"Gotta be careful, I know, I know
You and me can't be nothing no more
I've been lookin' for something from you
I've been gettin' nothing at all
You're such a fuckin' woman (woman)
But deserves the fuckin' world, yeah…"
Lucky Daye—"Love You Too Much"
The saltwater in the pool soaked Erik's sunburned skin as he floated on his back. He would've preferred to swim at the cove, but going there was all her. Too much her.
That woman he tried to ignore became a specter before his eyes. He would catch glimpses of her around the compound, but she was like a rumor whispered in hushed tones. They were able to work around each other, but sometimes he caught her lingering above the gun range when he was there firing the new weapons with the other mercs. He acted like he didn't see her in the distance when she did that, or when he caught her slipping out of the kitchen when they all came to eat. He felt her eyes on him even when he couldn't directly see her.
He did the same, often hanging back after meals, sipping on dinner espresso and waiting to hear the side kitchen door open with her bounding in to help Leona clear away dishes and leftovers. Or he would stay out by the pool for a long time and catch the sound of leaves rustling as she snuck down to the cove using the secret path no one else knew about. She would sometimes cuss at Jerome while heading there and he would stifle a laugh while thinking about the first time he heard her talking to the iguana. The sound of her voice still thrilled him. It was the girlish softness of it mixed with the smart-ass personality behind it that still made him excited about her.
He dreamed about her. And Sydette.
Those night visions were often a replay of the earlier days of them alone at the compound. He'd wake up suddenly in the middle of the night clutching at his side hoping she was there. When he heard movement from Linda in the room next to his, he would pretend it was Sweet Pea sneaking out of her bed to crawl between him and Yani.
He knew from jump Yani despised Linda.
But that was to be expected because Linda tended to rub people the wrong way and of course...he had fucked the woman. Linda could be condescending to people that she felt were inferior to her. She treated a lot of the other mercs that way and they couldn't say shit because her skills were so tight and she proved it to be true time and time again. She never tried it with him. His game was tighter than hers and she respected that.
He never saw Yani act funky in front of Linda personally, but Linda often commented on how Leona was very nice to her, but Yani was just direct and spoke very little.
"She's efficient and like a damn ninja around here…but I can't get more than two words out of her when I ask her for stuff. It's like I'm bothering her own personal things. She acts like Klaue's house is her house. I had my feet on the coffee table and she walked past me with the laundry sucking her teeth."
Erik knew the reason why Yani was acting that way. It wasn't because of no feet on the furniture.
Klaue moved Linda into his house and her bedroom was next to Erik's. She was sleeping in Sweet Pea's old room. She was sleeping too close to him.
Yani wasn't the only one feeling irritated by new interactions.
He was feeling a way about her and Zachary.
Erik still lurked on her social media to see how she was doing. At first, it was to keep tabs on Sweet Pea from afar, and he could also see what Yani had to say about her classes. She was acing school like he knew she would, but it was the posts about her social life that had him uptight.
As expected, Zachary pounced on her, and Yani seemed open to the rekindling of some type of relationship because Erik saw pictures of them together at clubs and group gatherings. Yani had big smiles on her face when she posed with Zachary, and apparently, they took a trip to Jamaica together for a concert Kendall performed at. He saw pictures of them posing in front of a waterfall together in swimsuits holding hands while facing one another. Yani's eyes were closed and the grin on her face told him that they had either kissed before the picture was snapped, or they were about to kiss.
He couldn't even be all that mad on a certain level if he were honest with himself. He would've done the same thing. If he'd lost a bad bitch being stupid, he wouldn't waste time snatching her back up.
She looked happy in that picture. Zachary looked…enamored with her. Erik wondered if she was sleeping with him. Getting new dick to forget the old dick. Erik scoffed a bit while staring at them. Ain't no way Zachary could handle what Yani had. Fire pussy needed bomb ass dick. That was the only thing that kept Erik from going off seeing her with someone else that soon.
What nigga could compare to him with her?
He used to make that bitch's pussy jump when he called her on the phone. He could snap his fingers and have her pulling open her slit for him whenever he wanted it, had her cumming and crying and begging him not to stop until she couldn't hold onto him anymore. Made Yani sit anywhere he wanted—indoors or outdoors-with her legs wide open while he watched her slam a thick blue dildo in her pussy just to amuse him before he picked her up and stretched her walls out all night. He made her cum in her sleep with just the thought of him fucking her. She would lay in bed next to him having multiple orgasms that woke her ass up and made her beg him to fuck her wide awake. What could that civilian do for her?
She looked good though. Damn good. She had lost some weight from running around again, but shit was looking hella tight.
Shit.
Thinking about her in that picture made Erik want to fuck.
He climbed out of the pool and took himself a long shower. Afterward, he drove himself to a barbershop in Havensight and had his locs cut off and his beard trimmed and groomed. He needed the change. His mother had done it often when she needed a fresh start. At least two times in his life with her he had witnessed his mother shaving off her hair. Shedding old energy to welcome the new.
He felt a few eyes on him in the shop. Maybe they recognized him from being with Yani.
Before meeting up with Linda and Klaue in the main house he shot off a few emails to his grandfather and his Uncle. He also loaded more money onto Yani's credit card. She didn't use it all that much anymore, probably because she didn't want him tracking her purchases, but more than likely not wanting to stay connected to him. No matter what happened between them, he wanted her to have some sort of back-up support if she ever needed it. If not for herself, then for Sydette at least.
Strolling into the main house, both Klaue and Linda gave him a double-take when they saw his hair.
On the viewscreen in the living room, Erik posted up a picture of the C.I.A. agent that he was tracking for Klaue. The man had a mousy face and the strait-laced look of one who believed in toppling other governments in service of making America great again. A weak-looking yes man by the name of Everett K. Ross.
"U.S. Air Force. Decent pilot. Currently the Deputy Task Force Commander of the Joint Counterterrorism Center. He reports to the Secretary of State. That good ole boy, Thaddeus Ross."
"He's taking nibbles from me. I've been dropping hints at wanting to sell vibranium," Klaue said, "the U.S. wants their hands on all they can find. But he's a bit skittish right now."
"No one likes to look like they're in bed with mercs and terrorists," Linda said.
"The U.S. fucks with them all. They must be under scrutiny," Erik said.
"Any sales aren't going to be done in the U.S. The Great Satan needs to come where I say," Klaue barked.
"Nowhere in Europe," Erik said.
"Definitely not Africa," Linda added.
"What a wimpy looking oaf," Klaue surmised.
"That's what makes him effective. A milquetoast-looking face can get away with anything anywhere," Erik concluded.
"Well, the moment you find me a chunk of the good stuff I'll set up the sale," Klaue said.
The three of them sat around drinking until dinner. There was to be no meal at the house that night. Klaue took everyone out to a restaurant on the Northside of the island. The food was exceptional and Erik didn't get into any arguments with Neal or Huntsman. Surprising. There were great bars to crawl around and when Shipley let them toke on some blended weed, Erik felt pretty mellow. He actually wanted to hang out a bit.
Klaue caught a cab back to the compound but the rest of their crew stuck together. Linda was really floating, acting like the Snow White to their ragtag team of six non-Dwarfs. Shipley was trying to run game down on her, but Linda wasn't interested. She put up a front of being all business. But not with him.
He kept it friendly between them. Even when she sunbathed topless on the porch of Klaue's house, he treated her like his colleague.
It wasn't easy at times.
When his sexual urges came on strong, he was tempted to seek her out in her bed, but he didn't want the headache of Neal or Shipley. They were both jockeying for some play and there was nothing worse than working with hard-up men and the tension that jealousy brought.
Linda would give him looks sometimes and he hoped that no one else caught on.
Some really hard-sounding island music caught their attention and they stumbled upon a boisterous club that excited Linda. Shipley got into the spirit and they were all sucked into the space ordering drinks and watching the spectacle of winding hot bodies and good sounds. Linda grabbed Shipley's hand and dragged him out among the crowd. The place was a lot bigger inside than it looked outside and there was an actual stage on one side with a D.J. spinning tunes with a massive sound system. No wonder they could hear it blocks away.
Erik found a honey with loose hips and he followed her out onto the floor. Neal sprang for drinks and by the time it turned midnight, Erik had a good sweat and copped a few feels on some Grade A ass that seemed to come from an endless supply throughout the space. He found another shorty that made his temperature rise, and he was getting her number when she and a few other women swarmed the stage. The music was thumping and there were a few eager men on stage where a solitary chair sat in front of them.
Erik bought himself some Henny and walked closer to the stage with Neal and Shipley in tow.
"What's happening?"
Huntsman eased up beside them, his voice loud over the music.
"I don't know," Erik said.
"I think they are about to…ah yeah…we about to see some rump-shaking," Neal said.
A man with a chiseled chest poking out of his half-unbuttoned shirt sat on the chair as an MC talked to the crowd.
"What's the point of this?" Huntsman said.
"Watch and see," Neal said.
Erik sipped on his drink.
The music got a little buck and several women, even the one Erik was trying to mess with climbed on stage and took turns dancing with frenzied athleticism on the lap of the man who sat in the chair.
"Man…I couldn't do it!" Neal squealed.
Linda found her way over to them. Her face was flushed from dancing and drinking.
"Poor guy!" she said.
"Be right back, gonna refresh my drink."
Erik left them and headed to the bar. He could see the different women trying to out-dance one another, and by the time his new drink finally got to him, a new dude was in the chair getting his junk pummeled.
"Shit," Erik whispered.
These women were not playing. He grinned when he saw Linda reach up to the MC and he helped her on stage to take her turn at grinding on a stranger. She stood out with her light gray booty shorts and half top. Kicking off her sandals, she made the man sit on the floor of the stage as she did the splits and pounded her groin on him. Her wild cascade of curls covered part of her face. The audience went into a frenzy and Erik could hear Shipley and Neal cheering her on.
"Did y'all dare her to get up there?" Erik asked when he returned to his entourage.
"Nope. She said they needed an expert up there," Shipley said.
The woman could move, and she played to the audience while she awaited her chance to dance on the next guy in the chair.
"This gyal is on fiyah!" the MC shouted.
Linda wiggled her hips fast, throwing her cheeks in a wild circle. She dropped down and grabbed her ankles letting the audience watch her cheeks move.
"She too much, man…too much!" Shipley shouted.
"Goodness gracious," Neal said.
Erik looked around the stage to see who he was talking about, but then he saw Twyla moving near the front.
"Twyla!" Erik shouted.
"You know her?" Neal asked.
Twyla looked his way. She saw who was calling her and she smiled.
"Big nigga. Where yuh hair go?"
Twyla's hand rubbed his head.
"God damn…she thicker than a pot of grits," Neal barked looking toward the stage again.
"That girl is small—" Shipley answered.
"Not that one…her. Oh my damn. That's…shit. That's Klaue's girl," Neal said.
Erik saw Yani staring at the stage. He recognized a couple of her friends with her that saw him fuck her in a club.
"Don't be scared to say hello," Twyla said.
Her eyes regarded Erik's face.
"Yuh can't hide back here."
"I'm not hiding—"
"Lookin' like yuh back at Juvay," Twyla teased.
One of Yani's friends jumped on stage and stood next to Linda.
"How is she?"
His eyes were sheepish looking at Twyla.
"She's as good as can be expected from a bad break up. Doing well in school—"
"Sydette?"
"A busy body. And you?"
Erik shrugged.
"Still hurts, yeah?" she said.
He didn't answer.
"I see it on your face. Hers too."
Twyla glanced back at her cousin.
"She say yuh leaving the island."
"Yeah."
His eyes were focused on Yani.
"Big man…if there are things yuh still need to say to her, best tell her before yuh bounce. End it the right way with she, yeah?"
He decided to suck it up. Test the waters.
He sipped on his drink again as he walked over to her.
"Yani."
She turned to look at him and he realized it was a mistake. He should've kept his ass in the back and ignored her.
"Killmonger."
Damn.
He got goosebumps hearing his name on her lips despite the coldness. Her eyes took in his new appearance and he couldn't tell if she liked it or not. Indifference settled around her toward him.
The crowd surged and she turned back to watch her friend on stage. He stood behind her and could only concur with Neal's words. Lil Mama was thick as fuck, and the tight black pants she wore did not hide a damn thing. His body yearned for hers. He stepped closer, close enough to feel her body heat. He wanted to kiss the back of her neck and trace his tongue around her tattoos again. Erik had to fight his own hands to keep them from circling her waist and pulling her back toward him. As far as she was concerned, he wasn't even there.
"She doin' too much."
He heard one of Yani's friends talk about Linda.
"She gwine break his dick if she keep that up!" Another one cackled.
Yani giggled and covered her mouth.
Erik's eyes swept back up to the stage. Linda was living it up in the spotlight, and she was getting plenty of rousing support from a lot of men and women.
The current man in the seat had a serious expression on his face, like all that ass pounding his dick from different women wasn't affecting him in any way. Stoneface.
"Go up there, Yani."
She shook her head as her friends cat-called her name.
The D.J. changed the song to a track that had been remixed to death over the years. But it revived the crowd and the women on stage. Linda received some more cheers when she had another turn at bat, and for the first time, Stoneface reacted a little bit. The audience laughed and the MC teased the man about losing his cool.
Yani and her friends walked away and Erik felt himself actually deflate a bit. Yani straight ignored his ass. He watched the lights of the club hit the bronze of her top with them titties sitting, her platinum fade lined up tight, and that ass just being totally disrespectful in public.
He felt absolutely proud to see her not giving a fuck about him.
Gulping down the last of his Henny, he saw the MC bend down to the crowd trying to catch Yani's attention. She stopped with the rest of her homegirls to listen to him. Her hands flew up waving him off, but her friends nudged her arm. She put a hand on her waist and said something to the MC, and Twyla sauntered over pushing her up toward the steps leading upstage.
Fuck.
She went up the steps and once the full lights hit her, Erik had to stop and take inventory of what he had once. That used to be his woman, but there was something different about her that was turning him on in a way that made him feel out of control.
Linda saw Yani approach the chair and the look on her face told Erik that she was in a bit of shock recognizing the woman who cleaned her room and cooked her food.
The MC let Linda and a couple of other women do their booty shakes again, but then Yani stepped over the man, spread her legs wide and did the slowest drop down onto his lap that put the audience in a tizzy. Unlike the other women who moved with hyped up energy, Yani slowed it all the way down until her cheeks were popping in a way that had the man's legs jerking.
Erik felt his jaw get tight when Yani turned her head to look back at everyone as she let each ass cheek bounce in syncopated rhythm. She rolled her hips and the MC, along with several other people on stage started laughing hard and slapping arms. The MC started jumping up and down and pointing.
"Lawd -a-mercy! She done made this nigga buss in his pants!"
Yani lifted up and stepped away from the man with his eyes glazed over and his left hand grabbing at his protruding erection. Eyes watched Yani sashay away, and even Linda gave a painful-looking laugh as her eyes watched Yani leave.
"She dangerous. That gyal dangerous!" The MC shouted.
Yani's friends laughed with her as the entered back into the fray of bodies swaying to the music. A few men tried to get Yani's attention, but she was focused on her friends.
A song they used to listen to at the house came on and Erik took long strides to get to her.
"Come dance with me," he said touching her hand.
She pulled back from him as if he stung her.
"I don't want to dance with you."
Her friends surrounded him and their eyes were ready to cut him in two.
"It's just a dance, cuz," Twyla said nudging her cousin's arm as she walked past heading to the floor herself along with other people. The lap dance show was over.
Yani shoved past him and her friends followed.
Bet.
He headed back to the bar and ordered a couple of shots. Shipley joined him and they drank and talked, watching people dance on the floor. Erik tracked Yani's movement as she danced with different men.
"Can't believe that's the same chick at the compound," Shipley said.
"Yep," Erik answered.
They watched Neal approach Yani and she wasted no time sending him on his way. The way her friends swooped in to protect her, Neal had no chance of harassing her further.
"Whew, I gotta slow down," Linda said.
She plopped down on a stool next Erik and asked for water from the bartender. Twyla walked past him and gave him a look. Erik shrugged his shoulders at her and Twyla rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Had no idea Yani was a regular Cinderella," Linda said.
"She fine," Shipley said.
Erik found that surprising since he never showed interest in women built like Yani before.
"Thought you didn't like thick bitches," Erik said.
Linda eyed Shipley with amusement.
"She could be the exception," Shipley said gulping down a shot of tequila with lime.
"He'll fight you for that," Neal said.
Erik watched Neal grab a beer from the bar.
"What?" Shipley said.
Erik felt his face harden.
"That's Killmonger's pussy."
"Shut the fuck up," Erik snarled.
"You're fucking the help?" Linda asked.
She tossed her head back and laughed at him.
Erik stepped off the stool he sat on and left the bar in a huff.
"Killmonger…hey….hold on…."
Linda followed him and tugged on his arm.
"Hey…we're just drinking and pulling your chain. Calm down."
She steered him to the dancefloor.
"Relax. Loosen up."
Linda swayed in front of him and tried moving his arms. His eyes darted about looking for Yani again, but he had lost track of her.
"How can you not dance to this?"
Linda moved around him, bumped her hip into his and he eventually gave in and danced a little.
"Oh, come on now. You're better than this. We fucked it up in Jo'burg. You remember that club with the roof that was caving in!"
Erik smiled. He remembered. The music was hot, fast, and so were the club patrons. That was a good night. Right before the raid…
"…fucking her?"
Erik missed what Linda said. The confusion in his eyes made her repeat the question.
"Is it true? You and Yani?"
"Nah. Neal had been bothering her and I put a stop to it."
"He is aggressive. Nasty piece of work."
His eyes flicked around. Searching still.
"You want to fuck her?"
His eyes glared at her like she was insane.
"It's just a question. She watches you all the time—"
"I barely have time to—"
"I'm just telling you…I think she has a thing for you. I hear her cleaning your room and she stays in there for a long time. You are a neat freak, so there's no reason for her to be in there so long."
Yani in his room lingering?
"I catch her watching you at the gun range…"
Erik dismissed Linda's words when he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out.
A text from Twyla.
Yani is alone in her apartment this weekend. Chez has Sydette. Roommate gone too. Chance to talk?
Erik stopped dancing.
Unger ran up and grabbed Linda's hand to dance.
"I'ma head back to the compound," he said.
Linda nodded her head.
"I'll catch a cab."
"I'll let the others know."
He watched her and Unger head further into the crowd on the floor.
###
Looking around his room, Erik tried to see what Yani would see.
A clean room. Sterile almost without her there anymore. Two boxes of condoms on the dresser. One empty and the other half used. She would probably think he had been with Linda. He hadn't. But he was seeing women outside the compound again. He couldn't help it. It kept his mind off of her.
But seeing her that night brought up all the things festering in his mind about her. Was she okay? Was Sydette fine? Did Yani hate him? How would she react if she saw him in public?
If Linda was able to glean Yani's feelings for him around the compound, maybe she still had a soft spot for him. Maybe he could…
No.
It was stupid to think of going to her. Even with Twyla's encouragement. He hopped into his bed fully nude. No one was at the compound. The secret tracker he placed in Klaue's arm told him the man was on the other side of the island. Inside a hotel. Probably with a woman.
Staring up at the ceiling, his mind settled on Yani again. Seeing her wind her body on that man onstage made him groan as he felt on his dick.
He reached for his cell again and read Twyla's text two more times.
It wasn't worth it.
What could he say to her? I'm checking to see if you've been able to salvage your life after I blew it up?
But damn…
She was so beautiful on stage. Her whole demeanor was just…sexy…bold. She used to make him cum in his pants all the time. Maybe she did that because she knew he was there watching.
He slammed his fists on his bed.
He wasn't going to get any sleep. He would think about her all night.
He reached into his nightstand and pulled out some weed. He smoked a bit and felt his muscles ease up from the tension he carried in them after seeing her.
Killmonger.
His name on her lips sounded so dead to him. There was no malice in her eyes, but they seemed clouded like she was really and truly over him.
That's what he wanted, right? He told her to focus on school and to forget him. But faced with it, faced with true indifference…he didn't want her to forget him.
Taking a long drag he thought of Linda and what she told him. She noticed Yani keeping her eyes on him. She had to still feel something. Lingering in his bedroom had to mean something. Too many good memories in the place. All the things they did to one another. All the time they slept together in a pile with Sydette between them.
Twyla was right. He had to have a final conversation with her that didn't come from a place of anger, but one of love. They still had to part, but he wanted it to be on better terms. He did have things he wanted to say to her. Secret things. Maybe even promise her something that he didn't think he had a right to.
Stubbing out the joint in an ashtray, Erik jumped out of bed and put on some loose sweatpants and shirt.
He borrowed one of Klaue's smaller cars, a blue Beemer with a moon roof.
He let air flow through from the roof of the car as he drove to Yani's place. Every few minutes he thought about turning around, but once he pulled into the parking lot of her small complex, he was fully committed to talking with her.
After a bit of deep breathing in the car, Erik walked up the stairs and tried to find the right words to say. Once he was in front of her door on the far end of the floor, he felt a bit calmer, less afraid. He debated about texting or calling her. It was too late. He was already there and high as fuck…
He pressed his ear to her door.
Noise.
Talking.
No…not talking.
Moaning.
Shit.
"Yes, Baby!"
The seductive mewling in her voice raised his blood pressure.
She was fucking someone.
Zachary.
Erik removed his ear from the door. His hands pressed against the door frame and he closed his eyes. His body burned with rage. That little punk bitch.
He heard a loud male groan erupt from behind the door.
Erik clenched his fists.
The weed had him spinning scenarios. Bust the fucking door down and drag her off that nigga's dick. Or wait for Zachary to leave and pound on the door and…and do what?
Yell at her for getting dick when he had empty boxes of condoms in his room that she saw? Two days prior he was guts deep in some bitch with big ass titties making her holler out his name. Nutted all in that woman's face and didn't even think about Yani while he did it.
But that's your woman in there. Giving your pussy away.
Erik walked away from the apartment.
Back in the car, he pulled out his cell.
Call her. Break up their little party.
Fuming in the car, he sat there for a long time until he could think straight. The weed still had his mind spinning, but he was able to drive back to the compound and crawl into his bed. The sun was rising when he finally fell asleep.
###
"Hey, lazybones."
Erik blinked his eyes.
Linda looked down at him.
"You were out for a long time. Thought I'd check on you," she said.
Erik sat up.
He was still wearing his sweats.
"What time is it?"
"Two."
"Shit," he said.
"Stay in bed. You looked worn out last night."
Erik leaned against the headboard.
"You want anything to eat?"
"Nah. I'm just gonna chill. I feel tired still."
She touched his forehead.
"Are you feeling sick?"
He shook his head and pulled off his sweatshirt and pants. Crawling under the covers he tucked himself into a ball.
"I'll be up in an hour or so."
"Okay. Call me if you need anything. I have to get some things in town. Klaue is still out."
"Cool."
He pretended to go to sleep and Linda left his side.
When she opened his bedroom door, Yani was using a soft bristle broom to sweep the floor in the hall.
"Don't bother him. He's sleeping in," Linda said.
Erik saw Yani's eyes sweep over Linda's short house dress, and then her eyes caught his on the bed before Linda shut the door.
"Bring him some of that soup around three," Linda said.
"Him sick?"
The lilt in Yani's voice had concern.
"No," Linda said.
"Does he need medicine?"
"No. Just bring him the soup to the kitchen like I asked and he'll be fine."
Erik stayed curled under the covers until he saw from his bedroom viewscreen that Yani had left the house. He jumped in the shower and cleaned up, shaved, and threw on some light cologne. He pulled on some beige loungers and hopped back on the bed.
Exactly in one hour, he saw Yani heading down to Klaue's main house with a covered tray. She entered the space and headed to the kitchen.
He hopped on the intercom.
"Can you bring that here, please? In my room?"
He watched Yani's face look perturbed as she stood in the kitchen. She knew he was watching her.
"Yuh not sick. Get it yourself."
She left the kitchen.
"Bring it here please."
He watched her calculate her next move. Unlike the time when they were together at the compound alone, Klaue had everything watched. If she refused to do her job, Klaue would see it. The bedrooms were pretty secure because Klaue did allow that privacy. He wanted her in his room.
"I have some laundry to be picked up too," he said.
He saw her lip pout and he smiled. Her cell phone rang.
"Yeah?" she answered.
Erik waited. A smile came across her face and she started to giggle into the phone. Flirty-like.
"Mi can't tonight…can't. I'm working…"
She hung up and put her cell in her back pocket. Her smile left her face when she picked up the food tray and carried it to his room. She kicked the door with her foot softly.
He opened it.
"Thanks," he said taking it from her hand.
She turned away.
"Wait, the laundry, my sheets—"
"You do your own cleaning, remember?"
Her eyes were petulant looking up at him.
"Yeah, but um…I'm not feeling great—"
"Linda said you were fine…can I go?"
Mean.
She wasn't with the shits.
Her mind was on giggling over Zachary.
He walked slowly over to his bed and climbed in balancing the tray. She moved over to help him.
"Thanks," he said.
Her eyes took in the room and when they glanced at his dresser, he made sure the condoms were gone. She went to the hamper in his bathroom.
"There's nothing in here," she said, annoyed.
"I need these sheets changed," he said.
"I'll come back then, or you can have Linda change them for you—"
"Yani, wait a minute."
He lifted up too fast and the tray tilted. He spilled some soup on the covers.
"You did that on purpose," she said.
"No, I didn't."
"What do you want, man?"
He hated the sound of her voice at that moment. She didn't want to be around him.
"I miss you," he said.
"I don't think so."
"I do—"
"You got Linda and whoever else…"
Her eyes drifted toward the dresser.
"And you have Zachary."
Her eyes regarded him with suspicion.
"I heard you on your phone."
"You don't know who I was talking to."
"You're not with him?"
She left the room.
Erik jumped off the bed and ran after her.
"Hold up—"
"I don't have time for your shit—"
He grabbed her hand. She snatched it back.
"Clean up your own fucking mess!"
She stormed out of the house and he let her go.
"Whoa. That was…awkward."
Linda walked into the room, coming in through the back door.
Shit.
"So…um…the help…" she said.
Erik stomped back to his room and slammed the door shut.