23. Lennox #2
The door opened behind us a few minutes later, and Rook stepped out. One look from him let me know he had finished what he needed to do. I pulled Reiana closer while Rhyse stayed beside me. For the last two hours, finding them had been the only thing that mattered.
Now that I had them back, Dorian now had my full attention.
***
By the time we got back to Reiana’s house, Rhyse had fallen asleep, so I carried him inside, but he woke up as soon as we got inside. Rook locked the door behind us before walking over to Reiana.
“Damn, Ree. It’s been a long ass time.” He smirked as he pulled her into a hug.
“Apparently, not long enough,” she countered as she cut her eyes at me.
“Nigga, back up,” Rhyse grilled as he stood between Rook and Reiana. All I could do was shake my head while Rook laughed, because not a DNA test invented could tell me this wasn’t my son.
“Rhyse!” Reiana snapped as she pulled away from him.
“What?” He looked at her like he didn’t understand the problem. “I’on know him.” He shrugged.
“Boosie, chill,” I chuckled. “That’s your Uncle Rook,” I explained to my son because he looked like he wanted to beat Rook’s ass for being that close to his mama.
Rhyse looked between us before shrugging. “Oh… my bad.”
“Little nigga was ready to press me over his mama,” Rook laughed.
I looked over at him. “Let me get them straight. I’ll be back.”
“Take your time,” he said before heading back toward the front of the house.
I kept my arm around Reiana as we headed upstairs and looked over at Rhyse. “Get your stuff together for your bath, Boosie. Let me get your mama situated, and I’ll be back to check on you.”
“Yes, sir,” he complied as he went into his room.
While Rhyse went into his room, I walked Reiana into hers. She looked exhausted, and the second we were alone, everything she had been holding in started showing on her face.
“You need anything?” I asked as I pulled her close.
“I just want to get out of these clothes and take a shower,” she responded.
“Go ahead. I’m gone check on Rhyse, then I’ll be back.”
She nodded before walking into the bathroom, and I waited until I heard the shower turn on before leaving the room. Rhyse was pulling his pajamas out of a drawer when I stepped into his room, with his towel and underwear already on the bed.
“Aye, you got everything?” I asked once I was fully inside of the room.
“Yes, sir.” He grabbed a shirt and tossed it with the rest of his things before looking at me. “Is Mama okay?” He asked.
“Yeah, she’s fine,” I assured him as best as I could.
He nodded, but I could still see the concern on his face. I walked over and pulled him into a hug before kissing the top of his head. “Go take your bath. Take your time and get yourself together and I’ll come back before you go to sleep.”
“Okay, Dad,” he agreed.
I walked out the room with him and made sure he was straight in the bathroom before heading back to Reiana’s room.
When I walked into the bathroom, she was already in the shower, standing beneath the water with her back to me.
I stripped out of my clothes and stepped in with her.
The moment she felt me behind her, she turned in my arms and broke down, releasing everything from today.
“I was so scared, Lennox,” she cried into my chest. “I tried to keep it together for Rhyse, but I was terrified,” she cried. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.” She continued to cry in my chest and I let her.
“Baby, don’t cry.” I pulled her tighter against me and kissed the top of her head.
“I got you... I got Rhyse. I pray nothing like this ever happens to y’all again but you gotta know I’m coming every single time,” I assured her as I rubbed her back.
“You know that, right?” I peered down in her tear-stained face before I kissed her lips.
She nodded against me, but the tears kept coming.
I didn’t try to make her stop or tell her everything was okay because I knew it would take more than being back home for her to feel that way.
I just held her until she finally started calming down on her own.
When she eased away from me, I reached for the soap and started washing her.
She stood there quietly while I washed her, being careful not to irritate the cut on her temple.
No words were exchanged as she got the other washcloth and started washing me the same way I did her.
Once we were both clean, we dried and redressed for the night.
The only difference was that she had on a nightgown while I dressed in black from head to toe.
“What happens now?” she asked softly as she clung to me.
“I kill Dorian,” I answered, rubbing my hand down her back. “He let his shit get too close to my fucking family and I’ain letting that shit slide… fuck a contract.”
Reiana stayed quiet for a few seconds before she spoke again. “I’on wanna know the details,” she admitted. “I just want all of this to be over.”
“And it will be,” I told her. “Once I handle him and the people responsible… it all will be.”
“What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?” she asked as she gripped me tighter.
“Stay here with our son and rest. You’ve had an eventful day, and you need to rest,” I replied. “You’on need to worry about what happens after I walk out that door.”
“That’s easier said than done,” she said quietly.
“I know, but I’on need you worrying about me, Ree,” I assured her.
“Just make sure you come back to us,” she breathed out.
“I always will,” I promised, tightening my arms around her. “I still love you, Ree,” I admitted, keeping her close. “Truth is… I never stopped.”
“Lennox…” she breathed out.
“I’m not saying it because of what happened tonight,” I continued. “I’ve been feeling that shit since you came back into my life. I was just too stubborn to say it.”
“I still love you too,” she admitted as she slid her arms around my neck. “I’on think I ever stopped loving you either,” she mentioned.
There was no need to respond after that. I simply kissed her so she could feel the words that I was saying. Finally breaking the kiss, I peered down at her and dropped one last kiss to her lips.
“I’m going to check on Rhyse before I leave,” I told her. “Get in the bed and try to rest.”
“I’ll try,” she replied. “Be careful, Lennox,” she damn near pleaded.
“Always, baby,” I assured her before kissing her once more. I held her for another second, then left the room and headed down the hall to check on my son.
Rhyse had finished his bath and was already in bed when I walked into his room. He looked over at me as I sat down beside him and rested my hand on top of his head.
“You feeling better?” I asked.
“A little… I’m just tired,” he responded.
“Get some sleep and I’ll check on you when I get back,” I countered.
He nodded and settled farther into his pillow, but when I started to stand, he stopped me.
“Dad?” He called out.
“Wassup, son?” I answered.
“I was so scared, but I had to be strong for my mama like you told me. I was so glad when you found us,” he voiced and that shit did something to me. Before I knew it, I pulled him into my arms and hugged him tight.
“I love you, son and ain’t a muthafucka breathing gone get in the way of that again. If I gotta turn this whole planet upside… I’ll always come get you. You understand that?” I asked him. He nodded. “I’ll always protect you, Lennyn and your mama with everything in me… aight?”
“Even Lennyn’s mama?” He asked with a smirk.
“Yeah… even Lennyn’s mama,” I chuckled before I kissed the top of his head and got up.
“Goodnight, Dad,” he uttered.
“Goodnight, son.” I gave him one last look before leaving his door cracked and heading downstairs.
Rook was still waiting for me when I made it back downstairs. Once I hit the bottom of the stairs, I grabbed my keys and looked over at him. “Let’s go,” was all I had to say for him to follow suit.