11. Daylin #3
“Yeah, my pops loves them and has them at every fucking thing he throws.” He whipped the steering wheel, and for a moment, I just admired his side profile. “Surprised you didn’t try ya fucking luck tonight.”
“I would’ve, but these heels are too high and too cute. Messing them up wasn’t worth my freedom,” I jested, cutting my eyes his way to confirm that he was smirking while watching the road. “Speaking of . . .” I took the heels off.
“Why you ain’t take ’em off inside the party?”
“Against women’s etiquette. Keep the shoes on until you leave.” I leaned down some to remove my other shoe and noticed Rakim watching me as we sat at the red light. “Why are you watching me?”
“You look beautiful.” He pulled off once the light changed.
I was surprised to hear him say that, but I played it off well.
“Thank you, but I disagree. The dress is just a simple black number, and my hair has seen better days. I didn’t even have product to style it right.”
“And still.” He glanced my way, and sadly, I couldn’t hide the way I blushed at his compliment.
“Thank you. Are you flirting?”
He squinted his eyes as he sped down the freeway as if he were thinking. “I think I’m just speaking facts more than flirting. You look beautiful. You are beautiful. Any nigga telling you that is speaking on the obvious. He gotta come harder than that to be considered flirting.”
“Hmm.” I thought on his words, fighting not to cheese like a fool. I didn’t care what he said, his compliment made me feel something. “I learned a lot about you tonight, Mr. Godfrey.”
“I figured your nosy ass would when I peeped you chopping it up with Big Mouth.”
Giggling, I said, “Yeah, Tarin is a piece of work. But how would your brother feel knowing you’re name calling his girlfriend?”
“She ain’t his damn girlfriend.” He laughed, brows bunched almost as if to say my comment was preposterous.
“Tarin told me they have been together for years and that he had a baby on her.”
“They were fucking for years, she got pregnant, then he got someone else pregnant. Tarin, being jealous, got knocked up again. Sort of like a baby competition or some shit.”
We chuckled in unison.
Damn, how different the actual story was, was crazy.
“Well, Miss Tarin told me a lot about you. I get why you and your twin aren’t close, and I don’t blame you.” I glanced his way, but he said nothing, stroking his beard some with his free hand. “What he did was dirty, and I don’t like LaMia’s ass either.” I scoffed, shaking my head.
“You ain’t gotta have beef with people for me, lil mama.” His eyes toggled between me and the road, a glimmer of amusement in his dark brown eyes.
“It’s not for you, it’s natural. You did what you did for her, and the bitch couldn’t even cheat with a nigga outside of your family.”
“And still I rise,” he jested, but I could see the subject wasn’t a joke to him just yet.
“Did you though, Rakim? You seem sad majority of the time.”
Licking his lips and expelling a subtle breath, he replied, “If I seem down, Daylin, I can promise you it ain’t because of LaMia. I got over that shit the minute it all settled in. I’m not sad, I’m not happy, I’m just chilling.” He gave me eye contact momentarily.
I didn’t know what to think about that. How was he fine with not being happy nor sad, . . . just chilling?
“Well, I toyed with that bitch a little bit, and that was actually for you.” I looked his way when I heard him snicker while shaking his head. “Told her I was gonna shoot my shot with you, and homegirl did her best to try to steer me away. She’s still feeling you, if you didn’t know.”
“You ain’t need to do that either. You a piece of work just like Tarin’s ass.”
“I can be.” I chuckled. “But I wanted to mess with her. It was the only thing I could do in order to keep myself from slapping her ass. And if you didn’t know, you’re the better-looking twin.
In fact, you even have the better personality though you kidnapped me.
” I pinched his solid bicep. Damn. “Your brother is an arrogant, disloyal piece of shit. And I can bet he abuses women,” I ranted.
“Hmph. At least you give me food and books.”
“You talk a lot.” He laughed. I loved his laugh.
“Well soon enough, if all goes well, my talking problem will be Shaun’s issue again.”
Rakim was silent for a beat, my comment clearly bothering him, as he drove for a bit before saying, “Low-key, you talking so much is comforting. I don’t say too much, usually in favor of observing shit, but also because I got so much on the brain.
” He nibbled on his full bottom lip momentarily.
“But hearing yo’ ass go on and on and on and on—” He paused to grin and glance my way—“is nice. Weirdly enough.”
He pinned his eyes on me again, and we both stared for longer than we should have. I fought the urge to reach up and caress the painful looking scar below his left eye.
This wasn’t good. I had a man at home, waiting for me, and I was developing feelings for a whole nother man. This wasn’t typical of me at all. I didn’t cheat or do anything I didn’t want Shaun doing, yet here I was, blushing, smiling, and flirting with Rakim.
It was hard though. The way he looked, his walk, his laugh, his aura, his cologne, his story . . . I found it all so intriguing. Shaun seemed so boyish in comparison, and I hated to think negatively of my man in favor of another.
We made it back to the ranch style house, and he walked me down to the room. I immediately hopped into the shower, and then once out, brushed, flossed, and used mouthwash.
“Trying to decide if I should continue to let you roam freely,” Rakim said as soon as I came out of the bathroom.
I could tell he’d showered as well since he was now in dark gray sweats, socks, and a wife beater. His tattooed guns were on display, and a do-rag was secured over his fade now.
“I’m not gonna try anything,” I promised.
We watched one another as I descended onto the bed, noticing the linen had been refreshed.
“I don’t wanna come back and you gone.”
Though I knew what he meant, his tone gave it an underlying meaning.
Before I could probe, his phone rang, and he answered. He spoke frantically, making me wonder what was going on.
“Everything okay?”
“I gotta go.” He rushed over, handcuffed me to the headboard, and left.
“Good night, Rakim,” I stated lowly since he was already out of the room.