Page 30 of Love's Most Wanted

“No, I um, I need a favor, and I promise I won’t ask you again.” I peered into his pretty eyes.

As badly as I didn’t want to ask for help, it was either eat humble pie or have a side baby.

“Anything.” Unique turned his body a bit more toward me, worry throughout his expression.

“I need an extension on rent. I will pay you this month’s and next together if you just let me skip a month.”

Honestly, I didn’t know how I’d get the one thousand down the line, but I had to fake it until I made it.

“What’s going on, Kabrina?”

“I just need an extension, Unique. Can you please give me that?”

“Why you need the extension? Not only are we married, but I’m ya landlord, so I deserve to know.”

I wished he’d stop mentioning us being married as if this was a real-life thing.

“I need to get that abortion, and the only way I can pay for it is to use the last bit of my savings and the rent money I put to the side,” I explained. This wasn’t the time for me to play secretive. The quicker I got this abortion, the better.

“How much is the abortion?”

“It’s six hundred.”

Sliding his hand into the pocket of his track pants, he pulled out some folded bills then counted off a couple more than the six hundred I needed. After he pocketed what he counted off, he then handed me the rest.

“I ain’t the richest nigga in the world, but I can handle some shit for you, love. Do what you gotta do to get straight, aight?”

“Unique. No. I cannot take all of this.” My eyes bounced between him and the thick stack of money sandwiched between my fingers and thumb.

“You can.” He nodded. “And don’t even think about the shit. Act like it’s yours.”

“You have to let me pay you back, please.”

“Hold it for me, love, and if I need it, I’ll come to you. Just remember this shit in case a nigga need bail or something.”

I giggled, nodding to him. I liked that arrangement.

“Okay. I will. I won’t forget this, Unique.” I scooted closer to hug his neck.

His arms wrapped around my body, and I lingered in his embrace a bit longer than I intended because of how good it felt. When I pulled back, our lips were too close for comfort, making me turn away and fall back on my haunches.

“I gotta go, love, but… I um, I’m gon’ be on Mack’s ass about this shit, so don’t trip. Remember, we got four years to get this shit done, so it won’t be on your record.” He brushed a finger under my chin, and it sent chills down my spine.

I noticed every touch of his, no matter how minimal, made me horny. But not only that, it sped up my heart rate and had me feeling things I shouldn’t have been.

“If it takes four years, Unique, we might as well stay married.”

“Might as well.” He shrugged, wearing a smile I couldn’t quite read.

I wanted to trust that Unique would get this done, but he often made me feel like I couldn’t.

Pullingup to the front of the apartment building I owned, I dialed Kabrina. We hadn’t talked much, and sadly enough, a nigga missed her.

I hadn’t thought about the fact that she didn’t like me popping up on her ass until I was already here. That was what made me pick my phone up and call. I needed to respect her space, but also, I didn’t want her thinking that I was one of them niggas who felt entitled to her time and anything else all because I did her a favor.

“Hello?” she answered.

“What you doing, wife?” I saw myself smiling in my side mirror and shook my fucking head after dropping it.