“I do trust you, but?—”
“But nothing. Either you trust me or you don’t. Which is it?”
“I trust you,” I whispered.
“Then act like it.” He pulled me against his chest, one hand fisting in my hair.
“You think I spent all night cleaning up that kitchen, disposing of a body, scrubbing blood off tile just so you could sit here crying? Worried about shit I already took care of?”
“I’m sorry, I just?—”
“Stop apologizing.” His hand tightened in my hair, pulling my head back so I had to look at him. “You’re mine now, Zahara. That means when something happens to you, I handle it. That means you don’t worry. You don’t stress. You don’t do shit except trust me to take care of it. You understand?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Good.” But he didn’t let go. Just kept staring at me like he was trying to see inside my head. “I ain’t been able to think about nothing but you since last night. Couldn’t focus. Just keptseeing your face when you called me. Kept thinking about what would’ve happened if you hadn’t grabbed that knife.”
His jaw clenched, rage flashing in his eyes.
“I wanted to bring that nigga back to life just so I could kill him again. Slower this time. Make him suffer for what he tried to do to you.”
“Prime—”
“You don’t go nowhere at night alone no more. You hear me? Nowhere. You need to go to the store, you call me. You need to go to Grits, you call me. You need to go to the damn bathroom in a public place, you text me first. I don’t give a fuck if you think you’re being a burden. You’re mine to protect and I take that shit seriously. Actually, I’d tell you to quit Grits if it wasn’t so hot right now.”
“That’s too much. I can’t ask you to?—”
“You’re not asking. I’m telling you.” His eyes went darker. More intense. “From now on, you don’t make moves without me knowing. You understand?”
It should’ve scared me. Should’ve felt controlling and suffocating.
Instead, it made me feel safe in a way I hadn’t ever felt.
“I understand,” I said softly.
“Say it back to me. Say you won’t go nowhere without telling me.”
“I won’t go anywhere without telling you.”
“Again.”
“I won’t go anywhere without telling you, Prime.”
“Good.” He released my hair but didn’t step back. Just cupped my face, his thumbs brushing away the tears still on my cheeks. “You’re still scared though. Still tense. I can feel it.”
“I can’t help it.”
“Shh.” He set me on the bed, then knelt in front of me. His hands went to my sweatpants. “I’m gonna make you feel better, Goddess. Gonna make you forget everything except me.”
“I don’t think?—”
“I’m not asking.” His voice dropped to that alpha tone that made my pussy clench. “I’m telling you. You’re gonna let me take care of you. Let me ease your mind. You understand?”
I should’ve argued. Should’ve said I wasn’t in the mood. But the way he was looking at me—like he knew exactly what I needed even when I didn’t—made me nod.
