“He’s not my boy,” I told him before asking, “why would he be following you?”
“I’m used to attracting men just as much as I attract women. Doesn’t bother me in the least and I know he goes where the wind blows as they say. You just…never know what everyone’s intentions are…He’s cool though, really interesting…and he’s into you bad.” Solomon slowly nodded as the rest of his thoughts were kept to himself.
“Harvey is resourceful and useful at the best of times,” I admitted. “The rest is purely sexual and nothing more.”
We came to a stop after looping around Legacy Park, took a seat at one of the benches, and stared at Drew Collins in its night time form. The decorations for the games were underway as the school prepared for the big event coming up. I was about to say something when I saw his phone light up. Smiling, I leaned in, feeling the utmost comfortable with him as I watched him swipe through the screen. A contact under the nameSpicepopped up asking if he was coming over tonight. Just from their messages, I could see they’d been talking, mostly arguing and going back and forth but other times, he was asking to see this Spice. I was about to tease him about his many women until I saw a familiar emoji and punctuation that I’ve only ever seen used in the same text from Isis. Suddenly, the rush of messages I was able to read made sense. The awkwardness of the two when we’re all together and avoidant eye contact from her. Either they slept with one another over the winter break, or they planned on doing it now,if not already. Their texts read like they’ve known each other for a while, and that they were familiar and comfortable with one another.
“You see those two students right there?” He asked in a low voice. Solomon nodded his head towards the two walking down the pathway as they buried their faces into the phone. “They are watching other students.”
“What do you mean?”
“Xavier has people watching and listening in on conversations,” he whispered as the two drew closer. “He calls them the Night Watch. Anybody can sign up after a basic screen test.” When they gave us a single nod, I smiled as they kept walking, feeling dragging against the concrete until they disappeared into Legacy Park. “I have my people follow and track every single one of them, so I know what’s being said, and what’s being heard. They report everything back to him and he in return, reports it back to the Dean who he’s sleeping with.”
I stared at him in awe before remembering exactly who he is. Solomon is what most men think they are when they scream alpha male, but he embodied it and in the most subtle of ways.
“Why are you at Drew Collins?” I asked. He pulled his eyes away from the two for a moment to stare at me.
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you at this school? What are you trying to gain? Most come here so they can earn a residence here or a job…What is your reason for starting Drew Collins last year?”
“I’m just here to see how things operate from day to day…taking notes here and there. Making sure my people are getting a good education,” he simply said with a growing grin before leaning in. “Be careful and move smart from now on. Tell Asha to calm the fuck down and wait to turn up until the very end.Alright? Tell her to save it…We’re going to need it...just as the games begin…it will be the beginning of the end.”
“What do you think is going to happen?”
Solomon kept his eyes on the two that disappeared into the wooded area of the Grounds. Just from his energy, he radiated a sense of caution but calm waters.
“We just need to be ready for anything.”
…
So Harvey was essentially right. I quietly let myself back into the dark home and heard his brother Cedric’s TV going off behind his bedroom door. I saw my things gathered downstairs but decided to walk back up the creaky steps and head towards his room. Did I plan on apologizing? No. Smiling, I quietly opened the door and saw Harvey was sitting up with a small headlamp and a book in his hand. He only looked up for a moment before reaching to cut the light and the official lamp on his night stand off.
“You waited up for me,” I said, amused.
“You can’t carry the things back to your dorm by yourself.”
He got up completely naked in his muscular and glorious specimen frame while I walked towards the bed and began to undress. When he saw what I was doing he shook his head.
“No, go home. Since you think I’m this fucking monster preying on your little precious feelings. Go back to your cheap ass dorm–––”
“I don’t want to,” I pouted softly. “A part of you was right about me.”
“I know it.” He stood with his hands on his hips and everything else just swinging and hanging in between. “But you were wrong about me. I’m honest and call it how I see it. You suppress a lot of shit babe. You even suppress your voice. That little oh…woe is me, I’m little miss Pretty Country Bumpkin,” he mimicked with a high-pitched tone. My face broke into an infectious grin before covering my mouth to keep from snorting in laughter. “It’s all fake. You’re fake as shit. You sit on this high horse that’s really just those cheap mechanical toy ponies you pop a quarter in to ride outside of the store. As long as others see this majestic looking horse, it doesn’t matter. No baby, I see through that. I saw it from the first time we met. You’re broken beyond repair. That’s why none of these relationships are authentic.”
“Including ours?”
His eyes blinked to black as he crossed over the room in one swoop and came to stand directly in front of me with a sharp inhale. His spine began to slowly stretch as his neck twisted to the side. He was trying not to shift into his true form but as soon as I stepped out of my panties, he swooped me up in the air as I yelped with a squeal. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I let him turn me around and lay me gently back on the bed as he kissed me. Just underneath the collar bone with a faint peck of his lips.
“Solomon told me he saw you above ground,” I whispered. Harvey cut his blackened eyes towards me when they blinked back to its natural color.
“What did he say?”
I brought my hand to his head, letting my nails gently scratch at his scalp as his shoulders curled, reacting to the soothing touch. So when he grabbed my wrist to bring towards his lips fora kiss, I smiled. Harvey had a way of worshipping me without the desperation or obsession, and without falling into total submission. He was always in control, dominant, and assertive all while making me feel like he couldn’t do without me.
“What did he say to you?” He asked again as his face hovered inches away from mine. His eyes, the color of a dark mass swirling full of sexual energy. I leaned up for a kiss and pulled at his lower lip to bite when he grinned. “Did he say you will be Mrs. Miller by the end of the year?”
“Please Harvey,” I scoffed softly as I wrapped one arm around his neck, readying myself for him. I could feel his muscles hardened against his skin from his back to his thighs and in between. “I will never marry you.”
