Page 6 of Obsessive Love

“Already been asked and answered, remember?” I answered. I tossed the bird in the air a few times. “My mental status doesn’t negate that you’re playing with your safety.”

“The only problem I have with my safety is your crazy ass.”

“I’d never hurt you, Itty Bitty,” I chuckled as I took her in again.

My mouth watered at the sight of her chest rising and falling.

“Unless you’re into that, then we can work that out.

” I licked my lips and smirked. “You like pain?” I stepped towards her, and her hand went to her dresser to grab a weapon.

There wasn’t shit on there that could do any damage, but I liked the fight.

“Don’t bring your ass over here!” she yelled.

“Or what?” I looked down at her and lifted my brow in question.

“Ain’t shit you can do to hurt me, and we both know it.

” That shit was a lie, even though she didn’t know it.

I’d just met this woman. Technically, we hadn’t met, but that was beside the point.

All she had to do was drop a tear, and my fucking heart would break, and I knew that.

“Now listen to me because I’m only going to say it once.

Your brother offered you as payment for his debt, and I accepted it. ”

“Javien doesn’t have a fucking say so in my life,” she argued and shook her head. “Whatever he owes you is his own debt. You better go talk to his daddy if you want money.”

“Who do you think he got the debt from?” I chuckled. “Itty Bitty, if you don’t come, that’s their life.”

“What color should I wear to his funeral?” she rebutted, and I couldn’t help but nod in respect. “But whatever Javien owes you needs to be paid by him.”

“He signed over the deed to your bakery,” I said, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

Fable paused, shook her head, and then let out a humorless laugh that teetered on and sounded like she was about to cry.

“He didn’t.” She ran her hands through her wild curls and paced in front of me.

“He wouldn’t.” She stopped walking and dropped her head.

“He would, he’s his fucking daddy’s son.

” This conversation was one-sided as hell.

“His bitch ass can't be that fucking stupid.” She shouldered her way through and shook her head. “He can be, though.”

“If you don’t believe me, check your email.

” I stepped back, and Fable quickly swiped through her phone.

While she was in the shower, I contacted Nine and had him work his magic.

I knew everything I needed to know about Fable Walters.

While she barely had a relationship with her brother, daddy, or sister, Javien Jr. had helped her get her bakery.

He collected a monthly payment from her, which was more than I would pay him, but that wasn’t my business.

“Javien is listed as the owner,” she said, but I was already over the conversation.

“He was listed as the owner,” I corrected her.

She looked up at me with so much hatred in her eyes that, at that moment, I vowed never to have her look at me that way again.

“As of thirty minutes ago, everything was signed over to me.” I tossed her bird a few more times.

“Now, if you want it back, you can buy it back.”

“How much?” she quickly asked. “I’ll buy it back.”

I walked around her room, tossing the bird and pretending to think. There was no way I was letting her off that easily. I knew how much money she had in her accounts and that she could afford to buy it back, but I didn’t want her to. Nah, I wanted Fable.

“Sixty million,” I said, watching her closely. She didn’t have that much in her account. “If you want your bakery back, it’ll cost you sixty million dollars.”

“Sixty million? Nigga, my shit ain't worth that damn much,” she said, shaking her head. Disappointment was written all over her face. I hated that shit.

“Then I’ll be around to collect my shop tomorrow,” I said with a shrug. I tossed the bird a few more times and chuckled. “Shit, probably this house too.” I looked down at the bird. “Minus this disrespectful ass bird.”

“Nigga, did you tie up my bird?” she reached for the bird, and I moved it above her head. “Give me my fucking bird.”

“Itty Bitty, sit your ass down,” I laughed as I sidestepped her. “I will knock this disrespectful ass bird across the room if you don’t chill out.” She narrowed her eyes at me, and I smiled. “Now, back to my problem.”

“Your problem?” she questioned, and I nodded. “You don’t have a problem.”

“Oh, I do, your brother’s debt,” I answered. “He offered your bakery as payment, but that doesn’t cover the debt.”

“Then kill that nigga!” she yelled and threw her hands in the air in frustration. Low-key, I had hoped the towel would fall to reveal her body, but that didn’t happen. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“You’re coming with me to pay off the rest of it,” I said, and she shook her head. “Itty bitty, that shit ain’t a request. You’re coming; that’s the end of the discussion. Now, pack what you need so we can go.”

“You have lost your damn mind,” she laughed. “Get the fuck out!”

I stepped into her space, smiled down at her, and then wrapped my hand around her throat.

Fable’s hands went to my wrist, and her eyes got big, but there was no fear in them, only excitement.

“This shit is about to be so much fun,” I said lowly.

She was so focused on me that she hadn’t realized that I had pulled a syringe from my pocket until the needle was in her arm.

“See you soon.” I kissed her forehead just as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her legs gave out.

I caught her and carried her bridal style out of her house.

“I’m pretty sure this is kidnapping,” Xoey said as she returned to the living room from checking on Fable for the tenth time.

We’d been back in KC for nearly two hours.

She was supposed to meet me at the airport to collect Javien, but when she saw Fable, she followed me to my house.

Hood and Givens sat across from me, trying not to laugh.

“Have you ever kidnapped someone before?”

“No, Xoey plus twelve,” I answered as I worked. “Have you?”

“Yes,” she answered with a nod as she sat. “But I doubt we did it for the same reason.” She turned to Hood and Givens and smirked. “I think he likes her.”

“What makes you say that?” Givens laughed. “You said she was asleep when you first saw them.”

“It was in the way he was carrying her,” she answered with a shrug. “It was very romantic.”

“Xoey, you think everything is romantic,” Hood laughed.

“Well, excuse me for believing in black love,” she replied, rolling her eyes. She checked her phone and then sighed. “I gotta go, fellas; I have to be at work in a few.”

“Which job?” I asked.

“9-1-1 operator,” she answered with a shrug. “It’s kind of boring sometimes, but when it gets interesting, I have the time of my life.” She smiled at us. “One of y’all should call sometime.”

“I’ll pass,” Hood said, shaking his head. “But have fun.”

“Later,” she said, throwing us a wave and leaving.

I walked her to her car, ensured she got off safely, and returned inside. Everything in me wanted to check on Fable, but I knew I would be the last person she wanted to see. Instead, I returned to my office and retook my seat.

“I hate to admit it, but you know Xoey plus twelve is right,” Hood said, shaking his head. “You kidnapped that girl.”

“I know,” I nodded. “I ain’t trippen off it.”

“Why?” he asked with a laugh. “You said she maced your ass already; you think she won’t try and fight your ass when she wakes up?”

“I hope she does,” I shrugged. “But she ain't.”

“What makes you say that?” Givens questioned, and I turned my attention to him. He smirked and shook his head. “What’s your plan?”

“Her bakery,” I answered, and they exchanged a look before returning to me. “That’s her world; if she wants it back, she will do what I want.”

“And what’s that?” Givens asked.

“Marry me,” I shrugged.

“This nigga is nuts,” Givens said, shaking his head. “Pyrite, you want her to marry you to pay off her brother’s debt? A debt I know you don’t even care about, because if you did, you wouldn’t have given him to Xoey plus twelve. Make that shit make sense.”

“It’s got to be something else to it,” Hood said, sitting forward. “You're a calculated nigga. It ain’t just about the debt because you’d still have Javien on the court if it were. There’s more to it than that. What is it?”

“That’s it,” I said, shaking my head. “To get her bakery back, all she has to do is marry me. It’s her choice.”

“Be locked to you for life,” Givens laughed. “That’s what it is. Your possessive ass doesn’t want anybody else to have her. You don’t even know her and want her like that?”

I gave them a slow nod and sat back in my seat.

Shit sounded crazy as hell, I knew that, but it was the truth.

I didn’t know Fable, had only learned about her existence four hours ago, but I couldn’t shake her.

Givens was right; I was possessive as fuck over her, and the thought of another nigga touching her had me seeing red.

I could’ve taken control of her bakery, killed her brother and daddy, and not thought twice about it, but there was something about her that had me stuck.

I always wanted her with me; I wanted to live in her fucking skin, and the most I’d touched her was when I carried her.

I'd kept her in my arms the entire ride to the airport and on the plane.

The only option I had was to keep her by any means necessary.