“What? These two niggas are quiet church boys, so I had to do a little remix for their emotional asses.” Shadow shrugs.
Laughter bubbles up from my stomach before it escapes my mouth as my brothers join in.
“I think it’s time we have another church session,” Diesel says.
My forehead wrinkles, and Deacon asks the question I’m not quick enough to speak.
“Why?”
“We need to vote on a club name for Shadow’s doppelganger,” Diesel says.
“Hell yeah. She handled that shot like somebody paid her ass to do it.” Shadow cosigns.
For a second, I thought Jariyah had been spending time with Shadow, with how accurate her shot was. But I know my brother wouldn’t cross me like that. After Smoke throws Knight into the fire, we head back to our bikes to leave. My shoulders and chest are lighter, and it’s the clearance I need to head home.
Torture is being at odds with your woman but refusing to sleep without her. Torment is trying to sleep and said woman keeps backing her ass on your dick all night. Both things can be true and the explanation for my attitude the next day. Jariyah mustbe more at ease than me because I woke up before she did. Now that the dust is clear and the remaining Midnight Eagles have left town, it’s time for a come-to-righteous meeting between Jariyah and me.
My silence hasn’t been loud enough for her to truly understand the ramifications of her actions. It’s date night, but this one will be just as unorthodox as the first one between us. In an ideal world, I would fuck Jariyah into submission. But that would only serve to bring us pleasure, not to help her realize how serious things are. If Jariyah’s going to be with me, it’s vital that she truly understands how dangerous the lifestyle is. I can’t afford for someone to get at Jariyah because she’s living in the fantasy of her mother’s making. It’s real gutter in these motorcycle club streets, and I need my woman on her p’s and q’s at all times.
Once I’ve fed Diva and Lucy, I pull out ingredients to make breakfast. Thanks to Ma, cooking comes easily, and it might be the perfect starter for the conversation we need. Under normal circumstances, I would plan another date for the two of us, but things are anything but normal, and I need to lay some cards on the table for Jariyah. Her ability to go rogue is no longer an option. Part of me wishes I hadn’t taught her how to shoot while the other part of me wants to reward her for the accuracy of her shot. It’s the catch twenty-two that I can’t explain out of this entire situation.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” Jariyah’s voice sounds, and I pause the bacon flip to look at her over my shoulder.
“It wasn’t necessary. You needed the rest, and I needed the time.”
“Oh. Are—you still mad at me?” She shifts her body from side to side before she tugs at the shirt she wears that belongs to me.
“Do you still want me?”
Jariyah’s face contorts as a deep frown slides into place, and a light chuckle falls from my mouth before I turn back to the stove. What Jariyah doesn’t know is that even if she wants to change her mind about me, I won’t let her. I just need her to think about her answer.
“I didn’t think that would need validation after what I did. Did you change your mind about loving me?”
“Only death could cause my heart to change, and even then, it would be a struggle. My heart still belongs to you.”
“Then why are you asking me that?”
Silence stretches for a couple of minutes while I finish the bacon and remove it from the pan. While I like it a little crispy, I don’t want it burnt. When I’m done, I turn the eye off and turn to face Jariyah head-on.
“Your actions were reckless, to say the least. They also could have been fatal not only to you but to Nicole. It was only luck that Knight was a bitch; otherwise, this conversation wouldn’t be happening between us.” My tone deepens as my statement comes to an end.
My chest tightens, and I fight the urge to truly cuss Jariyah out.
“I didn’t want anything to happen to you,” she whispers.
“This is why I told you in the beginning that you shouldn’t desire a man like me. There will never come a time when you have to sacrifice yourself for my safety or protection.”
My eyes meet Jariyah’s, and I pray she can read the seriousness in my stare. I could blame her mother for her recklessness and defiance. But Jariyah is a grown woman who can make her own decisions. Hell, she already did when she boldly told her mother that she wouldn’t leave my club or me alone. That moment almost made me forget where we just came from as the urge to put her through a mattress surfaced. Theimage and my coolness died instantly when I felt Jariyah’s slight tremor as Mayor Owens left without a word.
“I’m sorry, babe.”
“To keep it a buck, I don’t need you to be sorry. I need you to understand that I wasn’t trying to control you when I told you to stay put. I almost died a thousand deaths when I heard you screaming after your reality set in. That shit can never happen again, Navae.”
Jariyah nods before tears slip from her eyes, instantly pricking my heart. I want to give in and console her, but damn if I’m not at war with the thought of this situation going another way.
“Ri-Righteous.” That fucking whimper breaks my armor, and I walk to Jariyah without a second thought.
I bend to pick her up as her legs wrap around my waist, and she buries her head in my chest. When her body shakes, I run my hands up and down her back as water falls from my eyes. I shouldn’t be crying, but damn if this woman doesn’t have me by the balls. For the first time since everything went down, my heart returns to its normal rhythm. I hope Jariyah is ready for her life as a member of Baxtown Iron because this thing is forever. I’m gonna marry her ass and soon.
