“I’m comfortable and don’t feel like fucking moving,” Nico grumbles, throwing his tan forearm over his eye.
“Well, you’ll survive for five minutes while I relieve myself.” Laughing, wiggling my way out of his grasp going to the bathroom.
I finish up in the bathroom and make my way back into the bedroom to find the bed empty. I cross the very barren room to the dresser on the opposite side of the room. I pull open the first two drawers, finding underwear, socks, and white shirts. In the third drawer, shockingly, I find a few graphic T’s. I pull one out with several Marvel characters on it, and pull it over my head. Looking down at the fact that the shirt goes to my knees, I laugh quietly at the absurdity of our height difference. The amusement dies when the smell of bacon assaults my nose, causing my belly to rumble.
Padding across the wooden floors to my place, I follow the stark white walls to the kitchen, finding a shirtless Nico cooking bacon at my stove.
“You do know that cooking bacon without a shirt is the fastest way to get yourself—”
In just that moment, Nico hiss, and then cusses, “Goddammit!”
I hold my hand over my mouth to try and hide my laughter. Nico turns to me mock glaring. He crooks a finger my way, beckoning me to come closer. The hint in his eyes makes me shutter as I saunter my way to him. When I’m close enough for him to grab ahold of the shirt covering my torso, he takes it in his fist, drawing me to him. Nico lowers his mouth to mine, taking it with such a passionate assault that I’m ready to climb him like the tree that he is. Nico runs his hands down my back, landing on my ass. Just as he grabs a handful, my phone starts to ring on the pristine counter. I peer down to the screen to see who is calling.
“Leave it. You can call them back when I’m done with you,” Nico growls, nipping his way down my neck.
“I don’t know who it is, and we both know if it’s Cara, then things will get bad fast if I don’t answer,” I tell him, reaching out for it.
“It’s not. Timur took her away for a few days. Hell, it’s been ringing that way for the last thirty minutes,” Nico complains, just as my phone begins to obtrusively ring again.
“Nico, it’s probably important if it continually rings like that.” Panic starts to race through me, I become fearful that something could be wrong with someone I care for.
Nico grumbles before turning away from me, and placing his attention back to the bacon. I reach out grabbing my phone, seeing that it’s my momma. I groan as I lean onto the counter, hanging my head, and take a deep breath, preparing for what she’ll demand of me this time. My phone stops, and then starts again… within seconds. I swipe my finger across the screen and hit the speaker option.
I don’t get one word out of my mouth before she starts spewing her tirade. “Aubrey Michelle, who do you think you are? Acting like a disobedient brat? I’ve been ringing you for days, and you have not returned a single call, or text. I’m beyond disappointed with you.” Her words in the past would’ve cut me deep to the core, and would’ve had me apologizing for my disobedient behavior.
Nico comes over to me, placing a hand on my lower back, and kisses the back of my scalp, giving me the strength to not cower under this woman’s viciousness.
“Mother, as sorry as I am that I didn’t answer your call, I've had my own set of problems, and haven’t had a chance to call you back.”
“Not having time for your mother is just a disgrace. I think it’s time that you come home and do what you need to for the family,” she orders, in a high-pitched voice, and I feel my eye twitch in reaction to her squealing.
I bristle at the thought of going back to my hometown. Hell, I don’t want to be within an hour of that crazy woman.
“Well, considering that I love my life here in Atlanta, that’s not going to happen,” I inform her, trying to hold on to the anger boiling deep within.
“What life? Single, living in the slums, and hanging around with criminals. Doesn’t sound like a life to me,” Mother grumbles, sounding disgusted as if she’s tasting ten-day-old, expired milk.
Me on the other hand, I’m pissed, and ready to be done with this conversation. “I’m going to stop you right fucking there. I’ve got an amazing job, a man that loves me, and a best friend that would burn this town down to see me happy. Which is more than I can say for you. I’m staying right here, and you can give up on any ideas brewing in your head.”
My mother doesn’t speak for a long moment, then belligerently begins her verbal and emotional assault. “Always the disappointment, Aubrey. I give up on you at this point, and it’s convenient timing, seeing as the only man that was willing to take a chance on you and your lack of obedience, has turned up missing.”
I spin around looking at Nico, who refuses to look me in the eye, but couldn’t hide the smirk on his face if he was paid to do so. I smack him on the chest to get his attention. He doesn't look at me, just nonchalantly shrugs, and goes back to making breakfast. Mother, hysterical by this point continues her tirade—her abusive words cut through my foggy mind, yanking me viciously out of my salivating entertainment of watching this man moving around without a shirt, admiring the way his muscles tighten and release with every movement.
“Are you even listening to me? This is just unacceptable,” she nearly screams, the woman has one tone… high-pitched.
Ready to enjoy all that this morning has to offer me, I cut her off before she catches her second wind. “Mother, as much as I would love to listen to you degrade me more than you already have, I’ve got other things that I need to be doing. We’ll talk soon. Bye,” I sing-song and hang up.
Turning, I stare at Nico not saying a word.
“I can feel your eyes on me, Dusah Moya.”
“Good, cause I’m glaring at you. Do you have something to tell me?” I ask, making my way over to him.
He looks over his shoulder at me and smirks before shrugging. “I’ve got no clue what you’re talking about.” He turns, lifting me up from the ground so quickly that my head spins as a result.
“What I do know is that I love you, and will always make sure there is nothing, and no one, standing between us again. No matter what it takes, or who has to go on an extended vacation.”
I throw my head back laughing as Nico kisses along my jaw to my ear as he sets me on top of the cold countertop. I spread my legs wide and lean back on my hands, giving him the space he needs and wants. He picks his head up, studying my face for doubt or fear—he’s not going to find it, not this time. I’m stronger, and ready to face whatever life challenges are sent my way.
