Chapter 16
All I could do was stare at my man. He wasn’t overly soft and romantic, but he was intentional and he catered to me.
Because Wicked knew I loved making bracelets, he planned what he called a create date.
It started with a gondola ride over the river to the arts district.
There, we went from one shop to another creating things.
I got to create lip gloss that he enjoyed kissing off my lips before we created perfume and cologne, then candles, and last, I got to create a charm bracelet.
I picked pieces that reflected not just our date today but every date we’d had since he’d been released.
When he looked over at me, I couldn’t imagine how goofy I was looking. Wicked chuckled before giving me a kiss as best as he could since I was smiling.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
“I’m just happy. Happy to be here. Happy to be with you. Happy that I finally get to love you and be loved by you.”
That earned me another kiss. “I’m happy about all those things too. You ready for tonight?”
A slow exhale escaped me. I thought I’d be happy when my mom and Chris agreed to sit down and actually talk to Wicked, but now, I was dreading it.
We’d been having such a great day, and I didn’t want them to say or do anything to ruin it.
All Wicked needed to see was my pout before his head started shaking.
“We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. I really don’t give a damn how they feel about us. I’m only doing this because I know it’s important to you,” he said.
“I know, and I appreciate that. I want to do it. I just don’t want them to say something that will ruin our day. Today has been so much fun. I kind of just want to go home and continue to enjoy you. This is the first day this week neither of us had anything to do.”
“Well if that’s what you want, then that’s what you’ll have. We can reschedule. Maybe we can go tomorrow after church? That’ll give us an excuse to leave early if shit goes left, because I know you won’t want to miss riding out.”
“Oh absolutely not,” I said with a small laugh. “I live for riding out with you now. It’s so much fun. The only other thing that gives me that thrill is riding a rollercoaster.”
“Aight, bet. Then check with your mom and see if they’re available tomorrow. If so, we can head home and chill for the rest of the day.”
“Mm, that sounds good.”
When he hesitated, my smile wavered.
“Speaking of which . . . how attached are you to your home? Will I be moving in there when we get married, or are we going to find something new?”
Whew.
I thought this conversation was about to go a completely different way.
It didn’t surprise me that Wicked asked me that.
The first time he paid my rent, that led to him paying the rest of my bills.
While he hadn’t officially moved in, we spent every night together practically unless he went to his parents’ house over the weekend and stayed.
I loved having him in my home and hoped he felt like it was his home too, though we hadn’t had a conversation about him officially moving in yet.
“Hmm, I like it. I’m not in love with it. I wanted to build my forever home, so I would be okay with moving. Mine is a really great starter home. If we stayed there for a while and maybe had our first child there I’d be okay with that, but eventually, I want us to build our own home.”
“Good. I like the sound of that. Your home is cool and it works for now, but with us both wanting a large family, we’ll need something bigger anyway.
I want you to never have to give up your beading room, and I’ll want a space that I can chill in too, so with our bedroom that’s three rooms off the rip, not including what we’ll need for our kids. ”
We continued to talk, and I swooned as he shared with me his investment plans and his desire to expand his auto shop empire so our kids could have generational wealth.
He was already doing phenomenally well, so I had no doubt that he’d be able to always take care of us financially.
Now I wanted him to myself even more. Talking about our future calmed my nervous system in a way that made me want to lay in his arms and cuddle and nap for the rest of the day.
“No matter what they say, I’m still gonna choose you,” I told Wicked as we waited for my mom to open the door.
He looked at me and smiled as he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “I appreciate the sentiment, but you wouldn’t have had a choice, bae. I wasn’t going to let them pull you away from me.”
I giggled but tried to reel it in at the sound of the door unlocking. Ma smiled at us both as she pulled me in for a hug.
“Hey, baby,” she spoke warmly.
“Hey, Ma.” When we unraveled, I took Wicked’s hand into mine. “This is Yates, but everyone calls him Wicked.”
Ma eyed him with a smirk before extending her hand for his. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Wicked.”
“You as well. My mama is the only woman I allow to call me Yates, but if that would make you more comfortable, you can.”
“I appreciate the consideration, Yates. Come in, and make yourself at home.”
So far . . . so good.
When we first arrived, I entertained Wicked in the living room while Ma finished up dinner.
She insisted she didn’t need any help, and I didn’t bother her.
She was the kind of woman who loved cooking and hated other people in her way.
The only time she allowed me to help was when she had a lot of people coming over.
About thirty minutes passed before Chris joined us.
By then, Ma had asked me to show Wicked our family photos.
He’d been laughing his ass off at the old pictures of me, though I didn’t find anything funny about my bushy hair and glasses. I was still adorable.
The air felt colder in the room as the two men sized each other up. When Chris extended his hand, Wicked stood and shook it.
“I can’t say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but I’ma do what needs to be done for my goddaughter.
If she insists on being with you, I want us to be able to get along.
But I want to make one fact clear. I will never like or respect you, young man.
I hope you can handle that,” Chris said, and when Wicked chuckled, my heart dropped.
His laughter settled into that wicked smile. Head tilted, Wicked told him, “Just being honest, Captain, you ain’t gotta do shit you don’t wanna do. I ain’t going nowhere, so it would be nice if we could get along. If not, I’m cool with that too.”
Chris took a step closer toward him, and I groaned. “The Wilted Roses and The Outlaws have been menaces in my city for decades. My best friend knew that, and that’s why he didn’t want you with his daughter—”
“That might not have been what he wanted initially, but there’s no way you could have talked to Dylan about me before he transitioned, because if you did, you would have known our relationship had changed.”
Wicked pulled his hand from Chris’s. “And if my club is such a menace to society, I want you to name one occurrence we’ve initiated.
Anything we’ve done that was violent or against the law was in response to something someone did to us.
My club rides out, has fun, and does good for the city, yet I never hear people like you mentioning that. ”
Standing, I took his hand into mine as he continued.
“I didn’t hear y’all gossiping about the spring break extravaganza we did for the seniors last year, where we raised almost seven figures and donated scholarships to their colleges of choice.
Did you have something to say when we started that mobile business to make sure the elderly would have a ride to church and their doctors appointments?
Or how about the single parent fund my father and I personally started and were the first to contribute to?
“Nah. All you wanna talk about is some shit I did a decade ago. Never mind the fact that it was to protect your goddaughter. If you can name one thing I’ve done offensively that makes me the menace you claim I am, I’ll leave this house right now and never come back.
“Otherwise, I would appreciate it if you stopped throwing up me protecting my gal and her honor like it’s something I should be ashamed of because it’s not.
I’d go to war behind her and fight the devil himself to keep her safe, so imagine how I’m coming when it comes to a judgmental nigga like you. ”
“Uh, why don’t we go outside and get some fresh air?” I suggested, tugging Wicked toward the back door gently.
Ma was standing by the doorframe that separated the kitchen and living room with a pitiful look on her face.
She muttered a quick sorry to Wicked and squeezed his free hand as we walked by.
I looked back at Chris, furious over his antics, and I was surprised by the sight of him smiling.
I honestly didn’t know if that was good or bad.
When we made our way outside, Wicked sat down and exhaled a hard breath. “I’m sorry, bae. I didn’t mean to snap like that, but it was either that or knocking him in his shit.”
Chuckling, I sat on his lap. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry that he said that to you. I can’t believe him. After dinner, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind. My daddy wouldn’t have even talked to a man like that that he didn’t like. I don’t know what Chris was thinking.”
Wicked squeezed my thigh and kissed my neck. “It doesn’t matter. He ain’t changing shit between us. Not for me at least. I meant it when I said I wasn’t letting you go. Your mama is acting cool though.”
“Yeah. I really don’t think she personally had a problem with you. More than anything, she was basing her decision off what Chris has been telling her. I know the more she gets to know you, she’ll love you just like I do.”
The back door creaked, and Ma stepped out. “I’m so sorry, Yates. I made Chris leave. His behavior was unacceptable, and I don’t condone that kind of disrespect in my house.”
“I could have handled him, but I appreciate that, Mrs. Williams.”
“Please, call me Diane. Dinner is ready. I’m about to go ahead and start getting everything set up in the dining room. Y’all come in when you’re ready.”
“Yes, ma’am,” we agreed simultaneously as she closed the door.
“Aight, let’s go eat,” Wicked said as he stood. “You said the chefs at the restaurant use her recipes, right?”
With a light giggle, I nodded. “Yes, baby.”
“Aw yeah. This food ’bout to be good as hell.”
All I could do was follow behind him as I laughed.
This man was something else. He acted like nothing had happened between him and Chris, and I loved how easily he was able to shake the encounter off.
It made me feel a little guilty knowing there was a time where I judged him and his motorcycle club easily too, but I’d had nothing but positive vibes and good times with them all.
The only person that gave me the ick was Rian, and Wicked had already told me to stay away from him because they had issues in the past. Other than that, they were genuinely a good group of people who treated each other like family, and I was glad they treated me like one of their own too.