Page 62 of Another Night With Me

A’yanna Joseph

A Couple Days Later

“Get up,” Niko said tapping my leg as I longed on the sofa.

Today had been a pretty chill day for us mainly because I was too tired to do anything. When I say Niko turned me every way but loose last night. I woke up to a sore pussy and no energy. I figured Niko would have called me when he was on his way home. No that nigga caught me lacking talking to Kane, a nigga I’d given my number too back at the block party. We’d talk on and off for the last month or so it was nothing serious. He was someone to talk to when I was bored. It wasn’t like Niko and I were together, I didn’t see any harm in me having friends. Niko thought I didn’t peep the unsaved numbers calling and texting his phones at all hours of the day. I never said anything no matter how bad I wanted too.

If it was an outsider looking in I’m sure Niko and I looked like a couple. Since the block party we fell into a routine. I took care of Zuriyah and the house while he worked. Then we’d spend time together as a family, I would cook and then we’d end the night in one of our rooms hunching. Every Saturday was our day we spent together doing whatever came to mind. Zuriyah would either go with my mom, my sister or one of his brothers. Sundays were family day, we’d do things that center around Zuriyah.

It was safe to say I was beyond comfortable living with Niko. We’d talked about me permanently living with Niko. I still had my concerns on depending on him so much. Niko kept reassuring me that he had me but I wasn’t trying to hear that. I damn near wanted to make him sign a contract or something before I gave him that kind of control over me. I already didn’t have a job. Since I never returned to work from my maternity leave the doctors office I worked at replaced me. I honestly didn’t care, since I didn’t work as much I found a hobby I’d forgotten, cooking. I loved cooking. I remember growing up always wanting to help my mom in the kitchen. That led me to looking up recipes and trying to recreate them on my own. Eventually I started experimenting in the kitchen making my own recipes. Somewhere in life I’d forgotten my passion but since staying home I’d found it again. I think the biggest thing for me thinking you couldn’t make money in cook. I was learning how wrong I was. Solana had convinced me to start my own social media channel to show my recipes. She’d been finding success in her building channel called She Can Too. I had a few videos recorded that needed to be edited. Solana was waiting for me to come up with a name for my cooking channel. I couldn’t wait to get the ball rolling. I hadn’t told Niko yet cause I knew he’d tried to do everything for me and I wanted to do this myself.

I twisted my face up in confusion as I looked up at Niko. He was fully dressed in all white, v-neck shirt, jeans, Retro Jordan 11’s. With a few chains hanging form his neck and the icy Rolex on his wrist, Niko was dressed to impress.

“For what? I’m tired.”

“To bad we finna go get these pictures taken,” Niko replied with a smug grin tugging at the corner of his lips

“Why do I need to go take pictures with you?” I groaned, blowing out a long exaggerated breath.

“Because we taking family pictures,” He replied , rubbing his hand through his thick bread.

“Who a family?” I asked sitting up giving Niko a screw face.

”You, me and Zuriyah.”

“We share a baby Niko. You be trying to confuse stuff between us. You stay doing too much.” I snickered, shaking my head at Niko’s latest antics.

“My intentions be clear. You the only one confused.” Niko nonchalantly replied but his words caused my heart to race as I tried to make sure I wasn’t reading too much into his words.

“So so, what you saying? Cause I feel like family pictures are something couples do not two single people who share a baby.” I asked with wide anxious eyes.

“Right,” Niko coolly nodded his head. “We agree on that.”

“Stop talking to me in riddles Niko. I’m feeling like you fucking with me right now.” I said biting the corner of my bottom lip.

He smiled down at me then licked his lips. “How? If I said my intentions are clear and we both agreed on what family pictures meant. What is there to fuck with you about?”

“So we go together is what you saying? Like we dating each other exclusively?”

“Yup”

“Who decided this?” I asked looking into his passion filled eyes.

“Me.”

“But what if I want to be single?” I didn’t but Niko didn’t need to know how eager I was feeling about us being together.

He raised an eyebrow and his face said try me. “We can have a repeat of last night til you change yo’ mind.” His voice sent chills down my arms. Flash backs ran through my mind of the freaky stuff Niko had done to me.

“You don’t think you should ask me at least?”

“For what? The only answer you can give me is yes,”

I frowned, poking my lips out childishly.

Niko let out a deep sigh, “Yanna you tryne be my girl?”

I smiled bashfully, happy I’d gotten my way. “Yes Niko. I’d love too but,”