Page 24 of Defending the Post (The Complexity of Love #3)

My lips found an ear again. “Forgive me, baby. I thought you were rejecting me, and I acted out,” I said.

Erin tilted her head away from me, but I strengthened my hold on her.

“Happy Birthday to you. . .”

The crowd, including me and Erin, sang to Pops. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Whitney seething. She grabbed the first guy she saw, kissed him, and I shifted my focus before they ended.

“Weirdo. I’m sorry for disrespecting you,” I said and continued to kiss her neck.

Malcolm called for the microphone to present Pops with our gift. I cuffed Erin’s hand, taking her with me to the front door. She peeled her hands away from mine.

“What do you give a man with everything? I mean, you have our beautiful mother, two daughters, a thriving business, and two sons to drive you crazy,” Malcolm said as the crowd laughed.

Malcolm passed me the microphone. “I know I keep adding to your gray hair, and I’m the good son,” I said, and Pops covered his eyes.

“But for real, know we love you, and this gift is from all your children, including Khaira. She paid in kisses and slobber. We tried to get you a knee replacement, but it’s too expensive for your age. Happy birthday,” we said.

Our gift appeared behind us with perfect timing.

A high-gloss red Chevy Camaro with Prime Stride branded on the hood appeared.

The rear spoiler gave it a masculine boss-like appearance, coupled with black-and-white stripes on the side.

Everyone awed, including Pops, as he led Mom to the door with his mouth parted.

“We funded you a racing team,” Malcolm said.

I moved the mic toward me. “You need a driver. We figured you wanted to do that yourself,” I said.

Pops slapped hands with us hard, pulling us both into a hug.

The glossiness of his eyes almost made me teary-eyed.

He stepped outside the door, rounding the car, fist pumping the air.

Over our various lunches, we discussed future business ventures, and this was something he wanted to do.

Mom swiped at her eyes, watching Pops glare at the car.

“Baby, I’m sorry,” I said as I pleaded for her forgiveness.

The drive home was rough, with her only awarding me with the silent treatment. I reached for her hand, but she snatched it away.

“Baby, please talk to me.”

“Marquise, I’m tired of you blowing up and then expecting me to forgive you. The more I want to love you, you keep pushing me away,” she said with venom and expressive hands.

Everything she said was right. I blew up, apologized and expected her to turn a blind eye. Shit, I did the same thing to Pops. He came in, and I pushed him away for no reason.

“I’m working on it,” I said.

“Work on it on your own. I’m done. You cannot care about me and blow up at the same time,” she said, and my heart leaped out of my chest.

The word done made me sick to my stomach. Erin hopped out of the car as soon as it stopped in front of the condo. I chased after her, praying she would give me one more chance. My temper caused me to foul out with Erin. Once we were in the elevator, I blocked the buttons.

“Marquise, I’m going back to my condo,” she said before my first tear dropped from my eyes.

We had a standoff in the elevator because I knew she was done. If she went to her condo without hearing me out, we were over before we started. I pressed the key to the penthouse and hoped she would get off with me.

“Do you even care about anything I say?” Erin said as the doors opened to my condo.

I sniffled as I reached for her, but she bolted out of the elevator unlocking the door with her key. Erin moved toward the stairs to Malcolm’s part of the condo. I caught her elbow, rotating her in my direction.

“Marquise!” Erin yelled in frustration. She tried freeing herself, yanking her arm downward.

“I can’t apologize to you if you won’t listen to me,” I said.

“I’m not interested in your apologies,” she yelled. “You hurt me, Marquise.”

She hit my chest with her small, balled fist before bursting into tears. I tried pulling her into me to comfort her, but she pushed me away. The hurt nestled on her face tore me to shreds. I reached for her again, but she swatted my hand away. The smacking noise of our skin connecting echoed.

“You... you embarrassed me,” she screamed.

Fuck. The weight of her words slammed against me, weighing on my ego.

“I’m sorry, baby. All I heard in the bathroom was I wasn’t enough for you, Erin. I come with baggage, trauma and a past,” I said.

As more tears fled her eyes, I knew I wasn’t shit and didn’t deserve her love.

“Baby, please give me one more chance. I promise to do right. I’m sorry, Erin. I do this thing where I push the people who care for me away. I did the same with Pops. I’m begging, don’t give up on me,” I said.

Erin sat on the steps and cried into her hands as I kneeled. I pushed pride away to beg for another chance. She was the best thing to ever happen to me and I’m losing her because I’m emotionally unstable.

“Let me show you, please, baby,” I begged as I hovered over her while on my knees.

She exposed her tear-filled eyes and puffy cheeks to me with hurt written in her tight features. As silence stood between us, I didn’t know which way she would sway.

“Marquise, I swear this is your last chance. You pull this shit again and I am gone. I ghosted my own daddy, and I will do the same to you. Get your shit together,” she said.

I hurried to kiss her tears away as I pulled her into my arms.

Erin

“Marquise,” I moaned as he buried his head in my neck and circled his thumb around my clit.

I pretended not to feel him removing my shirt and panties a few seconds ago and I slightly parted my legs. The heat from his wet kisses added to my arousal.

“I need to show you I’m sorry,” he said, continuing to softly touch my clit.

I turned my head away to control myself. His lips traveled down my neck until he found my breasts. He was gentle with his tongue as he circled my nipples. Collapsing his mouth around them, my eyes fluttered with mounting pleasure. As he kissed his away across my body, he paused.

“I knew you had a tat underneath your breasts,” he said, and I giggled until my mouth parted.

He covered my left nipple, and air left my body as the warmth of his mouth teased me.

“Guide me—this is my first time kissing lips below the waist,” he said, and I found his eyes.

“I wasn’t doing that with strangers. I saved this part of me just in case I met the right woman,” he said, and no words left my mouth.

I shook my head okay before I navigated his head to my pussy.

He parted my lips and teased my clit with his tongue, and I closed my eyes.

After he suctioned my clit inside his mouth, I wanted to challenge his virgin statement, because his tongue caressed every sensitive area.

He pulled forth pleasure from my body. I held his face as I grinded my pussy against his mouth.

“Mar. . . quise,” I moaned as my body jerked.

He remained still as I released my pleasure into this mouth. He moaned as my once arched back pounded the mattress as I panted. When his tongue swiped my clit again, my head peered down. Marquise’s eyes narrowed with determination.

“You better no?—”

My back arched as he pulled my clit in his mouth again.

I gripped his head but not fast enough. His mouth, and this time his finger, demanded another orgasm.

He pushed two fingers inside my opening, and I shuttered.

My body responded in a way that it hadn’t before as my toes curled.

An orgasm developed from an untapped place within me and elicited tears.

I dug my nails deep into Marquise’s shoulders to anchor myself as a flood of cum left my body.

Marquise kissed his way back up my body as I battled sleep.

“Nope, you ain’t gon’ wet my beard and take a nap,” he said, and I chuckled.

I reached between us and massaged his hard dick. Gliding my hand up and down his shaft, I confirmed his girth and length. He removed my hand, lowering himself pushing inside me. The width and girth elicited heavy breathing.

“Yess,” I moaned.

The more he moved inside me, he hovered his lips over mine, demanding eye contact.

Everything he wanted to say came through with his eyes.

I gripped his face as we found the rhythm to bring us both pleasure.

He freed his head and adorned my body with kisses.

I gripped his muscular body to anchor myself because I was unraveling with only one position.

The intensity between us was coming to a head for me until he stopped.

“Turn over,” he demanded, and I followed all the rules.

He lifted my waist as my face kissed the pillow and he pounded this pussy. From the pace of his stroke, I could tell he wanted to savor me as long as possible.

“Erin, you are my woman,” he said. “And I’m telling the world about you,” he moaned as he snatched me back to him.

“Yess tell everybody but don’t stop,” I whispered as my eyes watered.

The sound of our skin slapping echoed through the room, and it serenaded me. I threw it back at Marquise and he smacked my ass.

“I love it when you snap back,” he said.

Lifting back on my knees, I bounced on his dick as he guided me down by my waist.

“Goddamn, please don’t stop talking back to me,” he said.

We didn’t last much longer when he glided me back down and fucked me hard.

“I’m cuming,” he moaned, but I had already released.

Marquise exploded inside me, and we both pounded the pillow, chasing sleep.

I peeled myself from on top of Marquise, straddling him to move off his immaculate, structured body.

“Where you going?” he inquired, gripping my waist keeping me in place.

With my breasts hanging free and uncovered, I sat in comfort as he scanned my upper body.

“To take a shower,” I said.

He caressed my thighs with his thumbs as he gazed deep into my eyes.

“I’m in love with you, Erin.”