Chapter Twenty-Three
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Brown Sugar
I t began to rain before she could get home. Nadia pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and debated on just how to tell Lennox about yet another man that had attempted to do her harm. Only this time, it was worse. Much worse. This was his own flesh and blood. There was no way that Lennox wouldn’t be compelled to act.
She wasn’t sure she could muster the words. How much more could Lennox take before he cracked? This would certainly make him lose his composure—he was a mere step away from diving off the cliff. First it was my dumbass ex-boyfriend threatening me through text messages that he’d seen on my phone. Then it was that fool Dice who’d followed me from the club. Now this…
She sat for a while in that parking lot, gripping the steering wheel and gritting her teeth. Mountains made of adrenaline soared inside her, and her anxiety had sprinted so high during the shower altercation that she now had a pounding headache and was on the verge of an anxiety attack.
If Lennox hears about this, he’s going to jail for murder… Period. Point blank. I know he won’t be able to control himself. Shake beat that mothafucka’s ass, but I know that would be nothin’ compared to what Lennox would do. I wonder if this guy or his grandfather contacted him and told him what occurred? I can’t imagine them doing so. This was supposed to be on the low-low, and they probably would want to see if I say something first. I can’t believe this shit.
She debated on calling a friend, but thought better of it. She didn’t want anyone worrying about her. Besides, the fewer people that knew what happened, the better. After a while, she stepped out of her car, gripping her gun, and walked to her apartment building. Once at her door, she entered and locked the door behind her. She stood there for a long while. She enjoyed the peace and quiet of her place, with only the sound of the central air running.
Making her way to her bedroom, she slipped her duffle bag, Dolly, and purse off her shoulder and set them on the desk. She removed Parton, checked both of their chambers to ensure they were full of murdering kisses, then secured one in her upper nightstand drawer, the other beneath her bed. She had a third smaller pistol that she kept in a cookie jar in the kitchen. Easy access in case something else jumped off before the night was complete. Slipping out of her sneakers, jeans and shirt, she tossed the clothing on the floor, not giving a damn where they landed.
She sat on the bed in the dimly lit room, rubbing her shoulder. What should have been a nice final act of service had turned into a nightmarish finale. As she replayed the events in her mind, she decided on another shower. She hated that the fucker had been so close to her. She needed to rinse off the grit and grime, along with the memory of the poignant interaction. The water was piping hot and steamed up the bathroom quickly as she listened to soft jazz playing on her cellphone and lathered herself from neck to toe. When she was finished, she quickly rinsed off, brushed her teeth, then slipped into a cool burgundy satin gown with matching robe.
She put out a bottle of red wine on the counter, along with two wine glasses, the latter an old birthday gift from a girlfriend of hers back in Atlanta. From her guest bedroom, she grabbed her laptop and brought it into her bedroom. She set it on a small corner desk and opened it, then paused as Dr. Saint Aknaten’s new paperback book that she’d recently purchased online drew her attention. ‘50 Shades of Blackness– The Melaninated Queen .’ As she flipped through it, a sentence jumped out at her… ‘A friend of mine in the psychology research department once said, ‘Saint, women are like guns. They don’t blast you unless triggered. Men’s recklessness is often the activation. No bullet flies without a cause. It doesn’t just jump in the air and soar across the room on its own volition, striking the target. Something from the past or present caused it.’’ She quickly closed the book . Well, that was strange how I landed on that page like that. If I start reading that now, I will never put it down. Let me stay focused. She turned the computer on and pulled up one of her playlists.
After she turned on some music—‘Already knew,’ by Ro James XIX—she went to spritz some Victoria Secret, ‘Very Sexy Orchid Eau de Parfum,’ behind her ears. At that moment, her doorbell rang.
She practically raced to the door, desperate for his touch, needing to look into his storm-cloud gray eyes that bequeathed her wellbeing with a mere glance. Needing to be held in his big, strapping arms. Needing to feel his fortress of a body all over her. Desiring his soft lips delivering a rough kiss to every inch of her body…
She snatched open the door and his eyes raked her as if she were hot coals…
Does he know?!
He burst into the apartment, tossed his overnight bag onto the floor, slammed the door and locked it, and picked her up in his arms, spinning her around as he flattened her lips in a searing kiss. The smoldering flame in his eyes startled her for it was unrelenting, even in the midst of his lavish affections.
“I hope you don’t have on any panties under that lingerie… I’m just gonna rip ’em off.”
The pit of her stomach tingled with desire as he cradled her close, walking her back to her bedroom with slow but steady steps. Each step he took made her jostle in his grasp. He was a big giant, his body like steel against her silky skin.
Laying her horizontally across her bed, he stood before her and began unbuttoning his black dress shirt, his eyes never leaving hers. She sat up, hurriedly removed her robe and tossed it aside, then gathered the soft fabric of her gown and discarded that, too. A lurch of excitement surged within her when he was fully undressed. Hovering over her body, he stood with his pecs jumping and his necklace swinging—an onyx canine tooth hanging from a black and silver rope chain.
He dropped on all fours, boxing her in from all sides. She was in a beautiful prison cell—the ceiling, his face, and the bars, his arms and legs. She felt like his favorite prey, and prayed that tonight she’d get licked and sticked. Taught a firm, hard lesson.
In awe, she looked up at one of God’s most supreme creations, her heart pitter pattering within her and her pussy already seasoned to perfection with anticipatory juices. She reached up and stroked his hard jaw. His short black beard felt good against her fingertips. He leaned into her touch like a wounded animal in need of love and attention. For a split second, he was meek and mild. For a split second, he was vulnerable. He took her hand, kissed the inside of her palm, then flattened her against the bed, pressing all of his weight against her body. A rush of heat from his harsh breathing bathed the side of her neck as Ro James belted, ‘Take It All.’
“You smell so good, baby.” A deep inhale. A loud exhale. “Why’s your heart beatin’ so fast?” He fashioned the words around a deep chuckle as he ran his hand along her bare breasts.
A flash of the shower… the gun on the fucker’s hip… the hellish look in his icy blue demonic eyes. Her eyes, straining in the semi darkness of the shower room… her pistol pointing to an adversary’s skull… the drops of water getting louder as they splashed onto the tiled floor… the shower spigot trickling. Plip and plop. The rain… the RAIN… A storm of misery… I hate the rain … MORE FUCKING WATER.
Water was trauma… wetness… drowning in the past… generational curses wrapped tightly around abusive men who lied, gaslit, beat, raped and occasionally tried to kill their women… A triggered reminder of what was and what would be… a black Sunday for a harsh baptism…
Tighten the fuck up, girl. Get yo’ shit together. Don’t tell him right now! She was thinking the words, but could hear them being said in her mother’s voice. I’d risk him being sent to prison for killin’ someone if I say it now. I’d lose him. He won’t be able to stand it! You know this man so well, don’t risk it. You know how he operates. He has to think this through and if he flies off the handle tonight, the plan will be null and void.
I don’t care how much therapy and introspection Lennox has had. Lennox is STILL a WILDE. It’s in his blood to be a terror out in these streets. Wilde men are ruthless. These men go off! And his family has the money to cover their dirty tracks. No, you be quiet and hold it close to your heart. I’m going to tell him, just not this second. Wait until a little time has passed—don’t cooler heads usually prevail?
She shook the thoughts from her mind and wrapped herself around her man.
“My heart is beating fast because I’m just happy to see you is all, so glad that you’re here.” It wasn’t a lie—she was truly happy he was there, with her. More than he would ever know.
He dispensed wet, needy kisses all along her collar bones, then trailed them up her chin, her lips. The taste of peppermint on his breath made her mouth tingle. A big hand skated beneath her back, and up past her shoulders. Long, wide fingers sprawled against her scalp as he gripped the back of her head and brought her closer as his tongue dove deeper into her mouth. Her heart hammered in her ears when his other hand wedged between her thighs, forcing them farther apart with a rough shove.
“I should’ve brought a priest and an extra pillow with me.” His deep, rumbling voice so close to her ear made her whole body tremble.
“Why’s that?”
“’Cause I’mma make sure that your screams wake the dead, and I put your pussy to sleep.”
Her senses leapt to life.
He swept his fingers in a fluttery motion against her pussy, soft strokes that became faster with each second, building carnal momentum.
“I was worried about you tonight.” Her stomach clenched at his words. His eyes darkened. The grip around the back of her head seemed suddenly tighter. He cocked his head to the right and peered into her eyes, as if trying to look inside of her very soul. Licking his thumb, he ran the wet pad of flesh against her clit in slow, torturous circles. “You always let me know when you’re leaving work. Why was tonight different?”
“There was a lot going on.” She swallowed. Careful not to lie… careful not to give the whole truth, either. “Bittersweet ending. Like I said in my text to you tonight. Some of those people I’ll never see again. That’s for the best I suppose but some of ’em I’ll miss like Lydia, Sunshine, Danielle, Shack, just to name a few.”
He kissed her forehead, the sweetest, tenderest gesture. She fought a wave of guilt.
“Are you happy you quit dancin’ and OnlyFans, or do you have regrets?”
“Yeah, I’m glad to be done with it. It was a big part of my life though, so it’ll take a second or two to adjust to just bein’ a full-time student.” He nodded in understanding. “I’m excited about school and my future with you.” She mustered a smile.
His gaze softened, and he pressed his lips to hers. His fingers moved faster against her soaking wet love. A bit harder, too. Administering pressure against her neck, he sucked the side of her throat then drifted lower and layered her shoulder with sensual kisses.
Her body heated as he worked his way down her sensitive canvas, his taut tongue leading the way, leaving a slick trail past her cleavage and along her stomach. When he got to her garden, he wrapped his hard, muscular arms around her legs and pulled her so her ass pressed against his chest. He buried his face in her wet pussy, devouring her like a ravenous animal. Smacking, licking, and sucking his way to her glory.
She bucked and writhed against his long tongue and soft lips, feeling the warmth from his mouth and nose—a rhythmic burst of heat like that from a raging bull.
“Mmmmm, baby, you taste amazing. I could eat your pussy with no breaks for days…”
His subdued voice and the sexy words he uttered sent her even more over the edge. His tongue sprang up and down the creases of her slick folds, slow and easy as if he were trying to paint the perfect picture. She melted into his touch until she felt that special feeling creeping through her body and surrounding her love. Gripping the sheets with both hands, she stirred against his mouth that eagerly drank from her.
At last, she came in short bursts, her body relaxing then stiffening as she called out his name. Through groggy eyes, she looked up at him while her orgasm subsided, leaving her a satisfied, wet, beautiful mess. Light smoldered in his gold-flecked gray eyes. Traces of moonlight illuminated against half of his face, competing with the flickering candles and blue nightlight. A remix of Glorilla’s, ‘Yea Glo!’ started to play, a smooth jazz version mixed with Twista’s, ‘So Sexy.’
He bit his lower lip in such a sexy way, it made her shudder.
Aftershocks.
He slowly slipped his finger inside of her and curled it, making a come-hither motion between her walls. Her eyes rolled as he scratched that itch, jolting when he slipped another finger inside her ass. He moved them both in rhythm, slow and easy, until she broke into a full body shiver, her orgasm a sensation of her floating out of her body.
When she relaxed, he laid her down against her pillows, wrapped her up in his arms, and kissed her with the tenderness of a flower petal falling to the ground. She saw her reflection in his eyes, and her heart pounded in thundering, erratic beats. He gently grabbed a few strands of her hair and wrapped them around his finger, playing with them as a smile slowly grew across his face.
“I got some good news tonight, baby.” He kissed along her neck then looked back into her eyes.
“Really? What? Tell me.”
“I got the loan. I’m buyin’ that old building. The car dealership. Going to knock down a wall. Make it bigger. Big plans. I’m finally gettin’ my fitness center.”
She pushed back a wayward strand of his dark hair and looked into his beautiful eyes. “Of course you did! I’m so happy for you, baby. We’ll have to celebrate soon.”
Taking her hand, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them.
“I’ve renewed my certifications. Things are movin’ forward.” He nodded, for that was an obvious weight off his shoulders. “Things are finally lookin’ up.”
He ran his hand slowly against her breasts, then bent down and kissed her left nipple. She stared at the ceiling, her heart pounding with excitement on his behalf. Shifting, her pussy pulsed as he drew on her nipple and sucked it slow and hard, bringing her back into the moment.
“Shit… yeessss… Baby, you know I like it when you do it like that… ahhhh… Len, don’t stop…” She grinded her hips against him as he went to the other breast, giving the same tender loving care. Running her fingers through his hair, she welcomed his touch. He massaged one breast while sucking on the other then changed, loving on them equally.
“…I used to fantasize about bein’ with you like this, Nadia. I used… I used to look at you sometimes in the restaurant… in your little pink and white skirt and crop top, your hair in a ponytail, and I would imagine gettin’ you in that back room where we kept the supplies. I would think about me layin’ you down on those huge industrial-sized bags of brown sugar, taking your clothes off, one piece at a time, while that old country music played, that register rung up, and that coffee percolated… and I could imagine those customers talkin’… eatin’… drinkin’ out front… and us tucked away from them, while I had you down on that concrete floor, your long, pretty, legs spread wide open for me…
“And I’d think about how I’d get on top of you… kiss you… push my dick deep inside of you, honey… and cover your mouth to keep you from screamin’…” Her breathing became sporadic the more he spoke. “I’d put my hand over your mouth tighter ’cause you’d be hollerin’… stoppin’ you from gettin’ us busted, and I would keep on… movin’ faster and faster… and faster…” Len was breathing harder, too… “…my nuts slapping against your wet, fat pussy lips each time I’d shove my dick in and out of your drippin’, warm, soft, pretty refuge… and you’d hold onto me tight, baby… so tight, your body sliding up and down along that floor as I fucked you real hard and real good, darlin’. But then, somethin’ would happen. We’d hear our boss callin’ for us, asking people where we were… but we wouldn’t stop. I’d keep on holding you, fucking you, and you’d keep wanting it… taking it… I wouldn’t let you go until you came… Determined to make you feel good all over… And you’d cum for me, baby. You’d shake, just like you do for real. You’d scream so loud but it would be muffled from my hand still on your mouth… I’d look down and see pussy juice all over my dick… drippin’ on some of the brown sugar bags… sticky with your nectar… and then, it would be my turn to cum.
“You’d let me cum inside of you, baby. I’d climax so hard inside of you, honey, I’d have to bite my bottom lip to keep from yellin’ ’cause it felt so damn good… I’d fill that tight, sweet, pussy of yours with my hot cum…And then we’d lie there. Kissin’. Promisin’ each other we’d always be together no matter what…”
“That was your fantasy?”
“It sure was. I used to have that fantasy of us a lot, and I never forgot it. I prayed one day it would come true. It came true alright, and the first time I slid inside of you, it was even better than my fantasy, baby. Each time we make love, it blows my mind. My fantasy is no longer just pretend. You’re my dream girl. And now, you’re a dream come true.”
Pure joy bubbled within her.
Whatever I did to deserve this man, God, thank you, thank you, thank you…
“I love you, Len. I see you had a real dirty mind back then.” She smiled.
“I ’spose so, but I loved you, girl.” His gaze turned real serious. “It was more than just a sexual fantasy. I wanted you to be my girl. At the time you didn’t seem to realize just how beautiful, funny, and smart you were. But I did. I saw it. That’s why I would call you brown sugar sometimes at work back then.”
She’d forgotten all about that. That’s right. He did.
“You’d laugh and think it was somethin’ racial. A silly pet name. You’d call me ‘White boy,’ as a response, and I’d laugh, too. But naw, baby… that’s not why I called you brown sugar. It was because of this … because I wanted to make love to you in the pantry of the Red Rooster. The place where you cried the most—by the flour and brown sugar. I wanted to make you feel beautiful, and give you happiness in your body and soul, the same place where you expressed so much pain in your heart. I wanted to fill that hole inside of you. Literally and figuratively. I wanted to be your some thing because you were every thing to me…”
She came beneath him, completely taken off guard by her unexpected orgasm, created by his confessions and sexy words. Her back arched as he breathed close to her ear. Janelle Monáe’s, ‘I Like That’ started to play. Moisture dripped from her pussy, trickling down onto the bed as she writhed and rose against his chest, her body a fleshy roller coaster made for only one man to ride. He lay against her, his heavy frame a fort protecting the queen. They stayed like that for a long while, his heart beating against hers.
“I ain’t never been in love like this before, Lennox.” She ran her fingers along the side of his neck. “Never fell so hard. So fast. So deep.”
“It ain’t fast if we started fallin’ ten years ago.”
“You’re right.” She enveloped his earlobe in her mouth and sucked on it softly. Moments later, she maneuvered from beneath him, crawled off the bed, and turned up the music. Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne’s, ‘ICE’ serenaded them. “I’ve got one more dance to perform tonight. It’s time for you to have a VIP private show, baby.”
He slowly sat up, a slick grin on his face as he slipped his arm behind his head and leaned against the headboard. She began to rock her hips from left to right, slow and easy, dancing to the beat of the music, swaying her body as he eyed her, the sheets bunched around his waist, and one of his feet sticking out from the bottom. She danced around the room, bending at the waist, turning away and shaking her ass at him. Twerking so fast, every cell in her body felt as if it were being shaken up. He clapped and laughed, then whistled, yelling dirty, sexy things, encouraging her to continue.
“…I wanna see more of that! Spread that pussy open for me, baby!” He dog whistled.
When she drew close enough to the bed again, he lurched towards her so fast, she jumped. She burst out laughing as he hopped out the bed and grabbed her, lifting her from the floor with the greatest ease. She lay a slow kiss on his lips as he held her to him while walking her over to the wall.
“You know how to do a handstand?”
“Of course I do.”
“Do it.” She threw him a curious glance. “Come on. Do it right where I’m pointing at the floor.” He pointed downward.
She grimaced, not certain what he was up to, but decided to comply. She did a handstand close to the wall. He circled her real slow, and she watched his long, fat dick jump as he sized her up, then leaned against the wall. Just as she was getting ready to ask what this was about, he leaned forward, bent at his knees, situating himself just so, then grabbed her ankles and pushed his dick inside her.
“Oh my God…” Pressured warmth filled her body and her pelvic muscles began contracting.
“Just relax, baby,” he spoke softly. “You can take it easy. I’m holding you up. You don’t have to balance yourself anymore.” He plunged in and out of her.
The floor was now her ceiling. He dove deeper inside of her. Her eyes fluttered as the blood rushed to her head and her body rocked with his slow thrusts. Her pussy felt so full. Her world was upside down, but her heart was right side up.
“That feel good, baby?” He was driving her crazy.
“Damn it, yes…”
He sped up, tightening his grip around her ankles. Miguel’s, ‘Sure Thing’ serenaded them this time. She rotated her hips, meeting his thrusts, shuddering when his hands drifted to her ass, pushing her into his plunges. Holding her tightly to his body. She felt him practically in her stomach. In her heart. In her mind. Taking over her soul.
“Grab me, baby,” he commanded as he wrapped his arms hard around her legs and squeezed, lifting her so she dangled a few inches from the floor with his dick still inside of her, fucking faster and harder. She flailed for a second then wrapped her arms around his calves and held on tight. Her body felt light and airy as he took control. She looked up and watched him going in and out of her, banging into her pussy with each pass.
“I LOVE YOU SO FUCKIN’ MUCH, NADIA! FUCK! UHHH!!!”
She grew excited for he was clearly at the edge of explosion. She screamed when he somehow flipped her back right side up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He walked her back to the bed, threw her down onto her back, and slid nice and easy back inside of her within seconds.
Holding her down, he began to rotate his hips from left to right, then in circles, driving her mad. His pelvis bumped into her clit, over and over. His hands at her lower back, he propelled her into his menacing plunges. Her joyous screams overlapped his raucous grunts and groans. Sweat broke all over their bodies, making the tremendous fucking slippery and soaking wet. He dripped on her breasts, his hair a sopping mess. Loud clapping echoed alongside the beat of the music as his balls slapped against her swollen pussy lips.
“LENNOX, OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD!” He was so damn deep, it was like he was committing a beautiful murder: pussy homicide. She pushed her palms against his rocking pelvis, trying to control his pace and depth, but he slapped her hands away and pinned both of her wrists to the bed. That only turned her on more…
“Stop it! You’re a big girl, you can take it! TAKE THAT DICK!”
She shivered and came again, this time harder than the last. Each time he dove inside of her, he managed to thrust at that perfect angle and hit her G-spot. The man fucked like he was a professional gigolo, and she simply couldn’t get enough.
His body began to spasm, his complexion deepened, the vein along his forehead protruded, and she braced herself. A deep, guttural groan emerged from him, so poignant its echo flowed through her body. His hips bucked and jerked hard as he climaxed, shooting his warm semen within her. Her pussy pulsed and squeezed his nature tight as his long, thick rod throbbed within her. His high plateaued. He swallowed hard. Eyes closed. Sweat streaming down his face. One more involuntary spasm of his hips. A small jerk of the thighs. He fell down onto the bed beside her, his legs hanging off the edge.
As they lay side by side, their hands found one another and intertwined. No words were spoken. Only breathing. Rest. Sexy music.
And love.
She glanced over and saw his dick was semi-hard, though he seemed oblivious. She rolled over on top of him, took his cock into her mouth and sucked on it softly. He groaned and gently massaged her head as he fell once more into the pleasure. When he was nice and hard, she climbed on top of him and slid down his rigid shaft. He held her loosely around the hips as Usher’s, ‘Glu’ played its beat for them.
Pivoting up and down, she fought tears as she looked into his eyes. Happy tears. Sad tears, too. He smiled up at her—a slightly forlorn smile, matching her mood. He appeared to be reading her mind. He always seemed to know her next thought, even before she completed it.
His lips partially ajar, he began to thrust upward inside of her at an even pace.
“Something’s not right.” He seemed to choke out the words. “You’re holding back.”
“No, I’m pleasing you as much as I can.”
“No, baby. Not the sex… this feels fantastic. You are fantastic. I’m talking about something being on your mind. Whatever it is, you don’t want to tell me, do you?”
Her pulse quickened, but she kept riding him. Her hands pressed firmly against his chest as she rose up, then came down.
“It’s not that I—”
“Shhh…” His brows knitted, he gripped her hips tighter, pumping shallowly within her. “I know whatever you say right now won’t be the entire truth. Don’t say shit at all if you’re not going to give it all to me. I will never be satisfied with just pieces of you, Nadia, or pieces of the truth. Just like the other day when you told me about that motherfucker that followed you home!” His voice got harsher and his thrusts became sharper.
“And look what happened? I told you, and you threatened to kill him, and then you doubled down on that shit later. I don’t give a fuck about that guy, but I do care about your sanity, and you stayin’ outta trouble!”
“Don’t worry about me or that situation.” His eyes drew darker. “I want you to come at me correct, or not at all. I want from A to Zebra, not A to Give-a-fuck. If I can’t have the whole fuckin’ alphabet, just keep it to yourself until you can tell me… only make sure you do tell me. I know you, so I am sure you have good reason for not sayin’ anything. I’ll give you a little time and some grace for whatever it is. But I want to know, and I want to know in a timely manner. Do you understand me?” His voice was deep and timbered, his tone unyielding.
She chewed her upper lip, then nodded. A tear rolled down her cheek. He had a way of bringing her to her knees. Of commanding her to listen. Of not allowing her to run away on the inside.
He reached up and wiped it away.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart.”
“Okay.” Her voice cracked as she sniffed, fighting her emotions.
“You know I’d do anything for you, girl.”
“…I know, baby. I love you so much, Lennox… so, so much.”
“I know you do, Nadia. You want to protect me, just like I want to protect you. Whatever is going on, the truth always comes out though. It don’t have to be tonight, but it’s gotta come.”
“I know… I know…”
He sat up and leaned against her. Their gazes locked, eye to eye. She kept riding him, and he kept pivoting upwards inside of her until she fell into a million orgasmic pieces, him following close behind her. Crisscrossing his arms around her body, squeezing her to him and kissing her hard, he shuddered as he climaxed. His moans came out hoarse, loud and choppy. Gruff and strained from exploding ecstasy.
They soon gathered under the sheets, and he wrapped his body around hers so damn tight. She held onto him, surrendering, then falling asleep pressed against him. She dreamed of them as they had been ten years prior… at The Red Rooster singing songs off key. That had been the day she realized she was falling in love with her friend. The day love came knocking. She didn’t answer the door right away. She answered it years later, perhaps almost too late. Or maybe it wasn’t late at all? Maybe, it was right on time…