Chapter 22 #2
“Don’t touch me!” I yelled, snatching away from him and almost stumbling to the ground.
“Nigga, is you crazy?! Don’t be grabbing her like that and she’s pregnant!” Nyala yelled, pushing Jerome in the chest.
The look in his eyes when Nyala mentioned me being pregnant shifted fast. They went from shock to disbelief to concern, then to anger. His jaw tightened, and his nostrils flared as he stared at me like I’d just slapped him.
“Pregnant?” he repeated, his voice low and rough. “You pregnant, Nova?” His voice slightly cracked. He was hurt.
“Jerome, that’s none of your business.”
He took a step closer, eyes narrowing as I took a step back. Before I could blink, Jerome lunged forward and grabbed me around the neck. My back slammed into my truck as my bags went crashing onto the pavement.
“Bitch! You let that nigga get you pregnant?!” Jerome spoke through his gritted teeth.
I tried to ply him off me, but his strength was no match for me.
“Nigga, get off her!” I heard Nyala scream.
Zap!
Nyala’s crazy ass took her taser and jabbed it into Jerome’s side.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the crackle of electricity filled the air and Jerome's eyes widened in surprise and pain.
His grip loosened, as his body convulsed violently and he fell to the ground with his face twisted in agony.
I watched a mix of fear and disbelief etched across his features as the tasers current held him captive, and his body jerked with each pulse of electricity. His hands clawed at the air, desperate to find something to hold onto, but there was nothing but empty space.
I yelled to Nyala that we needed to go before we got our asses arrested. Thank God she listened. We hopped in my truck, and I sped out of the mall parking lot with my adrenaline pumping and Nyala’s laughter echoing through the truck.
After dropping Nyala off, I was headed to Samir’s house when I got a call from one of the contractors I hired to clean up the debris from the fire.
He stated that he needed me to come down there to sign off on some paperwork.
Not thinking anything of it, I made a detour and headed that way.
As I turned down Maple Avenue, heading toward the shop, I expected to pull up to chaos, tools everywhere, boarded windows, and dust in the air.
Instead, my eyes landed on beautiful bay windows as I turned into the parking lot.
There were no piles of debris cluttering the sidewalk.
There was no dust, caution tape, or half-finished mess staring back at me either.
The shop was completely remodeled, and I sat frozen in my car, wondering how all this had happened in such a short amount of time.
My breath caught in my throat as I stepped out of my truck, my eyes roaming over the building.
Everything was exactly how I had envisioned it, maybe even better.
The shopfront had been painted a soft, striking pale teal, which was the kind of color that drew your eye without trying too hard.
It popped beautifully against the warm brick, making the whole storefront look like it had been plucked straight from a dream—my dream.
I looked up and noticed the new sign, displaying “Zanova’s Tasty Treats” in elegant, flowing script, hanging perfectly over the big bay window.
I swallowed hard feeling that familiar lump rise in my throat.
I’d imagined this moment a hundred times while lying awake at night, wondering if I’d ever see this after all the setbacks for this second location.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m always gon’ make sure you straight. You’ve been through enough setbacks, love. I wanted you to feel what it’s like when everything finally goes right.”
My hand flew to my mouth as the tears spilled over. Samir didn’t know how much this meant to me. Besides my parents, no one has ever done anything like this for me, not even Jerome. He reached up and wiped my tears away with his thumb, his touch soft but sure.
“I can’t believe this,” I whispered, looking around the place, then at him.
“Believe it. You earned this, Nova baby. Every piece of it. Now let’s go see the rest of the place.”
Samir took my hand, and we toured the bakery.
The kitchen was our first stop. The moment I stepped inside, my jaw nearly hit the damn floor seeing the fully equipped kitchen.
Stainless steel countertops gleamed under the soft overhead lighting.
Every surface looked spotless and every appliance brand-new.
There was a double-door oven, a huge industrial mixer, and even the pastel pink stand mixer I’d mentioned sitting right there on the counter like it had been waiting for me.
“Samir…” I breathed, slowly turning in a full circle. “This is everything I dreamed of.”
He leaned against one of the counters, arms crossed, watching me with that satisfied smile. “I remembered you saying you wanted a setup that could handle volume but still feel like home. So I made sure you had both.”
I ran my fingers across the smooth metal and grinned. “It’s perfect. More than I planned on spending.”
“It was worth every penny seeing that smile on your face, love.” He pecked my lips.
I looked up into Samir’s eyes, and my heart skipped several beats. This man, in such a short time, showed me nothing but respect and now love. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I know that I’m ready to open my heart to him, completely.
From the kitchen, Samir led me up the stairs to the second floor, and I swear my heart swelled even more when we stepped into my office.
It was spacious but cozy, filled with lots of natural light from the big windows overlooking the street.
A soft blush accent wall, gold detailing, a desk that looked like something out of a magazine, and framed sketches of my early bakery designs hung neatly behind it.
I turned to him, eyes wide. “You remembered every single thing I said.”
“Of course, I did. You are always so passionate when you talk about it. I couldn’t forget even if I tried.”
He nudged open another door to the side. “And before you ask, yeah… this part was my idea.”
I peeked inside and gasped. “A full bathroom? With a shower?”
“Yup. Figured you’d have some long days in here, so you might as well be comfortable,” he said with a smug grin.
I laughed, shaking my head. “You really thought of everything.”
He gave me that boyish grin again and gestured for me to follow him down the hall. “One more thing…”
The last stop was the conference room, where I’d host meetings and consultations.
The space was elegant and modern, featuring a long, white marble table with my logo subtly etched in the middle.
Around the massive table sat twelve chairs, those also stitched with my logo on the back.
A vase of fresh flowers sat in the center, filling the room with a soft, sweet scent.
I turned back to him, blinking back tears again. “Samir, this is beautiful. I don’t even know what to say.”
He stepped closer, resting his hands on my hips. “You don’t have to say anything. You deserve to walk into your dreams, not just talk about them.”
Before I could respond, Samir’s hands slid around my waist, pulling me closer until my body melted into his.
His lips brushed against mine, soft at first, then deeper.
He lifted me effortlessly onto the edge of the conference table, his mouth never leaving mine.
His touch was gentle but sure; his hand slipped up my dress and ripped my thong clean off.
I gasped softly against his lips when he slipped a finger inside me, then another, working them in and out of my soaked tunnel.
He leaned his forehead against mine as he repeatedly hit my G-Spot, his voice low and rough. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
I moaned, whispering back, “I think I do.”
Releasing my juices on his fingers, I shuddered and tried to stop my body from shaking. Samir removed his fingers from between my legs and brought them to my lips. I didn’t hesitate to clean my essence off his fingers as I gazed into his eyes.
“Damn. That shit was sexy as fuck. Let’s christen this room and make our way down.”
“Yes, but first… Let me show you how much I appreciate you for making this happen.” I lowered to my knees, getting into a squatting position.
I released him from his sweatpants, and his dick stood at attention.
Wrapping my hand tightly around his shaft, I took him in the back of my throat, making sure to fill my mouth with a lot of my saliva.
“Damn, Nova baby. It’s like that?” He placed his hand on the back of my head, guiding my head up and down his shaft. “Shit! Maybe I should buy you another bakery.”
“Mmm…” I moaned, tasting his pre-cum as I bobbed my head, sucking on just the tip.
When I looked up, Samir was looking down at me with his bottom lip pulled in between his teeth, his eyes low. I pulled back, releasing him from my mouth and running my tongue under his dick, sucking on his balls while jerking him off at the same time.
“The fuck! I’m about to nut!” His breath came out rugged, a sound that went straight through me. The second he released his cum down my throat, his whole body went tense, like he was fighting not to lose control. The way he said my name in a plea had me burning from the inside out, and I came too.
“Damn, woman!” He paused, steadying himself on the table. “You’re dangerous.”
Samir shook his head, pulling me to my full height. When he grabbed my neck and brought me in for a kiss, I winced.
“Fuck! I’m sorry, baby. Did I hurt you?”
“No, um…” My words trailed off. I didn’t want to tell him about Jerome grabbing me at the mall. Not because I was protecting him, but because I knew Samir wasn’t going to take it lightly.
Samir’s eyes narrowed. He knew me too well. “What?”
“It’s nothing,” I said quickly, forcing a laugh. “Probably just a little sore or something. Maybe I slept wrong.”
He tilted his head slightly, studying me the way he did when he knew I was lying. Then, before I could react, his fingers slid gently under my chin, tilting my head to the side.
“The fuck happened to your neck?” His eyes flicked to my neck, his thumb brushing over the spot that still felt a little tender. I tried to move, but he caught me. “Zanova, don’t play with me, man. Did someone put their hands on you?”
My heart started pounding. I didn’t want to lie to him. I exhaled shakily, realizing I couldn’t dodge it anymore. “It was Jerome,” I admitted softly.
Samir’s hand stilled. “Jerome? The fuck he gotta do with this mark on your neck?”
“He showed up at the mall when Nyala and I were walking to my truck. He was trying to talk to me, but I told him there was nothing left to say. When I tried to walk off, he grabbed my arm. I pulled away and almost fell, and that’s when Nyala stepped in.
She said something about me being pregnant, and he snapped.
He grabbed me by my throat, Samir. It… it wasn’t for long because Nyala tased him,” I said all in one breath.
Samir’s expression didn’t change right away, but I could see the storm building behind his eyes. His jaw flexed once, then twice, before he drew in a slow, sharp breath through his nose.
“Let’s get cleaned up,” he finally said, voice low and too calm.
“Samir—”
Without saying another word, he fixed his clothes and walked out of the conference room, leaving me standing there with my mind racing. I knew this wasn’t going to end well.