by A'zayler
“Egypt, are you there?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s up, handsome?”
I sucked my teeth, but not at her. At myself for liking the way she’d called me handsome. I was falling. Hard.
“I umm… I’m at your spot.” I paused. “How long before you get here?”
I was nervous as I waited for her answer. I wasn’t used to being on some nice, laid up shit with a female, so I didn’t even really know what to say. I could hear some movement on her end and more heavy breathing.
“I’m here,” she said on the phone, but I heard it a lot closer too.
She’d opened the door wrapped in a towel. Her hair was in a big, sloppy bun, and there was nothing on her feet. They were wet along with the rest of her body that I was able to see. She was still holding the phone, as was I. I think we realized it at the same time. Light giggles came from her while I just smiled and pulled it away from my ear.
“Come in. I didn’t hear you knocking.”
“I see.” I pushed the door closed behind me and set my backpack filled with clothes onto the floor.
I dropped my phone to the floor with the rest of my stuff and walked up on her. She didn’t move, just looked at me. That makeup and all that other stupid shit was gone, so I could really see her. I licked my lips and touched the top of her towel.
“You were in the shower?”
“Yeah, I had just gotten in. I haven’t even had the time to actually bathe yet.”
“Getting ready for me?”
She nodded.
“Cool.” I went to kiss her neck but stopped myself. “Let’s finish.” I held her hand and walked down the hallway to where I heard the shower running.
The bathroom was clouded with steam from the hot water and suffocated me as soon as I stepped in. I motioned for her to come to me. She came without thinking about it. I released the towel that had been covering her. Her body came into view, and I stood back some so that I could admire it. She was so perfect in all the right places. Even with her not having a lot of nothing, she had enough of everything.
“Come find yourself real quick, so I can enjoy you,” I told her, referring to her taking a good shower and cleaning herself of all of Dream’s activities.
She stepped into the tub and walked beneath the water while I stood back and watched her. Her lavender body wash smelled up the shower as soon as she began to rub it into her skin. It was taking everything in me not to hop on her right then, but I knew I had to wait. I didn’t feel like fucking up my clothes or redressing all over again.
“Guess who I just saw before I got here.”
She looked at me. “Who?”
“Myeisha.” I smirked.
She sucked her teeth. “Fuck her.”
I laughed so hard. Azayna didn’t have to tell me that she didn’t like Myeisha; I’d peeped that months ago. It was still funny as hell to me, though, because as much as she hated Myeisha, Myeisha loved her. I used to look at her like she was crazy when she would stand around telling us about Dream and how much she wanted her. Quez and I stayed laughing at her about being in love with community pussy, and look at my ass, not in love, but damn near in like with it. Laughing really was catching.
“Don’t be laughing. That shit ain’t funny. I hate her.” Azayna turned and looked at me.
I watched the suds foam against her skin while she continued washing herself.
“She loves you.”
Her eyes rolled as she turned her back to me again. “Well, that’s one feeling that’s definitely not mutual.”
“You let her eat your pussy?”
She nodded.
“Does it feel good?”
She faced me again and rubbed soap around her neck. “Not really.”
When I couldn’t help myself anymore, I reached out and grabbed one of her breasts. “Why not?”
“Because I always wished it was you instead.” Azayna dropped her head forward before covering my hand with hers.
I was massaging her softly, rolling around her nipple a little bit just to make her feel good. Now that she was holding on to me as I did it, I knew she wanted what I wanted.
“It was like that every time?” I pulled at her nipple a little harder. “You wishing it was me?”
She nodded slowly before closing her eyes. Together, we were still rubbing on her body, but I figured she didn’t need my help with that anymore, so I left her to it while I traveled lower. My hand slipped between her thighs and slid around, making her breathing rise. Hell, mine was just as heavy as hers if not heavier.
“Yeah… one time, I couldn’t do it.” She clamped her thighs closed on my hand. “I was there but couldn’t do it.”
I thought she was about to keep on telling me what was up, but she didn’t. Instead, she stopped talking altogether. Her eyes were dark and serious as she stared at me.
“This is going to stop my money, Egypt.” I wasn’t one hundred percent sure what she was talking about, but I wasn’t completely lost either. “You’re going to make it stop.”
“That ain’t my fault.”
“Yes, it is, because all I can think about is you.”
Even though I could appreciate her feeling me and considering my thoughts about her hoe shit, I didn’t want her to blame not being able to do it on me. I didn’t have time for none of that blaming shit that women liked to do. That was retarded to me, but they did it every time.
I was not about to let her drag me into her own personal guilt. True enough, in order to be with me, she would have to stop, but that was still a decision she had to make. She could choose to be with me, or she didn’t have to. The choice was hers.
“That’s a good thing, don’t run from it.” I released her body and stepped back. “Let me get out of here fucking with you before I mess up my clothes.” I winked at her and left the bathroom.
Versus going back into the living room, I went to her bedroom instead. It was clean minus clothes here and there. My body was tired, so I lay across her bed on my back and closed my eyes. I’d clearly been way more tired than I’d assumed because one minute I was lying there chilling, and the next she was waking me up. I squinted at her. She was completely dressed.
“Damn, I was out.”
She snickered. “Yeah, you were. I figured you were probably tired, so I left you alone.”
I sat all the way up and admired the way the black biker shorts and little red top fit her. It was cute as hell and looked even better with the fresh pair of white FILA sneakers with that heavy ass bottom. As much as I hated those shoes, they looked good on her. She had her dreads pulled into a ponytail that was hanging off the side of her head with a bright multi-colored scarf tied around it.
“That headscarf is fresh as fuck.”
“Thank you. I need to re-twist my edges, but I didn’t feel like it, so I just threw this on.”
“Nah, you ain’t just throw nothing on. You look pretty as hell. Ain’t no way you just threw shit.” She smiled at me as I stood from her bed. “And you smell good? Shit!” I exclaimed dramatically.
“Egypt, stop.”
“Shid, I can’t.” I stretched, bumping into her in the process. “You got everything you need?”
I watched her look down at the black purse she had hanging from her shoulder and pat it before nodding at me. I grabbed her hand and led her up the hallway.
“Let’s fuck the city up then, boo.”
She was all smiles as she locked her door before sashaying to the passenger side of my Challenger. I took a deep breath before running my hand over my face. Azayna wasn’t even doing anything, and I felt like touching and kissing on her. Being with her was about to get out of hand. I would bet my life on that shit. I guess it was a good thing that I’m a gambling man.
Chapter Three
-BB
“Mommy, leave him alone, or I’m leaving, and I won’t be back.”
I stood on the balcony eavesdropping on Zebrina and her mother’s conversation. It was
the middle of the afternoon, and she’d talked me into visiting her parents’ house with her. I didn’t know how in the hell I’d allowed that to happen, but anything for love, I guess. That was truly the only reason I’d finally come with her. We’d been dating and married for too long for her mother to still be harboring all that unnecessary hate for me.
You’d think as a mother she’d be glad that her daughter had found a man who wasn’t afraid to love her daughter and give her any and everything she deserved, on top of making her an honest woman. I hadn’t dated Zebrina more than a few months before making her my wife. As a man, it was my responsibility to know and recognize what I want then make it mine.
I did that with everything, so Zebrina had been no different. A lot of my partners and family had been surprised by my impromptu marriage, but they knew better than to dwell on it or disapprove of it to my face. I didn’t tolerate that shit from anyone, including my mother in law.
“Breen.” I stepped back into the house. “You ready to ride, gorgeous?”
She looked at me, face filled with anguish while her wrinkled faced mama rolled her eyes and exhaled so hard that she blew that stuck ass bang on her forehead up. I wanted to school her for still sleeping with that Styrofoam roller in her damn head, but because that was my girl’s mom, I just chilled.
“You feeling okay, B?” Zebrina questioned me like I’d ever let her mother’s words affect me.
I nodded once, focusing on her only and completely ignoring the clinging of pots next to us. Her mama was doing too fucking much.
“I’m always cool. You know that. It’s you that I’m worried about.”
She smiled, but it wasn’t the one I liked. That smile was forced, and Zebrina’s real smile was too pretty for the world not to see it. I, for one, wasn’t about to accept that weak shit she’d just given. After pushing the sliding door over a little more, I ducked and walked all the way in.
Zebrina’s shoulders slumped some when I stopped in front of her. She was pouting something terrible, and I already knew it was because of me. If she knew nothing else, she knew she could be weak when I was around. Any other time, she was chin up and headstrong, like she’d been moments prior when she hadn’t known I was listening. But, with me, she was a baby… my baby. That, we were both aware of.
“I feel like I’m getting a headache.” Her eyes dropped some as she stood in place, gripping both sides of my body.
“I bet I know where that came from,” I whispered, and she giggled, but Cruella spun around and ruined the intimacy of our moment.
“Don’t you dare insult me in my house.”
I paid her not one piece of my mind. “I got some Percs in the car. Want me to get one for you?” Because of my sickle cell, I kept pain medicine and would be quick to dope my baby up on it when she wasn’t feeling good.
Zebrina smiled faintly. “Thank you,” she mouthed before reaching up to pull the front of my hat down. “No, thanks, babe, I’m good. You know your medicine is too strong for me.”
I had my hat hanging off the back of my head because I needed to scratch my head earlier, and it had been in the way. Egypt had texted me talking some more shit about Master, and it had me ready to fight, but I was at the wrong place for all of that. Zebrina’s stupid ass mama already hated me. Lord forbid, I spoke gang talk in front of her, she’d probably file and grant our divorce herself.
“Blaze, I’m sure you heard me.”
I looked over at my mother-in-law, who obviously wanted my attention. “Yes ma’am, I did. I just didn’t feel the need to acknowledge it since I hadn’t insulted you.”
“Yes, you did, and you know it.”
“Mommy,” Zebrina whined.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her so that we were chest to chest. “Chill, Breen, it’s alright. I know your mother loves me.”
It was radio silent in the kitchen before her mother spun around to face the sink again, making Zebrina laugh. I didn’t laugh, smile, or nothing because her mother was too old for that dumb shit. Her behavior would never bother me. I was too easy going for that. She was the one with the problem, not me.
“How are you so perfect?”
Perfect? Me? I shook my head at Zebrina. Baby was all off. She was the only form of perfection in that kitchen. I was anything but, even if she did like to believe different.
“My God!” The disgust in her mother’s voice was serious, but I’d dealt with worse.
“Mommy, that’s it. We’re leaving.” Zebrina went ballistic after that little remark. “Come on, B. You don’t have to take this.”
Zebrina had my hand and was pulling me from the kitchen. I followed her, not bothering to stop her little angry rant. I saw no reason for it because as long as her mother’s rudeness didn’t bother me, she should be able to look over it. We got all the way outside to my car before she stopped and said something.
“I’m sick of her.”
I smirked. “Why you ain’t tell her that then?” I raised my eyebrow, and Zebrina squinted at me.
“What you trying to say? That I’m scared of her?”
I chuckled. “I ain’t say that, you did. All I did was ask a question.” I pushed my hat back again. “Scary ass. Came all the way out here trying to talk shit.”
The way she smacked her lips and took off for her parent’s house again was comical, but I grabbed her to stop her from doing something she really didn’t want to do. She was acting tough, but she loved her mother and didn’t need to add any strain to their relationship on my behalf.
“Man, get back over here. Don’t go in there and get your grown ass spanked. Your mama looks like she can give a mean ass whooping.”
Zebrina did her best to hold her smile in, but with me, it was impossible. “Don’t even try me like that. I got my mama by at least fifty pounds. I would not let her whoop me.” She walked back to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Neither would you.”
“That’s probably the only reason you talking all that talk. You know she’d have to go through me to get you. You better be glad I’m here.”
“When are you ever not here?”
I savored her words for a second or two. That was all facts. For her, I was always there and would forever be.
“She just gets on my nerves acting like you’re beneath us.”
“I am, Breen. I just don’t give a fuck, and neither do you, but that doesn’t mean that other people won’t.”
Zebrina rolled her eyes and shook her head without saying anything. I already knew why she wasn’t talking, and it was cool. She could choose to see everybody as equal in her eyes, but that wasn’t life. Zebrina wasn’t a woman who saw wrong. In her eyes, everything was right, which was probably why she was a future doctor with a prostitute for a best friend and a drug pushing gang banger for a husband. I chuckled. My baby really was green. She didn’t understand shit.
“Where your daddy at? Me and that nigga super cool.” I tried to get her talking again.
“He’s at work. She said he’ll be here within the hour. I almost called and told him to hurry up, but I want to surprise him.”
“Bet. Let’s go hit the mall or something until he gets off. He can handle your mama while we blow a few racks. I can look after you until he comes.”
Zebrina leaned her head back so that she was looking at me before sucking my bottom lip into her mouth.
“You haven’t looked after me all day, or last night, or yesterday morning. What’s up with that? You don’t miss it?”
I frowned because she was really tripping now. “Why you trying to get me started?”
“Because I’ve got some tension building.” She licked her lips and snatched me closer to her. “You know how I get when that happens.”
I definitely knew. I smiled so hard that I had to drop my head.
“Yeah, let’s go to the mall really quick. I need to get you alone for a second. I need some me time with my husband.”
I had a hand full of Zebrina’s
ass as I stood there looking at her. She had stopped talking, and I was thinking about all the stuff I could do to her while we waited. I squeezed her butt, and she moaned without breaking eye contact.
“Blaze…” She sounded breathless. “Me time, I need it.”
“Go tell your mama you’ll be back.”
She snatched away from me so fast that I had to laugh at her. She hadn’t made it two steps before she turned around and hopped on me.
I situated her weight in my arms. “You better be glad I’m quick on my feet. I almost dropped you.”
Her smile glowed as she shook her head from side to side. The beautiful, chocolate skin that God had blessed her with was bright and smooth as always, while the dimples in her cheeks sank deeper.
“You wouldn’t do that.”
“I know.” I held her up in my arms as she sat comfortably.
I wasn’t the biggest nigga in the world, not even big enough to be carrying her around for real, but I was solid. There wasn’t a nigga alive who could handle all of Zebrina’s curves the way I could. When God made her, he made sure to do it with me in mind. Making sure to give me just enough strength, heart, and love to encompass and deliver into her world. God, I chuckled. He had to be a Blood. He was too big to be anything else. Bloods ran the world, and because of that, nobody could tell me the man upstairs wasn’t an OG.
“You need to be in there chopping it up with your mama, Breen.”
“Take me,” she said in her chipper, white girl voice.
I headed toward the house with her still in my arms. “You trying your mama’s patience today.”
One long stride after the next, I carried her to the entrance of their home, ducking so I could pass through the door without hitting my head. I made sure to grab the back of my baby’s head with the palm of my hand so that it wouldn’t get hit either. We were busy laughing and joking in lover’s play when I looked up and saw her mother standing in the middle of the living room floor with her hands on her hips.
