“I heard enough.”
“You need to mind your business. He’s out being domestic and trying to secure our future.”
“Don’t defend that clown in my face. Y’all ain’t got no fucking future,” I reminded her.
“No,wedon’t have a future,” she countered, pointing between us.
“If that’s what helps you sleep at night, then I’ll allow it.”
“Move, Emery.” She pushed my chest, and I took a step back. “Breaking and entering is a crime. Should I add that to the list of other criminal activities you’re into?”
I smirked and stepped back closer to her. I leaned into her ear, sniffing her hair that smelled of cherries. “The only crime I’m going to be guilty of is assault if you keep playing with me.”
“Oh, so you’re a woman beater now?”
“I’m a pussy beater now.” I could see her recoil and roll her eyes.
“You have to leave, Emery. This isn’t right.”
“I will after I bathe you and put you to bed.”
“You’re not doing either of those things, so you need to get out of my house and go back to where you came from.”
“I am trying to go back to where I came from, but you playing hard to get.”
“I am hard to get! I. Have. A. Boyfriend!”
“Yeah, okay. I think you need to tread lightly on saying that type of shit, Yummy. I promise I’ll make his ass extinct.”
“You can’t just come into my home or my life and try to force me to rekindle things with you! Life doesn’t work that way!” I swooped her up and headed to her en-suite bathroom. “What are you doing? Put me down, Emery!” she yelled. Once we were in the bathroom, I placed her on her feet. It was dark, but I had lit a few candles and placed them strategically around the bathroom.
She looked around as if the bathroom was foreign to her, seeing the yellow and red rose petals on the floor and a tray next to the tub with white-chocolate-covered strawberries, grapes, and pineapples, along with a bottle of Dèrangè red wine on ice.
“Go ahead and unwind while I go clean up the mess you made. I’ll be back to wash your back and feet.” I removed her hair from around her neck, using a hair tie I found lying on her sink, and pulled it up in a bun. She didn’t say a word as I then unzipped the back of her dress. I wanted to trail kisses down her back while I slipped it off her, but I refrained.
Not yet, Em.
“Enjoy, my love.” I backpedaled out of the bathroom and closed the door behind me to give her privacy.
I stepped over the glass and went to the kitchen to retrieve the broom and dustpan, along with some cleaning spray and a mop. I wasn’t trying to force Yumi to be with me, but I was trying to force her to be with me, if that made sense.
I had been dreaming of the day I’d see her again. There had been many nights of her beautiful face torturing my dreams that I searched for her every day that I could. Any woman who could make a nigga shed a thug tear deserved to be honored and appreciated. I know it may sound silly to some people, but Yumi was and still is the girl of my dreams, and I refused to not let her see that.
I knew it was nothing but her parents’ influence that made her break up with me before she left for college. They may never have been mean to me to my face, but I felt the vibes. They didn’twant Yumi to be with me because of the rumors circulating about my parents being criminals.
This little relationship she claimed to be in was about to come to an end. Yumi belonged to me, and she was going to quickly find that out.
I cleaned up the glass and wine that was spilled on the floor, then went into the kitchen to remove the food I brought from the bags. I put the oven on the warm setting, then set the trays of greens, mac-n-cheese, and barbecue ribs in the oven to keep it warm. I removed the apple pie that was surprisingly still hot and placed it on the counter.
Removing my button-down, I placed it over the back of the couch, then went back into Yumi’s room. I knocked on the bathroom door, and a few seconds later, she responded, telling me to enter. “Cupid” by 112 played lowly over the speaker, and I smiled, seeing her relaxed.
She looked up at me and sat up some. “The only reason I’m letting you stay is because we really need to talk and set some boundaries. All of this is nice, Emery, but I really need you to hear me out.”
“I’m listening, baby.”
“We’ll talk once I’m done in here.”
“I’ll be ready. Did you want me to wash your back for you?”
