Azeira
“You can leave, Jatavia said she doesn’t mind dropping me off later,” I told Kairus. Things had finally calmed down from earlier and they had just told us Mom’s surgery was a success and they’d managed to get most of the tumor. She was being closed up and transported into recovery. It had been a long, exhausting day. I stayed by Kairus’s side in hopes of keeping him and Dad away from each other. Dad shot me disgusted looks that made my stomach flip, but I ignored them. Right now wasn’t the time for that conversation. After the quickie in the bathroom, I was embarrassed to walk back in the waiting room and face him. I was sure what had gone down was displayed all on my face.
“You would like that, wouldn’t you? Being left unattended to do whatever you please.” He stared at me with a penetrating glare.
Licking my lips, I looked off to the side where dad was watching us. His mouth was turned upside down with his eyes full of judgment.
Sighing, I shook my head. “It’s not like that, Kairus. I just know you’re a busy man and I don’t see the point of you waiting around. I’m not tryna escape or anything. After leaving here I’ll get brought straight home.”
Home. It felt weird, but also right, to refer to his house as my home.
He continued staring down at me, masking his thoughts and feelings like he always did. The silencing was deafening.
“Listen to me and let me be clear,” he started in a low gravelly tone. His hand lifted and he gripped my chin, lifting my head. “If you try to be on some funny shit, you won’t like the consequences that follow. Do not test me, . I see everything. ” A shiver shot down my spine. Swallowing hard, I slowly nodded.
A spiteful grin formed on his face and he bent down, capturing my lips in an aggressive manner. My lashes fluttered. He swallowed the moan that left my mouth.
When he pulled back, I stared at him in a high haze. He smirked and turned his head. I followed and my stomach dropped seeing my dad watching us. My stomach hollowed and I straightened my spine.
“You don’t have to worry about anything,” I assured him, snatching my attention from my dad’s disapproving scowl.
“We’ll see,” Kairus stated, looking back at me. He stepped back and looked behind me to Jatavia. “I know where you live, remember that if either of you think you can outsmart me.” My eyes widened.
“Kairus,” I hissed. The last thing I wanted was him threatening my best friend.
He eyed me then turned and walked off. I pushed out a heavy breath once he was gone and my body sagged slightly. I felt so wired when Kairus was around.
“What the hell has he done to you?” I spun to face my dad. He was scowling at me with his nostrils flared.
“Daddy…” I started.
“You’re kissing him and sleeping with him! , that man is dangerous! Look what he did to me.” He lifted his four-fingered hand.
I shifted my eyes to his hand and bit the inside of my cheek. “None of this would have happened if you didn’t borrow money from him anyway!” I defended.
“I did it to help our family! Without going to him your mother would have died. We would have lost our house, lost everything!” His voice grew louder with every word he spoke. “You’re opening your legs to a man that is despicable! Did he force you?”
I stared at him with my mouth gaped. “Of course not.” My brows crinkled. “It just happened.” I shifted my eyes and my voice grew small. My tongue went across my lips.
“Mrs. Marks can be seen now,” a nurse informed us. My dad gave me one last disgusted look before turning and stalking off.
I blew out a deep breath and rubbed my forehead with the back of my hand. I felt like I had betrayed my dad by being attracted to Kairus. It was even worse now that my dad knew it. “Don’t worry, girl, your daddy is just stressed out right now. You know he loves you.” Jatavia stepped up behind me. I glanced over my shoulder at her and forced a smile on my face.
“Yeah I guess so.” I nibbled on my bottom lip. “You think I’m crazy, don’t you? For sleeping with him.”
She opened her mouth then closed it. Her head tilted and she smiled slightly at me. “I think I work as an escort and have seen some shit since being there. Everyone has their thing and I don’t judge them for it.” She shrugged. “Is Kairus scary as hell and someone I would never double cross? Hell yeah. But I saw how he looked at you, how protective he got over you when your dad grabbed you. That man is crazy about you in the literal sense. I don’t know what the hell you did to him, but whatever it is, I have no doubt it only makes sense between you two.”
I thought about Kairus. He was the only man who’d ever been as protective over me as he was, including my dad. He literally held my dad’s life in his hands yet I couldn’t find it within myself not to start falling for him. What did that say about me?
I changed the subject. “We should go see my mom. Hopefully she isn’t too groggy to talk.” She was all that mattered right now.
“C’mon then.” Jatavia laced her arm through mine. I tried to push anything that didn’t have to do with my mom to the back of my mind for now.
It was one thing when me and Kairus were in our bubble at his house, away from the world and judgment, but being put on blast publicly rattled my nerves.
“C’mon girl, loosen up!” Jatavia encouraged, slapping my ass and twirling around me. I laughed and shook my head. She passed me the drink in her hand and I didn’t think before I tossed it back. My mouth scrunched as the liquid warmed my chest.
My mom’s surgery was a success. We didn’t stay too long after she got put in her recovery room because she needed her rest. I was happy to see she was smiling and talking. My dad didn’t say anything else to me while I was there but I didn’t press the issue. Him being upset was understandable, but I couldn’t help how I felt when it came to Kairus. I tried to fight it for as long as I could. My mom was my main concern and when the time came I would talk with my dad.
When we left the hospital Jatavia suggested we go celebrate my mom’s surgery being a success. As long as I ended up back at the estate I didn’t see the issue with it. Since I had a little bit of freedom I was gonna enjoy it.
Closing my eyes I allowed the music to run through me. My body swayed and I bounced my ass to the beat. A smile graced my face and I threw my head back. The vibe at the club was chill. It wasn’t overly packed, but the dance floor still had a good amount of people on it.
A hard body pressed into me and warm breath brushed against my ear. “Damn I meet you one time and you go ghost.”
Spinning around, I was shocked to see Koby. “Hey.” I bit into my bottom lip and looked around. He wasn’t here but the fear that Kairus might pop up out of nowhere had me on edge. He seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all the time.
He licked his lips and looked me over. Before coming here, Jatavia took me to my house so I could grab something to change into. She had been keeping up with it since I’d been gone.
“Can I get a hug or something?” A crooked grin formed on his face. He didn’t wait for me to answer before he pulled me into him. He smelled good and I couldn’t deny Koby was handsome.
When he released me I peeked over at my friend and she was grinding and grinning in Koby’s brother’s face. Obviously the two had been in contact with each other since meeting.
“Don’t let me ruin your good time.” He grabbed me by the hand and spun me around so my back was to his front. His mouth brushed against my ear. “Keep dancing.”
Swallowing hard, I looked around again. No one was paying us any attention. Everyone was in their own world. Deciding nothing was wrong with some harmless dancing, I pushed my ass into him and rolled my hips.
It ended up being a good night and it felt good to let my hair down without worrying about anything. Koby was a good time too. If the situation was different I might have pursued him further. He was funny, handsome, and a gentleman. While that was attractive and would have had my attention before, now I felt nothing. There was no spark, no substance. He had no edge that I had grown accustomed to, so I knew this couldn’t go anywhere.
“I should really head home,” I said into Jatavia’s ear. We had been here for a couple of hours and while I was having a good time, I was starting to worry maybe it was time to call it a night. The last thing I wanted was for Kairus to think I was trying to run and he reacted. Not to mention I was ready to go back home.
“What? No! Not yet,” she whined, clinging to my arm. The guys were at the bar and we stood off to the side waiting for them.
“Jatavia.” I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. While I loved my best friend, she didn’t know when to turn down when she was having a good time. She was all about a party.
“We haven’t been able to hang in so long and you want to leave so early!”
“You know why I have to go.”
She rolled her eyes. “So he controls you along with holding you hostage?”
I shot a look in her direction. Her shoulders sank forward. “Fine.” She looked over her shoulder where the guys were making their way back toward us.
When Koby was close enough, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. My body tensed slightly and I glanced at Jatavia. While I didn’t mind hanging out with him and having a good time, it made me inwardly cringe when he got too touchy. I was paranoid and didn’t want him in any danger.
“You got plans after this?” he asked, leaning down to speak directly into my ear.
Discreetly I pulled away from him and flashed him a small smile. “I actually can’t tonight. Sorry.”
Disappointment covered his face. “I’m starting to take this personal.” He laughed and licked his lips.
“Don’t. I just have prior commitments.”
I glanced at my friend. She leaned against the wall behind her with her arms wrapped around his brother. The two seemed lost in their own world.
Koby moved his hand over his head and brought his cup to his mouth, slowly nodding and watching me over the rim.
“A’right. It’s all good.” He scanned the club. “Guess I’ll get with you another time then.”
Stoically, I nodded.
Koby leaned down and I held my breath, preparing to move, but instead of kissing my lips he kissed my cheek. “You be safe, sweetheart.”
Pushing out a deep breath, I nodded again.
It sucked that things had come to this because before Kairus Koby would have been my type. It made me wonder if I was ruined for any guy going forward.
A yawn left my mouth as I started coming out of my sleep. My eyes fluttered and I went to sit up, but my arms wouldn’t move. Snatching my eyes open, I struggled against the restraints and attempted to sit up.
“What the fuck!” I shouted and tried to move my legs but they too were tied down.
“Nice of you to join us,” Kairus’s voice sounded, sending a chill through my body. Nothing about it sounded friendly. It was low and emotionless.
“Kairus,” I breathed, eyes shooting around the room once they were fully open. He soon came into view, hovering over the bed with empty eyes. I inhaled deep while my heart slammed against my ribcage. My skin prickled and the hairs on the back of my neck rose.
“Kairus,” I tried again as my stomach flipped. I didn’t know what was going on or why he had tied me to the bed. From how he watched me, it was clear he was unhappy about something.
“You’ve been a naughty girl, Beauty, and you know what happens to naughty girls, right?”