Chapter 16
“Samir! A drive-in movie? I love these! I remember when my father used to take me. It was one of our favorite things to do. We would go and watch all of the old classic movies. This is going to be so fun! I hope you brought some snacks.” Zanova danced in her seat, causing me to chuckle.
“I figured this was your type of shit. But I can’t take the credit. Your girl gave me the scoop.”
“Nyala knows me better than anyone. That’s my boo! And she got it right. What are we here to see?”
I found a spot toward the back row, away from the crowd, and backed the truck in so we’d have the perfect view. The night air was cool, making you want to be close to somebody, so I killed the engine and looked over at her.
“It’s a surprise. Come on,” I said, nodding toward the back. “It’s more comfortable back there.”
We climbed out, and I followed her around to the back, opened the door, and helped her in.
The seats were already folded down, a blanket tossed across the space.
I planned ahead to ensure she would be more than comfortable.
She gave me a look that said she appreciated the effort, even though she missed it.
“How did I not see this set up when I got in?”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
Once we settled in, she kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs under the blanket.
I slid in beside her, pulling it over both of us.
I grabbed the bag filled with all types of snacks and the cooler that held our drinks.
Just as we created a good system to grab what we needed, I tucked her under my arm, and the previews faded, lighting up the screen for the movie.
The opening beat of the music hit with that old-school groove that was impossible to miss.
Before I could even process it, she gasped, then let out a loud scream that damn near made me jump.
“Samir!” she shouted, smacking my chest, eyes wide with excitement. “Breaking? Are you serious right now? This is my favorite movie!”
I laughed, rubbing the spot where she hit me. “I can tell,” I said, grinning as she practically bounced in place. “You about scared the hell outta me, woman.”
“Sorry! I can’t believe this is what’s playing tonight,” she said, turning toward the screen like a kid seeing fireworks. “I used to watch this with my mom all the time. You couldn’t tell me I wasn’t going to be a break-dancer.”
I chuckled, watching her eyes light up. “You? Breakdancing? Now, that, I gotta see.”
“Don’t play with me, I still got some moves.”
“Oh, yeah?” I teased. “You mean like cardboard-on-the-floor type moves?”
“Exactly that.”
I raised my hands in mock surrender. “Aight... I believe you, baby.”
She grinned, still glued to the screen, and leaned back against me, her energy buzzing. And just like that, I found myself smiling too. It wasn’t even about the movie anymore; it was the way she lit up and how easy it was to make her happy.
Watching her get lost in something that I did for her did something to me. And right then, with her laughing softly and mouthing the lines, I realized there wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be.
An hour into the movie, a nigga dozed off.
A nigga was calling the hogs when I felt Zanova’s soft-ass hands pull my dick out of my sweat shorts.
I didn’t open my eyes because I wanted to see what her next move was going to be.
I got my answer when her hand slid up and down my shaft before I felt her wet, warm mouth take the head into her mouth.
She moaned as she sucked my whole dick to the back of her throat.
I opened my eyes to hers staring up at me with those big brown orbs, her thick lips stretching to accommodate my thickness. My breathing picked up, and I grunted, seeing her saliva coating my dick.
“Damn, it’s like that, Nova baby?” My head dropped back as I palmed the back hers. “Shit!” I guided her head to the pace I needed her to go.
“Move your hand, Samir. I don’t need any help.”
I did as I was told, placing my hands flat on either side of me. I don’t know where this side of Zanova came from, but damn, I was loving it. The confidence in her eyes and the way she took my dick down her throat with ease had me speechless.
She looked up at me through her lashes, a little smirk playing on her lips. She knew exactly what she was doing to me. My pulse pounded in my ears, every nerve alive. She had me on edge, and she knew it. When she finally pulled back, her voice came out low and husky, teasing but full of heat.
“You good?” she asked. All I could do was nod, because the truth was, she had me gone.
She pulled me out of her mouth, spit on the head of my dick before deep-throating me again, holding it in the back of her throat. She gagged a bit but didn’t stop. That alone had me ready to bust down her throat.
“Shit, Nova baby, I’m about to nut!” I gritted.
Just as I felt myself about to let loose, Zanova climbed onto my lap, moved her panties to the side, and eased her warm pussy halfway down my dick.
“Mmmm, Samir… I love how your dick feels inside of me, baby. Ahh, it’s so big,” she moaned, digging her nails into my shoulders as she rode me like a porn star. Hearing her praises only made my dick grow harder.
“And you take this motherfucka so well, Nova baby. Can you take some more for me? Go all the way down, you can do it, love,” I coached her, talking her through it.
She did as I asked, taking more of me, a few inches at a time.
“There you go, baby. Shit! This pussy was made for me.” I dropped my head back, enjoying how her pussy sucked me in like it was welcoming me home.
Zanova gripped the back of my shirt and whispered in my ear, “Well, let me properly welcome you through the pearly gates, baby.” She purred, her words turning a nigga on.
She got on the tip of her toes and began slamming down on my lap over and over, her juices was wetting us both up. I knew anyone walking past my truck knew what was going down because the truck was rocking, and I ain’t give two fucks.
I pulled her to me and slipped my tongue in her mouth.
All you could hear was the movie playing from the small speaker, skin slapping throughout my truck, and her beautiful ass calling out my name like she loved a nigga.
The way she was moving, I knew she was about to come, and I was right behind her.
Zanova's eyes rolled as she released a guttural moan and rained her juices down on me.
“Fuck!” I grunted, spraying her walls with my seed.
We sat there, trying to catch our breath. Neither of us spoke at first. Then Zanova finally looked up at me, her eyes soft but unreadable, and I swear something inside me shifted. My hand came up, brushing her cheek, and she leaned into it without saying a word.
“You really got a hold on me, you know that?” I told her, my voice rougher than I meant it to be. “I’m falling for you, Ms. Pierce. I don’t know when it happened, but I know that I want it to progress.”
Her eyes flickered, and that confident, teasing spark dimmed. “Samir, I’m falling for you as well, but—”
“No buts,” I said quietly, my thumb brushing at the tear that slipped from her eyes.
“I know it’s hard for you to let me in after what you’ve been through with a fuck nigga that made you believe forever meant something, just for him to throw it away.
I get it, Zanova. More than you think… I’ve been there,” I admitted.
“I gave my heart to someone who swore she loved me. Built plans, made sacrifices, all that shit. Then one day, I found out I was the only one still fighting for us.” I let out a dry chuckle.
“That kind of betrayal sticks with you. Makes you question everybody who comes after. But I’m not him, and you’re not her.
I don’t want to repeat what broke us. I want to build something that heals us.
Let’s give ourselves a shot at doing it right this time. ”
She didn’t answer, just nodded faintly and leaned her head against my shoulder. And in that quiet response, I knew she heard me—not just with her ears, but with the part of her heart that was finally starting to open again.
“All right. But please don’t hurt me, Samir. One chance, that’s all I’m giving.”
“That’s all I need, love.”
Hearing her agree to give us a fair chance had me getting hard all over again. After getting another round in, we cleaned up and left the drive-in.
When I pulled up to Zanova’s high-rise, I parked and cut the engine. I hopped out, walked around to her side, and opened the door for her. She smiled that soft, tired smile that always got me and slipped her hand into mine as we headed toward the entrance.
The second those lobby doors slid open, I spotted two uniformed officers standing near the front desk, talking quietly with the concierge.
Then one of the officers turned, and I caught the way the concierge pointed straight at Zanova.
My whole body tensed. Not in a scary way, but in a way that I could feel something was off.
The taller of the two officers approached us, posture stiff but polite. “Excuse me, ma’am,” he said, eyes locked on Zanova. “Are you Ms. Zanova Pierce?”
Zanova froze beside me, confusion flickering across her face. “Yes… I am. Is there a problem?”
He glanced at his partner, then back at her. “Yes. There was an incident that happened at your bakery on Maple Avenue. There was a fire...”
Her eyes went wide, her voice trembling. “A fire? My shop! Oh God!” She covered her mouth, her breathing quick and shaky. I instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her as she swayed a little.
“What do you mean by a fire?” I demanded, my tone sharp. “How bad is it?”
The officer’s expression softened. “The fire department responded quickly. The flames were contained before they could spread too bad, but there’s some damage. Mainly water damage. We’re still trying to determine the cause. But from what we were told, it was intentional.”
Zanova shook her head in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes. “No, no, no. Who would do this?” Her voice broke, and it damn near gutted me. I pulled her closer, feeling her trembling against my chest.
“We’ll figure it out. We’ll go see what’s going on, okay? You’re not dealing with this by yourself.”
She nodded weakly, wiping her face, her voice barely a whisper. “I can’t believe this is happening. It’s been one bad thing after another since they started construction on this shop. I give up.”
“Nah, you are not giving up. This is just a milestone. I promise you, everything will work out.”
The officer cleared his throat gently. “If you’d like, we can escort you there, Ms. Pierce. The scene’s secure, but it’s still under review.”
“Let’s go and see what’s the damage. Don’t worry… I got you, love.”
I escorted Zanova back out to my ride. On the drive to the shop, she was quiet, which gave me time to think.
I wondered who she had beef with that would want to burn her shit down.
I was going to have that conversation with her, and when I found out who the motherfucker was, I was going to personally make sure they paid for hurting my woman.
“Baby? Did you have cameras set up at your shop? I don’t think my guys did any of that when we finished the renovations.”
“No. I had called to have everything set up next week. I’ve been shelling out more money than expected on this shop.
Like I said, anything that could go wrong since the construction started, went wrong, and I’m done.
I’m just going to cut my losses. I’m just stumped on who would set fire to a building that’s not even open for business yet. ”
“I’m going to figure that shit out. Let’s just see what the fire department has to say and go from there.”
She nodded, but I could tell she wasn’t feeling it. Her shoulders were slumped, and her eyes were distant as if she was already watching her dream burn all over again. I reached for her hand, and though she didn’t pull away, her fingers felt limp in mine.
I was pissed. This wasn’t how I expected our night to end.