Luxe
A couple days later
My mind has been so fucked up ever since I found out that people had been using me to move fakes. I thrived off my authenticity, and now people were threatening it. People were playing with my reputation.
Tonight, my parents invited me over for dinner. It’d been a while since we’d had family dinner. I couldn’t wait to see everyone and catch up on things.
Of course, Ghost was tagging along with me. I had no intention of telling them what had been going on between us, because I wasn’t certain what we were right now myself. Them barging me with questions wasn’t going to help the situation.
For now, I was walking in there and pretending like nothing happened between us. Hopefully, no one noticed, and Ghost be on his best behavior.
I exited the bedroom and found Ghost sitting on the couch with a bottle of water to his lips.
Ever since we started sleeping together, I had moved into his bedroom.
Sleeping next to him every single night was so comforting.
I didn’t know when the last time I felt safe in a man’s arms where I could just turn my brain off.
“I’m ready,” I spoke, and his eyes drifted to mine.
Screwing the cap back onto the water, he set it on the coffee table and rose to his feet. “Do you plan on telling them?” he asked as we headed to the door.
“About what?”
Ghost frowned. “Us.”
“I don’t even fully know what we are for me to even be speaking on that.
Let’s just get through the night. Okay?” I could tell he wasn’t feeling my response, but I wasn’t telling my family about a relationship until I was ready.
I wasn’t sure how things were gon’ to go between us.
The last thing I needed to be doing was dumping another failed relationship in their lap.
My family knew I was unlucky when it came to love. They didn’t ever judge me for my decisions, but I knew they were tired of seeing me go through it when it came to a man. For once, I wanted to win. Let me keep winning in private for a bit longer.
We left the apartment and went straight to my parents’ house. From what I could tell, Ghost and I were the last to arrive at the house. I used my key and let us inside. All I could hear was the kids running around the house. It sounded like they had an entire day care up in here.
“Luxe!” Kairose ran up to me and hugged my legs. She poked her head around me and said, “Meanie.” She wasn’t letting Ghost live it down that he’d been mean to me. My baby was gon’ ride for her auntie.
“Now that y’all finally made it here, we can eat,” Aria said when she got up from the couch. All that girl worried about was putting food in her mouth. One would swear she was pregnant year round with the way she put away food.
They collected the kids and took them into the kitchen to eat at the table while the grownups went into the dining room.
I sat down, and Ghost took the seat next to me.
He knew that he didn’t have to stand guard while I was in the house with my family.
This was the safest that I’d ever be. Ma brought the food in and set it on the table.
They wasted no time digging in. As we ate, I could feel Ghost looking at me. I kinda felt bad that he wanted me to tell everyone that we were dating, but I just didn’t feel like this was the right time to do so.
“Savion, when were you going to tell me that I was selling fakes?” I stared at him across the table. His eyes went from Ghost back to me.
“I didn’t want you worried until we had more information.”
“You’ve been selling fakes?” Maniac wasted no time asking. “Let me go home and check my shit to make sure it’s real. Let my shit be fake and I’m fucking somebody ass up.”
“Maniac!” Ma called out his name. If she didn’t stop him, he was just gon’ keep going.
“What? You want to be rocking fake shit?” His head tilted as he stared at her. I didn’t think Ma had ever worn anything fake in her life. She always had money way before she even met Daddy. Being with him was just a bonus for her.
“I’m sorry that happened to you, sweetheart,” was all Ma offered.
I slouched in my chair. This situation was dragging on longer than it needed to be. I thought that once I handed everything over to Savion, he’d magically save the day and I could move on with my life.
“It’s gonna be fine, baby girl. We’re going to figure all this mess out and do whatever needs to be done,” Daddy assured me.
“Sweetie, you have something on your face,” Ma said as she licked her thumb and brushed it against Grim’s cheek.
Judging by his clothes, I could tell he’d been out tagging something.
Grim sat there in a black hoodie. His locs were pulled back into a ponytail.
Whenever he went out and did his artwork, he always covered his face so no one would know who he really was.
The people talked and tried to unmask his identity, but they hadn’t even come close to figuring out who he was.
“I’m not a baby anymore,” he spoke.
“Yes, you are. You’re my baby.” Ma pinched his cheek, and he grimaced.
We finished up dinner, and everyone disappeared from the table except for Solei. She sat there across from me at the table. Savion pulled Ghost away. They were probably about to discuss business, knowing him. I noticed how Solei kept looking over at me.
“Are you going to tell it, or do I have to pry it out of you?”
“What are you talking about?”
She leaned forward on the table and asked, “Are you fucking Ghost?” I covered her mouth with my hand.
“Are you crazy? Anyone can hear you.”
Removing my hand, I fell back in my seat.
A grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. “You are fucking Ghost.”
I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one else heard what she said. How was it even that obvious?
“It’s that obvious?”
Solei folded her arms over her chest and said, “That man can’t keep his damn eyes off you. I know that look. Savion gives me the same one when he be acting like a dog in heat.”
I nipped the corner of my lower lip. “Don’t tell anybody. Okay?”
She zipped her lips. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“What secret?” Aria asked when she came back into the dining room.
“Nothing,” we both answered in unison.
“Uh-huh.” With her index and middle fingers, she pointed from her eyes and then at us. “I’m watching you two sneaky mufuckas.”
“Bye, Aria,” I said and got up from my seat.