Page 18 of Nobody Praying for Me

“Should’ve thought of that when you started it,” I teased while not letting up off the spray. I didn’t stop until it was completely empty.

“Ouu, I’ma fuck you up!” she said angrily and swinging wildly.

“Can you just fuck me?” I asked, dodging all her hits to whisper in her ear.

She placed both of her hands on my chest and pushed me off her. I fell to the side, laughing uncontrollably. “Boy, get the fuck off me. You don’ pissed me off for the night. Leave me alone.”

She climbed off the bed quickly and went stomping toward the living room. I was right on her heels. “I’m sorry, baby. Please,” I begged with no shame. “I need some of that good and sweet Jones pussy,” I said, repeating what her grandmother had said to us outside the grocery store that one time.

She stopped in her tracks and spun around to face me in the same second. She stabbed me in the chest with her little finger. “Oh, you’re never getting close to me again. Hope you got a few bottles of lotion, Kalm Alexander Savage.”

My smile fell from my face. “Baby,” I called out. All I got in return was a middle finger and the pleasure of watching her switch away. “Baby, I was just joking.”

12

CHARISMA RAE JONES

Glancing down at the big and ripe tomatoes I’d grown, I couldn’t help but do a little happy dance. Who knew I would have such a green thumb because I certainly didn’t. Since moving into the Savage home, I’d learned so much about myself, and I loved the exploration.

Kalm told me his mother had started the garden in the back, but since the car accident that claimed their lives, none of their children had the interest in cultivating it. Since the day I stood at the kitchen sink, washing dishes, I noticed it and had become obsessed with bringing it back to life. When I wasn’t with Oasis for appointments, I really didn’t have anything else to do. Starting the garden was one of the best choices I made because it brought me great joy and peace.

I went over to the cucumbers to see there were two that were ready for picking. It was interesting to me the way even fruits and vegetables knew to protect themselves by growing thorns. God was so intentional in His creation of everything that it honestly made my head spin when I started to get too deep into it.

After I finished collecting my vegetables, I headed back into the house. Excited to show them off to Kalm before he had to leave for training, I hurried toward his bedroom but stopped when I heard the rumble of his voice. Peeking through the tiny slit in the door, I saw he was on the phone while packing his gym bag.

“I’ll let her know today that I’m going to start meal prepping at home.”

I didn’t realize the phone was on speaker until a woman’s voice replied. My body stilled, and my heart raced as I listened to what she had to say. “Are you sure you want to get rid of Ariel? Are you really going to have time to meal prep your own food while in training?”

He sighed heavily and ran a hand down his face. Only then did he not look like the man who always had everything figured out. I saw him for who he was, which was the man who was willing to figure everything out. “I will work it out. I just know I don’t want to cut into Pretty’s pay. She’s been doing a great job taking care of my sister, so a little sacrifice is worth it to me.”

Hearing him say that brought tears to my eyes. I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my racing heart. “But you’re getting rid of your nutritionist and masseuse weeks away from a major fight. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I understand your concerns, Angie, but I hired you to manage my finances, not me. Once I get Oasis’s medical bills paid off and attain the lawyer I want for Kaos, then my money won’t be stretched so thin anymore.”

Having heard enough, I tiptoed away and headed for the kitchen with a heavy heart. I didn’t realize Kalm was willing to sacrifice so much to ensure his siblings and I were taken care of. When he’d told me he’d not only match what I made at the club but double it, I thought it was a sweet deal. Hearing that he was only able to make that happen by having to shift his priorities around filled me with dread.

My issue with Kalm was always thinking he was the one who had to make all the sacrifices. I understood why he was like that with his siblings, but with me, I wanted him to be able to take a little bit of the weight off his shoulders. Turning on the sink water, I began to rinse the vegetables I picked, allowing my thoughts to continue to spiral.

“You picked these from your garden?” His voice in my ear startled me. The kiss he placed on my cheek sedated me, and I couldn’t believe this had become my life.

I nodded with a small smile. “Yeah, I was coming to show you, but I heard you on the phone.” I said that mostly to see if he’d tell me about his phone call, but as expected, he didn’t.

“Oh okay, you could’ve interrupted. It wasn’t anything important.” I slammed the vegetables in the sink and folded my arms over my chest, becoming more frustrated than angry. “What’s wrong with you?”

I spun around and dug my finger in his chest. “How could you say it wasn’t important? I heard the conversation, Kalm.”

He backed up to lean against the other counter. Our gazes locked, and his nonchalance further irritated me. “It’s really not a big deal, Pretty.”

I walked up on him with my chin jetted forward. “Yes, it is. You’re sacrificing too much to make things happen. I’m worried about you. You seriously can cut my pay to whatever you need to keep your nutritionist and masseuse on payroll.”

He hooked his finger in my muumuu and snatched me to him. “Nah, I got it squared away already. I’m going to be fine.”

I groaned, “Oh my god, you are so fucking stubborn.” Shaking my head, I turned away from him because he was trying to get me to kiss him while I was trying to get him to see some things weren’t worth the trouble. “Fine. Since you won’t budge, why don’t you let me start doing your meal preps for you?”

He froze, tilting his head to the side to study me. “Do you think you could handle it? My meal prep is super strict, and you like to get creative in the kitchen.”

I waved him off. “I’m sure I can make some ground beef and a sweet potato, Kalm Alexander Savage.”