Chapter 13 #2
As beautiful as the cake was, it was hard to keep my eyes off it and on Laike.
The heaviness ingrained in his features and body language had me in a chokehold.
Cumbersome Laike didn’t appear often and when he did, I felt like it was my personal duty to relieve him of whatever stress resting within him.
“Thank you so much.”
“Luca and I got you something we thought you could use in the near future,” Ever explained.
“What?”
Ever dangled a set of keys between Baisleigh and I. “We found a truck for sale that used to be a mobile restaurant. The owner retired and had no use for it. It’s practically brand new. We were thinking that you could be amongst the many food trucks the city needs.”
“Get out of here! I’ve been thinking about this for so long. I just didn’t have the energy to put into finding a truck.”
“Now you have one,” Luca said.
“Oh my God. Thank you guys so much,” Baisleigh chanted, standing up and wrapping her arms around Ever’s neck and then standing in front of Luca, who was still holding her cake.
“Make a wish, birthday girl,” I encouraged.
Closing her eyes for a split second, Baisleigh made a wish before blowing out her candles. She returned to her seat and Luca placed the cake out of the way on one of the many counters in his kitchen.
“Where’s my gift, Laike?” she asked as soon as she sat down comfortably. One thing about Baisleigh, she didn’t let up when it came to my brother. She made him own up to his shit and keep his word.
“In my car.” He chuckled, probably thinking the same thing that I was.
“You got me one for real? Seriously?”
“Don’t I each year?”
“I don’t consider money a gift. There’s no thought put into that.”
“Well, good thing I didn’t get you money this year,” with a shrug, he told her.
“Ok, so go get it,” she instructed.
“Come with me,” he insisted.
Without hesitation, Baisleigh scooted her chair back and stood again.
Laike followed suit, tossing his dinner napkin on the table and leading her out of the room.
While everyone watched them exit, my eyes found Keanu’s again.
Although he was only a few feet away from me, I still felt like I missed him dearly.
I couldn’t wait for the moment we were alone, again.
“She’s over that nigga and he doesn’t even realize it.” My father grunted, “Hmph.”
“Oh, I think he is well aware. I’m happy she has put all of that behind her,” my mother followed up with.
“I think there’s still something there,” I opposed.
“A little,” Ever agreed, “but, definitely something.”
“If he got his shit together and stayed on her long enough, she’d finally give that nigga another chance. But he ain’t going to do that. It’s too much like right.” Luca shrugged.
“When it’s all said and done, he’s going to get her,” Keanu finally spoke.
Everyone had their own opinions about the two that had exited and returned ten minutes later. When Baisleigh sat back down, she was not empty-handed. The iciness of her wrist caused chill bumps to rise on my skin due to the sudden change in the temperature.
“Ok, money,” I joked.
“Isn’t it lovely?” She held her wrist in the air, twirling it so the diamonds could hit the light.
The AP that Laike had blessed her wrist with resembled mine. So did the rope around her neck. Laike had dropped a bag on Baisleigh for her birthday, and I wasn’t mad about it.
“It is.”
“Reparations,” she laughed, “reparations.”
“I know that’s right,” I agreed. “I know you said you don’t consider money a gift, but it’s about all I’ve got on me right now. Maybe this can help get your truck started with renovations.”
I stood, walked over to the counter that my purse was sitting on and removed the nine thousand dollars that Keanu had given me before he left this morning. It was supposed to go into my bank account, but I had other plans. I’d replaced the money, but for now, it was Baisleigh’s.
“That’s nine.”
I handed her the large stack of money before taking the seat beside her.
“I’ll transfer that back into your account,” Laike suggested.
“I think you’ve spent enough,” I reminded him, pointing at Baisleigh’s wrist.
“Not really.” Laike shrugged.
“Okay, big money. You know the routing and account number, then,” I replied.
“I do.”
Conversation continued as silverware collided with the glass plates over and over.
When everyone finished their helpings, Baisleigh’s cake was served as dessert and the celebration moved from the dining hall to the screened portioned of the gazebo that was heavily insulated for Channing winters and finished off with a long fireplace that was better than controlled heat.
Keanu, Luca, Laike, and my father busied themselves with a game of Spades while the ladies settled on the oversized sofa that could fit up to eight. Conversation pieces ranged from Ever’s birth plan to Baisleigh’s plans for the truck that Luca would have delivered to her home the following day.
“I’m going to empty my bladder and refill my cup,” I announced, standing from my seat and stretching my limbs. “Anybody need anything from the kitchen?”
“No.”
“I’m good. I want next at this table,” Baisleigh admitted.
“I’m fine,” Ever confirmed.
I left the crew outside and made my way into the house.
Out of sheer habit, I checked my phone for notifications but there were none.
Not even random messages from Collin who was still trying to figure out why I’d broken up with him over dinner the night that I left Channing for Maldives with Keanu.
Every few days, he’d send a random text that I ultimately ignored.
After responding to the first he’d sent, I figured there wasn’t a point of responding to the rest. I’d made it clear that our relationship was strictly business from the moment I left the restaurant that night and to use my business line if he needed me.
As I made my way through Luca’s home, the sweetness of the freshly cut cake served as the prominent fragrance.
I imagined how pleasantly surprise Baisleigh must’ve really been to know that Ever had put in the effort to make her day special.
Baisleigh’s family were always celebrating someone’s special day, so it was appalling that she wasn’t somewhere partying with them.
However, I understood her completely when she mentioned it being a year of peace and quiet for her.
I was applying the same sentiments to my life.
It had always been that way, but lately my life had seemed a bit unpredictable, especially with my accounting clients involved in my day-to-day.
So, getting back to my quiet and calm was high up on my priority list.
I closed the door behind me as my bladder began its foolishness.
It was as if as soon as I was close to the bathroom, suddenly I couldn’t hold my urine.
I wasn’t sure if your body knew when you were close to the toilet or the head started to play games.
Either way, the sudden urge was irritating, making me bounce around as I tried to unbuckle my belt and get my pants down.
“Ahhhhhhhhh.”
As I emptied my bladder. I closed my eyes and savored the feeling. It was unmatched. Every liquid I’d consumed in the last few hours since being at Luca’s was released.
I quickly wiped myself with the thick tissue I’d rolled on my hand.
The pink strip that appeared on the white cotton warned me that my time was near.
Within the next day or two, my period would bring on the pain that I wasn’t quite ready for.
Nevertheless, I was thankful for evidence of its presence.
After cleaning my hands, I dried them with the guest towels that Ever preferred over paper towels. Somehow the smell of them during her pregnancy with Lucas made it hard to keep her food down. Even at the sight of them, she’d turn green in the face.
I opened the door of the bathroom, expecting to race back to the backyard but was stopped in my tracks by a hard chest and familiar scent.
Keanu pushed forward, forcing me back into the bathroom and locking the door behind us.
Before I could begin to protest, his lips were on mine and his hands were tugging at my belt buckle.
“Keanu,” I rushed out once he turned my lips and tongue loose.
“I don’t give a fuck, Lyric,” he whispered.
I wasn’t sure how he’d managed to get my belt unbuckled, but I felt my pants at my knees.
He left my thong up on my waist but pulled it to the side.
Fucking me with my underwear on was a fetish of his that I’d recognized.
For that reason in particular, I’d spent a fortune on new, sexier panties than I already owned.
My collection was top tier, now. It hadn’t been mediocre before, but period panties and bloomers I wore on lazy nights were no longer in the lineup.
Even the ones I’d purchased for those menstruating days were seamless, soft, and appealing.
“My period is coming,” I warned.
“Good, then I’ll either knock that motherfucker on down or keep running red lights.”
He pulled the thin band of my thong to the side and palmed my ass. His large hands caressed my cheeks just before he lifted his right hand and brought it down on my right cheek. Hard and without remorse, he slapped it, simultaneously penetrating me.
“Keeeeaaaaaaannnnuuu,” I moaned as he entered me without warning.
“Fuck, this shit is ridiculous,” he complained.
I could feel my wetness lubricate his rod as he drove it into me over and over again. The ponytail I wore was easily wrapped around his left hand as he held my waist with his right. Forcing my eyes on his as we stared at each other through the mirror, Keanu never missed a beat.
“You see this shit?” he asked.
“Yeeeesss,” I moaned, forgetting that we were far from home and playing a dangerous, dangerous game.
“You look so fucking good.” He grunted, slapping my right cheek, again.