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uzumaki-rebellion · 5 years

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“Wet Sugar” [Part 5 of 30]

As always, Mature Content. NSFW.

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the tag list. Thanks for reading and welcome new readers. You all keep me going!

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Thank you to @cherrystainedlipsbaby for translating my words into Arabic. I love the BP fandom, y’all jump in to help in a pinch!

Summary: Erik has words with Yani and later helps her in a predicament with the assistance of Tahir. Meanwhile, Klaue plots out the Angola job that makes Tahir uneasy...

"Buss a couple rounds inna me

Ah mi sniper dat

Sit dung pon di buddy like a Cadillac

He bawl out Ah mi rider dat YOW

Take off my heels

And let me unbuckle your jeans now

Meh arch ma back and bawl out

Yuh gimme heart attack Yow

My baby he know he a blessing

He know I could never forget him

I can't lie

You the best I ever had

Take me so high

Make me bawl out Ohhh

Yuh gee it to me rough then yuh take it slowww

Ah mi sniper dat…

Monéa – "Inna Di World"

Killmonger.

Yani watched him dance with Peach, an old high school friend who was always kind to Yani even when she was talking slick about her cousin Twyla behind her back. Peach had two children already and by the way she was winding her body on Erik, she probably wanted two or three more from him.

Killmonger…him smooth, yeah…real smooth as his hands circle around Peach's waist. A real dirty dancehall plays, straight nasty riddum, and Peach lets her ass do the talking for her. Erik stays with her, his left hand pressing the arch in her back and Yani is stunned to see him reach for Peach's braids and pull her head back.

The woman is all smiles as she slows her hips down and just bounces on Killmonger's groin. And he likes it, thrusts back into Peach, and Yani turns her eyes away because she can feel her midsection quiver and her face get warm with irritation. Why does he have to dance like that in front of her? Zachary held her hips tight. She could feel his chubby erection snug against her rump. He wanted her tonight, but she was still skittish about sex with him.

Being with Chez made her lose trust with men, and no matter how nice Zachary was, how kind he was to her baby and her family, she kept him at arms-length when it came to full intercourse. She pulled away from him slightly when she felt him giving her tiny thrusts.

"Aye, Fam!" Cee Cee, their oldest female cousin squeezed onto the dance floor with Boogie, Donald, Sonya…the whole darn family crew that came to see Kendall. Junior spun an old Hip Hop joint that had her family on the floor doing something they did as children when music played, "The Swap" which was simply all of them dancing and then when Dex yelled out a cue, they would all switch partners on beat. It was fun and they hadn't done it in so long that she kept messing up when she forgot to listen for the cue which was Dex calling out "Galiber! Switch dem!"

Zachary couldn't keep up so he kissed her cheek and left for the bar, and Yani found herself becoming competitive with her relatives. She held her dress up a bit in one hand so no one would accidentally step on her hem. It got a bit rowdy when other people joined in the fun, essentially turning the family play into a line dance.

When Yani saw Peach twirling around her cousin Dulan, her eyes searched for Erik, but then Dex called out the next cue and Yani jumped to her left….

…right in front of Erik.

He had a big smile on his face when he saw her.

"Whatchu got, Ma?" he asked, and his dimples challenged her to impress him.

"Can you even hang, Killmonger?" she snapped playfully.

"Question is, can you hang? I can do this all day, girl."

The hottest Soca jam came on and the crowd turned stupid, Erik's eyes flicked around to see what everyone else was doing. The dancing became the domain of professionals now, and any tourists who thought they could keep up soon left the floor. It was Virgin Island show and prove time. And Killmonger had the nerve to still be there among them. But he was keeping up, and then some. His eyes never left hers and she felt her heart pound harder and faster. She was quite sure he could see it thumping in her chest. His hands slipped down to grip her hips.

Yani spun around and let her hips dip, the hem of her dress still clutched in her fingers, her legs shimmering with sweat. She could see Peach and another woman in a white dress with long locs swaying near them, waiting for Dex to give the signal so they could swoop in on Erik. Yani swept her eyes over to Dex, watching his lips, sweat flicking off of him, his shirt molding onto his body tight from all the perspiration pouring out of him.

"Galiber! Switch dem-!"

Yani saw the other women lunge forward, and she pushed back against Erik's groin, the weight of her backside throwing him off balance. He grabbed for her waist to counterbalance himself and the movement blocked him from switching to someone else.

Junior slowed down the beat of the music, chopping and screwing it up old-timey style until the song was like a heartbeat. Peach was hovering, her body rolling smooth like the tail of a winding Boa snake.

"I see you, Ma!" Erik called to her and Yani leaned forward, gently shaking her hips knowing her ass cheeks would bounce.

"Shit," Erik said laying the palm of his right hand on her lower back, his left hand rubbing her left hip.

Once she felt his touch, she shifted back up and bent her knees, her hips circling, hands clutching her dress tighter to outline her rump, moving just so-so until she had her cheeks jumping with nothing else on her moving. She just needed his eyes to stay on her—

"Ooh, Yani…" Twyla said.

He moved his hands.

Damn.

Erik's fingers gripped her shoulders, his waist glued to her ass and moving slow. She could feel his shaft poking through and she let the center of her cheeks grab at his dick. They were moving in tandem like they were fucking, the music setting the pace, the thin material of her dress letting him feel all of her softness…

Erik slid his hands down to her waist and twirled her around to face him.

"Nobody needs to be seeing all that, girl," he said while stroking her back, "especially your man."

Yani closed her eyes, shame filling her face.

Zachary.

This was supposed to be their night.

Erik's left hand held her waist again while his right hand eased up her side and cradled the nape of her neck.

"You were great up there. Your cousin, Kendall…he was really good too."

"He's choice, yeah?"

"Yeah."

He licked his lips and his eyes glanced around like he was looking for someone. His face moved closer to her until his lips were near her ear. She felt her breath exhale out of her mouth in short pants when she felt that scruff from his beard on her cheek again. Her neck arched back and she felt his warm rum-flavored breath tickle the shell of her ear. Her fingers slid up his arms and clasped just below the smoothness of his neck.

"Before you went off on Chez…you were singing to me, weren't you?"

A coy smile played on her lips and she tried to look away from his eyes, but he kept moving his head in front of her until she stared back at him.

"What if I was?"

"You got a man though."

"It was just a song, Killmonger. Mi play fuh dem, the crowd. Freestyle comes straight from here and out there," she said pointing to her forehead and then away from her face.

"Nah. That shit was for me. Only me."

"If you say so—"

"You were looking at me."

"I was looking at the audience—"

"You were looking straight to the back, where I was. You heard me shout to you. You ain't gotta lie. I felt that shit. You did too."

"Whatever."

"How come you wouldn't let me switch?"

"What?"

"I know you threw that ass on me to keep me from dancing with someone else. You real obvious, Ma. It's cute though."

She sucked her teeth.

"See, I know you know I'm right. Whenever you do that, I know I got under your skin. I been drinking a lil bit, but I'ma say this anyway. I like you. I don't know if I freaked you out or crossed the line when I touched you the other day, but when I didn't see you all day Friday, I thought I fucked up and scared you. But the way you sang that song…for me…I know…"

His words wandered off.

"You know what?" she asked, her fingers squeezing his neck gently.

His eyes were focused elsewhere.

"Yani?"

Zachary's voice was peach fuzz soft and Erik pushed away from her and she felt her legs automatically step forward towards him, trying to keep the heat from his overwhelming body next to hers.

"Respect," Erik said giving Zachary a sincere smile, "was just telling your girl what a great singer she is. Thanks for the dance, Yani."

She watched Erik leave the dance floor and her body felt cold and lonely without him. Zachary's hand went around her shoulder.

"You know him."

"He works for Mr. Klaue. Him and that other guy."

Yani couldn't even look Zachary in the eye, her gaze would reveal too much if she did look at him.

"Is he nice?"

"Yeah. They both are."

Yani walked away from the dance floor with Zachary. Her cousins Cee Cee and Monice drank Bushwackers and watched them approach, the whipped cream from their drinks leaving traces on their lips.

"You leavin' cuz?" Cee Cee asked.

"Are we?" Zachary said, a gleam in his eye.

Yani was going to spend the night at his place. He agreed to go at her pace, do whatever she wanted. Her eyes were still watching Erik as he sat at the bar with his friend. The woman in white already at his side stroking his back.

"Yeah, we're going," she said.

Her eyes went back to the dance floor where the rest of her relatives were still throwing down.

"Tell Kendall, I left, yeah?"

"Go on, he's high as a kite right now. Him tell you Bunny and Gregory want him to record a single?" Monice said.

"Yeah? That's great!" Yani said.

She hugged her cousins and clutched onto Zachary's arm.

Warm air greeted them outside, much cooler than the hotbox inside.

"Going to my place still?" Zachary asked.

"Yeah. But I have to be back home by ten in the morning. Auntie is going to church and Anika won't be able to stay after ten."

"So…are you…are we…"

"Easy boy…calm your pants."

Zachary grinned.

"You were choice tonight, baby. Chez…him no see you coming with guns blazing…blam, blam…"

Yani giggled.

"Him nuh ready fi mi—"

The words crumpled in her throat.

Chez and his minions were hanging out in the back of the parking area smoking cigarettes and shooting the shit.

"Here mi gyal come with that fire," Chez said. He was smiling at her, but a man like him showing teeth like that wasn't a sign of kindness.

Zachary pulled her back behind him.

"We don't want any trouble. No problems, here Chez," Zachary said.

Yani gripped his arm. Her purse was locked in Zachary's trunk. Her cell phone was in it. She debated about running back to the club to get Dulan and Dex. Or maybe even Twyla. There were three guys with Chez and only two of them.

"Who said there was trouble?" Chez said.

"Chez, just leave us alone," she said pulling Zachary along.

Chez stood in front of her.

"Whose watchin' mi pickney?"

"Sydette is fine. No need for you to worry—"

"I'll take you home," Chez said throwing down his half-smoked cigarillo. He stomped on it and grabbed for her arm.

"I have a ride home with Zachary," she said pulling away from him.

Zachary stepped forward and Chez shoved him back.

"You think yuh taking her home with you? Think you fucking my woman?"

"Would you stop?!" Yani yelled slapping Chez in the face.

"Bitch…putting your hands on me?!"

His hand shot out to grip her again but Zachary struck him in the jaw. The surprise punch only grazed Chez's chin.

"Get you some, nigga!" Chez shouted and pummeled Zachary.

"Chez! Stop it!"

She charged Chez as he held Zachary in a headlock punching him in the side of the head, but Chez's two friends blocked her. Yani reached down and took off one of her sandals and proceeded to strike both men blocking her and they pushed her back, still preventing her from getting to Chez and Zachary.

Zachary was able to get some punches in and Yani stood horrified watching her ex and next go at it. Chez had the upper hand and his third friend jumped in kicking Zachary in his side. Yani ran back to the club half barefoot.

"Goddess, why are you running?"

Erik's friend was outside smoking a cigar, the pungent odor wafting around him with the smoke.

"There are some guys beating up my boyfriend!"

The handsome Arab man followed her back to Zachary and Chez.

"Zachary!" she groaned when she saw his face cut and his nose bloody. Chez was still beating on him and Zachary was flailing to protect himself, no match for Chez and his goon squad.

"Not looking good for your man. I'm afraid," the stranger said.

"Whatchu doin' way over here…oh…damn…"

Erik strolled over with a cigar in his hand. His eyes saw the worry in Yani's face.

"Make them stop!" Yani wailed.

Erik pulled her aside while Tahir grabbed one of the men and shoved him away from Zachary.

"Hold this," Erik said handing her his cigar.

Erik strode over to Chez and with just one hard punch to the right side of her ex's waist, Chez went down on one knee gasping for air and clutching his side.

"Fuck!" Chez screeched.

The Arab man helped Zachary get up while Chez jumped back up still heaving with pain. He swung wildly at Erik who simply stepped back from the scattered non-connecting punches.

"Why don't you just stop before you wear yourself out," Erik teased before grabbing Chez's shirt, lifting him up, and slamming him against Chez's car door.

"Take your punk ass home," Erik said.

"Killmonger!" Yani yelled dropping Erik's cigar.

One of Chez's boys pulled out a gun and pressed the steel to the back of his head.

"What now, bitch?!" Chez cackled, expecting Erik to release him.

"You best use that piece before I turn around," Erik said. His eyes were still on Chez, his hands still clutching Chez's shirt.

Chez's other friend also pulled out a gun, but Erik's buddy moved like a ninja and snatched it out of his hand so quick, Yani missed Erik turning around and, yanking the gun out of the other gunner's hand hemming him up. Erik head-butted him then smashed the gun across his face. Blood spurted between the guy's fingers.

"He broke my fucking nose!"

Erik popped the bullets out of the small gun and flung them over his shoulder before shoving the gun in his waistband.

"Get the fuck on before we really hurt y'all," Erik said, his voice calm.

Chez fumbled for his car keys and Yani ran to Zachary trying to hold him up.

"Should we go to the hospital?" she asked Zachary. His eye was swollen and his nose and lip were bleeding.

"No," Zachary grumbled rubbing his jawline.

Erik and his friend watched Chez and his boys drive away before they turned to check on Yani.

"You okay?" Erik asked.

"I'm fine. Thanks for handling that. They were waiting for us…waiting fi me."

"I don't think your friend is in any shape to drive. Can you two get home?" Erik's partner asked.

Yani stared at him.

"That's Tahir, he's cool," Erik said.

"I can drive," Zachary said.

"No, you can't. You look like shit," Tahir said.

"I can't drive a stick," Yani said.

Erik looked at Tahir. Then Zachary.

"Give me your keys, man," Erik said.

Zachary only glared at Erik with his one good eye.

"Give him your keys, Zachary, I can't drive us to your place."

Yani saw Erik staring at her. She felt her face get warm.

When Zachary didn't move fast enough, Yani reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his keys. She handed them to Erik and slipped her sandal back on.

"The car is over here," she said. She held Zachary's hand as she led Tahir and Erik to his car.

Yani slid into the backseat of the little black Nissan hatchback with Zachary.

"You don't even know these guys that well," Zachary hissed in the backseat, "you could've gotten your cousins—"

"I was getting my cousins, but they were available first. Did you wahn mi waste time looking for dem while yuh getting your ass kicked all over the place?"

The words flew out before she could filter herself and she felt Zachary's whole body cave in from the impact of her words. He turned his face away from her and looked out of the back passenger window. His handsome face was swollen and his once jovial looking-eyes were sour with rage.

"Zachary…I didn't mean it like that…they jumped you. It was an unfair fight…"

"Zachary, man…listen. You did what you were supposed to do. Protect Yani," Erik said from the front seat as he backed the car up.

"Make sure you stay on the correct side of the street," Tahir said from the front passenger seat.

"I got this. Yani, which way?" Erik asked.

She gave him directions as they headed East toward Red Hook.

"Zachary, let me see your face," she said turning on the overhead light. "Turn it off!" Zachary yelled pulling away from her again.

She turned off the light and shrunk back to her side of the backseat.

"Watch how you talk to her," Erik said. Yani caught Erik's eye in the rearview mirror.

"Who the fuck do you think you are—"

Zachary didn't even finish his sentence before Erik jerked the car to a sudden stop in the middle of the road. He turned his head to look back at Zachary, his face in full scowl mode, lips parted, his gold slugs menacing in the shadowed light. But then he looked over at Yani. She felt so embarrassed and scared about what happened, and the coldness coming from Zachary had her confused and hurt. Erik's face relaxed. He stared back at Zachary.

"Look. You got caught in a fucked up sitch. Got your ass handed to you. Trust, I've been there and it sucks when your woman is there to witness that shit. But it is what it is. Don't take your beat down out on her. This ain't her fault or your fault. You were outnumbered. You should feel grateful that she's okay. You took that shit for her. Now own it and get over it, bruh," Erik said.

"Car," Tahir said drawing Erik's attention back to the road.

Yani pressed her head against the passenger window as Erik continued driving. The prick of tears formed in her eyes and she felt them roll down her face. She quickly wiped her cheeks. When she glanced over at Zachary again, he was still hunched up in the corner ignoring her.

"What do you want to do with the guns?" Tahir said.

"Minraji'un ma'na 'ala al villa. Khaleehum," Erik said.

"Rah yerja'oo yidayqu hadul al tnain mara tanyeh? Yerja'oo yedawroo lil asliha?" Tahir asked.

Erik shifted gears on the car.

"Min la'eehum ba'dain. Zyarah mufaja'a mshan ya'rfoo shu rah yeseer lahum iza daya'uhum. Lazim deer bali 'ala Yani. Yimkin abu binta yedayi'ha bisabab ma saweat," Erik said.

Yani's eyes watched Erik and Tahir speak to one another in Arabic. Erik's voice sounded concerned, and she heard him say her name in their conversation.

Erik drove Zachary's car smoothly. Tahir turned to look at her.

"I enjoyed your performance."

"Thank you."

Tahir saw her wipe a tear from her face. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small packet of tissue. He handed one to her. She took the tissue and wiped her eyelids, trying to avoid hitting her false eyelashes.

"You are too pretty to cry, Miss Yani. A Goddess does not cry. Only men cry for her," Tahir said.

Erik's eyes glanced back at her again and she turned her head away from him to look out of the window.

"Take a left here," Yani said.

"Stay on the left, Killmonger," Tahir said slapping Erik's arm with the back of his hand.

"My bad, my bad," Erik said.

Yani smiled.

"Bidak yanah nmoot?" Tahir said.

"No, I don't want us to die. Shut up. I got this," Erik said.

"Your insurance is good my friend?" Tahir said back to Zachary.

Zachary ignored them all and Yani felt the mood chilling once more between them.

"Right over there Killmonger, the orange house," Yani said.

Erik drove in front of Zachary's family home. His apartment was attached to the house.

"Do you know a good cab company that can pick us up?" Erik asked looking back at her. She wiped her eyes again to make sure they didn't look too bad. She glanced at her watch. It was two in the morning. Shit. She didn't even think about them getting back to the compound. She wished she had learned how to drive a stick. Sometimes cabbies didn't like coming to this part of Red Hook late at night.

"I can call a cab for you, but they might not come," she said.

Erik glanced at Tahir. She felt bad.

"I told you to let me drive my own damn car, Yani, now you got these guys stuck—"

"We're not stuck, we can walk," Erik said glaring at Zachary.

"We can drive to my Auntie's house and I can use her car. If you guys can bring Zachary's car back here, I can drive you back to the compound. I'm sorry for all the confusion—"

"Don't be sorry girl, it's not a big deal," Erik said. He saw her wipe her face again and he smiled at her.

"It's an adventure, we cool. Right, Tahir?"

"Cool like ice cubes," Tahir said.

"Zachary, let's get you in the house to clean up first," Yani said.

"No, let's go get the other car. I'm not letting them drive off in my car with you in it. I don't know them. You don't know them."

Yani kept her mouth shut.

"Which way to your Aunt's?" Erik asked.

She gave him easy directions glad the apartment was less than five minutes away.

When they arrived at her Aunt's place, she ran up the stairs. Her little sister Anika was wide awake watching tv.

"Why are you here? I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow," Anika said.

"What is happening?" Leona asked coming into the living room, her housecoat wrapped tight, her black satin bonnet covering her hair.

"I'll explain when I get back. Can I borrow your car Auntie? Chez beat up Zachary and him hurt bad. Mr. Killmonger and Mr. Tahir helped us and I have to get Zachary's car back to his place. Mr. Killmonger is driving it and I need to give them a ride—"

"Go, go, tell me all when you get back."

Yani took the car keys to her Aunt's late model Ford Focus.

"Want mi come with you?" Anika asked.

"No, we're okay. How was Sydette?"

"You know she's a good baby," Anika said smiling.

"Be right back," she said running out of the house.

Yani drove her Aunt's car alone as she had Erik follow her back to Zachary's house.

When Erik and Tahir stepped out of Zachary's car, she watched her bruised and brooding boyfriend stalk away from her as she grabbed her purse from his trunk.

"Zachary," she said.

She ran after him grabbing onto his hand.

"I'll help get you cleaned up and then we can drive them back," she said.

"We cool chilling out here when you're ready," Erik said.

Tahir was already pulling out another cigar to smoke.

"All this driving back and forth," Zachary lashed out. His ire was directed at Yani. She shrank back from him.

"What are we supposed to do? Leave them stranded?" she said, her voice raised. Erik and Tahir heard her.

"We can take the car back ourselves," Tahir said.

Yani reached up for Zachary's face.

"Let's take care of you, okay?" Her fake nails trailed down his uninjured cheek.

"Yani," he whispered.

"I fix you up, and we take them back, then we can be together…okay, love?"

His hand reached out and rubbed her shoulder. "I'm…I'm tired. I can take care of myself…"

"You don't want me to stay with you?"

He shook his head.

A light came on in the main house.

"Shit," Yani said.

Zachary's father came outside. He had on pajama bottoms and a white undershirt.

"What's going on?" he called out.

"Everything is fine," Zachary tossed back. Mr. Harris walked down his porch steps, his large body lumbering toward his son.

"My God, Zach, what happen to your face?"

Yani stepped forward to explain, but Zachary pushed her away.

"Go," he said.

"Go?" Yani answered with a tremulous voice.

Erik stepped forward.

"Who are you?" Mr. Harris said, "you do this to my son?"

"No, Sir—"

"He helped Zachary, Mr. Harris. My ex-boyfriend started trouble—"

"Oh, so this is your fault, Yani? See, Zach. What I tell you?"

Yani felt her lip tremble.

"Yani. Let's go."

She felt Erik's strong calloused fingers clasp her hand.

"I'll take you home. Don't worry about getting us to the compound. We'll stay in a hotel around here. C'mon," Erik said.

Yani watched Zachary walk into his father's house. He didn't even say goodnight or look at her.

"Hey…Yani," Erik said.

His free hand lifted up her chin to look at him.

"He's embarrassed and his face is jacked up. Ego bruised. Let him sleep it off. He'll get back to you."

He squeezed her hand. She didn't want to let it go.

"I'll drive. Give me Leona's keys," Erik said.

She handed them over without letting go of his hand. He led her to the passenger seat. Tahir opened the door for her, then put out his cigar.

They found Leona waiting on the balcony still in her housecoat when they arrived back to the apartment.

"Auntie," Yani said.

Erik and Tahir followed her up to her home so they could relieve themselves in the bathroom before looking for a room.

"Mr. Killmonger. Mr. Tahir," Leona said.

"We'll be out of your hair soon," Erik said.

Leona gave him the biggest smile.

"They're going to find a hotel. They don't want me driving them back to the compound this late—"

"Just stay here, Mr. Killmonger."

Yani's eyes grew wide.

"Anika can sleep in your room and the men can take the couch bed. No sense wasting money for a few hours."

Tahir looked at Erik and Erik glanced over at Yani.

"I mean, if you're cool with that, we'd appreciate it. We can catch one of the island buses or cab back to the compound early," Erik said.

Yani stared at Anika who was ogling both Erik and Tahir. Yani didn't blame her. They both were too damn attractive to ignore, even after a rough night out.

"Is that blood on your shirt, Mr. Killmonger?" Leona asked.

Yani heard Sydette crying in the bedroom.

"Excuse me," she said rushing into her room and turning on the lights.

Sydette shook fists inside her crib that sat between a double bed and a twin bed.

"Hey, Sweet Pea, I'm here," Yani said.

She picked up her daughter.

"You smell so good, I wanna gobble you up."

Sydette gurgled and Yani cradled her, rocking her in her arms gently. She lifted her own arm up for a moment.

"Whew, Mommy smell ripe, Sweet Pea. Anika!"

Her sister walked into the room.

"Ohmigawd, that Killmonger told us what happened at the club. Chez really beat down Zachary?"

Yani nodded.

"And he pulled a gun?"

"His friends did."

"What is wrong with him? He is so stupid….sorry, Yani. I know that's your baby's father, but he is mean to people. And Zachary is so sweet. Is he okay?"

"I think so. He was upset—"

"How long are those men staying at the compound?"

"You can't even give two minutes for Zachary and you're already talking about them?" Yani teased.

"Dem sexy. I notice right away. They single?"

"They are way too old for you."

"Dad was way older than Mommy."

"That was different. They were much older before they had us."

"Killmonger…" Anika said, all dreamy.

"What about him?"

Anika's face went all googly-eyed again.

"You so silly," Yani said, even though she was feeling the same way after holding his hand.

She felt like she went through so many extremes. The coldness of Zachary and Chez and the warmth of Erik when he brought her back to Leona's.

"Can you watch Sydette for five minutes? I'm going to take a quick shower."

Anika took Sydette who fussed for a few minutes.

"She hungry…again," Anika said going out of the room.

Yani heard her Aunt still talking to Erik and Tahir. She grabbed clean nightwear and jumped into the shower fast. She wasted no time cleaning off, even using a cotton ball soaked in baby oil to loosen and remove her fake eyelashes. Once she felt clean and fresh, she changed into her shorts and over-sized t-shirt.

Back in her room, she took Sydette in her arms with a milk bottle Anika held.

"I'm going back to the living room—"

"No, you not. You stay in here now," Leona said.

Yani watched her Aunt's face as she stepped into the room. She couldn't read what she was thinking.

"Auntie," Yani said.

"Zachary no want you to stay with him?" she asked.

"Mr. Harris took him in the house. Blamed me."

"Samuel is an ass. Mi never like him. We talk after church when I get home?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay. Goodnight. And don't let her bother the men—"

"They are watching tv, my show. This the only time I can stay up this late and watch scary movies, and now I'm stuck in here. They not even using the couch bed. Mr. Tahir is lying on the floor with a pillow."

"Leave them be," Leona said again.

Anika hopped on Twyla's bed.

"I hear Kendall was good tonight, yeah?" Leona said.

"Him awesome, Auntie. You would be proud—"

"Killmonger say you were on stage too. Him show me video later. How it go?"

"What he say?"

"He seemed impressed. Both of them. That Mr. Tahir says you sounded like an angel."

"I do okay."

"Get some rest."

"Okay."

She heard her Aunt's bedroom door close and her little radio turn on. The soft muffled sound of gospel music played quietly. It would turn off with a timer. Her Aunt always fell asleep fast.

Anika rolled over and faced the wall, her voice still grumbling about being sent to bed.

Yani stuck the bottle nipple in Sydette's mouth. She found comfort being home and with her child. She was happy that she didn't have to explain the situation. Erik took care of everything, giving her brain time to readjust before going in-depth with her Aunt after she went to church.

Sydette drank from the bottle and Yani watched her face.

"You not sleepy yet little one, eh?"

Yani heard the toilet flush and the water from the sink running.

"Auntie?"

"Nah. Just me. Your Aunt gave us little toothbrushes to clean our liquor breath."

Erik stood in the bedroom doorway. He was wearing one of Kendall's shirts instead of his bloodied one.

"She gets those from the compound. Mr. Klaue has her buy them in bulk for the men over there."

"Hey, there she is, Lil Mama," he said watching Sydette.

Yani smiled.

"I can't believe she's still up. We had been doing good with her sleeping through the night."

"She knows when Mama is gone. Waiting up for you."

Anika turned over and stared at Erik.

"Where yuh from?" Anika asked.

"Massachusetts."

"Go to sleep," Yani said, glaring at her sister.

"Nuh sleepy. I want to watch my tv show."

"Auntie told you what you supposed to do—"

"I'm sixteen. I'm not a little kid no more. I watched Sydette by myself all night. I can care for a baby, but can't sit up and watch tv? Serious?"

"It's because you are a young woman among two strange men."

"Two strange men staying inside the apartment that you invited."

"Tahir is knocked out on the floor. You can watch your show for a few more minutes if you let me talk to Yani alone," Erik said.

"Alone? Hmmm," Anika said.

Yani jerked her head toward the door.

"Okay. But if Auntie wakes up and says anything, I blame you."

Anika ran out of the room, and Erik cracked the door a bit for a little privacy.

"Okay, Sweet Pea, time to finish up. Bedtime," Yani said.

"Sweet Pea?"

"I call her that. She so round like a little pea in a pod."

"I like that better. I'll call you Lil Mama instead."

"Mi nuh little."

"I know that for sure."

Erik's eyes held hers and Yani felt nervous being with him. The kind of nervous that came with bad decisions. Poor decisions. Lack of impulse control. Something she was very familiar with when it came to men.

Yeah, him dangerous. A bad boy. And bad boys have always led her astray.

She focused on Sydette.

Erik sat down next to her on the bed, close enough so that his shoulder touched hers.

"She's cuter than I remember. Can I hold her?"

Yani lifted the bottle out of Sydette's mouth and Erik picked her up and held her in the crook of his muscular arm. Taking the bottle from her hand, he placed it in Sydette's mouth and her baby girl accepted Erik as if she had always known him.

"You have experience with babies? Have kids?"

"Experience, yes. Kids? Nah. Baby cousins. I can change diapers and do their hair too," he said.

His dimples relaxed her. His eyes went to stare at Sydette as he held her bottle, and Yani's Sweet Pea stared back at him as her cheeks and lips moved to squeeze out sustenance with his help. Unlike Yani, Sydette had big black eyes, unwavering eyes, bold as a brick through a window. She had eyes that read people well, and when she liked someone it showed with her being content in their presence. She was Yani's barometer of good energy, and thus far, Erik was good enough for her daughter.

When her bottle was empty, Erik handed it to Yani and lifted Sydette up, his left palm cradling her chest while his fingers supported her chin and jaw. He allowed her to lean forward a bit as his right hand gently rubbed her back in circles.

Yani reached for a clean bib and held it next to Erik just in case something more than a burp came out. Sydette made little sounds with her mouth, her eyes looking up to watch Yani's face.

"You're being such a good baby, Sweet Pea," she said.

Her daughter gave a juicy smile with a little drool and then a loud burp came through.

"Big one," Erik said chuckling.

He leaned Sydette back in his arm and played with her right hand, her fingers grasping his and holding them. Yani wiped the little bit of drool that slid down her chin with the bib.

"How often does Chez see her?" he asked.

Chez.

Ugh.

"Not much. Sometimes he stays a few minutes when he brings me money for her. And that isn't much. It's why I work three jobs."

"Three? Damn. How much time do you get to be with her?"

"Not enough."

"Were you working on Friday?"

"Yeah."

"So you weren't avoiding me."

"Avoiding you?"

"What we did, by the pool…"

"Oh."

"How you feel about that?"

"I liked it."

Her words seemed to please him. He had a grin on his face as looked back at Sydette. The baby was squealing and grasping for Erik's wrist.

"She likes you."

"She has good taste."

He pulled down Sydette's yellow t-shirt so it covered her stomach better. She kicked her bare feet in the air and Erik tickled one toe making her laugh.

"I don't understand why Chez would ignore his baby. She's adorable."

"Him have another baby-mother he stay with."

"Before you or after you?"

"During," Yani said.

"Ouch."

"My baby three months older than that other one. Some tramp him knock up while I carry Sweet Pea."

Erik played with Sydette's curls.

"He ever beat up Zachary before?"

"No. They don't know each other, not from the same circles or nothing. He's seen him before, but…no problems like tonight."

"How long you been with Zachary?"

His warm brown eyes were on her face again.

"Almost three months…talking to each other for about three months, but just now starting to date. When I have time. This was the first time I've gone out in a long ass time. Dress up y'know? And of course, Chez ruined it. Zachary won't ever speak to me again."

"You don't know that—"

"Chez had his friends pull guns on you. You think him want to be with a girl with a crazy Ex like that? I wouldn't date me after that shit."

"How serious were you two?"

"You getting all my business, Killmonger."

"I'm nosey."

"Yeah, you are."

They both laughed.

"How serious?"

"Why you want to know?"

"I told you already."

"Told me what?"

"I like you."

"You like my tits."

"Your tits like me, that's why they do what they do."

Yani felt her mouth drop open.

"You ain't answer my question yet."

"Zachary?"

"Yeah."

Yani felt Erik's arm press into hers. So much heat radiated off of him.

"How you say you like me and you just met me? You don't know me at all," she said.

Yani had to put a stop to this.

She felt herself stumbling into her old habit of falling for men she should avoid at all costs, no matter how beautiful they were. The warning signs were screaming at her: Working for Klaue. The scars on his body. The gold slugs that were shaped like big sharp cat teeth.

He was even smart enough to figure out her body's reactions to him. She was surprised her tits weren't tripping with him there on her bed.

"I know enough to know that I like you. You work hard. You speak your mind. Your Auntie adores you and supports you. This beautiful little girl in my arms that you bust your ass for…you can make iguanas move faster than a speeding bullet—"

"Funny!" she said hitting his shoulder with her shoulder.

"I like how you sing, how you try to speak standard English around Klaue but that island patois keeps popping out no matter what. The way you move when you swim…how you're looking at me right now."

"How am I looking at you right now, Killmonger?"

"Like you want to kiss me."

"Tuh—"

"Kiss me, Yani."

"What if I tell you that Zachary and I are serious?"

"Then I'd say I know you're lying, cuz if that were true, you wouldn't let me get this close to you. On your bed."

A small sigh escaped Yani's throat. His face was so near hers.

She acted willingly stupid once more.

Kissed him.

Pressed her lips into his while he held her Sweet Pea, the fresh mint of toothpaste on his breath as his tongue swept inside her mouth seeking the heat of her own tongue.

His lips swallowed hers and she let him have at it, the breath in her throat trapped making her shaky, almost faint. She pulled back from him, a sliver of saliva strung between them when they parted. Yani wiped his lips and then hers.

Erik stood up and placed Sydette inside her crib. The baby was awake on her back, but she was quiet and calm lying there. Erik knelt in front of Yani and cradled her face in his hands.

"You're not serious, right? Tell me the truth, cuz if you are, I will stop."

She didn't answer because she honestly wasn't sure.

"Yani," he said, and took her mouth again, exploring every nook and cranny and crevice, taking ownership of the moist space between her lips. She rested her hands on his shoulders, afraid to touch anywhere else. She was well aware that her bedroom door was ajar and anyone could walk in and see them.

He sucked on her bottom lip and she let her fingers trace the curves of his ears. Her lips took control of his, and he submitted, his hands traveling under her shirt. She was braless and when she felt his fingers tweak her nipples, the sensation shot down to her clit and she released his lips.

"Ooh," she sputtered, pushing back from him.

His hands continued to play with her breasts and she felt the tingly hot sensation of her milk falling down.

He lifted up her shirt and she felt his lips latch onto her left nipple, the pleasure from his sucking causing her to whimper softly. His lips and tongue were really tugging on her and she felt her milk release into his mouth.

She clasped the sides of her shirt with both hands and lifted it higher so she could watch him suck her, his mustache and beard grazing her nipple and her cleavage as he moved his face across her chest and latched onto her other nipple. Her head fell back and her knees shook.

"Killmonger," she panted, "stop…please."

He groaned and she looked back down at him as he opened his mouth and squeezed her right breast, a stream of milk squirting right onto his tongue. His head turned toward the crib as he licked his lips and swallowed.

"She's asleep, don't worry," he said looking back at her, massaging her tits, and watching pale liquid drip from her peaks.

"God…" she mumbled, her eyes unfocused, his touches leading her into a world of trouble.

The fingers of her right hand dropped down to her shorts and she fumbled with sticking her hand between her thighs…

"Jesus!" she moaned when she felt Erik's fingers passing hers inside the material and scissoring her slick clit.

"It's okay for me to touch you like this, right? Let me know, Yani…fuck you are so wet, girl…"

"Taste mi wet sugah," she whispered.

She widened her thighs for him and peeled back the crotch of her shorts.

"Fuck, Baby," he grunted, dropping his face down, his generous lips covering her vulva. She heard the loud wet kiss he gave her down there, the hot feel of his mouth knotting her stomach with nervous anticipation of being caught. The wide swathe of his tongue licked up and down her engorged folds, but then he stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Killmonger?"

He kissed her swollen lower lips again and then sat back up, bringing his face close to hers. His cheeks and beard were shiny with her slick, his eyes glazed over like hers. He shook his head like it pained him to stop.

"Shit…you so fucking sweet, Yani. I don't want to do this here. I don't want to upset your Aunt or disrespect you in her home."

"Yuh no disrespect me, man. For real. I want you to kiss me there some more…"

There was mirth in his eyes and he leaned in and kissed her forehead instead. She felt his finger graze her clit again as he fixed her shorts. She saw the obvious tent in his crotch, his thick imprint straining against his pants.

She grabbed for his neck, tried reeling him back to her hot mouth, but he clasped her hands in his.

He took a deep breath. Several actually. He closed his eyes and kissed her forehead again.

Her cell phone startled her as it vibrated on her dresser. She jumped up and grabbed it before it woke up Sydette.

"It's Zachary," she said.

"You don't sound happy about that."

Erik stood up and glanced over at Sydette.

"Yellow is her color. Yours too," he said.

"Killmonger—"

"Talk to Zachary."

He left her alone with the baby.

###

She was too much.

The ride in the cab back to the compound was a quiet one. Tahir was still a bit hungover, and Erik didn't get any sleep in Yani's home. He never slept for more than three hours a night anyway, but he never felt his eyes close at all sitting on the couch in their living room waiting for the sun to rise. Tahir snored on the floor, and Erik stayed sitting upright, his balled fists resting on his thighs.

She worked three jobs.

Barely saw her child.

Had a quarrelsome and violent Ex.

Maybe had a boyfriend who couldn't protect her without getting bodied.

Lived in a household that gave her no privacy.

His jumping into the mix was not going to help her. She really didn't need three men and a baby to juggle.

And damn if she didn't feel and taste like heaven on earth. Told him to lick up her wet sugar between her generous thighs.

"Fuck. Me," he thought, watching the scenery go by as he stared out of the cab window.

Back at the compound, he took a long cold shower in his new room inside of Klaue's main house. Klaue was down on his beach swimming, so Erik had a bit of quiet time to himself. He fixed himself some plain black Kenyan coffee and scrambled eggs, wishing he had some shrimp and cheese grits to comfort him.

He wanted to go swim in the cove, but it would only have him think of Yani, and thinking of her made his dick hard. Jerking off in the shower didn't help, and his lips kept itching when he thought of sucking milk from her tits. And licking her pussy…

When Yani peeled back her shorts he got to see up close that pretty pussy with the fleshy inner labia. He'd eaten plenty of pussy in his life, seen all shapes and sizes of vulvas, clits, and inner lips. Yani's pussy reminded him of something primordial and from the sea itself, soft and ultra- slippery like the wings of a manta ray spread wide and floating free. How would those inner lips feel like if he pushed his length into her? Would they curl around the root of his shaft? Or stay open and welcoming, cushioning his heavy sack?

He was sprung and he knew it. Cursed it, but accepted it. The island lowered his defenses, but it wasn't too late to try and wean himself from her. The team would be leaving for Angola in two weeks, and distance had a way of cutting off interest for him.

He had to compartmentalize again. Shelve this girl and put his energy into Klaue and the next mission. There was a woman Klaue wanted him to check out who had exceptional cyber tech skills, fresh out of the Air Force and hungry for mercenary work. Linda. That was her name. Solid reputation. Vetted by a former colleague, but Erik wanted to vet her himself before Klaue offered her any spot on the compound crew. Some women were tricky when it came to mercenary work. They could sometimes be a hindrance, especially in certain Middle Eastern and African countries with strict gender roles.

The arsenal they were moving was huge, expensive, and had to clear through several checkpoints before making it to their final base. They needed an ace to handle cyber subterfuge, and there was no time to waste if this Linda turned out to be a dud. Procurement of the munitions and heavy artillery had to be done for Klaue's clients soon. There was so much political instability and so many gratuitous mini-wars blossoming across the continent that money was being made hand over fist. Afghanistan was next on the list, but throughout it all, Klaue and Erik were on the hunt for more vibranium. The black-market value was at a premium. They just needed to be one step ahead of the U.S. government, the World Security Council, and some elements of S.H.I.E.L.D. Linda had better be up to the task in keeping up with Klaue who had fingers in several armament pies globally.

Erik swiped on the tv mounted inside the kitchen island counter and switched the channel to the BBC news feed.

"Tony-fucking-Stark," Erik mumbled when he saw the man speaking at a U.N. council meeting.

He sipped his coffee and watched his former mentor speak. The man had a few more grays in his hair and beard. Being Iron Man was aging him fast.

What would Tony think of him now?

Erik was a long way off from being that fresh-faced nineteen-year-old intern running around Tony in Malibu, trying to keep up with him and absorb what he could. He remembered the constant monitoring at M.I.T. and Tony's unannounced pop-up visits to Cambridge, always trying to convince Erik to forget the Navy.

"Now look at us," Erik whispered, his coffee gone lukewarm. Both on a mission to change the world.

"Still an arrogant ass no matter whose side you're on T," Erik said.

He flipped the channel to the cartoon network hoping the background animation chatter would be the white noise he needed to relax.

"Finally back," Klaue said, sliding open the side kitchen door. He tracked in sand from the beach as he wiped his arms off with a large white beach towel.

"All nighter," Erik said re-filling his coffee mug.

"I'm sure the ladies loved you two last night."

"We had an interesting night. What time do you want to start tomorrow?"

"Early…eight. Leona will fix a brunch spread so we can work through the afternoon. I want us to test some munitions on the gun range and start booking flights into Jo'burg."

Klaue stared at the scars on Erik's bare chest.

The man never questioned Erik about the markings, just like Erik never questioned the brand on the side of the man's neck. Erik already knew what that shit was. His father had taught him a bit of the Wakandan language, and he knew how to write a few words using the Wakandan symbolic alphabet. The brand on Klaue was a combination of two graphemes that when spoken issued the sound of a lowlife.

Thief.

Without knowing all the details in full, Erik knew his father's people had captured Klaue and burned his pale treacherous skin before the man escaped. Branded for life with twisted angry red flesh. Not only was the maggot a thief of vibranium, but the thief of a legacy, Erik's legacy. And his blood. He quickly looked away from his enemy and drank more coffee before his eyes narrowed, betraying him, and he did something he would regret. The tv screen on the counter turned solid blue with a chipper automated female voice announcing the arrival of someone and then a picture of Tahir popped up.

"Entrance granted," Klaue said aloud as the front door opened and Tahir entered the domain.

"Killmonger? Klaue?"

"In here," Klaue called out, pouring himself a coffee and standing near Erik.

Tanner in color, hair glossy and damp from swimming in the pool, Tahir looked like the perfect tourist.

"Good morning," Tahir greeted.

"Coffee?" Klaue asked.

"No thank you. I'm cutting back on caffeine," Tahir chirped, using his fingers to pick up pieces of Erik's uneaten scrambled eggs.

"Savage," Erik joked. Tahir washed his hands in the sink.

"Any word on getting you on with us for this leg of the world tour?" Klaue asked.

"Nothing yet. But I'm good for Afghanistan," Tahir said sitting on a barstool and glancing at the BBC news feed.

"Excellent. I was just telling Killmonger we have a busy day tomorrow. Be prepared to do some gun range shooting and going over the shipment with the other men."

"Sure thing, Boss."

The landline rang.

"The call I've been expecting. Excuse me for a moment," Klaue said exiting toward his bedroom.

It was odd living with Klaue in the main house. He had a master bedroom with a tremendous view of the ocean that he didn't use. Erik was staying in that room. Klaue took a smaller less spectacular room in the back of the house, away from the open views.

The man was a night owl, mainly taking overseas calls and juggling his next big take. He slept in late every morning until usually ten in the morning. He would sometimes go for a swim and then meet with them for late lunches. It was rare to see him at breakfast, Leona or Yani taking a plate of food for him to heat up in the main house. Like Erik, he enjoyed solitude, but when Klaue was around people, a burst of his extroverted energy would engulf the surroundings. Almost a wild savage need to be the main force in the room. Erik noticed he had cut back on drinking, probably preparing for the mission. Sobriety wasn't the man's strong suit, but he did get down to the nitty-gritty when it was time to talk and do business.

Erik's eyes glanced up from the tv screen.

Tahir's face was full of concentration.

"Ma busiq bihada al Klaue. Rah yekhounah," Tahir said.

"You don't have to trust him, just trust his money. And he won't betray us…not any time soon. He needs me," Erik said. Tahir's face looked uncertain, even with Erik's confidence.

"I don't know, my friend…"

"Inta khalee Klaue la ilee. Rah ntali' minu masaree wa nitruko li alnusur," Erik said.

"Okay, okay. I'll leave him to you as you say. Make this money and bounce. But leave him to the vultures?"

"I said what I said."

"Personal."

"Business," Erik said with finality.

"Maybe I will have some coffee," Tahir said picking up a coffee mug.

###

Erik stuffed earplugs in just before Klaue began the loud rapid-fire shots from the Israeli 308 Semi-Auto rifle.

"This has very mild recoil," Klaue said when he stopped firing.

"Decent weapon, they've been copying the Russian AK-47s and the Finnish RK 62s over the years. You should get a good price for them, but you should really stick with your South African supplier. Not a great demand for Galil ACEs in Africa," Tahir said.

Erik watched Polk, Huntsman, Shipley, and the others as they took turns firing new AK-47s and a few South African Vektor Battle rifles.

Their targets were struck with the hard metal pings of steel on steel, each man a crack shot. Erik was more interested in the smaller arsenal of handguns. A new small arms gun culture was sweeping many parts of Africa and several African countries were manufacturing some of their own weaponry. Being South African helped Klaue do a lot of cross border arms trafficking in his own country, and he was able to make quick sales that would prove more lucrative as time went on. Especially with so many arms embargos occurring in East and North Africa recently.

Erik waited for the men to finish with his gun pointed downrange. His eye protection was warming up from the sun and he could feel sweat sliding down his cheeks.

When it was his turn to go, he let loose a fast clip of shots.

"Hold up! Hold up!" Klaue called out, staring at his cell.

Everyone stopped shooting.

"Refreshments gentlemen. Break time," Klaue said.

Erik put the safety on the gun and placed it on his side holster. When he took off his goggles and popped out the earbuds, he saw Yani and Leona walking above them under the gun range veranda pulling little wagons filled with food and drinks.

Erik and Tahir followed the men up to where the women set out big plastic dispensers filled with lemonade and ice water, along with platters of turkey and roast beef sandwiches. Thank you's were given to the women, and Erik did his best to ignore Yani.

She was once again dressed in a simple t-shirt and some loose sweats, and when her eyes sought his he turned away from her, filling up a large plastic cup with ice and lemonade, turning to face the ocean when he drank.

Klaue glanced at his watch.

"Take a half hour and we'll continue," Klaue said.

Erik grabbed a roast beef sandwich and walked away from the gun range. Yani and Leona stayed put, and he could hear Tahir speaking to them. There was no way he could stand there and eat knowing that she was going to bore holes into his face with her eyes, trying to read what he was feeling.

He sat under the veranda of Klaue's main house and watched a cruise ship approach the island far in the distance.

"Killmonger."

Fuck.

He put down the sandwich he had wrapped in a napkin on a patio table near his chair.

"What do you want, Yani?" he snapped.

Her face looked taken aback by his gruff response. He hoped she wouldn't start doing this, following him around the compound and being obvious.

She held out a cell phone for him.

"Mr. Klaue asked me to bring this to you," she said.

"For what?"

"A phone call, I guess," she said, her face now neutral with him.

Phone call?

Then he remembered. Klaue wanted him to have a new satellite phone that went through him and not Erik’s own personal one. He said he was going to pass them out during lunch.

"Oh…yeah. Thanks—"

She turned around abruptly and stalked away from him.

Great.

"Yani…hey, hold up…"

He trotted after her.

"I'm working, like you," she called back to him.

Let her go.

Erik stopped following her. He was supposed to compartmentalize. Stay on the grind. Leave that girl's hectic life alone.

He finished his sandwich and turned the cell on. Memorized the number.

Back at the gun range, the women had left and they all continued going over weapons with Tahir checking the product samples that they would be moving in Angola. Klaue wanted Tahir prepping his men to know what to look for in case some duds got through or someone tried to slip some well-manufactured imitations that the Ghanaians, Somalis, and Nigerians were creating on their own and selling as counterfeit product. Erik could tell Klaue was desperate to have Tahir with him.

Tahir was still leery of the man, and this made Erik appreciate his associate more. He could sense the foul in any situation.

Erik spent the evening in Klaue's living room researching Linda Chambers on his laptop. Her military record was standard-fare with a few commendations for her work while being stationed in Bagram Air Base in Parvan Province Afghanistan. Discharged as a technical sergeant, Linda spent time working for AramStar a private security contractor before popping up on the deep web offering her services. He made a few calls on his own phone, and then surfed some private links to get some intrusive factual data on her.

Single. Home base New York. Clean record.

He ran her credit and noticed a large amount of debt. Some overextended credit cards. A defaulted loan. Forty-thousand still owed for a two-year-old beemer. Broke with expensive tastes.

He stared at her military picture. Cute. He found some online photos on her private social media account. Cuter. Sexy even when she went all out.

She needed money. Her military and cyber tech skills were valuable on the black market. No shame in looking for big pay. She enjoyed skiing, mountain-climbing, and hang-gliding, all adrenaline rush hobbies. She also spoke Arabic.

Could be a keeper.

He sent a private encrypted message to her. If she was good, it wouldn't take her long to break the code and get back to him. Especially if she was hungry for the life.

Laughter outside.

Klaue, Tahir, Huntsman, and Klaue's long-time partner Limbani walked up the hill from the beach.

Yani stood outside near the veranda holding a stack of towels. Erik glanced at his watch. It was almost dinner time. Why was she still here? Who was watching Sydette?

He put his computer on sleep mode and walked out onto the wrap-around veranda. The men took the towels and headed up to the first house for dinner. Yani was trailing behind Klaue and the men when Erik caught up to her.

"Yani. Why are you still here? Who is watching Sweet Pea?"

"I work later when all the men are here. Auntie can't do everything by herself with this many people."

She'd been there since seven that morning. Ten hours away from her baby so far.

"Who has Sydette?"

"Twyla doesn't work today and Kendall is home now too. She's fine."

"She have enough milk for today?"

He had no idea why he said that, but it made her smile.

"She have plenty, Killmonger."

He wanted to live inside that smile.

"I have to go help, Auntie. Dinner ready in about fifteen minutes. Steak tonight."

"Cool…"

She turned to leave.

"How is Zachary?"

"He's okay. He texted me. We didn't talk over the phone. Mouth too sore…"

Her voice had that enchanting lilt that he came to crave so much.

"Are you two…I mean everything will work out for y'all, right"

Her eyes dropped away from his and stared at the ground.

"I don't think so. He didn't sound positive, and he's scared of Chez…so…it's probably best."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's hard, y'now…hard being with me. He comes from a good family, and he's a Mama's boy, and his Mama doesn't want him with a woman with a child already. He's finishing at the University soon and needs to concentrate on that."

"His loss."

"Yeah, well, mine too I guess."

The early evening sunlight struck the side of her face illuminating her satiny skin. He wanted to stroke her cheek and tell her everything would be fine and that she'd find the right guy someday and all the stuff that people needed to hear when their hearts were broken or breaking.

Truth was, he was glad Zachary couldn't hang. Punk ass. Pouted like a little bitch in the backseat of the car when his woman needed to be hugged and reassured after witnessing violence like that. Young niggas nowadays just didn't have the balls anymore to just take an ass whooping like a man and keep it pushing. Win some, lose some. Next.

"I don't know what else to say, Ma, except I'm sorry."

"I'll be alright. I gotta go," she said pointing up toward the front house.

"Yeah, you better dip before your Aunt comes looking for you."

He rubbed his palms together and took a step back from her.

She walked away from him.

Damn this girl.

Taking quick long strides, Erik caught her hand in his and pulled her back against him, his head lowering to hers as he took her lips once more. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms holding his wide shoulders tight.

This was madness, their sloppy wet kisses making him tumble further down the rabbit hole with her. Their heads shifted left and right, each trying to devour the other's face. She let go of his lips first.

"I gotta go, Killmonger!"

"I know," he said catching her lips again, his hands slipping down to clutch onto her ass. He pushed her up against one of Klaue's coconut palm trees.

"Shit," he huffed when he felt the warmth and shape of her vulva molded against his dick. He had on light linen pants to protect his legs from all the mosquitos, and they both could see the large bulge standing up as her pussy rocked against it, and fuck if she wasn't grinding on his shit. He could feel his pre-cum leaking. He rubbed his dick back into her with the same amount of pressure she gave.

Once he had good balance, he lifted her up a bit and bounced her on his length, knowing her core was dripping. He rotated his hips, hitting her mound from different angles, always keeping that delicious friction

"You're so hard…I can feel all that big dick…this how you fuck, Killmonger?"

His voice hitched in his throat. How could she make such a dreadful nickname sound so erotic in his ear? She had him groaning hard and he wasn't even inside her fat pussy yet. He found an angle that his dick hit that made her clamp her mouth shut, and he stuck with that friction. He was hitting that clit just right because her head fell back and she was whimpering like she couldn't take anymore from him.

The heat between them was incendiary and when he felt ready to erupt, she wailed in his ear, "I'm cumming, Killmonger!"

He emptied his sack after hearing his name shouted from her lips, his dick spitting all in his pants, staining the cotton material. It was a thick nut, the semen hot and sticky inside the linen.

"Oh fuck…Yani…got me out here like this girl…fuucckk!"

She started laughing at him and he chuckled too having to stop and groan a few more times when he felt the aftershocks of his orgasm quaking his legs.

His cell phone vibrated in his back pocket.

He put Yani down and she tried fixing her sweatpants. Luckily, she had thin dark sweats on, the wetness from his pants only leaving a damp trace on her clothes. That could dry and be unnoticeable by the time she made it back up to the front house.

"Stop laughing at me girl," he said, play slapping her left butt cheek, "I gotta change my clothes because of you."

He reached out to strike her backside again, but she jumped away from him covering her butt with her hands.

"Go on girl, get up there," he said.

He glanced down at his cell phone.

A notification.

When he pulled up the link, he knew exactly who it was.

She was fast. Clearly skilled at breaking encryption codes.

Linda...

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[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6]

If you liked this work, please check out my “Forty-Seven G” & “Say Less”

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uzumaki-rebellion · 5 years

Text

“Wet Sugar” [Part 4 of 30]

Summary: Erik struggles with his Wakanda goals and the absence of Yani, while she, in turn, copes with the lack of support from her job and her daughter’s father...

Mature audience only. NSFW.

Looks like this series is going to be longer than 6 parts. Lol, I knew it, just like “Say Less”, I think I can wrap it up in 6, but the characters said “Nope.” I’ll say 9 now, and see where I can tie things up in a neat bow. Which is never really neat with Erik tbh.

Back to the next update....

"But baby Don't get it twisted You was just another nigga on the hit list Tryna fix your inner issues with a bad bitch Didn't they tell you that I was a savage Fuck your white horse and a carriage Bet you never could imagine Never told you you could have it

You needed me Ooh You needed me To feel a little more, and give a little less Know you hate to confess But baby ooh, you needed me…"

Rihanna- "Needed Me"

Yani didn't arrive at the compound Friday morning.

Erik hung around the pool for most of the day waiting to see if she would show up. He didn't pester Leona about where she was, but every time he heard footsteps coming down the walkway, or voices below the pool, he was up and about looking for any signs of her.

Nothing.

He replayed his contact with her the day before.

He asked for permission to touch her breasts. She consented verbally. The sexual release he received from playing with her nipples, watching those peaks drip with milk gave him the best orgasm he had ever experienced since…shit…since he had been with Disǎ. And that was almost two years ago. His only regret was that he didn't bend down and squeeze the warm liquid into his mouth, swirl the milk on his tongue, see what it tasted like.

Watching her fingers move frantically inside her panties had him curious about what she tasted like down there too. Her eyelids were half slits when he watched her orgasm ripple across her face. And fuck…the sound she made when she was cumming. It made his legs wobble.

The warmth from her lips when he pressed his mouth into hers brought into sharp focus the feelings of displacement in his life. Yes, he was a nomad, going from job to job in the most dangerous regions of the world, but he was used to that, accustomed to living out of duffle bags and airport lounges, his brain configured to collecting data about Wakanda and T'Chaka and compartmentalizing his hierarchy of needs on the most basic survival level. Erik understood and accepted what needed to be done. His purpose. And it was always about moving, moving, moving…

But that kiss, as fleeting as it was…it made him think of being still.

He had never had that experience before.

Even with his ex Disǎ and the deep yearning love he had, and still had for her, he knew that he was going to be in perpetual motion until he was sitting on the throne of Wakanda. Nothing got in the way of that.

Yani was just some random woman on a little rock in the middle of the sea. He had gone through many women over the years in various parts of the world. Black women just as fine if not finer than this one island girl cleaning and cooking for some roughnecks.

What was it about her that had him jumping up every few minutes thinking she was about to appear? Had him making extra excursions up to the front house with excuses that he was hungry or thirsty or had a question about the compound. Had him up all night fantasizing about sucking on her tits while he fucked her nice and slow. Some nine-month-old baby's mother, her pussy probably still recuperating from squeezing out that cute chubby infant…why the hell was he going online looking up info on vaginal sex after childbirth? The hell?

Erik ran his hands over his hair and stood up from the lounge chair for maybe the twentieth time just to make another trek up to the front house. He'd have to ask Leona about her niece in a round-about way before he went back into his room to jack off thinking about heavy tits spurting milk in his mouth. He wanted to leave teeth marks on her areola, deep imprints of his gold slugs…mark her in some kind of way.

"Fuck," he muttered stomping up the steps that took him to Leona.

She was cleaning up in the dining room after making a delicious lobster bisque with grilled tilapia for lunch. He wasn't fond of tilapia, it always tasted dirty to him, but she prepared it with enough seasoning that made it palatable.

"Hello again," she said.

The smile on her lips matched the smile in her eyes, and Erik thought for a moment that she was on to him. He worried that overt interest in Yani would make Leona opt to keep her from working there while he was present. Erik was a killer. She could sense that he was more than just a polite young man showing manners to an elder. He was part of Klaue's team, and he knew that she was also aware of how men like him could turn on a dime.

"My associate Tahir is flying in tomorrow. I'm thinking of taking him back to that club I told you about. Rush?"

"I remember."

"You said your nephew was performing there? What does he do? Sing?"

"He raps. Very good too. A lot of my nieces and nephews do. None as good as Kendall though."

"What day is he performing?"

"Saturday night. I don't know what time he goes on stage, but Yani said it was Saturday. They're all excited about seeing him. It's his first real show."

Yani would be there. Bet.

"Are you going to see him? I can take you with me and Tahir if you don't have a ride—"

"Oh no, that's for you young people. I will be home in my apartment watching my shows. Yani has been trying to get me to go, but….no…"

"I'll record his performance on my phone for you."

"That would be nice, Mr. Killmonger."

He wanted to tell Leona his name, but he wanted to keep some distance too. For now, he only wanted Yani to know it.

He stood watching her for what seemed like an unnecessary amount of time. He had the info he needed, but watching her move about the room reminded him of being with his Nana.

"Can I help you clean or anything?"

She stopped and looked at him, a questioning expression on her face.

"There's not much going on today, pretty much a free day for me," he said.

"You nuh go to the beach?"

"Went twice already. This morning and before lunch," he said.

"I'm surprised you nuh go to St. John like the others," she said changing out placemats for the dining table.

"I'm going on Sunday."

"You like being by yourself, Mr. Killmonger?"

"Most times, yes."

"Things 'round here are pretty much done—"

"You need any help prepping dinner?"

"Oh, no. Dinner will be easy."

"How so?"

"Mr. Klaue is taking you all out to eat tonight. I get a little break. In fact, I am going to watch a little tv now and kick up my feet. Thank you for offering help. It was a kind gesture."

Erik nodded and Leona's eyes regarded him with interest.

"Would you like to watch tv with me?"

He hoped he didn't sound too eager when he nodded his head with enthusiasm.

"Well then, come along," she said.

Erik followed her to the apartment under the house. It was small, quaint, and very neat. The type of neat Erik appreciated. Attached to the entrance of the apartment was a shed that contained the washer and dryer for laundry.

Looking around the apartment living room Erik admired all the photos of family Leona had up. Most of the walls were covered with framed pictures. He spotted several with Yani, many of them when she was younger and had hair full of braids with barrettes and big round bubblegum ties on the ends. Most of her pictures had some incarnation of her squinting at the camera, or holding a hand up to block the sun from her eyes.

She was a thin wiry girl in her youth, but Erik could tell by the shape of older female relatives in many pictures that she was predestined to have hips and an ass to make men weep. That was the amusing thing he found about the island folk. The women would be round and luscious and the men would be lean and angular. There were photos of Leona when she was younger, and Erik had to admit that the women in this family were stellar to gaze upon. Sydette's photos were front and center, and she appeared to be the focal point for the more recent photos of family gatherings.

"Sit, sit…"

Leona went into her kitchen and brought out a bowl of grapes and a bowl of potato chips.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you, I'm good right now."

They sat on the couch and watched Jeopardy and then Wheel of Fortune before she turned to world news. He was leaning back on the couch comfortably, stuffing grapes into his mouth and listening to Leona critique the state of affairs in the U.S. But then his jowls, the part of Erik's jaw-line that Tahir said made him look like a pitbull sometimes, grew tight when he saw King T'Chaka being greeted by the Queen of England. And by his side wearing a crisp designer suit was his son, a solemn-faced Prince T'Challa.

"Oh, that young man is handsome. All my nieces think he is so cute."

Erik grunted and Leona chuckled. He felt his blood pressure rise and he shifted his body forward to study their faces. King T'Chaka was all smiles as the press took photos of them inside Buckingham Palace. T'Challa's eyes looked pampered and bored.

Erik clasped his hands together. If he were alone, he would probably cuss up a storm or hit something. But he concentrated on being calm in Leona's presence. He could taste his anger on his tongue, a gelatinous cold thing that dampened his mood.

"I gotta go," he said bolting up from his seat.

"Okay, Mr. Killmonger," Leona said.

Her wary eyes watched him, the shift in the tone of voice and facial expression on him much too sudden.

Erik left a cold trail behind him when he exited the apartment. His feet felt unsteady as he walked the path that led to the cove and Yani's beach. He passed by Jerome sunbathing on a wide stone, the creature's eyes closed tight, it's tail flicking a bit.

Undressing and tossing his clothes on the sand, Erik ran into the warm waters and dived under a lazy wave. When his head broke the surface again, he let out a cry of rage that made the cords on his neck bulge. He punched at the water, raised his head to the serene azure sky and released a hot piercing scream that stripped his throat raw. The soft sand under his feet gave way and he lost his balance, falling backward, his arms flailing as he tried to prevent seawater from flooding his nostrils.

Gasping for air, he let out a few more pained shrieks until tears welled up and fell from his eyes.

If he didn't do something about the Udaku family soon, he knew he would burn up, self-immolate, a rabid spontaneous human combustion that would leave his charred remains still clenching fists and screaming to the sky.

Erik fell forward and a new wave lifted his prone body and carried him toward shallow waters. He rolled over onto his back and let the sea carry him while allowing the sun's rays to kiss his skin. Once a striking sienna, time on the island had enhanced his melanin to a sumptuous chestnut color, and he could feel the UV rays burning and darkening his skin even more.

Closing his eyes, Erik focused on letting the anger and frustration and hurt to rush over and away from him. It wouldn't disappear completely, but he could usher it into a corner for now.

His body rocked by gentle untroubled waves, Erik spread out his arms and floated.

Yani.

His thoughts went to her and how she looked when she swam in these same waters. Calm. Secure. At peace.

A calm came over him.

It started from the crown of his forehead and trickled down to his throat where it melted into his belly, unclenching the muscles there before reaching his toes.

He heard a splash.

Jerking up from his back, his eyes scanned the water. Was she here?

A small sea bird swooped over his head and Erik watched it dive into the water for fish.

He couldn't hide his disappointment. The need to see her clawing at him. Did she regret what she allowed him to do to her? Was she embarrassed? Did he cross the line by masturbating on her? So much of his semen had painted her as if she were a fine art canvass. Did it disgust her? Was it the sight of her breastmilk cascading down her stiff peaks and all over his hand and not in her child's mouth that drove her away? Did he waste sustenance meant for her child's growth and she felt ashamed about that? Regretful?

Her lips.

He wanted them again.

Wanted to hear her sighs of release, hear the sound of her fingers in wet spaces between her legs.

His eyes watched the liquid warmth create tranquility around his body.

He conjured a mirage of Yani, the way she was naked and pure when he caught her alone in the open water. Her legs so smooth and vivid and brown as she fell away from him, thighs wide open and giving him a glimpse of the treasure there.

He felt the familiar rush of blood to his center.

His erection bobbed in the water, the weight of it making his yearning for her worse.

"Fuck!"

He was wound up once more, her not being there agitating him and making his body tight again.

The fingers of his right hand slid down his length and encircled his wide glans. He squeezed then twisted his frenulum, his left hand dropping down to fondle his sack. A barrage of images hit him, all of Yani with his hands on her, moving her into various positions. His breathing became more pronounced and he found himself panting as he stroked himself, the heat of his stiffness making his fingers sweat. Pea-sized beads of pre-cum laced his tip and he swirled it around the head and dragged the natural lubricant down his length. He let his head drop back, his locs covering his eyes, the sun beating down on him as he rutted between his fingers.

He felt his glutes flexing, his heels digging into the sand, his toes spreading as he fisted himself faster.

"Oh shit…this bitch…" he gasped, his eyes only seeing Yani's lips and the back of her neck, the spread of her hips…fuck even watching her ass cheeks move while she wore baggy track pants and sweats with an oversized t-shirt had his toes tucking sand underneath his feet now. He remembered the way her eyes shined when he told her he would make her call him Daddy and then her nipples looked like they were crying through her shirt…just like they did when he had his beard pressed near her face and his breath was in her ear talking about Jerome. She had run away. She had also run away when he first saw her on this beach when he had put on his clothes while watching her with her eyes closed to stay modest around him, when he told her he would check on the iguana to give her privacy…

She ran away. She ran away each time her milk…

Wait.

Was he causing her to do that? Secrete fluid…?

The harsh groan that left his mouth superseded the ejaculation that had his seed shooting out into the ocean. He watched his semen hit the water and float for a bit before sinking and the rest washing away with the bigger waves rolling in. He sunk down to his knees trying to catch his breath while the water rinsed his body. Even with that intense release, he wanted more.

And she wasn't there.

He needed her there. He needed to whisper in her ear. Needed to touch her breasts again. Needed to allow his hands to fall down the small of her back and pull her in closer to him. Needed her big brown eyes to look up into his eyes again.

"Yah get too comfortable, Killmonger."

That's what she told him before he made them titties pump.

Nah. He hadn't even begun to get comfortable with her.

###

It was the last hermit crab race of the day.

Yani spent two three-hour-long tours hiking tourists around and exploring Cas Cay the small deserted island they stood on. She gave the Eco Tour spiel about the tidal pools, volcanic cliffs, and the geological blowhole they observed before doing the crab races. The only thing they had left to do was spend time snorkeling in the coral-fringed mangrove nursery. She stood among the red mangrove trees with fifteen tourists wearing beachwear. Their kayaks were tied together and waiting for the last crab to clear the finish line. She was tired and feeling bloated from wolfing down a bacon sandwich when no one was paying attention to her as they all disembarked from the kayaks.

Checking her waterproof watch, she hustled the group to gather their snorkeling gear.

Back in her water element, Yani led the people to safe places to snorkel and kept watch for people who wandered off. She tread water with her snorkel gear resting on her forehead. One of the tourists, a red-faced man from Belgium who was part of a Princess Cruise line kept lingering near her. Yani could tell he was going underwater near her to look at her ass and chest. She was wearing basic board shorts, but her backside was a bit extra. Her tankini top had her tits smashed together and showing some cleavage, and every time she turned around the man was at arms- length distance, his underwater face aimed toward her. Perhaps if she were taller and her physique stretched out a bit, her ass and breasts wouldn't look so prominent. But she was just a tiny bit above average height and came from a family of short round curvy women. Most of her baby weight had dropped, but her Aunt Leona kept her fed well with the rich foods from Klaue's compound, so she was going to be hefting around extra for a minute.

"Sir, please respect my personal space," she told him when he came up to clear his googles of condensation. Her fingers twirled the cowrie shell choker that hung around her neck.

"Excuse me?" the man said, looking shocked that she said that to him out loud where others could hear.

"You are swimming too close to me."

The man's wife overheard her and came splashing over. Her pasty face blocking the sun from Yani's eyes.

"What's going on?" she said.

"I was telling him not to swim so close to me—"

"I was not swimming close to you. I swam past you—"

"Sir, I won't argue with you. I am simply asking you to—"

"Yani, what's happening?"

Ugh. Patrick, the Eco Tours assistant manager.

"This man has been looking at me underwater and I don't like it."

Patrick, as always, went into tourist damage control, ignoring her issue. His fake plastic smile attempting to smooth the tussled tourist feathers.

"I'm sorry for this," Patrick said to the tourist.

"Why are you sorry? I just asked him to stop—"

"Yani, it's time to start heading back. How about rounding up the others, please? Thank you."

"But this man—"

"Yani, do your job—"

"I am doing my job—"

"I really don't like her attitude or her accusations," the wife said.

"Your man was looking at my ass—"

Patrick gave her a look, his smile a frozen grimace. "I did not!" the man said, his accent thick and flustered once he saw the other tourists gathering around them.

"Yes, you were! My ass and my chest!"

Glancing around, Yani could feel eyes on her. Many sympathetic, but no one spoke up for her. Now she was beginning to feel like the odd man out. She took a deep breath. She needed this job. The hours were flexible and the pay was pretty good by island standards. Where else could she get paid to swim and play in the water? She decided to swallow her pride.

"You were swimming too close, that's all."

She walked away with her snorkeling gear in her hand and placed them in the lead kayak, the one she used to guide them all to the cay. Paddling back, she could hear the husband and wife barking at one another in French. Yani was happy to be rid of them as she collected gear to be sanitized for the next group of tourists.

When she was finished packing away all the gear and cleaning up the kayak launch area, Patrick called her into his office.

"I gave that couple a refund," Patrick said.

He sat behind the cash register and scrolled his cell while talking to her. Yani shrugged. One hundred and sixty dollars taken from the company.

"You used to be an awesome employee—"

"I still am. I get the best surveys, and I get the biggest tips—"

"Yeah…but lately, you've been moody and a little difficult—"

"How? When? Who has complained about me? I'm your best—"

"Not so much anymore—"

"You're a liar—"

"And you're fired. I just received the okay from Heather.'

"Did you tell her what that guy did?"

"I didn't see anything and neither did anyone else. You overreacted."

"Give me my money!"

Yani held out her hand.

"Heather has to cut you your final check—"

"No, you fire me on the spot, you give me my money on the spot—"

"I can't…"

Yani grabbed her phone from her work cubbyhole and dialed.

"Heather, if you fire me then you pay me right now. I swear to God I will bring my cousins back here if you don't tell Patrick to pay me. I'm going to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau too. Or maybe I sue you. One of your customers made me uncomfortable and I only told him to stop…what? Yes, he's right here….do that then."

Yani hung up and the office phone rang. Patrick picked it up.

"Eco Tours…yeah, Heather…yeah…I didn't see anything, she just accused the guy. Okay…alright."

Patrick hung up. The second shift staff were filing in and some watched the expression on Yani's face as she held her hand out.

"Money, now!"

Patrick punched in a code on the register and it opened. He counted out two-hundred dollars in cash. All twenty-dollar bills. He handed it to Yani. She snatched it and stuffed it down her tankini. She stomped out of the office cursing under her breath. Kendall was waiting for her, his old Yamaha V-Star motorcycle spit-shined and propped up by its kickstand. He handed Yani his extra helmet.

"What's wrong with your face?"

"I got fired."

"What? Why?"

"Some dirty old man kept looking at my bumper and my tits. But they said I have a bad attitude. Take me home to my baby before I fight everyone in there."

Her cell rang.

"What Heather? No, it's not right. Patrick doesn't respect me or my work. You know I work hard. I make people return here. Two years Heather…how can you tell him to fire me and you don't have all the facts?"

Yani could see Kendall's face getting stressed listening to her. She patted his arm.

"I'll call you tomorrow, Heather. Yes, I have my money. Okay. Bye."

She thrust her phone into her tankini top right on top of her money.

"Boss Lady?" Kendall said.

"She wants to talk about what happened today. Gave me my job back. Scared I'll sue. All they had to do was believe me the first time and back me up. But them worried about foreign white people being unhappy. Kiss their asses and leave mine hanging."

She sucked her teeth and climbed onto the back of Kendall's bike.

The ride home to Red Hook was congested with cars as people made their way to popular tourist sites. Kendall weaved in and out of lanes and Yani enjoyed the sun warming her back and drying her work clothes. Resting her helmet on Kendall's shoulder as they waited at a slow traffic light, Yani felt herself beginning to get excited for Saturday night.

Eighteen months.

That was how long she had not gone out with friends. The moment she was pregnant, Chez had her locked down at home. When her parents made the decision for her not to stay with them, she still was pressured by Chez to stay indoors when she moved in with Leona. No lunch dates with her girlfriends. Family gatherings with her extended family lasted twenty minutes and then Chez was hustling her away. Even shopping for baby things was frowned upon.

He didn't want her out in public, didn't want her around people who could influence her decision to stay with him or not. When she stood up for herself, he bullied her with verbal abuse. He knew not to lay a hand on her because her family would slice his balls off, but Chez was a master of psychological warfare. Telling her she was fat and ugly and that nobody would want her if she left him. Called her lazy when she wanted to sleep because Sydette was a big baby while she was inside Yani's belly. All of this happened in the later stages of her pregnancy. In the beginning, he was sugary sweet to her, begging her not to abort when she had doubts about having a child with him, promising to be the best father ever.

But when her belly got big, he started in on her. By then it was too late. By then she knew he didn't really want to be a father but her controller. When she became disenchanted with him, the war for her self-esteem began. He wanted to keep her down. Only because he didn't want anyone else to have her when she was so openly done with him.

Chez slept around and then went after a woman that sniffed him out when he first had his record contract.

Ursula.

She was nothing like Yani at all. Ursula's family had a little money, some connections…the right skin tone, the right educational background. Chez may have thought Ursula was a step up for him, but he was most definitely a step down for Ursula by the way her family reacted to him. Their friends used to tease Chez and call him the Dark Gable of the island. Tall and lean, Chez had gorgeous skin that was like midnight silk and a smile that looked like diamonds lived in his mouth. Yani's dream boyfriend. God, she loved him so. Loved him with all the naïve stupidity that young girls had when first love is acute, visceral…painful in its honesty because they have nothing to compare it to. She let him use her body as much as he wanted because that was her man, and her man could have anything he wanted at any time. If he called her late at night and said come over now, she was hopping on that dick quick-quick, even eating his ass if he wanted, which he loved.

To walk into a club or a house party with him was the epitome of being a celebrity in their tiny world. Chez had that "it" factor that made people into stars, and that was the fantasy made false when he became popular. It started with Chez doing a few bars here and there on songs by other up-and-coming artist's mixtapes. Then there was the indie single he put out that had Yani singing the hook for him. She wore revealing clothes for him onstage, simulated fellatio on him at performances…anything to help him succeed. He told her constantly that money was on the way and she could go to school on his dime. They were on their way. When the contract came through and they took their first trip to Florida, Yani's parents fell for the pipedream too. Once they allowed her to take a gap year and saw how good Chez was to her, they loosened their grip on their relationship.

But then Sydette was conceived.

Next came the rumors of the girl with the long loose curls and rich background hanging with Chez's entourage when Yani wasn't around. Rumors of Chez texting the same girl late at night to come jump on his dick. Then the non-rumor of Chez running behind some pregnant girl buying new baby clothes when Yani was laid up with stitches inside her torn and still bleeding vagina as she tried getting Sydette to latch onto her nipple and suck. The non-rumor of some girl driving around the island in Chez's car with a baby girl that looked exactly like Chez, but with hazel eyes and skin the color of the sand Yani stuck her toes in on Klaue's private beach.

Lookie.

"You quiet, Yani," Kendall said, trying to sneak his motorcycle past a hotel delivery truck.

"Just thinking about you performing tomorrow. And me looking cute."

"You know Chez will come."

"I know. I don't care."

"Does Zachary have to come?"

"I'm tired of people asking me that. Chez nuh own me. He can't control who I see. I like Zachary. He is good to me and Sydette. Do you know how hard it is to find and date a man when you have a pickney hanging off your tit? I deserve to have fun with a boyfriend."

"Oh, he's your boyfriend now?"

"Working on it. We are exclusive now. Moving slow and easy. Still dating, not a couple-couple yet, but we agreed to see only each other,"

The words came out and Yani felt the whispery ghost of guilt when she thought of what Erik had done. What she had allowed.

He was dangerous.

Scary.

Persuasive without saying a word.

What if he wanted to do that again and she didn't?

All the men at the compound carried firearms. He could put a gun to her head and force her if he really wanted to. Catch her walking down to the beach alone…

She shook her head, bumping her helmet into Kendall. "Easy back there," he said.

Traffic began to pick up a bit once they passed the docks.

Twyla was standing out on the apartment balcony with Sydette when Kendall pulled his bike in to park.

"Look. It's Mommy!" Twyla said helping Sydette wave down to Yani.

"Hi, Sweet Pea!" Yani called up, and she could see her daughter’s chubby legs kicking at the sound of her voice.

With her daughter in her arms, Yani smothered her with kisses, pleased to know she had the next two days to herself. Monday would be interesting only because the new men would be arriving at the compound, and she was curious to see who would be joining the wild bunch already there.

"She ate already," Twyla said tickling Sydette's barefoot.

"Why you have my baby in only a diaper? People think I can't afford clothes for her."

"Too hot for clothes, huh Sydette? Too hot to be wearing all that extra material," Twyla said. She reached out and touched Yani's hair. "You want me to touch up this color? Your roots are coming out."

"Should I change the color? I saw this platinum shade that would look so good on me."

"You don't want something darker?"

"I look good with light hair. Makes mi skin look like brown sugar. Cuz you know girls, girls dem sugah…"

"…the girls dem need this nigga, yah!" Twyla finished by winding her hips and giggling.

Sydette stared at them both then grabbed for Yani's cowrie shell necklace.

"Zachary keeps calling. You give him some already?" Twyla said.

Yani slapped Twyla's arm.

"We are courting still."

Twyla rolled her eyes

"Twist my locs?"

"No. I just got home. I'm tired. My hands are tired—"

"You want blonde hair again?"

Yani frowned.

"Let me rest for at least an hour."

"I'll give you two. I have to wash my hair first."

Entering the apartment, Yani was met by another cousin, Dex, who sat in front of the TV eating cereal.

"Yani!" Dex shouted.

"You still giving Twyla and Kendall a ride tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'm bringing Boogie and Donald too. Cee Cee is bringing Dulan and Sonya."

Yani looked at Kendall.

"See? You thought your family was going to be too busy and all your favorite cousins are coming."

Kendall beamed and poured himself a bowl of cereal.

"Auntie coming home today?" Dex asked.

"Tomorrow night," she said.

Dex clapped his hands.

"Just make sure you clean up this place before she gets here."

A two-bedroom apartment and a sleeper-couch housed a baby and five adults. Everyone worked and everyone contributed to the household. Leona worked six days a week on the compound when Klaue was around, and less than two times a week when he was gone. Her nieces and nephews covered her rent for the place in exchange for staying there while she was away.

Dex was happy because he would be able to sleep in a bed for one more night before returning to the couch with Kendall.

"What you cook?" Yani said sitting on the couch rocking Sydette in her arms.

"Got take-out," Dex said stretching his arm and reaching for Sydette's foot.

"Beef Patties?"

"Burger King."

Yani rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to eat it."

"I won't," she said popping Dex in his head.

"Stop that," Dex said.

Sydette reached out and grabbed Dex's hair, her fingers slipping through his matted curls.

"Ow…girl…"

He unhooked Sydette's fingers from his scalp.

Kendall dropped down on the couch next to Yani.

"She's bringing Zachary," Kendall said.

Dex glanced over at Kendall and then Yani.

"Yani…" Dex whined.

"I don't care what you say," she said lifting Sydette up and checking her diaper.

"This is why we end up having drama—"

"Won't be no drama—"

"You know how Chez is—"

"And? He laid up with that hoe and another baby. Fuck I care? I'm there to support my family. Zachary is taking me out to dinner and then we are coming to the club. This is a special night for we and I won't listen to that man's name being uttered in my ear."

Her tone of voice made it final.

"Who is watching Sydette?" Kendall asked.

"Anika."

Yani's youngest sister agreed to watch her baby mainly so she could have her little boyfriend hang out with her at Leona's apartment. Ever since Yani's baby mishap, her younger siblings had been under a strict regime. No boys or men allowed in the house. So they had to sneak. Yani wasn't worried about her sixteen-year-old sister though, Leona would be there to keep an eye on them. Anika was still at the holding hands stage with boys, and the young man she was smitten with was a cornball who loved Anika because she loved anime like Yani, and played RPG games like a pro. Love at first online game.

Yani rubbed Sydette's back. Her daughter was resting against her neck and falling asleep. She could smell the fresh clean smell of baby shampoo in her child's hair, and the deep comfortable breathing she had when she was in her mommy's arms.

Yani reached into her tankini and pulled out her cell and her money. She shoved the cash in Dex's face.

"Take this for the house phone and light bill and put the rest on Auntie's cell phone bill," she said.

"I already covered all that, you keep this for school and Sydette," Dex said folding the bills back up and putting it into her hand.

"You sure?"

"I was able to get extra hours at the Job, so I'm good. They didn't hire too many seasonal workers this quarter."

Yani leaned over and kissed her cousin on the forehead. Every little bit helped. She could apply some of that cash for taking her TEAS test, the first step in trying to get into nursing school on the island. The aptitude test would assess if she had the skills to qualify as a nurse, and the administrative fee was eighty dollars. The rest of the money she would use to get Sydette diapers and some new baby bottles since she broke two of them transferring them home the other day. Any leftover money was going towards some new sneakers. The rubber on the back of her Nike kicks were peeling and crazy glue wasn't helping to save them anymore.

"Can you watch her while I shower?"

Dex took the sleeping baby in his arms and Yani walked into her bedroom and grabbed clean clothes and underwear.

Sleep.

She wanted a long uninterrupted sleep and a plate of beef patties with melted cheese. And some strawberry ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.

Cool water woke up her skin, and she quickly cleaned her body. Rinsing off, her fingers trailed over her areolas, gently skimmed the tips of her breasts as Erik's face came to mind. All day he had been flitting in and out of her thoughts. How would she face him on Monday? It would be difficult to pretend that nothing happened because she couldn't trust her own body around him anymore. She had kissed him, so how could she serve breakfast or lunch, or even clean the pool properly if she would have to look at his lips and not think about them being on hers? Why didn't she say no when he asked to touch her? It would've been so easy to walk away and just deal with her breasts, leave the compound and just ignore him for the rest of his stay.

Her Aunt would catch on too because Leona caught every subtle look, word, or action in that place. She had to. These were bad men who pretended not to be bad, who often spoke in code around them. Auntie would be very cautious and her eyes would be wide open. Watching for anything to be off or strange. Yani knew with absolute certainty that they were really bad men when Leona had her help clean Klaue's personal house and she showed Yani a secret escape passage that Klaue revealed to her in case anything ever happened on the compound. Leona was never to reveal this passageway to anyone who came there. Everyone except for Yani.

The compound was usually pleasant and nothing terrible had ever happened. Only the occasional hurricane threats brought any worry. When Klaue was gone overseas or back in his home country, the compound was paradise and the energy felt lighter to work in. She would swim in the pool, sunbathe, or read books on the patio and pretend to be a spoiled rich girl.

She found it greedy of rich white people like Klaue to own so much property and hardly ever be there to use it when her own family would kill for the space to live on their own island. Three houses sat empty eighty percent of the time simply because some foreigner had money to waste. How nice it would be to let her daughter crawl around on the private beach, or float on a little raft with a view of her own sea? Maybe one day run around through beautiful plants and trees with Jerome? Lay on a big soft bed like the one Erik had in his room all the time.

Her fingers played with her nipples until they were stiff. She turned off the water and stood naked, feeling the pleasure of her own touches. Her fingers on her right hand dropped down to separate the folds of her prominent inner labia. She manipulated the slippery skin, inserting the middle and ring finger of her right hand inside her vagina. She proceeded to thrust in and out as she pictured Erik's hand working his erection, the slit on his tip dripping…

Yani grabbed the detachable shower nozzle and switched the mode to pulse and placed it over her throbbing clit. She had to hurry, wasting water was a no-no. Gently sliding the hood of her clit back and letting the water splash on her perfect pink spot almost brought her to delicious completion until a knock on the bathroom door interrupted her. "You almost done in there?"

Kendall's voice broke the serenity of her self-pleasuring. She removed her fingers and rinsed off completely before shutting off the water. She didn't bother to dry off, just threw on clean panties and a sky-blue cotton bathrobe. She ran a roller of deodorant under her armpits then opened the bathroom door.

"All yours," she said.

She went into the bedroom she shared with Twyla to find some shorts and a top.

"Yani!"

Dex called out to her from the living room.

"You need something?" she asked, thinking Sydette was fretting because she wanted her.

Dex was standing at the open front door.

"Where's Sydette?" she asked.

Dex nodded his head outside the apartment entrance.

Yani padded over to find Chez standing outside holding Sydette in his arms. She reached for her baby. Chez took a step back from her hands.

"She's fine. I'm her father, calm yourself," Chez said.

Her daughter's eyes stared at Chez like he was a stranger with bad energy. Her little face vacillated between pre-tears and fretting. Soft little grunts of air escaped her lips.

Hair twisted into tiny peppercorn sized locs around his scalp, and a new gold-chained necklace hanging from his neck, Chez stared at her bathrobe, his eyes focusing on her breasts.

"You with someone?"

"I just got out of the shower. What do you want?" her voice was rushed, her eyes focused on Sydette. He made her nervous holding her.

He pulled a wad of cash from his pocket. She took it and counted it. Fifty dollars.

"That's it?" she asked. He owed her way more than that.

"You know I have other responsibilities—"

"You are two months behind, Chez—"

"When I get more, I'll give you more. You are working and making enough money—"

"I work three fucking jobs! If you gave me what we needed, what we agreed on, then I could quit one of them and be with our baby more since you don't want to spend time with her—"

"I'm here aren't I? I'm holding her now, right?"

"It would help me if you could keep her sometimes—"

A car horn honked.

Chez looked behind him.

"Stop honking the goddamn horn!"

His raised voice startled Sydette and she started crying, her arms reaching for Yani.

"Stop crying," Chez said, his arm pulling Sydette away from Yani.

"Give me my baby," Yani said. She tried to keep her face calm. The car horn honked again.

"Stop pressing on the fucking horn, Ursula!"

The yell from Chez's voice made Sydette wail. Yani grabbed her child and yanked her away from Chez.

"You brought your bitch to my house?"

"Watch your tongue—"

Yani stepped around Chez to get a good look at Ursula sitting in the passenger seat of Chez's car. The apartment was on the second floor of a two-story building.

"You can afford to pay what? Five hundred dollars a month for that car, but you come bring me fifty dollars? How do I stretch this out for a month for your baby?"

Yani cradled Sydette's head against her neck. Calm gurgles came from her daughter's mouth now that she was out of Chez's arms.

"I'm doing the best I can, Yani."

"So am I. But I'm tired. Our baby deserves better. I deserve better. It's not right how you treat us—"

"Chez, let's go!"

Ursula stepped out from the passenger side of the silver sporty Honda. She held Chez's other daughter in her arms.

"Your woman is calling you," Yani said.

"When I get some more cash I'll bring it to you."

Yani reached out and pulled on the new gold necklace draped on his neck.

"How much this set you back, huh? Give it to me so I can pawn it."

Chez pulled her hand off of him. He leaned over and kissed Sydette on the cheek. He pulled on Yani's robe at the waist and kissed her on her cheek too.

"I have some money coming in soon. I'll be able to pay back what I owe you and then some. Okay?"

Yani stepped back from him.

"Chez!" Ursula's voice was incessant, "we need to go!"

"Stop yelling in front of my home!" Yani shrieked down to her.

Chez herded her back into the doorway of the apartment.

"Why did you bring her with you? You always try to hurt me, rub my nose in your trash," she said.

"She's not your issue. I'm here for the baby. I'll see you soon."

He rubbed the top of Sydette's head and bounded down the walkway to hit the stairs.

Ursula had a smug look on her face as Chez came back to her.

"Get your butt in the car," Chez said slamming his driver's side door shut.

When they were gone, Yani stood on the balcony trying to keep it together.

"Yani?"

Twyla came out to be with her.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. He just…" She held up the money.

"Fuck them," Twyla said.

"What did I ever see in him?"

"Don't drag yourself. You were young and in love. Just like many people. He fucked it up by being a jerk. That's not your fault."

Yani held Sydette close to her heart.

No matter what Twyla said, Yani would always feel like loving him was her fault. Her fault for choosing him willingly.

And now her baby had to suffer.

###

Zachary had gone to the bathroom when the man with the dark flashy eyes approached Yani by one of the big speakers near the make-shift stage inside of Rush. He wasn't white, or Latin as his swarthy skin and wavy dark hair suggested. He was dressed like he had money…plenty of it. He was a little tipsy, but in a cute flirty way.

"You are a Goddess and I want to marry you," he said. His voice had an accent like he was from one of those places that always had America fighting. Iran? Saudi Arabia? Iraq?

"I'm sorry, but I am taken," she said. She gave him a smile when his face looked hurt by the response.

"If I told you I needed you tonight, would you come with me?"

The man's eyes were shiny and the mirth in his voice made Yani laugh instead of flicking him aside like a mosquito.

"If you ever change your mind, Goddess, I am here for you."

He gave an exaggerated bow and Yani walked past him to greet her cousins who had all arrived in a pack, shifting the energy in the room with Galibar essence. Their family was well-known, and it was easy to move in the space knowing family was around looking out for her.

Hands on her waist spun her around and Zachary pulled her in for a hug. He was happy and excited to be out with her, constantly pulling her out onto the center of the dance floor so people could see them. It was nice to be with a man who was proud to be with her. Their dinner together had been perfect, the food excellent, and when they arrived at the club Yani felt more like herself again. She wasn't a mommy, or someone's girlfriend, or some worker bee running from job to job…she was just Yani and hanging out with grown-ups, responsible for no one but herself.

She dressed like a star. New make-up she saved up for. Gold choker on her throat. A long yellow dress she ordered online from the States that had cute green and red shapes on it that made her skin look bronzed by the sun. She did feel like a Goddess as her dress flowed around her hips with a small slit at the bottom that gave a tiny peek of her left leg. She even let her cleavage show just straight feeling herself. She allowed herself to drink liquor knowing she had milk bottled at home for Sydette for the next day. She was going to savor this night for a long time.

She extended hugs to her relatives and friends who hadn't seen her out in months. Compliments flowed and Zachary constantly hyped her up. When other men stared at her, Zachary's chest puffed out with pride. She liked how he was secure with thirsty eyes on her.

Rush was filled with gorgeous women, and Yani was happy that she could feel pretty again, not schlepping around in her usual sneakers and sweatpants. Her gold lace-up sandals gave her toes a little trouble at first, but now she was used to them as she moved with Zachary.

Wall to wall patrons crammed into the space and she was happy that Kendall would have an enthusiastic crowd to hear him live.

"Let me have my cousin," Dex said grabbing Yani's hand and taking her over to Monice and Twyla. Zachary nodded and watched her be ushered near the side of the bar.

"Kendall is having a panic attack," Dex said.

"What?" she said.

"He's over by the D.J. booth. I tried talking him down, but he's super nervous and says he can't remember his setlist, and one of his singers isn't coming…he's in a panic. I told Dex to find you," Twyla said.

"Jesus Christ," she said.

Yani waved Zachary over.

"Kendall is losing it, I have to talk to him," she said.

"Want me to go with you?" Zachary asked.

"Yeah, he needs some cheerleaders right now," Yani said.

She held Zachary's hand as she pushed past dancers, the deep bass in the club vibrating through her body. She could see her poor sweet cousin Kendall leaned up against the D.J. booth, his eyes closed and his hands balled into fists. Yani knew the butterflies of pre-performance jitters, but she learned early on to use her nerves to give a good performance. But Kendall was new to this, accustomed to backing other people on stage, not being the center of attention on his own. She hoped he could get through this because a ton of people paid money to come see a show, and he was one of the headliners. His first time being that. It would be a disaster if he couldn't get it together.

"Oh! It's my Goddess again! Here is that vision I was telling you about-!"

That guy again.

Oh shit.

He wasn't alone.

Yani halted in her tracks when she saw Erik sitting next to the Arab man at the bar. Locs cornrowed on his head, eyes relaxed from the drink in his hand, Erik's gaze took her in like he didn't recognize her. Something flickered in his eyes and he leaned forward, his free hand reaching out like he was going to touch her until he saw Zachary next to her.

"Killmonger," she heard herself say.

"The fuck yuh doin' here?!"

Chez's voice almost made her legs buckle when he stalked over to her and grabbed her elbow.

A nightmare made real.

Yani stood still, her eyes darting between three men who were aware of one another and sizing one another up.

"Hey, what is this?" the dark-haired Arab man with the reverent voice said.

Yani grimaced when she felt Chez's fingers digging into her skin. He was pulling her away from Zachary, his hot eyes raking up and down her body taking in how she was dressed.

Yani released her hand from Zachary's and placed it on Chez's arm to try and pry him off. He wouldn't let go, his grip tightening. It hurt.

Erik stood up.

"Take your hand off her."

Erik's voice sounded deadly like it could kill someone in seconds with the terse tone.

His friend stood up with him, feeding into the warning energy Erik gave off. At that moment, Yani knew the Arab man was one of Klaue's men too. Chez had no clue who was confronting him.

"Mind yours, breh. This my baby's mother—"

"—don't give a fuck who she is to you. Back off her—"

Yani's eyes went to Zachary and he stood there not sure what to do, confused as to who Erik was and why he was intruding.

"I need to talk to Kendall!" she shouted shoving Chez away from her. She stomped away from them all. She could hear Erik and Chez going back and forth and when she glanced behind her, she saw her cousin Dex and Dulan pulling Chez away from Erik who was smiling at Chez, his thick neck moving side to side like he was ready to body her ex.

Zachary was right behind her, his face stressed.

"You know he was here?" Zachary asked.

"Why should I care?"

"Who was that other guy? He acted like he knows you—"

"Kendall!"

Yani touched her cousin's neck and his eyes flew open.

"Yani. I feel like I want to throw up," he whispered.

"Calm yourself. It's okay. This is normal—"

"No, it don't feel normal."

"Tell me your songs," she said.

"Bumper…um…Phase Two…Crash Land…She Sez…"

"Good, you know the order and everything. What happened to your back-up?"

"Gloria is here, but Asha is a no show. I go on in ten minutes and Gloria doesn't want to go up without Asha—"

"That's some bullshit," Twyla said easing up next to Kendall and handing him a cup of ice water. She made him drink and rubbed his back. They both could see Kendall calming down.

"Do you have music with their voices already recorded?" Yani asked.

"No."

"Where is Gloria?" Yani asked.

Kendall shrugged.

Yani glanced around the club looking for Gloria. Zachary stood near her, his face looking flustered.

"What?"

"You're not worried about Chez starting something again?" Zachary asked.

"My cousins will snatch him up if he tries something again. Don't worry about him—"

"You still didn't answer me about that other guy—"

"What other guy?" Yani said still scanning the crowd for Kendall's singer.

"The big dude—"

"Zachary, I'm trying to help Kendall, okay?"

"What is Gloria wearing?" he asked.

"She has on one of my shirts, red with me on my motorcycle. She has a big afro…" said Kendall.

"I'll go look," Zachary said.

"Thank you, Zachary," Yani said. She squeezed his arm and watched him leave.

She could see the patrons positioning themselves closer to the stage.

"Hey, Kendall, we doing alright?"

The club D.J., Junior leaned over from his booth, worry on his face.

"He's fine!" Yani said making her voice sound cheerful.

"What?! Yani!" Junior said stepping down from his spot in the booth.

He gave Yani a big hug.

"You look good!" he said.

"Here for my cousin," she said looking over at Kendall, encouraging him to perk up more.

"Are your girls ready Kendall? I have hot mics ready for them. We go on in five—"

"Found her!" Zachary said ushering Gloria back over. The girl looked petrified.

"Kendall, I can't go up by myself—"

"You have to, he needs you to start the song to introduce him!" Twyla interjected, the peevishness in her voice hard to ignore.

"It won't sound right with just me—"

"Make it sound right, you're not gonna fuck up my cousin's show little girl," Twyla said getting into Gloria's face.

"Twyla, that's not helping her—" Yani said.

"Show goes on now, you doing this or not Kendall?"

Junior was all business.

Kendall's eyes sought out Yani.

"Gloria, please, this is where you have to be professional. The show goes on even if part of your crew isn't here. You can't let Kendall down," Yani said.

"Gloria, please," Kendall said.

"Kendall, it's time," Junior said climbing back into the booth. He held out a mic for Kendall and Gloria.

Gloria reached for the mic and Yani felt a sigh of relief flow through her.

"Are you ready for some great music?" Junior called out on his mic as he punched keys on his computer cueing up Kendall's tracks. A roar of "Yes!" came back from the crowd.

Yani held her hands clasped together in front of her silently praying that all things would work in Kendall's favor. Gloria had the mic in her hand, but she looked like she was ready to run.

Junior dropped Kendall's opening track and the room absolutely jumped with the massive bassline. Yani felt her cheeks pull tight as she smiled hard. The track was slapping so good. Gloria stepped forward and started humming, her lackluster energy killing the vibe already.

"Ohmigod, this bitch!" Twyla shouted.

"Give her a chance," Yani said as she bit into her lip, her own nerves scattered when she saw Gloria tanking the performance before it even began.

There were titters from the crowd and many of the people who had been swinging when the beat first dropped now stood still trying to figure out how it all went so wrong in fifteen seconds.

"Give me that goddamn mic you stupid girl!" Twyla said racing onto the platform that was used for the stage.

"Yani, c'mon," Twyla said shoving Gloria aside, "give me back again," Twyla said to Junior who synced the music back to the beginning.

Yani shook her head at Twyla.

"Yani…" Kendall whispered.

Kendall's eyes were wild-looking, his nerves frayed, and at that moment, Yani knew she had to do whatever it took to salvage this for him.

She stepped onto the stage and grabbed a mic that Junior held out for her. The music rattled the walls once more and the club lights lit up and heated her face. She quickly focused on what she needed to do. This was Kendall's first track…"Bumper"…an ode to asses. She heard Kendall rap to this track for weeks, had to hear the hook being sung every damn day she came home from work while he was in the shower.

Twyla wound her hips to the dancehall-tinged track and when her eyes met Yani's, she nodded her head and they both faced the audience and gave Kendall a proper introduction.

###

Tahir had been mumbling about some woman he saw when he went to the restroom, but Erik found himself trying to avoid Isis, the girl he slept with at the Marriott.

She spotted him at the bar and Erik made sure to stay cordial, but she was cramping his style by hanging off of him the way women did after he messed with them. She looked amazing in her peek-a-boo skintight white dress and red heels, but he was not feeling her at all. Even when he introduced her to Tahir who was extremely good-looking, Isis stuck to him like cops on a niggas ass. He was already pulling women that could help him get through his stay on the island, but this bird was clucking too much.

He went dancing with a random girl who walked past him and Isis still didn't get the hint. Finally, he was just straight up with her saying he was just trying to have fun with his friend and wasn't interested in hooking up that night. She was buzzing from drinking rum and his words didn't seem to halt her advances until he physically left her at one side of the main bar and moved with Tahir on the other side.

Tahir was in island heaven, his eyes taking in all the sights of bright lights, heavy Soca and Hip Hop beats, and the thickolicious women roaming the club, so many of them single.

"I swear to you she must be in the employ of a jinn, her eyes…may Allah bless me with a wife with eyes like that…. Oh! It's my Goddess again! Here is that vision I was telling you about-!"

Tahir shoved Erik's shoulder and he turned to see Yani walking toward them. When she stopped in front of them Erik thought fate was fucking with him because she had just crossed his mind again, him wondering if she was out on the floor dancing or on her way to the club. His eyes couldn't release her from their hold as he saw what she looked like outside of cleaning and cooking for the compound. It was her, totally her, but she was just so…

He couldn't even figure out the words before he was reaching out to touch her, wanting to already pull her into his arms and keep her next to him. But then he saw her fingers entwined with a man standing behind her.

He heard her say his name, not the one he wanted her to call him, but the one he hid behind, and she still made the harshness of it sound so sweet to his ears. He longed to pull on the straps of her dress, slip one down from her shoulder and place his lips on the skin there. The gold choker on her neck made him want to place his hand there and squeeze, push her against a wall and pull up the gauzy dress she wore that made her curves too visible for his comfort. He knew what was under that dress and he wanted to see it again. See it on his bed, her legs stretched open wall to wall, her big eyes looking up at him when he entered her heat…

Before he could even gather himself and act chill, (as if the sight of her with some other man didn't bother him when it clearly did agitate him), another dude was yelling at Yani, man-handling her as if he owned her.

Erik saw Yani grimace and that was it.

When she broke away from her baby's father, he wanted to follow her, but the other guy she was with trailed behind her and the baby daddy started to act buck with Erik.

"You ain't gon' do shit, bruh," Erik told him, even laughing at dude when he started flexing for the crowd, but not really trying to go there with Erik. Two other men came over and pulled the man away, calling him "Chez" and Erik made a mental note to check the guy out. He was so quick to come down on Yani, Erik got the feeling the dude was trouble and could retaliate.

"You know her?" Tahir finally said when the commotion calmed down.

"She works at the compound for Klaue."

Tahir's eyes perked up, but when he glanced at Erik, he got the hint that she was off-limits.

He sat back and sipped on his rum again, his eyes scanning for Yani and spotting her near the D.J. booth talking to some people. A huge banger thumped through the speakers and Erik head-bobbed with everyone else as they all watched a cute woman climb onstage. She started humming and then her voice faded under the music.

Did she forget the words or something?

Another woman came on stage and snatched the mic from the first girl and told the D.J. to start the song over. That slamming intro whopped everyone over the head again, and this time he watched Yani climb onstage and join the new girl and they sang a hook that made the crowd go buck wild.

Shit. They sounded good, Better than good.

"Is that my Goddess again?" Tahir squeaked, bouncing on his feet.

Erik stood up and rocked along with the club patrons. The smokey deeper alto of the other singer cradled Yani's honey voice, the harmonies flowing to a young dude who bounced on stage, his energy high and infectious as he spit bars that elevated the music even more. Kendall. Erik yanked out his cell and began recording for Leona.

"Fucking incredible," Tahir said nodding his head and raising his hand when Kendall told the crowd to.

Yani and the other woman rocked behind him as Kendall extolled the virtues of why he loved a woman's ass. Yani and the woman bounced their ass cheeks to the beat, turning sideways so the audience could see what they had, and Erik felt a groan clamp down in his throat watching Yani stick her tongue out playfully and shake her cheeks low, her left hand clutching the hem of her dress as she showed everyone the outline of high-grade shelf booty.

The first song ended and Kendall introduced Yani and his other cousin Twyla. Both women bowed to the audience and stood behind Kendall as he went into another song that was just as good.

The kid was good, a little shaky on his transitions, but he held the audience pretty well. The second song didn't have a need for Twyla or Yani, so they just danced together being excellent hype women for their cousin who had pretty decent bars and clever delivery. The last two songs they joined back in and when Kendall was done with his set, he received hearty applause and whistles from the crowd.

"Now we have to pay our respects people…," the D. J. said, "Yani…Yani…come back up here love."

Yani took to the stage again as Kendall stood next to her beaming.

"Yani sang on Tattler's mixtape two years ago, and was on Big C's song 'Recognize Me', yuh remember? She's our Black mermaid!"

Murmurs from the crowd let him know they knew those tracks.

"Yani, take us back for a minute girl…please…"

The D. J. dropped a tune and the crowd shouted. Yani covered her face as Kendall laughed and patted her back. It was a hybrid of dancehall and a tiny bit of dub.

"I came here to watch my cousin perform and chill with my family Junior!" she said.

"For old times sake, Yani. We've missed you, love. Sincerely. You a real one."

The D.J.'s words triggered something in her and Yani covered her eyes. She burst out crying. Erik stepped forward wanting to touch her face and wipe those tears away, but Kendall stepped up and rubbed her back, whispering something in her ear.

"We love you, Yani!"

A woman's shout from the crowd, made Yani lift her head up.

Erik put his cell phone down.

"You got this, Yani!" Erik yelled at her. Yani's face gazed back toward his direction and the audience agreed with him by clapping for her.

"Turn me up," she said to the D.J. and he made her mic a little louder, "Can I freestyle? I don't want to sing that old version. Mi nuh want anything that reminds me of my ex."

The crowd laughed.

"Do what you feel, Yani," the D.J. said.

The music brought her back and Erik knew she couldn't see him, not with those bright ass lights on her face, but she stayed gazing out in his direction.

"Yuh my likkle water boy,

Wind me up like I'm yuh brand new toy

Yuh bring new kinds of joy

And me wahn some more

Wull on pon me

Wull on pon me and take away all me stress…"

Her flow had him moving his hips along with everyone else.

"Did you know she could do that?" Tahir asked, his fingers popping and his feet bouncing side to side.

"Her Aunt said she sang," Erik said, mesmerized.

"Me wahn to peel yuh like some fresh ripe fruit

Lick you down like my Auntie's soup

Got me pattin' on my kitty cat

Me suspect

You wahn grip my neck

Lookie,

I'll let you whisper me the rest

I promise this no test

Stop makin me vex

Come wull pon me…."

Fuck.

She was singing to him.

Erik felt the hairs on his neck raise. Her voice was way too intimate and the lyrics too specific to be about anyone else other than him. Her tone was seductive and she hadn't changed the direction of her stance facing his way.

"Lookie

Won't you come over love

So I can show you love

Promise I got enough to give you all you need

Lookie

Some lovers search to find a love like mine

A love as good as mine

I'll never waste your time

Such a vibe…"

When she finished, she giggled and let the mic hit the side of her hip. Erik felt like everyone could see that the smile on his face was for her and only her. Kendall hugged her and the club patrons clapped.

"Give it up for Yani, the Black Mermaid, yeah!"

"She needs to be home takin' care of her pickney!"

Chez's voice rang out loud and rude.

Yani's head turned in his direction, and Erik felt ready to stomp the nigga out right in front of her.

"What kinda mother hang out in a club with tits out like that? Shame!"

"Fuck you!" Yani yelled out to him and the crowd laughed.

Erik spotted Chez leaning on the other side of the bar.

"Out here being a hoe. You no hot girl no more—"

The crowd heckled Chez back.

"It's ok, it's ok, him try to shame me. It not gon' work. You want this smoke, Chez? I give it to you. Junior, give me Chez's beat. That old Big C joint he couldn't make pop."

Yani stepped to the edge of the stage.

"Run that beat back fuh mi," she said, "I see you. I got your hoe right here."

Chez threw his hands up egging her on.

"What you got for me, huh, bitch? What? You got nothin'!"

Erik felt his jaw clench.

"And dis a wah mi get fi understand Seh yuh cya keep yuh dick inna yuh pants Yuh think seh fucking every gyal mek yuh feel more like a man Yuh supposed to be my right hand, my go to And nobody nuh fi come to me about you Cause when yuh down, I lift you up I keep you moving when yuh stuck Yuh ma nigga you supposed to be my goku Or my best friend, who yuh texting Everyday yuh seh dem gyal yah upsetting But I'm patiently waiting Because anuh my time dem wasting Anuh my time dem wasting

Yuh tired dickhole

Pack up and leave if yuh nuh want mi Cause mi honestly rather be lonely Yuh nav nuh time fi me, yuh all fi yuh self, I see Pack up and leave if yuh nuh want mi Cause mi honestly rather be lonely Yuh nav nuh time fi we

No time fi Sydette or mi…"

Erik shoved his fist up to his mouth along with everyone else in the club as heads turned in Chez's direction.

"See, that's what happens when you come for me," Yani said.

She handed the mic back to Junior and stepped away from the stage with Kendall's arm thrown around her neck. The laughter was ferocious and it cut Chez deep, especially when she mentioned Sydette at the end.

Erik strolled over to the man to keep an eye on him, but Chez turned around and stormed out of the club with his boys.

He watched Yani get pats on the back and hugs as she made her way over to the bar. When her eyes caught him again, he thought he would have a chance to talk to her, but her boyfriend entwined his fingers with hers and took her out to dance.

Erik grabbed the nearest woman's hand and pulled her out on the floor with him.

Anything to be near Yani...

###

Part 5 [Part 6]

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Authors Note: Lyrics that Yani spits is stuff I made up mixed with actual Jada Kingdom songs, “Wull On” and “Love Situations”.

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