Page 18 of Half Sight Whole Heart

I gripped the counter with one hand when he pushed my purple thong panties to the side. Zyro stuck out his tongue and swiped the tip along my folds.

“You smell so good,” he mumbled. “So sweet.”

My lids fluttered as my stomach clenched.

The feeling of his mouth on my sensitive parts caused a moan to escape.

Zyro continued to lick, suck, and kiss. I tried so hard to keep it down, afraid the other two might hear me, but it was so hard.

So, so hard. Zyro was working me like I was one of the broken-down vehicles at his shop, and he was under my hood.

“Oh shit!” I squealed out, coming undone as my body quaked, but that didn’t stop Zyro; he continued until I started slapping the back of his head.

I fell back against the counter, my legs weak, eyeing the demon. Zyro stood to his full height, smirking and wiping his mouth.

“You gon sleep good tonight, baby. Make sure you hug on that bear a lil’ tighter tonight, ‘cause it’s almost time for his eviction. I’ma be holding you soon.”

The next morning

When my alarm on my phone went off, I groaned with my head buried in the pillow, and with my hand, I looked for it. Groaning again, I turned over onto my back and realized I was not in my room. I was not at home. Then last night hit me. The pussy eating demon hit me.

“You gon sleep good tonight, baby. Make sure you hug on that bear a lil’ tighter tonight…”

And I did. I slept good as fuck as I held the bear, inhaling Zyro’s scent.

All I remember is pulling up my clothes, snatching the bear off the bathroom sink, and hauling ass out of there.

I had bypassed a nonstop Tickle Me Elmo Mahlia and went straight to the room I was sleeping in, locked the door, showered again, and then hid underneath the covers.

Eventually, I had gotten up to unlock the door just in case Ermias woke up in this big ass house looking for me.

As soon as my head had hit that pillow again, I was knocked out.

Mahlia should be up herself, getting ready for work, thus, I got out the bed to get myself ready and then Ermias. I did not want to leave this man’s house, but I had to get away from him before he turned my ass out.

I padded to the en-suite bathroom and flicked the light on.

It took a moment for my eye to adjust. My reflection looked back at me with sleepy, satisfied eyes.

Pulling my slightly crooked bonnet off, I turned the water on and splashed cold water on my face to wake up and willingly myself to get it together.

Going back into the room while patting my face dry, I grabbed the overnight bag Mahlia had packed for me and located my toothbrush, mouthwash, and face cleanser.

Since I showered twice last night, I decided to skip the shower this morning.

I pulled out the clothes Mahlia packed and removed a graphic t-shirt and light blue jeans that were distressed at the knees.

As I was slipping on white socks, the door opened and Ermias came sprinting in, sliding in his own socks on the wood floor.

“Mama! Zyro said if it’s okay with you, I can go to the shop with him today. He’ll bring me home! Please, Mama!”

I frowned because a child didn’t belong at a damn mechanic shop, but then again, Zyro’s shop was very…

different. Mahlia had told me had a huge room for kids at the shop with toys.

I have never seen it myself, but I believe it.

Zyro looked out for people, whether you knew you needed it or not.

I could see him helping the mommies out with their kids while waiting for an oil change.

“I don’t know, Ermias…”

“Ahhh, he’ll be fine, E. I promise. My little cousins go up there all the time with Zyro. He’s the boss. If he doesn’t have to work on the car, he doesn’t have to. He has workers to do the labor,” Mahlia said, coming in behind Ermias.

I cut my eyes at my friend. “You really gonna vouch for him taking my baby to a whole mechanic shop? Ermias would need to be watched at all times so he won’t be sneaky out there trying to get under a damn car to fix.” We giggled, but I was so serious.

“That big playroom has little cars, beanbags, tablets…the whole nine. My cousin doesn’t half-step.” She winked. “You know that.”

I blushed. Did she know about last night? I wondered to myself. Nah, Zyro doesn’t seem like the type who’d gossip about anything like that. Mahlia had to be assuming.

Ermias was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his smile wide and pleading. “Maaaaama!” he stressed, holding his head as if I was stressing him out. “Please. I’ll behave.”

I glanced over at Mahlia, who had the same expression on her face. Lips poked out and brows almost kissing.

“Fine. This is crazy,” I finally said after a few beats. “I’m just paying for daycare just to pay for daycare, I guess.”

Mahlia tittered. She was dressed in her uniform, her braids in a low bun.

“Good. Just throw him on some clothes to play in, and we’ll head to Heartville. Maybe you can drive back down here and spend another night after work.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Girl, leave me alone,” I cackled.

Ermias bolted out of the room in excitement. I shook my head at all the energy he had this morning because if we were at home, he’d be dragging his feet, complaining about going to daycare.

“Zyro down there making you…coffee?” One of her brows rose. “That coffee machine just sits there untouched until you came over.”

I didn’t respond immediately. I was fighting the little smile creeping onto my face.

Of course, Mahlia didn’t miss it, even when I attempted to turn my head.

“Mm-hmm. My cousin has you blushing soooo bad,” she whispered.

“If he weren’t my cousin, I would have asked for the details because I know something happened last night.

Get up and let me see you walk. I can tell if you’re walking crooked or not.

” She lifted a finger and twirled it around, telling me to get up and walk.

“Mahliaaaa,” I groaned out through a damn laugh that I couldn’t help. “It didn’t go that far,” I admitted. It was weird even talking to her about this because they were so close.

“How far...” She stopped talking, and her eyes grew three times their size. “He…” She made a V with her fingers and flicked her tongue through it.

“Bitch,” I squealed, falling over laughing. “I am not doing this with you. I’m not. I’m just not.” My face and body were on fire. I was so embarrassed, and this was Mahlia, my best fucking friend. My sister.

I stood. “I need to go get Ermias ready, and then we can go so we both won’t be late for work.” I tickled her side and walked out of the room with my bag.

“Oh bitch, don’t you forget about this damn bear.”

I snorted through a laugh when Mahlia ran to get it from the bed that I had fixed.

The scent of coffee filled my nose when I walked further down the hall. Ermias wasn’t in the room he had slept in, so Mahlia and I descended the black marble staircase.

I dropped the bag in the living room, then went searching for my son. I heard voices coming from the kitchen and started in that direction. Mahlia was no longer behind me.

A shirtless Zyro stood in front of his toaster, spreading jelly on toast. His head popped up upon seeing me.

“Good morning,” he spoke first.

“Morning,” I said back. I forced my eye to stay on his face, but it was really difficult with his chest and tattoos covering him on display. And then…and then there were those lips that were on my me not even twenty-four hours ago.

He lifted his chin a little, quirked a brow with a grin like he knew exactly what I was thinking. “Coffee’s fresh. Cups in the counter. Creamer in the fridge.”

“Mahlia said you never use your Keurig,” I said, jutting my head toward the machine. “You got up this morning and got me coffee and creamer?”

A tilted grin spread on his lips. “I did,” he answered. Zyro’s eyes roamed down my body and landed on my middle. As if he forgot Ermias was in the room with us, he cleared his throat and shook whatever images he had in his head away. “Homeboy wanted toast.”

“His favorite breakfast.” I moved past him toward the counter, picked a mug up that had his business logo on it, and began pouring my coffee. “Are you sure it’s okay to have Ermias at the shop with you. He just needs to be watched…”

“It’s fine.”

“But you probably need to catch up…”

“Eriss…I got this, baby,” he said with so much certainty.

“Ouuu Mama, big dawg called you baby,” Ermias teased, pointing with jelly and butter on his cheek.

“You get around Zyro and become so messy,” I laughed. “Eat so…”

“I got this. Brush his teeth. Change clothes. I got this.”

Mahlia appeared. “Chiiiile, my cousin ain’t playing no games.” She chortled. “He got this. Let’s go, bookie, and don’t forget that bear. You might want to sit in the car and sniff it on lunch break.”

I rolled my eyes. They were all ganging up on me.

Zyro swaggered over and removed the mug from my hand. He grabbed a tumbler from inside the cabinet, rinsed it out, and poured my coffee in it. He found the lid, rinsed it as well, and placed it on there before handing it to me.

“Y’all have a good day,” he growled out, looking directly at me.

“Well, it’s obvious you weren’t really talking about me, but you too, cousin!” Mahlia hollered out. “Be good, neph!”