Page 54 of That Fire

Chapter 18

Aaliyah

Ishifted in bed as the babies moved around. I swore it felt like they were in there fighting. I thought I would have gone into labor at the shower yesterday. When it didn’t happen, I wanted to cry. I was so ready to have them. This shit was for the birds.

I didn’t hear any noise downstairs, and Royal wasn’t in bed. Just as I was about to text him, I heard the back door open and close. Typically, he liked to be here when I needed to get up to go to the bathroom first thing. He said I was usually groggy and clumsy when I first got up. My equilibrium needed time to adjust with all this extra weight on me.

When the bedroom door opened and Royal walked in, I could see the sadness all over him. “Good morning, baby,” I said.

He looked at me and gave me a tight smile. “Good morning. How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. Nothing beyond the usual discomfort. Are you okay?”

He shook his head and sat on the bed. “Crew is on drugs. That’s why his behavior has changed. He’s probably been on drugs for a while.”

My eyebrows had lifted. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

He nodded. “You ready to get up to shower?”

“Yes.”

He stood from the bed and went to the bathroom to start the shower. I could hear him moving the chair around in there. He looked like he was ready to cry and looked like he was completely over it all. When he came back into the room, I said, “Royal, it’s okay if you’re having some difficulties today. You don’t have to do everything by yourself. Call my mom. She can help me bathe and get situated. You know she’s strong as hell.”

I chuckled, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he came to me and helped me out of my nightshirt and took off his clothes. His dick was still hard as shit. I positioned myself at the end of the bed and grabbed it. It was like it sent shock waves through him. I hadn’t touched him in nearly three weeks.

He moved my hand and frowned. “Come on, Liyah.”

“I want to help you nut, baby. You look like you could use it.”

I brought my hand back to his dick and stroked it, watching the precum ooze from it. I lowered my head and licked it, causing his entire body to shiver. As I massaged his balls, I slid my mouth over it as he whispered, “Fuuuuck.”

When I began bobbing on his dick, he grabbed my hair and slowly guided me. My saliva was everywhere. Being in the presence of Royal’s dick was always a mouth-watering experience. The more I bobbed and gagged, the more vocal he became.

“Fuck, Liyah. Take this dick, baby. Let me feel you swallowing my shit. Fuck!”

His grip on my hair got a little tighter, and his stroke went a little deeper as he fucked my mouth. Just as I thought I would have to release his dick to gather myself, he flooded my mouth with his goodness. I did my best to swallow all of it, but I started gagging like crazy. Royal quickly went to the bathroom and gotthe little basin I used to wash up with. It felt like I threw up my fucking guts.

When I finally calmed down, he said, “I’m sorry. I got carried away. I miss that shit so much I couldn’t fight it.”

“It’s okay, baby. I miss it too.”

He helped me up and led me to the shower. After we were in and I was seated on the chair, I asked, “Where did you go?”

“I went to my parents’ house.”

“Did y’all come up with a plan to combat this?”

“Somewhat. He may have to do time though. He had drugs on him . . . a whole fucking 8 ball.”

“What?”

“Yeah. You heard me right. He’s never been in trouble, but that’s a lot of fucking cocaine. I’m just . . . I’m in shock about the whole situation. I would have never guessed that Crew was using, but it all makes sense. His attitude changes toward me, then our parents . . . I just should’ve realized something was up.”

“Royal, that’s not on you or anyone else. No one would have suspected that he was using. Secondly, Crew is a grown man. He knows the effects drugs can have on the body. Why would?—”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Aaliyah,” he said, cutting me off.

“I’m sorry.”