Page 30 of You Deserve Good Things

Before I could finish rearing back to knock his front teeth into alignment, Jacory came outta nowhere like a damn shadow with purpose and fists. One clean, fluid motion and—CRACK—that man hit the pavement like a bag of wet laundry.

Gasps echoed like background music. Car horns paused. Street noise fell silent like the city held its breath.

Jacory stood over him, chest rising and falling, every muscle in his jaw clenched like he was biting back an entire monologue.

“You done?” he asked, his tone cold enough to frost the windows.

The dude tried to crawl backward, spitting blood onto the concrete like punctuation.

Jacory crouched low, calm andterrifying. “You disrespected a woman. Not just any woman.Mywoman. You understand the difference?”

My whole body went still. I should’ve been mad. I should’ve stopped him. But my ovaries were doing cartwheels, and my knees were on vacation.

When he finally stood up and turned to me, I was too stunned to speak. His voice was gravel and honey.

“You good, baby?”

I blinked then smirked. “Damn, Jacory. Are you really out here doing Mortal Kombat finishers on folks for me?”

He stepped in close, his cologne curling into my senses like a whispered memory. “Baby, I’d burn this whole city to the ground if it meant keeping you safe.”

My breath hitched. “You gotta stop saying shit like that.”

“Why?” he murmured, his hand grazing my waist. “Because you start thinking about me in ways that make your thighs talk?”

I shoved him playfully. “Shut up.”

He leaned in, smirking. “You shut up.”

We finally made it inside the restaurant. The place was dim, with candles flickering low and jazz humming softly through the air like a memory from a better time. The air was laced with the scent of garlic butter and wine.

“Baby, you still shaking,” Jacory said, leaning across the table. His voice was low, like velvet laced in danger. “You good?”

“I’m fine. You just had to go full Avenger out there.”

He chuckled, sipping his drink. “He had you messed up. That’s all it takes for me to crash out.”

I tried not to blush. I failed.

Then his eyes softened. “You spend so much time healing everybody else, baby. Who is helpingyouheal?”

I went quiet. The truth sat between us, heavy and hungry.

Jacory reached across the table, lacing his fingers with mine.

“I’ve been waitin’ on you. Not just for us to link up, but to love you the way you need. With patience. With passion. With peace.”

I bit my lip. “You make it sound so easy.”

“Itiseasy,” he said. “Loving you is easy. The world just convinced you it had to be hard.”

That was when I knew I was already his again.

Jacory leaned back, eyes dancing.

“You still tryna pretend like you ain’t all the way in love with me, huh?”

I smirked. “I plead the fifth.”

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