A Savage Kinda Love

by Kiki Leach

  He chuckled and rolled his eyes back to mine. "I don't want that shit not happening for us either, baby."

  "Then... kiss me?" I slid my tongue across my lips in an effort to entice him further than I had already, and lifted my chin to bring him closer. "For real this time."

  He bent forward, hovering over my mouth with his own, but stopped from moving further when the phone rang. "Jesus -- Motherfuckin' Christ."

  I laughed while lowering my arms from his shoulders and stood back. "Someone is trying hard as hell to keep this from happening."

  "It's gonna happen, baby. Maybe not this goddamn second--"

  "I think that you should... maybe see who won't stop ringing your phone." He eyed me with slight contempt before trailing to his old fashioned rotary phone on the opposite end of the kitchen. When he got an eyeful of the name scrolling across the caller ID, he balled his hands into fists and huffed. "Who is it?"

  "My goddamn old man. I don't know what the fuck he wants."

  "Maybe you should answer and ask," I said. "And maybe feel around to see if he knows anything about Marleena and what happened to her without mentioning it to him directly." His eyes shifted behind me as the ringing sound continued. "I should probably head up to call Nix and see what's up about her too."

  "You're gonna be in my room waiting on me when I'm finished?"

  "Of course."

  I smiled at him as a flutter filled my belly before heading straight out of the kitchen and upstairs to his bedroom.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Giving Up the Ghost

  Nikko's POV

  Nikko counted to ten to calm his nerves before finally picking up the phone to speak with Chino.

  "What the fuck is this shit about, old man--?"

  "Watch your goddamn tone," he replied. "I'm calling about the meeting with Benny that's been set up for the morning. Gonna need your ass to be on time for it."

  "What kinda time are we talking about?"

  "9am."

  "Christ. You couldn't make that shit for any later in the goddamn day?"

  "He's got other shit to do during the motherfuckin' day, Nik. Not everything can revolve around you and whatever time you plan to have your cock sucked."

  "It's got nothing to do with my goddamn cock. I haven't slept since being outta Rikers. Now you want my ass up early to meet with this asshole."

  "We've got no other choice on this shit -- what the fuck are you not understanding about needing to get it done as soon as possible? It's almost dark outside -- go take a fuckin' nap." Chino paused as Nikko muttered something under his breath. "Have you and Cheyenne talked about a goddamn date since I left this morning?"

  "We've had no time for it--"

  "What the fuck? You realize this isn't a goddamn game? A motherfuckin' date for this wedding needs to be set before anything else can move forward."

  "We've had other shit going on out here since you took off."

  "What the fuck could be going on out there that's more important than the reason this motherfuckin' wedding needs to happen in the first goddamn place?"

  "Some chick at Cheyenne's club was shot right in front of her today. You hear anything about that?"

  A long pause wavered between them before Chino responded.

  "What the fuck are you talking about?"

  "Some chick named Marleena," said Nikko. "You know anything about her and what happened?"

  "Goddamn name sounds familiar -- I don't fuckin' remember."

  "She's somebody you apparently fucked around with back in the day."

  "A clubwhore?! Jesus Christ, I fucked around with random pussy like it was my goddamn given right to do it as often as fuckin' possible back then. I can't remember one bitch from the next unless her name was imprinted on my cock."

  "She knows about the motherfuckin' Gambiano's helping to get me removed from Rikers," said Nikko. "Where the fuck else would she get that kinda info?"

  "Snake, if she's still involved with the club, which it sounds like she is from what you said. What the fuck would I gain from telling some bitch I barely remember about you getting outta Rikers with the help of the goddamn Gambiano's?"

  "I don't fuckin' know, old man, which is why I'm asking."

  "I didn't tell anybody shit," he emphasized, "that ain't involved. Where the fuck is this coming from -- Cheyenne? She put you up to asking me about this shit?"

  "I'm asking because she mentioned Marleena getting shot at the goddamn Macadamia Apartment Complex, and I know you used to talk about hooking up out there."

  "I hooked up wherever the fuck it was convenient -- whenever the fuck my cock called for it; that happened to be the place at the time. Tell your girl to press Snake on this shit more than she wants you pressing me on it. 'Cause pussy whipping ain't gonna get me to spill shit on something I don't fuckin' know. By the way, Dog is dead."

  "What?" Nikko's hand froze around the arm of the phone as he turned his mouth toward the speaker and flinched. His eyes expanded as a chill snaked through his bones. "What the fuck are you talking about -- he's dead? How?!"

  "Found hanging from a beam in his room a few hours ago--"

  "And you're just now telling me about this shit?!"

  "I'm just finding the fuck out about it for myself, Nik! Got the call right after hanging up from Benny and right before calling you out there."

  "And you couldn't mention it first goddamn thing?! 'Cause Benny was more important?!" Chino went quiet as Nikko swallowed hard and slammed a fist on top of the counter, rattling the edge. "We both know what the fuck happened out there, old man. And we know why the fuck it did."

  "Dog was never a goddamn target for Elias--"

  "What the fuck are you talking about when it's clear as day that asshole got him killed for the shit pulled with the guards, and for what the fuck he knew would come beyond it if he didn't?! He won't stop 'til I'm the goddamn same."

  "That shit ain't gonna fuckin' happen. Not from the outside."

  "You can't guarantee a motherfuckin' thing about it either way."

  "I can and will the minute I know when you plan to make this shit official with Cheyenne. 'Cause playing house with this chick ain't gonna cut it for what the fuck you need before I'm gone and well goddamn after."

  "I'm getting money from you, not protection."

  "You get both. Pay attention to what the fuck is going on around your ass and recognize those wiling to do for you more than themselves."

  "What the fuck category do you fall under anymore?"

  "All of 'em that matter. Now remember what the fuck I said in showing up tomorrow at 9am."

  After hanging up on his old man, Nikko wrapped his hands around the edge of the counter and jerked until it nearly ripped from the cabinets beneath. He closed his eyes and swallowed back the urge to shed a single goddamn tear in learning what happened to Dog, in blaming himself for knowing that it was only a matter of time when it would, then stormed from the kitchen and bolted upstairs.

  He stopped in the doorway of his bedroom when he noticed Cheyenne searching through the box he had sent to her from Rikers, then moved inside and sat on the bed.

  She turned with concern as he bent forward, resting his elbows on top of his knees and clasping his hands together, and lowered a set of pictures back into the box.

  "What is it?" she asked him. "What did Chino have to say--?"

  "You talk to Nix about Marleena?" His eyes lifted to her face as she nodded. "What's going on with that?"

  "She's still alive. One of the newbies looking to make a name for herself apparently knows how the hell to remove a bullet from someone's face without breaking their jaw or killing them. Nix said she'll be staying with one of them until she's semi-healed, most likely with him."

  He bobbed his head while lowering his hands to his knees. He sat up straight and sighed. "Still no mention on who the fuck might've done this shit to her?"

  "She can't talk, which seems more than likely what this person wanted if nothing else a
t this point."

  "Yeah."

  "Did you ask Chino about her?" He nodded as she peered. "What did he say?"

  "Claims he can't remember too much about her outside of 'em hooking up a few times back in the day; mentioned some shit about clubwhores being passed around."

  "Well, that's true, but Snake made it seem as if they knew each other beyond all of that; at least enough to tell her about you."

  His attention shifted to the corner of the room as his mind raced with a train of thoughts he couldn't begin to comprehend despite trying. "I don't think he's the one that tried taking her out, baby; my old man's got nothing to gain from it either way."

  "We don't know that for sure. And I don't know about Snake either, but--"

  He pushed himself to stand and crossed to his window as the whites of his eyes burned bright red. He dragged a hand across his face and folded his arms across his chest. "Shit."

  Cheyenne stepped behind him and rested her hand at the small of his back, curling her fingers around the tail end of his shirt. He warmed to the heat of her touch and shut his eyes; his head fell back as he parted his lips and inhaled. "What else did Chino say to you on the phone?"

  He reopened his eyes and gulped. "Dog," he started. "...Old man told me he was gone."

  "What do you mean 'gone'?" she questioned. "As in dead?"

  "Yeah."

  "How?!"

  "He was removed from Rikers right before I got released, and sent somewhere else; we both knew this shit could happen at some point, but I didn't think..." He took in another deep breath and turned to look her in the face again. He leaned against the sill of his window as she moved into his space. "I didn't fuckin' think we wouldn't be able to stop it from actually going down."

  "I'm sorry," she told him.

  "Me too, baby. 'Cause he was the only goddamn friend I made inside; probably the only motherfuckin' friend I ever managed to have in my life before now..." His eyes darted behind her as he tightened his jaw. "I did this shit to him."

  "No--"

  "That Elias motherfucker; the shit wouldn't have gone down in the way it did without--"

  She brought her hands to his face, forcing his eyes to return to hers once again. "What happened to you and Dog was because of Chino -- don't you ever forget that. Just like what's happening to us now is because of him, Rox and Snake. And what we're doing with each other to try and prevent any further damage--"

  "He wants a goddamn date to be set," he interjected, "ASAP. Said nothing can move forward without knowing."

  Her hands slipped to his chest as a rattling breath escaped her. "With everything that's happened since you've been out--"

  "It's not a priority."

  "It is. I just... we haven't had the time to actually talk about it."

  "We could start now. You wanna have it tomorrow, we can go down to the goddamn courthouse, sign papers and be done with it already."

  "Is that what you want?"

  "Nah, baby, it isn't. 'Cause you deserve better than some cheap shit, even if I don't and it ain't real."

  "Who said that it wouldn't be real between us, Nikko?"

  "You. Every goddamn chance you've had to say it since we met." He smirked. "You tryna tell me otherwise?"

  "I could be."

  "Yeah?"

  She nodded as he latched his hand around her wrist, dragging her hand until the tips of her fingers reached the edge of his belt buckle.

  She grinned. "What do you consider me to be to you?" she asked him.

  "What do you mean, baby?"

  "You said that Dog was the only friend you'd ever had--"

  "Before now," he started. "You didn't catch that shit?" A smile brightened his face as his hand tightened. "He was the only other person in my life I'd ever considered as being more than someone I knew 'til you rolled out there to see me with those cookies in hand."

  "You consider that a turning point?"

  "Yeah, Cheyenne, I do."

  "Why?"

  "I told you before that nobody had ever done something like that for me, and I meant that shit -- you were the goddamn first. Coming to see me again when I knew it wasn't something you were looking forward to because of where we were... bringing something for me to keep you on my mind."

  "It was to keep you fed."

  "That shit too." He chortled. "Kept me fed all goddamn night."

  "Really?"

  "Yeah, baby, really." Her breath caught as her hand slid down the front of his pants. He stared directly into her eyes as a spark flashed behind his own, and grunted. "You did that shit all on your own this time."

  "I know." He stood up to push himself even further into the center of her palm. Her eyes closed as she rolled her tongue along the roof her mouth, the thought of finally knowing his taste filling her with a delight she never knew she could feel more than once in this lifetime, or the next; his shaft lengthened as she moaned. "Please kiss me," she asked him.

  "Fuckin' begging."

  "Yes... Please, Nikko."

  He brushed the back of his hand across her breasts, protruding his knuckles against her nipples as they tightened behind her tank, then bent forward and exhaled across her mouth. "I want you waiting for me in here--"

  "What?"

  "Wait for me."

  Her eyes flew open as she glowered. "Where are you going?"

  "You got clean for me tonight, baby -- gotta give you the same goddamn thing."

  "But--"

  "Wait for me," he told her. "Don't fall asleep."

  She lowered her hand and swallowed hard while gazing into the weight of his eyes as they gleamed; she gradually shook her head while pinching her lips to hide a smile from him. "I don't know if I can promise to stay awake if you take too long."

  "Yeah the fuck you can, baby. I'd never take too goddamn long unless you were calling me for it."

  "Nik--" He slipped his tongue between her lips as a tease before pulling back and sprinting from the room. "My God."

  She moved to the bed, breathless and feeling completely out of her mind with desire, and dropped to the edge, then fell to her back and lowered a hand between her thighs while pushing them together.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  This Woman's Worth

  Nikko's POV

  "You asleep?" Nikko moved toward the bed as Cheyenne kept her back to him, her eyes focused on his mother's curtains as she slipped a hand beneath her cheek and gulped at the quiet, but gruff sound of his voice. "Baby--"

  "I'm not sleeping." She glanced behind herself as he crawled beneath the sheets and slid in next to her, then held her breath as the stiffness of his cock brushed against her backside. "I took the pie out of the oven and left it on the stove in case you wanted some. How was your shower?" He snickered and pressed his mouth against the back of her neck; she swallowed hard while all but melting as his lips parted, as she felt the warmth of his tongue slide across her skin. "My God, Nikko, please."

  "Would've been a fuck of a lot better with some company this time." He pulled back from her to drag his hand across the small of her back, then pushed his fingers beneath her tank and clawed her skin.

  She shook her head against the pillow and moaned. "Is that so?"

  "Yeah, baby, fuckin' so... Lemme see your face right now."

  She turned to him without a wink of hesitation and brushed her hand across his cheek; his eyes closed as her fingers stroked his skin, his jaw tightened. "The bruising is finally starting to fade as much as the swelling," she said, taking note as his eyes quickly reopened to scan across every inch of her face. "And you feel so warm, but barely dry from that shower; your hair is still damp."

  "Needed to get back in here before you changed your mind on what you wanted from me tonight, baby. What the fuck you needed."

  She grinned while brushing her fingers along his bottom lip and leaned forward to inhale the taste of mint on his tongue. "What are you so certain that I want or need from you tonight, Nikko?"

  "Every goddamn thing y
ou deserve, baby; one of 'em being me finally getting a taste of that perfect mouth."

  "You think my mouth is perfect?"

  "As a motherfuckin' sin." Her sex reacted with a hard throb. "Comm'ere, baby." He leaned into her face as a rattling breath rolled between her lips; her heart raced with a fear of nothing she could see beyond the current unknown.

  "Nikko?"

  "What is it, baby?" He lifted a hand to her face as his eyes refocused on her mouth; he curved the angle of her jawline with the corner edge of his index finger, and brushed his thumb across her chin, forcing her to shiver against the mattress as her skin pricked. Her eyes remained on him as he stared, on the hardness of his deliciously masculine features that managed to soften the longer he touched her. "Lemme finally taste you tonight, Cheyenne." Jesus, he was sexy, and she knew it. The overtly intimate look in his eyes made her slick enough to slide across the room.

  "I don't think I can breathe."

  "Baby--"

  "I can't." She sat up in a flash and threw a hand across her chest while attempting to exhale.

  He followed every move she made and brushed her hair behind her back, giving her enough space to feel what she needed before sliding the tips of his fingers across her throat. Her head fell back as her chin dropped and her mouth opened; she sank her teeth into her bottom lip and whimpered as his fingers crawled to the center of her throat.

  "Lemme fuckin' taste you, baby." As the straps of her tank fell across her shoulders, down the sides of her arms, Nikko helped each one past her elbows, tugging until the collar finally reached her stomach, allowing him to see her breasts in full form for the first time. "Goddamn." They were swollen and aching for him, perfect as all hell while her nipples were high and pointed outright, hard and ready for more of his touch -- his fingers, teeth and tongue all over each one.

  He was in awe of her beauty, in awe that she was all he ever wanted in a woman and more; that she had come to life right before his very eyes in a world he had been all too sure before tonight was no longer possible for him to survive. She didn't know what the hell she was doing anymore -- didn't know what the hell she was thinking or feeling when it came to herself or a man she was now determined to marry for the sake of removing all connection to the only life she had ever known.