Page 35 of April’s Fool

How does this man know me so well? We’ve been married barely over twenty-four hours. We’ve barely known each other for more than a week. Yet I feel like I’ve known him my whole life. That I can look into his eyes and read him in a way I can’t with anyone else. He sees what I hide from the world.

“I just need time to come to terms with it all,” I admit.

“You can have all the time in the world, baby.” Fool dips his head and brushes his lips against mine.

“Thank you,” I whisper as he pulls back.

“Nothing to thank me for,” he grunts, though a grin tugs at his lips. “You ready to get out of here, or do you want to hang around?”

“Do you have to be here today?” I ask, hoping he doesn’t.

“Naw, but Monday, while you’re at school, the prospect is gonna hang out there while I’m in church,” he tells me, massaging my scalp.

“You know I don’t need a babysitter during class, right?”

“You might not think so, but I’m not about to let you face those dickheads alone.” The way his eyes flash with anger when he mentions the men who’ve made my life hell for the past year sends a tingle between my thighs. I like that he wants to protect me, but he also needs to know I’m not fragile.

“I can handle them. I’ve dealt with it this long.”

Fool’s grip in my hair tightens, drawing me flush against him. “That’s what you gotta understand now. You’re not in this by yourself. You never were to begin with. All you had to do was speak up. That doesn’t matter, though. You’re mine, April, fully and completely, all mine, and I’m not about to sit back while some pencil-dick polo-wearing douchebag torments you. Not going to happen. So the prospect will be on you until I finish in church.”

My heart races in my chest as I look up at this man, my man, my husband, desire flowing through me. Feeling brazen, I lift onto my tiptoes and kiss him right there in front of anyone who might be watching us.

Sure enough, people are watching us, what with the catcalls and whistling.

Fool doesn’t pay them any mind as he deepens the kiss, his tongue dueling with mine and taking command of the moment. As sore as I might be from what we’ve shared so far, my body flares to life with the need for him, a need I think will only ever be for this man holding me in his arms.

Only when Fool breaks away and rests his forehead against mine, as he so often does, do I allow myself to think about what others might see as they watch us. For once, I honestly don’t care.

I’ve always been the cautious one. The shy, timid girl. The good girl who doesn’t break rules. Who doesn’t give anyone a reason to talk about her. But with Fool, I feel as if I can be myself. The rest be damned.

“You ready to get out of here?” he asks.

“Yes,” I tell him, leaning my head against his chest. “I want to go back to the house.”

“Then let’s get the fuck out of here,” he says, chuckling.

“I need to give Kayla a key to my place first,” I mutter, remembering I still need to do it. I just haven’t had the chance with all the parents around.

Kayla and Mercy both made appearances about thirty minutes after we’d all had our ‘talk’ about how I’m related to Cannon and his brother. I haven’t really talked to Steel much, other than a few words here and there, but he doesn’t seem like a big talker, not that Cannon is.

When both my best friends stumbled into the room, looking disheveled, they got a look from several of Fool’s brothers, but Kenny waved it off, saying to leave them to get coffee and that they’d look alive after their caffeine. This is true; both of them are the same in that regard. They don’t do mornings without coffee.

I laughed when Mercy nearly bit Rimfire’s head off to get him to move out of the coffeemaker’s way.

Fool loosens his grip around my waist, lets go of my hair, and tucks me into his side, as he constantly does, then guides me over to where Kayla is sitting at the bar, staring at her phone.

“Hey,” I call out, getting her attention.

Kayla jerks upright and glances up at me sheepishly, tucking her phone back into her pocket. “Hey.”

“We’re heading out, but I wanted to give you the apartment key. That way, you don’t have to wait for us.” I pull a key I’d taken off my key ring earlier out of my pocket and hand it to her.

Fortunately, Fool’s positioning blocks anyone from seeing her take my key.

“You’re the best for this.” Kayla smiles. It’s not as bright as usual, but it’s something, at least.

“Of course,” I tell her, hugging her. “I don’t know where Mercy is, but tell her I’ll catch up with her later.”