by D. Camille
Khalil moved to her cheek. “I came tonight to be schooled by a Queen. I want to learn how to read her mind…to calculate her thoughts… and to write my name on her heart.”
“I swear, the way you answer a simple question can be so damn sexy.” Danielle lifted her face to his and joined their lips before fully engaging his mouth and tongue with hers.
They stood in her hall, pressed tightly against one another as they welcomed the fervor that overtook them both. Danielle felt his hands on her back and waist as she slid hers over his defined muscles. Finally, they separated and stared at one another.
“So, yeah…uh, let’s get that hot chocolate for you.”
Khalil followed Danielle into the kitchen and stood aside as she gathered mugs and a kettle to heat the water.
“You need me to do that?” he asked.
“No, I’ve got it.” She smiled over at him. “Let’s see how you like mine.”
Khalil’s eyes traveled over her body in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. “I like yours.”
“You haven’t even tasted it,” she said sexily.
He rubbed his chin. “When I do, I’m sure I’ll want more.”
Danielle looked at his warm brown complexion, down his broad chest encased in the black sweater then down to the jeans that hugged slightly bowed legs.
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” she told him as they waited for the water to boil.
Khalil leaned back against the counter with a slight smile. “Did you enjoy the tour of the Pride Center today?”
“Yes I did, I can’t believe all the things you have going on over there. How do you even keep up with it all?” she said in awe.
“I have a very committed staff,” he answered.
Danielle smiled. “Well they all love Mr. Lewis.”
“Until Mr. Lewis has to get on their asses,” he confirmed. “Which luckily, isn’t often.”
“I don’t think I’d want to be on Mr. Lewis’ bad side.”
He agreed. “No, it’s not a nice place to be.”
They looked across the kitchen at one another as silence filled the room. “You’d better keep talking Queen, before I change my mind about your hot chocolate.
The kettle whistled and saved Danielle from a response. She turned and quickly began preparing the two mugs then felt Khalil behind her back.
“Did you need something?” she whispered distractedly.
“No.”
Danielle closed her eyes at his precise answer. This man was something else. She shook her head as she finished with the cups and turned to him.
“It’s ready…”
Khalil pulled her tightly against him. “I know.”
This time when he kissed her, Danielle had no part in the direction of it. Khalil Lewis was claiming her mouth and letting her know what he was going to do to her in no uncertain terms. His kiss was hot, wet and sultry. The body against hers was firm and solid as she held on to him.
“Khalil…” she breathed against his mouth.
He placed tiny kisses along her lips then along her jaw until she opened her eyes slowly. “Exactly, how much time do you have?” she asked dazedly.
“Not nearly enough,” he answered. “Let me bring your drink.”
Khalil moved away and retrieved the tray to carry their beverages into the den. He sat the tray on the table and waited for her to sit on the sofa. When she sat, he took the space next to her then handed her a mug.
“Thank you,” Danielle said softly.
“Thank you.”
They both gently took sips, then watched one another before she spoke. “So Kyros likes basketball?”
Khalil nodded. “First it was baseball, then basketball, now he’s into books.”
“I’m sure you have no problem with that,” she teased.
“No, I don’t.” He agreed. “I don’t want my son to become a performer for the system.”
Danielle lifted a brow. “Well, I don’t think I’ve heard that term before. A performer for the system?” She sat her drink down. “Can you explain that?”
He matched her action with his own cup. “Black people are set up to be entertainment and performers for dominant culture’s pleasure and enjoyment. You can play on their teams, but still not sit at their tables.”
She frowned. “Isn’t your friend Orion Shaw, the first black MLB owner?”
“Yes, Rion knows my feelings on this subject.”
“But playing baseball made him enough money to own his own team, Khalil. So it wasn’t really a bad thing,” she pointed out.
Khalil shrugged. “Rion is the exception. He knew all along he was going to buy a team and he didn’t get caught up.”
Danielle placed a hand on her chin. “So do these ‘systems’ only apply to sports?”
Khalil shook his head. “No, they apply to sports, government, education-”
She put up a hand. “Wait, did you say government?”
“Yes.”
“So you think I ‘perform for the system’?” Danielle asked confused.
Khalil answered firmly. “Not you, but I believe there are those of us who, when we are in these positions become more of a detriment to our causes than assets.”
Danielle stood. “Khalil, aren’t you friends with the Mayor and the Police Chief?”
“I met with them both today on the initiative I’m working on with the City.”
“Then how can you have this impression of people who work in government?”
Khalil sat back. “I judge one case at a time,” he explained. “Just because someone is Black in a position, that doesn’t automatically garner my trust or respect, both MUST be earned.”
Danielle paused for a moment. “I can’t truly argue with that sentiment.”
“You went to law school. You should be able to give me a very good debate,” he commented. “I’ve made Brandon tired. He resorts to tuning me out now.”
She smiled and sat down next to him. “I see you’re going to challenge me.”
“I’m certainly going to try.”
“What else do I need to know about you and this Negus?” Danielle asked.
Khalil nodded. “We look out for the city and help facilitate the rebuilding of our community.”
Danielle gave him a look. “I’ve heard a little more than that.”
“Ask me and I’ll tell you.”
“I’ve heard that the Negus also enforce order on the streets?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened. “Khalil Lewis, what the hell does that mean?”
“Sometimes street justice is necessary.”
Danielle covered her ears. “I can’t believe I’m hearing you say this.”
Khalil gently removed her hands and held them gently in his. “We have to be responsible for ourselves because when we turn that power over to anyone else, it can and has been severely abused.”
“How many of our kids have we buried because ‘law enforcement’ intervened?” he asked.
“We also bury them when they kill each other,” she pointed out.
He nodded. “Which is also a direct result of the systems that I have no trust or respect for.”
Danielle looked at her hands in his. “We can debate this all night.”
“I only have until eleven.”
She looked at him. “You’re so impassioned.”
“I have more than enough reasons to be,” he said quietly. “So have I scared you away?”
Danielle removed her hands from his and placed them on his shoulders. Staring into his face, she whispered, “No baby, I’m not scared.”
He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her softly. “I didn’t think you would be. You can hold your own with me.”
“Hmm…what makes you so sure?”
Khalil looked into her face. “Because from the first time I looked at you, I felt your strength. You’re a beautiful soldier ready for battle.”
“And trust, we’re in a war out here, whethe
r we want to acknowledge it or not,” he finished.
“I know,” Danielle agreed. “I’ve just never met someone who’s so eloquently presented it to me.”
He kissed her again. “But the war is never between you and I. I am on your side and will always have your back. There is nothing created, greater than you, Queen.”
Danielle linked her arms around his neck as he kissed her again. This was Khalil Lewis…and this was why Judge Danielle Baxter was acting like a teenager crushing on the captain of the football team. What man talked like this? And with such conviction that it left you unable to question a word he uttered.
As his hands moved along her body, Danielle pressed closer in his arms. She knew he had to leave in a while and she was going to get all of him that she could squeeze in, while he was here. He lifted his head and studied her swollen lips.
“Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?” he asked.
Danielle stared up at him. “When will you have adequate time?”
Khalil smiled. “Two weeks from now is Kyros’ weekend with my parents.”
“What do you usually do on Kyros’ weekends away?” Danielle quizzed.
“Usually, I’m catching up on work. I have gone on some dates in the past, but mostly it’s time to regroup and clear my mind. It’s my time to breathe,” he explained. “I’m thankful for my parents, my sister and my friends. They help a lot with Kyros.”
She touched his face. “I’m sure they all see how seriously you take being a father and want to help you do your best.”
Danielle straddled him on the sofa and framed his handsome face. “So, you want to spend your weekend with me?” she whispered.
“Yes.”
She laughed. “I have to get used to that.”
“What?”
“How you’re able to expound on things that many people have no knowledge of at all, but then you give these one word answers,” she explained.
“Yes Danielle, I want to spend my weekend with you,” He pulled her closer. “I want to serve and please you beautiful Queen. I want to make you think, I want to make you laugh, and I want to make you sigh my name as you lose your breath, right before we unleash the unparalleled power of Black Love.”
Danielle felt herself melt into him. “I’ll have to get used to that too…”
******
Melody Brown sat in the bedroom of her downtown Detroit hotel. She heard her fiancé enter the suite and waited. He appeared a minute later with a frown on his face.
“I can’t believe that I have to stay in this god-forsaken city for two weeks!” Spencer snapped.
“I didn’t know we would be here either, Spencer.”
He headed towards the closet while removing his tie. “Of all the deadbeat black fathers, you’d have to pick the one who actually wants to take care of his son.”
Melody looked at him and frowned. “That’s not nice and I told you that Khalil loves his son. I knew he wouldn’t take this lying down.”
“We have to get custody or at least visitation for the wedding in April,” he reminded her.
“We can always push the wedding date back,” Melody offered. “It’s not like we’ve even sent out the invitations.”
Spencer looked at her. “There won’t be any invitations. It’s just going to be us.”
“Us?” Melody looked confused.
“Yes, you, me and Kyros.”
She stood from the bed. “You never mentioned this before.”
Spencer heard the anxiety in her voice and walked over to her. “Listen, sweetheart, I promise it’s going to be beautiful. I’m looking forward to this day more than any other day in my life.”
Melody smiled. “Me too.”
He kissed her cheek. “But we have to bring Kyros home with us.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she agreed. “I don’t know what else we can do, until the next court date.”
Spencer shook his head. “Khalil has too many allies. We’re going to have to get around him somehow.”
“How?”
“You need to get him to agree to let you see Kyros alone.” He lifted her face to his. “And I’ll take it from there.”
Melody moved away. “He’s already said no and I don’t want to go too far with Khalil. He’s not a man that you push too hard.”
Spencer’s eyes narrowed. “Neither am I.” He moved closer. “Now you promised that our son would be with us.”
“We could have our own son,” she offered.
He shook his head. “The first time I saw Kyros’ picture, I fell in love with him. He needs to be with us. You told me that’s what you wanted too.”
“I do…” she hedged. “It’s just Khalil.”
“Call him and talk to him,” Spencer ordered.
“And say what?”
He took her hand. “Ask to see Kyros without me.”
Melody looked skeptical. “And then what?”
“Let me take care of that.” Spencer picked up her phone and handed it to her. “Now call him and be nice so that April 25th, can be the best day of my life.”
******
Khalil and Danielle were lying on the sofa watching the television. He was stretched out behind her with an arm around her waist, while her eyes were glued to the screen.
“I can’t believe I’ve never watched these,” she told him.
“It’s not mainstream media, so many people have missed out on them.”
Her eyes widened. “I can’t believe that I didn’t know some of these things about our history.”
“That’s why it’s called Hidden Colors.”
She looked back at him. “And there are four parts to this documentary?” He nodded and she turned back to the screen. “You have to come back so we can watch the rest together.”
Khalil moved her hair and kissed the back of her neck. “Yes, Queen.”
They settled back into a comfortable silence watching the program until Khalil’s phone rang. Reaching over, he picked it up from the table where it was lying next to hers. Danielle glanced at him as he looked at the screen.
At his frown, she asked, “Is something wrong?”
“It’s Melody.”
Danielle reached for the remote and paused the movie as he answered.
“What can I do for you Melody?”
“Hi Khalil. Can we talk?”
Khalil glanced at Danielle. “I’m busy right now. What do you need?”
“It’s about Kyros.”
He sighed. “What about him?”
Danielle began waving at him and he paused. “Hold on Melody.” Khalil put the phone on mute and turned to her.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Do not discuss Kyros with her,” Danielle informed him. “Anything that you say or agree to can possibly be used in court. She may be trying to set you up.”
Khalil nodded then placed the call on speaker.
“I have nothing to discuss with you regarding my son,” he told Melody.
“Listen, Khalil, we can take this out of the courts.”
He frowned. “You took it there in the first place.”
Melody sighed. “I know. I thought that it would force your hand, but I don’t want to go through all of that. If you just let me visit Kyros…without my fiancé, then we can drop the custody suit.”
Danielle frowned and smelled a big, fat rat. Khalil looked at her, smelling the same scent.
“So if I let you visit Kyros, you’ll drop the whole thing?” he questioned and she agreed. “What brought on this change of heart?”
“I just want my son.”
Danielle waited while Khalil formed his next response.
“And where would you like to meet him?” Khalil asked and Danielle gave him a look. He held up a hand to indicate he knew what he was doing.
Melody smiled. “I was thinking…uh, you could bring him to a park?”
Khalil lifted a brow. “A park? Melody, it’s cold as hell outside. This is Michig
an.”
“I meant, um…you could bring him somewhere other kids will be.”
Danielle now lifted a brow. “Why do you want other kids there if you want to see him?” Khalil asked.
Melody paused. “I just want him to be comfortable.”
“And when did you want to do this?”
“In a few days?”
Khalil watched Danielle’s response to his next words. “I’ll get back to you.”
When he disconnected the call, Danielle turned to him. “You’re playing a dangerous game Khalil.”
“No, she is.” He corrected. “Her ass is up to something and I’d rather be one step ahead of her.”
“What do you think she’s planning?”
Khalil rubbed his face with both hands. “I think she knows that she can’t win in court and she wants Kyros.”
Danielle touched his arm. “Do you think she’d try to kidnap him?”
“Hell yeah. I don’t put anything past her.” He looked at her. “I can’t afford to ever underestimate her.”
Danielle gently rubbed his arm. “So what are you going to do?”
“Get with Chief Green-Williams and have her set up a sting along with the Negus.”
“Will Kyros be safe?”
Khalil smiled at her. “Yes, I’d never jeopardize his safety.”
Danielle shook her head in confusion. “Why are they so desperate right now?”
“That’s what I need to find out. I have to contact the Private Investigator because I need answers now.” Khalil told her.
She touched his face. “If I can help in any way…”
“Thank you.” He kissed her lips gently.
“After Melody, I’m surprised that you’re even considering becoming involved again,” Danielle commented.
“Melody could never destroy my love for Black women. She just wasn’t the right one and I don’t beat myself up about that. You can meet the wrong person and mistake them for the one you were meant to be with. Sometimes, it’s because of things you didn’t see and sometimes it’s because they hid those things from you very well.”
Danielle nodded slowly. “I know that to be true.”
Khalil looked at her. “And how do you know that Queen?”
She looked away. “You’ve been nothing but honest with me Khalil and I can’t go any further with you until I’ve done the same.”
