Page 46 of Made to Love Ya

“I just want you and Tahj to be okay.”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen between your brother and me, and I don’t know how your parents are feeling. But I’m in this with you, baby. I’ll call your dad and talk to him tomorrow, but I’m giving Tahj a minute to chill his ass out. He might say some shit that’s gonna make me fuck his ass up. I ain’t lying, Chè.”

“I don’t want you two arguing. This is crazy.”

“I don’t want it either, but I’m not gonna have him talking crazy to you. When he hollered at you and shrugged you off him, I wanted to fuck that nigga up, baby.”

She caressed my face and stared into my eyes. “Thank you for protecting my honor.”

I chuckled. “Told ya ass I’d fight for you. I meant that shit in every way.”

I got off my knees, walked into her bathroom, and ran her bathwater. I poured lavender and vanilla into the water and lit the candles that she had on the sides of her Roman tub. As I prepared her bath water, I thought about the events of the day.

I was certain there was no way I was giving her up. As much as I wanted to make peace with Tahj and the Campbells, I wouldn’t do it at the expense of losing Talia. I had always cared about this girl, but she had come to mean more to me than she knew and in a different way. She was my heart and the center of my world in a short time.

I had always known since I’d first found myself attracted to her when she was twenty that if I ever had the chance to win her heart, I wouldn’t let go.

When I returned to her bedroom, Talia was on her side with her eyes closed.

“Come on, baby. I know that it’s been a rough evening,” I acknowledged. She opened her eyes, and the tears that were held in place behind her closed lids fell.

I lifted and carried her into the bathroom and set her in the tub. She lay back and closed her eyes. I stripped my clothes and climbed in behind her. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Talia lay her head back against my chest and scooted down further in the bathtub.

“Baby, I know that this is hard on you. I know that you love Tahj with all that’s in you, but I promise I’m gonna make this right again. I swear that you and your brother will be at peace again soon.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“Just give him some time and space.”

She nodded again. We relaxed for a while, and I massaged her hands, caressed her breasts, and rubbed her thighs for a while before it was time to wash.

I washed her and then myself before I dried her and then me. Talia’s eyelids were heavy, so I laid her on the bed and pulled the covers over her.

“I’m gonna read for a while, baby. Don’t go anywhere.”

“I’m not. I’ll be with you all night.”

She reached over and grabbed a book out of her top nightstand drawer. I grabbed the remote and turned on a college basketball game. Talia moved onto my lap to read her book.

Not even half an hour later, my baby was asleep and snoring softly. I removed the book from her hand and slid her off my lap. Once she snuggled further under the covers and nestled her head deeper in her pillow, I climbed out of bed.

I grabbed Talia’s phone and checked it. When I finished, I went into the living room with my phone. I dialed Tahj, but it went directly to voicemail. I dialed another number and waited for it to ring.

“Hello?”

“Dahlia.”

“Hey, Zae.”

“I need you to put him on the phone. You already know he’s not answering my calls.”

“Which is exactly why I’m not getting into this. You know how he feels about her, Zae.”

“Right, which is exactly why he needs to get over this shit. He’s seen how other niggas treated her. I’m the only one who’s going to love her the way she deserves to be loved. I’m the only one who’s going to protect her the way that he will, so his ass should be happy it’s me and not some other bitch ass nigga.”

“Hey, listen. I get that you’re upset. Both of you are, but don’t take it out on me.”

“My bad, D. That’s not my intention.”

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