Page 6 of Aug
FIVE
“Listen… listen…”
“Telling Ti what I’ve done only makes her pussy wetter when I’m fucking her because she knows a nigga ain’t gone play behind her. I don’t give a fuck who it is. Ex nigga, brother, pops, uncle, friend, foe– Fuck with Ti and expect me. Expeditiously.”
“I didn’t mean any harm, man. I just–”
“Reached out after I made myself clear.”
“It won’t happen again, man. I promise. Look– look, I’m going to erase her number from my phone–”
As the phone met the air, I put a bullet through it. His left hand exploded in the center. My heart leaped with joy.
Ah. That felt good.
“Ahhhhh, fuck, man. You just shot my han– fuck. Fuck, man! My fingers! My hand. What the fuck, man?”
Maneuvering, I stood beside the pussy whose mother should’ve aborted him. My Glock met his jaw. I let off another shot.
“In and out.”
His screams were unbearable. I slid my cell out of my pocket and pressed play on the list of songs I’d prepared for this very moment.
He’d live. The bullet went in one jaw and came out of the other.
Wires for a few months and maybe a few cosmetic surgeries would fix his face.
However, I wanted him to be reminded not to fuck with me or mine every time he smiled, frowned, or put food in his mouth.
I used to have nothing.
Now I got a whole lotta everything
And I come through stuntin’
“Ninety-eight. Ninety-nine. One hundred.”
I fell flat on the ground. My focus was lost. Thoughts of Tiana and those tears running down her pretty cheeks had my heart in an uproar. Her feelings were hurt. And, I’d hurt them.
I found the nearest clock. Sweat dripped down my forehead, blurring my vision. A quick swipe with the towel in front of me cleared it.
2:22a
Fuck it .
I hadn’t slept and doubted I’d be able to sleep until all was right in Tiana’s world. Because until her world was at ease, there would be commotion in mine.
I used my upper-body strength to lift myself from the floor. On my feet, I stood as tall as my 6’4 frame would allow and gravitated toward the bathroom. The shower was begging for my presence.
Inside, I cleansed my body and considered a hundred ways to say I was sorry to Ti. As sucker as this shit felt, I was enlightened and understood my wrongs. It didn’t matter that shit had gotten hectic over the last two days, if I’d just communicated with her then all would be well.
Instead, I left her alone in her bed to wonder. To overthink. To process her feelings. To think all the wrong things. When, truly, I was counting down the seconds until I was near her again. I didn’t want to be away, I had to be.
Say that next time, nigga. A note. A text. A call. A message through Balle. Something.
I chastised as I exited the shower and well into the act of dressing. Deliriously, I wandered into Balle’s garden. Her rose garden was a large section of the garden. She was proud of it and often harvested roses to show her love for those around her.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
“Fuck,” I hissed.
Thorns pierced my fingers as I detached one stem at a time.
“Shit.”
The brush had a method to its madness, and I was hardly complaining. I deserved each prick.
“Son of a bi–” Sighing, I saw the mission through.
When I had what looked like enough in my hand, I headed back inside. A rubber band secured them, and a paper bag from the farmer’s market made them look like more than an eyesore.
My white top was partially ruined. Blood from my fingers stained it. I didn’t bother changing before I hopped into my whip and sped toward the gate. Koen might not have been visible, but I knew he was around.
Watching.
Waiting.
Plotting .
The gate parted, confirming my suspicions. I didn’t waste a second leaving them behind. I had somewhere to be, and I wouldn’t allow sunrise to meet me before I made it there. Tiana didn’t deserve another hour of sorrow. Not when I could make it all better. Make her all better.
The elevator doors slid apart, prompting me to step forward. Numbered steps led me to the door of my destination. I pounded my knuckles against the black paint.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock .
I took in a much shorter breath than I released. My right foot tapped against the floor as I came to the realization that I’d been far too modest in my attempts to garner Tiana’s presence. At three in the morning, it was likely she was resting and couldn’t hear the door.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
My fist collided with the door, causing a ruckus.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
After twenty seconds, I lifted my hand again. The door swung open. Behind it was a groggy woman wrapped in a silk robe with silk rollers in her head. Patches were underneath her eyes. And, fuzzy slippers covered her toes.
She was stunning. In all her sleepy glory, Tiana was beautiful. I knew what was underneath the layers of prep, but I also knew the effort would yield splendid results.
At the sight of me, she pushed the door closed. Her attempt failed. I stopped it from connecting with the frame by extending my right hand. I invited myself into her space, keeping my eyes trained on the once sleeping beauty.
“I apologize for waking you up, Ti,” I confessed.
I needed that to be clear.
“I’m not here to piss you off. I’m really here to say the shit I should’ve said earlier.
I’ll start by admitting my flaws and asking you to work with me as I work through them.
I don’t have all the right words, and I never want to say the wrong thing to you, but I’m willing to toss all caution to the wind tonight. ”
I took a deep breath, handing over the flowers I’d picked from the garden.
“Be careful. Them motherfuckers sharp.”
She paused. I watched as her eyes softened.
“Is that where the blood is from?” She asked, tipping her chin toward my shirt.
“Yes. But, I didn’t want to waste another second changing. I wanted to come straight here.”
“For what, August?” Tiana exhaled, pursing her bottom lip.
“To apologize. You’re right. It’s not your job to come find me.
Search for me. Look any further than to your right or left.
I have obligations that you are aware of but it’s still my responsibility to communicate that with you.
Koen was out. Family emergency. I had to handle business.
Balle has gotten hurt on my watch before.
“It can’t happen again. And– shit– frankly, I’m not used to answering to nobody.
Ya know? I haven’t ever had to do that. Never been on that with nobody so I don’t know the rules of this shit.
But, what I do know is I’m ready to follow whatever rules you set because I want to be in your mix. I need to be in your mix.
“And, I need you in mine. I don’t want to just fall into a routine of coming to your crib and fucking you then pissing you off and I’m back in that fucking garden messing my fingers up.
Nah. I want to do better. To be better. You feel me, Ti?
I want to show you that, that night was the furthest thing from a mistake.
It was the right thing. The perfect thing. The good thing.
“Admittedly, I’m one who believes love is a lost art that never found me. Or, I never found it. Either way, it’s never worked out for me that way. But, it has to now. Because you’re here. And, everything about you says that you’re mine and I’m yours.
“I want to explore that while I explore you. If that’s cool with you. We start from scratch tonight. Forgive me for that shit. Charge it to my head and not my heart. I’m ready to grow, Ti. I just don’t want to do that alone.”
Her chest rose and fell, dramatically.
“I don’t want a job, August.”
“Which is why I’m not giving you one. I just want you beside me. I can find my own way. Can you do that for me?”
Tiana nodded.
“Shit. I’m glad you agreed cause I wasn’t leaving until you did.” I chuckled, releasing the breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“You’re a headache already.”
“As long as I’m not a heartache, baby.”
“Now, can I get some sleep?”
“Yes. Yes, you can. But, only if you promise to be ready at eight tonight. I figure we start with a date.”
Tiana nodded again.
“I am pretty sure that’s how this goes.”
“Good. Good. I assumed the same.”
“Alright.”
“Alright,” I responded.
“What is it, August?”
“One last thing.”
“I’m listening.”
“Don’t hold that against me, but I’m not a man of many words. I don’t always have the right answers, either. I’m vomiting at the mouth because I need you to understand how much I want you in my life.”
“I know,” she sighed. “Which is proof you’re far from your comfort zone and you’re actually trying. I see you, Aug .”
The last piece of her response was slow, steady, and breathtaking. Just as she was.
“Eight?”
“Eight.”
I leaned forward and pulled her chin toward me. My lips landed on her lips. Her tongue parted my mouth. I remembered her well. The feeling that only she could give me returned.
It had been over two days since I’d felt that. Like my next breath, I would need it more often than not. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to function. Tonight was a preview of how much her absence would disturb my peace. I had every right to believe things only got worse from here.
I wasn’t sure what spell her and that pussy had me under but I didn’t want either to cut me loose. I had accepted my fate long before I slid into her. It was time for her to accept hers as well.
You’re stuck with me .
My dick hardened. As it grew rigid, I pulled away.
“Goodnight, Ti.”
Breathlessly, she responded, “Goodnight.”
Her hand went against her lips as if I’d hurt them. Softly, she pressed against them, eyes trained on me. Silently, we stood in the hallway of her place. Slowly, her face began to transform.
As quickly as her attitude had dissolved, it returned. Confusion plagued me as I watched those orbs and her posture change. As I headed out of the door and down the hall toward the elevator, Tiana stood in the frame.
Watching.
Waiting.
Fuming.
She was in her feelings, still. My absence or even the thought of it reignited the fire in her chest. It reminded her that she was still upset and she had every right to be.
But, more than anything, it let me know that it wasn’t because I’d left before that was pissing her off. It was because she didn’t want me to leave this time.
I made it to the elevator and turned to find her right where I knew she’d be. Her arms were folded. One foot was holding the door open. And, her arms were over her chest. She’d left her roses on the console I assumed.
“What’s your problem now, Ti? I thought we were good.”
“We are,” she said, exhaling deeply.
She’s lying .
“You want me to stay? Is that your issue?” I asked.
“No.”
The sly eye roll let me know I was on to something. On to her.
I changed my trajectory and made strides toward her. Tiana scurried inside, leaving me face-to-face with her door. Chuckling, I raised my hand to knock. However, something told me I didn’t have to. She was near.
“I said I was sorry already, Ti. How long will you make me pay for my mistakes?”
“Until you stop making them.”
“You haven’t given me a chance yet.”
“I just did.”
“So you do want me to stay?”
“You can’t just keep fucking me and leaving me, Aug.”
“I’ll stay,” I promised, “I’ll stay this time.”
The lock turned slowly. The door crept open even slower. I pushed inside, hoisting Tiana in the air. I wasted no time getting my sweats down my ass and freeing my dick.
She was pantiless as I’d expected. I met her center with precision. She was already soaked.
My tip was instantly submerged in her waters. There was no turning back. I’d drifted from shore and hoped I didn’t return until I was drained of every semen particle in my nutsack.
As I hit rock bottom, I leveled my mouth with her ear and whispered, “When you want some dick, baby, all you have to do is take it. It’s yours.”
“Auggggg–”
Her body was hot. Her pussy was leaking lava. My dick made itself home in her heat box.
Fuck .
“Tell me you missed me.”
I needed to hear that shit, to know that shit, more than I needed my next stroke.
“Ti–”
“Yessss– Yessss. Yesssss. Uhhhhh missed youuuuu. Uhhhh.”
“I missed you, too,” I admitted, gripping the back of her neck to bring her nearer.
She was so damn slippery. My dick slid in and out of her with ease.
Fuck.
The sound of our reunion was uprooting. Her legs locked around my frame. Her body stiffened. Her eyes closed. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. When that didn’t relieve the mounting pressure, she leaned forward and replaced her bottom lip with my shoulder.
“That’s it, baby. Let that shit go.”
Arrrrrrgh .
She was near drawing blood. As hurtful as those pretty teeth were, they felt so damn good. So damn good they began to extract my nut from my sack.
“That’s it,” I whispered, succumbing to my own ending simultaneously.