Page 16 of Soft On Her
“I wanted you to keep my heart because that’s what you’ve always been,” I detailed. “Now I want you to be my heart and my girlfriend.”
“I already told you that you’re mine,” Sneaux pecked my lips, and I bounced on my heels, sticking my tongue out.
Sneaux’s hands abandoned my body, and she reached behind her neck until she untangled the necklaces and removed one of them. “Turn around,” she urged.
I giddily spun around and exhaled deeply when I felt the jewelry fall into position on my neck. This was nine years in themaking, and I couldn’t wait to share more simple sentimental moments with my girlfriend.
My eyes snapped open, and as my vision cleared, the first thing I saw was the inside of Milani’s mouth. It hung wide open, her head tilted back as if she’d fallen asleep staring up at me. If it weren’t for the visual confirmation, I probably would’ve thought Candace slipped something in my drink at the lounge that had me hallucinating. However, her soft breasts pressing up against my chest were very real. I lifted my hand to cup Milani’s breast and leaned down to lick her nipple, but the beeping from the alarm stopped me.
Milani stirred in her sleep while I sat up in bed, reaching around on the nightstand for my phone to see who was entering my home. It was Levi and Terrel, and they were carrying the Chanel bag and cupcakes that Deja brought over for me the day prior. Hearing Milani’s name made me forget everything I already had going on. Sauntering into my closet, I grabbed arunning set and sports bra from the drawers and slipped them on. When I sauntered down the stairs, Levi and Terrel were standing around my kitchen, dressed in their running gear.
“I’m removing y’all codes to the door. You have to start knocking,” I announced once I was on the first level of the home.
“Aye, now that you got Milani back, you gone be mad if I see what’s up with Deja? You was playing. Thick shit fine as fuck, and she can bake her ass off. Why you left this stuff on the porch across the street?” Terrel questioned, devouring a cupcake.
“I don’t give a fuck what you do with her. But those cupcakes have been sitting out there since yesterday morning. Yo ass is going to be sick,” I laughed, taking a seat on one of the stools to slip on my socks and running shoes.
Terrel spat chewed chunks of cupcake and frosting all over my kitchen.
“You finna get the fuck out. Why would you assume I left that shit over there today when it’s eight o’clock in the morning? Why are y’all even up and over here this early?” I interrogated, pointing at the closet across from the kitchen. “Get the broom and Swiffer to clean this shit up.”
“I told his stupid ass that they were probably there all night because you act like Deja repulsed you. He talkin’ ‘boutthey look fine,” Levi shook his head at Terrel, then turned to face me. He stared me down, quiet and infuriating because it was like he wanted to read my soul. Clearly, he was perturbed about my actions last night, and I could understand that.
“Let’s run off some of that steam, big man,” I directed once my shoes were on.
Terrel put the cleaning supplies back in the closet, and we headed out the door. Levi was right next to me while Terrel struggled to keep up as usual. He used to go to the strip club every weekend. Now that he bought one, he was in there every night. Smoking and drinking until the wee hours of the morning,it was rare that he ever woke up early enough to run with us. Jogging off the property, we greeted the armed guards before they opened the gates for us to jog out of.
As soon as we were out of earshot, Levi started his lecture. “I understand you found Milani after all of these years, but this ain’t a fucking honeymoon. As soon as that nigga gets back and realizes his fiancée is in the wind, what the fuck do you think is going to happen? He’s probably cutting his trip short because I’m sure Deja had to call her people when she left the lounge without her.”
Levi was always serious, barely taking the time to unwind and enjoy the fruits of our labor. I hadn’t even run down the intimate details of last night, but he already knew it all. His low, dark eyes were impenetrable; I could never read them like I could others. It was difficult to tell if Levi slept a wink or was up until the wee hours of the morning, combing through security footage to piece my night together and try to figure out who the shooter was. Once I drove onto the Black Family Estates, I let all that shit leave my mind and engaged in some of the most mind blowing sex. I didn’t give a fuck about the consequences. That was my favorite way to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
“Levi, you gotta relax sometimes,” I encouraged through quick, steady breaths. “Whoever shot at me will be handled. If AC wants to beef about Milani, then it is what it is. Y’all know good and fucking well I’m not about to surrender the love of my life to him. What do we gain from his family?”
“Not a damn thing!” Terrel shouted from behind us, breathing hard as hell.
“Just because somebody sister, baby daddy, cousin decided to marry one of them niggas in a far off land don’t really mean shit to me. When the four families started, there werefourfamilies. That’s the only thing I respect. Could you figure outwho shot at me last night since you clearly have been mulling over it all day?”
“Nah. The shooter hopped in a rental car that came back to a pediatrician out of Michigan named Henry Walker. Quinn looked into him this morning, and he’s clean. Doesn’t trace back to anybody within our circles or beyond. Reported his credit cards stolen this morning. The few angles where he didn’t shield his face from the camera, the motha fucka was wearing a ski mask.”
“Maybe Milani was the target,” Terrel suggested. “Where the fuck did she even come from?”
“I don’t know where she has been. I just know she ain’t going back.”
“I never thought I’d have to talk to you like I do Terrel,” Levi grumbled and abruptly stopped running, causing Terrel to run into his solid frame. I slowed up, jogging back to them, but continued to jog in place while I waited for whatever disrespectful shit Levi was about to spit out. We were stopped just past the last stretch of trees on the street, leaving us exposed to the blazing sun. I looked up at my cousin, lifting my hands to shield my face from the blinding sun. He needed to spit whatever he had to say out; the sun was already scalding my skin, and I could feel myself perspiring more than I was a few seconds ago. “You’re thinking with your pussy! Milani is laid up in your house, unsupervised, and you don’t know where the fuck she been for the last nine years? You too busy eating pussy to ask the questions that need answers!”
“Nah, don’t put me in the mix with Sneaux. She takes the cake now. This is a thousand times worse than any of the shit I’ve pulled. I ain’t never left no suspicious bitch in…”
I stopped jogging in place and lifted my left foot to kick Terrel in the dick. My movements were swift, and he didn’t have time to react because he was too busy gloating. Terrel crumpled tothe ground, his hands flying to his dick before emitting a low, mangled gasp.
“Don’t call her out of her name. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I snapped.
“I’mma—kill you, bi–”
“Call me a bitch so I can kick you while you’re down,” I challenged him, cutting off his labored threat.
Terrel lifted a middle finger, knowing that I would make good on my threat and play soccer with his head while he was down. He knew he couldn’t retaliate because that would be writing a check that his ass couldn’t cash. One of the few perks of being a woman in this patriarchal society. Luis Black wouldn’t give a damn why Terrel laid hands on me; he would just see red.
“You ain’t going to say shit to her, Levi? She’s going against me for some pussy. I never thought I’d see the day.” He uttered slowly, and I burst out laughing.
