Axton: Give me five.
By the time Akeem fills the gas tank and is back in the car, he receives the text. Five names and addresses are listed. The first one is Pri Richards and the remaining four are women possibly with the nickname: Caprisha, Priscilla, Prianna, and Pritha.
“Do you mind breakfast?” Sunjiya asks. “I don’t know why I want some but I so.”
“There’s a place still serving breakfast this late?” he questions, noticing the time. It’s after one in the afternoon, hours past normal breakfast time.
“Yeah and it’s only ten minutes from here. They sell breakfast and don’t close until three. We can make it time.”
“Lead the way. I’m just hungry. I can eat whatever,” he says and she starts the directions to Maple Street Biscuit Co.
Because Sunjiya thoroughly reviewed the menu while he was in the store and pumping gas, she knows exactly what she wants to eat and drink. After this morning, alcohol is definitely needed and they have four drinks on the menu.
“A Sunrise mimosa and glass of ice water,” she answers the server, Dreka, as soon as she questions them about beverages.
Akeem smirks at her quick response before flipping the menu over for the drinks. “A tea and water,” he says once he’s looked.
“Sweet tea?” the server questions.
“Yeah,” he says, then offers a nod.
“I’ll be right back with your tea,” she says with an extra friendly smile.
The moment she arrived at their table, she was on Akeem. Even though a blind man can see her attraction to Akeem, he doesn’t. He’s laser focused on Sunjiya, trying to gauge where she’s at mentally. Today didn’t go as planned and they are no closer to finding her sister.
However, Sunjiya definitely notices. She peeped Dreka’s overt attraction from their first interaction. When she handed Akeem his menu, Dreka brushed his hand lightly and lingered for too damn long. Sunjiya and Akeem barely know each other and their first interaction isn’t a story to repeat, but damn it, they’d fucked. They like each other and he’s obviously here with her. This extra ass server is doing too damn much. Over the server, Sunjiya tries to snatch her attention from Akeem.
“Extra ice in my water and can you get it now? I’m thirsty.”Like you.
“Got it,” she says, then finally walks off.
“I think she was counting your teeth,” Sunjiya says.
“What?” he asks, totally oblivious to Dreka and her gawking.
“Um, the server. She was staring so damn hard. She probably counted all thirty-two in your mouth,” she says and he hears the jealousy in her tone.
Although amused, he merely says, “Thirty. I had two wisdom teeth removed five years ago.”
“Whatever,” she says before playfully rolling her eyes. “You know what I meant. If she comes back being that thirsty, I’mgoing to check her. I’m sitting here; she doesn’t know if we are together or not.”
“We are together,” he says coolly and she smiles. “I’ll make it known. Scoot over,” he demands gently before easing out of his side of the booth and joining her on her side. After resting his hand on her thigh, he says, “I don’t want to talk about her. I want to talk to you. Where you at with all of this?” he says seriously.
Sunjiya inhales and exhales slowly before sinking into the back of the booth.
“I don’t know,” she admits honestly. “I just don’t know. I’m mad she had me come to Crescent Falls only to be kidnapped, but I’m more worried. Those medical records,” she says, then shakes her head. “I don’t blame her for running. What woman wouldn’t. Only so much a person could take or endure before enough is enough. Plus, I can feel it. Those medical records aren’t the full picture. I can only imagine how many times she didn’t go to the hospital.”
A tear falls from her eye. He thumbs it away then drapes his arm around her. His pull to her doesn’t make any sense, none at all, but it’s powerful and real. He just wants to comfort her, take care of her, and find Tanjaya for her.
“I just need to find her, make sure she’s okay, and kill Marcelin,” she asserts.
“I may have a new lead,” he says and she sits up at his words.
“What lead? Who? I thought you didn’t get any info on Honey,” she says, surprised, thrilled, but somewhat confused. Her eyes peer into him for answers but he waits. Dreka is back with their drinks.
“Are you ready to order now?” she asks and the change in her tone is noticeable and somewhat comical. Her voice is now devoid of the previous sweet notes and filled with bite.
“Give us a minute,” Akeem says coolly and Dreka just walks off. He slides Sunjiya her drinks then turns to face her. “I don’tknow if you remember the postcard we found at Tanjaya’s and the name Aunt Pri.”
