Page 22

As I was sitting on the roof of Denim’s neighbor’s home, I saw Kurt the minute he jimmied her front door. I’d been watching Denim for years, so I knew all about her case with Nate and him going away for life. A nigga like him was bound to send someone after her once he found out who she really was, and I knew it would be his flunky. Too bad I was going to make sure he’d be lying in his cell when he woke up. I may have given him a little leeway tonight, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to let him hurt my girl.

“Andre…” Her lips trembled as she continued to step back. She looked from me to my gun. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for you, baby.” I walked further inside and closed the door behind me. “And Big Bri, of course.”

With tears streaming down her face, she nodded before running to her coffee table and grabbing her little service weapon. Angling my head in amusement, I watched her aim it at me as tears streamed down her face.

“I love you, Andre. I love you so much that it fuckin’ hurts, but if you’re here because you decided to finally kill me and my child, that’s going to be a problem.” She aimed shakily at me as she confessed her feelings.

Laughing, I set my gun on the entryway table and stood with my hands crossed. “Denim, ain’t nobody trying to kill your Fed ass. Well… that nigga was, but not me, Lil’ Mama.”

She dropped her gun on the floor and walked toward me. “Good, because I’m charging you for stealing my heart.” The tears flooded her face faster, and seeing her crying like that did something to me. Placing my finger under her chin, I lifted it and brought her tear-stained lips to mine. I pecked them a few times before I used my thumb to wipe the waterfall of tears cascading down her face.

“Dre, I never intended to fall in love with the man I wanted to see behind bars. You were supposed to be another criminal that I put away. I don’t know how to fix this with us, but I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you let me. I want to be with you and no one else. My daughter? She adores you. You stole her heart just like you stole mine. If I need to find another profession, I’ll do it. I just want you to trust me—to love me. I’ll do whatever it takes to be with you.”

Kissing her lips again, I looked into her eyes and pulled away so she could see how true my words were about to be. “For months, I’ve tried to fight my attraction to you, Dee. Even before you approached me, I knew by looking at a mere photo of you that you would be my prettiest problem.” She blushed under my assessment, but I wouldn’t let her shy away. “You’ve done things that would have gotten any other nigga or bitch killed.” She went to speak, but I placed my finger on her lip to quiet her. “There are a thousand reasons on why I should kill you; hell, just as many reasons why we shouldn’t be together, period. Even knowing all of that, there’s only one thing that matters.”

“What’s that?” She breathed, barely above a whisper. “What’s the one thing?”

“I love you too.”

Placing my hand on the back of her neck, I pulled her close to me, placing a kiss on her lips with all the passion I could muster. Denim was my sweetest temptation, one I didn't mind indulging in. Things between us weren't perfect, and they never would be. I'm no longer unsure of where I want her in my life. Now, I'm unsure if there was even a life without her.

“Tell me we're going to be together, Dre…” She moaned into my mouth as I lifted her from the ground and wrapped her legs around my waist. “Tell me we're going to do this together.”

“We’re going to do this together.” I gripped her ass and carried her to the couch as I stepped over Kurt’s dead body. “Shit with us won’t be perfect, and we still have a lot of things to work on, but I love the fuck out of you and Briley. I don’t think I want to be without you, baby.”

Placing her on the couch, I removed my hoodie and undershirt. I dropped to my knees before her and removed her heels, before placing kisses up her legs and thighs.

I tapped her thighs. “Stand up for me.” With her eyes on me, she watched as I took my time undressing her, starting with those underwear she calls shorts. “I should kick your ass for wearing these panties to the club.”

“Andre, they are not they bad.” She giggled as I pulled them down her thick-ass thighs. “They just—ugh!”

Pecking her lower lips, I wasted no time spreading them and latching onto her clit. The first time she and I were together, I told her I would never put my mouth on a woman unless she were mine. Now was a good time to show her that I liked both sets of lips. Throwing her leg over my shoulder, I held onto her waist and wrote my name all over her pussy because that juicy motherfucker belonged to me.

“Ride my face, Denim,” I mumbled as I glanced up at her. She pulled her lip between her teeth as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Slapping her thigh, her eyes snapped open and landed on me. “Keep your eyes open and tell me what you want.”

She began to wound her hips as my tongue slid in and out of her. “I want you to eat this pussy like you know it’s yours, baby. Fuck, Dre! Just like that!” She placed her hand on the back of my head and peered down at me through lust-ridden eyes as she rode my tongue, fucking my face.

My dick was harder than Chinese math, and I would bust in my pants right now if I wasn’t a real nigga. Once she began to rock faster, I knew she was near her peak.

“Shit! Dre! Yes, right there, baby!” She gripped her breast through her bralette. “I’m going to come, baby!”

Nibbling on her clit gently, she held both sides of my head as her movements became jerky. A few more licks of my tongue, and she was busting on my face like a hydrant.

“Oh, shit!” she squealed as she began to wobble. “Fuckkk!”

“Mhm.” I chuckled as I licked her slowly. “That’s what happens when the tongue is just as good as the dick.”

Removing her leg from my shoulder, I stood to my feet and dropped my joggers as she removed her top. Dipping my head to her chest, I pulled her right nipple into my mouth as I pinched the left. Every ounce of this girl was sweet and addictive, and I could slowly find myself becoming obsessed with her. After getting my feel of her, I stood to my full height before sitting on her couch.

“This your dick, Denim?” I roamed her naked body as I stroked myself. Licking her lips, she nodded as she eyed me with desire and hunger. “Come mount this muthafucka and show me then.”

With a sly grin, I just knew Denim was about to fuck my world up. Climbing onto my lap and placing her knees on each side of me, she grabbed ahold of my shoulders, placed my dick at her entrance, and slowly slid down.

“Gah damn…” I moaned as my hips bucked upward. I wanted to take this shit slow, but I was too anxious. “I knew this pussy was going to feel good without a rubber. Denim, I’m telling you now?—”

“No need for the threats, husband. This pussy is all yours.”

Slamming her lips onto mine, she began rocking her hips at a slow and steady pace. I gripped her neck and tried my best to swallow her face whole to keep from moaning again like a bitch. I could feel all common sense leave me each time her walls contracted. Her pussy was so tight and moist, I could feel her juices sliding down my nuts.

“I love you, Denim.” I eyed her and placed my hands under ass, bouncing her faster. “Every day… that you’re my wife… I plan on showing you… how much I love your fine ass.”

“Hm, shit…” she cooed as she threw her head back in ecstasy. “Say that shit again.”

“You’re my wife, baby.” Her rocking got erratic, and I knew she was close to coming again. “I love the fuck out of you, Denim Boudreaux.” Feeling my balls grow tighter, all it took was the grip of her muscles to pull the nut right out of me. Slamming into her, we both came and cried out in pleasure.

“Fuck, Dre!” She threw her hands around my neck and shook uncontrollably. “I love you, baby!”

“Shit!” I all but screamed as I held onto her waist and dumped the biggest nut I’ve ever released inside of her. “Muthafuckin’ gahdamn!”

Catching our breath, we were wrapped in each other’s body fluids without a care in the world. Denim’s pussy was top-tier, and I had to stop myself from psyching out about the possibilities of her allowing someone else to invade my new favorite place.

A few minutes passed before I shook her slightly to wake her ass up. She would bust a nut and fall asleep in a minute. “Aye… what was that hot shit you said about me to Skip at the club?”

“Boy!” She giggled and slapped my chest. “I’m not worried about you or your snitching-ass friend.”

“Oh, you ain’t worried about me?” I pinched her nipple, causing her to cry out. I loved the sounds she made, and my dick was already getting back hard. “Say that shit again.”

“Ugh, Dreee,” she moaned as I thumbed her clit. “Wait!” She stopped me and slowly dragged her eyes to the floor beside us. Following her line of sight, I zoned in on Kurt’s dead body. “What about Kurt?”

“Fuck that dead-ass nigga. He’ll be delivered to Nate’s bitch ass soon enough, and then it’s lights out for him too. But, aye…” I placed my finger under her chin and brought her eyes back to me. “You know how you was twerking with your leg over that banister?” She frowned in confusion before recollection hit. “Yeah, I was watching your freaky ass. Tell me, wife, can you do that on my dick?”

Biting her lip, she turned around and got into the reverse cowgirl position. She left one knee to the side of me as she straightened the other leg and placed it on the back of the couch.

“Hold on, husband.” She winked at me over her shoulder. “This ride might get a little wild.”

Fuck, I love this girl.

* * *

“Are you sure you want to do this so soon?” Denim spoke as I drove through the city. “We can just go back to the house and enjoy a nice day at home.”

Intertwining my fingers into hers, I brought the back of her hand to my lips and kissed it. I’ve never been this affectionate with a woman before, and I’m not mad about it. “Trust me, Lil’ Mama… everything is going to be fine.” I glanced her way and winked. “Just relax and enjoy the day. I promise you—I got you.”

Giving me a small smile, she leaned over the console and kissed my cheek. Feeling my dick stir in my slacks, I shift in my seat to relieve some of the pressure. I respected her enough to not let her pull up at her parent’s house with dick on her breath.

Being back in Florida for those few days was the most miserable time of my life. I loved being home and missed my people when away, but I missed my girls more. After praying with my grandparents and talking it over with my brothers, I chose to work for Boudreaux Enterprises remotely, choosing to take a stay in Milly Grove. Denim and I were going to figure out how to be together while keeping our jobs, and we were going to do it together.

“My parents can be a little pushy,” Denim stated nervously as we approached the small stairs to the front door. Her family home was located between Highland Meadows and Mills Manor. It was immaculate, nonetheless, and it made me envision us staying in something more humble than a mansion here or back in South Florida. “Don’t take anything my father says to heart and?—”

“It’s about time you two showed up.” Her father snatched open the front door and interrupted her little spill. “Bri has been worrying the hell out of me.”

“Papa Joe, is that my mommy?” I shook his hand and peeked behind him, hoping to see Big Bri. “You said she was coming today and—Andre!”

Once she laid her eyes on me, everyone else was an afterthought. Moving her grandfather out of the way and bypassing her mother, Briley ran right into me.

“Hey, Big Bri!” I gushed as I picked her up into my arms and hugged her tightly. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, Dre.” She hugged my neck as only she could. “You left me and didn’t say goodbye!”

Only Briley could make a nigga feel less of a man. Hurting her little feelings was the last thing I ever wanted to do, and if I could help it, I would never do it again.

“I’m sorry, baby girl.” I kissed her temple and rocked her slowly. Her mother and grandparents watched our interaction with smiles on their faces. “How about I make it up to you by taking you to get a new tea set. Then, we can talk about me staying around a little longer. Are you okay with that?”

Nodding wildly, she gave me the brightest smile before kissing my cheek. Holding onto her while her grandfather ushered me inside, she refused to leave my arms, so I held onto her as she greeted her mother.

“It’s nice to see you again, Andre.” Mrs. Atkins beamed and patted my arm, much to Denim’s surprise. Winking at her daughter, she greeted her as well. “You look refreshed, Denim Boudreaux .” I chuckled, watching Denim’s eyes double in size. “Brunch will be ready shortly, so make yourself at home.”

“You’ve all met?” Denim looked around at each of us in confusion. “You told them about us? When?”

“When you decided to go on your little hiatus and shack up with him a few weeks ago.” Her mother winked as she came over and pried Briley from my arms. “You told me you were going to help me with the waffles, Bri. Maybe I could get your mother to help me with the meats.”

“But I don’t want to leave Andre…” She pouted as tears welled in the corners of her eyes. “What if he leaves without saying goodbye again?”

“Big Bri, I promise you… I will be right here with Papa Joe, okay?” I assured her as I stood from the couch. Bending to kiss her forehead, she gave me another smile. “I promise.”

“Okay!” She giggled and grabbed her mother’s hand. “Come on, Mommy! Let’s go. This time, we have to do the bacon right. Andre said you burnt it last time.”

Gasping at her daughter, we all shared a laugh as the girls went into the kitchen, leaving me and her father alone in the living room. He and I stood in silence for a moment before he nodded for me to follow him toward his study. As stated, this wasn’t my first time in his home, so I knew the way.

“It’s good to see you back.” He got right to it as soon as he closed the door behind him. “Would you like a drink?”

“No, thank you, sir.” I declined as I took a seat in a nearby chair. “Who knows what all Bri is going to have me doing today? I need to be alert, focused, and sober. There’s no telling where she’s going to drag me off to.”

We both chuckled, and I watched as he walked over to his bar to pour himself a shot of scotch. For a moment, my mind drifted to my own father because it was his drink of choice too.

“You know… the last time you were here, I wasn’t sure about you.” He took a seat across from me instead of behind his desk. “You came into my house and flat out told me you’d married my daughter. That’s not the way a father wants to find out his baby girl got hitched.”

The morning after I took Briley and Denim to my penthouse, my first stop was at her parents’ home before her father could leave for work. I had already asked Jerome to talk to them about Denim and Briley being distant, but I knew she would be missing for more than a few days, so I decided to introduce myself and assure them she was okay. It was helpful that Judge Atkins was familiar with Jules and who my family was, but their child was still married to a stranger.

“I admit, the way we went about things wasn’t the best way,” I said, gesturing understanding with my hands. I’d told Mr. Atkins all about Jules and me tricking Denim into signing the marriage license. He and I had never said the words aloud, but he knew I was into some illegal shit, and his baby girl was FBI’s current savior. Marrying her was the only way to keep her alive, and my brothers and I from having to use a lot of pull to keep me out of prison. “My decision was the only way to keep us both safe. I knew what was going to happen once Denim got what she wanted out of me, and instead of doing what I normally do, I chose to protect us both.”

“Ha. My daughter told me how she initially wanted to lock you up.” He sipped his drink and eyed me. “Seems to me she knows firsthand that all of her assumptions about you were true.” I said nothing in response because at the end of the day, he was a federal judge. Seeing that I was electing to neither confirm nor deny, he continued, “The law isn’t always black and white, and I know that. We all have done things that may not be deemed right or ethical in the court of law. My concern here is the well-being of Denim and Briley. You’re married, and I don’t know where you guys will go from here. But what I do know is… I don’t care who you are or what connections you have. I’m not playing with you, or anyone else, when it comes to the livelihood and safety of those two in the kitchen.”

Eyes locked on one another, I understood and received his message loud and clear. He wasn’t coming to me as the enemy; he was coming to me as a husband, father, and grandfather. My sentiments mimicked his. My only plans were to love and protect the girls as well.

“You have my word that I will love and protect them both with everything I have in me.” I held my hand to my chest and gave him my word. “As long as I can help it, no form of hurt, harm, or danger will come to either of them.”

“Do you love my daughter?”

“I do,” I answered without an ounce of doubt or hesitation.

“How do you know?”

“Because I don’t wake up in the morning wanting to put a bullet in her head,” I said honestly. “Denim has done some things that I wouldn’t take lightly and would never forgive anyone else for. We have a lot of things to work through personally within our relationship, but I know I don’t want to work on the issues with anyone but her. She and Briley have my entire heart. Me hurting them is not an option, and I’m laying down anything or anyone that tries. That’s my word.”

He eyed me for a moment before standing to his feet and extending his hand for me to shake. Standing, I accepted as he pulled me into his embrace and patted my shoulders.

“Welcome to the family, son. Thank you for loving my girls the way you do.”

We sat again and talked for almost an hour before we heard tiny feet patting down the hallway. Before we knew it, his study door burst open, and Bri marched in like a girl on a mission.

“There you are!” She ran straight to me and hopped in my lap. “My mommy told me to tell you that the food was ready and to come eat so we could leave.”

“Why the long face?” I stood and pinched her cheek as she sulked. “You know I hate to see you sad.”

Leaving the study, I followed the smell of freshly cooked food, and my stomach was pleased. Denim and I fucked all night and into the morning with only three hours of sleep, and I was running off fumes.

“I’m scared that once we leave here, you’re going to find a reason to leave me and Mommy again. You’re my bestest friend in the whole world, Andre. I love you.”

The words from this little girl almost brought tears to my eyes. I could feel the love she had for me pouring from her pores. Of all the bad shit I’ve done, I don’t know what I did to deserve Briley, but I thanked God for seeing fit that I do.

“I love you too, Big Bri.” The smile on her face could brighten the darkest sky. “You never have to worry about me leaving you because as long as you and Mommy want me to be here, you’ll have me.”

“How about we start with forever?” Denim asked as we rounded the corner, walking into the kitchen. “I think that’s plenty of time.”

Looking from Denim back to Bri’s hopeful eyes, I kissed her cheek before walking over and planting one on Denim’s lips. “Forever it is.”

Holding them both in my arms, I thanked God for allowing me to wake up and come to my senses about being here with them. The road hasn’t been easy, and I doubt that it would be. All I know is that Briley and Denim are my family now, and that’s something I don’t play about. I love these girls, and I’ll be damned if I ever leave them. Coming to Milly Grove, I never expected to fall in love, but I’ll be damned if I ever want to fall out.