Chapter 8
—AZANI
It had been a week since I’d seen Devyn, but she texted me twice every day. Once in the morning and once at night. Today, we were meeting at the tea shop. I kept my word and stayed away, giving her the space she wanted.
That shit from the party had me losing my fuckin’ mind. Vic texted me and said she was out there after I told him to keep that shit from me. But when he said the nigga she was with liked to drop drugs in women’s drinks and shit when he got them alone, I was on that.
Then, when I got there, she was throwing her ass all over him and in his lap, letting him touch her body.
I fuckin’ snapped. The more he touched her, the madder I got.
So, when he left, I busted his bitch ass across the head and stuffed him in the trunk of the car that Vic’s team was driving.
When I dropped Dev off, I beat the fuck outta that nigga and dropped him off in the hood, ass naked in the cold.
I thought about killing him, but I let the nigga live. He had me fucked up!
That night, I’d been sipping, watching Devyn, so the liquor got to me.
The more I drank, the less control I had.
Fuck boundaries, I needed to see Devyn. When she came out of the party, I’d only been sitting in the car for a few minutes.
She walked her sexy ass out, boots up to her thighs, short ass skirt, titties sitting up in the shirt she wore.
I couldn’t believe she let me touch her.
Then, she gave me some pussy, told me she loved me, and let me hold her.
I needed it. She was starving me of everything.
Just thinking about it had my dick hard. How soft her body felt under my hands. I’d been dreaming about her; I couldn’t get her off my mind. I had to get my shit together before I saw her. I stood in front of the mirror, combing my beard out.
Act like you fuckin’ know when you see her. Keep your hands to yourself.
It was crazy that I had to remind myself to slow the fuck down. I didn’t want her to pull away again. Just thinking about her cutting me off again made me pick up my blunt. My phone buzzed on the counter.
Bratty Baby: I’m leaving my place now.
Me: I’m on my way.
I grabbed my keys off my dresser, threw my coat on, then headed downstairs and out the door. My blunt was going with me, though. As I drove, I thought about what she would ask me. She still had questions, some I’d answer, and others I hoped she’d never ask.
When I pulled up, I saw her truck parked. Vic was parked right behind her. She was already inside, sitting at the same table we had sat at before. As soon as I stepped out, her eyes were on me, and she smiled. I picked up my pace, walking inside.
Fuck. She looks pretty as shit today.
She had some weave in her hair, styled in waves, and just some lip gloss and lashes so I could see her freckles.
When I got to the table, she stood and walked right into my space.
Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me down, and she kissed me.
Slow and soft, hands caressing the back of my neck.
This is what I’ve been missing.
She pulled back, smiling all shy and shit. “Hey,” she whispered.
“Wassup, baby? You miss me?” I said, rubbing up and down her waist.
“Yes… I do,” she softly replied.
“I miss you, too.”
We just stood there staring at each other for a minute. I didn’t even realize another couple was sitting a few tables down, or the people on the other side of the tea shop. All I saw was her.
“You want me to order for you?” I asked, holding her around her waist.
“Yes, please.”
I kissed her one more time, and she wiped the gloss from my lips, grinning. She knew I ain’t give a fuck about no gloss, but I didn’t say shit. When she stepped out of my arms, she was still smiling.
Find a way to keep her happy, nigga. Don’t fuck this up.
I ordered our drinks, then came and sat back down. She looked nervous, but she didn’t look like she wanted to run away. Every time we got around each other, my heart beat fast, especially when she was quiet. But when she reached across the table to grab my hands, I knew she didn’t come to fight.
“Can we just talk about regular stuff for a minute? I’m having a really good day, and I want to keep it like that for as long as I can,” she said, squeezing my hand.
“Yeah, baby. Whatever you want,” I replied, lifting her hand to my mouth and kissing it.
“Okay,” she said, blowing out a breath. “Well… the man who used to clean my cars moved out of state, and I don’t like the way the car wash does it. Can you send the guy back to clean my cars? Please?”
She said it so fast, I laughed. “Yeah. All you had to do was tell me.”
“But that’s not it. I don’t like the contractor who’s expanding my distillery.
He gave me one timeline, and now it’s another.
I don’t have much time because I’m back at work.
Contracts only. Can you find me a better one?
I tried, and they keep trying to up the price because I’m a woman.
I would ask my dad and granddad, but you know…
” she said, blowing out another breath like it was killing her to ask for my help.
“Yes. Whatever you need.” I said, rubbing my thumb across her hand.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
The lady from behind the counter came and set our drinks in front of us.
“Would you guys like anything else?” she asked, looking between us.
“No, not right now. Thank you,” Devyn said with a smile.
The lady nodded then walked off.
Devyn hadn’t stopped smiling since I got here. This was the most I’d seen her smile since she found out about us. I wanted to soak it in to hold when shit got worse.
“Dev, go ahead. Ask me whatever. I miss you. I don’t wanna keep being away from you. I want you back, baby.”
She just sat there, staring at me. My heart was beating so fast. Nothing else mattered to me. I wanted Devyn back. Back in my life, back in my bed. Letting me take care of her. I wanted her to trust me again.
She held my hand tighter and tucked her hair behind her ear. “What happened to Theo? Did you do it?” she asked quietly.
I held onto her hand, hoping she wouldn’t pull away once I told her the truth.
“Yes,” I replied, holding her hand a little tighter, but she didn’t let me go.
“Why? Theo wasn’t a threat,” she said, loosening her grip on my hand.
“Dev, he saw us the night I took you to Obsidian Yard. He started texting you more, trying to spend time with you because he knew I was in the picture. When I approached him the first time, I called. Told him to get the fuck on.”
“Hold on. What?” she said, shaking her head. “Seen us? He was watching?”
“Yeah. The second time was when I was outta town. He was supposed to be coming over to your house. That’s how he ended up in the hospital.” Her hand slipped from mine, and my stomach dropped to the ground.
Her eyes shot wide open, looking at me like I was a monster. “No… why? Why would you do that?”
“He was doing that shit to spite me. Not because he all of a sudden wanted something serious, Dev. Listen to me, baby. You don’t know the shit he said to me on that phone call. I didn’t trust him around you. He wanted you so I couldn’t have you.”
She sat across from me with her hands in her lap. Her body was trembling; I could see it from where I sat. Her eyes locked on mine, searching to see if I was the same man who loved her and not just a killer.
“So, I guess his asking me if I would take him seriously at the hospital was his death sentence? Do you know how that sounds, Azani?” she whispered, her voice shaking.
I let out a breath, hoping I wasn’t losing her again. I’d just gotten her back to talking to me. The way she was looking at me in that moment fucked me up.
“Dev, I don’t know what you want me to say. I could tell you everything he said on that phone, but why? You remember him the way you knew him. He was not who you thought he was. He was a threat, baby. I wouldn’t let anybody hurt you. Physically or emotionally.”
“Okay,” she said, hands trembling as she picked up her tea and took a sip. “What else, Azani? Give me everything right now. I’m tired of the breadcrumbs of information.”
“Apollo. I pulled up on him. I knew he was contacting you from fake pages, so I broke his fuckin’ jaw. He’s within my world, so he knew better,” I said, watching her reaction.
She shifted in her seat, holding onto her tea, but she didn’t look like she would run.
“That football player… I lost my cool, Dev. You left my bed and blocked me after you let me have your body like that,” I said, shaking my head, remembering the night she stole my heart for real.
“I watched him touch you while y’all were shopping and on your yacht. Then again when you were at the club. When I approached him, I told him to stay the fuck away from you, and he came at me. I shouldn’t have broken his fingers, but I was already mad. Fuck, Dev… please don’t look at me like that.”
Her chest was rising faster the longer she looked at me. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. She was too quiet. The shit was scaring me.
“Dev, please don’t be scared of me, baby. I would never hurt you,” I said softly, reaching for her hand.
When she didn’t pull away, I wrapped my hand around hers, and I could feel her body shaking. We just sat there in silence while she watched me.
“Come here,” I said, rubbing her hand.
She got up slowly, walked right to me, and stood between my legs. I pulled her down on my lap, and I could hear her heart beating fast.
“Are you scared of me?” I asked, holding her close.
I didn’t want to make any sudden moves or make her feel like I would do something to hurt her.
“No,” she whispered, leaning into me. “I’m scared of what you’ve done to other people. I’m scared that I don’t really know you.”
“But you do,” I murmured, holding her tighter. “I’m me. The same man who’s gon’ rub your feet and rub you to sleep. I’m the same man who shows up with flowers—the same one who makes love to you. I’m the man who’s holding you right now because I know I scared you. I’m yours, baby.”