Page 118 of Tangled Hearts
Her words hit him harder than he wanted to admit. He walked past her into the living room and sat down, elbows on his knees. “You don’t think I know that?”
“I think you do. I just don’t think you’re ready to fix it yet.” She didn’t wait to hear what he had to say, instead she moseyed into her room.
Rock leaned back into the plush couch, just staring up at the ceiling. His chest felt heavy, like every word she threw at him was a truth he didn’t want to swallow. He rubbed his palms over his head, thinking about how much he wanted to do right but never quite knew where to start.
He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting in the same position with Lorraine’s pretty face looping over and over again in his head. But it had to be a long time because the sound of Shakeisha clicking into the living room in heels pulled him from his mental prison.
“Where you going?” he asked, his eyes low like he’d smoked a pound of weed.
A short satin dress hugged her curves. It was a soft pink color that popped against her brown skin. Strappy heels clicked across the floor as she checked herself in the mirror near the door, adjusting a small clutch under her arm.
She didn’t hesitate to say, “a date.”
His head snapped toward her. “Dead ass?”
Rock’s eyes ran over her body. He hated how good she looked when she wasn’t dressing for him. He hated knowing she was about to sit across from another man, laughing the way she laughed at him earlier, giving away the softness that he was just starting to realize he needed.
“I’m single, Rock. You don’t get to dictate my moves.”
He stood up, so much taller than her. “I want to see where we can go.”
Shakeisha raised an eyebrow. “Is it becauseshedoesn’t want you?”
They hadn’t talked about where he and Knycole stood, but she could read between the lines. Whatever they had was done, and it wasn’t Rock who pulled the plug. Knycole had to be the one to let him go. Everybody knew her heart was tied to Hov. Shakeisha never understood how she even thought aboutwalking away from him. That man was rare. Gentle when it mattered, reckless when it didn’t, but never half stepping about his people.
Rock wasn’t weak by any means, but if she was in Knycole’s shoes, she would’ve chosen Hov without hesitation. Over and over again. That didn’t mean she couldn’t see the good in Rock. He had his own shine. If he’d handled her right when he first came home, she would’ve picked him in a heartbeat. She wasn’t bitter about what went down when they were younger—she’d already healed from that. What mattered now was that he understood she wasn’t that girl anymore. Life had flipped on her, forced her to grow up, and she wasn’t about to let anybody drag her back into places she’d already fought her way out of.
“Nah. I know I haven’t been handling you right, but I’m trying. I want to try.”
“Okay,” she answered plainly.
Angry dimples sunk his cheeks. “Okay?”
“Yea. But understand you gotta put in the work like anyone else. Show up. Date me. Sweep me off my feet because it’s what I deserve. Words don’t mean much when the actions don’t match.”
Rock reached for her wrist. “I can do that.”
“Then start.” She slid her hand free and grabbed her purse.
“Where we stand then?”
Shakeisha looked him dead in the eyes. “You’re the father of my daughter, and I’ll always respect you for that. But if you want me, show me. Until then, I’m dating and having fun.”
Her heels clacked against the floor as she headed to the front door. Rock stood there staring after her, the weight of her words heavy in his chest. For the first time, he didn’t want to run from it.
He crossed the room before she could grab the doorknob. His hand pressed against the wood, trapping her there. She tried tokeep her face straight, but her breath caught when he leaned in close.
“You leaving me like this?” His voice brushed her ear, low and rough.
Shakeisha’s chest rose against his. “You had your chance to claim me, Rock. You gotta come harder this time around. Until then, I’m outside, baby daddy.”
“I’m not tryna stop you from living,” he murmured, sliding his hand down her arm. “I’m telling you I want to be the one you live with. The one you breathe with.”
Her lips parted, but before she could answer, he tilted her chin and kissed her hard. She tried to push him back at first, palms flat against his chest, but the fight left her as fast as it came.
Their kiss deepened, tongues clashing, years of frustration spilling out in one pull.
His hands found her waist, gripping like he was scared she’d vanish. Her dress rode up as he carried her to the counter, spreading her knees with his hips. She clutched his braids, pulling his mouth closer until she gasped against him.
