Page 82 of Honey Sugar
He was letting me know that if him and his father weren’t too torn up over their own son and brother getting killed then they sure as fuck wouldn’t blink twice at my damn funeral.
Message received.
I wanted to get the entire day over with and behind me. I wanted to start a new chapter after closing Mario’s book altogether. “So are you going to let Mario know you were in on this shit all along?” I asked, Bear.
“I don’t know. We’ll see how I’m feeling when the time arrives. Until then, mind if I pay my respects to your family?” He looked at me for an answer.
“Nah. I’d rather you didn’t. Only family is allowed on the plot to mourn.”
“Good man.” He slapped my back and walked over to an iron bench tucked away under a huge weeping willow tree. When he took a seat, I headed in the house. Being around Bear for too long made me uneasy. I felt like I was beginning to see the layers peel back from him and what I saw underneath was darkness submerged in death.
It didn’t scare me like I’m sure it was intended to but it did make me careful of how I moved around him. I walked into the kitchen and called Ivy to see how things were going at Honey Sugar. I knew she was there handling everything by herself while I took care of business and I hated the thought of leaving her hanging.
What if she had another moment where she felt weak?
“Hey, Titan,” her voice was soft and sweet. Just what I needed to dissolve the tension mounting inside of me.
“What’s up, baby girl? How’s it going at Honey Sugar?”
“Ugh,” she groaned. “It’s busy as hell. I can’t wait to close up for lunch in a little while. I think you’re right, Titan. We need some help. I’m swamped without you here. I had to turn away people out back for moonshine. They were like big ass red flags telling the cops where to go.” I could picture her rubbing her forehead and trying not to tug on her ear. I felt her anxiety.
“Take a deep breath. We’re bringing in enough money, Ivy. You can close up early.”
“I thought you were coming to help out after you got done with Bear.”
“Yeah, I thought so too but he’s still here. He’s out back right now. I think he’s going to stick around until after everything is done. I have to play my hand right, baby.”
“I know. I know. Okay, I might close up at lunchtime.”
“Yeah. Do that. I want to look at your face anyway.”
“You do?” The smile in her voice was fucking adorable. I wanted to press my lips to hers and hook my arm around her waist.
“I do. So bring your pretty ass home. After I kiss you like I want to…I’m going to fuck you like I want to. I need to feel your tight pussy wrapping around my dick.”
“Titan,” she hissed at me. I knew she was grinning her ass off. “I gotta go. Customers.” She hung up the phone and I laughed a little. I knew she was going to bring her ass home at lunch though.
I heard the back door close and I walked down the long hallway to meet Bear. “You didn’t have any of your men follow you here?” I quizzed.
“Nah. They don’t go everywhere with me. I like to move unencumbered unless I feel there’s a need for backup.” We headed to the living room since the parlor was still tough for me to sit in.
“So you felt there was a need for backup when you came to the dispensary a few weeks ago?” I quizzed.
“Yeah. I’m walking into a place with you and Don. Even though you two are cool I still didn’t know what the fuck could happen. As long as things are even I’m good.”
“So, since me and you are one-on-one you don’t need anyone,” I chuckled.
“Nah, it’s not that. Sometimes things can be uneven with only one other person in the room if you know who you’re fucking with. Like with Mario? I’d have backup because he’s a fucking snake. He has so many personalities and faces…I can’t keep up. With you, what you see is what you get for the most part. Plus I don’t get the vibe that you’re trying to fuck me over. At least not enough to try anything stupid like killing me. Your motive is different and your sights are set on Mario.”
“True.” I nodded slowly then turned on the TV. I needed something to break up the intense bouts of silence between Bear and me. The ice was completely broken once Bear asked if I had a Play Station. I hadn’t played video games since coming to Sugar Bayou. Too much heavy shit had transpired.
After Bear asked, I hooked up my console to the TV in the living room and we played Madden. It was the perfect way to blow off steam while I waited for Ivy to come home.
…
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
After talking to Titan on the phone before the morning rush came flooding into Honey Sugar, I realized how much I missed him. I realized how much I wanted to be at his side even if he was worried about my safety. If I wasn’t safe beside Titan then I wasn’t safe anywhere in the world.
