“Now you hold up the same two fingers,” he instructed.
When she did, he tapped his against hers twice.
“What’s that mean?” she asked with a cute frown.
“It’s something my mama used to do with me and Henna. No matter what, we locked in.”
“I like that.” Giselle leaned forward and placed her lips over his. “Why do they call you Heavy?” she asked, pulling back and examining his handsome face.
“I used to be a fat nigga.” He chuckled. “Horace came up with that name. When I got older, it became a street name. Shit became a slogan; handling shit the Heavy way. I don’t let anybody touch my family and get away with it.”
“I don’t see that as a bad thing.” Giselle voiced, swiping her index finger across his lips. “My daddy was a corporate thug, but he was respected. Someone went to great lengths to remove him, though. Probably someone close to him that he’d already brushed off once or twice. Maybe if he had handled things ‘the Heavy way,’ he’d still be here.” Her gaze drifted from his at the thought of her father.
“Hey.” Heavy tipped her chin upward so they were eye to eye. “You good?”
“I’m getting there.” She let him wrap her in his arms.
Strong. Secure. Protected.
“Mommy! Mommy! Breakfast is ready!” Heir shook Giselle from her deep sleep, and immediately, her head shot up from her pillow.
Taking in her suddenly bright bedroom, she squinted at the clock on her night table. It was almost 10:00 a.m. The bed was empty beside her, and there was no sign of Heavy or their night together.
“Mmm, okay. Give me a minute.”
“Auntie Remi made French toast and sausage!” Harlee jumped on the bed behind her.
“Okay, Harlee. Do Mommy a favor. Lower your voice and just go in the kitchen. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Come on, Huey!” Harlee leaped to the ground and took off running with her brother trailing her.
Shifting onto her back, Giselle sat up on her elbows and looked around her room once again. Heavy was indeed gone. She felt it. His presence was so dominating that she knew when he wasn’t there. She reached for her phone beside her bed to call him, and he answered with a bunch of drills and other mechanic sounds going off in the background.
“What’s up, princess?”
“I woke up and you were gone,” she grumbled.
“I know. I told you I had to finish this car for a client. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“I was hoping you would,” she insinuated, which gained her a sexy laugh from him.
“I’ll take care of you later. We still on for brunch?”
“Yeah. I’ll get them dressed, and we can head over. Remi is feeding them now, but they always find a way to make room for more.”
“Bet. I’ll see you when you get here.”
Giselle slipped from under the covers, still naked as the day she was born as she reached for her robe and tied it around her. Finding her way to the kitchen, she stumbled on Remi at the stove with the twins seated at the table, swinging their little legs and stuffing their faces.
“Well, it’s nice to see you among the living. All that screaming and hollering last night, I thought that man was trying to kill you.” Remi howled with laughter.
“Oh, my God.” Flushed with embarrassment, Giselle lowered herself into an empty chair at the table. “You heard that?
“Heard what?” Heir piped up.
“Nothing, chile. Mind your business.” Remi swatted her towel in his direction. “So, looks like things might be heading in a new direction with you and Heavy.”
“Mama, I want to see Heavy,” Harlee demanded.
