I swallowed all the emotion that wanted to bubble out of me as I retightened my grip on her. “Do you know the full story?” She shook her head, stroking my facial hair. Her eyes were so kind I couldn’t resist the urge to spill my soul. “We were playing in the backyard at my mom’s new boyfriend’s house. He was the first one after my father passed away. He had a pool, and Quamain was always a damn dare devil. His little ass raced across the yard and launched himself in the pool. The deep end at that. I think it was like eight feet worth of water. Soon as he hit the surface and went under, he began to panic.”
I squeezed her while laying my head on her chest. Her skin was soft like silk. I allowed my eyes to drift close, as the steady beat of her heart woke up the part of me who’d been in a deep slumber without her. “I jumped in after him when I realized what was happening, but I couldn’t fucking swim. Somehow, I was saved, but he wasn’t . . .” My voice became hoarse as I recalled the sounds of that man screaming. “When I heard that guy screaming, it was like I was back at that pool hearing my brother cry for help. All I could think to do was save him because . . . because I thought it was Main, and I had another chance to make things right.”
Emptying the truth in the air ruptured the cap I had on my emotions. I couldn’t control my tears, which infuriated me. I didn’t want to seem weak in front of Lo. She was depending on me to protect her and keep her safe. No one wanted to see their bodyguard in shambles, but the situation at the beach triggeredme. First, by Harlo almost running in, not knowing the danger, then me running in to save someone else. I couldn’t even feel the earth under me right now. All I could feel was Lo’s soft body as I kneaded it in my hands.
“I’m so sorry, Quadior,” she whispered in the kindest voice. If I wasn’t damn near in her skin, I wouldn’t have heard her. “You are so brave to always try to save other people, even at the cost of your own life. I don’t know why the Lord kept you and took your brother. I hate that you’re in pain, though, and honestly, I am so grateful for you. You’re the only reason I’ve been able to smile lately and fucking breathe, despite the chaos in my life.”
Lifting my head, I searched her eyes. I had to know if she meant what the fuck she said, and what I found in their amber depths had me brushing my thumb along the surface of her birthmark. I gripped her neck tightly before snatching her face to mine. The best part of all was that she trusted me enough to let me do it. Even after all this time apart, she still trusted me. When her lips collided with mine, I felt the entire earth fucking shake.
The surface of her lips was pillow like, and her tongue looking for permission to enter my mouth had my dick so hard it left a tent in my shorts. “Fuck, I missed you,” I muttered, though my body was screaming for me to shut the fuck up. I only released her from the kiss because I had some shit to say. “You fucking walked away from me, Harlo, without ever really giving me a chance.”
Her eyes dropped low because she understood we were finally having this conversation. We had to before I allowed myself to feel the inside of her soul again. If we didn’t have an understanding, then I couldn’t even do that shit to myself a second time.
“I know, and I’m sorry.” She tossed her hands in the air before her head dropped back with her eyes on the ceiling. “I wasyoung. I thought I knew what was best for me, and a member of CCB could never be that. I knew how you felt about me, and I still walked away.” When she finally looked at me again, I saw the regret etched in the lines on her forehead. “I am sorry, Quadior. I do need you. I need you so fucking bad my life depends on it.”
Hearing her say that shattered the part of me that wanted to resist the love I still had for this fucking girl. Because I was her first, I thought I would be her first love, too, but then she decided I wasn’t good enough because I was CCB. And the worst part was I never could tell anybody what we’d done and how it tore me the fuck up inside.
For some reason, Lo walking away from me reminded me of the way my mother did after Main’s death. Losing her husband and son within two years ruined her. She never was the same, until her depression finally ended her life some years later, but Prada and I were already abandoned by then. If it wasn’t for Quick looking out and allowing me to work security for CCB Armed, I wouldn’t have been able to take care of us.
Lo’s soft hand resting on my cheek brought me back to the present. I glanced at her and knew there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. Nothing I wouldn’t give to ensure her happiness, even if it meant letting her walk away and eventually marrying a lame ass nigga. I remembered I stopped breathing when Keem told me she was getting married. All I could do was wish her well, and my wishes clearly weren’t good for shit, because she was far from well.
“I’m not a nigga you play with twice, Harlo. If you want me too, you better let it be known now. It wouldn’t change the way I show up for you. You got the protection of me and CCB no matter what.”
Instead of using her words, I watched Harlo lower herself to her knees in front of me. I had to keep my body calm and mybreaths even until I knew what she was about to do. She went into my swim trunks and released my fully erect dick. Soon as she looked at him, he was ready to say hi, by producing a bead of precum on the tip.
Harlo was currently wearing her natural hair wild and curly, so she used the scrunchie on her wrist to put it up in a bun. She returned her eyes to mine as she slid me into her mouth. I hissed because that shit felt so fucking good. She continued to suck, allowing herself to go as deep as she could before having to come up for air. She gripped it at the base, then began to stroke in tune with her suctioning.
I gripped her bun to slow her down because I was almost about to crawl out of my seat. “You sucking that muthafucka like it’s yours.”
She smirked with spit rolling down her chin. “It’s supposed to be.” Her response stole my voice, coupled with her getting back to work. I didn’t have anything to say back to her anyway, ’cause yeah, it was supposed to be hers. She stopped and said, “Actually, it is going to be mine. That’s the whole point of me getting down on my knees like this, Dior. To show you that I want you too.”
Hearing her confession had me ready to bust all over her lips, but I managed to hold it in. “Let’s go to the bed.”
She smiled with a nod. She took a step back to allow me to stand. Since my swim trunks were already down, I left them on the balcony. I had a mission and no time to delay on getting what I deserved. I hiked Lo up around my waist like she was light as a feather. She nibbled on her bottom lip, clearly impressed by my strength.
“Why you smiling like that? Yo’ last nigga never picked you up ’cause he was weak, ain’t it?”
Harlo shook her head with a sad look in her eyes. “No, he actually preferred to call me fat ass. That was his only way of lifting me up—encouraging me to lose weight.”
When I said that, it was just a joke, but I could tell the things he said bothered her. “Fuck that nigga, mama. You’re fucking perfect.”
I laid her on the bed, determined to prove a point. Since she was only wearing a two-piece bikini and a coverup, I had immediate access to her body. I pushed her legs straight up into the air. Pushing her bikini bottoms to the side, my nostrils got a good whiff of her natural scent, and all decorum I had flew out the window.
She was already wet and pulsing for me. I swiped my tongue across her clit, forcing her to arch her back on the bed. She held onto my head as I continued my assault on her pussy. Every drop she leaked, I was there to catch with my tongue. Hearing her moan was the most beautiful music to me.
Inserting a finger inside of her, I started to prepare her for my dick. Each pump increased her wetness until it was spilling out of her like a leak. Her clit looked so plump and edible, I continued to suckle it like it had the ability to dispel nectar. The more she moaned, the harder I went until I felt her legs shaking. Refusing to give her any relief, I pushed her knees to the bed and stood with my dick in hand.
I used the tip to play with the mess I’d created with my mouth. But that shit was more torture for me than her, so I slapped it on her clit, then pushed inside of her. Lo’s mouth fell open in a silent O, and it was so satisfying to watch her realize I was bigger than she remembered.
“Look at me,” I commanded in a guttural tone. She was driving me mad, and I wasn’t even in the pussy for a minute yet. Lo’s eyes popped open and took a second to focus on me. Leaning forward, I started to stroke in and out of her, never oncebreaking eye contact. “You gon’ run from me again after I give you this dick?” She shook her head adamantly, but it wasn’t good enough. “Use your words, Lo. Let me hear you, mama.”
“No, I’m done with running. I’m yours,” she confessed breathlessly when I sank a little deeper inside of her. “You feel too fucking good, Dior.”
I smiled, knowing that I was only getting started with her ass. I quickened my pace when she started to tighten around my shaft. Lo’s pussy fit me like a glove and was as tight as the night I took her virginity. I slid out of her, and Lo frowned.
“What are you doing?”
Instead of replying, I motioned for her to stand up. When she did, I hoisted her up around my waist. It took only a second to position myself right, then I dove right back inside of her. I made sure my feet were planted firmly before I began to bounce her up and down on my dick with ease. I needed her to know I wasn’t that last nigga. I could handle her in every way possible.
