“Our little lady is all grown up now, Daddy,” he purrs. “I left her praying to God in the hands of your sister who showed up about an hour ago.”
“Praying to God?” I crinkle my nose in question. Malik has had a strange obsession with the Catholic Institution lately.
“She defiled me while she was doing it too.” He stops in front of my desk and falls into a chair with a perplexed look on his face. “I’m pretty sure I was raped in the woods.”
My heart rate decreases as I sit back in my chair, knowing Delia is at the house with Genevieve, but Malik is making no fucking sense, not that that’s uncommon.
“Let’s try this again,” I coax. Surely he’s confused about where he’s been and what he’s been doing. “What happened?”
“I’ve had premarital sex against my will and most probably going to Hell. It's the Princess's fault.” My brow curls upward as I stare at him, trying to decipher what the fuck it is he’s saying. I think he’s telling me he had sex with Genevieve, but I’m not entirely sure. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 1 Thessalonians.I am sullied.”
“Do you have grass in your hair?” That’s when I really take in his appearance. He has grass stains all over his clothes and blades of it are poking out through his hair.
“Have you heard nothing I’ve said?” His arms fly out in exasperation as he stares at me with shock.
“To be honest, I don’t understand anything you’ve said.” I shake my head and give him a wide-eyed look.
“Our girl had a nightmare, and I thought I would give her a late-night lesson on stealth and tracking—”
“Stalking.”
“So I told her to meet me out in the woods,” he continues, without acknowledging my comment, his hands waving animatedly around his face. “She came out like a wrecking ball, brother. She knocked me down, along with my pants, and defiled Little Malik.”
I choke at the defeat etched across his features and try not to laugh at him. “I told you she was getting antsy with how often you were denying her.”
“Is it so bad to wait?” His voice raises as Ajani steps into the room. “I wanted to plan something special. Like maybe while you were fucking her pussy, I’d slip into her ass. With candlelight of course.”
Ajani stumbles as he overhears Malik’s words, his mouth popping open and shut like a goldfish.
I swallow down the laugh threatening to burst my gut open and say to Malik, “Brother, we can still do that.”
Ajani turns back around while his hands massage his temples, the conversation a little too extreme for his liking.
“Delia is only encouraging it. She’s over there celebrating my rape,” Malik mutters as he crosses his arms over his chest.
“Delia is there?” Ajani turns back around, interest blooming in his eyes. He quickly looks at me and clears his throat. “Good, because Genevieve shouldn’t be alone.”
I know he’s concerned for Genevieve, but that irrational, primal instinct of mine wants to kill him and piss all over her. I don’t know why I’m okay with Malik and I sharing, but the thought of Ajani joining us sends me into a rage.
“That woman is more than capable of taking care of herself,” Malik churns out as he turns to stare down Ajani. “I made sure of it. She’s proven herself time and time again.”
“Like tonight,” I slip in with a grin on my face as my fingers run along my chin.
“Exactly like tonight.” Malik nods to me, pride shimmering in his brown irises. “Her aim with a gun has improved, and those fighting sessions with me have turned into her kicking my ass every time.”
“Krav Maga, right?” Ajani asks, I can see the relief in his features that the conversation has altered its course.
“Yeah,” Malik replies while straightening in his seat and looking over at Ajani once more. “Do you know it?”
“I’ve heard of it.” Ajani nods. “I’ve also seen Genevieve practicing in the backyard before dinner most nights. She has toughened up quite a bit.”
“You should spar with her.” My words are laced with anger as my body stiffens with his revelation. He fucking watches her too?
“Nah.” He laughs and waves me off. “She’d kick my ass. You know I’m not much of a fighter.”
“Exactly,” I growl out as Malik turns to give me a questioning look. Releasing the breath I’ve held in my lungs, I let the tension bleed from my muscles. I’m being so fucking irrational.
“No, thanks.” Ajani waves his hands in front of him. “I’m man enough to know when I need to back down. That’s why I stay away from your sister.” He heads toward the large double doors. “I’m grabbing some food.”
