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twenty-nine

. . .

Like any other morning, the light burst through the uncovered window with a vengeance. A brutal reminder that there was another day ahead, with anxiety and uncharted trouble to plague his mind. But this morning, the shine of the sun felt different. Warm and welcoming.

He inhaled, then hummed as the scent of Eden’s essence danced in his nostrils.

Tiredly, he reached out, praying she was still there.

He found her knocked out, holding the pillow, her ass poking out from under the covers.

Most beautiful sight he’d woken up to. Rolling over, he pulled her back into his front. Her damp curls brushed over his chest.

Up until three hours ago, they were still connected, exploring. He caressed her bare body, satisfied just to have her in his arms. Eden moaned tiredly before her voice rasped. “You mean you had me wrapped around you for hours, and you still want more?”

“Nah, just happy to have your pretty ass in my arms. I could’ve sworn you were going to run off.”

“To where? I’ve been thinking about peeing for twenty minutes and my legs won’t move,” Eden whined. “I think you broke them. Had me spread open all over this room.”

Maximus pulled himself from her, pushing his body off the bed before scooping her up in his arms. Trekking into the bathroom, he set her on her feet. “You hungry?”

“Is that a real question?” Eden posed, easing down on the toilet seat. “We never made it to the leftovers.”

Maximus sat nearby while she relieved herself, unfazed by his presence. “You had pussy on my plate, I wasn’t coming off that.”

“I could say the same,” Eden buzzed, handling her business, then slowly moving to the sink to wash her hands. “And now look at me. Doing the duck walk.”

“I hurt you?” Maximus questioned, a tinge of pain in his chest.

She swayed her head. “No, I’m fine. Evidence of a good night, and the bad part is, I want more. But I also want to shower, and I want to sleep. Eat. Fuck. And do it all over again.”

Maximus had already moved to the shower to turn it on. “Anything else?”

Eden smiled softly. “I think that’s about it. What about you?”

“As long as I'm in here all day with you, I have no complaints. Actually, I prefer to be in here with you all day.”

“Keep it up, I'm going to think you like me more than just kicking it,” Eden hummed on her way to the shower. “You coming?”

“You want to be hanging off the bar again?”

“Nah, I want to sit on it,” she spoke, motioning her head to his erection.

“Heard you.”

Following her lead, he relieved himself, washed his hands, and stepped into the shower behind her.

Grateful for the double shower heads, he watched as Eden let the hot water dance over her.

He faced her, washed himself, and then sat on the bench.

Eden finished washing their session from her body before moving across the vast shower to mount him.

“Take it easy on me,” she hummed, relaxing her walls to take him in.

Maximus caressed her breast, hips, and clit. When he filled her up, he wrapped his arms around her and controlled his thrusts.

Eden draped her arms around her shoulders and kissed his lips. “I think you like me.”

“Ain’t no thinkin’, Honey Baby,” he shuddered.

“Since when?” Eden posed, moving a hand to his throat. “Tell the truth.”

His gaze darkened at her display of dominance. “You want to know for real?”

“I wouldn’t be asking otherwise,” Eden slurred. “Tell me how long you’ve wanted this pussy wrapped around you.”

He bit her lip and palmed her ass. “Since you made that video.”

“Mmm,” she moved. “I love that stalkin’ shit.”

“Good ‘cause I’m on your ass now, heard me?”

“Mmhmm, Max Baby, I heard you. Find that spot again so I can cream all over you.”

Maximus scooted to the edge, balancing them so he could drape her legs over his shoulders.

Eden held on to his shoulders, allowing him to pull her inside out again.

Once spent, Maximus took his time drying her tired body off, using her oil to moisturize her body, then placed one of his t-shirts on her, and laid her back in the bed.

The melodies were back, making it impossible for him to lie in the bed with her asleep against him.

Kissing her cheek, he pulled his tired body out of the bed and moved to his sitting area, covering his ears with his headphones, he began to scribble bars until he had pages worth of Eden-inspired lines.

His phone ringing was the only thing to pull him out of the haze of her. Seeing it was a prison number, he removed himself from the sitting area and roamed outside. He answered, awaiting the prompts. “I accept.”

“Big dawg!” Brody greeted. “I got that release date.”

“Word, when you coming out?”

“Next week. That security spot still up for grabs?”

“Hell yeah, nigga. Ain’t that what I told you?”

“I heard you. Just had to make sure you ain’t get too big for me.”

“Boy, fuck you,” Maximus joked, looking around. “There’s one catch though, your ass can’t stay here.”

Brody whooped. “Tagged it and bagged it?”

“Heard me, nigga?” Maximus proudly gloated. “My lady charismatic and she be baking cakes and shit. You will not be over here.”

“My nigga! I knew it. You had that crazy look in your eye and shit.”

“I didn’t and fuck you,” Maximus joked.

“Not my type, my boy. I like a shorter type, softer features, real titties and shit,” Brody continued. “I ain’t tripping on that, I’ll find some place.”

“Nah, nigga. Your place is taken care of. It ain’t huge ‘cause you a nigga that like to get your own.”

“Fa’ sho, fa’sho.”

“But the rent is paid up a year, after that, it’s on you. I'm going to need you for a lot of shit. We got shows and appearances.”

Maximus maneuvered to his calendar. “Actually, got some shit in the desert next week,”

“I’ll be out this bitch Friday.”

“You’ll have your first job Saturday night,” Maximus shared.

“Ay, MB, thank you.”

“Nigga, cut it out,” Maximus huffed. “You solid, Brody, keep your shit clean and I got you. We’ll be out there Friday. Don’t fuck up your release, nigga.”

“Aight nigga, damn,” Brody happily responded before the call ended.

After reflecting and smoking, Maximus JoyCart’d enough food for them to have for weeks. If he had food, that special body oil and body wash, hopefully, he could keep her in his space longer. Long enough that his sleepless nights would vanish and the mornings wouldn’t seem so brutal.

By the time Eden pulled herself from the bed, he was in the kitchen making French toast with Jesipi the Don playing throughout the speakers.

“Ohh, look at little Fredrick,” he teased.

“You look just like me,” Eden laughed, touching her dehydrated coils. “I’ll make an appointment when you let me up for air.”

“Won’t be ‘til Thursday.”

“Oh, so gracious,” Eden teased, touching her chest. “What’s happening Friday, if you don’t mind me asking? Not trying to be all in your business.”

Maximus looked up from the pan. “What I call you last night, well into this morning? Where was my face?”

Eden flushed.

“Say it.”

“Honey Baby.”

“You my business. I’m yours. Aight?” His question was answered with a nod, and he continued. “Staysha and Keon booked a walk-through in the desert. Some exposure type shit. And my homie is getting out, so I got to handle that too.”

“A good homie?” Eden asked, brow raised.

“Aw, you care,” Maximus softly cooed his joke, placing his hand on his chest. “Solid. Him and Keon the only homies I got for real.”

Eden watched as Maximus went into himself for a moment, the slack smile he wore mere seconds ago, faded.

“Hey,” she hummed, rounding the counter to wrap her arms around his waist. “Where’d you go?”

He pulled in a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “Today is the first day I woke up without fighting all night to sleep and then being angry when morning came in so violently. Like it’s been taunting me.”

“Why does it feel like that?”

“I ain’t trying to bring down the mood.”

She kissed the center of his back. “Sanctuary. And I got a nickname now, so I think that qualifies me to hold whatever it is.”

Maximus finished up the French toast, adding the last slices to the plate with the others. “Come eat.”

Eden retracted herself from him and eased her sore body into the bar stool. Joining her, he reached for her hand. He blessed the food and then grunted. “Got me praying.”

“Balance,” Eden hummed, mimicking a chef’s kiss.

“Mornings are hard because it reminds that whatever fuck shit happened the day before was real. Mom’s put me out, reminder.

Niggas trying to take me out, reminder. Shoot out, mission, street war, reminder.

Brother snaked me out, reminder. Insult to injury he fucked my bitch and got her pregnant, reminder.

Everything plays on a loop all night, and by the time I’m sleep, it’s time to get up.

I lost years of my life, and I can’t sleep the whole day away.

I’m a damn near thirty-three-year-old rapper trying to make it.

Saying that shit out loud feels like I should’ve had another gift. ”

“So, when Poppi was making Staysha and I go to church with her every week, I remember the pastor saying – if what was in you was so insignificant, the enemy wouldn’t be trying to attack it.

If what’s on you is so heavy you’ll be attacked, you being ‘damn near thirty-three’ starting over isn’t anything other than another layer to your story.

A story that someone needs to hear. And the way they’re going to hear it is in the music.

So, like I said, keep putting it in your music. ”

Eden’s hand was on the base of his neck, gently massaging the tension out. “How many times do I have to tell you you’re special before you believe it?”

“As many times as possible because you’re the only voice that matters,” he admitted. “I got to know something, how you strip for niggas and keep your light?”