by D. Camille
“Then when you see him again, tell him I’m going to kill him.” Khalil told her harshly. “And it doesn’t matter if he believes it.”
Melody sucked in a breath. “I didn’t sign on for all this. I just wanted him to meet Kyros so that we could get married.”
“I wouldn’t pick out a dress,” Khalil warned her.
“I can’t believe that Spencer would do something like try to kill you Khalil. Let me talk to him and see what’s going on,” Melody pleaded.
“Two days Melody.” Khalil hung up the phone.
He looked over at Malachi. “We need to check out that house in New York.” Malachi told him.
“I’ll book four tickets,” Khalil replied. “Because I don’t care what Spencer has to say.”
“Four?” Malachi questioned.
“Corvus is coming with us too.”
Malachi stood. “It’s your party. I’m just the entertainment.”
Khalil rubbed his chin. “What if she’s telling the truth?”
“Then she could be in danger too,” Malachi responded.
Chapter 10
The next day Khalil drove Kyros to Lance and Khayla’s for his overnight stay. Looking in the rearview, he glanced at the boy who meant everything to him.
“Have a good time today,” Khalil told him.
Kyros smiled. “I will. I love Auntie Khayla and Uncle Lance.”
“They love you too.”
“You got a lot of meetings today Daddy?” Kyros asked. Usually when his father dropped him off with his Aunts and Uncles, it was because he had work to do.
Khalil smiled. “Actually, I’m going to see Judge Baxter today.”
Kyros frowned. “Is Kam going to be there?”
“No, Kam won’t be there.”
“I thought we were seeing them tomorrow?” Kyros asked confused.
Khalil nodded. “We are, but I’m seeing Judge Baxter today.”
Khalil waited while his son’s mind went to work. “What are you doing with her today?”
Clearing his throat, Khalil answered. “The Judge and I are dating.”
“You like her?” Kyros asked in surprise.
“I like her very much,” Khalil answered. “Do you like her?”
Kyros nodded. “She’s pretty and she’s nice.”
Khalil agreed. “I think so too.”
He watched as the boy sat back. “Is she your Queen?”
“Yes, I believe she is.” Khalil answered quietly and waited for a response.
“So, she’s going to be my Momma?” Kyros asked cautiously.
Khalil pulled up in front of the home in Indian Village and parked. Unfastening his seat belt, he turned to Kyros. “Tell me how you’d feel about that.”
Kyros looked at his father and shrugged. “I don’t know. I never had a real Momma.”
“Come up here son,” Khalil instructed and helped Kyros into the front seat across from him. He looked into a face that reminded him so much of his own.
“Do you miss your Momma?” Khalil asked.
“I don’t really remember her a lot,” Kyros confessed. “I haven’t seen her in a long, long time.”
Khalil struggled to keep the frown from his face. “Remember, I told you that your Momma gave you to me because she knew that I would always take care of you.”
“She couldn’t take care of me too?”
“No, she couldn’t.” Khalil answered without saying because she didn’t want to. “But your Auntie Khayla helped me instead.”
Kyros smiled thinking about his Aunt, then asked, “Will my new Momma take care of me?”
“Yes, we both will.”
“Is my old Momma coming back?” Kyros questioned.
Khalil took a deep breath. “Let’s just call Melody, your Mother.” Kyros nodded and Khalil continued. “How would you feel if she came back to see you?”
Kyros thought about it and Khalil watched the emotions cross his face. “Would I have to go live with her since you’re getting a Queen?” he asked afraid.
Khalil touched his face. “Son, you’re never leaving me, Queen or no Queen. Don’t ever worry about that.” Khalil comforted him. “You’re mine and you’ll always be with me, no matter what.”
“Okay Daddy,” he said relieved. Kyros knew that his father never lied to him and he could always trust what he said.
Khalil decided to drop the Melody subject because he didn’t want his son worried. He’d deal with that when the time came.
“Do you want to ask me anything else?” Khalil prompted while removing his hand.
Kyros began a barrage of questions. “Will the Judge make me cookies if she’s my Momma?”
Khalil nodded. “I’m sure she would make you cookies…once in a while.”
“And I could play with Kam?” he asked.
“Technically, Kam would be your cousin,” Khalil explained. “So yes.”
“Are you going to have a baby?” Kyros questioned.
Khalil checked his watch. “Let’s talk about that at another time, son. I need to get you inside because your Aunt is waiting, I’m sure.”
The two got out of the car and walked to the door where Khayla was indeed waiting. She smiled at them as Kyros entered the home and began to remove his coat.
“Hey little soldier,” Khayla said as she began helping him. Khalil entered behind him and closed the door as Lance joined them in the hall.
“What up doe Kyros?” Lance said giving the little boy some dap.
“What up doe Uncle Lance?”
Khalil gave Lance a look.
“What’s going on Kyros?” Khayla asked her only nephew.
“I’m getting a new Momma and a cousin!” Kyros said excitedly.
Khayla looked up at her brother and seeing her expression, Lance grabbed Kyros’ hand. “Hey my little dude, let’s go upstairs and put your stuff away.”
When they disappeared, Khayla turned to her twin with a brow lifted. “So Kyros is getting a new Momma?”
******
Danielle checked her watch for the third time and turned to her sister.
“Okay Danielle, I get the message. You want me to take my child and get out,” her sister told her with a smile.
“I didn’t say it that way, Kim.”
“Your face did,” Kim told her. “I can’t stay and meet him?”
Danielle shook her head. “You’ll meet him, just not today. We have other plans.”
Kim smiled. “You so nasty.”
“No, I’m a grown woman about to do some grown woman things,” Danielle corrected.
“Well, I’ve seen Mr. Lewis and I can’t even be mad at you.” Kim told her. “Kam says all the teachers smile at him when he comes to the school.”
Danielle looked at her sister. “I’m sure they do since Mr. Lewis is quite a sight to see.”
Kim shook her head. “How did you manage to hook up with him?”
“He was in my courtroom about his son and then we saw each other on the field trip at Kam’s school,” Danielle explained. “I told you that.”
“No, not how did you meet him. How did you hook up with him?”
She smiled. “There was just a connection, like nothing I’ve experienced before.”
“He seems so stern and forbidding.”
Danielle agreed. “He is; his intensity and focus are laser-sharp. He’s a man of principled convictions and not afraid of anyone. He’s the strongest and most intelligent I’ve ever met.”
“So you could see yourself getting serious with him?” Kim asked.
“I’m already serious Kim.”
Kim lifted a brow. “Have you told him about the accident?”
“Yes, he knows everything.”
“Wow, you are serious.”
Danielle nodded. “The attraction happened quickly, but we’ll take it slow. He wants to build something together and I’m certainly open to that. He has his son to think about and you know how important children are to me.”
&
nbsp; “You’ve dedicated your whole career to helping them,” Kim told her.
Danielle looked away. “Since I couldn’t have any of my own, I wanted to make sure others were taken care of.” Danielle paused and looked at her older sister.
“Toya said that the doctors didn’t say that I could never have children. Do you agree with that?” she asked.
Kim waited to gage her sister’s emotions. “Toya told you that?”
Danielle nodded and waited. “I didn’t know if you’d ever get to this point,” Kim said slowly.
“What point?” Danielle asked.
Kim sighed. “The point where your mind would even allow you to want it.”
“This is crazy,” Danielle said looking away. “I never heard this before.”
Moving to her sister’s side, Kim took her hand. “Danielle, you were devastated after that ordeal. You’d just learned how to live again and if shielding yourself from that pain meant you didn’t want to believe that you could have children, we all decided to let you have that.”
Danielle looked at Kim. “That’s why you moved here to share Kamryn with me?”
Her sister nodded. “Yes, this way you could experience the joy without actually having to go through the pain again.”
She wrapped her arms around Kim. “I love you.”
“We love you to Danielle, so much and we want you to be happy. You deserve it.” Kim returned her embrace.
“Now, I’m going to take our little girl and go so that her Aunt Danielle can get busy.” Kim stood to her feet. “Don’t hurt the man Danielle.”
Danielle laughed. “You can meet him tomorrow when you bring Kam over for dinner.”
“I can’t wait.”
Danielle said her goodbyes to her sister and niece then made her way to the bedroom. Looking at the bed, she smiled. The large, fluffy comforter covered the bed along with a collection of decorative pillows. Contrasting the white bed covering was a little black nightie.
She turned and went to the kitchen where she began preparing a meal. The King would definitely need some substance later.
******
“Hello my Queen Sister,” Khalil said kissing Khayla on her cheek.
“Hello my brother,” she returned. “Let’s go inside.”
Khalil nodded and the two walked into the living room. Khalil took a seat across from her and they stared at one another.
“You’re not going to lecture me,” he told her firmly.
“I’m not going to try.”
He nodded. “What do you want to know?”
Khayla sat back. “Lance told me that my brother is a grown ass man and I need to mind my own business.”
“You have a good husband.”
She smiled. “Thanks to you.”
Khalil shrugged and she watched him. “I love you and Kyros more than life itself. You’re my brother, my twin, my best friend, my protector and my King. I will destroy anything that comes to harm you.”
“Danielle has not come to harm me, Khayla.”
“Melody has,” Khayla told him. “And I’ve never trusted her.”
Khalil sighed. “Melody is a different subject.”
“You loved her Khalil and she hurt you. I won’t let her do it again,” Khayla vowed.
“I’ll take care of Melody.”
She shook her head. “I’ve told Lance before; you all have soft spots for these women who will use that against you. Some just need the paws or…” she trailed off.
He shook his head. “I need you, Momma and the Nigist to step back. This is Kyros’ mother.”
“That’s up to interpretation,” Khayla said firmly. “And if she’s trying to hurt you and Kyros, then she’s nobody to us.”
“If I need you, I will let you know.” Khalil told her firmly this time.
Khayla backed off a little. “So tell me about the judge.”
“You’ve met her.”
She gave him a look. “Khalil…”
“She’s someone that I never thought I would meet,” he answered honestly. “She reaches me in a way that no other woman has.”
“She’s a judge Khalil,” Khayla pointed out. “She’s an integral part of the system.”
He shook his head. “I know. Her ideals are different and she sees things outside of the way I do, but I find that I like that.”
“She’s honest and caring,” he continued. “She doesn’t try to be what she thinks I want, she just is what I want.”
Khayla smiled. “I’ve never seen you this way, not even with Melody.”
“I have never been this way.”
“I can see that she’s into you as well,” Khayla said softly.
“I want to build something with her. She understands that I have Kyros and so I have to move slowly, and she has a life along with a very demanding job. I’m willing to let things progress naturally.”
“Does she know about the Negus?”
He nodded. “We’ve discussed that.”
“How does she feel about what you have to do sometimes?”
Khalil smiled. “We’re working on that.” He checked his watch. “How many more questions?”
“Lance told me about your plans, so I guess I’d better let you go.” Khayla told him. “Should Kyros call you before bed?”
“Of course,” Khalil said standing. “I don’t like to disrupt his routine.”
Khayla stood and hugged her brother. “I love you.”
“I love you too, my sister.” He kissed her cheek. “And I can’t wait for my new niece or nephew.”
She smiled. “You owe me lots of babysitting.”
“I could never repay you for what you’ve done for me and Kyros, Khayla.” He looked down at her. “But I will never stop trying.”
Khayla wiped her eye. “Don’t do that. You’re going to make me cry.”
“Are you going to be like this the whole time?” Khalil asked.
She shrugged and sniffed. “I don’t know.”
“Tell Lance good luck with that.”
Khayla hit his arm. “Stop! Be nice.”
He kissed her again and went to the stairs to call for Kyros. The boy arrived and looked up at his father.
“Have fun with Judge Baxter,” Kyros told him and Lance smiled.
“I will, and you have fun with Auntie Khayla and Uncle Lance.” Khalil reached down and hugged him. “Call me before bedtime.”
Kyros agreed and returned his embrace. Khalil said goodbye to Lance and Khayla then headed to his car. Inside he started the car then dialed his phone.
“Hello Khalil,”
“I’m on my way Queen.”
Danielle smiled. “I’m waiting for you.”
He took off and headed towards her home. “What exactly are you waiting for?” he asked.
“To feel the intensity that is Khalil Lewis.”
“And that is why I’m rushing through the streets of Detroit to get to you.”
“I’d like for you to get here in one piece, so don’t rush too much,” she said quietly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
They talked until he arrived and parked in her driveway. Danielle watched as he grabbed a bag out of the trunk before he headed to her door. Their eyes connected as he stepped inside then she closed the door behind him.
Dropping his bag to the floor, Khalil took her into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her, reacquainting himself with the feel and taste of her.
“Hello Danielle,” he whispered against her lips.
“Hello Khalil,” she responded. “Can I take your coat and then everything else that you have on?”
“Yes.”
Stepping back, he removed his jacket and handed it to her before she hung it in the hall closet. Picking up his bag, he took her hand and she led him to her bedroom.
“I smell food,” he commented.
Danielle glanced back at him. “That’s for later.”
“You made that for me?” He slipped a hand around her waist from b
ehind.
“I told you, the King never goes hungry.”
He swooped her up. “And the Queen’s feet are to never touch the ground.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “What does that mean?”
“It means that I will always uplift you,” he explained. “In every way.”
Danielle laid her head against his broad shoulder. “You take my breath away, Khalil.”
He kissed her head. “Let me cater to you today.”
Danielle closed her eyes, afraid to even imagine what that meant. Whatever is was, her body began to tingle at the possibilities. She lifted her face to his.
“Yes.”
Khalil gave her a sexy smile as he placed her on the bed. “Stay right there.”
She watched the swagger in his walk as he went into her bathroom with his bag. A few minutes later she heard the water running and then an intoxicating smell filled her nostrils. When Khalil returned, shirtless and in jeans, she smiled. He lifted her from her spot and carried her to the bathroom.
“What is that smell?” she asked.
“Ylang ylang.”
She frowned. “Ylang ylang?”
He nodded. “It’s an essential oil for relaxation and it’s also a powerful aphrodisiac.”
Danielle lifted a brow. “Really?”
“My sister sells this at her co-op and with her natural health training, she teaches me a lot,” he explained.
“Thank you Khayla!” Danielle whispered.
Khalil laughed and set her on her feet. “Can I undress you for your bath?”
Her eyes connected with his dark ones. “Yes.”
“I think you like definitive answers too,” he told her as he reached for her shirt, lifting it over her head.
“I’ve learned from you that they work very well.”
Khalil proceeded to remove her clothing then helped her into the warm water. Sitting down and inhaling, Danielle sighed and closed her eyes.
“This feels incredible.” Opening her eyes, she looked over at him. “Are you joining me?”
He stared down at her sexy frame underneath the water. “In a minute. I still have a few more things in store for you.”
“There’s that focus,” she commented softly.
“Always, to please you.” He winked at her. “Relax and enjoy your bath. I’ll be right back.”
Danielle watched him disappear and laid her head back against the tub. Yep, Khalil Lewis was going to be the death of her. What woman could stand this type of attention on a regular basis? Right now she wanted him so bad, she ached. True, she wanted him physically, what woman wouldn’t? But she also wanted him emotionally. Her heart was begging her to hold on to him and never let him go.
