Destiny's Sweet Cage

by K Harris

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “Bitch, you didn’t have to because your face said enough. You can have his Mandingo Pussy Slaying ass; I like my walls. Thank you very much.”

  “Mandingo pussy slaying,” Mae shouted and laughed so hard tears were coming out of her eyes. “I’m so happy I can ignore the fact that my nephew is apparently well endowed.”

  “Shit, me too.” Leslie laughed.

  “Hold up, how do you know what he is packing is the real question?” Deloris asked.

  “Right,” that was Debra.

  “Bitch, I strip what do you mean how do I know. In order to do a proper lap dance, some up-close and personal touching is required. Hell, just about all of them are packing some heavy machinery, if I’m being honest.”

  “I told her ass that she must have some taffy coated walls. Though he is my cousin, I have heard the whispers from the fortunate drunk bitches that have gotten a shot. Let’s just say they were complaining. Then she had the nerve to let him slide into her guts more than once in a 24-hour period.”

  “HOW?!” The whole room asked.

  “I think y’all are overreacting.”

  “Bullshit, when I first started working at the club I had to audition. Cage is fine as hell first off, let’s get that shit out of the way.”

  “Sho’ is,” everybody that wasn’t related to him said causing the room to laugh once again.

  “That was the first intimidation, but I have danced for some fine men in my field before so whatever. When I went to give him a lap dance, feeling that third leg right under my ass cheek almost took me out. I couldn’t break character, but I was thinking to myself, “whoever is brave enough to fuck with him is a mythical creature.” Baby, that dragon only twitched once so I know I did nothing for him at that moment, but I could clearly see there was too much damn room for growth.”

  “I can’t with you and these damn descriptions.” Every time she added a new description, I would fall out laughing again.

  “When I say she came into the bar the next day walking different, I couldn’t wait to hear the story. After she said it was Cage, I damn near passed out. What is it you call him again?”

  “I call his dick the Punisher. Shit, I might need to change that to “crack pipe” cause he is fucking my mind up right now.”

  “Pause, fucking your mind up as in present tense.” Debra pointed out.

  “I caught that too,” Deloris cosigned. “Me too,” everyone else said.

  “Nah, spit that shit out lil’ mama.” Tanisha coerced.

  “Blacktober Fest,” I slid out and took a deep swig of my drink.

  “I told y’all asses!” She then shouted at Deloris and Debra. “I saw that fine ass Ethan walk out of the hotel and get right back into the swing of things. I figured he just wasted your time.”

  “I left a key for him at the desk, I really did but Cage somehow got his hands on it. That night and morning were quite interesting, to say the least.”

  “So interesting that she has been ducking and dodging him ever since.” Syd threw my shit out to dry. “That is until we had to meet with them last night regarding our group's startup.”

  “I’m bout sick of you.” I threw a chip at Syd and she in turn just ate it with a shrug.

  “You looked a little stiff this morning so I can only assume that your tank was filled again before your departure.” Debra poked.

  “Shit, I thought that it was just a little early morning stiffness. I guess not.” Deloris commented.

  “Shall we say, celebratory dick down.” Tanisha stuck her tongue out and rolled in the seat.

  “Let me ask you this, how do you feel about Cage? Is it just physical attraction? Are you only sexually attracted to him or is it deeper than that?” Leslie asked.

  “Look at her face, that ain’t just horniness.” Mae countered.

  “To be honest, I’m in love with Cage and I’m unsure how that happened. It just happened. Being with him helped me put into perspective how I really felt about Maze. Whereas I thought I was in love, I was really in contentment with being in a relationship. I was comfortable with him. The crazy butterflies and fierce attraction I experienced with Cage is on another planet. It sounds corny but the electrical current that passes through us is scary as hell. It was addictive before he broke my heart earlier this year, but our latest tryst was that times a hundred.”

  “I can’t explain it, something was different. And it may have just been me or my feelings for him. Things that he wouldn’t normally do, he did. For a minute I thought it was only in my head, but it was real. He was real. That was real. We were really connecting deeper than ever before.” Subconsciously, I stroked my lips remembering his on mine. As crazy as it may seem, I could still feel them colliding with mine to silence my angry outbursts while at the Inkwell. Then again, he did just kiss me into silence last night. It was still embarrassing to think that I went in on him that way after giving him my best impression of a head doctor. “When I woke up the next morning, I hightailed it out of there as if my life depended on it.”

  “Why did you run?” Leslie asked.

  “Right? If he came to you, I’m sorry intercepted another man’s booty call to give you an experience that he wouldn’t normally deliver, why leave?”

  “Scared,” bashfully I stated aloud what has been volleying around in my brain since.

  “If you weren’t scared to saddle up with that big quiet anaconda packing negro then why get scared now?” Tanisha asked.

  “My thoughts exactly.” Again, everyone was confused at my sudden departure.

  “When Cage confirmed that he wanted nothing serious before I could even completely form that thought in my mind, I was devastated. First off, who falls in love with someone you don’t even know. I just found out his government name when I was asked to assist him on a mission.”

  “Sweetheart let me school you on a little something.” Mae interrupted my thoughts. “Falling in love is not something that only happens when you know someone, nor does it have a timetable. There is no definite criteria. And despite what some naysayers grumble about, love, at first sight, is as real as real can get. So is love at first connection. There is no such thing as finding the right one, love found you and slapped you into a thoughtless state. When our thoughts are removed, and we go with the flow is when real connections begin to flow.”

  “You quit overthinking and you let emotions take over. That my dear is called thoughtless love. You didn’t contemplate, “Is he the one,” and other mundane questions us as women tend to ask repetitively. The crazy part is when some of us get involved in sexual relationships, we go about it with the mindset of just having a little fun. Letting loose. Then something clicks and it’s not fun and games anymore, it’s deeper.” Leslie said and looked at Mae with fondness. “Now that is not to say that it happens for everyone and everyone is on the same wavelength. Hence getting your heartbroken when those feelings are not reciprocated.”

  “You see, though there is one person you are destined to spend your life with and love forever. I don’t believe that there was only one person that you were meant to love or begin the falling process. You say when you got involved with Cage, something shifted and you realized that maybe you weren’t in love with Maze after all, right?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded.

  “I believe you loved Maze or else you wouldn’t have given a damn that he left this Earth or that he was unfaithful to you. Then along comes nephew sending your emotions into a tailspin and boom, you felt like your life was over when Cage dismissed you. I bet money; you hadn’t told him how you were feeling.”

  “No, of course not.”

  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that any of that would have changed his thought process at the time, I’m just pointing out the usual reaction.”

  “What does Cage have that no other man has?” Syd asked. “Ethan seems like a cool guy and he is fine as hell, but you haven’t given him so much as a cursory thought.
Nothing like how you jumped right in where Cage is concerned.”

  “Cage is domineering without being forceful. He doesn’t treat me like I’m fine China and I might break if he is too rough. It’s sexy as shit for him to just demand that I take off my panties with no sugarcoating. He is a straight shooter no chasers, to know him is to love him.” The last statement made me pause and reflect. “Cage was there for me when Maze died. He kept a watchful eye on me even when there was no need. When he figured out that I was uncomfortable with staying at the clubhouse he invited me into his space. That is when things shifted between us. The close proximity to temptation took the reins. He was the first person that I told when I found out that William wasn’t my father.”

  “Wait, what?!” Mae and Leslie shouted in sync.

  “The fuck,” Tanisha shouted at the duel spew of drinks from the twins. Syd grabbed napkins to clean the mess up. “A little warning next time would be nice,” she added.

  “Like ‘CAUTION HOT TOPICS,’” Deloris said.

  “Or ‘BEWARE OF TEA,’” Debra added.

  “How the hell did you find that out?” It became clear to me that many people knew the truth, but no one thought to share. But why is that a surprise, I seem to be the last to find out too much where my life was concerned.

  “I can only assume that I am the only one who had no clue that William wasn’t my father.”

  “It wasn’t my story to tell but let’s not forget that I was forbidden from having a relationship with you period. Shit, since we are putting it out there, I was exiled from my sister’s life as well. That muthafucka, bump resting his soul, kept my sister away from me. I missed the last years of her life because of him.” Mae cried out and threw her arms up in defeat. Before I could ask her what she meant, she stormed out of the house.

  “I’m so sorry for her outburst but this is still a sore spot for her.” Leslie said and followed the path that Mae went to. Now I felt like shit for my snide comment. She wasn’t to blame nor anyone else who knew the real deal of my parentage. Truthfully, I never meant for it to come out as if I were pointing a finger nor did I purposely set out to bring up a painful memory – I just didn’t know. Ignorance definitely doesn’t equate innocence.

  Chapter 17

  Dez

  “I’m sorry that this trip has turned into a shit show because of me.”

  “Girl, you are good. This was intended to be a bonding trip. What better way to bond than over spilled tea and Margaritas?” Tanisha offered with a side hug.

  “Dez, if we can’t be there for each other in the bad times or shall I say discovery times, then what’s the point of a sisterhood.” Deloris squeezed my hand in encouragement.

  “That right there,” Tanisha, Syd, and Debra said.

  “Let’s lighten the mood a little bit,” Syd suggested. Pointing a remote towards where the television and other electronics sat, music began to filter throughout the room. Tanisha, the dancer of the group, instantly jumped to her feet pulling me along with her. There I found myself in a sandwich surrounded by titties and ass. Syd was behind me with the twins on either side of me as Tanisha began rotating all that ass she possesses in front.

  “What the hell did we walk into?” Mae asked with bunched brows.

  “Do y’all need some privacy? This damn near looks like a chapter from one of Zane’s freaky ass books.” Leslie laughed awkwardly.

  “Loosen up, we are twerking away the frustrations.” Tanisha shouted with her tongue out as she did some booty work.

  “From where we stand, it looks like y’all turned my niece into the sandwich meat.”

  “That’s exactly what the hell they did,” I laughed. “Nix’s ass is showing out though, making me question my sexuality.” The room erupted into laughter. She couldn’t even keep a straight face or keep up her body movements. Between the drinks and laughter, she fell to the floor and we weren’t any better.

  “Booty work is for the professionals,” Debra joked.

  “This bitch is showing us how to gather those tips.” Deloris clowned.

  “That’s why she is ahead of the game in Lincoln and any other place she is called to work.”

  “Years of practice, it’s all in the core and hips.” She joined in on the jesting. “I can teach y’all how to roll it, pop, lock, and drop it. Fucking with me, Cage will be proposing by the end of your first stage performance.”

  “Are you crazy, I couldn’t even dream of taking my clothes off in front of everyone else. Being bold in front of him is one thing, the whole town, and club – out of the question.”

  “I didn’t say strip, I said dance. There is a difference. I think we should have an amateur night at the club.”

  “You must be crazy; Cage would shoot that muthafucka up!” Syd shouted.

  “I highly doubt that,” I countered.

  “After the way you told me he folded you up and demanded that you keep his shit on lock and key, you are all but publicly claimed.”

  “Ethan said the same thing.”

  “Hell did you listen?”

  “Until I hear it from his mouth and see it through his actions, that means jack shit to me. Furthermore, I’m not going back into a debate over me and Cage. Teach us some moves, Nasty Nix.”

  “Y’all sure you can handle all this.” She asked and did a little routine of complicated-looking moves that made all of our mouths fall open.

  “Honey, you gotta learn that shit.” Leslie nudged Mae.

  “Shit, I will if you will.” She responded just as dumbfounded.

  Time seemed to fly by as we danced around, drank, and laughed until our stomachs hurt. This was what it was like to have actual friends who didn’t want anything from you or expect more than what you could give. They listened as I rambled about my complicated situation with Cage without judgment. When things got too heated regarding my family drama, we took a much-needed step back and regrouped. This trip was turning into everything I needed and more.

  ~

  “You are up mighty early,” I heard from beside me. Though it was a little nippy out, the outdoor fireplace helped a lot. With it being electric, it wasn’t hard to maneuver.

  “Once I slept off the initial drunkenness, my mind started to race again.”

  “I feel you on that. I haven’t drunk that much in a long time. Up here in these woods, we don’t have a lot of company or opportunities to entertain. Rather be entertained in this case,” Mae laughed.

  “We did cut up something serious last night. That chili was the bomb. Remind me to get that recipe before I go back home.”

  “Not a problem at all, it’s a family recipe. I’m surprised that you don’t already know it.”

  “Our family?”

  “Yes ma’am, our great grandmother started that recipe. They didn’t have much, but she did wrangle up some beans and other spices to accompany the deer meat that great-granddaddy had ground out from a hunting trip. She wanted something that would stretch in the winter months. Hearty meals that stuck to the bones as they used to say.” She laughed at the thought. “That recipe has been passed down over time with only small modifications with what meat to use. We took it old school and used ground deer meat.”

  “I could tell the difference in that but it wasn’t gamey like most deer meat.”

  “That’s the secret in the seasoning.” She winked. “I will be sure to jot down the specifics before you leave. Since I have it memorized, it’s one of those things you just know what to do. It’s not written anywhere.”

  “Can you tell me about my mom?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know much about her honestly. She never really talked about herself or her childhood much. Every so often I would find her drift off into space as if she were in deep thought, but she would never speak on it.”

  “Your mama could light up a room, do you hear me. She could be the life of the party but in the same token, she could be reserved. If she wasn’t comfortable in a setting, that was
her defense mechanism. She loved to bake, even as a little girl. Baking was her thing but that was a trait that great-grandma had as well, so it was to be expected.”

  “Really, I didn’t know that.”

  “She never baked with you?”

  “No, not that I can recall.”

  “Her dream was to open up her own bakery one day. She would always talk about it with anyone who would listen.”

  “I am building a bakery as we speak in Lincoln.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes ma’am, once I officially became the owner of the diner and the land next to it – I took the opportunity to do what I always wanted to do. Actually, speaking with my dad helped me to put things into perspective.”

  “Your dad?”

  “DT with the Sons of Vengeance is my dad. They found me when I first ran away from Lincoln, I guess you could say.” I laughed at the irony of my statement.

  “How did you find out that William wasn’t your father?”

  “He told me during one of his angry rants. He was upset because I wouldn’t stop hanging around the Knights. Initially, he tried to retract some snide ass remark about if he didn’t care about me, he wouldn’t have taken care of me. Once that statement was out, I wouldn’t back down – I demanded that he finish his statement. However, I was no way shape or form ready for that revelation.”

  “Still an asshole to the day he died, I see.”

  “The understatement of the year. He proceeded to fire me after that and before he died removed me from his will. Then again, maybe I was never on it aside from getting the diner. Either way, it goes, any monetary assets that may have been available did not go to me and the diner only reverted back to me by default.”

  “If he were still alive, I would kick his ass myself. I owed him several from back in the day.”

  “Why weren’t you ever around, especially after my mother died?”

  “William is the reason why.” She sneered. “That son of a bitch didn’t want me anywhere near your mom after they were married. When our parents died, he isolated her from anyone that wasn’t connected to him. It’s like he wanted to know that she had no one else to depend on besides him.”