I frowned as I thought about it. “I want something else. I love it, but the ride is so bumpy.”
He chuckled. “Because it’s meant for the terrain, not the city.”
“True. I’m ready for a smoother ride.”
“Like what?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.’
“I’ll help you look.”
Guilt made my stomach turn, but I forced a smile, looking up into his sexy, dark eyes. The thought of Mythic loitered my mind, but Damar’s love for me was so apparent, and he was committed to our life together. His touch might not have the same fire as Mythic’s, but his steady, unwavering affection was real.
I told myself it was foolish to risk everything for a what-if with Mythic, but deep down, I knew the truth. The longing for Mythic—the way he made me feel—was such a big difference to the routine comfort I was settling for with Damar. It was clear that my heart was torn.
As I held Damar close, I tried to find contentment in the life we had built together. His steady presence, his promises, and his love were real and solid. But as I nestled against him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was merely fooling myself. The truth was, my heart was still consumed by Mythic, and spending last night with him had only given him the gas to truly set my heart on fire.
MYTHIC GREY
I stared at the Instagram blog post on TheRealChicagoMedia with an amused smirk. The post was a list of missing men, all of Mexican descent. I recognized them as the Viper Crew members we’d taken out Monday night. The guys on my security detail were pros at what they did. They’d made sure those bodies were never coming back to haunt us. My team had covered every angle and detail. We were experts at making bodies disappear without a trace.
I scrolled through the comments, scanning the wild theories. One commenter was convinced that the Venezuelans who’d recently migrated to Chicago were behind it all. Another claimed it was a turf war between rival gangs.
I kept scrolling with a smirk at the corner of my mouth, envisioning each of their bodies falling one by one like dominoes.
Lelani walked into the living room and somberly headed for the door. She was hesitant and nervous with fear painting her face. It hit me hard seeing her like this, knowing I couldn’t be there for her.
She watched me reluctantly, sighing deeply. “My mom is outside.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “I can’t believe I can’t come to this appointment with you.”
She bit her bottom lip reluctantly. Her eyes and body looked tired because of the battle she was fighting. “You and my mother fight like cats and dogs—you know this. I need to focus on the treatment, not you and her bickering and talking shit to each other.”
She had a consultation appointment with her neurosurgeon this morning to prepare for her biopsy. When I started to get dressed for her appointment as well, she had the audacity to tell me that I couldn’t come because her mother was.
I threw my phone on the couch, giving her my undivided attention. “You know I want to be there for you. I hate sitting here while you’re dealing with this. This shit’s not cool.”
Lelani pouted, appearing helpless. “Please, Mythic. I need this day to go as easily as possible. My mom already refuses to miss an appointment.”
“I know how to ignore her.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t want to feel that tension. This isn’t about you or her. It’s about me trying to make it through this.”
I clenched my fists, fighting to keep my anger in check because I knew it was selfish to add to the stress she already had. “Fine. I’ll chill. But I’m not okay with this shit. I want to be there for you. Ain’t no way you should be going without me.”
Lelani’s expression softened a little. She walked over and laid her soft lips on top of mine for longer than a peck. “I know youwant to help,” she said with our foreheads touching. “I appreciate it. Just let me handle today in my own way, okay? I’ll call you as soon as it’s over.”
I nodded, though I was still frustrated. “Ah ight. Call me if you need anything.”
She gave me a small, reassuring smile. “I will. I promise.”
I watched as Lelani walked out the door, fighting the urge to disregard her needs. Each step she took stomped on my pride. I was a man who prided himself on being a protector, yet I was sitting here letting her go through this without me.
I felt like a hypocrite, though. I wanted to be there for her, but deep down, I knew it was more out of obligation than genuine desire. A real man wouldn’t let someone he cared about get this type of treatment without him. But as much as I tried to focus on that, my mind kept drifting back to Aviana.
Ever since I walked out of her suite on Monday, her memory was haunting me, sitting right there in the back of my mind. Being with her—finally getting that close—only made things worse. My obsession ran deeper now. It dug into me like a hook I couldn’t get free of.
But she was loyal to her husband. We hadn’t talked since she told me to leave, and the space between us made me want her more. I kept replaying the feeling of her against me, her smile, everything about her. It was on loop, and no matter how much I tried to shove those thoughts aside, it wasn’t happening. It was like trying to put out a wildfire with a cup of water.
