Chapter 11
Iwas in such a happy mood when I left work.
All I wanted to do was buy the last pieces I’d need for Sugar Baby’s home so I could spend next week looking for accent pieces and décor, then spend the evening with my man.
Imagine my surprise when I walked into my home and found it trashed,… and I do mean trashed.
Windows were busted, my new sofa was slashed.
They’d broken every piece of crystal I had and all the plates and glasses in the kitchen.
The walls in the hallway looked like they’d hit them with hammers.
My mattresses had been pulled off the beds and tossed outside and burned.
The walls of my bedroom were painted black with a message—if we can’t have the house, neither will you.
It was clear my cousins did this, and that broke my heart even more.
I didn’t even bother checking the security cameras before I called Draco, and he told me he was on his way and not to call the police.
I cried until he came, then I cried a little more. It didn’t matter how much he told me he was going to take care of it; I was still heartbroken. My cousins had done a lot of crazy shit to me over the years, but this was taking it too far.
We looked at the security footage, and sure enough, Cam, Brandon, and Megan came in and did damage.
I expected the boys, but not Megan. Then again, she didn’t have a reason to hate me, and she’d done scandalous shit before.
As much as I hated fighting, a part of me wanted to pull up on her and beat her ass, because I knew Draco would do the same to Cam and Brandon, and I wouldn’t feel guilty about it one bit.
Even though I knew it, I still cringed when he told me it would be best for me to stay with him.
Before I could even plan my next steps, he had already hired a cleaning company, someone to repair the drywall, and painters to come and take care of everything next week.
I sadly packed my bags and trailed him home.
When we arrived, I quickly showered and climbed into his bed.
He cut the fireplace on and held me close, whispering promises that he’d handle this and make sure they never messed with me again.
My tears silently poured, but I knew he’d take care of this for me.
The Next Night
My mood had done a complete 180. Today, my man spoiled me.
He started my day with a couple’s massage at his house.
Then, we spent the afternoon on his boat on the lake.
After that, we went to the mall, and he let me shop until I was tired.
During which, I made a new friend. We were going to have drinks this weekend, and I couldn’t wait.
He teased me about how I was the friendliest introvert he ever knew. After that, we had dinner.
Now, we were on our way home, and my smile felt like it was permanent. Draco as my best friend was perfect, but now that things had gone to a deeper level, they were better than I thought was possible.
Since I was in control of the music for the evening, I grabbed my phone to change the album we were listening to.
The sight of Lily’s call surprised me. I’d called her yesterday to tell her about what had happened, and she didn’t respond the way I thought she would.
She was upset and said her siblings were wrong, but that was it.
I didn’t feel like she held them accountable enough.
I understood those were her siblings, and she was going to stand beside them, but it made me feel like I could no longer trust her.
If she accepted my enemies’ actions and didn’t call them out on their shit or try to make them stop, she was just as bad as them in my book.
I lowered the music then called her back and put it on speaker.
“Hey, Cuz,” she answered.
“Hey. You called?”
“Yeah. I was just calling to check on you and to make sure we were good. You seemed upset with me yesterday.”
Scoffing, I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Of course I was upset. Your folks fucked up my house—your parents’ house—and you didn’t really seem to care at all.”
Lily sighed. “Of course I care. I’m just tired of being in the middle of y’all. It’s been the same shit since we were kids.”
“Imagine how I feel!” I almost yelled, sitting up in my seat.
“They’ve been torturing me for fucking years, and you never call them out on that shit.
All you do is downplay it or try to convince me it’s not as bad as it really is.
What they did was not only horrible toward me, but it was disrespectful to your parents.
You saw the damage they did to the house, yet you’re so loyal to them all you had to say was, ‘damn, they were wrong for that.’”
She chuckled, and for some reason, that pissed me off all over again.
“I just don’t know what you want me to do, Cordova. You want me to tell them they were wrong and to leave you alone?”
“Is that asking for too much? I mean, damn. Hold them accountable. Otherwise, you’re just as bad as them. I’m not saying you have to cut them off, but the more people that make them think what they’re doing is okay, the more they will do it.”
Lily sighed. “I’m sorry, Cuz, but I’m just not comfortable with that. Yes, they were wrong, but that’s my sister, and those are my brothers. You’re like a sister to me but—”
“Just… save it, Lily. I think we should take some space. I don’t trust you to have my best interest at heart, and if that’s the case, I can’t consider you a friend. We’ll always be family, but that’s it for me.”
“Dova, please—”
I ended the call as my nostrils flared. Quickly, I pulled up iTunes and started Jessie Reyes’s “**RIDIN**.”
Draco didn’t respond right away. He took my hand into his and kissed it. As we cruised, his thumb caressed my hand. When he did respond, he dropped the realest thing I’d ever heard into my ear and heart.
“A lot of people think they have to deal with hurt and betrayal and disrespect from family because they’re family, but that’s not the case.
A person being your family doesn’t mean you should tolerate their bad behavior.
If you aren’t safe with no one else, you should be safe with family.
If you aren’t, you need to cut them off just like you’d do anyone else. ”
My head hung briefly as my eyes watered. “She was all I had left,” I whispered, sniffling. “Now I don’t have anyone.”
“You got me. And we will create our own family out of love. Fuck them, boo. I know that’s your blood, and you want all to be well with them, but they ain’t gon’ keep on fucking with you. If you thought I didn’t play about you as your friend, watch how I’m ’bout to come as yo’ man.”
“My man?” I repeated. “That sounds… wonderful.”
“We never did discuss titles, did we?” With a giggle, I shrugged, though I knew the answer. “No. You told me you were mine and I was yours though.”
“Your heart is my heart. Your body is my body. All of you belongs to me. You’re my woman, and I’m your man. We’re in a committed relationship, now and forever. How does that sound to you?”
I was cheesing so hard I couldn’t even speak right away.
I didn’t care about him knowing how happy I was to be his…
that he was mine. I wasn’t too player to let this man know I was truly happy to finally be with him, and that was exactly what I did.
Draco looked over at me, leaned forward, and we kissed.
It was exhilarating and exciting doing it while he was driving, and a clear indication of just how much I trusted this man.
By the time “**JEANS**” started to play, my mood was better than it had ever been. I messed up and told him it was one of my favorite songs on the album. This man pulled over on the side of the road, helped me out of the car, started the song over,… and we danced.
If I wasn’t in love already, this moment would have done it for me.