Chapter 12
Almost Two Weeks Later
Early May
I’d gone from being flattered by Wicked’s protection to annoyed by it.
If he planned on watching me and sitting outside of my house, we could have still been together.
By the time I’d reached my breaking point and was ready to tell his ass to go the fuck home, he was knocking on my door.
That was progress, seeing as he hadn’t actually talked to me since our ride to Sunny Cliffs.
Every morning, I’d pull out of my driveway, and he’d trail me to work.
When I got off, he’d trail me home. During my shift, one of the members of TWR was at the restaurant.
Hell, I’d been talking to and getting to know them like they were family because of him.
Yet he hadn’t spoken a word to me. I could only assume that since he was knocking on my door, either something had happened, or he had some information for me.
Swinging the door open, I huffed out my annoyance. My annoyance faded at the sight of him. Shirtless, he stood there with a frown on his face as he stared at my outfit.
“Where the fuck you think you going with this shit on?” he questioned, referring to the oversized shirt I’d cropped and cut up, short shorts, and long boots.
“What do you want, Wicked?”
“I want you to answer my fucking question.” He made his way into my home, gently shoving me to the side in the process.
Rolling my eyes, I bit back a smile. “Me and the girls are going to the country. There’s a trail ride happening and—”
“I’m going with you.”
“Uh, no. I’m trying to be found by a man, and I don’t need your big, scary looking ass lingering in the shadows scaring them off.”
Wicked chuckled. “I ain’t gon’ be in the shadows scaring them off. I’ma be right beside you doing that.”
As much as I didn’t want to, I smiled. “What do you want?” I repeated, following him into my kitchen. He didn’t answer me right away, opting instead to guzzle down a bottle of water.
“Can you wash and braid my hair?”
His request put out a bit of my fire. I looked his head over, and it looked like it hadn’t been done since he’d gotten out. He told me his sister did it last time, so I wondered why he wasn’t asking her.
“Where’s Nadia?”
Sucking his teeth, Wicked leaned against the counter. “On campus, but I want you to do it.”
“Why?”
“I miss you.”
“And your way of not missing me is putting me to work on your head?”
With a shrug, he made his way over to me. “I wanna be between your legs.” Speechless, I nodded. “Is that a yes?” he confirmed before licking those juicy lips.
“Y-yes.”
After giving me that wicked smile, his eyes scanned my frame again before he stepped back. “Cool. Have fun, but don’t get nobody beat up. I’m firm on that shit.”
“Whatever, Wicked,” I grumbled, heading back upstairs to grab my cowgirl hat.
He went back outside, and when Yana and Ashley arrived, we took a shot before heading out. Before we could get in Yana’s car, a black SUV was pulling up. Wicked called me, and I answered with, “Is this you?”
“Yeah. I’on want y’all drunk driving. He’s going to be your chauffeur for the day. Enjoy yourself, bae.”
After I told the girls, they smiled and waved before we hopped in the SUV.
Wicked trailed behind, and it wasn’t long before Sonny, Cole, and two other TWR members pulled up behind us as well.
As my girls talked, I was lost in my thoughts.
As much fun as I knew I’d have with them, a part of me wished I could have spent the night with my man.
I woke up hanging off the side of my bed.
The last thing I remembered from last night was Wicked carrying me into my home and my hat falling off as he went up the stairs.
I was so used to top shelf liquor that drinking the cheap shit in the country last night had me fucked up.
My stomach felt horrible and I had a headache.
I prayed I didn’t throw up as I wobbled into the bathroom.
After handling my hygiene, I dressed in a lounge set and checked my phone.
The girls had already texted in the group chat and let me know they were feeling just as bad as I was, so we all planned to chill for the day.
When I heard what sounded like water running downstairs, I headed down.
Wicked was at the kitchen sink in nothing but his boxers tempting the hell out of me.
“Morning, sleepy head,” he said. “Well, afternoon.”
“Hey,” I greeted, walking over to him.
“You hungry?”
My head shook. “Yes, but I don’t know if I should eat. My stomach is hurting a little.”
He chuckled. “That’s what your ass gets for knocking all them shots back like that.”
“I wasn’t feeling them at first, so I kept drinking until I did,” I whined.
“Mhm,” he hummed with a smile, turning to face me. “Burger and fries?”
“That would be perfect! Are you going to order it for me?”
“Yeah, but I figured we could go out and get it.” Though I was cool with that, the idea of going somewhere with him threw me off. Last night, he kept his distance until a man approached me, then he’d run him off. That was partly why I drank so much last night too.
“You actually want to be seen with me?” I confirmed in disbelief. “So last night wasn’t a one off thing?”
Sighing, Wicked motioned for me to sit at the island. I did, and he put a mug of coffee in front of me. It would curve my appetite, and since it was black, hopefully help with my slight hangover too.
“I meant it when I said I missed you, Jelai.”
“You don’t have to,” I grumbled.
Wicked sat next to me. “I came in yesterday to give you an update, but I didn’t want to lay something heavy on you since you had plans.
I haven’t confirmed who the informant is, but I have a lead.
One of our members left town shortly after your father was murdered.
We didn’t think too much of it initially because he said it was a job transfer, but when I talked to Pops about it again, he said he remembered Eric needing to be bonded out a week or so before the shooting. ”
Gasping, I clutched his wrist. “It’s him, Wicked. It has to be. Where is he now?”
“We don’t know. I’m trying to track him though. If I find him, I’ll let you know.”
My breath came out shaky as I nodded. “Thank you for trying.”
“You’re welcome. I was thinking we could go back to Sunny Cliffs. Maybe take a hike and grab lunch at the café next to the cave. I looked at the reviews and the cheeseburgers look good as hell.”
“I’d like that,” I agreed with a smile. “And when we get back, I can do your hair.”
“Cool. I’ma head home to shower and change. Call me if you need me, Jelai.”
“I will. Thanks again.”
I watched him as he walked away before finishing my coffee. I wasn’t sure how things would end between us today, but this was progress, and I was looking forward to spending some time with my man.
The Next Morning
I woke up alone, but I didn’t go to sleep that way.
Yesterday, Wicked and I went to Sunny Cliffs and spent the day in The Hills County.
We hiked and had lunch, then he took me shopping.
After that, we chilled on the beach and played volleyball with some strangers before having drinks and dinner.
Our day ended around a bonfire as we smoked before we went back to my place.
After I did his hair, I fell asleep in his arms, yet I woke up alone.
I tried not to feel a way about it as I got ready to start my day, and I was glad I stayed in good spirits when I went to the kitchen and saw him sitting at the island. From the looks of it, he’d gone home to change and came back, which made me happier than I wanted to admit.
I wanted to tell him he might as well pack a bag and stay a while, but instead, I settled on, “Morning.”
“Good morning, bae. How’d you sleep?”
“Great since I was next to you.”
With a smile, Wicked used my hand to pull me between his legs. “Would you have chosen me? Us?” After he repeated the question he’d first asked me the first time we went to Sunny Cliffs, I decided to be honest with him and myself.
“Yes.”
“Even knowing that your mom and Chris wouldn’t approve. That you might be in danger until this war is over. You’d still choose me?”
“Yes, baby,” I declared, wrapping my arms around his neck as he held me by my waist.
“Why?”
“Because . . . I was falling in love with you. I think I already did love you. I just . . . wanted the time and chance to experience it fully.”
He smiled as he cupped my cheek, then pulled me close for a sweet kiss.
“You might think you love me, but I know I love you. I tried to convince myself loving you didn’t mean I had to have you.
That it meant I had to do whatever it took to protect you.
But if you want to choose me . . . I’d be a fool not to let you. ”
My voice came out shaky as I said, “What are you saying, Wicked? Please don’t play with my emotions.”
“I’m saying, if you still want me, I want you, and we’re going to make this work.”
“I do want you,” I confessed, “still.”
His hands wrapped around my neck, and that time, our kiss was deeper. Before I could completely surrender to having his lips on mine, Wicked pulled away.
“I’m going to put cameras here,” he said, motioning toward the items on the island. “I’m going to put a tracker on your car. I’ll always need your location until The Outlaws are no longer a threat.
“On the off chance you’re away from your phone or car and something happens, when you’re outside of the house, I need you to wear this at all times .
. .” He lifted a choker with what looked like a thin chain.
The choker and chain were connected by a gold heart.
Loosening the heart, he loosened the chain, then slid it over my head.
“There’s a tracker in this. It’s inside the heart. ”