Page 25

COCO

My hands slid over Adir’s chest and abs, assisting the water in rinsing him off.

He was so wound up. The muscles in his body were tight as if he was full of nothing but rage.

Which was crazy, considering he’d been so calm these last few days.

Never in my life had I felt the effects of pepper spray.

Even after a few days, I was still a little traumatized by the whole situation.

One minute, I was pushing the officer out of the way to get to Adir, the next I felt liquid dousing me in my eyes, then the officer had me on the ground.

Being placed on the ground like I was a criminal was the worst feeling I’d ever experienced—and I witnessed my mother passing.

I was so terrified. Then, Adir was there.

“I’m okay,” I mumbled against Adir’s lips again, just in case he didn’t hear me the first time.

Water clung to my lashes as I looked into his eyes.

I kissed his lips once more, then his scruffy cheek.

Moving lower, I kissed the area next to his Adam’s apple, then down his hard inked chest my lips went.

His chest rumbled with his low growl.

Taking his dick into my hands, I softly stroked the part of him that was equal parts terrifying and satisfying.

On my knees now, I kissed the tip of his dick.

He liked it when I went slow.

So, I trailed my tongue around his thick head, then slowly eased him into my mouth.

“Just like that, baby,” he mumbled sexily.

He pushed my bangs back, so that he could see everything, even the flutter of my wet lashes.

I brought him to the brink, enjoying his pleas filled with so much ecstasy.

He snatched me off, just as he was about to erupt.

Snatching me off the shower’s floor, he plastered me against the wall, hoisted me up a little, then planted me on his dick.

Gasping from the intrusion, I held onto his shoulders and let him have what he wanted.

My cries of pleasure mixed with his.

The steam was no longer provided by the shower of heated water around us.

It was now generated by the feverish lovemaking of me and my man.

We washed our bodies again, then dried off.

He carried me to bed and joined me, pulling me close as if I would get up and high tail it out of there.

A man who was terrified of losing me was what I sensed as his arm tightened around me.

Turning in his arms, I rested my hand on his jaw.

His eyes opened to gaze into mine.

“Rest, baby. I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

This was love.

There was no other place I wanted to be than in his arms. Even after seeing the monster within him, I refused to think that part of him would ever hurt me in any way.

That part of him was reserved for anyone who dare to cross him.

While I prayed no one ever crossed him again, I knew damn well it was only a matter of time.

One thing about certain people, they could never leave well enough alone.

“We’re growing a baby,” he mumbled.

He was right. Although morning sickness hadn’t attacked me yet, I’d already missed my period, so it was only a matter of time.

“Are you okay with that?”

“Pretty… You gon’ be lucky if I let you come up for air.”

I giggled and snuggled underneath his neck so that his chin could rest on my head.

I loved this man so badly.

Days later, I was at my desk working on notes for an upcoming meeting when Adrian poked his head inside my door.

Despite feeling a little nauseous, I waved.

“Hey!” I spoke and welcomed him inside.

“‘Sup, sis-in-law?”

“Working,” I replied. He took a look around my office. Pleased, he turned his attention back to me.

“How’s my brother treating you?” he asked.

Grinning, I said, “Amazing.”

He grinned too. “I’m in town for a couple of days, so I had to pop in and check on him…and you. This place can be a bit crazy.”

“Aw, you miss it,” I teased.

His light laughter sounded just like his brother’s. “I won’t lie.

School is boring as hell, but I’m determined to get through it.

”

“Well, whenever you come back, your office is still there.”

Adir appeared at my door, then sized his brother up.

They dapped each other and hugged like some men who didn’t mind showing each other affection.

Adir playfully pushed him off.

“You gon’ come speak to my shawty before me? That’s fucked-up, baby.”

“Nigga is you jealous?” Adrian joked.

I giggled at them.

“Yeah,” Adir replied as he came behind my desk to kiss my lips.

“What’s funny?” he questioned.

“You. And what did I tell you about kissing on me inside this place? I still work for you, Dr. Bell.”

“Oh, shit,” Adrian commented with a hint of humor in his tone.

Adir bit into his lip as he regarded me.

His eyes said that I was pushing it and so did the tiny smile he tried covering up.

He put his hands up in surrender, then backed away from me.

That caused Adrian to burst out laughing.

“What?” Adrian looked shocked, prompting me to laugh.

“Not the fuckin’ Dr. Adir Bell—”

He barely got the words out before Adir had him in a headlock.

That shit was so funny, I fell over my desk laughing.

Adrian laughed hard, too, because Adir wouldn’t let him go.

“Okay, okay!” I told them.

“Y’all stop it.” Adir let him go, wearing a smile I knew was that of a loving big brother.

Bianca came into my office to witness the foolery her brothers were up to.

Poor girl. I could only imagine what she’d been through having older brothers like them.

“You in here mindin’ our business. Let me go find Ant so he can get you together,” Adrian stated.

Bianca scoffed. “Why y’all always putting that man on me?”

“‘Cause he the only nigga we fuck with.”

“Who else it’s gon’ be?”

The brothers spoke at the same time and wore the same grill on their faces. Again, I found myself laughing.

“I heard my name,” Antonias said as he strolled in. His eyes instantly landed on Bianca.

Bianca growled and stormed out of my office, pushing Antonias to the side in the process. He went right after her. Regardless of what she said, Antonias was not playing with Bianca. She was playing hard to get, but I witnessed her wall slowly crumbling.

“Let me treat y’all to lunch,” Adrian requested.

I was out of my chair in a heartbeat. We ended up at Tonya’s Steakhouse, the restaurant Quilo and I were at the night we were nearly killed. Only thing was, when I walked inside there, I didn’t feel any tension or fear. I felt truly protected by the men surrounding me.

As hungry as I thought I was, I wasn’t able to finish my food. Hell, by the time I walked out of there, all I wanted to do was lay down. We arrived back at the office, and Adir went straight to handle an emergency call. I wasn’t in my office five minutes before Russ appeared at my door.

“Hey.

What’s up?”

“Boss said you goin’ home,” he replied.

“What?”

He shrugged.

“He told me to take you home.”

The minute you pop up pregnant, Adir is going to shut all that down.

Minnie’s words rattled through my mind, causing me to whine.

“He doesn’t tell me what to do,” I said to Russ.

“I have too much work to do anyways.”

“Aight. Who gon’ tell him that?”

Russ wasn’t scared by a long shot.

He had a duty. His duty was to follow Adir’s orders.

Adir paid him well to follow orders.

“Have a seat and let me finish a couple of things,” I requested.

He moved to the accent chair in the corner of my office and stuffed his big body into it.

Amused, I shook my head.

Deciding to kill two birds with one stone, I made a call to the nearest obstetrics physician and scheduled an appointment.

Their first available wasn’t for a few weeks.

However, I took it and added it to my calendar.

Here was yet another transition in my life.

One where my mama wouldn’t be present to witness it.

Each year without her got easier until something like this occurred to remind me that she really wasn’t here.

First, it was my wedding.

Now it was my first pregnancy.

Before I could stop myself, I started crying.

Russ was out of his seat and headed out of the door when I stopped him.

“Where are you going?”

“To get yo’ husband, the fuck.”

I burst out laughing.

“Sit down, Russ. I’m good. It’s my hormones,” I assured him.

Reluctantly, he went back and sat down.

For the rest of the time I finished my meeting agenda, he watched me like a hawk.

It was actually pretty funny.

Weeks later, I could barely breathe in deeply without feeling the urge to throw everything the fuck up.

As Minnie said, Adir wouldn’t even let me think about going to work.

He’d relegated me to holding video meetings with the staff.

That was cool with me because morning sickness was kicking my ass.

I’d been fighting through it as best as I could.

What was worse is Quilo’s homecoming game was this Friday.

No matter how much I couldn’t stand the thought of food let alone all the noise, I refused to miss it.

I’d made it through the previous games; I could make it through this one.

Today was my appointment with the obstetrician.

I walked inside Memorial Obstetrics she was that beautiful.

Her belly was much more noticeable than the last time I saw her.

With disdain dripping from her pores, she eyed me up and down.

“Of course, you lied. Couldn’t take another woman being pregnant with your so-called husband’s baby?”

“If I remember correctly, I told you that if my husband wanted us to start sooner, we would. And, well, here I am!” I chuckled on that last part just to see her seethe.

“This doesn’t change anything. That smug smile will disappear the minute Adir lays eyes on his baby. You know how he feels about children.”

She had me there.

Still, I held my smile in place.

“Then, I suggest you prepare yourself for the baby to be around me often .”

“I’ll die before you ever put your hands on my child.”

I snickered.

“That’s kind of crazy to say. You’re with child and speaking ill on yourself.”

Her hand went up in my face.

I knocked it out of the way just as quickly.

“Your sister’s ass was bared all over the high school stadium for putting her hands on me. Try me if you want to.”

“I’ll settle for making your life hell. You can have ten of his children and my baby will still bear the Bell name. My baby is a Bell.”

Her eyes swiped over me one last time before she took off down the hall.

Shaking my head at her stupid ass, I opened the door for the lobby and was pleased to see Adir walking through the door.

This was supposed to be a happy occasion.

Genika wasn’t about to ruin this for me.

“Saw Genika in the hallway,” I said to Adir.

His facial expression remained neutral.

It was the look in his eyes that hinted at him being angry.

“This isn’t her clinic,” he replied.

“Well, she must’ve seen me coming in and snuck her ass through the back. Hell, she’s pregnant, too, so this is probably her doctor’s office. I’m trying to remain the hands-off wife that you asked me to be. However, she doesn’t have another chance to get in my face.”

He leaned over and kissed my lips.

“I got you, my baby.”

Dealing with the ex was one thing.

Dealing with a pregnant ex was another ball game.