Chapter 18
Surprisingly, Gideon slept in late into the afternoon the next morning. The day before had been a lot on everyone, and Charlene’s food definitely gave him the itis, so sleep came easily to him. He felt a bit guilty for sleeping like a newborn, though, when Glimmer was clearly going through it.
As he flipped the last waffle onto the plate and buttered it, he wondered if Glimmer slept well or if she stayed up all night crying.
He’d taken her a plate after Mama Charlene finished cooking the night before.
Just because he needed an excuse to lay eyes on her again, he went back into the room to get the plate an hour later.
His baby had to have been hungry because she ate the whole thing.
When he asked if she wanted more, she declined.
That was the extent of their conversation.
He respected her wishes to give her a night, but it broke his heart.
Part of him felt like she needed space from him. The other part of him really hoped that wasn’t the case.
“Lemme get some,” Rome said as he plopped down at a stool by the center island of the kitchen and reached out a hand toward the pile of bacon Gideon made.
Gideon slapped his hand away. “Get back, nigga. Ain’t for y’all.”
Rome’s brows rose in amusement. Anyone else might have cowered at the tone of Gideon’s voice, but VK knew Gideon. He wasn’t a threat for real. Not to them, at least.
“Fuck wrong wit’ you?” Rome asked.
Haze walked into the kitchen and clapped Rome on the back. “Give that man some grace today, dawg.”
Rome raised his hands in mock surrender and rose from his seat. “He ain’t gotta be stingy wit’ the bacon. That’s all I’m sayin’.”
Rome walked out of the kitchen grumbling. Haze chuckled and sat on the seat Rome just left. “Why you in here bein’ stingy?”
Gideon cut his eyes at him. “Why you in such a good mood?”
Haze’s grin spread. “Because, nigga. You handled Trick’s ass like a dog that needed to be put down, and ain’t no threat no more. My daddy’s killers are dead. Glimmer is safe. Shit is good.”
Gideon grunted and continued fixing his and Glimmer’s plates. When he finished, he finally said, “I guess you right.”
“You just lookin’ like a sad puppy because Glimmer iced you out last night. You really fuck wit’ her, huh?”
“It’s more than that. Never felt nothin’ like this wit’ anyone before.”
Haze nodded slowly. “You good, big dawg. For real. Glimmer just needed a moment. Her mama always been a soft spot for her, and what happened last night was foul. Not only that, Juke shielded her from the shit we do. If anyone can bring her up out of this, it’s you. Never thought I would see the day.”
“What day?”
“The day my big ass little brother would find love.”
Gideon snorted. “Aye, man. You’re only one month older than me.” Haze chuckled. They’d been having the same argument since they were kids. Gideon was bigger, but Haze was older. “The hell you know ’bout love, anyway?”
Haze leaned back in the chair. “Not shit and don’t plan on it.”
“Yeah, aight. That love bug is gonna get ya ass eventually.” Gideon grabbed the plates and nodded back toward the counter. “Tell them niggas they can have what’s left.”
Haze glanced at the spread. “Hell nah. I’m takin’ this shit for myself.”
Gideon didn’t respond as he shook his head and moved out of the kitchen.
His love for living at the compound had dwindled over the past couple of months.
Niggas were constantly everywhere. As he walked up the steps, the noise from the Vicious King members who were already there talking business or just kickin’ it receded.
Gideon thought about quiet mornings with Glimmer and being able to freely walk around naked.
His dick hardened, but he shifted his thoughts because that wasn’t his mission at the moment.
He pushed the door open and smiled as he watched Glimmer put lotion all over her body. The room smelled like heaven. She always smelled so damn good. The way she would go on and on about layering her scents always had him fascinated. He loved seeing her passionate and excited about something.
He stood back and watched her for a moment. Drool formed at the corner of his lip before Glimmer said, “Are you going to come in or stand there?”
She spoke with her back to him. He didn’t even know she knew he was there.
Gideon stepped into the room and placed the plates on the small table in front of the couch that sat in the corner.
He straightened and glanced at Glimmer again, who stared back at him.
She wore a lacy purple panty and bra set and nothing else.
Her ebony skin glistened. He had to refrain from drooling again.
“Hey, baby.” Gideon finally spoke as he took a large step toward her. He pulled her by the waist into his body and held her closely. While he breathed her in, he rubbed her back.
“Hey,” she murmured into his chest. “You bought breakfast?”
He pulled away slightly and looked down at her. “I cooked breakfast.”
Her brows hiked. “You cooked?”
“I can do a lil somethin’.” She gave him a weak smile. That was a win in his book. He wondered if she would ever smile at him again after what she witnessed the day before. “I think we should talk first, though, okay?”
“Sure.” They sat on the bed, but Gideon refused to let her go, so it took them a moment to get comfortable.
Glimmer’s head landed on his chest as she sat between his legs. He kissed her forehead and breathed her in one more time before he spoke. “I want to apologize about last night.”
She looked up at him. “Apologize?”
He nodded. “I had a feeling about your mom. It’s why I didn’t want you to go see her alone.
When you were adamant that you wanted to go see her, I decided to let you see her for who she was.
I could have protected you from all that, but I didn’t.
For that, I apologize. And I’m sorry you had to see me get like that.
That nigga wanted you. The thought of that made me crazy . . .”
Her small hand on his chest calmed him from getting upset all over again. He grabbed it and kissed it.
“It’s okay. I had to see all that with my own eyes.”
He frowned and looked down at her. “Nah.”
She cracked another small smile, which made his frown deepen. Here she was being so lighthearted about the situation, and he was panicking that she hated him.
“Yes. I needed to see the kind of woman my mother was.” She went quiet for a moment as she sat in deep thought.
He waited patiently for her to speak, though he desperately wanted to know what was on her pretty mind.
“She never wanted me. Deep down, I always knew that, but yesterday confirmed it. I needed that confirmation. And I needed to see how vicious my husband really was.”
“No, you ain’t need to see that.” He hung his head.
“As your wife, I need to know what you’re capable of.”
Gideon thought about it. She wasn’t exactly wrong, but he still felt ashamed. He knew his rages weren’t pretty. He sighed. “New vow.”
She peered up at him in amusement, though he still saw a hint of sadness within her. “Lay it on me.”
“I vow to never hide any part of me from you again.”
She melted into him. “I accept that.”
“Glimmer?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.” The words had begged to release from his mouth for a while now. He looked down at her in anticipation. When she finally looked up at him, he swore his heart skipped a beat.
“I love you too.” Yeah, his heart definitely skipped a beat.
He kissed her deeply, and the only reason he pulled away was because Glimmer gave him a gentle push.
“As bad as I want to take it there, I can’t.
Mother nature came to visit me today, so I’m out of commission for the next five days or so. ”
Gideon groaned dramatically, some of his playfulness creeping back in. “Great timing.”
She giggled. He thought he died and went to heaven. That sound would get him through any trial that life had to throw him from that moment on.
“I talked to my dad,” she said after a moment of silence.
Gideon stiffened. He was still unsure about Juke, but that was just his stubborn side. He would talk to Juke soon and feel him out for himself. He knew how Glimmer was a daddy’s girl, and he would never take that from her, as long as Juke did right by her.
“How’d that go?” He rested his cheek on her head and listened intently.
She shrugged. “He was pissed. There was crying. More him than me. Lots of apologizing. It honestly made me more sad. He feels so helpless behind bars. You guys gave him protection and comfort, but he still can’t move like he wants.
It’s hard for me to watch and harder for him to deal with, I think. ”
“I’m sorry, baby.” Gideon kissed her temple and rubbed her side and shoulders. Haze was working on some things pertaining to Juke, but it was slower moving than they hoped. He didn’t want to get Glimmer’s hopes up, so he didn’t say anything.
She shrugged again. “Is what it is. I just wish he would let me see him.”
“I can understand him not wanting his pride and joy to see him locked in a cage.”
“I understand it too. It still sucks.”
He felt her spirits lowering, and he didn’t want that, so he decided to change the subject. “Know what I was thinking about earlier?”
“What’s that?”
“Cooking breakfast naked.”
Glimmer giggled loudly. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Something we can’t exactly do here.”
Glimmer went quiet. It took a moment for her to respond. “I like it here.”
“I do too, but I think we need our own space, baby.”
Glimmer sighed. “I agree. This is just the first time I’ve felt like I belong to a family.”
They had that in common.
“We can come over as much as you want.”
“I know.” She still sounded sad.
“Talk to me, baby. What has you so hesitant to move from a big ass house that’s constantly full of people? Let me find out you got a crush on one of these niggas—”
The snort that came out of her stopped what was about to be a tangent.