Page 7

CHAPTER 7

MCCOY

“Where are you?” Jamel questioned with an attitude. I shut the door to my room and looked around. Nothing was out of place, but it smelled different. I inhaled deeply, my mouth instantly watering, and I knew Earth had been here. His cologne still lingered in the air. “McCoy!”

“Work,” I lied as I pulled myself out of my thoughts. “I told you I had to work late tonight.”

“How long do you plan to be there?” he asked, and I sighed to hide my frustrations. Jamel never checked on me while he was out of town on business or even when he was around. He lived his life, jumping back into my world to remind me he was still around, and then disappeared again.

“A few more hours,” I replied.

“You set up an appointment to get your nails and shit done?” he questioned with an attitude. “I can’t have you looking frumpy and shit when we go out. You gotta look your best.”

“My stylist was booked,” I lied. The truth was, I hadn’t even tried to make an appointment. I didn’t want to go out, didn’t want to be on his arm, and knew failing to get an appointment would make him not want to deal with me.

“Why the fuck didn’t you say something before?”

“I hadn’t spoken to you,” I answered. “I called you three times yesterday, and you never answered.”

“Because I was busy!” he yelled. “I told your stupid ass I was out-of-town working. My business picked up because Earth’s bitch ass is dead. Let me make my fuckin’ money!”

“Okay,” I softly replied.

“Get your fuckin’ hair done before I get back in town tomorrow night! If not, I’m going to knock your fuckin’ head off your shoulders!” Jamel hung up before I could respond. I tossed my phone on the bed and shook my head. I wasn’t going to let him fuck up my mood. He was out of town, and I would enjoy my little peace until all hell broke loose.

I made my way to my closet and grabbed something to wear. The dinner invitation was impromptu, so I wasn’t dressing up. This was my house, and while he was my guest, I wasn’t about to go above and beyond to impress him. No matter how fine he was.

After I grabbed my clothes, I went to the bathroom to shower. Forty-five minutes had passed before I walked back into my bedroom. I checked myself in the mirror, ensuring all my scars and bruises were covered before heading out of the room.

Once in the kitchen, I went straight to the fridge. I was hungry, starving to a degree because I hadn’t stopped moving since I woke up. Plus, the stress of having Earth snatched last night was still messing with my mental. I’d slept at my office, watching the cameras at this house and the condo. It would have been my luck that Jamel popped back up to make sure no other man was there, and if he called, I would have wanted to be prepared. But he never did, and I spent most of my night watching Earth walk around my house as if it were his.

My nerves finally settled, so I was ready to eat. I grabbed the pork chops I’d marinated before I left the morning before, plus everything to make mashed potatoes and green beans.

Earth came into the kitchen in the middle of my cooking. He didn’t say a word as he watched me. I was nervous, but not because Earth could, without hesitation, grab me and kill me, but from the way his eyes roamed over my body. The appreciation I saw there made me feel good.

If I listened to Jamel, I would think I was overweight and sloppy, but I was anything but. Had I gained weight over the last few years? Yes, but that was life. I stayed in the gym, watched what I ate, and was no bigger than size sixteen.

Once I was done, I pointed to the plates. “Grab those for me, please?” I requested. I was prepared for him to argue or even laugh at me, but instead, he grabbed the plates and silverware out of the drawer while I grabbed the last of the food and followed me into the dining room.

“Say your grace,” Earth commanded just after I sat. He dropped his head, mumbled a soft prayer, then lifted his head to stare at me. “Pray.”

I nodded and then did what he asked. When I lifted my head, Earth’s eyes were still on me. Once pleased, he picked up his silverware and cut his pork chop. The sound of him moaning as he ate made me squeeze my legs together. “Yo, this shit is good.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

“Welcome.” He continued to eat, and I let out a small laugh.

Even though Jamel ate my cooking when he was around, he always complained about it, so to hear a compliment made me smile.

We ate in silence for a while before Earth finally spoke up. “Alright, so what do you need me to do?”

“Nothing,” I said between bites of my food. Earth stared at me with a blank expression on his face. “I need your family, the DBB, to think you’re dead.”

“Why?”

“So they’ll kill the person they think is responsible for killing you.”

“You trying to start a war?” He laughed. “’Cause that’s all you’re going to do is start a fuckin’ war, shorty. My family, the DBB, will kill any and every nigga they think is responsible for my death.”

“I know,” I agreed. “I need them to.”

“Why?” he questioned. “If you know the kind of niggas you are dealing with, then why fuck with us?”

“Because no one is crazy enough to go after my fiancé.”

“Who is your nigga?” Earth leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited. My heart beat against my chest so hard, I knew he could hear it. When I didn’t open my mouth, he stood up, planted his hands on the table, and stared down at me. “Open your fuckin’ mouth. Who is your nigga?”

“Jamel Holden,” I answered softly.

A dark look swept across his face, and I swore the room got cold for a second before Earth started to laugh. “You serious?” I nodded. “Shorty, you didn’t have to kidnap me for that to happen.”