Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Poet kept on washing the dishes, placing them on the drying rack. When she turned back around, her aunt had vanished.
“She’s not comin’ back, is she?” She dried her hands on a white and blue striped dish towel. An old spaghetti sauce stain was still visible on it from a year ago.
Kage reached into his pants pocket, and pulled out a cigarette and lighter, setting them both on the table.
“No. She’s not comin’ back, Poet. Have a seat.”
After a slight hesitation, she made her way over, pulled out a chair and parked herself on it. ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ from New Order was playing as they sized each other up.
“How’s the greenhouse going?” she finally asked.
“We’re on schedule. Almost ready for the glass install. I added some more security beams and another drainage line as I felt this was necessary, but won’t charge you for that because it wasn’t our original agreement.”
“Thank you.” She noticed her voice was softer than she wanted it to be. Something inside of her was being devoured by the look in his eyes. It felt good to be eaten alive…
“Today is the end of the race, Poet. I’m not leavin’ here empty-handed.”
“You need more money upfront for your employees?” She grabbed the bottle of water she’d placed on the table for herself to enjoy, cracked the lid, and sipped.
“Stop playin’ with me.” His voice was low, gravelly. Strong. She smirked as she downed the rest of the water then crushed the bottle in her hand.
“What?” She looked around. “You must be talkin’ to the walls, because you damn sure aren’t talkin’ to me. Who said that I was playing?”
“Be fuckin’ for real.” He sucked his teeth, then crossed his arms.
“I’m trying.”
“Don’t try. Just be. Can we hash this out? Right here, right now?”
“Of course.” She fought the urge to smile.
“You want me as much as I want you. I have my concerns, you have yours. I’m not no wimp, and I ain’t no quitter. I’m comin’ on strong, because anything less is weak. I can’t be weak. It ain’t in me. My father is dead. Your mother is dead. We never got a chance to really know them—proof that life is too fuckin’ short for games, Poet. You felt what I felt, but instead you want to waste time. And for what?”
“Kage, you need to settle the hell down. Don’t act like I have to give in to your demands, like you’re some schoolyard bully! I’m not scared of you.” At least not anymore.
“Now why in the hell would I want someone I desire to be scared of me?”
She shrugged, her adrenaline soaring. “I don’t know. You tell me.”
“I can’t have all of you if you’re frightened of me. Fear makes people freeze or run around aimlessly. That makes no sense, now does it? I need you free, and uninhibited. I need you to feel and see everything I want to give and show you, whether it’s my touch, my dick, my love, my time, my energy. I need you to be open to all of it.”
He was so intense, it was scaring the shit out of her, and yet, he turned her the fuck on. Her heart rate was soaring—a dull pain against her ribs.
“You’re just pullin’ shit out the air.” She forced a laugh.
“I’m not that dude… I don’t live in a fantasy land. I pull no punches, and put out nothin’ but the truth. I know you like to argue when you’re worried. What’s goin’ on right now is mere foreplay because make no mistakes about it, I don’t argue. I say what I have to say and that’s it, but I’m allowing this shit to happen because we need to sort this out before we can move forward. See, I’m on to you, Poet. I’ve studied you.”
“Well, isn’t that somethin’, considering I wasn’t certain that you were literate, Mr. Oscar the Grouch.”
“If I’m Oscar the Grouch, then I live on Sesame Street, and they teach folks the alphabet and how to read. Next time you try to insult me, stay on your damn toes.” She met his accusing eyes without flinching. “And guess what? The letter of the day is, ‘F’. It stands for, fraidy cat. Not because you’re scared of me, but what you think I represent. That fraidy cat is you. You’re just a frightened little girl pretendin’ to be a grown ass woman.”
“Oh no, that’s where you’re wrong. I am a grown ass woman.” She responded cuttingly, forsaking all pretense.
“Then act like it. We’re too old for this shit.” A dark disdain occupied his stare.
She almost bit her tongue in half. She hadn’t felt this way in a long time. Her gut was all hot and bawled up. Twisted in knots. Kage was despicable. Rancorous. And right… A mixture of irritation, anger, and intrigue took her entire body over. Her brain felt as if it were swelling as her temper grew hot to the touch. Her hands were sweaty, and her stomach kept flipping and flopping. That was all on the inside, or hidden from the eye. On the outside, she kept herself in check. Prided herself on her ability to appear calm under tense situations.