“Uh un. Please don’t talk like that.”
“It has to be said, baby. I want to make sure I’ve lived, I’ve loved, and created love with the love of my life. This will all be yours, too. I was hoping you could help me fund my school. I want kids who’s just like me to tap into their passions and be as creative as their hearts desire, which isn’t just about painting. You can create art in anything, be it dancing, writing, playing an instrument, painting, rapping, or singing. This school will provide that for those who want that.”
I stared at him in complete admiration. “You are amazing. I want to suck your dick right now.”
He laughed heartily as he kissed my lips and pulled me up from the couch. “I promise I’ll feed you this dick later. Right now, daddy has to clock in the bag.”
I sucked my teeth and pouted. “I guess I can let you go. I have to go into the office anyway to meet with the defense team. Prayerfully, we’ll have some good news to report, and by Thursday, they should be free.”
“I’m sure they will.”
“I do have one question, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Do you know what happened to Leyla Johnson?”
“I do.”
“And?”
“She won’t be a bother anymore.”
“What does that mean, Emery?”
“What I just said, Yummy. Let that be that.”
I whispered as if someone was listening. “You didn’t kill her, did you?”
Emery smirked and shook his head. “Enough questions. Grab ya bag and let’s roll, mamas.” I tossed my hands up and grabbed my things, following him out of the room. He grabbed a board covered with the tablecloth, handed me the bag of my leftover food, and we left the building.
“Did you drive?” he asked once we made it outside.
“No, I had car service bring me because I knew I’d be drinking.”
“Juno!” he called out to his driver. Juno looked over at us.
“Yes, Mr. Emery?”
“Be sure that my wife gets home okay. Got me?”
“Sure thing, Mr. Emery.”
“You’re not going to come with me?”
“I’ll see you at home later.” He kissed me once again, promising to call me when he was done with his task for the day. “This is for you. Don’t look at it until you pull off. I love you.”
I smiled. “I love you more, big poppa.” We both laughed as he opened the truck’s back door and helped me inside. When the door closed, I pulled the covering from the canvas, and my mouth fell agape when I saw the painting of me lying on the couch asleep, wrapped in the blanket. It was so detailed that I felt like I was looking at myself in live form.
A sadness washed over me from the nostalgic feeling of the days when he would sketch me. We missed so much time together. I blamed myself for walking away from him when I knew the person he was wasn’t what my parents claimed him to be. To the outside world, he may have been a ruthless crime boss, but with me, he was a gentle giant that I loved with my whole heart.
Liam should never have been in my life as long as he was. The entire time we spent together was nothing but a lie, and he betrayed me in the worst way.
Emery would never.
I didn’t need to know that this man genuinely loved me because he showed me how much he did with every waking moment that I spent with him. I hated myself for being loyal to the wrong people. This man closed the door to his heart, never giving it to anyone else, while I gave mine to a nigga who played in my face and made me his unsolicited side bitch for six consecutive years.
I didn’t deserve Emery.
