Page 31

. . .

The aquarium smelled like ocean water. Malik immediately clocked the security cameras and exits like any hood nigga with a past would.

Old habits didn’t die. He wasn’t used to places like this.

Peaceful, family-friendly, dimly lit. Nobody yelling, no threats, just oversized fish swimming in circles behind thick-ass glass and people taking pictures.

He looked over at Aku, walking a few steps ahead of him, her heels clicking soft against the floor.

That bronze top shimmered under the lights, her long legs striding like she owned the whole place.

Her hair bounced slightly with every step, and those freckles across her nose looked like the stars aligned just for her.

She turned around to check if he was still following and smiled. “You okay back there? You walking like you on patrol.”

“I am,” he muttered. “Never know when a fish might swing on somebody.”

She cackled. “You dumb.”

“Just sayin’. I don’t trust that stingray over there. He lookin’ at me funny.”

Aku grabbed his hand and pulled him beside her. “Com’ere, security guard. We gon’ be alright.”

They moved slowly through the exhibits. Big glass tunnels stretched above and around them, fish gliding over their heads like slow-motion dreams. The light from the tanks bounced off the water and cast ripples on Malik’s skin, making his tattoos look like they were swimming too.

“What if fish had phones?” Aku asked suddenly.

Malik blinked. “Huh?”

“Think about it. If fish had phones and they could post on Fishstagram?—”

“ Fishstagram? Cuh…”

“—yes, stay with me. They’d be on there like, Just swam past my ex’s tank. I’m healing tho. ” She bit her lip, holding in laughter. “ New bubble, who dis? ”

Malik shook his head, but his smile betrayed him. “You a damn fool.”

She leaned on him as they watched a school of jellyfish drift across a glowing tank. It was damn near silent around them, but their laughter filled the space like music.

“You really be thinkin’ like this on your own?” he asked, still chuckling.

“Yup,” she said proudly. “I think that’s why my brain is so beautiful.”

“I like your brain.” His voice dropped, soft and serious. “I like all of you, really.”

She went quiet, turning to look at him.

Malik stepped closer, his hand sliding down her lower back as he leaned in. “Been tryna play it cool but…you different, Aku. Like, for real. You make shit feel easy.”

Her stomach flipped. “That’s wild,” she whispered. “Cause you make me feel…safe.”

They stood there like that for a moment, close but not too close, lips just a breath apart. Behind them, fish glided on like the world didn’t just shift a little.

“You gon’ kiss me or just stare all night?” Aku teased.

“I’m takin’ my time,” Malik said, words curling in that Cali accent. “Don’t rush the good shit.”

She leaned up anyway, her hand on his neck. He met her halfway, their mouths pressing together. No tongue, just heat. The kind of kiss that lingered. The kind that whispered I’m not going nowhere.

When they finally pulled apart, she smiled against his lips. “This better than them dates you been on with them hood rat girls?”

He laughed. “What you know about my hood rat past?”

“You give hood rat energy, just in a grown man package.”

He smirked. “You give spoiled brat energy, but I like it…I wanna spoil you.”

They kept walking, hand in hand now, toward the last exhibit.

Right before they exited, Malik stopped and nodded toward a little touch tank where kids were feeding stingrays. “You tryna touch a stingray?”

“Hell no,” she said quickly. “I’m cute, not crazy.”

“You scared?”

“No, I’m smart. You don’t see Steve Irwin memes?

Malik cracked up, head thrown back, hand over his chest. “Yo, you really got no filter.”

“None. And I meant that shit.”

They left the aquarium still laughing, the night air warm and soft around them. Her heels clicked slower now, his hand never let hers go - their energy at ten.

And neither one of them said it out loud, but they both felt it.

Aku dropped her bag on her living room console table and kicked off her heels with a relieved sigh, standing tall again in bare feet and quiet anticipation.

Malik leaned against the door after closing it, watching her with a look that said I been patient long enough.

She turned slowly, meeting his gaze. “You gon’ keep lookin’ at me or you gon’ come get what’s yours?” her voice came out like a smoke signal.

That was all the permission he needed. He never needed to be told twice.

He crossed the room in a few easy steps and scooped her up with one arm under her thighs, the other cradling her back. She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her to the bedroom.

“You so extra,” she whispered against his neck, smiling.

“I told you, I do everything,” he murmured. “Now shut up and let me make up for that note.”

He laid her down on the bed like she was breakable, but the look in his eyes said he had no intention of handling her gently for long.

She pulled him down by the collar of his tee and kissed him—deep, slow, messy. Her hands moved to his chain, feeling the cool weight of it against his chest before she tugged it just hard enough to make him groan into her mouth.

Clothes peeled off in pieces. Her top slid up over her head, his shirt went next. Then her pants…then his. All that was left was skin and want and that wild heat that had been simmering between them all night.

Malik knelt between her thighs, his grill glinting, tattoos crawling over his arms like inked warnings. Aku didn’t flinch, she opened her legs wider.

“This how you say sorry now?” she asked, breath hitching as his fingers ran over her slit.

“This just the prelude.”

When he slid inside her, slowly…She felt his thickness, she gasped—hips arching into him, eyes fluttering.

“Aku…” he groaned, the way her name sounded, slipping from his mouth like prayer and praise.

She reached up, cupped his jaw. “You feel me?”

“Hell yea.”

Her nails pressed into his shoulders as he started moving, deep strokes that made the whole bed creak. His eyes stayed locked on her face, watching every change—every little tremble in her lip, every flutter of her lashes.

She started talking him through it, voice low and syrupy between moans.

“Just like that, baby…mmm…don’t stop… right there .”

His jaw clenched. He gripped her thighs tighter and picked up the pace.

“Yes,” she whispered. “That’s it. You hittin’ it perfect. This what I needed…”

Her voice cracked around the pleasure, breath catching as he dragged his length through her slowly, then slammed forward again. “You feel that?” he asked, burying himself deeper.

Her hands roamed his chest, fingers grazing the small tattoo over his heart. “Mm hmm…”

“Say it.”

“I feel you, Malik,” she whispered, eyes glassy. “ All of you.”

His mouth dropped to her throat, kissing and sucking, leaving soft bruises that matched the way her legs trembled around his waist. She held him tighter, moaning his name, body slick with sweat, heart floating somewhere outside her chest.

“You off punishment now,” she panted, smiling through the pleasure.

“I better be,” he growled, rutting into her deeper. “Or I’mma commit another crime.”

She laughed breathlessly, then whimpered as he changed angles—hitting the spot that made her legs stiffen and her toes curl.

“Fuck…”

“Talk to me,” he said, his voice ragged.

“You got it, baby,” she breathed. “It’s yours…all yours.”

He kissed her again—sloppy with need. Their tongues met like they knew each other in a past life.

When she came, her whole body arched. Her nails dug into his back. Her breath hitched in his ear. And he followed right behind her, cussing low and letting her name drag out of his throat like a warning and a thank you.

They collapsed into each other—sticky, hot, still pulsing.

The room was quiet for a minute, just the sound of their breathing and the soft hum of the fan spinning above them.

That’s when she spoke again, voice muffled against his chest. “I’m going to Emerald City tomorrow.”

Malik lifted his head. “That right?”

“Mm hmm. Gotta see my people. Clear my head. Get some love from home. You gon’ be cool without me?” she asked, her voice teasing.

He laughed, still inside her, still warm and full. “I’mma miss this,” he said, rolling his hips one more time. “But I think I’ll be cool.”

Then, grinning, he kissed her neck and added, “Gotta get my money back up after this expensive ass date anyway.”

She snorted and shoved at his shoulder. “Boy, shut up. That was a light date.”

“Speak for yourself,” he said, holding her tighter. “You cost somethin’, Aku. And I’m down to pay it.”