They all knew how we gave shit the fuck up, and the way that Khaos went crazy, there was a reason his nickname was Khaos.
“Where I’m taking her?”
“Take her back to the crib.” I told him and went over toward my bike where Kimber was now leaned against.
“I hate to see her like this.” She sighed; her arms folded across her chest as she watched Khaos get into his car. Lola’s eyes never left him as he started the car. She wanted that nigga more than the nigga whose lap she was on.
“Same.”
“I know it’s been a while, but I can come home with you tonight, Goon.” She offered.
Even with as much stress as I was feeling, I couldn’t do that to Baby Cakes. It didn’t matter that we weren’t together, I had this loyalty to her, and only her. I couldn’t give this dick to anybody but her, and I was patient enough to wait for our moment.
Converting to Islam had taught me patience and discipline, and while the old Goon would have taken Kimber home, thisnew and improved man I worked and prayed hard to become, knew that the wait for true love was worth more than fucking. I couldn’t pray about wanting a wife, something real, and then proceed to stick my dick into someone temporary.
I wanted a wife.
A wife required patience, understanding, and discipline.
“I’m straight, Kim… you need to take your ass home. Shit ain’t safe out here for you,” I warned her, knowing it would fall on deaf ears. “Lola’s ass always got you in some shit.”
She gave me that sexy smirk and leaned up from my bike. “I’m about to go in a bit… she must be important, G.” She ignored everything I said about Lola and was more concerned with who had me turning down sex and head from her.
“I like to think so.” I climbed back onto my bike, putting my helmet onto my head. Zoya Caselli was special, and worth all the hell I knew she would put me through.
I was ready.
CHAPTER 2
ZOYA CASELLI
Recommendation: Listen to Take Me As I Am by Mary J. Blige
I typedaway on my computer, looking up as the sun rose over the park that Landon loved to remind me was stolen from us. My glasses sat on the bridge of my nose; my hair was pulled up into a sloppy bun as I took a break from looking over case files. Taking in the warm orange, red, and green tones swirled together within the morning sky was breathtaking.
It was beautiful, and my first time witnessing it in all of its glory.
Usually, I kept the shades down in my office and worked with the small desk lamp that Menace had gotten me when I graduated from law school. It was gold, heavy, and he had it engraved with:
Big pressure lawyer. Proud of you. - Maverick
I remember the day it was delivered to me. I had to sign andshow ID just to retrieve the box. When I opened it, I rolled my eyes and kept the box in the foyer for months.
It was bitchy of me.
Last night, when I shuffled into the office because I couldn’t sleep, I kept the shades up and looked out at the pitch-black abyss with lights surrounding the park that appeared to be much smaller the higher you were.
I felt safe in this condo, and even safer because I was a few floors down from Landon’s penthouse. When I moved into my house, I didn’t feel safe living there alone. This building was like the white house, and you weren’t getting in here unless you were supposed to.
“It’s not time to go for our walk… don’t look at me like that,” Bando lifted his head from his fancy dog bed, as if it was time for him to strut his stuff. He’d just make us circle the same spots until he eventually decided it was time to humble me and make me pick his shit up.
It was still an adjustment getting used to having to take care of someone other than myself. Since going away to college, it had always been just me.
Me and Bando were still getting to know one another; however, he was very protective of me. When I used the bathroom, he stood outside and took guard. Whenever I went into the office in the middle of the night, he heaved a sigh, as if I was on his nerves, and followed behind me.
Whenever we were outside of our bubble, I could tell when someone was close to me because he made sure to growl, making their presence known. It surprised me how close he was to me, and we were still getting to know one another. Since our dog died when we were younger, I just knew I would never get another dog.
I could lie and say it was because I wasn’t an animal person, but it was because the pain of losing a pet was so great that I never wanted to go through it again.
