Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 97951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Opening his bedroom door, he flipped on the switch. Light bathed them as it spread from his ceiling light fixture. His bedroom looked pretty much the same as last time, but felt like a completely different place altogether.
Lennox stood there for a while, his chest heaving.
“Sit.” He pointed to the bed.
With hesitant steps, she made her way to the edge of his bed and sat down. He began to pace, then leaned against a dresser, crossing his arms and ankles, chin high. She could see his jaw tightening beneath his short, dark beard as his eyes penetrated her with the fury of a million men.
“Tell me what the hell happened. Everything, from beginning to end.”
She rested on her palms, leaning back. “First you tell me why you did what you did today and why you lied to me about that business trip, when really yo’ ass was in Georgia actin’ a fool?”
They must’ve stared at one another for eternity, neither willing to break the connection. But then he sighed and lowered his head. She’d won this round, even though that didn’t make her feel any better.
“Because with some folks, you give an inch and they take a mile. I’ve had it. Had it with the secrets, the pain. All of it. Your ex wouldn’t respect your boundaries. You kept telling him to leave you the fuck alone. I heard it, I saw it. If I did nothing, I am teaching anyone who hurts you that they can get away with it. We teach people how to treat us, Nadia. Contrary to the way us men act sometimes, we’re not stupid. We know when a woman we want has a man, or isn’t feeling us the way we’re feeling her. They didn’t have to see me to know I had you on lockdown, and they still played in my fuckin’ face!”
“This sounds like it’s more about you than me. An ego problem, Lennox!”
“What the hell are you talking about ?! THIS IS A ‘DON’T FUCK WITH MY LADY’ PROBLEM, GOT DAMN IT!” He beat his chest with his fist, his eyes practically blood red, his voice so loud it ran through her. Made her innards shake. “To them, it’s like I may as well not even exist in your life! You’re not alone anymore. NOBODY rains on my baby. And I mean NOBODY. Why the fuck am I here if I can’t protect the woman I love from harassment, threats, and bullshit?! You’re crazy if you think I’d let that slide. I’m not about to hand no man a second dick so he can fuck my woman over twice! The old me wouldn’t have allowed it to go unchecked after the first incident. It would have only taken one slick call, one threatening text message or voicemail. They wouldn’t even be breathing right now, Nadia, if the old me was in charge still. I had mercy on them. Mercy is not somethin’ that came to me naturally. I had to learn how to receive it, and how to give it. I had to get therapy and make an effort to be more like the man my mother was tryna raise me to be, but even the love of my mama wouldn’t have been able to stop me if I truly wanted them to sleep with the fishes. I saw the tape of Dice and you… what he did to you that night. Every time I think about it, my anger soars. I can’t even guarantee you that I may not eventually finish the job. I’m not making any promises.”
Her heart rate accelerated while he continued. “It is what it is. They ran out of chances, and I ran out of grace.” He shrugged. “They need to talk to Jesus, not me. I’m done turnin’ the other cheek. Plain and simple.”
She crossed her arms, unable to argue with him—she knew who the hell he was from the jump. Just because he’d matured didn’t mean he wasn’t still about standing on business. The Wilde blood was strong, and there was no fighting it. She cleared her throat and started talking, running down what had transpired at the club. She began from the time she entered the Sweet Soiree establishment to the moment the man was dragged out kicking and screaming by the security guard.
“…after he was gone, I dried off and left the shower room.”
During her confession, Lennox barely blinked.
“From your description of the guy, I’m ninety-nine percent sure of who it was. Sounds like my idiot cousin Sam. A wannabe Jesse James.” He scratched his jaw and started to pace the room. “I know why he picked him though, out of everyone. It proves he was bending his rule a little of leavin’ women alone. Grandpa’s real funny about that, doing anything to women that requires violence. Now in fairness, Sam probably fucked up the orders. He wasn’t supposed to approach you like that in the first place, I’m almost sure of it, but Grandpa wanted you out of the way because he couldn’t think of another way to hurt me. He knows none of his sons and grandsons would respect him if they believed he was sending them out to rough up some lady. Grandpa is a king-sized chauvinist, but regardless, I’ve never seen him lay a hand on no woman. All of his abuse to the women in the family has always been psychological, which may be worse.” He shrugged. “Grandpa found a patsy is all. Someone he hoped he could slide under the radar, but it backfired. He’s gonna try to set me up now because he wants to get in front of my next move. He thinks I’m the same kid from ten years ago who can’t control himself. But I control myself just fine—I just plot things out better now.”