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His low laugh came straight from his belly, and it was like music to my ears.
“It was the opposite, actually. True enough, when I was younger, my parents tried to control my path more. I rebelled in my early teenaged years. They didn’t want me to make choices that would permanently affect my life, so they loosened the reins. When I told them I wanted to include a sex club, it caught them both by surprise, but they supported it. My mom isn’t judgmental—she lives what she preaches. One sin isn’t bigger than another to her. She accepts and loves me, even if she thinks the sex club is extra as hell.”
I laughed softly, only because I could hear his mom calling it extra. His mom was cool as hell. I spent time with her often while with Haley over the years. Trina was truly a calm soul. One that had a warmth that drew you into her presence.
“I started the club so adults could have a fun place to escape,” he continued. “I wanted to offer something that would make sex a more natural part of life. It was so taboo when I was growing up that a lot of the people I knew that had children young, were doing a lot of cheating, or got STDs were struggling because they were hiding something that should have been natural. Sex, and abstaining from sex, gave me discipline, healing, and freedom. That’s what my club truly represents. It’s not just a place for freaky ass sex or BDSM practices. It’s deeper than that.”
“That’s why I want a membership.”
Sitting back in his seat, Hosea shook his head. “Cartier…”
“Please, Hosea. I’ve always wanted a membership, but Saint said I couldn’t.” My eyes rolled as I sucked my teeth. “He acts like he’s my daddy or like I’m thirteen instead of thirty-three.”
“Why doesn’t he want you to come?”
“He thinks I want to try BDSM because I have daddy issues,” I admitted. “That I want a man to control me because our daddy wasn’t around.”
“Is that true?”
Now I was the one leaning back in my seat. “No, it isn’t,” I answered honestly, not feeling like I had to explain my answer to him, which was refreshing.
“Okay.” Hosea cupped his hands and thought over my request. “No.”
“No?” I repeated as he stood and walked away.
“Yes.”
“Yes, no? Or yes, I can go?”
Turning back, Hosea looked at me with a smile in his eyes, though there wasn’t one on his lips. “Yes, no, you cannot go.”
“Hosea!” I whined, lightly fisting the island. “You didn’t even give me a reason!”
“I don’t have to.”
With a pout, I crossed my arms over my chest and watched as he walked away. He might have thought this was the end of our conversation, but it wasn’t. Not by a long shot.
Ten
Hosea
Waking up later than usual allowed me to witness Cartier in her morning glory. When I first got up, I saw her out on the patio. She looked to be deep in meditation, so I didn’t bother her. By the time I was done in the bathroom, she’d returned. There was music playing and candles flickering while she fixed breakfast. Since I already had a late start to my day, I got back in bed, and that was when she surprised me with breakfast. I asked her if this was because I told her she couldn’t come to the club and she assured me it wasn’t, and I was glad because the breakfast she’d cooked was good as hell.
After finishing the bacon, grits, waffle, and fruit, I headed to the kitchen and found her deep in the midst of a hushed argument. It was a little after nine, much too early for anyone to be upset. I emptied my plate and put it in the dishwasher, then walked over to her and gently grabbed her phone. At the sight of Raven’s name, I disconnected the call while he was mid-word.
“It’s too early to be arguing with him or anyone else.”
She chuckled softly and ran her hands down her face. “I know. Usually I wouldn’t entertain negativity this early in the morning, but it’s the first time I’ve talked to him since we broke up, and I’m even more confused now than I was then.”
“Why is that?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest as she leaned against the refrigerator.
Cartier had on a two-piece sleep set that left little to my imagination. The red spaghetti strapped shirt allowed me to see her nipples piercing through, and the matching shorts showed the bottoms of her ass cheeks. When I said she could stay here, I wasn’t expecting to have sexual reactions toward her—especially when she was being herself and doing normal things. Her in sleeping clothes should not have aroused me, but it did. And I couldn’t blame it on her asking to go to the club yesterday because this was happening even before then.
“I just… feel like he’s a completely different person now. Or maybe this is how he’s always been, and I was blind to it. He’s just all over the place and not making sense.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s been hiding his true self from you all this time. People change. Instead of trying to figure out when or why, just be grateful you got out and don’t have to deal with it anymore.”
Cartier nodded as she ran her hand down her neck. “I hadn’t thought about it like that, but you’re right. Thanks, Zay.”
