Page 93 of Smoke

“Go on.”

“The night I came home from the hospital… you left in the wee hours of the morning. Was that for Patrick?”

“Yes. My sister said he was at the shop, so I went to handle it.”

“In the shop?”

“Three in the shop, but he wasn’t one of them.”

“Wait… explain.”

He sighed. “He was there with two other men and Laurel.”

“So it was her.” I said that more to myself than to him.

“It was her. She’s been sleeping with him for months.”

That hurt me. I’d been nothing but good to that girl, and she did that to me? Had she been the one to give him the key to get in? Was she the woman that came with him to my home? I thought back to the times when Patrick showed up not long after she left me at the shop at night. All those times she would conveniently be on her phone while talking to me when she got ready to leave. It all made sense now.

I sniffled. “So she’s dead too?” I asked faintly.

“She is. I also found out why they wanted to use your building.”

My head snapped in his direction. “Why?”

“Patrick said that he was just the middleman and that his father was behind the whole thing.”

“What? That doesn’t make sense. Patrick and his father had an estranged relationship.”

“That’s the story he told you. My sources kept tabs on him the last couple of weeks. According to phone records, they spokeat least three times a week or met up twice. I have pictures of them together looking real shady and shit. We suspect they were eventually going to move you out of the building and take it over. Your property sits on top of a set of tunnels that runs under the city. That’s what’s behind that steel door and how they were gonna bring the drugs in.”

My head was spinning. That was insane. My thoughts were running wild with how they even knew this information to begin with.

“How did?—”

“Laurel,” he answered, as if reading my thoughts. “I had my sister look into her. Her father works for the city’s planning department. She filed a request using your name to get the blueprints.”

“I… I don’t even know what to say,” I said. “What did you do with her?”

“She’s been disposed of, but all trails of Patrick’s death will lead back to her.”

“But how?”

“My sister is very resourceful. I promised you I would handle things. Nobody is gonna fuck with you if I can help it, Romi.”

I looked at him, my heart beating a mile a minute. No one had ever protected me like this. I mean, of course, my sister protected me, but Devin’s protection was fierce… strong… deadly. I felt his care for me all over my body. I wasn’t sure what would become of us, but as long as he wanted me, he could have me.

Leaning over, I cupped his face and kissed him softly. I wanted him so bad, but I was only four weeks postpartum at this point. My scar was healing nicely, but I couldn’t be too careful. Maybe I couldn’t have him inside me just yet, but there were other things I could do.

“Devin?” I whispered against his lips.

“Wassup, mama?” His voice was deep and low as he peered at me.

I answered him by sliding my hand under the cover and into his boxers. His eyes stayed on mine as I pulled his dick out and stroked it.

“Whatchu’ gon’ do with that, love?” he asked, pulling my bonnet off.

His fingers threaded through my locs, giving them a slight pull. He guided my lips to his, sucking the bottom one into his mouth before giving me his tongue. The kiss was slow, sensual, and nasty. I felt like he was daring me to match him. His hand slid from my hair and his fingers wrapped around my throat, where he gave a gentle squeeze.

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