Page 26 of Widow Mayker

I studied her, but I knew she wasn’t lying. “Good for you, baby.” Turning my attention back to Heir, I continued to stare.

“I see the wheels turning in your head, Kody. What the hell is going on?”

“That right there is the prime example of how dangerous a woman is.” Chuckling, I added, “I’m sittin’ here contemplating which one of them I want to kill first.”

Kim gasped. “What the hell? You better not touch her, Kody! Are you trying to start a war? A catastrophic war?”

I shook my head. “Nah…nah. Chill, aight.” Taking a deep breath, I signaled for the check. My fucking appetite was shot. After paying the bill, I stood and adjusted my dick. Staring at Heir had me ready to go. “Let’s get out of here.”

As I walked past Heir’s table, I couldn’t resist slowing my step. When her eyes collided with mine, whatever was on the tip of her tongue died. Her mouth parted in surprise, and her face flushed prettily.

“‘Sup, Heir?” I spoke to her. Because I couldn’t resist, and because I wanted to show this nigga that Heir was off limits, I ran my fingers over the back of her neck. I enjoyed watching the blood rush through her body. “How you doin’, baby?”

Speechless, Heir’s big-eyed gaze pinned on me.

I looked at ol’ boy. He looked like he wanted to get up from the table and run out of there. “Be careful wit’ her,” I warned him before leaving them there.

Outside the restaurant, my truck waited. Roy opened the door for Kim, while I went around to get in on the other side. Once I was settled inside the back of the truck, Kim stared at the side of my face.

“What is it?” I questioned.

“You like her,” she whispered like we were kids or some shit.

I shrugged. “She’s fine as fuck.”

“So are many other women you’ve messed around with. Heir is different. You just claimed her… Something you’ve never done with any woman.” Kim’s eyes were still on me seconds later, so I peered at her.

“What you want me to say?” I asked.

She shook her head and chuckled humorlessly. “You’re itching to start a war, Kody. I feel it.”

“Nah, I’m not, lil’ baby.” Internally, I was already battling a war. Heir claimed too much of my day. I could recall on one hand how many minutes I spent not thinking about her since she and I met. That wasn’t like me. Tina wasn’t even on my mind, not ever, and I fucked with her more than any bitch I had in rotation.

“Leave her alone,” she stated a few minutes later as we neared the condo she lived in. Our family owned the one-hundred-unit condo building, and it was more secure than any housing establishment in the city.

I didn’t placate her with a response. Instead, I held my hand out for her to shake. It was a handshake we’d performed since we were kids, and it was our way of telling each other see ya later and I love you.

When Kim was safely inside, Roy pulled from the curb. And there I was, back to thinking about Heir Bell. I couldn’t quite shake the conversation we had. I couldn’t shake her presence off me. Her scent was still prevalent inside my nostrils. Somehow, that shit branded itself to me. To think, she was out here looking for a nigga to take her innocence. She claimed that I was the one she wanted.

“Roy,” I drawled.

“Sir?” he responded.

“Take me back to Sunset.”

“Sure,” he replied with a touch of humor in his tone. As he turned the truck around, I mentally calculated just how foolish my ass was for allowing Heir to change the way I moved. I told her no and that my dick wasn’t the dick to break her in.

However, twenty minutes later, I propped myself against the front of the truck and waited for Heir to appear from the restaurant. Parked in front of me was Heir’s security detail. They exited their vehicle and eyed me suspiciously. I threw my head up at them, then focused on the entrance of Sunset. Checking my watch, another twenty minutes passed before I caught sight of Heir and that scary-ass nigga exiting Sunset.

They both wore smiles that disappeared once they saw me. With a flick of my fingers, I signaled Heir to come to me. She wore a bad-ass red dress that complemented her dark brown skin, and the heels on her feet made her five-foot-four-inch frame just a little taller. I still dwarfed her, though.

Hesitantly, Heir glanced at her security team, then ol’ boy.

“Tell him, good night,” I coached her. Her security was welcome to follow me home. I had no issues with them.

Nervously, she stated, “Good night, Dwight.”

I held my hand out for Heir as she hesitantly walked toward me. Her eyes found her detail again. She knew like I knew that this was a bold move. Then again, her boldness was what started this shit. Like a gentleman, I helped her inside the truck. Climbing in beside her, I closed the door and wrapped myself in the scent of Heir Bell.