Chapter 48 Trooper
Trooper
“Trooper, I’m fine. Will you stop hovering, please?” Sophie frowned at me as I stood over where she sat on the sofa with her laptop propped on her knees. She had been searching for a new place all morning and it pissed me off.
I understood she didn’t want to be in her old apartment after what had gone down with Oscar, but she could stay with me. I had plenty of room and had even suggested clearing one room out so she could decorate it for the baby.
“I know you’re fine, but I still don’t understand why you feel like you need to rush to get another place. I don’t mind you being here. You already know that.”
I was trying my best not to let my true feelings show, but it was hard because I felt that anger radiating from my body, so it had to show in my expression.
“Because it makes sense. This baby will be here soon and the last thing I need is to be stuck trying to get settled into a new place with a baby and—”
“Then it don’t make sense to do all that right now. Just stay here. Damn, you act like I’m putting you out.” My words came out strong, even though that wasn’t my intention.
“This is your place, Trooper. I’m not trying to force myself into your life like that. We’re already figuring things out with this baby. Moving in together is a big deal. It’s one thing if we spend a few nights together, but living together is completely different.”
“You meant what you said, I see,” I muttered, then walked off.
“Meant what?”
I heard her behind me, and sure enough, she was right there when I entered the kitchen.
“That you only wanted to co-parent. I see we’re still on that shit.”
Her expression dropped and she looked upset, but I really didn’t care.
“No, it’s not about that, but things are moving so fast I don’t want you to feel obligated.
That’s the fastest way for things to go wrong.
We’re in a good place, Trooper, and I don’t want to mess that up by making a spur of the moment decision like that. ”
“Obligated?” I laughed. “Sophie, I’m with you because I want to be. If I’m telling you to stop looking for gotdamn apartments, it’s because I want you here. Does that sound like I feel obligated?”
She looked at me with a blank stare before a smile stretched across her face.
“I’m not a mind reader, Trooper. You have to tell me what you want.”
“I told you, the fuck you mean?”
“No, you really didn’t. You just kept telling me I didn’t have to leave right now.
That’s not ‘Sophie I want you to stay’ or ‘I want you to move in with me’.
I know this is all new for you, but you have to tell me what you want.
If I assume and get it wrong, that complicates things, but if you just tell me, there’s no question about what you want. ”
I couldn't really say shit. She was right. Before now, I had never actually said I wanted her to live with me. I just kept trying to shut down her finding her own place.
“So you think you know shit, huh?”
“A little bit.”
She smirked and I lifted her onto the counter and separated her legs with my body. It had only been a few days since she had been home from the hospital, so the bruises were fading but still noticeable. I got pissed every time I laid eyes on them.
Leaning in to kiss her, I enjoyed the feel of her lips on mine, then pulled back.
“I want you to live here. You and the baby.”
“And what about all the women who feel they have the right to show up here?”
I chuckled. “Man, you damn near live here now. Have you seen any women at my door?”
“No, but it could happen, and if it does, I’m fucking them up and you too for not making it clear that you’re taken.”
“It’s cute as hell when you talk like that, but ain't nobody gon’ believe it, Sophie. You ain't scaring nobody.”
“It’s not cute. I mean it.”
“So you knocking bitches out just for showing up at my door?”
“Yep, I sure will.”
“First of all, you’re carrying my child, so that shit ain't happening. Second of all, there won't be no bitches at my door, so it’s all good.”
“Our door.”
I smiled at the look she gave me. She meant business and I was good with that. “Our door,” I repeated.
“See, was that so hard?” She smirked and grabbed my shirt, pulling me into another kiss.
“Hell yeah, it was. You’re stubborn as fuck and you might have told me no. Then I would have to lock you in here so you couldn’t leave. I already have enough shit on my plate right now and kidnapping you is not something I need to be fucking with.”
Sophie burst out laughing, then rolled her eyes.
“Kidnapping, really, Trooper?”
“Hell yeah and I mean it too. It would really complicate shit if I had to tell Story your ass just disappeared.”
“You’re happy he’s home,” she said with a slight grin.
“Yeah, I am. Are you?”
“I am. I just want to get to know him. My mother is happy, but she’s still married to William. William hates my father and I’m afraid tha—”
“Don’t worry about him. We’ll take care of him and he will not get anywhere near you again. He ain’t fucking with your mother either, trust me. Story ain’t trying to let that happen. I know I wasn’t there for you like I should have been, but trust me, it will not happen again.”
Sophie’s expression softened and she placed her hands on my face, looking right into my eyes before her lips met mine again.
“I don’t blame you and I’m not mad about it, at least not with you. If you could have been there, you would have been. I know that.”
“Doesn’t matter. I blame myself, but I’ll fix it.” I pulled her closer to me and lifted her shirt over her head.
After tossing it to the floor, I started at her neck and worked my way from her collarbone to her shoulder, planting kisses across her skin while she locked her ankles at the small of my back.
We hadn’t had sex since before all this shit went down and I was horny as hell. I was trying not to push after everything happened, but I really needed to feel her. She didn’t object, so I was rolling with it.
“I missed this,” she moaned against my lips after they were connected again.
“Good, ’cause I plan on making up for lost time.”
I pulled her closer so she was barely on the counter anymore, and just as I was about to lift her completely and carry her to the bedroom, the doorbell sounded.
“Fuck,” I mumbled, then pulled Sophie forward, lowering her to the floor.
She lifted her shirt and frowned at me. “That better be Los.”
I laughed, knowing she meant it better not be some random bitch.
“It’s not Los, but it’s not some random bitch either, so chill with your hostile ass. It’s Story. I forgot he mentioned he was coming by to check on you before we headed out.”
Sophie's face lit up like a little ass kid. It was cute as hell to watch and I was just glad they had the opportunity to try to build something.
“Get the door while I go throw on a shirt and handle this.” I looked down at the impression in my sweats, mad as hell I wasn’t about to be up in Sophie.
She pulled her shirt over her head before walking around me, but she made sure to let her hand move across my erection.
“Ay, keep it up and I’ll pull your ass in the bedroom and bend you over the dresser real quick. You’re already pregnant, so he knows we’re fucking. It will embarrass you more than me when I have you begging for mercy.”
Sophie burst out laughing and moved quicker to the front door. She knew I was serious and s better be glad I had respect for Story, otherwise I would damn sure make that happen.
I made my way down the hall just as I heard her open the door.
When I made it back to the living room, the two of them were side by side on the sofa, chatting away. Story stood when I entered the room and hugged me before he sat next to Sophie again.
“So maybe the three of us can have dinner tonight?” Sophie looked from me to Story.
She wanted the time with Story, but was really trying to figure out where we were heading and if it would keep me away from her all day.
“Yes, sure, sweetheart. Just call your mother and the two of you can make plans.”
She frowned at the mention of her mother, but nodded to agree, and Story kissed her cheek before he stood. Sophie was right behind him.
“What time should we expect you?”
“I’ll call you.” I pulled her against my body and kissed the side of her face. “You know I’m beating that pussy up tonight and it’s about to be a long ass day until I can.”
“Trooper,” she whispered, pushing me away from her. Story looked at both of us with raised brows.
I chuckled, knowing he hadn’t heard me but had an idea of what was going on. “She’s grown, Story.”
He smirked and shook his head. “Let’s go.”
When we reached the front of my building, Story pointed to the car out front, a nice ass Benz. He tossed the key toward me and moved straight to the passenger side.
“Why the fuck you giving me the key?”
“I’m not legal yet. I’m not trying to go back to prison over dumb shit.”
Once I was in the driver’s seat, I looked his way as he adjusted his seat to get comfortable.
“This yours?”
Story was set for life. I made sure of that, but there was no way he had time to pick this up. He had been there for me, so I damn sure saw to it that he had what he needed. Even if he never had the chance to spend it, I kept his accounts laced. The money was his and I would never spend it.
“Yeah, courtesy of William Prescott.” He smirked and I looked at him, confused.
“Lanni purchased it a few months ago. It’s been in a garage, never even been driven.
Apparently, she’s been spending his money buying shit for me.
A place in Manhattan and this car amongst other things.
The second she started planning for me to get out, she spent his money on shit like this.
She wanted to make sure I had what I needed when it happened. ”
“You don’t need that muthafucker’s money. You have your own.”
“True, but knowing I’m fucking her in a place his money paid for and driving around in a car he also purchased just makes shit so much sweeter. Why spend my money when I can spend his?”
I agreed and pulled away from the curb. As soon as we hit the first intersection, I looked over at him. “You didn’t fuck her in here, did you?”
“Hell no.” He looked my way and smiled. “I thought about it though.”
“Ay, from now on, I’ll drive my own shit. I want no parts of that.”
Story laughed but I was dead ass serious.
“Where to first?”
“The Prescott Agency.”
“Enough said.”
It was time to handle business.