Page 21 of Captivated By Danger

In his room, I’d put him on his feet. He’d already started trying to pull the covers off the bed. His eyes were so watery.

“Donovan, it’s okay. Your Aunt Quinci is not going to be mad at you. Big boys make mistakes all the time. This moment won’t define your big boy status.”

He grinned. “I don’t know what that means, Uncle Diesel.”

“It means that you’re still a big boy even though you made a mistake. This won’t happen again, will it?”

“No, but they won’t let me watch any more scary movies if they find out.”

“Big boys also gotta suffer the consequences of their actions for the mistake too.”

He shrugged his little shoulders.

“Yes, they do.” We’d gotten all the sheets off the bed. “See, look. Even Aunt Quinci was prepared for your mistake,” I said referring to the lining on the mattress.

“Oh good,” he laughed.

After getting the new sheets on the bed, I carried him and the soiled sheets to the washroom to put them in the washing machine.

“All is well,” I told him once I’d started the washing machine.

Picking him back up, he’d laid his head on my shoulder. “Thank you, Uncle Diesel.”

“Anytime.”

Ahead, Quinci had just come out of my niece’s room with her perched under her shirt, feeding her. She gave me a face, asking me if everything was okay. I waved her back in the room and she slipped back inside. After getting Donovan tucked in his bed, I went back to my room to check my phone to see if I had a text from Ms. Greysen like I’d expected, but I didn’t, taking me by surprise. I couldn’t lie, that was a first. Most girls I’d given my number didn’t waste any time contacting me. Granted, we’d met—not technically met, under weird circumstances. I was impressed.

“Uncle Diesel, wake up!”

Without opening my eyes, I responded, “Donovan, if you made another mistake, I’m telling your Aunt Quinci myself.”

He laughed. “No. Pretty Quinci wanted me to wake you up before breakfast gets cold.”

“Alright. I’ll be out in a few.”

When he left the room, I got up, grabbed my phone, and went to the bathroom. After turning on the shower to let it warm up, I grabbed my toothbrush to brush my teeth. While brushing my teeth, I checked my phone and there still wasn’t a message from Ms. Greysen.

Playing hard to get.I like her already.

After washing my face, I jumped in the shower, letting the water run all over me. Last night, I hadn’t planned on playing captain save a hoe but according to Quinci, if she hadn’t said anything and that lame had hurt her, she’d never forgive herself. So, me and my brother had to save the woman from her husband— or ex-husband, rather. I don’t know what made me walk her home, but I’d done it anyway. She talked a lot. A whole damn lot. I honestly thought that at some point, I’d tune her out but I found myself hanging onto every word. The whole time she talked, I was creating a profile for her in my head. The second she looked into my eyes, I knew I had her. When her lips slipped apart, the beast in me wanted to jam my thumb in her mouth and pull her to me, but I managed to keep the lid on him. I knew she was very flustered, which could be one of the reasons she hadn’t contacted me. What she didn’t know was that made her more attractive to me.

Getting out of the shower, I toweled off, oiled up, and got dressed. Walking through the kitchen, I seen they were outside on the patio.

Stepping out the door, I spoke, “Morning. Morning.”

Quinci whipped up a whole damn spread, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, French toast, hashbrowns, grits, fruit, pancakes, the whole damn nine. Quinci was in the middle of eating, while Dymon was playing with his daughter. Donovan was on the other side of him, looking into his cousin’s face.

“All this for me. Thanks, sis. You really shouldn’t have.”

She looked at me with a grin on her face. “You’re welcome, but I didn’t. Kemba will be coming over to get something to eat when he takes a break.”

“Damn. Just like that. Bro better than me. The only…” I joked, trailing off because of the look that Dymon shot me. “I’m joking, bro.”

“Diesel, don’t even put that in his head. He already scared to leave me alone by myself.”

He looked at her, making her grin.

“He already knows I only want him. No reason to be jealous.”

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