up a piece of the spicy crab roll, knowing it was her favorite before he dipped it in soy sauce and brought it to her lips.
Ayla opened her mouth and accepted, bliss filling her taste buds when the flavor burst on her tongue.
Sushi was probably the one thing she hadn’t had since being home.
“Mmm, that’s good,” she mumbled, chewing slowly.
Kong licked his lips, watching her enjoy her food. Entranced. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Ayla practically forgot all about him as she grabbed the chopsticks and plucked away at the array of rolls in front of her. She inhaled one after another, and Kong sipped his wine and sniggered.