"I'm busy right now," he said. His voice had that cold edge to it. The one he used when he was done with someone. Final. "You need to chill. You see I’m with someone.”
The girl blinked like he'd just slapped her. She looked at me for the first time, really looked at me, like she was trying to figure out who the hell I was and why I mattered enough for him to turn her away.
Before she could say anything else, Kaseem moved. He put his hand on my waist and pulled me closer, keeping his arm around me in a way that left absolutely no room for interpretation. In a way that said without saying a single word that I was his. That whatever she thought she had with him was over before it ever started.
"Come on," he said to me, and he was already guiding me forward.
I looked back one time and watched the girl's face turn red. Watched her realize that she'd just been rejected in public for someone else. She stood there like she was about to say something, then she just turned around and walked away mad. This was awkward as hell because now I needed to know what that was all about and he kept moving like it didn’t even happen.
We got to the courthouse office and went through all the motions. Signing paperwork and documents. They told us the marriage license alone didn’t make us legally married yet. First, we had to get approved and receive the license. After that, there was supposed to be a seventy two hour waiting period before the wedding ceremony could happen, unless it got waived. Then we’d have an officiant marry us, sign the paperwork and send it back to the county to be filed. Once that happened, the marriage would become official in the state of Texas.
Basically… once we walked out this courthouse, all we had left to do was actually say ‘I do.’
The whole time we were signing, I couldn't stop thinking about the way he pulled me close. The way he didn't even hesitate when that girl tried to touch him. The way he made it clear that I mattered more than whatever he had going on with her.
When we finished, the woman said congratulations and smiled. Kaseem nodded. I said thank you. But neither one of us was looking at each other. We were both caught up in what happened in that hallway.
We walked back out toward the truck and the silence between us was heavy. Different from the silence at breakfast. This one had weight to it. This one meant something.
"That was..." I started but I didn't know how to finish the thought.
"What shordie did was disrespectful as hell and I’m sorry. Her pops is a friend of the family as I used to fuck around with her from time to time. It was never nothing serious. Although I don’t owe you no explanation. I want you to know that I don’t fuckwith what she just tried to do.”he said, opening the truck door for me. "That's handled."
But I was worried about it. Not about the other girl. About what it meant that he cared enough to handle it. About what it meant that he didn't want her thinking she had a chance with him when I was standing right there. So did this mean he was feeling something for me too?
Damn I hated this feeling. I had a man of my own who I knew was worried sick about me. I needed to at least call him and let him know I’ve decided I’m not ready for anything serious. That way he won’t be thinking about me or thinking to come and look for me.
I got in the truck and he closed the door and walked around to the other side. When he got in, he didn't have the driver to start the engine right away. He just sat there looking out the window in deep thought. His jaw clenched, staring out at the parking lot like he was working through something in his head.
"We good?" I asked, and my voice was smaller than I wanted it to be.
He looked over at me and something in his expression softened just barely before he locked it back down.
"Yeah," he said. "We good."
But we both knew we weren't good. We were something else entirely now. Something that didn't have a name yet. Something that had started with him laying with me last night. Then, him pulling me close in front of a girl who thought she had a claim on him.
He had the driver start the truck and we pulled out of the parking lot. The whole ride back to the compound neither one of us said a word. But his hand found its way to my thigh about halfway through, and I didn't move it away.
I just sat there with my hand on top of his, almost legally married now to a man who was supposed to be a transaction but starting to feel like something completely different.
When we got back to the compound, I asked him for my phone.
He looked at me for a second like he was deciding whether that was a good idea. Then he nodded.
"You can have it in your room," he said. "But remember, somebody's listening."
I didn't care who was listening. I needed to make those calls. I’d been held up for days like a damn criminal with no electronics. I was thankful master trusted me enough to even watch tv. Damn.
He went into his office and I went to my room. A guard followed me, stood in the doorway while I made calls. I already knew the drill.
I called my aunt first.
"How is everything?" I asked, keeping my voice light even though my stomach was in knots.
"Everything is good," she said. "But I was told to tell you that you need to send more money. The cost of everything is going up. Clothes, food, everything."
My heart dropped. I'd just sent money three days ago.
