Page 29 of Saved By A Small Town Country Boy

Remedi

A week later

T hings between Khalif and me were heading in the right direction.

Mitchell was still sweating me about finding that safe.

I told him that I found the drugs. On top of finding the safe, he wants me to help him steal some of the plants.

I don’t see how he plans on robbing Khalif blind without him knowing it.

The entire plan is insane to me. I just wish he’d find it in his heart to leave me the hell alone.

All of this was becoming too much for me. I just wanted to come to Magnolia Falls and find happiness, even if it was just a fraction of it, and here I was, having to rob the guy that I’ve been slowly falling for. It’s not fair. Life just isn’t fair.

Today, Khalif asked me to come over to the house after dark. I don’t know what he has planned. A part of me didn’t even want to pursue anything with him anymore. After we had sex, my feelings got invested. I’m not even going to lie, sex with him was the best I’d ever had.

It’s hard lying to his face as if everything was fine while deep down, I know I’m plotting against this man.

I wanted to tell him what was really going on, but I don’t know what would happen if he found out what Mitchell was up to.

In my opinion, the best way for everything to run smoothly and no one gets hurt is for me to do whatever is asked of me.

“Remedi?” Jennifer called out my name. I’d been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed she was even standing there.

“Yeah?”

“I was just letting you know that I’m leaving. Everything is clean and everyone else is already gone.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks. See you next week.”

“See you.” Jennifer disappeared from the doorway, and I turned my attention back to my computer screen that had been turned into a screensaver picture of Prada. I really have to figure out a way out of this mess.

Powering off the computer, I got up from the desk and gathered my things. Before heading to Khalif’s house, I’m going to make a stop by the house to take a shower.

Stopping by the front door, I set the alarm on the building and exited.

Hitting the fob on my truck, I got inside and pulled off.

As I pulled into the driveway, my mouth fell to my lap.

The big tree in front of the house is covered in toilet paper.

Tissue is all on top of the roof of the house.

Reese was on a ladder, pulling it from up there.

The entire front yard looked as if an eighteen-wheeler dumped a whole load of toilet paper out there.

“What happened?” I asked her when I got out the truck.

“Creed,” was the only response she gave me. No one can convince me that they didn’t like each other for them to be acting like huge ass kids and be pranking each other back and forth like this. The sooner they realized they had feelings for each other, the better.

“Do you need help?” I had a little time where I could help her before I had to get dressed and get back out the door. With all this tissue, I know it was gon’ take her hours to get it cleaned up.

“Do you have something else you need to be doing?”

“I got a date with Khalif in a few hours, but I got time where I can at least help you get half of this up. You’ll be out here all night trying to clean this mess up.”

Placing my things on the porch, I grabbed one of the big black garbage bags and stuffed it with tissue. For the next hour, I helped Reese clean the front yard. I had three large bags of tissue filled by the time I decided I was going to go into the house to take my shower.

Prada was sitting at the front door when I got inside. Since Reese wasn’t done cleaning the yard, I didn’t even bother to let her out the door. I didn’t want her to get in the way. “I’ll let you out after I take a shower. Okay?”

She followed me down the hallway to my bedroom.

Since I didn’t know what Khalif had planned, I didn’t know what I wanted to wear for the night.

I’d searched my drawers and the closet for something, tossing clothes everywhere ’til I decided on this yellow spaghetti-strapped dress.

It’s fall, but it’s still kinda warm out.

Pretty soon, I’m going to have to go shopping for some winter clothes.

When I packed up some of my things, I hadn’t realized I was going to be gone this long and only brought summer clothes with me.

Being here had me not wanting to go back home.

I also thought of that being an option as well—to just run like I’d done from home, but I didn’t know if Mitchell would take it out on Khali or not. That’s a risk I wasn’t willing to take.

Tossing the dress onto the bed, I went into the bathroom and started the shower.

It took me about forty minutes to handle my hygiene.

Once I was done, I came out and lotioned my body before getting dressed.

I was in between hairstyles, so I’ve been wearing my hair in its natural state in a wash and go.

I didn’t too much feel like being bothered with makeup today. I’m pressed for time anyway after helping Reese. My face is clear, and it glows naturally, so I didn’t necessarily have to wear makeup.

When I came out of my bedroom, Reese was already in the house. Prada was at her dog bowl eating, which led me to believe that she’d already taken her outside.

“You look nice,” she said when she looked over her shoulder from the kitchen sink.

“Thanks.”

“I got Prada. You can gone for your date. I want to hear all about it when you make it back home.”

If the date goes well, I’m sure I won’t be coming back home tonight. Reese knew that. Every chance that I got to stay the night with that man, I took it. Cuddling with him was one of the best feelings in the world.

“Okay. Thanks. See you later, Prada.”

Exiting the house, I got into my truck and pulled off.

When I turned into Khalif’s driveway, I saw him outside underneath the huge oak tree in his front yard. He’d set up a blanket with some battery-powered candles. Getting out the truck, I strolled over to him. The closer I got, I took in everything he’d set up for me.

A picnic. I don’t ever remember going on one before, especially not at night. He has wine cooling in a bucket of ice. A fruit tray and charcuterie board. “Hi,” I spoke.

“Hey.” He handed me a bouquet of roses and sunflowers. It’s the most beautiful arrangement I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m not certain what’s gotten into him, but from the looks of things, our little fun was taking a more serious turn.

“They’re beautiful. Thanks.” I took a whiff of them and placed them down on the blanket. Removing my shoes, I sat down and he did the same.

“How was your day?” he asked.

“Work was fine. When I got home, I had to help Reese clean up the front yard. Your boy tp-d the house.”

He chuckled. Whenever I could get a laugh or smile out of him, it warmed my heart. I remember when I first came around, he wouldn’t smile for nothing. I almost felt as if he didn’t have teeth.

“I keep telling him that he just needs to tell her that he’s in love with her.”

“Ha! I knew it!”

“All that back and forth they’re doing is uncalled for.”

“I think I’m going to set them up and force them on each other. Is he cool? I want what’s best for her, especially after everything she’s been through. If you feel like he’s not a good guy, I’m not going to do it.”

“It’s straight. His only problem is that he drinks a bit too much. I feel like Reese would be able to help him tame that shit. He just needs a good woman in his life. Creed ain’t never had no shit like that ’cause he don’t bother to try and let anyone in.”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“Lay back.”

“Huh?” My brows snapped together.

“Just lay back, woman.”

Straightening out my legs, I did as I was told and lay back against the blanket. Soon as I did, I got the perfect view of the sky filled with stars. It’s amazing.

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Khalif lay down alongside me and stared up at the sky.

“It’s the beauty of staying in the country. You get to experience things you wouldn’t normally experience in the city.”

The stars twinkled above us. My fingertips walked over to Khalif’s hand and covered it with mine. I can’t do him like that. I have to let him know what’s going on. The last thing I wanted to do was lose him because he thought I was moving foul. We can tackle this Mitchell situation together.

“Khalif, I—” His lips covered mine before I was able to speak. His body hovered over mine, and he slipped his hand between my thighs. Everything I was about to say flew straight out the window.

The rooster crowed, waking me from my sleep.

Birds chirped from the tree above me. Tilting my head to the side, I saw Khalif lying next to me with the blanket covering his naked frame.

We had sex underneath the stars several times last night.

I’d lost count of how many orgasms this man had given me.

Gripping his beard, I planted my lips on top of his, and he groaned. “I’m falling for you,” I whispered. It’s something that I didn’t want to admit.

The vibration of my phone caught my attention. Grabbing it off the ground next to me, I saw that I had ten missed calls from Reese. For her to call me that many times, it wasn’t like her.

I shot straight up and dialed her number back, but the call went to voicemail. Shaking Khalif, I woke him, not wanting to get up and leave without saying anything to him. “Khalif?” I called out his name.

He rubbed his eyes with his hands and stretched out. The groan that seeped from his lips was sexy as fuck. If I didn’t need to go to the house, I would’ve found my way back onto his dick.

“I have to go. Reese has been calling me, and now she’s not answering the phone.” I grabbed my clothes off the blanket and quickly got back dressed. So fast in fact that I realized my dress was inside out and backwards.

“Let me know when you make it home,” he said, sitting up.

“Okay.” My lips covered his, and I rushed toward my truck.

Hopping inside, I started the truck and jetted out of there.

When I made it to the house, Reese’s truck was in the driveway, so I’m not sure why her phone was going to voicemail.

Getting out, I went up to the front door and heard nothing.

Normally, whenever I came home, Prada would be barking her ass off ’til she saw me open the door.

Unlocking the door, I stepped inside, and my heart sank to my stomach when I saw Reese sitting there tied to a chair with tape on her mouth. Prada has yet to run to me to say anything.

“And exactly where have you been?” Goosebumps coursed over my skin when I heard Mitchell’s voice. This man had really broken in here and tied Reese to a got damn chair. He was acting as if I wasn’t trying to do what he wanted me to at all. I’d been communicating with him and everything.

“Why does that even matter to you? What the hell are you doing?” I shut the door behind me and placed my things on the counter.

Reese mumbled underneath her taped mouth and squirmed in the chair.

I really hate that I’d come here and brought my mess with me.

I’ve placed her and everyone around here that I care about in danger.

“I thought that you needed a lil motivation. You’re taking too got damn long to give me what I want. I’m on a tight schedule and I need to get the hell out of here as soon as possible. I need that money.”

Reese’s eyes shot to me. If we made it out of here alive, I’d have to explain everything to her. Hopefully, she forgives me.

“I told you that I was working on it. You acting like I wasn’t doing what you wanted. Let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”

“She has everything to do with this. If you don’t get me that money within forty-eight hours, I’m going to kill all of y’all and just take it my-damn-self.” Without uttering another word, he strolled straight past me and out the door.

I ran over and snatched the tape from Reese’s mouth before untying her. “What the hell, Remedi!” she screamed.

“I know. I have a lot of explaining to do. Where’s Prada?

” Reese’s eyes twinkled as she stared back at me.

“Reese, where’s Prada?” I asked her again.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping off her chin.

My heart caved. “Prada!” I called out her name and glanced over my shoulder, expecting her to come running to me like she always did whenever I called her name.

“Remedi…” The cracking in Reese’s voice told it all. Tears filled the brims of my eyes as they searched Reese’s. “He-he…” The words couldn’t even form.

“Tell me he didn’t.”

“The oven, Remedi.”

I zoomed to the kitchen and snatched the oven open. My legs turned to noodles, and I dropped straight to the floor. A piercing scream escaped me. This man had placed my damn dog in the oven and turned it on. Sick fuck.