Chapter 32
She couldn’t sleep in the bed. Not without Markus on what she deemed to be his side of the bed now.
She tried, tossed and turned, inhaled his scent off the pillow, but sleep didn’t come.
Her mind ran on a loop. Now, sleeping without him, after becoming conditioned to him just a touch away, was foreign.
The doorknob rattled, and the app alerted her that someone was on her stoop.
She groaned as she reached for the phone on the kitchen counter.
Reign’s eyes darted from the cup of Sleeptime Tea from The Majestic Café they’d gone to the other day to the end of the couch.
She found herself missing him. He’d come into her orbit so abruptly.
It was dizzying as he knocked things about, but as chaotic as it was, it was needed.
Tired, she checked the app, and in tandem, Markus entered as quietly as he could. He kicked his boots off by the door and tiptoed into the kitchen. Her tired voice startled him.
“You don’t have to tiptoe. I’ve been up since ten.”
Markus stopped, took her in, and groaned. “You haven’t slept at all?”
She shook her head no. “Apparently, I miss you.”
A relieved smirk crossed his face.
“What’s that look about?” Reign asked, pushing the bow of her bonnet out of the way. “You thought I was going to run away?”
Markus moved into her space, groaning when the softness of her scent hit his nose. Reign turned in the barstool, so she could accept him into her space. He lifted her chin, peppered kisses from her forehead down to her lips.
“You weren’t gonna make it far because you don’t want to leave. And I don’t want you to leave.”
Reign hugged his waist and rested her head against his hoodie-covered midsection. “What are you doing to me. I want to sleep, but I can’t sleep without you. Are you a wizard or something?”
She lifted her head. “Am I under a spell?”
Markus rumbled in laughter before picking her up and placing her on the countertop. “More like I’m under yours. I’m not complainin’ though. You got a few hours before you got to go in, what do you need?”
“You under me because the tea is finally kicking in, and I really need sleep,” Reign muttered in a whine against him. “After you wash the gun powder off. Busy night?”
“Light night. Just some straightening before heading to The Port later on,” he shared.
Reign’s eyes popped open just enough, showing concern before she caught herself.
There was a bolt of fear that went through her, but she needed to disguise it.
She needed to keep her past in the past. She refused to bring the darkness she experienced into this new, fresh, breathtaking experience with a gangster cloaked in tattoos.
Who he was should have caused alarm, but that look – that soft gaze he had when he peered at her silenced the bells.
Soothed any residual warning from trauma
“What’s the look?” Markus posed his arms, boxing her in.
She tangled her legs around his and huffed. “Considering I can’t sleep because you weren’t here to hold my foot is telling. You’re turning me into a cling and I don’t like that. Life was easier when I refused to speak to you.”
Reign attempted to unravel herself from him, but he refused her exit.
“Be all over me. I like it. Nah, that not talkin’ shit was aggravating. Not gon’ hold you.”
Reign tiredly rolled her eyes. “You would like it. You strike me as the type who likes your woman falling at your feet. Yeah, let me get up out of here.”
He nipped her lip. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere but to bed. And nah, I don’t like women falling at my feet or nowhere near me. That shit is aggravating, too. Pick me type shit. You ain’t that.”
Reign hummed. “Talkin’ that talk and I’m too tired to do anything about it. What’s in The Port? Business trip, I’m assuming?”
“Somethin’ like that,” he started. “A supplier. I’ll be gone for two days. Nia is staying with you. That cool?”
“Yes, that’s fine, but you knew that already. You wearing a suit?” Reign questioned, brow raised.
“Don’t own one,” Markus admitted, prompting Reign’s hands to glide up and down his chest.
“We’ll change that when you get back. I need sleep and so do you,” Reign groaned.
“Keep rubbin’ on me, you won’t be sleepin’,” he muttered against her cheek, then picked her up. “Come on.”
Without pants on, Reign wiggled her leg between Markus’ and stared at him in the dark. This feeling of safety and comfort was starting to settle into her bones, rest on her spirit. His hold became warmer, and he nuzzled against her.
“I’m goin’ to miss you too. Which is some wild shit considerin’ my whole life I’ve never let a woman this close to me.”
“You’ve had a whole girlfriend,” Reign stated.
“And she never saw my heart. I don’t expose that shit, but you got to be digging into a niggas chest or some chest.”
Reign took a deep breath, then exhaled. “Same.”
Morning came like a thief, stealing time, rest, and ease and replacing them with reality.
Like every other morning together, they ate, but the banter was missing.
Her nerves were swirling in her stomach when she heard Javier’s name.
She wasn’t supposed to be listening to his conversation with Svyn.
However, that was hard to do when the call was on speaker.
“I’m not trying to party with this nigga,” Svyn huffed. “Every time we step into a party shit always goes left.”
“No, nigga. You always go left. Listen, we appease the nigga, Javier. Get in and get out with the pipeline. Nigga’s already grumbling about the drought, and it hasn’t even been a full twenty-four hours off the street.
I’m not trying to have a bunch of dead junkies because niggas got creative with bad product. ”
“Yeah, you right. You got the money?”
Markus turned slightly, finding Reign zipping up her boots and donning her coat. She stood a few feet away from the duffle bags. “Yeah. Money is good. I’ll see you at the airport. Dumb and dumber on their flight?”
Svyn chuckled. “After having a shoving match outside the airport, their stupid asses are on the way. I’m starting to think those niggas are remedial.”
“Starting?” Markus questioned. “They’ve been fuckin’ slow. That’s why I tried keepin’ them close. Last night was just another display of fuckin’ incompetency.”
“Tell me these niggas aren’t going to be in this meeting?”
Markus rumbled in laughter. “Who the fuck you think I am? Get off my line.”
“Aight,” Svyn said, sharing before hanging up.
Markus shook his head and slipped the phone into his pocket, and took Reign in. Shoulders pinned to her ears, movements sharp, brows creased. “I can see your wheels spinnin’ from here. Come talk to me.”
She grabbed her bag and offered him a faint smile. “You’re going to be late.”
“I’m not. Not flying out until eleven. I need to make sure my lady eats. She got this thing where she’ll work all day and forget to eat.”
Reign rolled her eyes and watched him sit on the arm of the couch and gestured her over.
She waded, nibbling at the plumpness of her lip with the need to tell him, but kept it close to her chest. He needed Javier’s pipeline; she wouldn’t sabotage that.
Reign’s feet ambled to him, stopping once she stood between his legs, and his hands found themselves under her skirt, caressing her skin through the opaque tights she wore.
“I don’t know this lady you got. Sounds like she doesn’t listen,” Reign spoke, placing her hands on his shoulder. “Packed the Motrin for your shoulder.”
“I did, but the pain is a reminder. I’m good. You good?”
Reign gave him a faint smile. “You made sure I was good well into the morning.”
Markus rumbled in laughter against the fabric of her dress. “Only bright side about me leaving is you’ll get through the night untouched.”
Reign groaned, her hands moving from his shoulders to his tattooed neck. “We went over this. I just want you to be safe. That’s all.”
“You sure?” he posed.
“I’m sure,” she replied with half the truth. Markus pulled away and looked up at her. His eyes pierced through her – seeing her again. His wisdom chose to let her have this, for right now. When he got back, he’d address that moth of fear floating around that flame of the unspoken trauma.
Markus pulled her face down to meet his. A gentle kiss. Assuring, poured to the brim with fullness. “I got to get back to you. Always safe.”
“Okay,” she hummed, allowing herself to melt in his hold. “Let’s go before I find a reason for you to stay.”
A soft tap to her ass and another kiss to her face, he stood and escorted her out of the house to his awaiting car. They enjoyed breakfast tucked away from public view, and when he walked her into the salon, she felt that weight come back.
“Nia will be over here-”
“Around seven. She said something about dinner and clubs and fuck these niggas,” Reign completed his sentence, releasing a giggle.
Markus grabbed her by the waist and grumbled in her ear. “You playin’ like you don’t have the top killer in the city wrapped around your finger. Don’t get nobody put down ‘cause you playing.”
Reign allowed herself to rest in his crazy and his warmth – a magical mix. “I was just joking.”
“I hear you giggling. Don’t let Nia get her ass in trouble,” Markus shared, kissing her cheek and letting her go once the first stylist strolled through the back door. “Call you.”
“I’ll answer,” she assured, combating the chill of the separation. “Safe.”
“Safe,” he promised, heading toward the back door.
Once Markus was out of the salon, Reign started moving around, opening it up for business. The two moved around each other in silence before Kay-Dee broke it.
“How’d you bag him?” she asked more nosey than truly curious. Reign looked over her shoulder and caught the envy in her eyes. She accepted that that wayward, misdirected envy was something that came with the territory.
She creased her brows slightly before laughing off the question. “What do you mean?”