Power of the Pen (13 page)

“Yes, you did.” He threw a bean at Kendall.

Zach dropped his fork on his plate and sighed, “What the fuck do you want to know? Just ask.”

Once again, our heads reared back at this man’s balls. I thought Whit was going to punch him at this point, but he just started laughing.

“You got fucking balls, man. You must be a trained mercenary for coming at me like you are. Outta respect for my sister, I ain’t laid your ass out yet, but what you not going to keep doing, white boy, is pushing me.” Whit had his body facing Zach and his legs ready to pounce.

“And, I’m not going to be too many more of your ‘white boys.’ So come at me like a fucking man or don’t come at all. It don’t make me a difference because what
you
are not going to do is keep trying to fuck with me. I’m not that man.” Zach had both hands on the table and looked equally as menacing as Whit.

Kendall stopped eating all together and stared between Zach and Whit.

Any minute.

It was about to go down, in the famous words of
Kevin Hart.

The staring continued.

Then Whit held up his fist to Zach and said, “Respect.”

Zach looked at it for a bit, then bumped his fist against his and repeated, “Respect.”

That was it.

Kendall and I looked at each other in shock. Whit and Zach picked up their forks and started eating their food, while the rest of us, tried to process what happened.

“What you do man?” Whit asked with a mouth full of food.

“I’m a contractor at the Army base.” Zach answered before he took a sip of juice. “How about you?”

“Me, I run the hotel in Upper Marlboro, called
The Inn.
”

“Nice, I’ve been there. They have state of the art everything.”

Whit looked up in surprise, “Yeah, I worked hard to get it modernized. We’re booked up until next year. People like the old town feeling with some of the newest technologies.”  He nodded.

Zach nodded. “Yeah, that’s tight. I was raving about that place to a superior of mine.”

“Nice,” Whit smiled.

Kendall and I were still looking in awe.

That’s men for you.

“So what do you do?” Zach pointed his fork to Kendall.

“Oh, uh, I’m a web designer.”

“Cool, anything I know about?” Zach followed up.

“Uh, maybe not. It’s usually high-end stuff. Coding, background shit.” Kendall went back to eating.

“He’s being modest. He’s one of the top designers in the state,” Whit said with pride.

Kendall just shook his head and kept eating. I was still no longer hungry, so I got up to take my plate to the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” Zach nabbed me by wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me to him.

“To the kitchen,” I answered. “I’m finished.”

“You’re not hungry?” He asked.

“Not right now. I think I’ll wrap it up for later.”

“Okay.” He let me go.

“So, you from around here? It don’t seem like ya are.” Whit continued.

“Naw, I’m from Charlotte, North Carolina. Was in the army for a while and got an honorable discharge seven years ago.”

After I put away the dishes, I sort of eavesdropped on the guys talking. There was an ease that they each had with the other. Maybe this was male bonding at its finest.

Returning to the table, their food was almost gone, so I collected Kendall’s plate and started to take it to the kitchen. Zach stopped me and said, “We got this.”

I started to protest, but then stopped and said, “Okay.”

The men got it, so I’m going to let them get it. Once they finished up, they convened in the living room and turned on the game. They laughed, high-fived and cheered, causing me at some points to shake my head as I went through all of my emails. I was so backed up, I needed the distraction.

Something did not feel right, so I went to the bathroom. Zack saw me and went to get up, but I waved for him to stay. I had totally forgotten that when you take the morning after pill, it causes your menstrual cycle. I was on and Zach was here. So much for loving tonight. Once I freshened up, I returned and nodded towards Zach. He was visibly relaxed, and I kept responding to emails. An hour later, the game ended, and they were giving pounds and man hugs, and then Whit said, “Walk me to the car, Lauren.”

Sighing, I got up to walk them to the car in his covert way of giving me the low down on what he thought of Zach, who was sitting on the couch and smiling, recognizing it for what it was.

When we reached outside, I said, “So?”

“He aight,” Whit responded, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Bat shit crazy, but he aight.”

“Kendall?” I asked.

“What Whit said,” Kendall remarked, but continued, “There seems to be something missing with him like he lost something, but he needs a good woman in his life.”

“So perceptive,” Whit remarked sarcastically.

“But, I’m always right.” Kendall smiled.

“Yeah, Whit. He usually is.” We laughed.

I loved my brothers. They were protective, but we were friends which was key.

“So, I hope you don’t mind, but he’s going to join us when we go fishing next weekend for fishing.” Whit rushed out.

“Wait, you just met the man and y’all are taking him on the sacred fishing trip.” I shrieked.

“Uh, yeah. He’s cool as shit.” Kendall remarked. “Plus, he has a boat like us, we’re at the same river, and we all love to fish.”

“But what if we don’t work out?” I folded my arms across my chest. “What then?”

“That ain’t got nothing to do with us,” Whit chimed in. “He can still be our friend. Unless you want to deny us a friend because y’all didn’t quite work out.”

“What if he cheats on me?” I was appalled, “Y’all would still be friends?”

“Fuck no. That’s a dead man walking. Come on sis,” Whit smirked. “I’m talking about you doing your shit and pushing that man away. He stays our friend. Got it.”

“No,” I folded my arms. “I don’t got it.”

“Whatever,” Whit said. “We’re going fishing next weekend.”

“Oh and that man wouldn’t cheat on you.” Kendall added. “He’s fiercely loyal.”

“Oh, shut up Kendall.” I snapped.

They laughed and drove off into the night.

Once I returned to the house, Zach was still in his same position on the couch.

“What’s the verdict?” He asked when I rounded the sofa.

“You know what it is. They like you regardless of me.” I pouted.

“Aww, Love. I won’t steal your brothers from you.” He smiled and pulled me to him so that I was sitting on his lap.

“They’ve already picked you over me.” I shook my head. “One minute, you were about to fight, and the next, you were invited to go fishing.”

“Oh, they told you about that.”

“Uh, yeah.” I was being childish. “Don’t you have your own friends?”

His face went a little pale, then he blinked. “Uh, yeah. I don’t have to go if you don’t want.”

“No,” I realized I just hit a nerve. “Go, it should be good.”

“So, when do I meet your friends?” I asked. “Or any siblings?”

“You don’t meet them.” He moved me off his lap and went towards the bathroom. 

Okay
.

When he came back, he walked towards the front door and grabbed his coat. I followed him and asked, “Did I say something wrong? Where are you going?”

“Uh, naw. I just need to chill for a few, so I’m going to go home tonight. Okay?” He seemed to be at another place.

“Uh, okay Zach.” I was floundering. “Thanks for dinner.”

“Don’t mention it.” He said and walked out. 

Zach:

On my way home, I called Susan who answered on the third ring.

“Hello Zachery.” Her smooth voice answered.

“Hey, uh. I think I need to schedule a session or do you have time to talk now?”

“We can talk now. It seems urgent.”

“So, I’m seeing someone. Uh, I think it’s serious, which is a little frightening. She, uh, is a keeper. You know what I mean? Well, anyway, I just left her place, and she asked to see my friends. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about my brothers. I just met her brothers and they are cool, but they are not my brothers. I don’t have brothers anymore, and she wants to meet them.”

“I see. So her brothers embraced you like a brother and that scared you; not her wanting to meet your brothers because you can take her to see your brothers at any time. You know where each of them is located, where their families are, and that you keep in touch. You have their pictures, their memories. They are all with you at all times, but her brothers embracing you will never replace them. But that’s the beauty of family. You don’t have to be blood-related and nobody is ever replaced. Not even you can be replaced.”

“Right. It’s too early to talk about family with her, but it felt good hanging with guys that I don’t command or work with. The only person I have like that is Jeffrey, and I usually keep him at a distance or just as my lawyer.”

“Yes because you are a man who wants boundaries, and you like controlling them. This is why I wanted you to explore some of the methods of BDSM because they teach and encourage honing in that control.”

“Can’t I get the same thing from yoga?”

“Do you enjoy yoga?”

“Fuck no.”

“Well,” she said.

“She doesn’t know I’m Z. Hays.” I muttered. “She is also anti-BDSM”

“So what does that tell you?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I called you.”

“Zachery, you know I never give you answers, just ask the difficult questions.”

“Right.” I sighed, “Well, I’ll call you back in a couple of days.”

“Okay, have a good night.” She hung up.

As I pull up my driveway, the cell phone rings. The caller ID read, Jeffrey Gaines.

“What’s up man?” I asked.

“Nothing much, just checking on you?”

“When do you check on me?” I put the truck in park, and then unbuckled my seatbelt.

“Well after you had me check out that blogger, I was intrigued when you called it off.”

There was a car horn in the background.

“You driving?”

“Yeah, on my way to your place. These suburban people drive too slow for me.”

“Who says I’m home?” My eyes roll because my schedule was so predictable. Of course, I’m home. It’s 8 PM at night and he knows nothing about me and Lauren.

“You’re not home?” Jeffrey quipped.

“Whatever.” I set back in my car. This was bound to be some sort of intervention. Jeffrey never called to shoot the shit.

“Well, compadre, so you found out who this woman is. I assume you need the non-disclosure, right?”

“Naw man, it’s not like that.” I adjusted my rearview mirror.

“Uh, well what is it then?”

Placing my hands on the steering wheels, my knuckles turned white. Not ready to define this yet, but I knew I didn’t want to present Lauren with a paper and she didn’t know I was her arch enemy. I exhaled, causing the moisture to temporarily cloud the Ford logo on the steering wheel.

“Compadre?” Jeffrey interrupted my thoughts.

“It’s not like that okay. We are just chillin.” I shake my head, considering the pregnancy scare from earlier.

“Uh, okay. Did you forget about Yasmine and her shit? On top of that, she actually signed the disclosure. Do I need to refresh your memory?” I gripped the steering wheel harder. “Look, I know I’m not one of your brothers that you lost, but I care about you and I was there too.” Jeffrey exhaled. “I was there too man. I lost them too.”

“I know man.
Enough
!” I snapped. “I’m fine, and there is no need to come over. I’m just going to write. It was my approved therapy. Remember?”

“Fine,” Jeffrey's voice was elevated. “But I’m here if you need me and not just for your lawyer shit.”

“Alright, man.” I hung up.

Great, back at square one with no answers or definite decisions. I got out of the car and went straight into my den and stayed there for three days. I was confused, lost, and full of rage for my brothers. They were gone, leaving me here by myself. I hadn’t realized how much I needed them until I didn’t have them. Falling into that state, I went to my den, stocked my small refrigerator with food and veggies. Then I grabbed fresh linen, a few pillows and locked myself away to write. By the time I stopped, there were 70,000 words in the document. The result: Penning a book in three days.

******

Lauren:

“What do you mean calm down? I haven’t heard from him in two days.” I was screaming at Gab.

We had been on the phone every other hour for what seemed like forever. At first it was outrage, then it was sorrow, and now it was outright vengeance. “He’s an asshole. Just don’t worry about it, okay? He’s moved on, so fuck him.”

I tried to convince myself that he had moved on, that he was done with me, but it seemed like we were just getting to that next level. No call, no show, no answer because I had been to his house twice.  Today was my last day calling or visiting him. If he was trying to make a point, boy did he make it. He was done; I was done.

The next day my new assistant started. She would be at my house to help me organize, post, edit, and anything else I needed. She was in grad school and working on her English degree, so this was the ideal job for her. Her name was Rebecca, but she insisted that I call her Becky. She was sharp, detailed-oriented, and I was hoping she would work out. She planned to work three days at my house and two days off site.

As I was showing her my regular routines, she could tell there was something wrong. I was trying to get it together, but this was one of the very reasons why I didn’t get into relationships. This broken heart feeling was for the birds. I didn’t like it and was madder at myself that I let him past my defenses. Excusing myself to wipe the stupid tears from my eyes, I heard Becky yell that someone was at the door. I yelled for her to open it, so imagine my surprise when I emerged from the restroom and laid eyes on one Zach Hughs. My mouth was open as he looked whipped and like he hadn’t shaved in weeks.

“Are you alright?!” I exclaimed as I ran to him.

“Yes, now I’m fine.” He caught me and embraced me with a death grip.

Slowly, I pulled away from him and asked, “Where were you? I was worried sick for you.”

“For me?” He seemed dazed.

“Yes, for you.” I snapped.

“Nobody really worries about me anymore.”

“Don’t say that, I was worried sick.”

Becky chimed in, “Yeah, something was bothering her.”

We turned to look at her and she said, “Uh, maybe I’ll come back tomorrow? You look like you have some things to handle.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” I asked.

“Who is she?” Zach asked.

“My new assistant.” I grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?”

“To get you a shower, Zach.” He lagged exhaustedly behind me.

I had never seen him this way before, but we were very new.

In the shower, I lathered his entire body up as he put his hands above the spray on the wall. He was sexy as hell, but he was out of it, so there would be no taking advantage of him at that moment. I washed his hair with the only shampoo I had, Naturale Shampoo for Women of Color. This made me smile internally because he commented on how good it smelled. It did smell really nice.

Once I dried him off, I gave him an old t-shirt and put him in bed. By the time I came back with water, he was out cold.  I texted Gab to let her know what happened, then I went through his pockets to see if I could find any clue as to where he had been.

Nothing.

Since I had to do laundry anyway, I put his in with mine, so he would have some clothes ready when he woke up, which wasn’t until 15 hours later. His normal 5:00 AM internal alarm was still working. The only reason I knew this, is because he woke me up with his head between my legs.

“Morning,” I croaked.

He mumbled and continued to suck. If I wasn’t in the mood before, I was surely in the mood now. Along with his tongue rapidly flicking my clit, he stuck two fingers into my tight pussy. My body was writhing underneath his touch, until he started sucking on my taut nub. At that, I grabbed his head and started rocking up and down his face, while his fingers were sliding in and out.

“Zaaacchh,” I screamed. The orgasm was coming.

He continued to suck harder, then his third finger entered, but immediately left. There was some pressure in a much lower region. He was trying to stick his finger in my ass.

Oh no.

Then it came to me, let it go.

Let it go.

His mouth was still on my clit, his two fingers were still thrusting inside of me while his other finger was pressing its way into my tighter hole. It hurt, so I tried to push out. Zach continued to suck on me, while still pushing in. Finally, his finger popped in and I immediately started to erupt.

“Oooohhhh, Zaaaccchhh,” I moaned, while he kept pushing in and out of me until I died down.

“Fuck, you look so good when you come for me.” He was smiling.

I sighed and buried my head in the pillows. My whole body was on fire from what he just did. I was lit up like a Christmas tree. He climbed up my body and made his way towards my mouth. As I stared at him, he bent down and took my mouth. Morning breath and all, the man did not care. He rolled me over so I was straddling him and he said, “Ride me, love.”

That was music to my ears because I knew how to work my hips and my ass. I reached for the condom in the side of my drawer and ripped it open, so he could put it on. Once he did, I lowered myself onto his hard cock and slowly slid down as I adjusted to his size and twirled my hips.

“Goddamn, woman.” He growled.

He had no idea.

Putting my hands on his chest, I pushed him further into the bed and started to rock him back and forth with twirls and twists that had him grabbing on to my double D’s for leverage. Between my moans and his groans, we were both gone. He was slapping my ass, my thigh, my breast, grabbing me by the back of my neck and pulling me to him. This was the best because my hips were like a machine gun as I powered down on him in the fastest possible way.

“Fuuucckk,” He was squeezing the back of my neck as he took my mouth.

Then he whispered against my lips, “Love, you feel so good.”

One smack had me powering on him again, until he squeezed me tight again and growled, “I’m commminngg, Love.”

As he was climaxing, he rolled us over so we were on our sides and powered inside me twice before he stopped and buried his head in my chest.

That was hot as shit.

And I wanted to do it again.

******

We didn’t do that again because he wanted to go grocery shopping so we could have lunch. I had not gone grocery shopping in a couple of weeks. When he made dinner, he bought the ingredients and food. He decided we were going to Food Lion, which was expensive, but he said they had the freshest produce. As we were going through the aisles, he stopped completely.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

There was a tall woman at the end of the aisle staring at the both of us with the look of disgust on her face. She looked really familiar, but I’m not good with faces, so I couldn’t tell. She must have known Zach because she sure enough was glaring at him and sauntered our way.

“So, you think you can just dismiss me like some has been?” She snapped.

Zach looked at her and said, “Yasmine, it is what it is. You knew what it was and now it’s no more.”

“Fuck you Zach, or should I say Z. Hays.” She swiveled her head around to me and said, “Did he have you sign a non-disclosure too because he doesn’t want anyone to know about his secret identity. Like he is fucking Bruce Wayne posing as Batman.”

“What?” I was confused, “What are you talking about?”

“Enough,” Zach growled.

“Oh, you don’t have the right to tell me enough. She doesn’t know does she? This is why you cut me off, for her.” Her face frowned up as she looked me up and down. “Well, I guess you deserve him. He’ll just cut you loose and leave you high and dry when he’s done. Don’t sign a thing because then he has you by the balls.”

My eyes were blinking rapidly as I tried to process what was being said to me. Zach had abandoned our cart and had Yasmine by the arm, dragging her down the aisle. Out of everything she says, Z. Hays stood out to me the most.

Zachery Hughs, my man.

Z. Hays, the author.