Be with Me (Strickland Sisters Book 3)

by Alexandria House

  Zo and Damon both shook their heads, and I fought not to laugh out loud. Ryan was truly a fool.

  Renee was on the phone with Zo’s mom checking on Little Zo while Angie was draped over Ryan’s back with a big grin on her face. After Renee’s call ended, she came and sat by me, asked, “So what’s the plan now, Nicky? Are you moving back home? Staying with Damon?”

  My eyes shot to Damon. We hadn’t discussed that. Well, we hadn’t really discussed anything. We’d spent most of our first day as a couple together screwing like rabbits. “Uh…” I began.

  “She’s staying with me. I’ve waited too long for this to play around with it. I want her with me, if that’s okay with her.” Damon’s eyes found mine.

  I smiled so brightly, my cheeks hurt as I nodded at him. “I want that, too, but I gotta get my stuff from Travis’s place. I called the wedding off over the phone.”

  “I’ll take you. Tomorrow,” Damon asserted.

  “No, Dame. I can’t do that to him. He’s actually a good guy, a harmless good guy, and I feel bad enough for jilting him almost at the altar. I can’t show up at his place with the reason I left him by my side.”

  “He knows I’m the reason?”

  I shook my head, no.

  “Well, you’re not going alone.”

  I had always had the stronger personality of the two of us, and in the past, I’d basically called the shots. He was showing me he was in control now. A man. And it turned me the hell on, but still…

  “Damon—”

  Ryan cut me off with, “I’ll take you. When we wanna do this? Tomorrow? I got you sis-in-law. Damon is right; you don’t need to go alone. You don’t know what state of mind dude is in right now. Harmless or not, no sense in taking a chance like that.”

  “I’ll go, too. And we can take Rell,” Zo offered.

  “Hey, good looking out, y’all,” Damon said.

  “It’s all good,” Zo replied.

  I sighed. “Okay, all I need is a job now so I can pull my weight, so I guess that’s what I’ll be doing in the immediate future. Job hunting.”

  Damon shook his head. “Nah, I know you’re not about that job life. I got you. Things have been evening out since I moved next door. You don’t have to get a job, Nick.”

  I reached over and rubbed his arm. “But I wanna work and help you. I’d work ten jobs for you, Dame.”

  “Awww,” Renee sang, as she clutched her chest.

  Damon smiled as he leaned in close, pecked me on the lips, and mouthed, “Love you.”

  I mouthed back, “Love you, too.”

  “Hell, as much as you stay on social media, I need to hire you to post on my accounts. With the way me and Ryan travel now, I don’t have the time,” Angie whined.

  “I keep up with my accounts, though. You could do it,” Ryan said.

  “You keep up with your accounts, because your spoiled ass likes the attention.”

  “So?”

  Angie rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I’d pay you top dollar to post like once or twice a day on Instagram alone. I’ll send you pics or whatever, and you can come up with captions and hashtags, because you’re good at that.”

  I tried to push back the excitement that bubbled inside of me. I was good at social media, especially Instagram. “Are you serious, Ang? I’d love that!”

  “Dead serious. Could you post on Facebook and Twitter for me, too?” she asked.

  I nodded. “I can just link them up with Instagram so one post goes across all three platforms.”

  Angie threw her hand up. “Shit, whatever. Do you. It’s a deal!”

  “Thanks, Ang!”

  “Hey, could you do that for my Author Street and Zo Publications accounts? I’ll pay, too. My ass hates anything with the word social attached to it. I haven’t posted on either in months,” Zo said.

  “Yes. Please help him,” Renee cosigned.

  “Yeah, sure!” I gushed.

  “Oh, and I’ll get with Cass about you taking over Genesis’s accounts, too. Cass has been handling them, but with her having to get the new midwife acclimated to things, she just doesn’t have the time anymore. And there’s no telling when I’ll go back to work to help,” Renee stated.

  “That’d be great, Nay! Thanks, everyone! I’m so excited about this!”

  Everyone smiled and assured me it was no problem. Then Angie said, “Nay, I thought you were going back to work in a couple of weeks. Can’t stand to leave little man yet, huh?”

  Renee shrugged. “That and the fact that I’m actually pregnant again. Just found out this morning.”

  “What?!” Angie and I shrieked in unison.

  “Damn, Zo! You the man!” Ryan shouted, as he jumped up from his seat and gave Zo dap. “I ain’t even had a chance to put one in Angie yet and you on number two? Shit!”

  “Congrats, you two!” Damon said, with a big grin on his face.

  “Dang, Baby Zo is what? Four months old? Wow!” Angie said.

  “Dayum!” was my contribution. “Your fertility issues are over!”

  “I know, I know. But this is the last one. I’m getting too old for this. One of us is getting snipped after this one,” Renee declared.

  “Shiiiiiiit, not me!” Zo said.

  At that, all of us fell out laughing. Well, everyone except for Renee, who just shook her head.

  21

  Awkward.

  Being in Travis’s place again so soon after canceling our wedding was extremely awkward, especially with Ryan waiting in the living room with Travis, and Zo basically following me around the place as I gathered my things. I had to beg Zo to leave Rell’s big intimidating-looking ass in the car, not wanting to scare Travis all the way to death.

  No matter how many times I tried to convince my brothers-in-law and my man that Travis was harmless, they refused to let me come alone, and I honestly felt bad showing up with bodyguards. I might’ve only had a heart for Damon and my family, but I lived with and halfway maintained a relationship with Travis for more than a year. I cared about him and really hated that I hurt him. He looked so sad when he opened the door for me.

  I sighed as I zipped up my suitcase and scanned the bedroom one last time.

  “Ready?” Zo asked, as he took the suitcase from me.

  I nodded.

  As we both headed to the bedroom door, Travis stepped into the room with Ryan on his tail. “Nicky, can I speak with you for a moment?”

  Ryan’s and Zo’s eyes were on me as I said, “Travis, there’s really nothing for us to talk about.” I needed to get the hell up out of there. The guilt was eating my ass up.

  He clutched his forehead, a stress-related habit of his, and then dropped his hand to his side. “Nicky, you called our wedding off the morning of, over the phone. The least you could do is give me five minutes of your time. Give me something more than ‘I just can’t marry you.’”

  My shoulders fell, and I looked from Ryan to Zo. “Can you give us a few minutes.”

  Neither of them moved.

  My eyes bounced between my brothers-in-law again. “Five minutes. Please?”

  “We’ll be right outside the door,” Zo said to me, then turned to Travis and added, “Right outside the door.”

  They left, pulling the door almost closed behind them, and Travis and I just stood there in silence, eyes locked.

  Finally, I said, “I’m so sorry, Travis, but I…it would’ve never worked.”

  “I knew you didn’t love me.”

  I was unsure of how to respond to that. So I didn’t.

  “And I knew we weren’t compatible, polar opposites, really. I knew you weren’t being faithful, saw the passion marks on your neck and your thighs. But I overlooked all of that, because I really thought we had something special. A-a partnership.”

  “Um, we did. But things changed. I changed. Believe me, it was for the best that I ended things. You’ll find someone better. Your Michelle Obama. I’m not what you need.”

  “Who is he?”


  I shook my head. “I’m not going there. It doesn’t matter. All that matters—”

  “Damon?”

  My mouth flew open.

  He scoffed. “Wow. You know, my mother told me there was more to you two, that it didn’t make sense for two people who look like you and him to just be friends unless one of you was gay. She was right.”

  “Uh, Travis. I need to go.”

  “All that stuff he said about the woman he loved, that was about you, wasn’t it?”

  “Travis—”

  “He can’t take care of you. He doesn’t have the means. He’s broke.”

  I sighed. “Travis, I’m not discus—”

  “You humiliated me. You know that? I invited him into my home. Made him a part of our wedding, and all the time, you were…doing whatever you were doing with him. I look and feel like a fool now.”

  “I-I really am sorry,” I uttered softly. “I’m not a good person and I know it. I’m sorry. That’s all I can give you, my heartfelt apology.”

  As I eased past him, he said, “Karma’s a bitch, Nicky. Be careful.”

  I flinched at hearing him use that kind of language, hesitated, closed my eyes for a moment, then left.

  *****

  “Hey, sweetie. I was trying to give you a little time, but me and your dad are worried about you. How are you holding up?”

  I sat up in the bed, resting my back against the headboard and pulling the sheet over my naked body. Damon was in the shower and instead of joining him, which would undoubtedly lead to sex regardless of the fact that we’d just done it, I decided to return my mother’s phone call from earlier that day.

  “I’m fine. I’m just sorry Daddy spent all that money for nothing.”

  “Oh, honey, he’s not worried about that. Are you, Angelo? She’s worried about the money you spent on the wedding.”

  Daddy was there? My sisters and I still had no idea what our parents were doing other than being nasty freaks. Where was their marriage going?

  A second later, my father’s voice filled my ear. “Baby girl, don’t you worry about the money. I’m just glad you changed your mind and didn’t marry into that sadity-ass family. Here’s your mother back.”

  “Sweetie, are you sure you’re okay?” Mama’s worried voice returned.

  “Yeah, I’m actually…great. It was the right decision. Definitely the right decision.”

  “Good. I can’t say my heart was broken over the turn of events, just wanted to make sure yours wasn’t either.”

  I scoffed. “It’s not. My heart is perfect right now,” I said, as a naked Damon sauntered back into the bedroom. I licked my lips as my eyes followed him.

  “That’s wonderful! Well, I know Damon is taking good care of you. Angie told me you’ve been staying with him. It’s really a blessing he moved back. He’s always been such a good friend to you.”

  As he pulled his underwear on, I said, “Um, Damon and I are more than friends. Uh…he’s why I called the wedding off, Mama.”

  “Oh? Oh! Ooooooooh!” Mama went through several rounds of revelation, all revealed in the changing inflection of her voice. Then she said, “Awwww, sweetie. Finally!”

  Damon sat on the side of the bed, his eyes on me.

  “Finally?” I responded. “Y-you knew?”

  “I knew that how you two felt about each other went far beyond the scope of a simple friendship. I also had my suspicions that was why you were so wild. Or at least I believed that was one of the reasons, besides genetics—you loved him and he wasn’t here.”

  “Wow,” I said, as Damon lifted from the bed and left the room.

  “Well, you really just put my mind at ease.” I could hear the smile in my mother’s voice.

  I eyed the doorway and lowered my voice. “You don’t think there’s anything wrong with moving on so fast. I’ve…never been in a real relationship before, not one like this. I…I love Damon, Mama. Like really love him. I don’t wanna mess this up.” I had tears in my eyes. When did I get so emotional? Damn!

  “You two have known each other forever. This is no ordinary relationship. It’s one with history, one you’ve been building since grade school. Just…don’t stop loving him and always respect him. You won’t mess it up.”

  “I do respect him and I can’t stop loving him. I know, because I tried.”

  She chuckled. “I truly know what you mean. Well, I’ll let you go. Tell Damon I said hi. You two will have to come over for dinner soon. Actually, I need to plan something for the entire family.”

  “That’d be great, Mama.”

  Before I could end the call good, Damon was back. He handed me a cup of my favorite orange tea and climbed in bed beside me. “That was your mom?” he asked.

  “And my dad.”

  “Talking about the wedding?”

  “Yeah. They’re cool with it, and us.”

  He smiled. “Good. How’d it go with Anita Van Buren today?”

  I shook my head. “Could you at least stop calling him female Law and Order character names?”

  “Fine. How’d it go with Munch?”

  I giggled lightly. “You’re so damn silly. How many episodes of those shows have you watched?”

  “Every episode from every iteration. What y’all talk about?”

  “Not much since I went there with bodyguards, which was totally unnecessary.”

  “I’m not tryna hear that, Nick. Dude is weird. And I’m like, eighty percent sure he’s gay or something. I mean, what straight nigga don’t like eating pussy and getting head? That shit is abnormal.”

  I sighed, but he was making a crudely valid point. “He figured out about us, told me to beware of karma.”

  He stared at me. “You worried about that?”

  I shrugged. “It was foul how we got together. Me hurting Travis, you hurting Missy…”

  Damon scooted over until his body was touching mine and placed his hand on my cheek. “How we got together was in Mrs. Monroe’s second grade classroom. We are soul mates, two halves of a whole. This?” He swept his index finger from my chest to his a couple of times. “This is fate, an inevitability, a blessed union, and a motherfucking long time coming. We were meant to be. What we did was put them out of their misery. We freed them from what could only be loveless relationships, because neither of us had a heart to share with them. My heart has always been yours and yours, mine. Look, baby, we’ve already had our pain. So fuck him and his idea of karma. We got what we deserve—each other.”

  Then he kissed me, and his shower was soon rendered useless as his sweat dripped onto my body…again.

  22

  We adjusted quickly to being a couple rather than two people creeping behind someone’s back. Us being together felt…natural, and I discovered a lot about Damon now that I wasn’t screwing him on the run. Like, he played music most nights while we slept. He’d turn the bookshelf stereo in his room on to soft music just before we turned in. Mostly old-school R&B, as well as Alternative R&B and Neo Soul. He also like sleeping naked, spooned behind me…or inside of me.

  He would go out and buy us breakfast every morning after he hit the gym. He loved the sandwiches I made us for lunch. We’d collaborate on dinner. He liked for me to walk around half naked but preferred full nudity. We had a lot of sex, to the point I was afraid we’d go overboard and it would become mundane to him, but it was always so hot, I quickly pushed that thought to the back of my mind. Damon worked almost incessantly, but promised he was trying to cut back and create a better balance for his life. I didn’t really mind, because managing Angie’s, Zo’s, and Genesis’s social media accounts in addition to Damon’s—which I managed pro bono, of course—was time-consuming work that I loved. I also loved the way we could both work for hours, right there in that duplex, side-by-side.

  Us being together? Nothing was better than that, period.

  “Hey, Aunt Monda,” I said, as she pulled me into a hug. I wrapped one arm around her while still clutching Nicky’s hand.
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  “Hey, baby! Always good to see you!” She glanced behind me. “And there’s my girl!”

  Nicky smiled as my mother’s sister rounded me and yanked her into a hug. Through a giggle, she said, “Hey, Aunt Monda.”

  My aunt released her and beamed. “Girl, I haven’t seen you since you two were teenagers, skipping school over here, getting high off my weed and screwing in Theo’s room thinking I didn’t know it.”

  Nicky’s mouth fell open. I just laughed. She and my aunt were a lot alike with their slick mouths. Plus, I wasn’t shocked. She’d told me back then that we weren’t fooling her with our “friendship.”

  “Oh, girl. Shut your mouth. I’m just glad y’all ain’t fronting no more. Theo told me y’all are together now,” Aunt Monda said, giving Nicky a smirk.

  “Uh…” Nicky looked up at me and grinned. “Yeah, we are.”

  “Mm-hmm. Well, I know you here for Theo. He in the back with Onika and the baby.”

  “All right, Auntie,” I said, as I squeezed Nicky’s hand and led her down the dark hallway.

  Theo was back in his work room at his computer with his baby girl, Tia, asleep in his arms while Onika sat in a corner on the floor, face buried in her cell phone. She was a big girl, light-skinned and tall with a pink bonnet on her head, wearing a t-shirt and a pair of baggy gray sweat pants.

  “Whaddup, fool!” I greeted my cousin.

  Theo jumped a little, causing the tiny baby to stir. “Shit, Dame! I forgot you was coming. Nigga, you scared me!”

  I offered him a lopsided grin. “Didn’t I just text you like five minutes ago? Man, you too young to be this forgetful.”

  “Maaaaan, ain’t getting no sleep. Lil’ Mama a night owl,” he said.

  “Hey, Damon!” Onika yelled. “Tell your cousin it’s normal for babies to be awake at night so he can stop talking shit about my baby.”

  Before I could agree with her, Theo snatched around in the chair and glared at her. “It’s my baby, too. And I love to sleep. She look like you; she could at least inherit my sleeping habits.”