Page 122 of Craving Carla

“I can’t think of a better vampire to take over for me,” I tell him. “I’ll oversee things from Wintermoon, but effective immediately, you, Bobby, former member of the Medina Shadow Coven, will be the face of Medina Corp. You’ll expand the company, offer more services to help our melanated people out of this oppressive system, offer better opportunities, and continue the fight.”

Bobby stares at me hard for a long moment, then raises his fist in his trademark Black Panther salute—a gesture he’s carried with him since the night I turned him. “I’ll take the company under one condition.”

“And what is that?” I ask, curious.

“I don’t want to be released from Medina Shadow.” His voice is firm, resolved. “Absolutely not. I’m with you and the cause until my last day on this earth.”

I nod slowly, appreciating his loyalty while knowing what lies ahead. “This isn’t the end of you witnessing suffering. Take it from me—you’ll see more as the years pass by.”

Bobby nods, acknowledging the weight of immortality.

I gently nudge Carla, and she stands, allowing me to rise from my seat. Bobby joins us, and I extend my hand to seal our agreement. But Bobby shakes his head, walks around the coffee table, and pulls me into a hug.

“You’ve been a true brother to the cause,” he says, his voice tight with emotion. “You scared me for a moment.”

I chuckle as I pull back, adjusting my suit. “I couldn’t let my company go without giving you a little bit of my asshole tendencies.”

Bobby laughs, the tension finally breaking. “I have so many ideas.”

“I know,” I say, remembering all the times I’ve seen his eyes light up with concepts he never felt bold enough to present. “Before you leave, I do want to give you one piece of advice.”

“I’m all ears,” Bobby says, his expression serious again.

“Take it from me, brother. Control your dick.” I grab Carla’s hand and pull it to my lips, gently kissing the back of it. “It will serve you well to get a good discipline with that in the long run. When you find your fated mate, and you will, the last thing you want to have to do is explain you have a roster longer than your time on this earth.”

Bobby chuckles, but nods, taking the advice to heart.

He turns to Carla and smiles, bowing his head to her again.

Carla puts a finger to her lips, then looks at me with an innocent expression. “Um, didn’t Amari just say you aren’tbound to us anymore?” She glances between us. “That means you don’t have to do that anymore.”

Bobby shakes his head firmly. “You will always be my queen.”

Carla blushes, clearly unused to such deference.

“Would you like to meet your army?” Bobby asks her.

Carla’s eyes widen, and she looks at Bobby, then at me, confusion evident in her expression.

“I’d like to also remain lieutenant, if you don’t mind,” Bobby adds, turning back to me.

I smooth a hand over my suit, relief washing through me. “Thank Fate for that. I didn’t know which of the men I was going to choose in your place.”

Bobby laughs. “None of them are ready to lead yet, but they do well at serving.”

“You’re not bound to me,” I remind him, “but you may stay in your position for as long as you choose.”

“Thank you for giving me the choice, My Lord,” Bobby says with a nod. “But I want to serve and continue to fight the cause. I just want to see a day where my people have equal footing on this land. Black slaves built America to what it is today, off the backs of their labor, and yet they can’t even get basic human decency.”

He takes a deep breath before continuing. “I understand the law of the vampire—that we are not to meddle—but I just can’t sit back and watch my people endure so much suffering.”

“You sound so much like Amari,” Carla says, stepping closer to him.

“It was a blessing from Fate that Amari saved me that night. Otherwise, I would have just been another statistic. This is why I respect him. He’s for the people and has never changed on that.”

I smile, touched by his words.

“I understand why you need to take a step back,” Bobby says to me. “You have her now, my queen.” He turns to Carla. “ButI’m grateful to Amari for giving me the position to keep the movement going.”