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CHANIYA

“ I ’m not sure why we keep having these same conversations. I’m not ready to move in with you, nor am I comfortable with you having sleepovers at my house. I don’t want Caleb to get the wrong idea about what’s going on. I also want to make sure that Caleb understands that lying up with random?—”

“Hold the fuck on, Chaniya. I ain’t some random nigga, and Caleb is cool with me.

How can we work on strengthening our shit if you keep throwing up these bogus ass roadblocks?

I said I’m sorry about tracking your location.

You know I love your ass, and I hate when you don’t tell me where you’re going or what’s happening when you get there,” Dedrick explains, causing me to shake my head at his possessive ass.

Every day I continue engaging in this relationship with Dedrick, I feel less like the independent woman I’ve always been.

I honestly don’t know why I’m still dating Dedrick, because the more he talks, the more irritating he becomes.

I think sleeping with Dedrick before knowing his character or background is why I’m in the situation.

Dedrick comes from a long line of men who think tracking their women and keeping them on a tight leash is acceptable.

The first time I met Dedrick’s parents, I found out that his mother was forced to quit her job after having Dedrick’s older brother.

Hearing Dedrick’s father, Dedrick’s brother, and Dedrick quoting a woman’s purpose like some sort of mantra should have been my cue to end the budding relationship.

Hell, I’m about to consider paying a random woman to entice Dedrick into her bed so he can deem her worthy of his bullshit and break up with me.

“How many children do you have?” I ask.

“None. How is that relevant to this conversation, though?”

“Your question just proved my point without me speaking on it, but let me clarify for you. You have no clue how important it is to not confuse young children with false narratives. You and I aren’t married, no matter how often I’ve let you slip between my legs.

Therefore, I don’t want to confuse my impressionable son with untruths.

In the two years we’ve been dating, you only tolerate Caleb, which makes it easy for me to keep him away from you.

I’m also not looking for a man who can only occasionally entertain my son. ”

*beep, beep*

“Hold on. I need to answer this call.”

“Who the fuck is calling you, Chaniya?” Dedrick barks, making me roll my eyes before answering my other line.

“Hey, Mom. Is everything okay with Caleb?”

“Of course it is. I know how to take care of a child, Chaniya Katia. You’re proof of my capabilities.”

Rubbing my temples, I close my eyes, not up for a debate with Mom after going comment for comment with Dedrick.

“I know, Mom. What can I do for you? Dedrick is on the other line.”

“Can you go to the store for me? I forgot I hadn’t gotten a chance to do so after work before picking Caleb up. I have a list and can send it to your phone.”

“Sure. Send it over, and I’ll head out in a few minutes.”

“Great. Thanks.”

When loud rap flows in my ear, I sigh before announcing my return to this unnecessary and outlandish conversation with Dedrick.

“I’m back,” I say.

“Who was that? Why did you leave me on hold for so long? It better not have been another nigga, Chaniya. I ain’t in the business of sharing my bitch with another nigga.”

Ugh. This nigga.

“Unless you’re the man dating multiple people, I don’t know what bitch you’re referring to.”

“Man, chill. Who was on your line interrupting our conversation?”

“Last I checked, your name isn’t listed under father on my birth certificate, nor is it listed as the account holder with my cell phone provider. I gotta go, though. Bye, Dedrick.”

“Wa—” Disconnecting the call, I stare at the space above my TV while trying to quiet The Spinner’s song from 1974, echoing in my mind about love-loving nobody.

“Now, God, I know you and I aren’t the best of friends, but if you can find a way to remove Dedrick from my life, I’ll start praying more regularly. I’m growing very tired of this nigga.”

“Damn, Mom. Why the hell did you have to be so specific about the brand of fabric softener, and why the hell did they put it up so high?” Ranting, I stretch, trying to reach the Downy Unstoppables on the top shelf, damn near falling into the shelf.

“Let me help you before you hurt yourself.”

Do the stanky leg, do the stanky leg . . .

My pussy begins chanting when the deep, gravelly masculine voice pierces my ears, instantly causing the hairs on my arms to stand up. Straightening my body, I stand to my full height in time to see a long, muscular, and heavily tatted arm moving toward my intended object.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Chaniya, girl, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.

My conscience echoes, and my eyes roam up from the unfamiliar arm to the man’s face, and oh, what a face it is.

Warm cappuccino skin with a fully trimmed beard, dark brown, almond-shaped eyes, thick bushy eyebrows, and a thick bottom lip that instantly makes me want to suck it into my mouth greet me.

There’s a twinkling merriment within the man’s eyes as a slight smirk upturns his lips.

“Like what you see, half-pint?”

“Um—”

“No worries. My eyes are happy and content watching you too. Let me get this Downy for you, though.”

Pleaseee . . .

My pussy purrs when the man moves to do my bidding, and a whiff of his light citrus and woodsy cologne hits my nostrils.

I’m trance-like, watching the man effortlessly grab the softener for me.

Unlike my five-foot-four height, this man has to be somewhere in the six-feet range or taller, making him the ideal person for retrieving the object.

It also doesn’t help that I’m thicker than a Snicker, which can occasionally work against me in times like this.

I wish I could blame it on baby weight, but Caleb is old enough that I could and should have lost whatever weight I obtained while pregnant with him.

My problem is I love food, and it loves my thighs, ass, and titties just as much.

“Here you go. Enjoy the rest of your evening,” the mystery man says, placing the Downy in my cart before walking away with a swag that has me clenching my thighs.

I bet that nigga is packing a sledgehammer between those thighs.

Chips, fading eggplant, outdated . . . oh shoot, are those spider webs? I need to buy one of those Swifter dusters with the extension handle so I can get that down. Damn, that’s disgusting, Chaniya.

I ponder as I lie on my back. Dusting and updating the paint in my bedroom needs to be in the immediate future. It’s been this same color since I bought this house. Oh crap, is that a crack in the ceiling too?

“Mmm. You feel so good,” Dedrick pants from above me.

Humph, I don’t know what color will look best in this room, but I’ll figure it out soon enough. Or maybe I just need to hire an interior decorator.

“So good,” he continues.

Hmm, maybe I should add some sheer valances or curtains to spruce it up in here so it has more of an inviting feeling .

“Oh God. Chaniya, I’m about to cum.”

Finally.

“Grrr. Fuck!”

Hold up, is this nigga growling like he went to zoo school or something? Nigga, I ain’t sweating or wet. Be for real.

“Damn baby, that was so good,” Dedrick tiredly expresses, slipping off to lie beside me.

Good? For whom? I’ve been lying here redecorating, and you haven’t noticed my lack of enthusiasm.

“Hmm. That’s nice for you,” I utter, rolling my eyes in the dark.

This is yet another reason I need to end my relationship with Dedrick because it’s one thing to be a possessive ass, but a non-fucking ass is ridiculous.

Like, how do you have the size and girth without the ability to fuck?

Dedrick is fine with enough dick to put me to sleep from two pumps, yet I’m lying here wondering if I charged my rabbit after the last time he half fucked me.

“I’m gonna do right by you, girl. We’re gonna get married, and I’m gonna fill you up with four of my babies,” Dedrick declares before crickets sound around my bedroom because I ain’t about to entertain his post-coital murmuring.

“Alright, you need me to get you a washcloth, or are you gonna shower at your place?”

“Fuck you me?—”

*brrnng, brrnng*

My phone ringing cuts Dedrick’s objection off, and I reach over to grab my phone. My heart rate increases upon seeing Riele’s name flashing on my screen.

“Hello.” I breathlessly answer the call before rolling my eyes when Dedrick’s body pushes against me as he attempts to listen to the conversation.

“I’m—ooh. I’m in labor and heading to the hospital,” Riele informs me.

“Okay. I’m on my way.”

“On your way where?” Dedrick asks when I disconnect the call and move to exit my bed.

“The hospital. Riele is in labor.”

“I’m coming too.”

“Uh, no, you’re not.”

“Yes the fuck I am. You need to stop tripping and let your man be a man, Chaniya.”

Rolling my eyes, I head to my bathroom with Dedrick hot on my heels, and I ignore him because I don’t have time to argue with him right now.

“I’m not sure why you felt the need to bring your ass with me. I didn’t and don’t need a personal escort. I also don’t need you hovering and trying to stick to me like Velcro.”

Dedrick and I have been arguing since he got his ass in my SUV, insisting on accompanying me to the hospital. I’m not sure what his motivation is because he doesn’t like Riele or East, so being a part of this momentous occasion for them is foolishness.

“It’s late, and I’m a man. You didn’t need to be out by yourself, especially when I was with you when you got the stupid call. Hell, I’m not sure why she called you anyway. You’re not the person who put her in this situation, so you don’t need to be here.”

“No, your ass doesn’t need to be here. Why would you suffer through this moment when you know it’s the last place you want to be?”

“I’m not about to keep fucking explaining to your stupid ass. I said what I said, and you see I’m here whether you want me to be or not. You need to learn your place. This is why the fuck I shou?—”

“Wind up being admitted to our fine ICU floor. Back up, my boy.” The hairs on my arms stand at attention like a military personnel saluting a senior officer, causing me to swallow over the sudden lump in my throat.

My eyes move from Dedrick, who’s hovering dangerously close to me, to the mystery man from the grocery store several days ago.

“Who the fuck is this man who’s comfortable enough to speak on what I’m saying to you, Chaniya?” Dedrick’s voice is low and menacing, instantly shifting my gaze from the mystery man to see Dedrick’s nostrils flaring.

“The better question is, why are you still breathing your hot ass air in her face? I’m not a fan of repeating myself, my boy.” The mystery man interjects.

“Man—”

“Five . . . four—” The mystery man cuts Dedrick off when he starts counting, sending a chill down my back.

Oh shit!