Chapter 10 #2
He winked at her and she rolled her eyes before ducking her face into the crook of his neck. “I’m not like this with everyone so please don’t think I am,” she muttered against his warm skin.
“That thought didn’t cross my mind. I know you more than you think I do, but, now that you let me taste it, you can’t deny me. When I want to kiss between those legs, you have to open them up for me, aight.”
“Oh my god, please don’t do that.”
“What, I’m deadass. So don’t think you’re gonna tell me no.”
“And if I do?”
“Then set an appointment to hook me up to one of your fancy machines so you can see my broken heart because my shit will be shattered irreparably until you let me have it again.”
“You’re going to cause me problems.” Nyelle lifted her head and stared into his eyes. She could see something there, a need for her.
Vega chuckled and nodded. “So are you, which is why this shit is gonna work. Come on, I need to go wash you off me and you need to get ready for work.”
The idea of separation had Nyelle pouting. “I have time.”
“Yeah, but I don’t. If I stay, you aren’t making it to work because I’m gonna be back between your legs until them orgasms put your ass to sleep.”
She sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled at the thought. Her clit pulsed like it had a heartbeat of its own, but she eased off his lap. There was no way she would take that chance with Vega because she was sure he would deliver.
When they were both on their feet, he pulled her into his body and tilted her head back to gain access for a kiss. “I’ll see you tonight though, right?”
“Nick comes home today.”
“Damn, aight, so let me know when I can see you. I know you’ll be wrapped up with your shorty.”
Nyelle nodded, a little disappointed, but she missed Nick and was ready for him to be home. “If I get a free minute, I’ll let you know.” She didn’t want Vega to think she wasn’t just as eager to see him, but Nick was her priority.
“Aight bet, do that, because I’ll take what I can get.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead then took long strides to the door, tossing out his last two things. “Lock up and have a good day, Pretty Ny.”
Her pulse rushed and her cheeks strained as she thought about Vega. Only one word would suffice. Damn.
It had been two days and Nyelle hadn’t seen Vega once.
They had talked and texted several times.
He sent food to her job for lunch both days but had it delivered instead of bringing it himself.
She was disappointed but understood she had no claim to him.
He had also mentioned to her several times that he was working on a few business deals that required his focus.
She knew who he was and assumed it was him getting acclimated to the streets after being locked up for three years, but she also knew he was working on having a legal hustle.
Even if he made no mention of leaving the drug thing alone anytime soon, she could tell Vega wanted more than just street money.
She also had no guarantee that Vega had his hands in anything illegal but assumed based on what little she knew about him.
The two days without seeing Vega dragged but work had her super busy and with Nick being home, she didn’t have much time to allow the monotony of life to affect her.
Like right now, Nick was at her side bouncing in place, talking a mile a minute about some kid named Conner from his daycare having a birthday party at NitroZone and how exciting it was that he was invited.
Nyelle was secretly brooding because the last thing she wanted to spend any of her Saturdays surrounded by was a bunch of snotty-nosed bad ass kids whose fathers were trying to hit on her while their mothers were side-eyeing because of it.
It might have sounded arrogant, but Nyelle was admired, she was pretty, had a nice body, and kept her clothes on point.
She always presented respectably, considering she was a mother and had to be around other parents, but that didn’t stop men from checking her out or women from being pissed because the men did.
Nyelle keyed her security code and opened the door to let them in while Nicolas darted past her, stopping only a few feet away to remove his backpack. He tossed it over the sofa then turned to his mother.
“We have to get him a present. A really nice one. When can we go?” Nyelle loved her son too much to kill his joy, so she pushed out a deep breath.
“How about we get him a gift card and he can get whatever he wants.”
Nick frowned a bit, processing the thought. “But that’s not a good gift.”
“That’s a dope gift, chief. Remember for your birthday when you got to go shopping and buy all the shit you wanted with the gift cards you got?”
“Daddy.” Nick ran full speed and jumped into his father's arms. Reese kneeled down enough to catch him and hugged his son tightly against his chest.
Nyelle watched the scene, happy that her son was getting to see his father after months, but she was pissed that he was there unannounced.
“What’s up, chief? I missed you.” Reese brushed his hand across his son's hair before he hugged him tight again.
“But you didn’t come to see me in a long time, Daddy.” Nick’s little face balled up into a pout, causing Reese’s chest to tense a little. He looked past Nick and caught the glare Nyelle sent his way.
“I know, chief. Daddy’s been really busy. I’ll make it up to you, though.”
“You like that baby more than me now, don’t you?”
Nyelle’s heart broke at her son's insight and anger pushed through her so quickly that she possessed the ability to murder Reese with her bare hands for hurting their son.
“Nah, chief, it’s not like that. She’s your sister, so I love her like I love you. She’s just little and needs me more right now. You’re a G, so I know you can miss a little time with me.”
“But I don’t want to. I want you here with Mommy and me. Mommy needs you too. Don’t you, Mommy?” Nick looked over his shoulder at his mother, oblivious to the dynamic between her and his father.
“Mommy has you, chief. You’re my little man, right?’
Nick was instantly happy again, desperate for his father’s approval. “Yes, I’m a man like you. I paid for my own haircut too like you taught me. Mommy gave me money.”
“Word? That’s what’s up, a man always pays his way.”
“And men don’t cheat, Nick. Remember that too,” Nyelle tossed out, tone clipped and sarcastic.
“I don’t cheat. I play fair with my friends.”
Reese was grateful his son had no idea what his mother was talking about but sent a heated stare her way to which she rolled her eyes.
“Ay, let me holla at your mother real quick, then I’ll take you to get something to eat. You wanna do that?”
Nick nodded wildly and Reese pressed his forehead to his son’s. It was intimate and his way of showing love. “Aight, go to your room for a minute and watch TV. I’ll call you when we’re ready to leave.”
“Okay, I missed you, Daddy.” Nick threw his arms around Reese's neck and hugged him tightly before he wiggled out of his father's embrace, allowing Reese to set him on his feet where he took off toward his room.
“Why you gonna say some dumb shit like that to him, Ny? He’s a kid and doesn’t have any business in the middle of what we have going on.”
“If that’s the case, then stop putting him in the middle. Every time you don’t show up, and I have to convince him that he’s just as important as your daughter, you put him in the middle of what we have going on. So miss me with that shit, Reese. And why are you here.”
“Don’t start with that shit. I’m not trying to argue with you. I want to try to figure out how to fix this.”
It wasn’t until then that Nyelle noticed that his features had softened and there was pleading in his eyes.
It did nothing to her, at this point she didn’t care.
He had betrayed her in the worst way, broken her trust and crushed her heart.
She was not going to allow him the opportunity to do that again.
“There’s nothing to fix. You had a choice to be faithful to me and you made the decision not to.”
“So I fuck up once and you’re done? After everything that we been through, you’re just gonna say fuck this and fuck me.”
Reese was angry. He knew she had every right to do just that.
Michelle wasn’t the only one, she was simply the only one he got caught with.
There was no hiding the baby after a certain point and he wouldn’t.
He loved his daughter, but trust, he would have asked Michelle to get rid of the baby, knowing that having it meant the possibility of losing Nyelle.
That shit hurt, it hurt bad, but he didn’t have anyone to blame but himself.
“I’m not doing this with you. I loved you for a long time. I still have love for you, but I can’t put myself out there anymore, not with you.”
“Not with me? The fuck is that supposed to mean. I hope you don’t think you’re about to—”
“When I’m ready, I will most definitely be with someone else. And if you’re about to pull that ‘you can’t be with anyone but me’ bullshit, then don’t waste your time or energy. I don’t owe you anything. Not one gotdamn thing. I gave it all to you and you know what you did…”
She was all up on him and the only thing preventing Nyelle from being in his face was their height difference.
“Chill, Ny…”
“No. You fucking chill. You know what you did with it, you shit on it like I didn’t matter to you, so don’t ever in your life think you have a say in what I do, who I’m with, or who I love. Trust, it’s no longer your business, and if you try me on it, I will make your life a living hell.”
The look they shared had Reese gritting his teeth. She knew things about him, a lot of things that could really hurt. Money, drugs, guns, bodies but when he let her in, he never expected that they would one day be on opposing sides. He never planned to hurt her; the shit just happened.
“Are you threatening me, Nyelle? Because if you are, then you better rethink that.”
“It’s not a threat baby, it’s a promise. Let me go because I’ve already let you go. All I want from you now is to take care of your son. He needs you, I don’t.”
The two had a standoff until Reese chuckled and moved his tongue over his lips.
Something he did when he was at a loss for words.
She knew it too. The worst part was that Reese was well aware that she was right.
She didn’t need him. She had a good job, he would never not take care of his son.
Nyelle was smart, beautiful, and damn sure worth having.
Any man in their right mind would step up.
She didn’t need him, but he wasn’t ready to let go.
“Chief…” Reese yelled out for his son but kept his eyes on Nyelle. Nick came barreling down the hall, ending their moment.
“Are you ready, Daddy?” He beamed, moving to his father's side.
“Yeah, chief, kiss your mama and tell her you’ll be back in a little while.”
“She can go right, do you want to go too, Mommy?”
“No baby, you go. I’m tired and want to relax for a while. Have fun with your dad. I know he misses you..”
Nick ran to his mother and threw his arms around her legs before moving back to his father.
The two made their way to the door, and as Nick yelled his goodbyes to his mother, Reese and Nyelle shared a strained look.
Him communicating that this wasn’t over and Nyelle communicating that it was.
Only time would tell who was right and who was wrong.