Page 19

CHAPTER 19

MCCOY

“Nah, Shaka, this shit is perfect,” Earth said to his cousin. The beautiful woman stood next to the stove, cutting peppers. Every so often, she’d look up at me and smile. Her big belly prohibited her from moving too fast, but she worked at a speed that made me want to sit here and watch her work her magic. She was efficient with her knives and time, and I loved watching a black woman work in the kitchen. I spent hours watching cooking shows and doing just that on social media. “Like I ain’t gonna ask you for nothing else, watch.”

“No.” She shook her head and pointed the sharp knife at him. “You’re going to buy me an amazing baby shower gift.”

“Man, what you want?” Earth sucked his teeth. Even though he tried to pretend he was annoyed, I could tell from the slight smirk on his face he’d give his cousin whatever she asked for. “Whatever it is, it comes from my whole group, too.”

“No, it’s not,” Shaka replied. “Auntie, Uncle Young, and Breeze already gave me their gifts. It’s just you and Fire left.”

“I’ll drop a stack in your account tomorrow.” Earth laughed, and she rolled her eyes. “For real, I don’t have time to shop.”

“Make it two,” she countered, and Earth reared back in his seat. Shaka crossed her arms over her chest and stared down her cousin.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he replied, and she giggled. I could tell from their banter they were close. The stories he told me over the past few days were only a glimpse into their relationship. Seeing their banter in person was cute.

“You good?” she asked him when he started rubbing his knees. “Have you been stressed?” Shaka’s eyes bounced from me to Earth with evident concern. I bit my bottom lip, trying to figure out what was happening.

“This crazy ass girl kidnapped me. What do you think?” Earth grunted. Shaka nodded and let out a deep breath. Earth noticed her hesitation and shook his head. “I’m cool, Shaka. Stop trippin’ and tell me how you are going to protect my honor from her kidnapping me and shit.”

“That was just foreplay, is all,” Shaka said, waving him off. Earth sucked his teeth, and it took everything in me to keep from laughing out loud. “No, but seriously, you okay? No flare-ups or anything?”

“Nah, just a little stiff,” Earth denied. “You actin’ like you worried about a nigga. You must’ve missed me, huh?”

“Hell nah,” Shaka denied and rolled her eyes.

“Lies.” Earth laughed. “Just admit that shit.”

“You got me over here cooking while I’m eight months pregnant, knowing how Keefe is, and you asking me if I missed your black ass? Double them two stacks.”

“Leave me out of this, baby,” Keefe said from the corner. He hadn’t said much since they arrived, but I could tell he’d been paying attention to their conversation just like I was from how he would grunt every so often. “You know, just like I do, you weren’t going to tell Earth no. Especially since talking to Breeze earlier, and she mentioned his new girlfriend.”

“Speaking of a new girlfriend,” Shaka said, smiling. Her dark eyes sparkled with excitement as she stared at me. “Tell me about yourself.”

“Not much to tell.” I shrugged. “I’m a lawyer.”

“Oh yeah, we need one of those in this family.” Shaka laughed. “Any siblings?”

“Not that I know of,” I said, shaking my head. I hesitated for a second, then glanced over at Earth. His family had welcomed me, knowing what I’d done. Yet I was holding back from them. Whenever someone asked me about my personal life, I’d give one or two-word answers. They deserved more than that. “I was put up for adoption when I was a kid, grew up in the system. For all I know, I could have a bunch of siblings out there, or I could be the last of my lineage.”

“How’d you get your name?”

“It was the last name of the cop who found me.”

“Found you?” Earth asked. I’d never gone into detail about what I knew about my past, except with Lynx, and even she didn’t know the whole story. “You weren’t born in a hospital?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I was dumped outside of a police station. My umbilical cord was still attached and wrapped in a Lincoln University t-shirt. The police believe I was dumped there by a college student who didn’t know what else to do.”

“How did you get those bruises?” she said, pointing at my face. “I know it wasn’t Earth, so who was it?” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. “You know what, don’t say anything. I have a friend that will handle that for you. She’s a little hot-headed, but she has good aim. I’ll introduce you two; we can do lunch this week.” She nodded as if it were decided, and I had no choice.

“You’re not introducing her to Paxton,” Earth said, shaking his head. “She ain’t ready for all that.”

“We will see about all that,” Shaka said, waving him off. She turned, mouthed that she would call me later with details, then went back to cooking.

“Come here, Coy,” Earth said, pulling my chair close to him. He buried his face in my neck and took a deep breath.

“You okay?” I ran my hand over his smooth cheek. Most women might have loved a full beard on a man, but I preferred Earth to have a goatee.

“Yeah,” he answered. “You good? My family ain’t too much, are they?”

“No,” I answered with a small laugh. “They are everything I thought a big family would be like. It’s a lot of moving pieces but nothing I can’t handle.”

“You sure?” He lifted his head and looked at me with a serious expression. “Fire and Shaka are a lot to handle sometimes, even for me.

“They are fine,” I said, smiling.

Earth looked over at Shaka, who was finishing up the food. “Just say the word, and I’ll put her out.”

“She’s fine.” I laughed, and Earth grunted.

“Alright, come on,” he said, then stood. I was a little apprehensive but simultaneously curious about what he had up his sleeve. I stood up; Earth took my hand and pulled me out of the kitchen. “Shaka, make sure you lock up. Keefe, it was good seeing you, my guy. Hit me up this week. I got some shit I wanna discuss.”

We went to his bedroom, and he closed and locked the door. “Alright, so you know where most of everything is, right?” Earth said after he started to strip.

After we left his parents' house, Earth took me home and told me to pack for at least two weeks. I didn’t think twice about his request as I threw clothes into suitcases. My work laptop went everywhere with me, so I wasn’t worried about work. His house was different from mine; size-wise, it was close, but the feel was more of a home instead of a place to lay your head.

“No.” I laughed, and he grunted. “I’ve been to the kitchen, the room you said I could use as an office, in here, the living room and garage.”

“The important rooms,” he replied as he walked to the closet in the corner of his room. He returned with a towel in his hand, dressed in white swimming shorts, and looked at me with a blank expression. “Why are you still dressed?”

“Because you didn’t tell me what we were doing.”

“Oh, we are getting in the hot tub.” He dropped the towel on the bed as he walked past it. “Come on, my body is getting stiff, and I need to relax.”

“Then get in without me,” I suggested, and he grunted. “What’s the noise about?”

“I want you to get in with me,” he answered. Earth moved quickly to strip me out of my shirt and shorts. I stood in front of him in my boy shorts and bra, covered in bruises and scars, yet Earth looked at me as if I was perfect. “Come on.”

The hot tub sat in the corner of his balcony, overlooking his backyard. His yard was beautiful, with flowers surrounding his property, a large saltwater pool he said he used year-round as we pulled up, and a basketball court in the corner. The garage he parked my car in wasn’t attached to the house, but he said a three-car garage was connected. He planned to park my truck in there once I decided which of his cars I’d be driving.

Earth sat in the corner, his arms stretched out, his head back, eyes closed. I wanted to let him relax, but he wasn’t having it. As soon as I stepped into the water, he reached for me and pulled me into his lap.

“If you’re stiff, I shouldn’t be in your lap,” I said, trying to get up.

“Man, be still,” he said softly. “You're cool. I like having you close.”

“You’ll get tired of me,” I mumbled softly, and he lifted his head to look at me. The scowl on his face made me bite into my bottom lip. Before Jamel, I could never be described as a timid woman. It had taken him years of mental and then physical abuse to beat me down to the unsure person who was sitting in Earth’s lap.

“Let’s have this conversation right now so we ain’t gotta have it again, cool?” he asked, and I nodded. “Alright. I get that nigga fucked up your head, but I’m not. I got thirty years on this earth, and the entire time I have been here, I have been a real nigga. I’d never play games with you or your mind. It’s not in me to do that shit. You are too fuckin’ special for that shit. But I need you never to underestimate yourself again. You’re not allowed to down yourself. I don’t play when it comes to my woman. I’ll protect you, no matter what, even if that means I gotta protect you from yourself. You got me?”

“Yeah.”

“Nah, man, I don’t think you do,” he said, kissing me. The second his lips touched mine, I melted. Earth kissed me so passionately, I had no choice but to believe his words. He wasn’t Jamel; hell, Jamel could never be compared to Earth on his best day, and I had to remember that.

“Okay,” I said once we pulled apart. My pussy was throbbing, and I could feel how hard his dick was through his shorts.

“Raise up a little,” he instructed. I lifted my body a little, and he pulled my boy shorts off and dropped them over the side of the hot tub. “You the type of woman niggas spend their childhood dreaming about, and when they become men, they search for.” He ran his hands up and down my sides. Every scar, bruise, and tender spot on my body seemed to scream for his attention, but Earth never took his eyes off mine. “Yeah, the way we met was a little crazy, but shit was meant to happen. You were supposed to be sent to me. I’on know if it was my guardian angel or Prince sent you, but I know both of them niggas knew I needed you to give me peace.”

“How do you know it was your guardian angel and not mine?” I asked as I ran my finger along his jaw. I wanted to yell Prince was his guardian angel, or more so, mine, because he sent me to him.

“Well, whoever it was, they knew what the fuck they were doing,” he said with a laugh. “But the shit doesn’t matter now. Yours or mine or hell, even my mama’s, I’m gonna protect you from here on out.”

Earth had always controlled our kisses in the past, but this time, I wanted to lead. I pushed my tongue into his mouth, and surprisingly, Earth let me take control. He pulled my body closer to him, and I straddled his lap. I wasn’t sure when his shorts had come off, but the feel of his dick pushing against my pussy had me ready to explode.

Earth broke our kiss, reached between us, and stuck his fingers into me. Even if we weren’t in the water, I knew I was soaking wet. I leaned my head against his shoulder and moaned. “You’re it for me, Coy. That nigga Jamel’s bitch ass didn’t know what to do with you, so he beat you to keep you from growing. That's some weak nigga shit. ’Cause my grown ass ain’t ever going to put my hands on you to hurt you.”

I bit into his shoulder as my orgasm pushed forward. “Shit, Earth,” I moaned. Tears filled my eyes, and I happily let them fall. His words hit parts of my heart I knew he was aiming for. He constantly reminded me he was here to protect me.

“Let that shit out, baby.” He chuckled and pushed his thumb against my clit and kissed my neck. “Your body has been starving for affection and attention. I’m just giving it what it needs. Nut, it’s cool. I don’t have plans to stop any time soon.”

“Your family is downstairs,” I weakly argued.

“Girl, Shaka has been fuckin’. How do you think she got pregnant?” He laughed. “She knew what time it was when we left the kitchen and I told her to lock up.”

“Okay,” I whined as my orgasm washed over me. My pussy clenched against his fingers, and my body shook. “Shit.”

“That’s one,” he said, kissing my shoulder. “Give me three more.”

“I want dick,” I said as I continued to ride his hand.

“You gonna get some, I swear, baby.” He kissed my shoulder again, then bit it. Goosebumps rose on my skin, and I shuddered. “But before all that, I need you to tell me you heard what I was saying to you.”

“I heard you!”

“What did I say, baby?” he questioned as he leaned back. My head dropped, and I bit into my bottom lip as I rode his hand. This man was going to make me kill him with all these damn questions every time we had sex. I didn’t give a damn as to what he was talking about. “Huh, baby? What I say?”

“Jamel doesn’t mean shit.” It was the first thing I could think of.

“He doesn’t.” Earth spread his legs, which made me open my legs more. I watched as he stroked his dick with his free hand. “But it’s more important shit I told you.”

“Umm.”

“You are what niggas dream of,” he said with a laugh as he lined his dick up to my opening. “You hear me? You are that bitch, and I ain’t saying that shit to be disrespectful either.”

“Ohh shit.” I moaned as he filled me up. My pussy burned for a hot second as it got adjusted to his size.

“Fuck!” He grunted as he rested his forehead against mine. “Listen to me, Coy. You listenin’, baby?”

“Yes,” I answered, even though I wasn’t. His words were going in one ear and out another.

“You are beautiful.” He grunted as he started pumping into me. “Smart, brave, the strongest woman I’ve ever met. That nigga doesn’t matter. He isn’t on your level and couldn’t handle watching you grow. You are more than he could ever be, and his bitch ass knew that.”

I rocked my hips, catching the rhythm Earth was working. “Okay, Earth.” I nearly cried. His words and his movements were doing too much to my system. “Okay, baby.”

“Nah, ain’t no okay,” he said, shaking his head. “Tell me what the fuck you know, Coy!” He slammed into me, making my head fall back. Earth cupped my head, bringing his mouth to my ear. “Tell me, baby.”

“I’m beautiful, smart, brave, and strong.” I moaned.

“What else?” He grunted as he pushed into me harder and harder with each stroke. “What else, Coy?” My body slammed into his, making my clit brush against his pelvic bone, which gave me added pleasure.

“He doesn’t matter. He wasn’t on my level. He couldn’t handle watching me grow.” I moaned and rested my head on his shoulder. “Shit, Earth!”

“That’s right, beautiful,” he growled into my ear. “From here on out, you ain’t alone. You got a nigga that’ll ride for you, you understand that?” I nodded in response. “Nah, baby, let me hear that sexy ass voice. Tell me you understand, and you got me.”

“I have you, Earth!” I panted. “I have you.”

“Hell yeah, baby, you got me.” He sped up his movements. “Now cum on this dick so I can feed you and show you the kind of nigga you got in your corner.”

My orgasm rushed through my body as if it was waiting on permission from him.

“Shit!” I screamed.

“That was just two.” He chuckled as he continued to pump into me. “Now, on to your next lesson.” Earth leaned back to look at me. His low eyes searched my face before he smirked. “Repeat after me. My body is a sacred place. The only man worthy of ever touching it is the man who honors, loves, and respects it and my mind.” With our bodies still connected, Earth stood, walked us into his room, and lay down. He hovered over me, his bottom lip between his teeth, his dark eyes filled with more emotion than I knew what to do with. “And the only man that’ll ever be is Earth Marcel Carlson. Can’t no other man love me like he does.”

“You don’t love me,” I mumbled. I could feel the tears filling my eyes. “You can’t love me.”

“Bullshit, Coy.” He chuckled and shook his head. “I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I knew it when you said my name for the first time. I knew it when I let you keep me locked up in your house for a week. I knew it when I was ready to kill that nigga when he put his hands on you. I knew it when you came back to the house and looked at me. I knew it when you looked at me with all that pain and anger and told me you were tired. I knew it when I realized you trusted me to keep you safe. I knew it when I put my dick in you the first time. I knew it when my family and friends accepted you without a second thought. Shit, Coy.” He put my legs in the bends of his arms and pumped into me. “You’re it for me, and I understand you gotta learn how to love a nigga, but I was born to love you, so that shit came naturally. You ain’t gotta be there just yet, but I know you’ll get there one day, and when you do, I’ll make you my wife. You’ll carry and birth my babies, and we’ll grow old together.” He leaned down, putting his mouth to my ear. “But until then, let me love you and help you grow. Like I told you, that nigga doesn’t matter, and I’ll never let him hurt you again. I’ll die before I let anything happen to you.” He rose and stared down at me as he pumped into me. “All I’m asking you to do is learn how to love a nigga, and I’ll take care of the rest.”