Page 39 of The Biker and the Gamer
The shooting, I only found out aboutthatthis morning. She shot a man who broke into her apartment in self-defense. And from what I've witnessed, she's really fucked up by what happened and needs serious therapy. But that's not something I would eventhinkabout telling her until we’re in a more solid place together. Until she trusts me enough to believe that I care about her well-being.
For Cedric to label her as a low-life who just wants my money because of her shitty past, that just pisses me off.
And Isaac is right, I don't anger easily. I'm one to brush things off and keep it moving.
But what I feel for Kendra is intense. Real intense. I feel wired just hearing her name. Like there’s electricity zapping through my veins. And the emotions I don't usually give the time of day arefeedingon that. Jealousy. Anger. Possessiveness. Insecurity.
I feel alive and electrified, but terrified.
I'm afraid I’m making a terrible mistake.
I’m afraid I'm making the best decision of my life.
I'm afraid she’ll reject me in the end.
I'm afraid...afraid I'll fall in love with her.
And I'm terrified she won't love me back.
Kendra
“Oh, my God!As soon as he heard your bike, he stopped crying,” Toni exclaims when I walk through the door. I tuck my keys into my pockets. I’d stopped home first to get my bike and a change of clothes in case Neo puked on me and I had to shower.
Toni is pacing in the foyer, rocking Neo in her arms, even though he isn’t crying.
“That’s because he knows I’m not gonna be shaking him like a tambourine.” I wiggle my fingers at Neo and he twists out of his mother’s hold to get to me.
“Nny!” he yips, kicking his pudgy little feet.
I take him from his mom and tickle his sides with my thumbs. “Hey there, little man. Tired of mommy and daddy treating you like a baby?”
Toni rolls her eyes. “You spoil him. We were gonna take him with us, but he’s been fussing since last night. No sleep. His father and I took turns napping today. Then he heard your bike outside, and just like that he’s back to normal. I mean, what the hell?”
“Ah do a dat kat ta ju gabba!” he argues with his mother and I laugh.
“Whatever, you little fraud,” she mumbles before leaning in and kissing him on the cheek. “I’m gonna wake Nero up. He’s probably napping somewhere. We should’ve left a while ago.”
“This is Eric’s barbecue, right?” I ask as I follow her into the living room.
“Yeah. I think his little brother flew in today, so he’s having a little party for him.”
We find Grunt sprawled on their humongous couch, dressed and snoring under a throw-pillow. Toni picks up the pillow and whacks him with it.
He jerks awake, and his bleary eyes blink to me. “Oh, Kenny, you’re here. Thank God.” A yawn pries his mouth open for a few seconds before he grumbles to Toni, “So tired. Do I have to go to this thing? Can’t we just sleep now that Kenny’s here?”
“No,” she replies. “You’re the main guest at this ‘intervention.’ They need you there.” She throws the pillow at him. “Get up. Let’s go.”
Sighing, he reluctantly peels himself off the couch. Then he looks at his son and shakes his head, incredulous. “How? How are you so quiet right now?”
“A goolda mettik gadda!” Neo replies with a balled-up baby fist.
“You tryna fight me?” Grunt asks, seizing his son’s tiny fist between two thumbs. “Is that what you tryna do?”
“Nya uha ma dadda!” Neo argues back.
“Yes, Iamyour dadda. And you need to start showing me the same respect you show Kenny.”
Neo grins at this, flashing his two baby teeth as he palms my nose. “Nny!”
