22. Wyn #2
His eyes are bloodshot, gleaming. But no tears threaten to spill over, unlike mine.
“Te necesito. Te amaré siempre. No me dejes, por favor. Nunca me dejes.” (I need you. I’ll always love you. Don’t leave me, please. Never leave me.)
“I love you, too,” I whisper back. My hand spreads across his chest, where his heart is beating as fast as mine.
He rolls us over, until I’m on my back. Leaning down, he captures my lips as he drills into me.
“I’m finna come, Snow,” he warns.
I lock my ankles around his waist, but in case he doesn’t get the hint, I moan, “Please, cum in me.”
My words are his undoing, and not even a second later, he expands before filling me with his release.
Rico’s eyes roll to the back of his head. “Fuuuuck,” he groans, dropping his chin to his chest.
Reckless. I know it but I don’t care. If it’s meant to be, us having a child, me tying myself to him permanently in another way, then it’s meant to be.
My legs fall to the bed when I feel him start to deflate inside of me. Immediately, he pulls out, leaving a trail of kisses on my slick body until he’s face to face with my thoroughly used and swollen pussy.
His cum has already started to leak out. With two fingers, he scoops it up, pushing it back inside. When he’s satisfied, he kisses my clit, making my chest cave, before coming back up.
Once again, he surprises me by laying on my stomach, wrapping his arms around one of my legs. I run my fingertips through his short curls, my eyes unseeing as I turn toward the bay window of the suite.
I don’t know when I doze, but when I wake, Rico’s face is now inches from mine, now carefully blank.
His fingertip runs down my eyebrow.
“I love your freckles,” he whispers. “They’re my favorite constellation.”
My cheeks heat at his compliment. He’s said it before, years ago, when I lamented about how much I hated them.
Before I can respond, the moment is over. He sits up, then holds out his hand for me.
“It’s time to go back.”
Our afternoon delight should have disarmed me enough for what the fuck Rico planned, but it did not. I’m keyed the hell up, my wrist hurting from where my new palm tree is, my side aching from where a tie stylized as an infinity sign is newly etched on my rib cage.
My knees are fucking locked as I gawk at Rico sitting face down in the tattoo chair. Miele grips my upper arm with both hands, squealing every five seconds. She’s been cheesing since we came back, but now she’s absolutely ecstatic.
Reno’s grinning, taking videos. He slid NiNi a hundred dollar bill before the tattoo session started.
And even NiNi is smiling, nodding proudly every so often.
Rico’s sitting there, barely moving as his cousin puts the finishing touches and final shading on his new piece.
It covers his upper back, from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.
WYNTER
This nigga is ill.
“Are you gonna get his name, too?” Miele whispers.
“Hell no,” I whisper back, cutting my eyes at her. “Never get these niggas’ names, Miele. Matching tatt is cool. Symbol is even better. Name?! No.”
“She’s right,” NiNi says, scowling at his little sister.
And I thought I was doing something with my little soul tie tatt. Rico kissed me and all, before it was his turn.
“Okay, I’m done. Come look, Wynter.”
I’m startled into shuffling over, in awe.
Talk about branding.
Rico leans up, trying to look over his shoulder. “How does it look?”
One corner of my mouth lifts, before the other. All thirty-two teeth are showing when I meet his gaze.
“You are out of your mind.”
He winks, and damn if I don’t want to jump him right there in the shop.
The sun is beginning to set by the time we make it back, and sure enough, our bags are packed and by the door.
Nan tsks at our new tattoos, though she winks at me when Rico shows her my name.
Miele cries for real as NiNi and Reno load up the car, and all the older cousins pass Nan and Mars around for hugs and goodbye kisses.
NiNi drives us to the airstrip, and he and Reno load up the plane while Rico walks off to call Auty. I decline to speak to her, opting to comfort Miele instead.
“I’m serious; soon as I get settled, I’ma drop this album, and then I’m sending for you. Even if it’s just for a week. I want you to experience the city without having to think about hospitals.”
Miele just nods, her smile brittle as she fails to keep her tears in check.
“I’m so glad you’re nicer than the blogs said.” We giggle, before hugging once more.
Reno and NiNi join in, NiNi lifting us off the ground.
“Since I’m leaving…” I start, swinging my gaze up to NiNi. “Can I know what NiNi stands for?”
He smirks, then bends down to whisper, “Ni-none of your business.”
I push him away as he bellows a hearty laugh, before walking toward Rico.
“It’s Nehemiah,” Reno mumbles, hugging me once more before going to help Nan and a sleeping Mars into the plane.
My eyes stretch as Miele cackles, wiping her face.
“You guys are your old sounding names.”
“Nan was so mad Ju went behind her back on the birth certificate. Mars was supposed to be Jasper,” she snickers.
“Oh, my God!”
“You be good and I’ll fly you out for your birthday. No sneaking off to San Pedro.”
My eyebrows pull as I watch Rico hug Miele tight. Her bottom lip wobbles again, but she holds it together and nods. “I’ll hold you to that.”
“You’re coming?”
Rico meets my gaze, smirking. “You thought I wasn’t?” He holds his hand out, and without thinking, I take it, following him all the way to our seats.
Miele runs all the way to where I can see her from my window, and waves until NiNi has to pull her away.
“I’ll miss her so much,” I say more to myself. But Rico still squeezes my hand.
“I know the feeling will be mutual.”
I lay my head on his shoulder when the plane begins to move.
My eyes grow heavy, but still, I push out a thank you before they close all the way. Excitement and exhaustion beat out any nervousness, even when the landing is bumpy, waking the plane up.
There’s an SUV waiting on the tarmac. Rico tells me to stay put, while he helps Nan off, then comes back for Mars.
I keep licking my lips. This is it. I run over the mental list over and over in my head.
My new phone works; it’s just after midnight, local time.
I probably won’t sleep tonight, but tomorrow, I need to make my rounds–
“Snow. Let’s go.”
Robotically, I unbuckle myself and stand, shaking out my legs. Rico steps back to let me out of the row, but before I can take another step, he grabs my arm, whirls me around, and crashes his lips to mine.
Once again I feel it. The tie around my soul being tugged, like he’s testing its strength.
My fingers sink into his curls anchoring him to me.
“One year,” he mumbles, kissing me again.
“Huh?” I debate hitching my leg up and letting him fuck me right here.
“I’ll give you one year, Snow. And then I’m coming for what’s mine.”
He punctuates his declaration with one more kiss, before taking a full step back, leaving me bewildered.
My fingertips graze my tingling lips as I turn slowly and walk off the plane.
Another SUV has joined the first one. Somehow, I know it’s meant for me. Rico’s there to open the backseat, and I climb in, noting my bags are all there.
“One year,” he promises, before closing me in.
My back hits the seat. My lips haven’t stopped tingling.
His promise settles in as the car begins to move.
“One year.”