Page 34 of Church Girl
“What is it?” she asks.
“What did Hutchinson mean by telling you about ‘that kind of talk’ up at the school? Something happen I should know about? And before you say you don’t know what I’m talking about, ma, the way you cut him off was sus as hell. Don’t think I didn’t catch that.”
She balls up her face, but a moment later, sighs, her shoulders sinking like a deflated balloon. “When I first got to the school, the other girl’s mother was there, and she was loud, yelling at the principal. But when she tried to scream at Gia, I...” She scratches the side of her nose then lifts her gaze to mine. “I might’ve threatened her.”
“You...might have threatened her,” I repeat slowly. “What did you say, Liyah? Exactly?”
Her body gives a tiny jolt, and I’m not sure if it’s from my low tone that vibrates with anger at that bitch for daring to address my daughter or my shortening her name. The nickname seemed too familiar, too...intimate.
I mentally cringe at my slip.
Another sigh. “I told her, ‘Don’t let the cross around my neck fool you. I will beat the hell out of you now then hold it while I pray for you later.’”
I stare at her. Blink. “You said what?”
“Don’t let the cross—”
“Yeah, I heard you.” I slice a hand through the air between us. And I had. But my brain is having the damnedest time catching up to my ears. I squint at her. “You told that woman you would beat the... Do you even know how to fight?”
Her head jerks back as if I offended her. But then she shrugs, a sheepish smile twisting her lips. “Actually, no. But she didn’t know that.”
I bark out a loud crack of laughter. Studying her and the discomfort on her face, I laugh harder, longer. So long that tears sting my eyes and my chest twinges from not being able to catch my breath.
“I’m glad you find it funny. Principal Hutchinson warned me I could be banned from the school’s campus for threatening violence,” she grumbles.
That cut my hilarity off like a switch. “He got me fucked-up,” I snap. “Why didn’t you say anything? Bet. I’ll be back up there tom—”
“No need to do that. Like I said, hewarnedme. I’m good to still pick Gia up and drop her off. But I can’t make any promises if I see that witch in the line. What grown woman screams at a kid?”
“Thank you,” I murmur, and my tone is low, gritty. Unless it has to do with my daughter, Sheree cauterized most of the softness out of me. And the fact that this warmth is mixed with a grinding, dirty need... Yeah, not much has been familiar since Aaliyah showed up in my tattoo shop. “I appreciate what you did for Gia today. And for staying this evening. With me here, you didn’t have to come back to the house, but Gia appreciates it.”
So do I.
When Gia pleaded with Aaliyah to come home with us, indecision had wavered over Aaliyah’s face, darkened her eyes. I got why she was hesitant. Her returning home with us... It felt personal. I didn’t need her here in a nanny capacity; she was strictly here because she cared about my girl.
And fuck if that didn’t make her even more gorgeous. I didn’t know that was possible, but here we are.
Shoving away from the bar, I turn, heading back to the stove to place much needed distance between us. So I can take a breath that isn’t infused with her fresh, fruity scent. That has to be more than her shampoo. I bet it’s embedded in her skin. Saturates her pussy...
Shit.
“How’s school going?” I ask, desperate to latch onto any subject to distract my thoughts from the swollen, drenched flesh between those thick thighs. “You’re going to the University of Chicago, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I slowly stir the sauce, lifting the spoon to my mouth for a quick taste. Frowning, I open the cabinet above the stove and grab the garlic and onion powder as well as the oregano.
“And?” I glance over my shoulder at her, eyebrow arched, before shaking the seasonings in the sauce. “You’re liking it?”
The beat of silence has me looking at her again, and she tucks thick strands of hair behind her ear. I frown harder at the gesture that smacks of embarrassment.
“Yes, I love it actually,” she says. “My classes are interesting, even the prerequisites. Well, maybe not calculus.” She scrunches her face up, and the expression is adorable and startlingly...young. Damn. That mix of guilelessness and sensuality is so damn fascinating. “But the other classes? I enjoy going to them. My professors are great. I enjoy the discussion, even the homework.” She chuckles, shaking her head. “I’m sounding like a nerd.”
“Ain’t nothing wrong with that. Whoever says brains isn’t sexy as fuck has obviously never had a crush on Velma.”
She tilts her head, eyebrows wrinkling. “Scooby-Doo’s Velma?”
“Hell yeah. I get most people thought Daphne was hot, but it was Velma for me. Those glasses, bangs, that skirt and sweater that no doubt covered real thickness underneath. And then, of course, her figuring out every mystery. Nah, man. I need my girl to add to me, not just be pretty window dressing like Daphne. Velma was sexy and a beast.”
