Page 52 of Grand Master

“Goodness momma, I’m trying to be strong,” I whispered trying to calm my emotions but failed. “I just need you to help me not lose myself in him.”

“You won’t lose yourself, little owl.”

The voice floated through the air like it belonged to the wind.

I froze, blinked my eyes as my breath shuttered.

Nah, I’m tripping out big time… Then his scent, wrapped around me before I even turned.

Notes of sandalwood and spice hit me smoothly.

My eyes went wide as I twisted on my knees messing up the thin blanket underneath me.

Kenric stood super close behind me. Tall and dominating with a black trench coat over an all-black tailored suit.

His tapered fade was fresh; waves dipped deeply over the crown of his head.

In each arm laid a massive bouquet, one was white lilies, and the other was red roses.

His handsome chocolate face made my throat close up.

His face was still unreadable, posture composed, but his eyes were drowning in darkness. He looked beautifully broken.

Time seemed to pause as I stood on trembling legs.

It felt like the wind picked up as I rushed over to him out of breath.

Once I collided into his steel chest I sobbed.

I didn’t care about the flowers that fell from his arms in order for him to wrap his arms around me.

I could barely make out the words that left his thick lips vibrating against my face.

He held on to me so tightly, I could barely breathe and I welcomed it. My knees damn near buckled as I felt his pain through his hold.

“I t-thought I would never see you again, Kenric. Thought you were setting me free for good.” I uttered the words with my face buried in his chest.

I knew what my words sounded like. It was like admitting that I didn’t want to be free of him. It was twisted with a pinch of darkness. I basically admitted to loving being under his possession.

“I thought that it was what you wanted, little owl.” He pulled me back gently by my shoulder then tilted my head up using the pad of his index finger.

I looked into his eyes and saw pain and need.

“I wanted space to think about everything…”

He reached out to wipe my tears with both hands.

“I wanted to stay in contact with you, make sure you were okay.”

I wanted to hear your voice too, see your face, and feel your body… I thought, shaking my head. Hell, I even wanted to lay eyes on his owls, especially Josie stubborn self.

“I’m no good for you, Mira. I want to own you, keep you with me at all times.

It’s unhealthy the way I feel about you, so I forced myself to step away.

You were right, Tone was right too…none of it was right, me taking you was wrong…

I just don’t regret killing Darius.” He stated the last of what he said coldly.

“Why are you here?” I asked through more tears.

“It’s your birthday, I told you that I would be willing to do whatever you wanted to do. I want to see you happy and you’re not. You need someone today and I couldn’t let that someone be anyone else but me.” He smiled tightly, the lines beneath his eyes tightened.

Was that a lot for him to admit?

“What would you be doing today, if it wasn’t my birthday?” I asked, running my hand softly down his chest.

“Well, last week I held a ceremony for the people that I had in my rehabilitation area. Most of them were released while some begged to stay longer. I had Staress place a couple of them with kids in a low-income apartment building where they will be watched closely and provided with whatever they need to survive. I even employed a few?—”

“Kenric, you’re beating around the bush.” I laughed lightly.

One thing I learned about this man is that he didn’t talk much.

Kenric talked enough to get his point across but him offering all of this information that I didn’t ask for told me that he didn’t really want to tell me what he had planned for today.

Then he called his jail cell area rehabilitation area, when he never referred to it as that.

He was being cautious, trying to dodge my judgement.

“Okay, you right.” He looked away from me then ran his hand down his deep waves. His body went stiff against me as he looked down at me intensely.

“I was going to ride around the east tonight. I got rid of a problem over that way and I want to clean up some of the mess by taking a few people off the streets to save them from themselves, of course.”

I watched his Adams apple bob up and down in his throat. Kenric would be out looking for crackheads tonight prepared to kidnap and force them into sobriety.

“Fairy godfather duties, I suppose.” I smiled up at him.

“I really don’t like that nickname. I kind of like Robin Hood better.” He shrugged.

“Who call you that?” I asked unable to hide my jealous rage.

“Staress supposedly told Tone that one night, that’s what he said. He calls me that a lot now.” Kenric’s half smirk was charming.

His playful banter eased some of the tension, but I could see the seriousness in his eyes. There was always a purpose behind Kenric's actions, even when he masked them with humor.

“So, you came today because you wanted to?—”

“Make you happy. I wanted—needed to see you. It’s been hard not hearing you play, not seeing you, tasting you, feeling you.” He cleared his throat.

“Happy birthday, little owl. I’ve missed you and thought today would be great to buy some flowers for you and your mom.” He stepped away from me.

He picked up each bouquet of flowers carefully; I watched his eyes roam them to make sure they were still in nice condition.

“The red roses are for your mom; the lilies are for you.” He held them out to me.

I could feel how swollen my eyes were, they felt puffy and heavy from crying so hard. I couldn’t hold back the smile that reached my eyes. I took the flowers and told him thank you. I walked towards my mom’s headstone and placed Kenric’s flower next to the ones I bought her.

“I felt you today momma, thank you. This is Kenric,” I turned slightly and looked at him with hopeful eyes.

“It’s obvious he felt my strong need for him, and he came.

I think this is good for me, him ma… I think he’s what I need, and I’m what he needs.

The chemistry is super potent, but I promise to take things slow as?—”

“Friends… We will start as friends first then work our way up to more.” Kenric stepped in front of me just as another gust of wind blew between us.

That’s definitely you, ma…