Page 33 of Breaking the Rules

TWENTY-SEVEN

“Mm,” Savanhi groaned, touching one of her faded bruises on her face. “At least it doesn’t hurt as bad as it could.”

It’s been three weeks since Brixx entered her space and violated her.

Before Noble, she would’ve retreated into herself, disappeared for a while, and come out like nothing was ever wrong.

Something snapped inside of her the day she saw the betrayal.

All the things and ways that she allowed Brixx to mistreat her.

The confidence in her that was broken before throwing abandon to the wind.

She found a whole new life. One worth being proud of.

In her eyes, the pain would always be worth the reward.

“Are you ready yet, Sassy?” Areli asked, click clacking into the bathroom with her hands on her nonexistent hips. “Deucey said, don’t take all day.”

“You tell Deucey he’ll wait as long as I tell him to wait,” Savanhi sassed back.

“I ain’t no damn dog, Sass,” Noble rumbled, walking into the bedroom in a crisp white button-up and a tailored pair of red silk Mikado trousers.

Savanhi eye-balled him in the mirror with a desire-filled smirk, frown over her half-made-up face. She hadn’t gotten dressed yet, still wrapped in her robe Noble bought when they got home from the hospital.

“You’re not a Doberman Pincher? My DP? No?” Savanhi asked, locking eyes with him and watching as he swayed.

“You trying to tell me what to do?” he asked with a raised brow. “Knowing that I can’t do what I want for another three to four weeks?”

Savanhi smacked her lips. “Yep.”

Areli, unaware of what the adults were talking about, leaned into Savanhi as she reached up to touch her belly. “How is my cousin baby?”

“Good, you know tomorrow you get to go with us and find out what it is,” Savanhi shared, finding joy in the way Areli found joy.

She gasped. “I want it to be a girl.”

“I’m outnumbered already,” Noble stated, entering their space with Savanhi’s phone in his hand. “We need a boy up in here. And you need to take this.”

He placed her phone down on the countertop. Savanhi’s eyes moved from Areli and Noble to the unsaved county number. She sighed. “Areli, make sure you have everything you need to spend the night with Remi, okay?”

“Okay,” Areli buzzed, click clacking out of the room.

“Listen to what he has to say. Tell him what you need to,” Noble placed a kiss on her cheek and a tap on her ass. “Then put your pretty ass in that dress so we can go.”

“Yes, Deucey,” she hummed playfully before sighing again and answering the call. Listening to the prompts, she answered, “I accept.”

“Vanhi,” Zayden spoke her name with a weight of guilt. “I heard.”

“I’m okay, Zay. I promise you I am. How are you? Any word from your lawyer?”

Zayden huffed out a puff of air, almost like he couldn’t believe what he was about to say. “Five years. One year in a halfway house. Three years’ probation.”

“How’d that happen?” Savanhi asked with shock.

“Brixx and Manny. They disappeared. State can only charge me for drugs I had in my possession,” Zayden shared. “So in five years I get to hug you and tell you I’m sorry.”

“Zayyy.”

“Listen to me, Vanhi. I failed you. I should’ve seen the signs. I should’ve fuckin’ known. I didn’t, and I’m sorry. But I’m proud of you. So damn proud of you. Leaving the club, the dance studio, walking through life like it’s yours.”

“You’ve been talking to Law?” Savanhi quipped.

“I’ve been keeping my ears to the streets. You’ve been out there killing it. I feel like a proud daddy,” Zayden joked.

“What about a proud uncle?” Savanhi posed.

“Look at this shit. My baby is having a baby,” he continued to joke.

Savanhi rubbed her small bump. She didn’t even look pregnant, and she appreciated it. “Is or as my little minion says that’s the tea.”

Zayden sounded like his heart filled hearing Areli’s sayings. “You are going to be a great mother. You have that spirit.”

“So I’ve been told. When you come home, I’ll make sure you have your money.”

“I don’t give a damn about that money. I care about you, though. So take care of yourself, don’t take no shit off a nigga.”

“Or no bitch,” Savanhi stated.

“You got it. I’ll call you again soon, okay?”

“Okay.”

The call ended, and Savanhi dabbed her face clear of the tears.

“Now we know why I’m crying so much.” She laughed to herself and rubbed her belly. “You got a great uncle. Now let me get dressed before your daddy has a fit. The man’s lack of patience needs to be studied.”

Savanhi looked over her shoulder to make sure Noble wasn’t lurking. She finished her face, got dressed, and met him outside, leaning against her fully restored car. A heap of roses covering the back seat and the top back.

“Noble Paulson!” Savanhi screeched. “No, you didn’t.”

He beamed. “You like it?”

“I love it! Oh my God!” she leapt, ran in place, kissed him, then skipped around the matte black painted car with fully restored black leather seats. “Grandma, look at your baby! Oh my God.”

“I’m happy you like it.”

“I love it, and I’m made I can’t ride your ass to sleep,” Savanhi screeched, trotting over to him and hugging his waist. “Thank you I love you.”

Noble couldn’t help but laugh at her excitement. “If you think this is something, wait until you see what I got next for you.”

“I’m going to be a brat.”

“You already are a brat. I like that shit. Especially when you don’t get your way and get to rolling those eyes. And then I make you roll them eyes,” Noble stated before kissing her. “Damn, I hate that I got to leave you tomorrow night.”

“You’ll be back in a week. We’ll be right here,” Savanhi said, caressing his shoulders.

“Uh uh,” he groaned, kissing her again and pushing her away, and motioning her inside the car. “You know I can’t have you the way I want. All the rubbin’ on me is gonna have us breaking the doctor’s orders.”

“I’ve been living on my knees every time you come home on purpose,” Savanhi giggled, and he closed the door. She leaned over and opened the driver’s side door. “Is that not enough?”

“It’s never enough. Being inside of you is some different shit. I’m addicted to you, I swear.”

“I mean, it could be some other shit like crack. And you fine and all, but if you were a crack head I would’ve been out of there. You weren’t going to turn my pretty ass into a crack head, too,” Savanhi joked. “Already bad enough, I broke all my damn rules for you.”

“Is it really a bad thing? You look happy to me.”

“Oh, I’ve never been a kept woman, and I almost feel crazy now fighting it so much.

It’s something about knowing your man has your back and decreases my anxiousness.

Like knowing you got me, and you don’t just say it, you show up.

Every time. That makes me want to put you in the shower and wash you every day. ”

Noble guided the car out of the community onto the highway. “Bathe me, huh?”

“Mmhmm.”

“I can say the same, actually.” He reached over and squeezed her thigh. “It’s us against the world. Ridin’ forever.”

“Damn right because I am not dying and I need snacks.”

Nobe pointed to the gift bag at her feet. “Already two steps ahead of you.”

“Ohh, you do love me,” Savanhi cheered, picking up the bag. “So Zay is going to be home in five, a halfway house for a year, and three years’ probation.”

“Kymber has six years. I want to make sure she’s set up when she gets home.”

“Same.”

“Tell me what to do, I’ll make it happen,” Noble replied.

“Same goes for you,” Savanhi replied.

“You’re helping raise her daughter. She’s forever grateful for that.”

“It takes a village.”

They enjoyed the ride down the coast, listening to music, her hair tied back in a silk scarf. This moment with just them was rare, and they sucked up every second of it. Noble eased the car through a sleek driveway through a gate.

“Who lives here?” Savanhi asked out of complete curiosity. “This house is beautiful.”

She took in the Tuscan-style modern home with the city serving as the backdrop.

The manicured lawn, the uplighting, the fact that she rambled about her dream home, those nights they fell asleep on the phone when he was away, all stirred something inside of her.

She didn’t get her hopes up. She just followed his lead up the steps.

When inside, she was met by more flowers, Areli, Remi, and Lawryn.

Areli greeted her with a bouquet of flowers. They must’ve rehearsed this because Areli didn’t say anything out of turn. There had to be a bribe on the line. Remi was next with an envelope and then Lawryn with a box.

“Sassy, Deucey gave you flowers because you deserve them,” Areli said proudly and looking at Noble for a nod of approval.

Remi chuckled and added. “He wrote you a little because he gets tongue tied with it comes to you.”

Lawryn playfully rolled her eyes, then smiled brightly. “And a box that holds your forever.”

“Oh, this is so sweet. Do I read the letter before the box?”

“Yeah, go ahead,” Noble spoke evenly, trying to disguise the jitters.

Savanhi placed the flowers and the box down to open the letter.

She skimmed it to make sure its contents were child-appropriate.

Once confirming, she inhaled. “Savanhi Day, you were the lone star that shone so brightly it reminded me that God was real. The offerings you give let me know that heaven is a place I want to call home. Not anytime soon, though, but eventually. You’ve brought balance, love, light and joy into my world at a time I was ready for it to overtake me.

You don’t even know you saved my life. Every day I get to hear your laugh, your smart mouth, and words of encouragement is another day that I know I’m where I need to be.

The way you love Areli and I cannot be explained, but my heart triple times when I see you with her.

I can’t even imagine the ways I’m going to burst when our child comes into the world.

Welcome to your home, where I plan on building with you, crying, laughing, loving, and going higher up with you,” Savanhi read and flipping the page over. “There’s nothing else.”

“I know cause I wanted you to hear it from me,” Noble stated, coming into her view and lowering himself down to one knee.

“This house isn’t home without you, and it’s not complete if you’re not my wife.

I’ve sat with this since I saw you. You’ve ruled my mind and my being.

We’ve lost so much time, and I don’t intend on going another thirty years looking for what I dreamed of. Sassy, will you marry me?”

She dabbed the tears from her face and nodded. “Yes. I will.”

Noble pulled the ring box out of his pocket he’d been crying around for weeks and opened it. Adorning her finger with it, he kissed the palm of her hand.

“Clock that teeeaaaaa,” Areli cheered as if she’d been holding it in all day.

Savanhi laughed before salaciously thanking Noble.

“You better stop it,” Noble grumbled against her lips, palming her ass and keeping her in place.

“That’s why your belly is going to get fat. All that smooching!”

The group laughed loud and hard. Mere months ago, laughter was a rare quality of life.

“Tea is I’m going to be with you forever, Areli,” Savanhi shared happily.

Areli jumped up and down. “Clock it!”