Kai wore a pair of black basketball shorts with a red graphic hoodie. I peeped a black bandana hanging out of the corner of his pocket. On his head was a fitted cap that he had turned to the back, and a simple gold chain of a cassette rested on his collarbone. My eyes fell to his sock-covered feet in a pair of white Crocs. I didn’t even realize it before, but when he spoke, his mouth was full of gold that did things to my lady parts.
“Y’all better not break shit or you’re replacing it,” Kai finally stated lowly.
I wasn’t even sure they heard him over there arguing. Turning his attention to me, he nodded toward the door as if everything were peachy keen. Meanwhile, I was clutching my pearls at what I was seeing.
I followed behind him, but not before peeking over my shoulder at what I assumed to be his fighting siblings. I glanced at the many family photos I saw hanging on the wall on our way by. They were a big family, but I easily spotted Kai in all of them. He never smiled. He always stared straight ahead withan emotionless expression. It made me curious about the man leading me through the house, not to mention that he didn’t physically look like anyone else in his family.
When we passed by the kitchen, I got a quick glance at the deep wooden cabinets. I heard something sizzling in a pan. My stomach rumbled in protest that I was turning down what smelled like a fulfilling meal. The next time someone offered me something to eat, I was definitely getting a plate.
Kai opened the front door, pushed open a squeaky screen door, and stepped outside. I felt the swell of heat before I even followed him onto the deep porch. It was definitely summer in South Carolina. Kai walked until he made it to the chipped steps that were clear of any debris. He took a seat on the top one with his eyes focused on the busy street. Kids were riding their bikes back and forth, giggling. In the driveway, some teenage boys were playing a pickup game of basketball while talking shit to each other. The distant chime of an ice cream truck could be heard. It was a few blocks over for now.
Instead of joining Kai on the steps, I walked down to the iron fence surrounding the house before turning around. The lawn was patchy, but in the parts that thrived, the grass was trimmed. The house we’d just come out of was two stories with a wide frame and weathered brick that was peeling white paint. Above the porch was a hand-painted sign that readThe Big House.I made my way back over to the porch and took a seat beside Kai. His eyes were on me the entire time. It made me a little nervous because I had no clue what he was thinking when he looked at me.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
“What if you married me instead of Zero?”
My eyes bulged out of their sockets, and I choked on the saliva in my mouth. “Huh?” I croaked in surprise. If he weren’tlooking at me so intently, I would’ve thought he was joking. “Zero?”
He cut his eyes to the side and sighed. “Zyro... the old nigga that was trying to marry you.”
I realized he was intentionally calling him another name. I couldn’t say I didn’t like Kai’s remix because he was most definitely a zero in real life.
“I’m a straight shooter type of nigga, Nuri Symone. You need to protect your assets, and I have a personal interest in ruining him. We can help each other. I did research on your family, and I can’t lie like I wouldn’t benefit from the connections I’m sure you have.”
I sighed, slowly peeling my gaze away from him. “So, you want to use me too?”
“Nah, I want to rid the world of a parasite. If Zero wants you, he won’t stop until he has you. Every Reaper in the city has had his ears to the streets, and he’s actively looking for you right now. It sounds crazy as fuck to suggest, but while I will protect you physically, we gotta think about what else he wants from you. I don’t want your money, land, or anything like that, baby girl, if that’s what you’re worried about. I want you to be good, though, and as long as that nigga is breathing, you won’t be.”
I gulped hearing that this Zyro man still wanted me. Like Kai had said… He was a total zero. My eyes floated to the cloudless sky. How the fuck did I end up here? “I always thought that when I got married, it would be after I met the love of my life in a way straight out of a romance novel or fairytale.”
Kai scoffed. “Well, this ain’t a romance novel or a fairy tale. This is real life, and I won’t force you into doing anything you don’t want to do. That’s the difference between that nigga and me.”
I turned my attention back to him. “But would you still protect me?”
“Fuck yeah.” He began to rub his thumb and middle finger together. “I already told you I would protect you with my life, Nuri Symone. I’ma do that whether you agree or not. You have my word.”
My lips pressed together tightly as I tried to weigh my options. If this man was still looking for me, then he had a vested interest in me. I didn’t feel nearly as safe in his presence as I did with Sekai. He was everything I wasn’t sure I could trust with his silent and stoic nature, but I could feel his fierceness. He wasn’t one to fuck with either. When he said he would protect me, it felt like the truth.
“How would a marriage between us even work? We don’t know each other... We’re not in love...”
“And we don’t have to be or need to be to get married. We need a mutual understanding that this is a business transaction. I protect you, you protect your land, and together, we end that nigga for good.”
I shook my head and tossed my hands in the air. “This is crazy as hell, but I’m between a rock and a hard place right now. I need you,” I softly admitted.
Kai’s jaw tightened. His eyes quickly lowered to my lips before he turned his attention to the road. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until he looked away, but I lost all the air I’d gathered in my lungs when he turned back to look at me again.
“I got you, Nuri Symone. You don’t have to truly believe that right now, but you will see. I’m a Virgo, so I am as loyal as they come. There is nothing I won’t do for you, but I can promise you one thing: to set you free when Zero is dealt with, so one day, you can have that fairytale love you want and deserve.”
I bit my lip and nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
It was the craziest thing I had ever agreed to, but what choice did I have? My life, my freedom, and my legacy were on the line. I would rather die than allow my brother to ruin everything ourparents and grandparents had worked hard to build. If marrying Sekai was going to save it all, then I was willing to sign my name on the dotted line. Even if it wasn’t until death did us part. It was until our common enemy was handled.
“I do have one request, though.”
Kai gave me his undivided attention. “Oh yeah? What’s that?” He lifted a brow in intrigue.
I softly giggled. “You move with me into the St. James Estate.”
