Ryland #3
“Hi, sweetheart. How you holding up?”
“I’m good, Ma.”
“Are you?” she questioned in that way that brought a smile to my face. She was ready to take on the world and fight anyone who harmed me. Folks didn’t play with a Black mother when it came to how they would ride for their children.
“I am. I promise. Just been a long couple of days. I need to wrap my head around all this and find my footing.”
“The team is not going to trade you. I will not let that happen,” she asserted, like she really had a say. I smiled, amused by her confidence. In reality, I wouldn’t doubt that she would fly out here and give everyone in that front office hell.
“We’ll see. My team’s working on some things.”
“I just don’t understand. You’ve given them so much. Could you be better with your personal affairs, sure, but that has nothing to do with you showing up on the field. It’s not fair.”
“It’s politics, Ma. Not much I can do about it.”
I wouldn’t dare tell her the real reason behind all this.
“Well, I don’t like it.”
Shit, neither do I.
“Me either but I’ll deal with it.”
“How’s Rylee and Somee? They getting settled?”
“They are. She loves her room.”
“Oh good. I knew she would.”
My mother made me video call when it was done so I could show her.
She was almost in tears. Hell, she probably cried after we ended the call.
She was proud of me for stepping up with Rylee.
Initially, it’d hurt her feelings that I denied her the ability to care for Rylee but she understood why I needed my sister with me and made peace with my decision.
“I was thinking maybe your father and I would fly out for a visit.”
I sighed and yanked a hand down my face. “Yeah, you can do that, but not right now. I think it’s best if she gets used to her life here without being reminded of her life there.”
“Right, you’re right.”
She sounded so damn disappointed that I almost told her I’d buy tickets for them to come out but I needed to do this my way.
“But soon though, okay?”
“Soon,” she repeated, sounding happier.
“I’m about to crash though. I barely got any sleep last night and my body is cursing me for it. I’ll call you in a few days.”
“Okay, sweetheart. I love you and I’m so proud of you. Rylee may not understand all that you’re doing for her now but one day she will.”
I sent up a silent prayer because I damn sure hoped so. I needed my sister to know she would always have me. Same as I could count on always having Miranda and Orlando.
“I got her, just like I know y’all got me.”
“We do. Get some rest.”
“Aight, love you.”
“Love you more.”
I ended the call and lifted from the sofa. Maybe I had been too occupied to think about it, but right at that moment, I realized my body was aching. My muscles were tight and tired and my mind started shutting down. I needed sleep, in my bed.
I dragged myself up the stairs and was about to head to my room when I decided to make two stops.
The first was at the opposite end of the hall where I peeked in on Rylee.
She had one arm thrown above her head and one leg kicked out, the covers hanging off the side.
I grinned at Somee saying she slept like a Tasmanian devil when I asked what size bed I should get.
I pulled the door closed, but made sure it wasn’t completely, then headed to Somee’s room.
The door was partially open and I frowned, knowing I couldn’t knock to announce myself.
I took a risk and pushed the door open, sticking my head in.
Somee stood in the center of the room, wrapped in a towel with the TV remote in hand.
She looked frustrated so I entered the room fully, waving to get her attention.
Her eyes scanned me before she tugged at the towel, checking to make sure it was secure. I was hoping it wasn’t and the thought of it dropping to the floor made my dick swell.
“Can’t get it to work?” I signed.
She shook her head. “I might need to log you into my account. No one uses this room.” I extended my hand, requesting the remote.
She handed it over and lifted the clothes from the bed, returning a few minutes later dressed in shorts and a T-shirt.
The scent of coconut and mango was stronger even though it’d lingered after she left.
She stood next to me, watching while I navigated to the log in, adding my email address and password. Once I was signed in, I handed over the remote.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I paused, not wanting to leave but knowing I had to. “I’m heading to bed. You need anything?”
She shook her head and used one hand to sign, “I’m fine.”
“Good night,” I returned.
She tucked the remote under her arm and signed good night. On my way to my room, I had to figure out how the hell I was going to survive having this woman in my house and keep her out of my bed. Because at this point, it was evident that was exactly where I wanted her.
Thirty minutes later I was showered and dressed in shorts with my mind on the woman down the hall and a hard dick. I scrolled through my phone several times, searching through my contacts to decide if there was someone I felt like hitting up to handle this situation but came up empty.
There were plenty who would be more than willing to meet me with no advance warning and could get the job done, but none of them appealed to me at the moment. I tossed my phone onto the bed and decided to smoke instead.
I moved to my closet, removed my stash from the drawer centered in my island, and rolled something that would have me blazed by the second pull.
Under normal circumstances, I would have burned one in my room, but wasn’t sure how it would travel and decided it was best to put some distance between me and Rylee.
The last thing I needed was Somee giving me shit about secondhand smoke.
My original plan was to head to the basement, but I didn’t want Rylee to wake up and not be able to find me. I had a feeling I would be the last thought if something went down, with Somee being her first stop. However, I still wanted to be accessible but I hadn’t shown them the basement.
I found my way to the kitchen, filled one of the chairs at the table, and blazed, feeling relaxed the minute the smoke filled my lungs. I smirked and tipped my head back knowing my guy had the most potent shit I could get my hands on. He’d get my money every single time.
By the time I was halfway done and feeling nice, my mood was further enhanced by the woman who appeared in the kitchen.
She was still dressed in a long sleeved tee and those little ass shorts barely visible beneath.
She wrinkled her nose and swung her head in my direction before her hands started moving.
“You’re trying to get the entire neighborhood high.”
I smiled lazily and touched my nose with my pointer finger, sweeping it forward before touching my chest, and held up my pointer and index fingers, bringing them to my lips to ask if she minded if I smoked.
“It’s your house.”
“I know. I’m still asking if you mind,” I signed lazily, managing to do so while holding the blunt.
“I don’t mind. Water?”
“They’re in the pantry. I don’t drink them cold, sorry.” I pointed to the corner and her eyes followed the motion before her gaze was on me again.
“I don’t either.”
I tossed my chin. “Can you bring me one?”
She nodded and moved that way. Her ass wasn’t the biggest but her hips were wide and she had thick thighs.
Everything about her build was well proportioned for her size.
I wasn’t disappointed at all. When she handed me the water, she didn’t sit, so I grabbed the chair adjacent to the one I was in and pulled it from underneath the table.
“Kick it with me for a minute.”
I half expected her to come up with an excuse to bail but she surprised me and sat.