Page 79 of His to Have
The accusation stung more than I expected. He was right, in a way. I’d told myself I’d never be like my family. Never accept this life. Yet I accepted a marriage arrangement, let someone else control my choices. Broke up with Corey because Teo said so. Maybe I was exactly like them.
“I knew I should have listened to my family. They never liked you anyway.”
He took a step closer, and before he could even get into my personal space Teo had him hemmed up. One hand clutched the collar of Corey’s shirt, the fabric bunched tight beneath his fist, as he dragged him in close with no effort at all. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t chaotic. But it was menacing.
I knew in that moment; Corey was a dead man walking.
“Let’s not cause a scene,” Teo said, calm as ever.
Then, like it was nothing, he pushed him off, patted Corey’s shirt down, and smoothed out the wrinkles with that same steady hand. It was so damn polite, but I knew better.
Corey didn’t move right away. His pride wouldn’t let him back down too quick, but Teo’s stare didn’t budge. Not once. When Corey finally stepped back, it was slow. His eyes dartedtoward me, searching for something. Maybe an apology. I had nothing more to offer. I’d already tried to be nice and give an explanation, and I was met with resentment.
With a deadly ass smirk on his face, Teo leaned in so only Corey could hear. “I’ll be seeing’ you.” Then he followed it up with a nod.
And there it was.... the threat.
Corey didn’t respond. He just walked out, his silence louder than anything he could’ve said.
Once he was fully out of sight, Teo looked at me, and asked, “You good?”
I nodded once, but it was more muscle memory than truth. My nerves were still catching up, while my heart thumped wildly in my chest. I didn’t know what I felt. Part of me felt guilty forknowing I always had feelings for Teo. And Corey was collateral damage in something that was always bigger than any of us. Another part of me was relief. That chapter of my life was finally closed?
I took a deep breath and steadied myself, and found a way to get back to Teo’s and I’s peaceful day. There was no way I would let this day turn to shit. I was determined to focus on the present and enjoy every moment with Teo.
twenty-one
Teo
“You’re supposed to be coaching me. Not just looking at me like you wanna eat me,” Yanna turned her body to face me. The small smirk on her face told me she knew exactly what she was doing... and saying.
“I wanna do more than that.” I caught her finger as it made a path down my chest. “You are playing with fire.”
I moved in closer placing her palm on the physical proof of what her teasing was doing. She let out a soft hum, as she allowed her fingers to curl just slightly. Her eyes fluttered closed, just briefly, as my erection grew tighter in my slacks.
Everything about her was driving me wild. Her scent… her body…hell even the way she so boldly fondled me openly in a club full of people was damn intoxicating.
Snatching her fingers away from the front of my pants, she turned around and leaned over the craps table, placing her ass right on my groin.
“Fuckin’ tease,” I growled under my breath, trying to maintain some semblance of control.
We were at Vortex, an underground lounge tucked away on the outer edge of Atlanta. We had one goal tonight. That was to restore order. But we would at least enjoy ourselves while we waited for the main attraction.
Orlando and Bianca.
She leaned over the green felt table, rolling the dice that was tucked away in her hand. My eyes followed the flick of her wrist, and then drifted to the end of the table as the dice flew from her fingertips. They tumbled across the surface, landing on a total of two.
“Craps,” the counterman announced, shaking his head and a collective groan echoed around the table.
“Damn.”
Ayanna’s mouth twisted into a tiny frown as her weight shifted from one hip to the other, blowing out a slow breath through her nose. It was more exasperated than upset. She had just wiped out the last of the money I had given her to play with, an easy ten grand that I had casually dropped in her lap earlier that evening. The loss didn’t faze me; or her for that matter. Financially, she had nothing to worry about. I’d give her fifty more if it kept a smile on her face. Her gambling was more about the thrill than the money.
“Game humbling you already?” I murmured, sliding another stack of chips forward like I hadn’t even noticed the loss.
“That was a practice shot.”
“Right.” I chuckled.
