Rio eyed her skeptically, causing Cali to chortle.
“What?”
“I know a nigga was knocked out for a while, but I remember yo’ ass can’t cook.”
She doubled over laughing before retorting, “I’m not a great cook but I can whip up something easy.”
He shook his head, wearing a smirk. “Nah, I’m straight.”
“Babe,” she whined, walking over to him. Kneeling down between his legs, she peered at him. “Why won’t you let me take care of you?”
Rio leaned forward, gazing at her with his deep-set eyes. His hand cupped the side of her face, causing a heap of jitters to flutter in her belly.
“You do take care of me. Actually, you’ve been taking really good care of me, and I appreciate that shit. Niggas don't have women in their lives who are loyal like you, baby.”
Cali’s gaze drifted toward the hardwood floor, hoping the guilty feelings would stay dormant. Cali couldn’t afford to go back to the place where her disloyalty lied. The place where allof her wrongdoing waited for her to acknowledge that this new being she had turned into wasn’t always her.
“Don't,” she muttered. “I’m just doing what a wife should do. I’m not special.”
“Yeah, you are.” He pressed forward, caressing his lips against hers. It was so endearing that a light moan fell from her lips. She needed Rio so badly and only he could extinguish the fire sizzling inside her.
“You been my rock and when I get back to a hun’nid percent, I’ma do something real nice for you.”
Cali blushed, loving the feeling of falling in love with her husband. Not only did his accident disrupt their lives but it also suspended the bad behavior she had been participating in.
“Well, since you won’t let me cook for you, how about I take you to lunch? My treat.”
“Yeah, that’s cool but I’ll pay.”
Rio never liked for her to treat him to anything except pussy.
“Okay, come on.”
Helping him up from the chair, the couple walked out the house. Cali wanted to try a new Jamaican restaurant that was near the beach, so she drove there. Once seated, Cali and Rio looked at the menu while Peter Tosh’s music played in the atmosphere.
“What you feel like eating?” she asked. “I think I want some oxtails.”
“I’ll probably get some curry goat.”
Cali looked out the window, admiring the beautiful ocean waves. Life had been so tormenting lately that she hadn’t taken time to really think about all that she’d gone through. Theendless tears and praying had worked in her favor, but Cali couldn’t help but think about the gloom that wouldn’t go away. She didn’t think Rio’s accident was a consequence for her but more like a rebirth of a new mentality. As if it was God’s way of grabbing her attention. Still, there was this notion that something else had to happen to her. Braye still needed to get some retribution for how she had played with his feelings.
“Cali.”
She blinked, focusing on Rio. “Huh?”
“I asked how you would feel about me getting back to the money?”
She groaned, not liking the idea. Now that she had almost lost him, a new fear had been unlocked. Being in the streets was risky. She was aware of that before, but the risks were higher now that Rio had suffered tremendous injuries.
“I don't know,” she answered honestly. “I don't want nothing to happen to you.”
“It won’t.”
A knowing expression covered her features. “You don't know that, Rio, and after all you’ve been through, I’m just fearful that next time, you won’t recover.”
Reaching across the table, he grabbed her hands. Before, his touch did nothing for her. Now, she yearned for it, wishing she had cherished it before his accident.
“Listen to me. Nothing will be able to take me away from you, baby. You the reason I was holding on.”
