“I love him,” I told her.
“Oh, I know. I see it, and I love that for both of you. My son will love you until his last breath.”
Her comment took my breath away. She laughed at the surprised expression on my face.
“Watch what I tell you.”
Her parting statement had me laying on Zoo’s chest that night, overcome with emotion at the prospect of him being my forever.We hadn’t discussed marriage in the least, but that’s what I wanted for sure.
“I feel you thinkin’, Baby. What’s good?”
Zoo’s raspy, sleep-laden voice stirred my middle. I was still recovering from our session in the kitchen, so I didn’t want to rile him up. Therefore, I asked him something else that had been on my mind.
“If you want, you can tell me it’s none of my business. I wouldn’t be offended. What were you and your cousins outside talking about?”
Zoo chuckled. “I can tell you to mind ya business sounds like a trap.”
I busted out laughing. “It’s not; I’m serious.”
He blew out a breath, gathering his thoughts. I expected him to tell me mind my business. The fact that he was thinking about telling me made me grin like a fool. Maybe his mom was right. His hand rubbed my back before going lower to palm my butt. I loved that one of his large hands made my ass seem smaller than what it was.
“Where do you see us five years from now, Baby?” he asked.
Propping my chin on his chest, I stared at his handsome face, knowing it was what I wanted to wake up next to for the rest of my life.
“I see us laying just like this, discussing our day, reflecting on our love for each other, and knowing that tomorrow our bond will be even stronger.”
His sexy smile sent lava through me.
“Oh, yeah?”
I nodded. “Where do you see us?”
“I see us married, with a whole bunch of damn kids.”
Torn between shock and laugher, I settled for a Kool-Aid smile that showed all my teeth.
“Really?”
He nodded. “If we speak on my cousins, that’s pushing us past the point of no return. ‘Cause my family is my heart. Anybody fucks with them, it’s pretty much lights out. I wanna believe this woman laying on my chest got my back just like I got hers. That doesn’t mean I’ll involve you in street shit. I just wanna come home to you knowing you down for me through whatever happens out there.”
I ingested his words, reading between the lines. Gulping, I waited for him to elaborate.
“Teddy crossed the wrong family,” he said. “We’re gon’ deal with him, accordingly.”
So, my man and his family really were some killers out here. There was no need for me to be surprised. His cousins looked like some damn killers. I couldn’t believe what I’d said all those months ago about Zoo, Sin, and Brooklyn was actually true.
“Gatah and Stephan agreed to let me, Sin, and Brooklyn handle it, although they want to take into their own hands. They’ve handled enough shit for our family over the years. This right here has to be handled by the three of us.”
I was too scared to ask if this was his first time. Here I was, Penelope London, the woman who wouldn’t have ever laid hands on a killer, and I was laid up, being ate up, and sexed down by one.
“Teddy is light work, though,” he said, confirming my thought. “We just gotta find his ass. Ain’t too many places he can hide before we get some eyes on him.”
Quietly, I rubbed his chest, listening to the sound of the strong muscle beneath. He squeezed my ass.
“I promise won’t shit affect you in any way. My baby is a beast on the court and nothing’s gon’ come between you and ya career, unless it’s the babies I plan on puttin’ in you. I’ma protect ya name at all costs. You gon’ finish school and continue to ball thefuck out per usual. By the way, I’m sure you got a lil’ me in you already. When will we know?”
The conversation had taken a drastic turn. Yet, Zoo pulled out a valid question.
