Page 48 of Recklessly In Love With A Ruthless Savage 2
Two days later our SUV pulled up in front of August and Anesia’s estate, and Timberly was already bouncing in her seat with excitement.
“Tati! Tati!” she squealed, spotting her friend through the gate.
Nova smiled as she turned in her seat. “Okay, baby, be on your best behavior for Ms. Patricia.”
“I’m always on my best behavior,” Timberly said, clutching her glittery backpack and sliding out of the car like she was headed to Disneyland.
Blue was already standing by the door, stoic as ever, flanked by three of August’s detail Archer, August's brother. The triplets loud, sticky, and full of chaos were chasing each other around the yard, DJ had his headphones on, and little Amyi was bossing them all like she paid the bills.
“You sure you got this?” Nova asked Archer, who had volunteered to help Ms. Patricia and the nanny what the kids.
“I survived medical school. I can handle a day with these gremlins.” He chuckled.
Ms. Patricia waved from the stairs, holding up a tray of homemade cinnamon rolls.
“Y’all better go enjoy yourselves before these kids decide y'all can’t go.”
The ladies piled out of the two SUVs in their Sunday best, heels, lashes, hoops, and just enough gloss to blind a man. They looked like a damn girl group and walked like they knew it.
“Let’s go,” Tyra said. “Bottomless mimosas ain’t gonna drink themselves.”
I stayed posted in the front seat as I watched Nova disappear into Harper's with the girls. Tight sundress, sundrenched curls, and that bounce in her step like the past few months hadn’t tried to break her. I gripped the steering wheel and let out a breath. She needed this. They all did. Kema was already loud before the door even closed. We trusted ‘em… but August and I still had Black and Blue posted two tables down, quiet and armed, just in case brunch turned into a war.
I watched Nova through the tinted glass, laughing, eyes bright, hand waving in the air as she told a story that made Tyra damn near spit her mimosa on the table. That’s the Nova I fell in love with. That’s the woman I killed for. The one I’d keep killing for if I had to. Even if it meant letting her out of my sight for a few hours with armed backup and God on speed dial. I didn’t relax, not really like she wanted me to, but I leaned back, let the engine idle, and gave her this moment. She deserved it. After everything, she earned it.
Funny how peace felt like danger when you weren’t used to it. The city was too quiet. The air too still and the fact that Sabrina was still out there somewhere. That ate at me like a flesh-eating parasite under my skin. But I pushed it down. Today wasn’t about ghosts or threats or blood. Today was about her, about us.And when she looked up and caught me watching her through the windshield. That smile she gave me. Yeah, that was worth everything.
Nova
The house felt almost normal for a while. It had been two weeks since Kyle’s death and everything seemed to be settling. Outside, the wind had calmed, giving way to cool summer air. Inside, laughter returned, halting and fragile. I sat on the porch swing, one hand resting on my belly, the other brushing hair from my face. Timberly, Tati and DJ giggled and screamed while they played.
“You can’t catch us!” Tati shrieked.
“Yes, I can!” Timberly shot back, barefoot in the grass, her laugh bubbling out.
For a second, I closed my eyes. I let myself pretend there were no boarded-up windows and no men with guns. Or no threat on the horizon. Just my daughter laughing and Crew protecting and providing for us. Crew stood by the porch rail, watching as always, eyes scanning the tree line. I looked at him, taking in the circles under his eyes. The faint tremor in his big hands.
“Sit down.”
He didn’t even glance at me.
“I’m good.”
“Crew.”
His eyes flicked to my belly, then to my face. He exhaled, slumping slightly.
“Yeah. Okay.”
He sat heavily beside me on the swing, and I leaned into him, his arm going automatically around my shoulders. We watched the kids run and play as I laid my head on his shoulder. The sun warmed my skin as we watched the kids run wild in the backyard like nothing bad had ever touched their world. Timberly’s laughter rang out as she chased Tati across the grass, both of them barefoot, faces sticky from popsicles. Amyi was holding court under the tree, braiding DJ’s curls with pink barrettes while the triplets argued over a squirt gun that clearly didn’t work. For a moment, it felt so normal. Not the kind you pray for, but the kind you fight for with blood and bone and sleepless nights. This… this was what we’d bled for. And damn if it didn’t feel like it was worth it.
I glanced over my shoulder and caught Crew watching me out of the corner with reverence and love. There was a time I didn’t think we’d get here, to this simple stretch of a good day, but we did. And I wasn’t taking a second of it for granted. I reached down and rested my hand on his thigh. And thank God for this future that wasn’t promised, but one we were ready to go to war for. Watching Timberly, strong and smiling, I knew she’d be ready too. They tried to break us… but all they did was teach us how to fight harder.
Black sat on the porch steps, shotgun resting against his leg, quietly carving something into a chunk of wood. Blue lounged on a chair nearby, assembling a new drone. looked like statues, except for the way their eyes never stopped moving. Timberly and Tati ran to them breathless.
“Uncle Blue! Uncle Black! Come play tag!”
Black didn’t even look up.
