Page 8 of Juke
“I didn’t wanna tell you like this, but you needed to know.”
I nodded slowly, but my throat tightened. “I didn’t think… I mean, I knew it was coming eventually, but hearing it out loud makes it real.”
Juke’s jaw ticked. He leaned forward slightly, one hand reaching out to pull me to him. I didn’t resist. I let myself fall into his chest, and his arms came around me like a shield. Strong. Warm. Steady.
“You’re safe,” he murmured. “You hear me?”
I nodded against him, breathing in deep, trying to slow my heart.
“I don’t feel safe,” I whispered.
“You are,” he said firmly. “You got me. I’ain letting nobody touch you, shorty. Not while I’m around.”
“I hate how scared I still am.”
“Fear means you survived some shit, but now it’s my job to make sure you don’t have to feel it again.”
I closed my eyes and let myself stay there a minute longer. Let the beat of his heart ground me. Let his strength settle me.
After a while, he leaned back, just enough to look me in the face. “You want me to stay tonight?”
“I’ll be okay,” I blurted. “You don’t have to.”
He looked at me for a long moment, his stare so intense it almost scared me.
“Aight,” he said, finally, nodding. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Rashad…”
“I’ll be out here,” he said, quiet but firm. “Go do what you need to do. I’ain going nowhere.”
I didn’t argue again. I stood slowly, still holding the blanket like it could protect me from anything that wasn’t him.
“Okay,” I whispered.
And for the first time in a long time…even with fear tugging at every nerve in my body… I believed him.
3
Juke
I blinked a few times and stretched slow, shoulder popping from how I slept. Sophi’s couch wasn’t small, but I wasn’t exactly built to be sleeping on no fucking couch. Still, I’d take a sore back over the idea of Sophi spending the night scared and alone any damn day. I sat up and rubbed my face before I headed down the hall to the bathroom. Once I made it to the bathroom, I handled my business, then washed my hands and splashed water on my face to help wake me up. I didn’t plan on staying, so I didn’t have a toothbrush. I knew Sophi had extras, but I needed to go find her and get one.
I stepped out the bathroom, then headed toward her bedroom. I paused for a second before knocking twice against the frame, waiting for her to respond. Moments later, I heard her voice, muffled but clear. “Yeah?” She answered.
I eased the door open just a crack. “You got a spare toothbrush?”
She was still in bed, curled on her side in a T-shirt that slid off one shoulder, the comforter pulled to her waist. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and the room smelled like vanilla and something soft I couldn’t name. Her eyes met mine and lingered. “Yeah,” she said slowly, voice still thick from sleep. “Top shelf in the hallway closet. They’re in a clear box.”
“Aight. ’Preciate it.”
I didn’t move right away. Neither did she. I looked at her longer than I should’ve, letting my eyes drag over her blemish free chocolate covered face, the dip of her neck, the way her fingers clutched the edge of the blanket. She looked… vulnerable. Still a little shaken, even under all that calm she liked to wear.
“You good?” She asked breaking the silence.
“Yeah,” I said, stepping back finally. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be out the way.”
She nodded, biting her bottom lip like she was trying to figure out what to say. I didn’t give her time to overthink it. Nodding, I turned and went to the hallway closet, found the box she mentioned, and grabbed a toothbrush. After I brushed my teeth and rinsed my face again, I headed toward the kitchen. Sophi was already there when I walked in. She had on the same T-shirt that barely covered her shapely thighs. She had on those lil’ ass shorts females liked to wear around the house, and her pretty feet were bare minus the white French tip line on her toes. Sophi was hands down the prettiest chick I’ve come across, and that included her soul. Her chocolate skin and chinky eyes were just a plus. From my knowledge, she wore her own hair most of the time, which was already dark and long like the shit these hos paid for. Her back was turned to me, so she didn’t know I was behind her, watching her like a creep.
