Page 55 of Nobody But You

“Tsk, go ahead on with that. Now tell me what you’ve been up to. I saw your message to P,” he said, effectively directing the conversation back to me.

“You were right, Steph. I wasn’t being the best version of myself. I want to be better, do better for you,” I said and sighed.

“Don’t do it for me, Jourdan. Do it for you because you’re the second best,” he deadpanned. I took my elbow and reared it into his stomach. His loud laugh filled the room, and I was happy he was smiling.

“Ok, so I put a hit out on Miller in New York, which will cause him to travel here. Then I texted P to tell him the information you read in the text. Miller will move cautiously with the hit, and with caution comes predictability. I want him to be afraid to leave his safe house. Once he’s there, we’ll ambush him wherever that is in Cypress. You get your answers then… We eliminate his ass,” I said, pointing my finger guns and then bringing them to my mouth to blow as if they were smoking.

“I’m sure that if I look at the Bio Scan right now, Miller will be in the air.” I pulled up the application, and as I suspected, the dot was speeding across Pennsylvania.

“You just have it all figured out, huh?”

“I’m not number one for nothing,” I said, winking. He let out another loud laugh, showing me his dimples. I ran my fingersthrough his beard and up his face until my fingers ran through his hair.

“Mmmh, I love you, Baby.” He groaned. It was the third time he’d said it, and just like the first, I was afraid to return the sentiment. He was the perfect man for me, and I couldn’t tell him I loved him. It was right on the tip of my tongue; I just couldn’t push it out.

What in the hell is wrong with me?

“Stephon, let’s go shower,” I said. He stood with me, his arms wrapped around my body.

“While we shower, we can discuss our plan.”

“Baby, right now, the last fucking thing I’m thinking about is a plan.”

“How about we talk about it after our shower, then?”

“How about we don’t talk at all?” He said as he adjusted me and threw me over his shoulder.

“But.” He gave me a hard smack to my ass that was in the air.

“No talking, Baby.”

CHAPTER 28

Stephon

Ihad been standing on my mother’s porch for five minutes. I was genuinely afraid to go in. She had smacked the fire out of me yesterday. However, I wasn’t going to let what happened yesterday fester. How my father suddenly left this world taught me not to do that. I wasn’t leaving until we talked this shit out.

After I got the courage to go inside, I rang the bell and used my key. As soon as I crossed the threshold, my mother’s house shoe flew at my head and made contact. The other did the same before I could even realize what was happening.

“Damn, Ma.” She had met me at the door.

“Watch it, Stephon,” she said, picking the shoe up, ready to strike again if I said something wrong.

“Can we talk?”

“Yes, of course. I didn’t expect to see you this soon. You were angry with me yesterday, and I dropped some heavy information on you. Let’s have a seat this time,” she said as I followed herto the couch. I sat on the edge of the sofa, and so did she. The room felt just as heavy as yesterday when I rushed in. We sat in an uncomfortable silence before I started to talk.

“First, I’m sorry, Ma. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. Let me also say that my father is and will forever be Sean Rockwell,” I said.

“Apology accepted, and I agree. I’m unsure what his sudden interest in you is, but I don’t like it. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure it out.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that, Ma. Please do me a favor, though; go cash those checks.”

“I don’t want that man’s money. He’s going to think I owe him something,” she said, looking at me in horror.

“I wouldn’t worry about that either. We are not leaving money on the table. Besides, I’m positive you won’t hear from him again,” I said, staring into her eyes.

“Sometimes, Stephon, I see someone else when you look at me. I saw it yesterday, too. I know you’re not exactly the angel I named you to be, and I don’t want to know about everything you’re into. I know I won’t like whatever it is, so never tell me. Just…Just be careful, little boy. That’s all I ask,” she said and sighed. I nodded.

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