“You haven’t been here! You have no idea what’s in his best interest!”
“Because you didn’t let me be! I’ve told you a muthafuckin’ million times that you could’ve reached out to Priest if you really wanted me to know. I’m tired of this bullshit excuse of yours that I wasn’t there. Well, I’m here now, gahdamnit!”
I shove his chest, but he doesn’t move. That pisses me off even more because I’m tired of him controlling me. I know that I cannot whup Chaos’s ass, but that doesn’t stop me from trying.
Slamming my fists into his chest and shoulders, I attempt to move him out of my way. “I hate your ass! You’re so damn controlling, and I’m not anyone who needs to be controlled. Fuck you, Chaos. You’re nothing but a no-good thug trying to pretend to give a damn about our lives when you don’t. Go to hell!”
With every word that I shout, I rain down my fists on him too.
He grabs me and holds me close against his body. His voice is a dark, deep warning. “Chill ya li’l ass out before I give you some act right.”
I thrash against him again, not caring about his warning. He lifts me onto the counter and grips me under my chin. Forcefully, he tilts my head back and stares into my eyes.
“Listen to me. I’ma let all that fly shit you just talked pass. What I’m doing is in CJ’s best interest. I have no idea why this person is after you, who it is, if it’s one person or more. There are so many unanswered questions, and I’m not about to risk that little boy’s life like that when he has nothing to do with whatever choices you made.”
I want to rail against him for his choice of words, but I don’t. Ultimately, I know that he’s right, but still it hurts.
“Where is my baby? You can tell me that much!”
“He’s with Chrishanna, and they’re heading out of town somewhere safe. I can’t tell you where, because it’s best if you don’t know that right now. Just know that they’re safe, and they have brothers escorting them, sitting with them, and protecting them until they return. In the meantime, you and I will work with the rest of my brothers to clear this shit up.”
I exhale slowly. It’s not right, but I know that my baby is in good hands with my best friend and his twin.
“Are they at least in the state?”
“I’m not telling that information, but they will call when they arrive.”
He lowers me from the counter. “The other part is that Priest wants you to change the way that you look because you might have to go out in public to help us solve this case. It’s not a guarantee that you will, but if you do, we want to be prepared. They don’t want the police or anyone else to easily identify you and get to you before we figure this out. I’ll have your new ID soon.”
“No, Chaos. I refuse to do this. I’m not going to pretend that I’m someone that I’m not or wear a damn wig to appease anyone. Don’t you see? This is what that person wants, to control me. Fuck that!” I shout, stomping past me.
He grabs my arm as I pass him, and he snatches me back. His body is one firm rock against all my soft curves. “You must want your ass spanked,” he proclaims in a low, suggestive tone.
“I’m not a kid. You can’t spank my ass, Chaos.” All the rage has seeped out of me, and my voice is a soft plea.
“Then stop acting like one, having tantrums and shit like a two-year-old toddler. The fuck is this? I’m not on that, Charisma. I’m not the same man that I was before, going for your little emotional tantrums and breakdowns. That shit is old, so dead it now, and get with the program.”
As much as I hate to admit it, I know that something must be done. I exhale. “I hate this so much, Chaos.”
“I know. I promise that it will be all over soon if we get busy now.”
I realize that he’s still holding me. My eyes close, and I inhale the rich, musky, earthy scent of his leather cut and the scent of his cologne. Nostalgia washes over me at the way his muscles flex as he tightens and relaxes his hold on me.
“I refuse to get a damn makeover—and the last people I want doing it is some club whores.”
I lean back just a little and find comfort in the hard muscles of his chest, and I relish the firmness of his jean-clad thighs against the backs of mine and his bulge pressing against my ass.
“They won’t be the ones doing it. It’ll be one of our guys’ old ladies.”
“Even more fun. Yeah, no. Fuck that. I’m not doing it, Chaos. We can do it my way.”
“You don’t have a say in this. Your ass is on the line, and if you knew what the fuck to do, you wouldn’t have run your scary ass in the bar looking for help. You wanted it, you got it. Here the help is.”
My thighs clench, and I hate that my body betrays me the way that it does. I want to know exactly where my son is. I know that Chaos isn’t going to budge on that knowledge, but the way that he commands me and holds authority over me when he is guiding me and not forcing me is an absolute turn-on.
“Fuck the help, because the help fucked me!”
“Oh yeah, you ain’t been fucked yet. Tired of that smart ass mouth of yours. Shut up,” he orders, spinning me around to face him.
