Page 15

Fatigue drenched Britain's entire aura as she dragged herself through the door of her mother's chiropractor office. In her headphones, she could hear Priest chuckle at her occasional yawns and groans.

"Make some coffee or something," Priest suggested over the phone.

Phone calls were probably his least favorite thing to do, but for Britain's sake, there he was on the phone with her. Britain was pretty worn out from staying up all night with Priest and watching different movies that caught their eye on Netflix. Since she had a lengthy drive to her mother's clinic, Priest kept her company over the phone to make sure she didn't fall asleep while on the road.

"That's gonna take a while to kick in," Britain whined. "We really should have never watched that last movie."

She was now regretting her excitement for the movie and the urge she felt to watch it after reading the description. Priest had advised her it would be best to go to bed, but Britain insisted he let her worry about her fucked up sleep schedule.

Priest found her bumping into walls and barely able to keep her eyes open while getting dressed in her scrubs hilarious. "Drink some coffee, Gioia. It'll help. Trust me," he insisted.

Britain let out a low groan as she shuffled her way through the back of the clinic and into the break room, which was accommodated with a full fridge, sink, two tables, and, luckily for her, an espresso coffee machine.

Her mother, Seven, was already brewing a fresh batch of coffee, causing Britain to thank the heavens above because she did not have the energy to wrestle with any of the high-tech appliances.

"Hey, Mocha." Seven flashed her beaming smile to her daughter like she did every morning.

Britain forced a smile through her tiredness. "Hey, Ma," she greeted her mother.

Priest was still on the phone and was able to hear her mother. "That's your nickname? Mocha? I like it." He chuckled since he knew Britain was twisting her face up in her signature mean mug.

"Goodbye, sir," Britain threatened to end the call, not wanting to hear him call her the nickname her family called her.

Priest continued to laugh. "I'll text you. Am I free to come over after your shift?" His laughter had come to a halt as he asked Britain.

She nodded her head as another yawn escaped her lips. "Always. Bring yourself and some pizza, since you claim I haven't tried the best spot yet." She smirked lightly. Seven stood off to the side eying her daughter. Something was different. Even though Britain looked tired as a dog, Seven still noticed the energy radiating off her.

"Heard you. Stay woke," he teased.

"Very funny, Reverend ," she purposely butchered his name. Priest threw his head back in laughter. She was constantly coming for his name.

"Bye, London," he retaliated, ending the call before she got the chance to fire a shot back. Britain rolled her eyes as she ridded her ears of her AirPods and sat them back in the holding dock.

"Had a long night, Mocha?" Seven smirked, casting Britain’s attention. As always, Seven was dressed in her subtle yellow scrubs that were topped with her white coat. Her feet were adorned in the cute floral print nurse clogs Britain had gifted her a few Christmases prior. As always, Seven's hair was twisted out in her signature curls that she styled in a half up, half down look. She was effortlessly beautiful, and her aura was unmatched.

With a nod, Britain responded to her mother. "Didn't go to sleep until two this morning. Ma, do I really have to be here?" Her eyes dropped in an imploring manner, and her bottom lip curled into a pout.

Seven chuckled at her daughter's antics. "I used to ask myself that every morning when I clocked into that stupid job before I started my internship at the hospital. You would keep me up until two in the morning with your whining and crying about those big ole chompers you call teeth were growing in."

Offended by the jab her mother took at her teeth, Britain covered her mouth while cutting her eyes at Seven. "My father would never." Britain mugged Seven playfully, inducing some laughter.

"Remy wouldn't do a lot of things like I have," Seven agreed with Britain's statement. "How is he, anyway?"

A light smile made its way onto Britain's face. It was cute how both of her parents managed to still think of each other. Their love went sour due to a situation that was out of their hands. Britain knew there was no chance of Remy and Seven ever rekindling anything since Seven was madly in love with her husband, Henderson. The two had been together since Britain was four, and they were perfect for each other. Long before Britain knew of Remy, she considered Henderson her father since he'd been around for so long. She loved him. He never made her feel any different from her other siblings who were fathered by him.

"He's great. Still young and fit," Britain threw out there in hopes to bait her.

Seven rolled her eyes. "My husband is too," she retorted in a petty manner.

"Only a tempted woman would respond as such," Britain giggled, loving the way she always managed to get under her mother’s skin.

Seven perched her hand on her hip while stale facing her daughter. "See, I was just about to let you off to get some sleep, but for that, you're staying." Seven cackled in a victorious manner once she saw how Britain's face fell.

"Customer service about to be on zero today," Britain grumbled as she poured herself some coffee. Just as she did when she was a child, she filled her coffee with tons of sugar and creamer. It made her think of Priest, who often turned his nose up at how high her sugar intake was. She was a child at heart, and her sweet tooth remained, despite how grown she was.

"Play with that man you just had on that phone, not your momma, love. Remember that," Seven warned.

Britain scoffed playfully while waving her mother off. "I have no idea what you're talking about, woman." She shook her head as if her mother was mistaken.

"Mocha, who are you fooling? He has you tired, but he also has you all bright eyed and bushy tailed," Seven read her daughter from cover to cover.

"I'm tired from watching a movie," Britain corrected her mother in a matter-of-fact manner.

Seven raised a brow. "So, you weren't having sex?"

"Ma!" Britain exclaimed at the invasiveness of her mother's question.

“What? I'm just asking." Seven shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "I know you were on the whole “born again virgin” thing, but who are we kidding?" She waved Britain off.

"Ma, I wasn't kidding. Sex is different for me now. I feel like my energy and mind have to be pleased along with my body. Y'know?" Britain shrugged while explaining to her mother.

This was normal for them. The two were very open with each other because Seven gave all her children space to just be themselves. She refrained from passing judgement for the most part, which allowed Britain to have a level of comfort with her that most daughters didn’t have with their mothers.

Seven nodded in understanding. "I get it, baby. So, about this man…"

"Ma, please, let's not," Britain chuckled. "He's just a friend I'm doing a story on. We're simply chilling."

"Until two in the morning? Times have definitely changed. Chilling until two in the morning is how I ended up with you," Seven jested, causing Britain to laugh loudly.

Britain shook her head, shaming her mother. After stirring her coffee and putting a lid onto it, Britain began wading out of the break room. "You are too much, Ma! Too much!"

After swig after swig of her sugary coffee, Britain found herself wide awake and unable to keep still. Her legs bounced, giving her a clear indication that the coffee served her with all she needed.

"Get a grip. You're acting like you have ADHD," Britain heard her younger brother, Brixton, laugh at her as he sat behind the front desk alongside her, inputting new patient information onto the computer.

Britain cut her eyes at her brother. "I know you aren't talking," she scoffed loudly. "You reek of liquor and bad decisions." Britain tooted her nose in the air.

Brixton laughed before quickly stopping himself once he felt a headache hit him from the hangover he was fighting. "Yeah, I went a little too hard last night,” he sighed.

Britain purposely laughed loudly, causing a heavy groan to draw out of him. “Make better decisions next time, stupid.”

Brixton waved Britain off. “You just mad ‘cause I’m young and turnt.” He mushed her face. Britain attempted to swing on him, but he got out of dodge quickly.

"You better go put on some cologne before your dad gets here!" she warned him. Brixton was the carefree sibling, he liked living in the moment, which was where she and Brixton differed. Brixton often clowned Britain about how obsessive she was when it came to the aftermath of things. She liked to dwell, and she thought of life in a cause-and-effect type of manner, while Brixton just didn't give a damn.

"You’re right!” he agreed as he continued his jog to the back of his office so he could retrieve some cologne from his bag. He managed to bypass Seven, who was making her way over to Britain. Her nose scrunched up at the heavy stench of liquor that was emitting from Brixton. She shook her head and continued toward her daughter.

"You can head home now. Henderson is coming in soon," Seven explained, causing Britain to clap her hands excitedly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Britain hugged her mother.

Seven laughed lightly before waving her off. She could tell Britain was still tired but was amped up from the few cups of coffee she had. It didn't take long for Britain to gather her things and kiss the chiropractor goodbye. On the drive to her place, she dialed Priest's number. Calling his phone was a long shot since he didn't really like phone calls, but to her surprise he answered.

"What's good, Gioia?" he greeted her with a light laugh. Britain could tell he was out since she could hear music along with indistinctive chatter from people in his background.

"Nothing much. I just got off work early. You busy?" she asked him while stopping at a red light.

"Word? Nah, not busy at all. I'm just chilling," Priest said with a light smile. He managed to get dragged out the house by J'Ru and Kaymen, and they had him hanging with a few niggas around the way. It was overall good vibes.

Britain smiled at hearing his usual light chuckle. "You seem to be having fun."

"Pull up," Priest suggested.

Britain gasped dramatically. "Am I meeting the homeboys already? That's high-status, Priest," she teased him jokingly.

Priest laughed, finding her exaggerated antics amusing. "It's a good vibe. You'll enjoy it," Priest assured her. "I'll send you the location."

"I have to go home and change," she informed him.

Priest nodded as if Britain could see him physically. "No problem. Call me when you pull up." They exchanged goodbyes before the phone call ended. Luckily for Britain, she wasn't too far from her place anymore, so it wouldn't take long.

When she arrived, she had a sudden swiftness in her actions. Priest hadn't given her an allotted time as to when he expected her to arrive, yet she felt obligated to get to him as soon as possible. Once she picked an outfit and washed the scent of coffee grounds from her skin, Britain got dressed and did her make up, along with her hair.

She groaned lightly when she realized she spent way more time than she intended to while getting ready. Checking her phone, Britain eyed the address Priest sent her, seeing it was only fifteen minutes away. She gave herself a once over in the mirror, content with her outfit that consisted of a white crop top and a pair of Levi light washed denim shorts. She rolled her eyes at the fact that she looked a little bloated in the pants when she observed herself from the side.

"Fanny pack it is then," she muttered as she secured the black fanny-pack around her waist to conceal what she considered a bloated tummy.

Now finished, she grabbed her wallet, phone, keys and her tube of lip gloss before exiting her apartment. Getting into the car, she followed the GPS, cursing at the rush hour traffic she ended up landing in. After constant honking and road rage, Britain found herself slowing down once she got to a residential area. The GPS announced she had arrived once she pulled up to a cinnamon red brick housing project building which had a group of people littered out front. Music from loudspeakers overtook the area, causing a few people to dance and sing along. There was grill smoking out front as well, and the smell of burning charcoal and grilled meat collided into a pleasing aroma for Britain’s nose. From the looks of it, Priest was right. It was a good vibe.

Stopping her car, Britain did as Priest instructed and called him. The call only rang for a few seconds before he answered. "I'm outside. I don't see you."

"I see you," she heard him say. "Gimme a sec." Britain okayed him before the call ended. In a matter of seconds, Priest slid into the passenger seat of Britain's car, groaning lightly at how close she had the passenger seat to the dashboard.

He reclined the seat to his liking, causing Britain to laugh lightly. "You look nice," she complimented him while rubbing her hand over the gray and white tracksuit he was sporting. A smug smile crept onto his face, his appreciation of the endearing compliment showing.

"‘Preciate it." He licked his lips, causing Britain to fall deeper into the trance of him. "You're looking good too," he praised her. "I fuck with these joints." He pointed down to the pair of high-top Rick Owens she had on to compliment her outfit.

"Well, thank you," she accepted the compliments.

Priest sat up from his reclined position, leaning over the console and applying a light kiss onto Britain's lips. "C'mon," he said while preparing to get out of the vehicle.

"Wait," Britain called after him, causing him to stop before he got the chance to open the door. He eyed her, a questioning expression etched on his face. "Does anyone out there know my father?" she uttered, slightly nervous now that his eyes were searching her for an indication of what had her so hesitant.

Priest's hard stare panned out into a much softer one before he let out an amused laugh. "I thought you was grown?" He smirked at her, reminding her of what she had declared just a few days before.

Britain scoffed. "Well, my bad for trying to look out for you." She waved him and his little sly remark off.

Priest laughed. "Let me look out for you," he told her in an assuring manner. "Besides, nobody out there got room to question what we have going on. You're my business, and I'm yours," he finalized in a much more serious tone, compelling Britain to nod her head. Priest proceeded to get out the car before walking around it to assist Britain. He opened and held her door for her before shutting it while she locked her car up. With his arm thrown over her shoulder, Priest kept Britain close as he made his way to where he was hanging prior to her arrival.

Priest noticed that Britain grew tense as eyes landed on her. Many people had questions, but no one dared to ask. They all knew better than to try to invade Priest's personal life. Craning down, Priest whispered into Britain's ear.

"Relax some," he instructed her with a light chuckle. "They're staring ‘cause you're gorgeous."

Britain tried her best to conceal the contagious smile that was burning to be on display. She felt her face grow scorching hot, triggering her to look down in a timid manner. He knew all the right things to say.

Priest had taken Britain off to the side where a brick staircase stood. He leaned against it, peering down at Britain. She had placed some distance between them so her lusting eyes could further examine his frame. Priest was art, and Britain loved to study him. Whether he was dressed in a casual pair of sweats and a basic tee or his Amiri jeans and a designer shirt, he managed to have that same appeal and glow to him.

"How was work?" he asked.

What Britain loved the most about Priest was that he could just listen. He offered her an ear sometimes when she didn't even know she needed it the most. He understood the need to just be heard. A lot of the time, when they were together, she liked to make sure she listened more than she talked. Priest's story intrigued her and kept her on edge. She didn't talk about herself much. When she used to, people would scrutinize her for being vain and self-absorbed. Priest, on the other hand, made it feel normal, which she loved.

"Work… it was nice. After I drank three cups of coffee, I was bouncing all over the place," Britain shrugged with a smile, causing Priest to laugh.

"Staying up until two in the morning ain't for everybody," he heckled her. Britain rolled her eyes at his childish teasing while leaning against the short staircase.

"How was your day?" she asked him in return.

Priest shrugged slightly before he spoke. "It was alright. Been here all day, pretty much." He took another observant look around. People continued to stare toward Britain since she was a new face. She checked out since she was with Priest, but people still wanted to know who she was.

"Belong to the streets, huh?" Britain teased with a contagious laugh that resulted in Priest laughing as well.

He peered down at her, an amused smirk playing out on his face. "You trying to let loose or what?" A questioning brow was raised as he challenged Britain by offering her a drink from the bottle of Hennessy he had nearby.

Arrogantly, Britain flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Alright, Priest. I'm warning you now. Once I get that liquor in my system, you may not be able to handle how I throw it back while dancing," she warned, causing a loud laugh to erupt from him in pure amusement.

"Talk yo shit, Gioia," he hyped her as he popped the top to the bottle and poured her a shot. Not wanting to babysit her drink, she downed the shot in one go before sitting the cup down on the staircase with an accomplished smile. Priest chuckled as he maneuvered her in front of him so his arms were around her waist from behind. They trekked their way over to where the rest of the block party goers were enjoying themselves. A look around allowed Britain to see there were a lot of people in attendance. The loud music remained a source of entertainment and fun for everyone.

Britain turned around in his arms with a smirk. "Do you even dance?" She peered up at him.

Priest chuckled with a shrug. "I don't dance, but I can definitely keep up when some ass is being thrown at me," he enlightened her, causing them both to laugh.

Britain nodded before taking ahold of his wrist. She dragged him along, pulling him closer to the party. The music grew louder, instantly giving Britain the urge to dance. Her rear was pressed against Priest's groin as she bent over for him, bouncing her ass to the rap song that was playing from the speakers.

Priest was astonished by Britain's ability to just let go. Usually, she was somewhat timid and reserved. Her hands were planted on her knees while he gripped her waist. She hit every beat, flowing with the song gracefully.

She resigned from her bent over position. Twirling around to face him, she had an exuberant ear to ear grin on her face. Priest enjoyed seeing her smile since she had recently shared how much she hated her own smile. It was different, but Priest loved the distinction she had from any other woman he had come across. Their orbs met. Britain continued winding her hips to the tempo of the song.

"You keeping up, my mans?" she teased.

Britain was so lively and full of energy. She was so different from what Priest usually had in his life. He liked keeping things calm and mellow, but Britain brought that excitement and thrill from his teenage years that he missed.

"You ain't do nothing to wow me yet," Priest taunted close to her ear in a competitive manner. He received a scoff from Britain before she turned back around so her rear could be fused to his front.

Britain felt played, so she was going to show out. Priest didn't expect her to go so hard. She had her ass shaking so alluringly to the beat of the song. Priest matched her movements every way he could, but eventually, he lost himself once he felt his jeans tighten. Britain felt accomplished at the feeling of Priest’s stiff third leg brushing against her rear. She felt Priest tap her waist, which acted as a nonverbal signal to adjust her posture so she was no longer bent over.

Britain turned on her heels to face him with an overly amused smirk. "You fucked up. You know that, right?" Priest leaned down and spoke near her ear, causing a shiver to tremble down her spine.

Britain, who had no idea how to play with fire, gulped nervously as she made eye contact with him. The eye he was giving her was a warning, as if he were telling her to proceed with caution. Britain fell right into his arms, wrapping her arms around his torso. She could feel her heart rate accelerate at the stiff feeling of Priest's dick now brushing against her front side. She tried not to think about it much since her curiosity often got the best of her, and she knew she would find herself in something she was sure she wouldn't be able to handle.

Priest’s hands conformed to Britain's flawless body as he caressed her plump bottom before grabbing a handful of it. A light laugh escaped him. "You just started one hell of a game," he warned her.

Britain, who was a known shit talker, carelessly rolled her eyes before waving him off. "I'll beat you at your own game," she scoffed.

Priest found her little facade to be more than amusing. "Bet," he concluded with a nod of his head.

She decided she was done dancing since she knew what she was capable of when it came to arousing him. Instead, she remained in front of him, rear to front, as he loosely wrapped his built arm around her neck. Priest indulged in a few blunts he rolled, unaware that it was one of the sexiest sights Britain had ever witnessed. For a second, she almost fantasized that she was one of the Woods he was rolling and licking so delicately. Priest found Britain's mindless staring funny. She was always doing the oddest things subconsciously.

Many people came up to Priest and chatted for a bit. A light mean mug etched Britain's face when the fourth person approached him and started conversation without acknowledging her. Britain concluded that she just had to be invisible. She was positive that everyone Priest surrounded himself with possessed just as many manners as he did, so they knew it was respectful to greet others, but they still didn’t say two words to her. For the life of her, she didn't understand why no one shot her a simple hello before conversing with Priest.

"Do they not see me? I know I'm quiet, but damn," Britain stressed with her face twisted up in an unpleasant manner since she thought it was extremely rude and distasteful not to greet someone.

Priest chuckled at the fact that she was really worked up by such a small thing that he had the power to fix in seconds. "Chill out," he instructed her, peppering her jawline with two kisses. "They won't address you until I advise them to. Out of respect."

Britain peered up at him, rolling her eyes at how egocentric he sounded. She folded her arms across her chest, her face contorting into a light scowl. "Out of respect, introduce me," she countered.

Taken aback by her request, Priest grew alarmed. "Yo, I don't need everybody knowing what your name is," he stated with a simple shrug, indicating that he no longer wanted to discuss the matter.

Britain smacked her lips. "Got it, Priest." She nodded her head.

"You gotta understand, I'm not just a regular. I move differently. I understand that in the past you felt like you got a level of significance when everyone knew who you were, but things operate differently with me," Priest explained. "Trust me, you're way more important when people don't have an idea who you are." Britain's scowl immediately softened. Priest noticed the change, which caused him to grab her chin gently.

"I just put you on game. Don't forget that."

Britain cut her eyes at him playfully, causing him to laugh a bit. "Your friends, J'Ru and Kaymen, know who I am," she reminded him almost in hopes of successfully contradicting his statement.

"They're my brothers. They have that privilege," Priest shrugged.

A grin spread across Britain's face before she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Awe, you like me," she teased him with an infantile voice.

Priest smacked his lips. "C'mon, man. Stop playing." He shook his head with a little laugh.