Page 55 of Obsessive Love

Mama slowly lifted her head and then shook it. “I just can't with you right now,” she sighed, then turned back to Fable. “I’m sorry my son did that to you. That will be off tonight.”

“No, it won't,” I denied, shaking my head.

“Pyrite!” Mama yelled.

“Ma’am?”

“Get the fuck away from us,” she fussed. “Go!” She pointed to the doorway, and I looked over my shoulder to see my pop standing there with a confused look. He was used to Mama fussing, especially at me.

“What did you do now, Pyrite?”

“Made sure she could never leave me,” I answered him with a shrug. Pop looked over my shoulder at Mama and Fable. “I’m not taking it off, either.”

“You’re the Baker?” Pop asked Fable.

“Yes, sir.”

“And my son did what exactly?”

“He put a fucking ankle monitor on her leg!” Mama fussed. “Look.”

Pop stepped around me to see what Mama was talking about, and I left them in the hallway. They could fuss and fight all they wanted, but the only reason that monitor was coming off was when I knew that Fable was in love with me and would never leave.

I went to the kitchen to see what Mama was cooking. None of us had a maid, butler, or any extra help. Mama said she was still active and didn’t need another person looking after her. My brothers and I agreed that we would hire someone the day she said she was tired, but we would respect her wishes until then.

I grabbed a water and two peaches from the fridge and sat at the dining room table. I could hear Mama going off, and every so often, Fable or Pop would say something, but for the most part, it was just her. I chuckled, then bit into my first peach. I was serious; that monitor wasn’t coming off.

“What is she in there fussing about?” Citrine asked as he came into the kitchen from the back porch. His dog, Congo, was right behind him. Citrine grabbed the dog's water dish from its spot on the floor and walked to the sink. Congo was a cool dog,but I wasn’t a pet person, so caring for an animal didn’t appeal to me. He filled the water dish and then set it back in its place.

“I put an ankle monitor on Fable,” I answered in between bites of my peach. “Mama mad, Pop confused.”

“Nigga, you did what?” he asked with a laugh.

“I put an ankle monitor on Fable,” I repeated.

“I heard you the first time. I just wanted you to repeat that shit,” he said, shaking his head. “I would ask why, but I’m pretty sure the answer would have me just as confused.” I shrugged and kept eating. Citrine leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “You know that shit ain’t right, don’t you?”

“She tried to run away from the arena,” I said, shaking my head.

“Nigga, you kidnapped her!” he replied. “What the fuck did you think she was going to do? Just hang out with your ass and be cool with the fact that you took her?”

“Yes,” I nodded. “It ain’t like I left her in the basement for that long. My house is an upgrade from hers.”

“Nigga, you had her in the basement?” he questioned, and I nodded. “Pyrite, the fucking basement?”

“It’s finished, you are acting like it's creepy or some shit.” I waved him off. His ass was being dramatic. “Plus, she wasn’t even there that long. I moved her to my room. She chose to sleep on the floor, though. I’m the only person that’s ever slept in that bed, but she assumed other bitches had been in it.”

“Pyrite, listen to yourself, bro,” he chuckled. “You sound deranged as fuck. You snatched her up, locked her in the basement, then put an ankle monitor on her.”

“And I’ll do it again,” he said, and he dropped his head. “Citrine, you’re telling me you wouldn’t go through all this for Lavender?”

“I wouldn’t do this shit,” he laughed and shook his head.

“Then, what would you do?”

Citrine smiled slowly, and I knew that whatever he was going to say was going to be just as crazy as the shit I was doing. “I’d fuck her into submission.”

“Noted,” I said, nodding. “I can do that, too.”

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