Page 93 of Disrespectfully, Relic
“No, because you’re not going anywhere. I don’t know what fucking magic trick we’re going to pull out our asses, but we’ll fix it.”
“We?”
“Yes, we. I’m the queen, Relic. How do you expect to win without me?”
Just like that, Kennedy allowed him to rope her back into his world. She couldn’t ignore the tethered connection that told her, it was precisely where she belonged.
Relic swiped a hand down his mouth and hid the grin threatening to break free on his face. He didn’t expect anything less of Kennedy because she loved challenges, so she’d always stay insistent that he won.
“I’m getting picked up soon, and there’s no way around it. I’ll need you to play your position. You have to doeverythingI’ve taught you in my absence, Kennedy, and what’s in this folder stays between us. My family will know when they know.”
“Heard.” Her head bobbed in confirmation before her shoulder slouched as she admitted, “I need a minute to process this shit. I didn’t think I’d care this much.”
“I could say the same, but here we are.” His fingers gravitated to his favorite spot on her neck, grazing over her imperfections like reading braille. He tipped her head and pressed his mouth against hers before whispering, “Let’s detach, Larenn.”
Between cruisingon open waters and having Kennedy nearby, Relic found a small sense of comfort about his fate. After he’d finished watching Jahleel’s game, they’d eaten on the field as a family before he dropped his son off home to the same green house where Jahleel would remain because Relic wouldn’t get a chance to change that. He’d probably never hear Jahleel referring to him as dad either or have a little girl that clung to him like Navy did with Shabu. He’d let the streets consume him to the point that by the time he wanted out; it was too late. Relic wouldn’t get to experience life after hustling like only a rare amount do. Love and marriage with the woman who knew his darkest secrets but didn’t break a sweat would never come into fruition.
His fingers clenched around the helm’s steering wheel as he tore his eyes from the waters and glued them to Kennedy. Her back was facing him as she held the bow’s railing and stared into the sunset with the wind whipping her wavy butt-length hair to and fro. From his angle she looked peaceful, but judging from the liquor bottle that’d been velcroed to her hand since they climbed on the boat; Kennedy was struggling to accept his defeat. Her mind was spinning for answers, while his was winding down, ready to let the chips fall where they may.
As if she felt him staring, she glanced over her shoulder before padding barefoot into the boat, stopping at the counter for her half-empty liquor bottle and then trudging toward him. He released the wheel when she climbed into his lap without permission and swigged straight from the bottle’s neck. Relic recoiled when she shoved it toward his mouth.
“Stop being a baby, and drink over your limit with me.”
“How’d you forget your own rule, Kennedy? You said I can’t go over my limit unless what? How you ‘pose to give it to me?” he pressed, making her face scrunch up in recollection. “This shit got you lacking like that? Tonight would be a perfect time to catch your ass slipping.”
Her eyes rolled at his idle threat before she tipped back her head, pouring liquor into her mouth that she held there while cupping his chin. Her pussy throbbed when Relic grabbed a handful of her ass, forcing her closer as she brought her mouth against his. Liquor pooled from the creases of her lips as he stuck his tongue between them, sucking the liquid from her mouth to his.
She pulled back for a refill, smirking when his vast hand clasped around her throat. He tipped her backward and snaked his tongue in and around her mouth to vacuum the dark pool dry before lifting her upright.
“You’re a fucking bad influence,” he uttered against her lips, and she giggled.
“Nice to meet you, pot. My name is kettle.”
“Bullshit. You were this way when I found you, but everyone else was too damn blind to notice.”
“Orrr,” she stretched, running a hand across his fine waves. “Maybe I was doing good with changing and avoiding this lifestyle until you came and...” She paused like she was searching for the best excuse to her bad decisions. “You came and reminded me of everything that I once loved. Everything that was Koda.”
“And your first love.”
“Fuck that nigga, Relic. We don’t talk about Bruno.”
He chuckled while angling her body in his lap so that he could see the waters that were growing darker as the time passed. Relic wished he had an exact date so that he could make the best of the time he had left. For the first time in years, he wanted to spend time with his family—take a trip with his brothers and introduce Jahleel to what their lives truly afforded him. His eyes flitted to Kennedy because even a couples’ trip didn’t sound too bad with her. She didn’t smother him or get on his fucking nerves, and until that moment, she hadn’t clung to him either. Relic loved that she gave him space.
They drifted in a comfortable silence while her hands roamed over him like she was trying to collect every muscle, ridge, and wound to memory. Relic let her. If it were up to him, everything about him would engrain so deeply in Kennedy that she couldn’t fathom catching feelings for another nigga. She’d stay to ride his bid out with him, even if it lasted until they were both old and gray. She’d treat Jahleel like her son and help to raise him, so he wouldn’t miss out on having parents who loved him like he deserved.
Kennedy would have a permanent fucking reminder of him that’d make it hard for her to lock eyes with that contact he loved and reel a new nigga in. She’d love him, drown in him, and take her last breath with his name on her tongue. Relic rolled his jaw while wishing he’d gotten attached to a weaker bitch because Kennedy would move on with her life as soon as his cell door clang shut. She’d proved it with her first love that she wasn’t staying around for any bullshit.
“Are you scared?”
Her soft voice broke through his thoughts, stealing his attention like the big ass fucking distraction she was for him. He tossed his head and turned the wheel, making her arms lock around his neck as they rocked a bit from the waves.
“So, you don’t feel anything about it, Relic?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Well, can you tell me how you feel, please? Make it my parting gift since this might be our last time together.”
“It won’t be our last time together, Kennedy. It’s coming soon but not that soon. I’m scared for my family,” he blurted, focusing on his path so that he wouldn’t have to look her in the eyes. “Shabu, Titan, my son.”
