Page 84 of Sweetest Temptation
“Now, I’m only gon’ ask you one time, and one time only. What hand did you use to touchmywife?”
He tried to move away, but my hand still held his jaw so that he couldn’t. He groaned, tears rolling down his face as his nostrils flared. He knew what was up. After a long, ugly minute, he lifted his right hand like a man giving up a white flag. I positioned my piece, and without hesitation, I squeezed the trigger.
He screamed, a raw sound that echoed through the room, and his hand collapsed, useless and slick with blood. He clawed at it like that would somehow stop the pain.
I leaned down until my face was leveled with his. “I’m only letting you live because of my niece. But if you come near Zanova again, I promise you, the next bullet will be in your skull.” Tightening my grip, I clenched my jaw because everything inme said I should kill this nigga. “And if you think about calling the law, your death will be so gruesome, it will be talked about for years.” I stood, tucking my gun into my hoodie, hesitating to walk out. Nodding at Ryan, I cued him that it was time to go and walked out the same way I got in.
On the ride to my next destination, Zanova began blowing up my phone. I silenced it just as I pulled up to Paige’s house. I knew Zanova was worried about me, but there was no way I was letting her punk-ass ex get away with putting his hands on her. Just like I wasn’t letting Paige get away for the fuck shit she did to me.
Cutting my engine, Ryan and I climbed out of the truck just in time to see my cousin, Xina, and her girls piling out of an old Honda CR-V, music still thumping low from the speakers. Six deep, all of them posted like they were stepping straight out of a fight night flyer. Hoodies, ponytails, boots, and a look in their eyes that said they meant trouble were sported by all six women.
“What’s up, cuz?” Xina grinned, walking up with that confident bounce in her step before pulling me in for a quick hug.
She was a blood relative from my father’s side. Xina was always sharp with her tongue and even sharper with her hands. She ran a boxing gym for underprivileged kids, teaching them how to fight smarter and stay out of the streets. But right now, she was clearly in go mode.
“What’s good, X? Appreciate you pulling up,” I said, dapping her up. “But I said a few of your girls, not the whole damn crew.”
She laughed, tossing her braids over her shoulder. “Nah, we like to play tag-a-bitch-in when we fight.” Her girls cracked up behind her, all talking slick and hyped like they’d been waiting on a reason to get active.
“Damn, X,” one of them said, stepping forward with a smirk. “You ain’t tell us your cousin was Mr. Tequila King himself.”
She had that kind of smile that came with an agenda, eyes sweeping me from head to toe. She was ready to eat a nigga up, and Ryan noticed and started laughing under his breath.
“Girl, don’t start…” Xina warned, shaking her head. “That man taken. Plus, he don’t fuck with crazy bitches.”
The chick sucked her teeth, still smiling. “Shoot, I am a little touched. But I take my meds. But okay, boss lady. I’ll chill.”
They all laughed.
“Y’all ready?” I asked.
Xina nodded, her tone switching from playful to business in a heartbeat. “Always. I ain’t beat a bitch since last week.”
Her girls straightened up, cracking knuckles and adjusting hoodies. The laughter was gone now, and the energy shifted.
Ryan leaned toward me. “Man, this about to be lit as fuck.”
We all walked up to Paige’s house. I knocked on the door since I didn’t see a bell. A few seconds later, I heard footsteps before the door came swinging open, and there stood the woman of the hour. Paige froze when she saw who it was, her face going pale in an instant. Before I could step back, Xina slipped past me and sent a right hook to Paige’s face, sending her flying backward into the house. We all quickly filed inside as Ryan shut and locked the door.
“’Mir? What is this?” Paige asked, voice trembling as she tried to act innocent.
“I told you to leave me the fuck alone. But nah, you had to poke the beast. You made a false claim on me, trying to get me jammed up on some shit that could’ve ruined me. I told you, the next time that you come at it, you were going to pay the price.Thisis your price.”
I stood back, and Xina and her crew began throwing blows, fucking Paige up. She was trying to fight back, but it only made it worse. I didn’t condone beating women, or being the one tocoordinate women being beaten, but Paige needed to be taught a lesson.
After about five minutes, I called off Xina and her girls. They all made sure to get one last lick in before they backed off, leaving Paige bloody on her living room floor. I walked over and leaned down, making sure not to get her blood on me.
“This is your last warning, P. I’m only letting you live because of your daughter.” I watched her swallow hard as the color left her battered face. “You know me well enough to know that my word is my bond. If you come near me, my home, or my place of business, your daughter will be an orphan.”
We all filed out of the house like nothing had happened. This wasn’t about victory for me. This was a final line drawn for both Jerome and Paige. Both had crossed the line, and both had now been warned. Paige had been stripped of what little excuse she’d had left to fuck with me. Jerome now had to function with a fucked-up hand. I’ve done what I had to do to protect what was mine, along with my future wife and I’s peace.
An hour later, I was walking into my house. The first thing I did was get rid of my clothes and hit the shower. When I walked into my bedroom, dressed in nothing but a towel, I stood at the foot of my bed, watching my queen sleep in the middle of my huge bed.
The only light coming from the television mounted on the wall gave my baby a glow. It was soft but bright enough to see her curled up, one hand resting on her stomach, the other tucked under her cheek. Her curls spilled across my pillow, her lips slightly parted, her chest rising and falling slow and peaceful. For the first time that night, my shoulders eased. This woman was my peace. My purpose. And I’d burn the whole fucking city down if it meant keeping her safe.
I sat on the edge of the bed, just watching her. She looked so fucking sexy. Her skin seemed to glow even more since findingout she was carrying my baby. Leaning down, I brushed my thumb across her jaw. She shifted a little, sighing, and whispered my name in her sleep. That was it for me.
I dropped my towel, then removed the sheet from Zanova's naked frame and got into bed. Gently turning her over on her back, I spread her legs open, and the soft scent of her body wash crept up my nose. Her pretty pink pussy stared at me, fat and hairless, and my mouth watered for a taste of her sweet honey. I licked my lips as I spread her lips open and dove in.
