Page 8 of Mark My Words

“What are you not telling me?”

Cleveland exhaled. “Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of anything, but you remember before you left, I told you I would watch after your mom while you were gone?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, because she doesn’t drive, one day I took her to the market after church. On the way, she had me stop by Destiny’s home. Their initial approach was warm and friendly. At least, Destiny had a smile on her face. But it slowly evaporated the more your mom went on with whatever she was saying. Unfortunately, because I was in the car, I couldn’t make it out, but their warmth turned into frost in no time. Destiny nodded, then your mom came back to the car. Her and Destiny’s relationship has been strained since or more like evaporated.”

Malik’s brows tightened as his frown deepened. He tried to imagine what that conversation could have been about and if it had possibly occurred around the same time Destiny ended their relationship.

A chill ran through him. His mother knew how much Destiny meant to him. She would never say something to ruin what they had. Would she?

His mind continued to wonder when Cleveland interrupted him again.

“Besides that, Gregory’s been trying to shoot his shot for years now, and I’d say by the way she’s listening in on what he has to say now that Destiny might just be interested.”

With his thoughts interrupted Malik’s gaze shot across the room.

“Belle,” he whispered, taking in her Disney costume—her beauty to his Beast.

Even from a distance, he could make out her cocoa neckline, flawless face, even though her eyes were covered with a mask, and lush lips that held an opulent shine. Her hair was braided and drawn in Belle’s signature updo. And the dress, while having a few clear modifications with the corset top, plastered to her figure down to her hips where it flared into the golden umbrella dress, was the epitome of sexy and class drawn together.

His heartbeat sped, and without saying so much asI’ll be back, Malik left Cleveland’s side, headed straight toward her.

The closer he drew, the more his temperature rose, nerves danced, pulse raced. She laughed at whatever Gregory said and shifted, their eyes connecting on his approach.

He saw her take in a breath, and he didn’t have the courtesy to excuse himself into the conversation before stepping between them and taking her hand in his, lifting the back of her gloved palm to his lips for a kiss.

Heat radiated between them, their eyes remaining locked.

“It has been far too long since I’ve laid eyes on you, Belle.”

Destiny shivered, caught up in the undertow of his gaze. “Beast,” she said, playing along, “I…”

He moved closer, a minuscule step that removed their personal space from existence.

“It’s been a very long time.” A smile pushed up the corners of her mouth and powered her cheeks with crimson.

“And you’re still as beautiful, if not more so, as you were when I left. Time has treated you with favor.”

A throat cleared.

“Excuse me,” Gregory intervened.

Malik kept his eyes on Destiny, bit his bottom lip as his gaze dropped to her mouth. He’d missed that mouth. The soft treat her tongue had become when they indulged in each other. He wanted to feel it again, and by the way Destiny stared back at him, she wanted to as well.

“Excuse me,” Gregory said, again, his voice rising an octave.

Barely offering him a glance, Malik returned, “You’re excused.”

With that, he stepped out and twirled Destiny into the comfort of his chest, easing into a dance as they moved away from Gregory.

“Can I have this dance?”

Destiny’s low throaty laughed heated his core all the more. “You’ve taken the dance; why ask for it now?”

He smirked. “Because I’m a consent type of man.”

“Hmmm.”

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