Chapter 14
She was scrubbing a plate when I dried my hands and whipped out my phone. Her eyebrow raised instantly. “What’s wrong?”
“Your car,” I reminded her, scrolling through my contacts until I got to the right one. “I told you I’d handle it.”
“Kade, it’s…”
My boy Malcolm picked up on the second ring. “What up, nigga?”
“Shit. I need a favor.”
“What’s the word?”
“Got a car on Route 47 that needs to be towed. Silver Honda. Broke down yesterday.”
“Damn. Route 47? That’s out past–”
“Yeah, I know. Can you grab it?”
“When?”
“ASAP,” I told him, glancing over at Stormie, wiping down the counter with an attitude. I ignored it.
“Today? Bro, it’s Sunday.” Malcolm complained.
“I know what day it is. Can you do it or nah?”
He sighed. “Yeah, aight. I got you. Where you want me to take it?”
“Your shop. I’ll swing by tomorrow, and we can start the process to junk it.”
“Aight. Send me the exact location.”
“I gotchu.” I hung up and looked at Stormie. She was staring at me, dish towel in her hands, eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Junking my car? Kade, I’ve had that car since…”
“1849. Yeah, I know.” I chuckled, and she swatted me with the dish towel.
“Shut up!”
Pulling her close to me, I told her, “Look, I know you’re used to being independent, but you know I gotchu. Always have.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it, like she didn’t know what to say. I could see her trying to process it–the fact that I’d just taken care of it without asking, without waiting for her to figure it out herself.
“I just…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I lifted Stormie’s chin with a finger so I could look her in the eye when I said this shit.
“Storm, you’re mine now, and I take care of what’s mine.
” She didn’t respond. She just stared at me, her chest rising and falling a little faster.
I reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You gon’ argue with me about this?”
“Maybe.” She bit her lip, and I could see the war happening behind her eyes.
The part of her that wanted to be independent, handle her own shit, not rely on anyone.
And the part of her that liked this. Liked me taking charge.
Liked being claimed. Finally, she rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Fine. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I kissed her forehead and stepped back, grabbing my phone to text Malcolm the location. Stormie went back to wiping down the counters, but I could feel her watching me out of the corner of her eye.
After a minute, she said, “So what happens now? I just… buy a new bus pass until I can save up for another car?” She shook her head in disbelief, and I could tell she wasn’t actually mad. Just... adjusting. To me. To this. To the fact that I wasn’t letting her handle everything on her own anymore.
I leaned against the counter, “I’m gonna get you a new car.”
She glanced at me. “What?”
“You’ve needed a new car for a minute now. I’m getting you one.”
“Kade, you are not buying me a car. I don’t need you to take care of me like that.”
“Too bad. Now, do you wanna argue about it or fuck about it?”
She stared at me, her mouth open, like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You can’t just... decide that.”
“I just did, Stormie.”
“Kade.”
“What kinda car you want?”
With folded arms and a pout, she huffed. “I’m not answering that shit.”
“SUV? Sedan? Something smaller?”
“I’m serious. I’m not letting you buy me a car.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
Stormie rolled her eyes and balled her fists, cracking her knuckles. I just watched her. I could see her trying to come up with an argument, but she didn’t have one. Because she knew I was right. She did need a new car. And she knew I was going to get her one whether she liked it or not.
“This is crazy,” she said finally.
“Nah, this is your man taking care of you.”
She stared at me, her chest rising and falling, and I smirked when I noticed the exact moment she realized I wasn’t backing down. “You get on my nerves sometimes.”
“You’ll live.” I stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the heat coming off her. “You done arguing?”
“No.”
“Yes, you are.” I kissed her, hard, shutting down whatever bullshit protest she was about to make.
When I pulled back, her eyes were full of lust. I kissed her again, slower this time, and I felt her melt against me.
Her hands came up to my chest, gripping my shirt, and I knew she wasn’t thinking about the car anymore. She was thinking about this dick.
Stormie shook her head, but she was smiling. “What am I gonna do with you?”
“Right now, whatever I tell you to.” I scooped her up, causing a squeal to slip from her lips. I needed to remind her how this would go from now on. Shit was different now. Yeah, we’d always be friends, but Stormie was my woman now. She needed to know I had her in every way possible moving forward.