by B. Love
Pushing her hair back and off her shoulders, Christian inhaled a deep breath. She picked up the first shot, which was Jack Daniels, and looked over at Donovan — as if she expected him to tell her she didn’t have to drink it. As soon as the liquid slithered down her throat she wanted to gag. Christian hated the taste of Jack Daniels.
Next was a dark Rum that made her shiver.
The Jameson made her take a break.
And the Hennessy had her walking away from the bar with Donovan laughing as he trailed behind. They returned to the sitting area by the door to wait for their table, where they exchanged small talk until it was time to be seated. As soon as Christian sat down, she noticed a group of women whose eyes were on her. When she looked at them, most of them look away, except two. One smiled and the other mugged her.
With her eyes widening and neck rolling, Christian tilted her head and asked them quietly what the fuck they were looking at. Releasing a chuckle, the women looked away as they shook their heads.
“You know them?” Donovan asked, putting his menu back on the table.
“Nah, but they looking at me like they know me.”
“At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them fuck with yo’ nigga, too.”
That was the first thought that ran across Christian’s mind. When their eyes returned to hers, Christian recognized one of them from the picture on Google. It wasn’t the one that was cheesing in Tyrell’s face, but she was definitely sitting at their table. A part of Christian wanted to go and ask her if Tyrell was the reason she had a staring problem, but she honestly didn’t want to hear the truth. The weed and alcohol were making their way into her system, and she did not want to blow the buzz it was creating.
“Fuck them bitches,” was all Christian offered as she looked over her menu.
“Yea, fuck them bitches. But trust your intuition.”
Lifting her eyes to meet his, Christian nodded. It was a God wink that Donovan was the one who answered. Had it been anyone else, they probably would have gassed her up and had her trying to knock out every bitch that was sitting at the table. But Donovan knew Christian’s core, and he would never allow her to come out of character like that. If anything, he’d fuck somebody up to ensure her hands and aura stayed clean.
With a soft smile, Christian reached across the table for Donovan’s hand. She mumbled a quick thanks, removing her hand from his to take her vibrating phone out of her pocket. At the sight of Tyrell’s picture on her phone, Christian groaned and rolled her eyes. She ignored the call and dropped her phone back into her purse.
Their waitress stopped at their table to introduce herself and take their drink orders. They ended up getting an order of popcorn shrimp as their appetizer to share as well.
Before Christian heard his voice or saw his face, she smelled his scent. Tyrell had been wearing the same Hugo Boss cologne ever since they met. Her eyes closed briefly, and the feel of his hand on her shoulder made her body tense. Opening her eyes, Christian looked over to the table of women, and all eyes were on her and Tyrell.
“Can we talk in private?”
“Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of my brother.”
“This is personal, Chris. Please.”
Christian let a few seconds pass before she stood and told Donovan, “I’ll be right back. Don’t eat all the shrimp if it comes out before I get back.”
She hoped the last part would make him smile, but it didn’t seem to register as his eyes remained locked on Tyrell. Taking him by the wrist, Christian quickly led him out of the restaurant. Yes, Donovan was logical, balanced, and methodical… but he’d methodically wipe the floor with Tyrell if he wanted to.
“What’s up?” Christian asked as soon as they made it outside.
She crossed her arms, hoping that would keep the chill of the crisp, wintery wind from penetrating her body and chilling her bones. Avoiding his eyes, Christian looked around the parking lot, taking in their surroundings.
“I just wanted to see you before I went home. Can we squash this tonight?”
Christian gave him her eyes. Her arms fell from her chest, and she placed her hands on her hips. “Can we squash this tonight?” she repeated, voice stern and loud. Christian chuckled and took a step away from him. “First, I have to get over you blocking bitches from my page and the bullshit ass reason you gave for it. Second, I have to deal with you coming here without me and downplaying my desire to come to keep up with your lie. Third, I see you on a picture with a bitch smiling all in your face — who ironically has people in here now. And I’m assuming that’s why you never wanted to come with me, because this is their little hangout spot. But you don’t have to worry, they’re looking, but none of them have been bold enough to approach me yet.”
“Christian…”
“It’s too much.” Christian’s voice cracked and her eyes watered. She ran her hands down the back of her head as she inhaled a shaky breath. When her eyes dried, she continued. “I love you, Tyrell, but it’s too much. Too many what-ifs. Too many questions and excuses. Yes, I want to be with you, but not at the expense of my peace.”
“What you saying, Chris? You breaking up with me?”
Her head lowered as Christian struggled to confirm or deny. No, she didn’t want to, but a part of her felt like she needed to. Not because of Tyrell but because of herself. Even if he was telling the truth, a small part of her would be paranoid as fuck thinking he was out doing wrong. And eventually, she would probably manifest his cheating in her life because of how much she thought about it and accused him of it.
“Chris.”
Her head lifted, but she couldn’t look into his tight, dark eyes. Instead, she took in the rest of his features. Like how his rich, brown skin glowed under the lighting of the restaurant. How his deep, thick waves swam across the top of his head. His wide nose made him look like a true, black, manly man, along with his suckable lips. Tyrell didn’t have a beard, but he had a goatee that Christian loved running her fingers through and feel tickle her thighs.
“Don’t do this, bae. Sleep on it, and we can talk tomorrow, okay?” Licking her lips, Christian felt her resolve crumbling when Tyrell pulled her into his chest. He tilted her head as she swallowed and placed a kiss to her temple. “I love you, Christian.”
Her heart twisted the moment she declared, “I love you, too.”
“Okay. I’ll let you get back to your brother. Call me when you’re on your way home, aight?”
With a nod, Christian removed herself from his embrace. Not bothering to say goodbye, she headed back into the restaurant. When she made it to their table, all eyes were on her again. Too deep in thought to even care anymore, she lifted her drink as she sat down, quickly guzzling the Lemon Drop drink she’d ordered.
“You good?” Donovan checked, leaning back in his seat.
“Yea.” Christian forced a smile, but it wouldn’t matter. He’d be able to read her true feelings the longer he pressed her. “So what’s been up with you?”
Christian listened intently as Donovan filled her in on his life. By the time he was done, their popcorn shrimp had arrived. As much as she’d teased him about it, she really didn’t have an appetite anymore. Her phone vibrated, and the text from Tyrell that popped up on the screen made her heart drop.
Bae: I feel like I lost you today. I’m sitting in this parking lot still trying to feel close to you. I love you bae.
Christian wished she could have told him that he hadn’t lost her, but the truth of the matter was, she wasn’t sure.
Go home Tyrell. We can talk tomorrow. I just need some time to get my mind right.
Releasing a sigh, Christian tossed her phone back into her purse and finished her drink.
“Am I going to have to take you home?”
She chuckled as she shook her head and popped a piece of shrimp into her mouth. “Nah. I’ll be good, bro. When are you going to give me a little niece or nephew, with your old ass?”
Don
ovan chuckled as he sat up in his seat. “Trust me, you’ll have kids before I do. You know how I feel about that shit.”
All Christian could do was shake her head. Not all of her siblings were fucked up in the head when it came down to love because of their father. Some of them had healthy perspectives, relationships, and marriages. But some of them… particularly the ones that came from large households and actually lived with Ricky… they were the ones who struggled the most.
The feel of a cold arm wrapping around Christian’s body instantly alarmed her, but when she felt the kiss to her cheek, she knew exactly who it was.
Leigh.
Excitement filled her as she hugged her sister back.
“Hey, Gucci,” Leigh spoke, releasing her.
“What’s up, Leigh? Ransom knocked that pussy out quick tonight, huh?”
“Aye, don’t be talking about that kind of shit around me,” Donovan grumbled with a mug as he stood to hug Leigh, getting a laugh out of both of his sisters.
“Boy, hush. We grown,” Leigh replied, sitting next to Christian. She wasted no time putting on some hand sanitizer after taking her purse and coat off and grabbing two of the popcorn shrimp. “What I miss?”
As Christian filled Leigh in, her eyes scanned the room. The moment her eyes settled on the group of women Christian mentioned, she stood and wiped her mouth with a napkin.
“If they looking, it’s for a reason, and I’m gon’ find out.”
Even though Christian wanted to stop her, she knew there was no stopping Leigh. All she could do was pray none of the women caught an attitude because her middle sister would air this bitch out real quick.
“Can’t take her ass nowhere,” Donovan muttered, standing to his feet. Christian couldn’t help but notice him putting his hand on his waist, and she groaned at the sight of him preparing to pull his gun out if need be.
Leaning against the table with her palms pressing down on it, Leigh looked every woman seated in the eye.
“My sister is nice, but I’m rude as fuck. And I don’t play that staring shit. If you got beef, we can handle that, otherwise, keep your eyes to yourself before I pull them motherfuckers out.”
No one at the table said anything, causing Leigh to smirk and walk away after a few seconds passed. When they made it back to their table, Leigh picked up her menu and asked, “Where the waitress at? I’m hungry as hell.”
Christian burst into a fit of laughter as she pulled her phone from her purse.
“Yo, I can’t with you.”
“What?”
“You crazy as hell, that’s what. The little high I did have is gone now because I thought we were about to have to whoop them hoes ass.”
Leigh rolled her eyes and shook her head as she grabbed another piece of shrimp from the basket.
“You know them hoes don’t want no problems. If they did, they would have been said something to you. I don’t know what Tyrell on, but if he care about whoever he fucking with that they know, he better tell her to keep her friends in line before I take care of all of their asses.”
Unfortunately, there was no part of Christian that didn’t believe her sister. Even though she was the oldest, Leigh literally killed people for a living. If she had any types of issues with anyone, Leigh was always one call away. Still, Christian prided herself on being her sisters’ protector. Leigh may not have needed Christian to fight her physical battles, but she was there for her in the ways that counted most.
Their waitress returned to the table to take Leigh’s order, and her words kept replaying in Christian’s mind. She insinuated that Tyrell was cheating as if it was nothing. And to someone like Leigh… it wasn’t. Leigh didn’t really value commitment, so faithfulness and fidelity weren’t boundaries in her relationships and beliefs she instilled within them. While she never wanted to be hurt, she never got close to a man to give him the chance to hurt her, either.
But what Christian was doing was risky. She wasn’t in just a physical relationship with Tyrell. She’d committed to him and given him her heart and soul. If he fucked her over… there would be hell to pay for all parties involved.
Fuck it, there was no point in playing as if she was patient. Leigh was any and everything but. Especially when it came to Ransom. She was always anxious and aching for him. There was only one other thing that gave her a higher high, and that was the rush that came from executing a hit.
“Ransom,” Leigh called with her sweetly honeyed soft voice.
“Yea?” was his reply, and even with his hushed tone, Ransom’s voice was just as booming and deep.
“Play with my pussy.”
Ransom chuckled softly before licking her neck and biting down on it. Squeezing her legs together, Leigh tilted her head to give him deeper access.
“Fuck make you think I’m ’bout to do that?”
“You washed your hands.”
He chuckled again and spread her legs. “I’m not a dirty nigga.”
Her eyes rolled and head shook. “True, but you don’t randomly wash your hands unless you’re about to eat me or some food. So stop fucking around and feast, nigga.”
Ransom wrapped his hand around the front of her neck and tilted her head back. Biting down on her bottom lip, Leigh closed her eyes. No other man in her past had ever been able to please or handle her the way Ransom did. She was no stranger to sex, having lost her virginity at sixteen, and almost ten years later, Leigh had mastered the art of a good fuck.
“What I tell you about talking to me like I’m one of these weak-ass niggas you be dealing with, Leigh?”
When she opened her mouth to reply, Ransom stuck his tongue inside, eliciting a moan from within her throat. Her legs relaxed as she relished in the feel of his tongue swirling around hers. Ransom’s hand squeezed gently, activating currents of desire that shot through her. Leigh’s mouth opened partially, allowing Ransom to bite down on her bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth.
His hand slid into her silk, spaghetti strapped gown and squeezed and caressed her left breast, then the right. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and slid her tongue back into his mouth, craving him more with each caress of his hand. It slid down her body, settling between her wet thighs. Ransom yanked her panties and ripped them, eating the aroused moan she released.
Finally giving her what she wanted, Ransom slid his long, thick middle finger up and down her pussy opening to the hood of her clit. He did so with the right amount of soft, slow pressure. She began to leak immediately as she kissed him deeper. Ransom stuck his finger inside of her and stroked her pussy a few times before pulling his middle finger out and circling it around her clit. He alternated between the three movements — circling, sliding, and stroking — until quiet moans began to pour. The smacking sound of her nectar coating his finger grew so loud, it was almost embarrassing. Leigh had never felt this good from one finger alone, but that was the kind of expertise Ransom possessed.
A quiet chuckle fell from her lips as it usually did when she was about to cum, and Ransom quickly slid his finger inside of her so he could feel her pussy pulse. Squeezing his wrist, Leigh moaned as her legs locked against his hand. Her back arched off of him, but Ransom pulled her waist-length, bone straight hair and placed her back on him.
“What you runnin’ for? This what you wanted, right?”
“Yesss,” she moaned before inhaling a sizzling breath and trembling from head to toe.
He continued to massage her pulsing walls until she stopped cumming. As soon as she did, Ransom pulled his finger out and casually pushed Leigh up from his chest. She turned and tried to unbutton his pants, but he pushed her hand away. Frustration quickly began to fill her as she tilted her head and looked into his eyes.
“That’s it, Leigh.”
She chuckled quietly. “What do you mean, that’s it?”
“I mean, that’s it.” Ransom stood from her light lavender couch and headed for the kitchen.
“But what do you mean?”
<
br /> He looked back at her briefly with a hard expression. “I’m not fucking you tonight. That’s it.”
Squeezing her septum, Leigh inhaled a deep breath. She looked around her living room as a blank expression settled on her face. This was the first time Ransom had ever not fucked her. That was their thing. They were lovers. Nothing more, but definitely nothing less.
The water in the kitchen cut on as Leigh stood and made her way out of the living room. The stark contrast between the warmth of her light gray plush rug and the coolness of the hardwood flooring made chills cover her arms. Her fingers gripped her arms as she entered the kitchen and found Ransom drying his hands off.
“What’s up with you?”
Ransom shrugged. His face was calm, as if he wasn’t bothered by leaving her with a hard dick. “Ain’t shit up with me.”
“Ransom, what the fuck is going on? Since when don’t we have sex when we get together?”
“Since I got tired of being just a fuck to you. I told you I’m getting sick of this shit. You thought I was playing?”
Leigh scratched her ear as she leaned against the stove. It fucked with her that he could even say some shit like that. Ransom had always been more to her than just a fuck. Hell, she loved him more than she loved any other man in her life. And the fact that she wanted him inside of her every time they were together was proof of that. Sex had always been the way she expressed her love… why was that a problem now?
“You’re not just a fuck to me. You know that.”
“Then what am I?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the counter. They were polar opposites — he was calm and stoic as he crossed his ankles… she was turning into a ball of nerves as she ran her hands through her hair.
“We’re us. We’re friends. We’re lovers. Why is that all of a sudden not enough?”
Ransom chuckled quietly with a shake of his head. “It’s not all of a sudden, and you know it.”
He headed out of the kitchen, and Leigh slowly followed behind.