18. Chapter Eighteen
18
Chapter Eighteen
Nic
T hings have been intense since Stacks was shot by Kasha’s baby daddy. I was surprised to know that they were messing around, but then again, I saw the way they interacted. I had to work tonight, but I was going to see my mama and brother before I went in. Buck has tried to get me to stop working, but I refused. I enjoyed making my own money. Since he didn’t allow me to spend my own money, I saved my checks. That way, me and my baby would have a nice little cushion. Once I checked my appearance in the mirror, I grabbed my bag and keys. Even though I was now driving, Buck still had James tailing me. With them not knowing where Gator was, they felt it was necessary that someone was always watching us. He even had someone sitting outside my mama’s house.
When I made it downstairs, James was waiting by the door waiting for me. Buck had me parking my car up front instead of the parking garage since I could use valet and it was always someone out here. James helped me inside of my truck and I headed to my mama’s house. I wasn’t even riding a good ten minutes before Buck was calling.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Where you headed?”
“To see my mama and Keenan before work.”
“That’s wassup. Tell ’em I said wassup,” he offered. “Why don’t you take the night off. It’s not like you do much now, anyway.” I knew that was coming. Ever since he found out that this baby was his, he was adamant about me not working. It went into overdrive once we tried this relationship. I’on know what he didn’t understand about me wanting to make my own money.
“I’m not taking the night off and leave you understaffed. I’ll see you in a few.”
“Nicari,” he groaned my name. He only did that when he was annoyed.
“Lincoln.” I shot back.
The line was quiet for a few seconds before he spoke again. “Aight, man. I’ll see you later.” He hung up the phone as I pulled up to my mama’s house. I got out and let myself in and found her on the couch looking at TV.
“Well, look at you. Just round and glowing,” she complimented me.
“Hey, ma. What you in here doing? Where’s Keenan?” I asked as I sat down, and Keenan came up front.
“What you doing here? I thought you lived wit’ yo’ baby daddy?” his grown ass said as he came to sit by me and rub my stomach.
“Move, since you act like you don’t want me here.” I smirked. “You sound like you don’t miss me.”
“I see you enough not to miss you.” He shrugged. “Ma, can I play the game with Jace? Stacks said he’d come get me if you said it was okay.” I thought it was cute that he was friends with Jace. He had cousins on his daddy’s side that he saw every now and then. My mama didn’t care too much for their mama’s.
“When did you talk to Stacks?” She asked.
“When I was talking to Jace. He said I could come and stay the night.”
After agreeing to let him go, he ran his happy ass back into his room to pack his bag.
“So, how are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. I don’t get sick anymore and that’s a relief. I don’t think I’d be able to handle any more of that.” Morning sickness or all day sickness, as I called it, was the devil and I was glad that part was over.
“And how are things with you and Buck?” Her question caused me to blush because the mere thought of my baby daddy made my body react. “Mhm, that look is what got you in this predicament in the first place.”
I laughed her comment off and started to explain things that were going on with me and Buck. They were good, and I wasn’t complaining, but I still felt like we were lacking.
“Have you told him how you felt?”
“No.”
“Then how is he supposed to know how you feel if you don’t say anything, Nic?”
I didn’t respond because I didn’t know how.
“Just let him know how you feel, and then y’all go from there. It’s clear that he feels something for you, too. Y’all just need to talk it out.” I listened to my mama, and she was right. We needed to talk. When was the question?
I sat with my mama for a little longer until it was time for me to go to work. I changed while I was there and promised that I would be back before next weekend before I headed out. It was Friday night, so I knew I would be busy as soon as I got there.
***
“Girl, if you’on sit down somewhere before Buck brings his aggravating ass down here again. He swears I have you doing too much.” Kasha laughed.
“And he swears me and Riley don’t do enough,” Jazz input.
They all were telling the truth because he swore I was doing too much, but I really wasn’t. I was only doing my job. Jazz and Riley really did the bulk of the work, along with our bar back, Diesel.
“I’m good. I just came back from a break.”
“Mhm. If he comes over here with his shit, me and you are gone have a problem, ma’am.” Kasha pointed her finger at me with a smirk on her face.
Shaking my head, I went out to the floor to check on the few tables that I had. Each bartender had tables that were closest to the bar so that the waitresses wouldn’t get overworked. In return, they also helped at the bar.
I made it to a table that I saw had a new customer, so I went to greet them. When I got there, I wanted to turn the fuck around because it was Tony’s weird ass.
“Damn, Nikki. I see you left me and got yourself in a situation. You wouldn’t get with me, but I see you had no problem fucking your way into the next job,” he seethed.
“Tony, my business is not up for discussion. Especially not my pussy,” I snapped.
“C’mon, Nikki. Don’t be like that.” He put his hand on the small of my back, causing me to slap it away.
“My name is Nic, and keep your fuckin’ hands to yourself.”
“Or what? You gone tell your baby daddy?” he laughed, right before his face went crashing into the table.
“Nah, she ain’t gotta tell me shit, nigga.” He slammed his head on the table again. “Now, unless you want to go ahead and let this be your last fuckin’ drink, I suggest you get the fuck outta my establishment before it becomes your final resting place.” He slammed his head on the table one last time before looking at me. “Get your shit so James can take you home,” he demanded.
“My shift isn’t over.” I folded my arms over my round belly and stared him down.
I watched as he took a deep breath before wiping his hand over his face. “Nic, get your shit and go home,” he stated again.
“I’ll go home when my shift is over,” I refuted.
Chuckling, he shook his head before addressing me again. “Nah, you gone take yo’ ass home now because you’re fired!” He barked.
Stunned, I quickly recovered and bumped his shoulder before going to get my stuff so I could leave.
When I grabbed my things, I went back to tell Kasha I was leaving. Buck was standing there, so I knew she already knew.
“I’ll bring your truck home,” he voiced, but I ignored his stupid ass.
I saw James standing by the front entrance, so I headed in his direction, and he escorted me to the blacked out Tahoe and helped me inside. I was so damn mad at Buck’s ass. He better hope I didn’t call Mel to come and get me and leave him in that penthouse looking stupid.
***
“Nic, he’s just looking out for you. Why are you so upset?” I was on the phone telling Mel what happened tonight, and she was taking Buck’s side.“I thought you didn’t like him? So, you’re team Buck all of a sudden?” She was pissing me off, too.
“He’s not my favorite, but he’s not a bad guy, Nic. You’re just being a brat. You don’t have to work, and you know it. So, tell me why you’re being difficult about it?” I knew her ass would see right through me. She always had. Sighing, I told her about my insecurity about Buck stepping out on me or finding somebody at the bar and leave with them like he did me. It sounded crazy, but it was how I felt.
“Has he shown you he was on any of that since you’ve been living with him?”
“No, but he told me about some bitch he almost fucked not long after I moved in,” I confessed.
“You said he already told you that, so you can’t hold that against him. Especially since y’all already talked about it and it was before y’all was in a relationship, so what’s really the issue?” I told her what I told our mama about my feelings for Buck, and she said the same thing that she did.
“You just need to Buck, Nic,” she stated.
“Tell me what?” I jumped when I heard his voice because I didn’t hear him come in. He never took his eyes off of me, but I rolled mine at him.
“I’ll call you back, Mel. My warden just walked in.” She laughed before hanging up. I started to get up from the couch, but Buck leaned in, locking me in.
“Why you mad at me, Goldie?” He was looking dead in my eyes, like he was trying to read my emotions.
“Can you move?” I deflected.
“Not ’til you answer me.” He lifted my chin with his index finger and kissed my lips. “Why you mad at me?” It was always weird seeing Buck be soft. He was so outspoken and ignorant ninety-five percent of the time. Seeing him like this always caught me off guard. “Huh?” He kissed my neck.
“Why did you fire me?” I blurted. His lips disconnected from my neck, and he sat down next to me. He pulled me into his lap, causing me to straddle him.
“That’s why you mad? Because I fired you?” He frowned.
I shrugged.
“Use your words, Nicari,” he voiced sternly.
“Well, yeah, and no.”
“Why? Wassup? Talk to me.”
Taking a deep breath, I told him the same thing I told my mama and Mel. I also let him know about my insecurities about him dealing with other women. I didn’t realize I was crying until he wiped my tears.
“Baby, listen to me when I tell you this. I fired you so I wouldn’t crash out and end up in prison. When it comes to you and my son, I’on understand shit. My first instinct is to protect y’all, and that’ll probably never be without me fuckin’ somebody or some shit up. That’s who I am. That’s how I handle shit. As for these hoes. Fuck them bitches. Another bitch can’t tell you she even seen my dick let alone touched that muthafucka since the last time I told you about. I meant what I said about me being all about you. I know how to do the shit, Goldie. I just didn’t have a reason after my last relationship until you.” He palmed my stomach. “Until y’all. Gone get that other shit out ya head before you piss me off, aight?” He flashed that panty soaking smile of his and my panties did just that.
“Okay. I’m sorry for tripping. It’s just hard to believe sometimes that you’re mine,” I simpered.
“Shit, let me show you then.” In one swift motion, he was freeing himself and sliding me down on his pole before I could comprehend what was going on. He was pounding me so good that I couldn’t even remember why I was mad in the first place.
“You convinced yet?” He grunted. “Fuck, Goldie,” he groaned into my neck.
“Mhm,” I whimpered as I rained down on him.
If this was the way he convinced me he was all in, then I might need him to reassure me more often.