Page 25 of Don't Kross Me
Remedy had tolerated enough disrespect, and it triggered her. Before she could get the chance to think her actions through, her hand went across his face. The collision her palm made with the side of his face evoked a wave of gasps out of everyone who filled the shop.
“Nigga, I don’t know who the fuck you?” Before she could get anything else out, she was interjected by Kross’ massive hand latching tightly around the wrist of the same hand that struck his face. Once she felt him yank her inside of the office and heard the door slam shut behind her, that was when she came to terms with the fact that she had fucked up.
Kross had so much anger pumping through him that the hinges of the door loosened because of how hard he slammed it. This bitch had some real issues. At first, she thought he was following her, and now, something clicked in her nutty ass mind to make her think she would live to see another day after smacking him.
With him towering over her, she finally came down in size and felt as small as an atom. His nose flared out as his built chest filled with air. She was close enough to see the pulsating veins that surfaced out of his neck and forehead.
“Bitch, is you fucking crazy?!” He barked down at her with his jaws clenched. “Do you want me to blow your fucking head off in this bitch?!”
He now held both of her wrists above her head and pinned her against the office wall. Her eyes glistened with tears that were threatening to fall, but her pride refused to let them. She knew better than to use her tears to get her out of the hole she dug herself into.
“Every time I cross paths with you, it’s always some shit,” he gritted down at her. “Aside from the fact that I don’t put myhands on women, the only thing that’s sparing you is the fact that I know you getting your ass fucked up already.”
He kept her arms pinned up above her head with one hand and used his other hand to smudge the flawless application of concealer and foundation she had put on to blur out the black eye that was still in the process of healing. He recalled noticing it when he checked on her after seeing her knocked out in her car. She left a bad taste in his mouth then, and she was doing the same thing now.
“Fuck you!” Remedy spat while squirming in his hold, desperately trying to free herself. Unfortunately, the strength she held in her five-foot-five frame was no match.
He peered at her through his now dark eyes. It was taking everything in him not the berate her like he wanted to, but he simply couldn’t. It just wasn’t in his character to do so. While watching her struggle to free herself from his grip, his eyes drifted to the left of them, and that was when he noticed the obituary that was framed and mounted on the wall. He gazed at the photo of Deno before quickly shifting his gaze back to her. A look of sympathy masked his face just for a brief second before he relinquished her wrist from his grip.
Before she could go wild and send another blow in his direction, Kross gripped her face in his hand and forced her to look up at him. “You chose the right motherfucka’ to put your hands on today. If I was anything like that nigga who gave you that black eye, you would’ve got laid the fuck out. I promise you that,” he spewed down at her venomously. “Don’t worry about this month ‘cause I’m looking out for Deno, but next month, you better have my fucking paper, and I need it without all that extra shit you got going on.” He let go of her face then proceeded to the door.
Remedy could feel the anger brewing within her and on the verge of bubbling over. As furious as she was, what could shereally do? He would turn her every which way but loose in the office. Plus, just because of the way none of the men in the barbershop intervened, she came to realization that whoever he was, he must’ve carried some weight. Too bad she didn’t give a fuck about any of that.
“Nigga, you ain’t getting shit out of me!”
Another cold and deep chuckle sounded out of him as he looked over his shoulder at her. “Play with me if you want to, Ms. Remedy.”
Chapter Eleven
As Dr. Steward spoke to Kross about the current state his son was in, all Kross could focus on was Aniyis, who laid on his side in the hospital bed, staring aimlessly out the window. They were all blessed with a miracle when Aniyis was strong enough to wake up from the month and a half-long coma he was in. Kross liked to think of Aniyis’ collapsed lung as a blessing in disguise because it pushed his son to no longer depend on the ventilator he was on. Little man defied all the odds that were stacked against him, but there was still a hell of a journey he had to endure.
“We would like to set him up with some therapy so he can regain both his physical and cognitive capabilities back,” Kross heard Dr. Steward explain to him.
This promoted him to pry his eyes off Aniyis and fix them back onto the doctor. He knew it would be in his son’s and also his best interest to retain every single detail of what was being said to him, but it was just so much all at once. He was just getting his son back. He wanted to bask in that for a little while before jumping straight into what had to be done.
“Listen, I truly appreciate everything you and your team has done for my son, but all of this is a lot right now. I just need amoment to be with him. Once I can gage how he is mentally, I can give you all the time you need to go over everything,” Kross responded, his words followed by a heavy sigh.
Practically everyone who was on Aniyis’ medical team was privy to the circumstances, so they had extra compassion for both Aniyis and Kross, who were dealing with the pains of losing Cassie. Dr. Steward, who was a father himself, completely understood Kross’ situation and would have probably made the same call had it been his child.
“I completely understand, Mr. Hunter. Take all the time you need.”
Kross granted him a firm handshake before expressing his gratitude once more. Dr. Steward exited the hospital room, leaving them alone. Despite begging God for his son to wake up, now that he had, Kross had no fucking clue where to begin. Aniyis just wasn’t the same bubbly, funny and optimistic little boy anymore. Not saying that he would never return to who he once was, but as of now, Kross couldn’t find a speck of the brightness he once had in his eyes.
He took a seat at Aniyis’ bedside, ultimately blocking his view of the window he was gazing out of aimlessly. Since waking up two hours ago, Aniyis had yet to utter a word. It sent Kross into a panic at first, but he had to realize that baby boy had been through a lot. Things were going to progress gradually, and his recovery wouldn’t be an overnight process like he would have wanted it to.
Reaching his hand out, he slowly lowered it so he could push a few of Aniyis’ cinnamon brown dreads out of his face. “You’re a warrior. Y’know that?”
He caressed the side of his son’s face, hoping to offer him some sort of comfort. Just from the way Aniyis was darting his eyes around the room, Kross could tell that he was still on high alert and not at ease.
“You’re safe, ‘Niyis. Daddy won’t let nothing happen to you,” he assured him.
The way Aniyis gazed into his eyes sent a chill down Kross’ spine. His eyes were just so full of fear. As much as he wanted to trust his father, how could he? He had never been physically present for him. The only person Aniyis knew to be physically there for him was Cassie, but she was nowhere to be found.
Still, Aniyis said nothing in return to his father. Kross could see a single tear cascade down his son’s face, which hurt his heart. He wished he could take away all of Aniyis’ pain and fear. He couldn’t imagine going through everything Aniyis had been through at just six years old. With his thumb, Kross wiped away Aniyis’ tear before leaning in and setting a light kiss on his forehead.
“I know all of this is a lot for you to understand, and you won’t fully understand everything that’s going on until you get a little order, but I want you to know how proud of you I am, ‘Niyis. You’re stronger that I could’ve ever been when I was your age. This is only the beginning for us, but just know you got your daddy through thick and thin. I’m never leaving you again. I promise you that,” Kross continued to express his heart to his son.
There was a time where he doubted if Aniyis would ever wake up. Now, here he was, striving toward another day. Kross was going to express everything to his baby boy before it was too late for him to do so. Although Aniyis wasn’t saying much, his father’s comfort was well appreciated. It was what any child would want and need in a time like this. Kross may not have felt like he was doing everything right, but he was, and guaranteed, Cassie was up in heaven smiling down at her two boys.
