Page 65 of Dope Boys: Most Wanted
Reign subtly nodded her head. “I know, but you don’t have to. How did this compliment turn into me having to break this down?”
Reign began to follow the group of people into the main gallery before Markus placed his hand on the small of her back and moved her toward the private elevator.
“We’re this way, Speechless.” His correction to her motion was soft. Leading. On the elevator alone, Markus stood in front of her and continued. “I didn’t want you to break it down. I just wanted to know what I looked like from your lenses.”
Now she bit her lip and placed her hands behind her so any motion of wanting to touch him would get tangled. The truth was in the way her eyes danced as she took him in. This silent but very loud stare down lasted until the elevator dinged and welcomed them into their private, virtual dining experience of the artwork.
Markus stepped out ahead of her to scan the space to ensure the things he booked were present. When the space came into Reign’s view, her mouth dropped. The virtual artwork danced around her, on the walls, crisp marble floors. A table sat in the middle of the room with art-inspired brunch plates. As she got closer to the table, she noticed the ribbon-tied bouquet of vibrant fall flowers. She stopped, fear hitting the brakes, fighting with all the feelings flooding her.
“You,” she started, brows creased as she took it all in. The mention of the exhibit and never getting flowers or meeting aman’s family; all conversations they had stretched across the couch with her foot in his hand. “You listened to me?”
Markus stood inches away, hands in his pockets. “Yeah. When you talk, it’s worth me taking in. I know you’ll stop at any point, so I listen.”
“Emilliano,” she spoke just above a whisper, coming to terms that this thing was happening and there would be no minimizing her capacity to house him. She turned to take him in, a smile of contentment resting on her face. “You know you got to keep this up. Like, you can’t“get me”and then stop this.”
She threw up weak air quotes before he took her hands into his. He kissed each palm.
“I’m just getting started for real, Speechless. Eat, because there’s more.” Releasing her and stepping away to pull her seat out. When Reign sat, he tilted her chin up. He grunted again before leaning down to kiss her forehead.
Reign welcomed it. Welcomed the hot brunch. Welcomed his closeness as they moved to the other room for the second part of this impromptu date. A private showing from the artist. The Majestic Falls held images of the more beautiful places in Majestic Heights and the people it housed than the ugliest places. Ironically, Reign found that the smiles in the ghettos of the city held more beauty than the people who were wrapped in their labels and all their things. True happiness wasn’t found in the affordability of things. It was found in the surrender and the adjustment of your view.
Markus’ warmth engulfed her. His arm now wrapped around her shoulders, allowing her support as she melted into him. “What you thinking about?”
“Taking it all in,” Reign shared. “The beauty of it. Look at their eyes. When you see soulless eyes every day for years, it makes you forget about how beautiful free will is. How great surrender is. These are beautiful. Thank you for this.”
Markus’ lips smiled against her temple. “I ain’t done. Come on.”
The last room was a glass room overlooking the city that floated eighty floors above the ground. Reign took a step and stopped when she saw the city still moving about below her. “Oh, uh uh.”
Markus laughed and walked into the space where easels were set up along with two tables with paint and aprons draped over each chair. “You trust me?”
Reign rolled her eyes. “As far as I can throw you and you’re big.”
He held his hand out, offered her an assuring smile. “I got you, Speechless. And I mean, think about it. If we go down, we going down together, and I get to bother you in the afterlife.”
Reign laughed and rolled her eyes. “Oh, joy. You’re an ass itch now. Imagine not having hands to get rid of it. Sounds like hell to me.”
“Whew, that mouth, Speechless,” he grunted, more devilishly than aggravated. The aggravation came from him having to keep his hands to himself when all he wanted to do was place them on her skin.
Reign shrugged. “The fact I can’t get rid of you means you like it.”
“Mhmm,” he groaned. “I do. Come here.”
Reign took a step without her brain firing off for her to stop. One heeled foot in front of the other until she reached him. Secure in his embrace, she stood and took in the majesty of Majestic Heights. The noon sun, high in the sky, illuminated the splendor of the city. Oddly enough, the calming sense of floating removed the fear of actually seeing the orange cabs and cars that looked like dots moving below.
“I see this city in its glory, but I know its ugliness. Nothing beats watching you take it in, though,” Markus muttered in her ear, coaxing her to turn around and look up at him.
Her brows creased, and a silly smile formed over her lips.
“You getting soft on me? Oh nah. I can’t have that.” She pulled away, continuing to avoid the urge to kiss him. “Is this what we’re painting?”
“Yeah,” Markus said, watching her move away from him. “So you can display my fire shit on your wall. Right above your bed so you can grin and giggle and think about a nigga.”
“Emilliano, please,” Reign scoffed, as she moved to an easel. “Put it in your house. It needs some life over there.”
“You right ‘bout that. Shit is colder than a muhfucka,” Markus agreed, donning the apron over her. “I’d take the couch with your foot over being there, for real.”
“So what if this whatever you’re trying to rope me into doesn’t work, then what?” Reign quizzed.
