Page 17 of The Cancer I Chose (BLP Signs of Love #4)

I loved how big and tight-knit Kai’s family was.

All of them welcomed me with open arms because their brother had.

I would never understand what made him ever stick his neck out for me.

Only God knows where I would’ve been right now if he hadn’t.

I gulped down my food, suddenly feeling less hungry when I thought about what it could’ve been.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t realized Kai was sitting beside me until I felt his warm breath tickling my ear. “You okay?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Are you?”

He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it softly. Any worries I had disappeared entirely, and my appetite returned. He took my left hand and placed it on his thigh before he started to eat his food. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling as I went back to doing the same.

Once we finished our food, we stood to walk the block.

Man Man had snuck off but returned with a bottle of tequila.

The red Solo cups came out next as everyone, but Azani, poured up a drink.

We made our way over to where a crowd was beginning to form in front of the deejay.

He was going off mixing songs so effortlessly you couldn’t help but bob your head.

Kai stood behind me, holding onto my waist as I whined my hips. The liquor mixed with his fresh scent was creating a fire in my center. Thankfully, someone walked up on Kai diffusing it before I snatched this man somewhere private to put it out.

“Wassup, OG,” the guy greeted him with a high voice for a man. He was average, nothing worth remembering for real.

“What’s good, Scream?” Kai nonchalantly replied.

The man eyed me. “You boo’d up and shit now?”

“Married.”

The man’s eyes bulged. “Married? Yo, when the fuck did that happen?”

Kai remained silent, which made things a little awkward. Eventually, the guy Scream realized my husband wasn’t going to respond to him. He cleared his throat and swiped his nose. “Shit, well, congrats. I just saw you over here and wanted to speak. Y’all enjoy.”

When he walked off, Jah’s eyes followed him with a scowl. “I can’t stand that nigga. His voice is annoying as hell, and he gossips like a bitch.”

Man Man burst out laughing. “Facts, and I don’t know why the fuck he thought Kai was going to tell him his business. He knows that nigga don’t like talking for real.” He turned to us and smirked. “Unless it’s to his wife,” he teased.

Kai didn’t even deny it. He just went back to holding me and swaying to the music.

Throughout the night, plenty of other people came up to Kai.

I noticed all of them wore black bandanas like Kai and his brothers, whether tied around their heads, necks, or hanging out of their pockets.

He always introduced me as his wife but gave nothing more than that.

Not even my name. I respected and trusted Kai, so if he wanted to keep my identity a secret, I knew it was for a reason.

There were a few women who gave me dirty looks throughout the night, but I paid them no mind.

How could I when the man they were mad about wouldn’t let me out of his sight?

He made me feel so secure and seen. He never left my side for a moment, constantly checking in on me to see how I was feeling.

Virgos were grounding like that. If any of them thought they had a chance with my husband, he made it very clear that they didn’t.

Not even sparing a breath on anyone other than to speak, and sometimes he didn’t even do that, only offering the deuces or a nod instead.

By the time we were walking back toward the big house, I couldn’t stop hearing “Ready for Love” in my head. This marriage to Kai was starting to become something a little more than convenient. I wasn’t sure what to do with that either.

Kai pushed me against the side of his car. “Did I tell you how beautiful you looked today?”

I shook my head and pouted. “Nope.”

He chuckled. “My bad, baby. You look so fucking good that letting you out of my sight wasn’t an option. These niggas are like vultures, but ain’t nothing for them to eat over here. This is all me.”

I could smell the liquor on Kai’s breath, but he wasn’t sloppy drunk. Just a little more open with his feelings. I decided to use it to my advantage. “Oh, really? That’s how you feel, Sekai?”

He buried his nose in the crook of my neck. “Damn right. You’re my wife, Nuri Symone.”

My breath was coming out in shaky spurts. Was this the liquor or Kai? I wasn’t sure, so I pressed for a little more insight into his mind. “Your fake wife...”

Kai took my hand and placed it on the hardened muscle resting between his legs.

I nibbled on my bottom lip, instantly falling in love with it.

“Ain’t shit fake about what you do to me, Nuri.

But, fake or not, ain’t no other niggas going to be up in your face.

Not while I’m around. I’ll pistol-whip a nigga for even breathing on you, so don’t test me. ”

His voice dipped lower the more he spoke.

A chill raced down my spine because I could tell he was serious.

There was nothing but violence laced in his words.

I would be a fool to test him as he suggested.

For some reason, that enticed me. His possessiveness made me want to sink into his skin instead of running far away.

“Maybe I just might,” I teased. “I need to see how far my husband is willing to go for his fake wife.”

Kai snorted. “Yeah, aight.” He released an animalistic growl that made me smile. “Test me if you want, Nuri Symone. You gon’ be the reason for a fish fry flyer, and you better not cry after I off the nigga either with your emotional ass.”

I didn’t mean to, but I laughed before slapping a hand over my mouth. Kai shook his head.

“You think shit’s a joke. Bring your ass on.”

He pulled me up behind him toward the big house. We spent the rest of the night hanging out with his siblings. Of course, I gave Azani the massage she was asking for, but I didn’t mind because I felt right at home around all of them.