12- Ariyah “Nova” Stevens
Grabbing my phone, I listened to make sure Landon was in the shower before I called Charly. I had no idea what I was doing here, and I was acting completely out of character. Dialing her number, I waited for her to answer. She picked up sounding like her normal bubbly self.
“Heyyy, bestie. You been working working.”
“I’m at Landon’s.” I let that sink in and waiting for her explosion I knew was coming.
“Oh, you been working alright. Them pussy muscles and hypermobile limbs.” Her giggling caused me to do the same.
“Who the hell says hypermobile?” Realizing she had me sidetracked, I got back to the reason I was calling. “Never mind about that. I met his family.”
“And?” She genuinely sounded confused.
“And, what the fuck am I doing here?”
“Getting to know your in-laws. You’re probably making something out of nothing. You know how you are as soon as someone blinks at you too long.”
“Not someone, niggas.”
“Either way, you’re doing too much. Just go with the flow, and see where it goes. He might be your person.”
“Going with the flow had me damn near busting it open in the gym, promising to dress his sister for her non date, and meeting his family twice. I don’t know how to date.”
“It sounds to me you know exactly how to date. Giving that lil cat up seems about right to me. Can I say I’m really loving Landon. That Black American knows what he’s doing.” I looked at the phone like it had two heads.
“Girl what?”
“I’m only half black, so I can only halfway say the N word and nig sounds like some shit you swat when you’re outside eating in the woods.”
“You know what, I’m going to call you later. I can’t deal with you right now.” I fell out laughing so hard, I didn’t realize Landon was done until he walked in the room.
“You’re done already? What you do take a hoe bath?”
“Naw, that’s what you did after you almost bust it open in the gym.
” Realizing he heard my conversation, my mouth fell open in shock.
“Oh, and I think you know more than you think you do about dating. You fucked me good and was about to feed me before we were interrupted.” Embarrassed was an understatement.
“I was about to feed myself, and I was going to feed you pussy.” I almost shrieked as soon as the words left my mouth. Peeking up at Landon, he had a smirk on his face that I wanted to wipe off. Grabbing me by my arms, he pulled me to him.
“You want me to give your pussy kisses?” Even though I wasn’t light complected, I’m sure he could see me blushing. “Look at your nasty ass. We gotta go to the gym and train, but I’ll give my favorite place kisses.” Landon rubbed the burn scars before leaning in and kissing it.
“You like my burns?”
“I like all of you.” He kissed me again as I sat frozen.
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I sat there looking dumb.
He didn’t expound on it further, so I didn’t either.
Getting up, we walked downstairs and I was relieved to see his family was gone.
I was starting to get the feeling Devin wasn’t too fond of me.
I would hate to lay his old ass daddy out.
Laughing at myself, I climbed in the car.
Once Titan started driving, I could see from the direction we were headed towards the gym.
“Soooo, we not gone eat nothing?” Landon looked at me and fell out laughing.
“Damn lil lady, you sure can put it away. Your ass can stand to miss a meal. We gone get a protein shake, do our workout, and then your ass gone eat a salad when we’re done.” I looked at him like he was crazy.
“I don’t have a fight coming up. Don’t be trying to make me diet with you.” Landon shrugged causing me to laugh.
“One band, one sound. We in this shit together.” I playfully rolled my eyes.
“You’re lucky I li-…” I realized what I was about to say and cut myself off. What the fuck? Horrified to look his way, I began looking out the window trying to look at anything but his ass.
“I think I’ll let you get a steak, a potato, and a lil dick with that salad.” Keep on, I might kiss that lil cat too.” Giggling, I shifted in my seat praying my girl didn’t show how excited that made me. If his tongue was anything like his dick, a bitch was ready.
“You gone do whatever I want you to do, Landon. I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but you don’t run shit.” He looked at me before shaking his head.
“Yeah, your ass toxic. We not about to be fighting and fucking.” Our banter always ended up showing our sexual chemistry, so I probably was pushing for that.
Leaning over, I made sure I was close to his face.
Landon licked his lips and smirked at me right before I clutched his dick hard in my hands.
He winced, but didn’t fight to pull away.
“I guess you’re toxic too.” Kissing his lips, I let his dick go before laughing. The car stopped, and I was disappointed. Now, I was thirsty for the gym session to be over, so we could pick up where we left off.
“You gone get enough of playing with me. Your ass gone get what you looking for and then some,” Landon stated before getting out of the car. He met Titan at my side and waited for me to get out. Once I was out of the car, I responded.
“I hope so.” Landon looked at me shocked, but I smiled and kept walking. I know he wasn’t expecting for me to say that, but I wasn’t about to offer him anything more.
“Hey, Landon.” Looking over towards the door, a man was standing there with a half toothless smile on his face.
He looked as if life had taken his ass through there, but his expression bore hope.
I didn’t have to look at Landon to know if he knew the man.
His body had gone stiff next to me, and I could feel heat radiating off him.
Turning towards him, I waited to see if he would say who this was, but he stood there in shock.
“Landon, who is that?” No response. He just stood there almost as if he was scared.
I grabbed his hand, and his fingers just hung loosely as if he couldn’t feel me.
I looked at Titan, who was also on alert.
His hand was on his gun, but he made no moves forward.
He watched Landon to see what his response would be.
“I’ve been watching your fights. You’re really good. That boy Dangerous don’t have shit on you. I know you’re going to beat his ass. I would really like to be there.” I could feel Landon shaking, so when the man took a step closer, I let his hand go and moved in front of him.
“I don’t know who you are, but you need to leave. Breaker is in training, and needs to focus right now.” The man didn’t even look at me; he kept stretching his neck trying to look around me to Landon.
“I’m not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk.” The man smiled again, but this time, it made my skin crawl.
“Titan, take him inside.” I could feel that his body was no longer behind me, and then I saw Titan damn near carrying him in.
I was confused on why he never intervened, especially since that was his job.
Later on, we would have to talk about that, but right now, we had to deal with the matter at hand.
Once I saw they were completely inside, I finally faced the man in front of me.
“I don’t know who you are, but you need to leave.” He gave me a sinister look before smiling again.
“Little lady, I think this doesn’t concern you. As I said before, I just came to talk. Give him a minute, I promise he will be back.” His vibe was creeping me out, and even though I don’t know who he is, I was sure of one thing. He didn’t mean Landon any good.
“He concerns me. So much so, if you don’t get your funky, psycho bum looking ass on, you gone lose the rest of them rotten ass teeth in your mouth.
Please mistake me for weak, so I can beat your ass back to the tent you crawled out of.
” Throwing his hands up in surrender, he walked off still wearing that creepy ass smile.
Walking inside the gym, I looked around, but I didn’t see Landon.
After searching for a few minutes, I blew out an exasperated breath and headed towards the door.
As I was about to exit, I noticed Titan guarding the men’s locker room.
I knew that’s where he had to be and walked towards him.
I didn’t have to ask him any questions; I just walked inside.
At first, I didn’t see him in there either. A movement near the lockers caught my attention causing me to turn. There he was. Balled up in the corner, shaking. I couldn’t tell if it was from fear, tears, or both. Walking over, I sat down beside him and placed my hand on his arm.
“Landon, who was that?” Silence. After about five minutes, I realized he wasn’t going to answer me, so I didn’t push.
His body began to shake harder, and now I was fighting back my own tears.
I had no idea what he was going through, but I knew pain.
So, in that way, I could relate, but I couldn’t break.
Not now. Not when he needed me. Holding him tight, I let him get it all out.
Once I realized he wasn’t calming, panic began to set in, and my chest tightened.
“What do you need from me?” Silence. “Landon, please. Tell me what I can do to help you.” I thought he wasn’t going to answer, until I heard a faint whisper.
“Get Devin.”