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“Only if you try to fuck my boyfriend. You’re safe otherwise.”
She leans forward to look at Nokosi suggestively. “I mean…”
I know she’s joking but when Nokosi wags his brows at her I dig my fingers into both their thighs until they both yelp. Mackenzie thinks it’s hilarious.
I’ll be keeping a close eye on them from now on.
When we get to town and drop her at her house, I turn to Nokosi and declare, “If you fuck anybody while we’re together, I will genuinely run you both over and throw your bodies off a cliff.”
“Why the hell would I?” he asks, smiling from ear to ear at my jealousy. “Have you seen you?”
I narrow my eyes on him until I’m confident he’s received the message loud and clear and then he touches me intimately, uncaring who sees, and devours my mouth until I too fully accept his message.
Which was what again?
Willow
I look at the white walls. They need a second coat, maybe even a third.
I’m stalling for time.
“Looks good,” Nokosi says around a loud yawn. I know how he feels, these days I constantly feel as though I’m fighting to stay awake.
“It could be better.”
“Does it matter? She’s painting over it soon anyway,” he grumbles and yawns again.
I look at him, it’s only ten but he’s clearly exhausted. “You can go.”
He raises a brow. “Are you dismissing me?”
“Could you maybe take me to the store first? I’ve got a major craving for some Hershey’s.”
Hesitating, he seems to think about it for a moment before looking around the room. It’s pure brilliant white though you can’t tell in the dim lighting. We only have an old lantern that was left behind by the prior tenants. “Sure, why not?”
“Yes!” I cheer and take the arm he offers. “Thanks, Nok.”
“No problem, I figured that the nicer I am to you the more likely you are to stay.”
Laughing I slap his chest and shake my head. “Everybody has an agenda I guess.”
“Of course, life would be shit without one. Can you imagine not having a goal in life?” He shrugs his shoulders. “I bet you have an extensive bucket list.”
He has no idea. “There’s just one thing left on my list.” Pulling open the truck’s passenger door, he grips my hips to help me inside and for the first time ever I don’t feel repulsed by his touch. I don’t fully welcome it either but it doesn’t make me feel sick.
“What’s that?” he asks after rounding the truck and climbing in.
I tap my nose and look ahead.
“Maybe I can help you achieve it? Maybe we all can?”
“I doubt it,” I mutter and check my pocket for my wallet. “How are things with my sister now? She’s hardly been home for the past couple of days.”
“Good. We got past whatever happened, she’s happy again.” He looks me up and down when we stop at a red light. “Are you happy? You can always join us.”
“One step at a time,” I say, placing my hand on his for a few seconds, until he clears his throat and pulls his away.
Well, he’s definitely loyal to my sister.
I start coughing, I can’t stop. It’s not so much that anything is on my chest it’s just what happens sometimes. My chest feels so tight. I stagger on a breath that I try to pull in and pain pops in my throat.
This sucks.
“Fuck, Willow, are you okay?” He rubs my back until I’ve calmed myself, his eyes shining with concern.
I nod and sit back. “Fuck this illness, man. I’m done. I feel like I’m fading away.”
We don’t speak for a while. What is there to say? I’m dying. There’s only so many times one can tell me how sorry they are as I suffer through the symptoms and side effects of my ailment, and the drugs I have to take for it.
“I have an idea… it’s unconventional and it defies the laws of modern medicine… but…” He suddenly pulls over, startling me and I tense, not liking being taken by surprise. But then he taps on his phone screen and puts it to his ear. “Auntie, is Elisi awake?” After a pause where he listens to a feminine voice reply, he starts speaking in another language and at the end he’s smiling.
“What’s going on?” I ask weakly, trying not to cough again.
He puts the car in drive and makes a U-turn. “How’d you like to meet my grandmother on the res?”
My breath catches in my throat. “I don’t know… I’m not good around people.”
“She’s a healer,” he insists gently. “Not the kind you know but she’s saved lives. I don’t believe in it more than a placebo but if it can help you then isn’t it worth a try?”
“I guess,” I mutter, suddenly feeling like a lost little girl again. I don’t have a weapon, or mace spray, or even my phone. “Will you… protect me?”
