Page 26 of Taming a Menace

“It’s OK to fall apart sometimes, beautiful,” he told me.

“I-I can’t,” I wept.

“Yes you can, baby. Give it to me.”

“Give you what, Keywan?” I asked.

My voice was muffled because my face was buried in his chest. My fingers clung to his shirt for dear life as I tried desperately to pull myself together.

“Whatever is hurting you. Whatever is making you do this. Give it to me, Iyla. You don’t have to have your shit together all the time. You don’t have to be strong all the time. Let me do that for you.”

“I-I can’t do that.” I sniffled.

He grabbed my shoulders and gently pushed me back to try to look at me. I dropped my eyes to my lap, but he held my chin and tilted my head back up.

“You don’t have to be the therapist all the time, Iyla. You deserve to have someone to listen to you when you need it. Unburden yourself on me,” he said before draping his arms around my body and pulling me close again.

I felt so bad hearing his stomach growl as I cried my eyes out. Key didn’t say anything. Silently, he rubbed my back and allowed me to cry until I was able to dry my tears.

“I’m starving,” I muttered against his chest before bursting out laughing.

“Starvation is not funny, Moon.”

“I know. I feel so bad that I’m sitting here crying like an infant while your food is getting cold.”

“I ain’t thought about eating with this soft ass and warm pussy in my lap. This shit driving me crazy.”

“See, and there I was thinking you were actually trying to console me,” I said, pulling myself out of his lap into the spot next to him.

“Naw, don’t do that. You know that was my number one reason for holding you. The built-in heater was a bonus.”

“Shut up.” I laughed.

“I’m serious. I kinda like waiting and trying to help you let your guard down while I earn my way back into that pussy. Anticipation is the best form of foreplay.”

“What makes you think I’m going to let my guard down one day?”

“That’s the beauty of the chase I guess. I do think I deserve a chance though.”

“How about this, if you do the work and actually get done with your mandated hours, I will consider giving you a chance.”

“And in the meantime?”

“I have to keep it professional.”

“Naw, I don’t like that. You plan to fuck with other niggas and go on dates and shit until then?”

“I mean as a single woman I’m free to.” I shrugged.

“You’re also free to get a nigga fucked up. Let me know how you wanna play it, ’cause I ain’t above beating niggas up about my lady.”

“You can’t be for real.” I shook my head.

“Please don’t make me prove it.”

“You can’t expect me to be alone if I don’t want to while I’m holding out hope that you actually do what you need to do. Who knows if you’ll even still feel the same at the end of your treatment? Who’s to say I even want you like that?”

“You do. You just told me you’re holding out hope that I do what I need to do.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“You don’t need a nigga sniffing around when you got me. I’ll do whatever you need me to. I’ll fill whatever void you think some other mediocre dude is going to fill while you’re holding out hope that daddy keeps his word. I’ll even blow your back out as needed.”

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “Is that right?”

“Hell yeah, I will. Just to help you stay carefree and happy, I’ll do that. It won’t be for me though. It’s for you. Everybody knows a good dick down is good for your health.”

“What the hell ever!” I continued to cackle.

“As a matter of fact, let me talk to my friend. I know she misses me.”

“What friend?” I asked.

He didn’t answer my question. Instead he pushed me on my back as he positioned himself between my legs.

He lowered his head until he was inches away from my pussy.

I wanted his mouth on me, but I had to stand my ground.

I would at least pretend to put up a fight.

I pushed up on my elbows and watched him stare between my legs.

“What are you doing?” I frowned.

“Hey, sweetheart. I know you miss me as much as I miss you, but I’ve been working on something. OK, baby?”

“Wow! Are you serious?” I asked, giggling and throwing my head back at his antics.

“Shh! Listen, baby, I didn’t abandon you.

I know you miss daddy, but I have to earn my way back to you.

I need to prove to our friend that just because you got my mind gone I actually like her too.

Just because I’m getting to know her doesn’t mean that I don’t love you.

I’m crazy about you. I haven’t even made any new friends since I met you.

Don’t give Moon a hard time about my fine ass.

She’s not that bad. Don’t make her feel weak by leaking and radiating all this heat when I come around.

I know that you miss me, friend. Just give me a little time.

I’m coming back for you. I promise,” he said, kissing my inner thigh and backing up as if he didn’t just talk to my pussy like it was another person.

That fool didn’t even look my way before reaching out and picking up one of the bags from the table.

“Moonie, you let our food get cold,” he complained.

“You did that. I told you it was getting cold.”

“We can fix it though. I’ll put a little heat on the hibachi and toss your wontons in the air fryer for a couple of minutes.”

“Wow. I’ve never even thought about that. Usually when my wontons get cold, I know it’s over for them. I’ve never tried putting them in the air fryer.”

“Yeah, you have to be careful about the time though. I burned some in less than three minutes. Let it heat up then pop them in for about a minute.”

“Got ya,” I said, standing to follow him to the kitchen.

“You don’t have to get up, mama. Find something for us to watch. You want a drink?”

“I’ll take water if it’s cold.”

“OK, I’ll be right back.”

Key wasn’t even gone a full minute before he returned and gave me a bottle of water.

He had a beer clutched in his other hand.

When he sat next to me, he put his drink on the coffee table then took the bottle of water out of my hand, opened it, and gave it back to me.

Then he picked his beer and the remote up off the table and passed the remote control to me.

“Find something to watch while we eat. No reality shows.”

I laughed. “I don’t watch reality shows, but if I did, the controller of the remote dictates what we watch.”

“Do you always have to be in control?” he asked.

“I’m sure most people like to control what goes on around them.”

“Not everyone likes control. I’m just asking for future reference,” he noted.

“No, in a lot of situations, I don’t have to be in control.”

“Good to know.”

“I’m not even going to ask why.” I shook my head.

“There’s no particular reason yet. Find something funny to watch. You like comedies?” he asked.

“I thought I was in charge,” I replied.

“You are. I just gave a suggestion. I thought you might need some help since you have yet to leave the home screen.” A round of beeping caused him to stand to his feet.

“I’m not trying to tell you what to watch.

I just don’t want to spend the whole time I have with you figuring out what needs to be background noise to me watching you and committing your features to memory for the nights when I don’t have you by my side. ”

“I’m starting to realize what a charmer you are, Mr. Glover.”

“I think I already told you how dangerous that title is.” He winked before continuing his journey to the kitchen.

Once I was no longer under the dizzying spell of Keywan’s gaze, I was able to think long enough to find something on TV. I had recently restarted one of my old favorite series. Something about a soapy, comedic, romance series did it for me every time.

After pressing play on episode one, I put the remote back on the table and got comfortable on the couch.

I was trying to get out of my head about being at Keywan’s house, but deep down I was freaking out.

I was at the man’s house. There was an underlying expectation to have sex when you were at a man’s house after a certain hour.

It didn’t help that I didn’t have my own car.

That essentially meant that I was at his mercy.

It wasn’t like I couldn’t call a rideshare to pick me up.

Isis would even get out of bed to come get me if I summoned her.

I didn’t want to make things awkward though.

No, actually I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to maintain my boundaries while giving him a chance to convince me that I didn’t need to.

I wanted Key to break down the barriers I put up between us.

Just because I wanted him desperately didn’t mean I felt comfortable with my feelings.

The smell of the food made it to the living room before Key appeared.

My stomach was starting to mirror the sounds I’d heard coming from his just moments ago.

I hadn’t eaten since the early part of the day.

I knew it was a bad habit to eat so late, but I was too hungry to care at this point.

“I should have known you would put the TV on a soap opera,” he teased.

“This isn’t a soap. It’s a sitcom.”

“Well, it looks like one of those shows my mama is always watching.”

“It was ladies’ choice, right?” I quizzed, grinning at him as he placed our plates on the table.

“Always,” he said with a casual shrug.

“Well then.” I sassed.

“It’s your world, mama. I’m just fucking with you,” he said.

“Me too. I wanted to put it on my favorite movie, but I didn’t feel like hearing your mouth.”

“What’s your favorite movie?”

“ The Princess Diaries, ” I revealed.

“Oh, hell naw. I’m not watching no fairy tale shit.”

“It’s not a fairy tale. Besides, I figured you didn’t care what we watched since you referred to it as background noise.”

“And I don’t. I’ll do whatever you need me to do to keep you here as long as possible. I just want you to be comfortable.”

“I am.” I nodded.