Motown Showdown (31 page)

Lying on my patio with my drink, staring out at the ocean the hole in my chest actually burns. I don’t rub it; actually I do my damnedest to forget it exists and fail. When my phone rings, I look and see it’s Whisky and answer. “Hey Whisky,” I say sitting up careful of my twelve dollar beverage.

“Sobriety sucks,” he says instead of hello. “I want a slider; they don’t serve sliders. I call bullshit; you’re paying out of pocket for this joint, and I want a fucking slider.”

“Hey Whisky,” I cut in. “I’m proud of you.”

“Means a lot,” he says.

“I’m in Puerto Rico, can you believe it?”

“Yeah, Camo,” he says. “I can. You bored yet?”

“Bored is an understatement. It’s probably a bad time to mention this; you being in rehab and all but…I’ll be pissing rum for weeks.”

“You and me are doin’ dinner when I get out.”

“Looking forward to it, Whisky.”

“Me too, Camo.”

“Thanks for checking in---” I start, but he cuts me off.

“You there alone?”

“Yeah, I’m alone,” I tell him. “Working on getting used to it. It’s not so bad.” I lie.

Then I felt it, that awareness, that feeling of home. But it wasn’t coming from me, it was coming from someone else. Then blocking my sun, in a wife-beater and cutoff jeans, looking down on me was Gage. “Hey, Whisky?” I whisper because my mouth dried up. “I gotta go.”

“Hang up the phone, beauty,” he says with authority.

“Not alone anymore, are you?” Whisky asks.

“Uh uh,” I mumble.

“Sometimes other people know what’s best for you too,” he says but I had no response to this. “You can thank me by sending more cookies.” Then laughing he hung up.

At a loss, confused, and trying hard not to be hopeful, I sat up in my chair crossing my legs. Crossing his arms over his chest, he doesn’t come to me. Instead he speaks. “I’m in love with two women.” Blinking at him, I look around to see if he was saying this to me or to someone else. I was caught off guard, reeling and instantly lost my buzz. I was focused on the
two women
part. “Until them, I never cared about any woman. I never kissed one and meant it, held one or promised forever. Here, I had two women, a lover and a killer. Both are magnificent, both put me first. That doesn’t set well with me seeing as I wanted the chance to put them before me. Pepper and Camo, two halves of one whole. I couldn’t let you die for me, but swear to Christ being apart from you is worse than death. I want to be the reason you climb down from the trees. I want to be the one who catches you. I’m not afraid anymore, that fear died when I thought you did.” And I was speechless.

“Beauty?” he asks stepping forward.

“Yeah?” I ask testing out my voice.

“You want me to finish declaring my love for you out here or in there,” he says nodding toward the patio door. “I prefer in there, it’s where the bed is.”

“You’re too late,” I tell him and I watch his face fall.

“I didn’t make it in time.”
He knows my greatest fear; Bobo had a big mouth
…

“You came to Puerto Rico, Gage, so you’re too late. I already know.”

He came here for me; he went toe to toe with Bobo for me, so yeah, I knew. I also knew because I thought about what Big Daddy said to me. That he’d run but that he’d figure it out and come back to fix it. Gage/Gadget was a fixer. Why did I just now figure this out? Oh I know, rum.

“Before I slide that bikini bottom to the side, notice I said to the side not
off
because damn woman. I got a few more things I need to say first, and it might take a minute.”

“I’m listening.”

“I didn’t fuck her,” he says and we both wince. “That broad at the bar. I knew you’d follow, so I paid her fifty to act interested.”

“Dick move,” I mumble closing my legs.
Shows over
…

“You
are
better than me in every sense, Camo. I couldn’t handle something happening to you because of me. So I figured if I hurt you, you’d quit me and have a life.”

“Effective,” I mumble again.

“Saved my ass, my sister’s and Rome’s. I know you overheard what I said in the kitchen. I didn’t mean it, but I was running scared. I admit it, fucking terrified. Turns out I had reason to be, beauty. I watched you take a bullet to the chest not knowing you wore a vest. I watched you get blown across the room, in that moment I blamed myself for all of it. Because you came back for me, for my family.
Our
family. I thought letting you go was saving you. Just know it killed me to do it.”

“Ditto.”

“Been in love with you for six years. I have a lot to make up for,” he says softly. “Pepper made that scrapbook, but it was Camo who eliminated the threats on that board. Pepper teased me, played games with me and talked with me for hours. Camo followed me, watched my back and killed for me. You’re both her, just like both men are me. Being in love with two women makes me a lucky motherfucker and I want that forever, beauty. I want that with you.”

“I missed you,” I sniffle. “I don’t know who I am without you, Gage.”

“Yeah you do but, I’m here now. So after I show you with my hands, mouth and cock how much I missed you, what do you say we head home. As a team.”

“Thank God,” I moan letting my legs fall open.
Back in business, baby!
“I was seriously fucking bored.”

“Beauty,” he says extending his hand. “Come to me.”

Taking it, he pulls me up and into his arms. “
No one
is more woman than my women,” he whispers. “You’re all the woman I need.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he says kissing my nose. “You still love me? I made it in time?”

“Are you still injured?”

“Flesh wounds.” He smirks.

“Then yeah,” I smile too. “I still love you. You made it in time.”

Picking me up under the knees, he carried me inside and did as he said. Moving my bikini bottom to the side, he showed me with his hands, mouth and cock how much he loved me. During the second round, any walls I had built to keep him out crumbled.

That bond we share, the connection neither of us can explain snapped back into place and when it did, we detonated. It was stronger, thicker and impenetrable because it came from both of us. “Pepper and Camo,” he says holding my face in his hands. “I will never let either of you go.”

And true to his word, he didn’t.

“She lost points for this,” she mumbles adjusting the straps. “Purple, seriously? I don’t wear purple. No one wears purple. She’s the world’s most beautiful woman. She did not need to dress me like Barney for this. At least nod that you agree! Come on, she’s going to stop traffic in her dress, and I’m going to get honked at! ” She looked stunning in the gown Kandace insisted was lilac, not purple. No matter what I say, she thinks Kandace is the most beautiful person she’s ever met. She still doesn’t see herself. I wanted to rip the damn thing off but if we’re late my sister would flip. Coming up behind her, I slide my hands up under her gown and smile when her breath hitches. Spanning her waist, I move to the small of her back and release the strap. “No weapons,” I whisper in her ear.

“Dammit,” she groans. “Your sister is a real pain in the ass.”

“But you love her.”

“Maybe.”

“And she loves you.”

“Look at me,” she says waving her hands. “How could she not?”

“You are beautiful,” I remind her. “And you’re mine.”

“Fine,” she gives in. “I’ll wear the dress.”

Six weeks later…

“If you can’t do harder, next time you can’t be on top,” I growl in her ear. So bossy this one. Everything has to be her way,
everything
. Her grunts I will admit are adorable, but time was running out. She could white knuckle it all she wants but the fact was, I was stronger.
But fuck she was capable
…

“You would
love
for me to admit I need help,” she grunts again. “Never gonna happen. Plus, I look amazing on top.”

“You’re crushing my dick,” I grunt back. And she was, trust me, I wasn’t enjoying it.

“Then move your dick away from my ass!”

“I like my dick by your ass,” I remind her. “Just stop crushing it!”

“Kids,” Bobo says coming over the line. “I gave up my afternoon pill and a perfectly good movie for this, Jesus it’s called teamwork!”

“Zip it, old man,” she snaps. Then tries again, pauses and drops the wrench. “I broke a fucking nail! Kandace is going to make me go back to get it fixed. Shit!”

My sister and my woman are inseparable. They took turns on what they considered ‘girl time’. Camo’s was target practice, training Kandace and having Kandace kick Rome’s ass. Though, she’ll never cop to it, Camo never wanted to see Kandace helpless again.

Kandace’s was manicures, pedicures, and karaoke. My sister was not girly, but she made Camo promise to take care of her nails. Camo does not like getting her nails done, but there’s nothing she wouldn’t do if Kandace asked. Even go back to the salon and bitch while getting her nails fixed. Although, the one activity they never disagree on is Camo playing piano while Kandace sings. This happens almost every night and Rome and I reap the benefits.

“Beauty,” I whisper in her ear. As long as I call her that I can get away with pretty much anything. My woman was a sucker for compliments. “Let me have a go.” When her eyes narrow, she leans back and huffs,

“Fine.” She does this a lot these days, letting me help her. With two twists, it was loose, and I did not gloat (much). “That’s impressive,” she pants. “I’m totally crushing your dick later… while I’m on top.”

“I didn’t hear that,” Bobo says faking a gag. Switching spots with her, we crawl through to lie on the rafter side by side. Setting up her rifle, I do the same and once in position, I take her hand and squeeze it. “Love you, beauty.”

Biting her lip, she cocks her head giving me a soft smile. “Love you, Gage.” Then her smile gets bigger when our targets fill the room below. “Twenty bucks says my kill shot’s better than yours.”

“A blowjob says it isn’t.”

“Would you two stop thinking with your dicks and focus!” This from Bobo, which is ironic considering he
only
thinks with his dick.

“I’m focused,” she tells him looking at me.

“In the zone,” I say looking right at her.

With my woman by my side and in perfect synch, we dropped our targets and saved a lot of lives. Let the record show, I received a stellar blowjob before she crushed my dick as promised. This wasn’t our first job together, and it wouldn’t be our last. Turns out, we worked really fucking well together, you know… when she listened.

Gage was deep inside of me. Not just his cock (which was working its magic) but all of him. Mind, body, and soul. Slowing down to shallow thrusts, he kisses me and smirks. “I’m that guy.”

“No talking,” Because once he started he didn’t stop. “I’m close, don’t get sentimental now.”

“Beauty,” he says rolling his hips. “You know I’m that guy.”

“If you’d make me come you can be any guy you want,” I growl digging my fingers in. The hip roll was my favorite.

“Just so we’re clear, I’m that guy.”

Sensing a theme, I release my death grip and tell him, “You’re my guy, Gage.” Smiling wide, I wanted to scream at the timing of this power play but it hit me, he was playing with me. “But if you were that guy, what guy would that be?”

“The guy that marries you, Camo,” he whispers. “For as long as we both shall live. Jesus, woman, keep up.”

“You’re balls deep inside of me,” I point out. “I’m close to coming and you tell me I’m marrying you?”

Thrusting hard, my eyes rolls back, and he says, “Yes.”

“Oh, okay then,” I agree easily. Anchoring my heels in his ass, I pull his face to mine and keep things fair. “Twenty bucks says you cry during vows.”

Picking up his pace, he pins my arms above my head and pounds me until I’m screaming. Fully seated, his face softens, and he whispers to me, “Beauty, that’s a bet I’ll gladly lose.”

Eleven months later
…

Sitting up here in the maple with my niece, I look down at my family wondering how a girl who needed very little; ended up as a woman with so very much. I almost felt guilty for having it. But I promised myself that I would never take this, them, for granted.