Chapter 15

Chapter

Fifteen

K andie

"Nicolette Love." Our whole section cheers with me being the loudest when my baby sister, lost to our family for years, walks across the stage to take her diploma from the hand of Mathias Shelby, Jr.

Proud does not convey the feelings I have. Swiping my tears, I clap harder than anyone. I know we're showing out, but my family has made it our mission to celebrate Nikki as we affectionally call her. We didn't even know she returned to town until Nebraska told us she was a scholarship student at Shelby Academy, where he attended. Seems like she'd gotten a scholarship from the Shelbys. It was supposed to be a blind application process, and I figured it had to be because there is no way the head of Shelby Sugar would have ever approved it for a Love on his own. We all had a good laugh thinking about how mad old man Shelby would have been when it was awarded to a Love. One more thing they could claim we snatched away from them along with the land we supposedly took on top of the forty acres we got during Reconstruction. I bet the ground shook with the way that old bastard rolled in his grave.

Nikki didn't waste her chance. She then got another scholarship to the private university the school feeds into. Now she's graduating with none other than the current devil's son handing her a diploma.

"You're crying?" Joi asks, her eyes just as red as mine.

"Duh, she's my baby sister," I tell her, knocking her elbow with mine. My parents would be so happy to see her graduating college after everything they did to keep our family together.

"I know. I asked to do a slice of life piece. She said she'd let me know," Joi says, a little sheepishly.

I know what she's trying to do — make up for all the trouble she caused with Mimi and Santiago with that article outing their relationship and secret baby. It's still pretty fresh, so I don't know what she expects from Nikki. Trust is hard to win back after you mess up like that.

"You can't blame anybody still being mad with your trifling tail. Nikki and you are close being that y'all are closest in age and hang out, so she might do it. Stuff about my mom and daddy is off-limits. I'm telling you straight off."

"Speaking of hanging out, I was going to take her out to The Shack tomorrow to celebrate. You ought to come. You haven't been down that way for a minute."

"Umm." I press my lips together. She's right. I took Ulysses' words a month or so ago to heart. Instead of going to The Shack, or Cowboys, our other dive bar, I've been snuggling up with Ulysses weekend nights. Sometimes we read. Sometimes we hunch, most times we read, eat, and hunch.

My place got a fresh coat of paint and new and secondhand furniture. After the third time my air mattress deflated from us having sex too rigorously, Ulysses showed up with Snake, one of the scary bikers from the El Diablos, and had him sit down with me to design the bed of my dreams. There were a couple more weeks of the air mattress, but the four-poster bed that now sits so pretty in my loft was well worth the wait.

"C'mon. She's your baby sister," Joi cajoles.

"I'll let you know." A sick feeling at the disappointment on Ulysses' face when I cancel on him presses into my chest, leaving a bruising ache.

People start milling around after the ceremony is over. My family reserved a room so we can all celebrate Nikki.

"Hey, sweet girl, I'm so proud of you," I tell her, pulling her into a hug.

"You're the best big sister." I can tell she means it bubbling from excitement at her accomplishment. From the moment I discovered she was in town, I went over to the school to see her. She'd already had a place and more than she needed she assured me, but she wanted a friend, a sister.

At the time, that was all I could give her, anyway. Her showing up was one of the main reasons I worked so hard to open the bakery, so I could help her if I could. The fairy godmother or father who stepped in made that unnecessary.

Still, we are friends as close as we could be with so much tragedy between us. I couldn't understand or shake why Daddy never came back for me and Kerania. That he died without me knowing. Nikki said by the time he passed away, he was bad off mentally, never being able to get good mental health help. She was mostly his caregiver. I didn't ask more after that, knowing she went through her own private hell no different than I did. It was all she knew, plus she was alone. At least I had Kerania for a little while.

"I have to go over to the President's reception next door. Will you come with me?" She casts hopeful eyes my way.

"Sure." I sip the seltzer water with lemon I've been nursing down on a nearby table. Being in a dry county is not hard. I drank for fun anyway and despite what ol' big head Ulysses thinks, I'm in complete control of my drinking. I still drink, but I've cut back a lot, and it's only every now and then. His words about me ruining my business and wrecking my life hit me harder than anything Mimi ever said about my health or anything of the like. I've shown them both that sober Kandie is just as fun as tipsy Kandie.

"There you two are. Why'd you leave me with everyone mad at me?" Joi huffs, sidling up to us.

"You probably have folks over here mad with you too," I quip, which has Joi giving me a mean look.

"Y'all behave. President Fane is coming this way," Nikki whispers in a rush just as the president of the university and none other than Mathias Shelby come upon us.

"Ladies," Fane says in cultured British tones. "Congratulations again, Miss Love," then he pivots to me, "I've heard wonderful things about your confections, Ms. Love." His words could be dipped in honey. They are so sweet.

I can't help but smile my thanks at the gorgeous man. Hair dark as midnight, eye blue like a Tiffany box, with muscles clearly defined in his sleek suit. He is the epitome of elegance.

"Maybe we can have you cater some events for us in the near future? Presently we are having to go all the way to Birmingham per contractual obligations. I think finding someone local would benefit us all." My heart is beating out of my chest.

"I'd love to," I say, not minding the eagerness in my tone.

It seems to be exactly what he wants to hear. After giving me his card and securing a promise from me to reach out to his assistant, he leaves to mingle with more guests.

Finding myself alone, I go in search of my cousin and sister. A thin path opens when a group separates and damn if I don't come face to face with Ulysses and a tall blond who looks like a supermodel. The woman is at least six-feet-tall wearing red bottom shoes, giving her another three inches.

Shame pierces me. I feel ashamed of myself for trusting him. He's smiling at her and all the surrounding people. Smiles he gives me so rarely he's freely bestowing on this woman and the group surrounding him.

He never even said he'd be here. I know I mentioned the graduation. I didn't let myself ask him because he's not my boyfriend. I never put a label on it. Labels make things permanent and I know better than to lay claim to anything. Things you claim get taken from you like mothers, fathers — sisters. No, I'm not doing that, but it doesn't mean what's between us means nothing. He acted like it meant everything to him.

I must have been standing here staring at him too long because one by one the people in the group look from him to me and that's when I realize he's looking at me. And the look is not welcoming. He couldn't scream get the hell away from me louder than if he had a bullhorn.

Part of me wants to go confront him, while the other half wants to run away. Another felony doesn't seem so bad right now. But I learned my lesson the last time. I'm not going to cut the fuck up and ruin my chance with the catering contract with the university.

Pivoting, I turn from the group without so much as a fuck you to the man I've been sleeping with for the past couple months. His loss.

Heading out to the venue, I catch-up with Nikki and Joi like nothing happened. Like my heart wasn't just ripped from my chest.

The Shack

"They have the bull up tonight." Joi giggles maniacally as she pulls up to The Shack.

"Hell yeah."

"That's wassup," Nikki and I crow simultaneously as she moves into an empty parking space.

"Let me put on some more gloss." Fishing my Gloss Bomb out of my pocket, I reapply, not even bothering to look in the mirror until I'm done, then turning the rearview mirror my way, using my finger to get rid of any smudges.

"Ew, hoe." Nikki slaps my thigh after I run my finger on her thigh to get rid of the excess.

"It's only going to add to the glow," I say, looking at her shimmery thighs.

"Then you won't mind, then." She returns the favor quickly, getting out the passenger side of the car.

"Hey." Joi stops me with a look of concern marring her otherwise beautiful features. "She looking sad to you?"

"I don't know." I shrug. I've been so caught up in my own heartbreak for the last day since I saw Ulysses with the tall blonde woman hanging onto his arm and his every word. How he looked at me basically saying not to approach him in that moment like he was ashamed of me or something.

So no, I wasn't paying attention to my baby sister.

"Well, it doesn't matter because we are stomping that fucking sadness in the ground," I tell Joi, scooting out of the cab, promising to take my own advice. I ain't going to let the dust fall from my feet before I'm back out there. We are over. I blocked his ass on everything. I even blocked the county from my social media, so he couldn't track me.

My business is no longer his. I let everyone know who came by the bakery he is no longer welcome there. Not that he'd bother to show up after the way he showed out yesterday. The only reason we didn't go out last night was because Nikki said she had plans. Which explains her sadness today. She's never said she's dated anyone. Hell, she's never said she liked guys or girls, so I don't know who the source of her heartbreak is. I do know after tonight they, just like Ulysses, will be a distant memory. No one has the right to make you feel like shit.

"C'mon, girlies, let's start a brawl." Joi lines up with us and we skip into The Shack, arms interlocked with mischief in mind.

"I didn't bring any money with me," I tell Bahir, who's looking mighty fine in some dark Wranglers and a crisp white shirt. I never bring money with me, but that's beside the point.

"You already know that your money ain't no good here, Kandie-girl." The deep rumble of his voice reminds me of dark molasses, just like his gorgeous dark skin. The wink and smile he gives me is a panty dropper. Too bad it's not having the desired effect because Bahir Carrington is a catch in anyone's book. He runs his own tech maintenance firm in Birmingham and comes to town to check on his parents every so often.

"Which one of your brothers twisted your arm to come out tonight?" I say, sipping the Remy he handed me. All I have to do is hang out here chatting with Ms. Queenie for any length of time, and I won't be without a drink or dance partner all night. Tonight, I've been lucky enough to keep Joi and Nikki's libations flowing. I guess the news of Ulysses and me being a done deal has spread far and wide at the exact right time.

"Lucien," he gives me a wry smile, "says he needs me to set up the logistics for the distribution of this new liquor they are bringing to market."

"Oh wow, that's amazing." Thoughtlessly, I pat his thick biceps, letting out a small gasp that grants me a soft chuckle.

"U fucked up, huh?" His query is one of concern and not the fake kind I've been getting from the guys who've stopped by for a drink and a dance.

"Something like that." I take the rest of the liquor back. "Want to dance? Cause I'm riding the bull the rest of the night." Anything to dispel the compassion I'm not ready to see right now. No, there will be none of that. I'd be crying in my whiskey for sure.

"Hell yeah, lil mama." The way he says it has my tummy flipping.

We hit the floor to the sounds of "The Bar Song." He goes into the country two-step which is not very different from the Chicago Steppin' it borrows from. I get lost in the music as he effortlessly takes me across the floor in twirls and dips.

"Damm, you're pretty." He smiles, looking down at me.

"You ain't half bad either, Bahir," I say, wishing I could just say fuck it and take this man back to my loft and let him blow my back out. He meets the height requirement and his body is a work of art. He doesn't look like he sits behind a desk all day. Not that I know what tech maintenance even consists of.

"When you're over him for real — if you ever are — holla at your boy." He dips low like he's about to kiss me as we just rock as the song begins to wane. "And that heat you feel lasering into your back," he whispers into my ear, "is that big motherfucker looking like he's about to kill somebody."

Moving back to his same height, he lays a smoldering look on me.

"You're a mess, Bahir." It takes everything not to look over my shoulder. Tucking my arm in his, he escorts me over to the private area Joi reserved just for Nikki for her graduation.

"Whew, big sis." Nikki leans in, her gaze eating up Bahir as he waves before going back over to his equally handsome brothers. "You sure know how to pick 'em." Ignoring her alluding to Ulysses, I sit down with them, pointedly ignoring Ulysses and his cousin Mathias progresses over to the other VIP area. With their heads together in some form of devilment, Nikki and Joi don't notice them.

"Alright," Joi says with glee before popping up, going over to the DJ.

"Our turn," she says, dragging me to my feet and over to the mechanical bull.

Country born and natural equestrians, we have no problem hopping on the bull. I get up first, sitting in the front, then pulling her behind me so we are facing each other.

"It's been a while since these beautiful ladies have given us a show," Jimmy-Ray says in low sexy tones as he starts the Ginuwine "Pony" track.

It's not like we practiced a routine or anything, but our bodies fall into a sensual rhythm that has the fellas and some like inclined women, drawing forward to watch us wind and grind on the bull.

"They eating it up," Joi says, leaning all the way, making her top slide up to just under her breasts. I mimic her movements, letting my head fall back to touch the neck of the bull before I rise.

"Are y'all kissing cousins?" comes a shout from the crowd which has us leaning forward, stopping a hair's breadth before our lips touch, which garners whoops, hollers, and groans from the crowd.

"Kandie, you sexy motherfucker you?" A catcall from the crowd leads to several for Joi.

Laughing at the best time I've had since the hurt of yesterday, my gaze skids across to the hot, murderous gaze of Ulysses. Muscles bulging with every agitated breath he takes, he looks like he's seconds away from coming over here. Well, too bad he doesn't have any more claim on me than I did on him yesterday.

In fact, I throw my all into my little ride with Joi. "Eyes on me?" Well, his eyes don't leave, as I tease him and every other hard dick and clit in this motherfucker. I'm an expert tease and he fucked up when he thought he could just throw me away by not acknowledging me with his highfalutin friends yesterday. By the time the song ends, I can tell he's no different than a bull about to go on a rampage with the way he's braying, his chest pushing in and out with harsh blows and pulls. His face is mottled with rage. A sick sense of satisfaction slithers through me as I watch him staring at me from the other side of the crowd. Wanting to crow with satisfaction, I don't hide my beatific smile as I rejoin Nikki and Joi.

"Your turn baby, sis." Taking the drink she offers, I pat her bottom on the way to the bull. In seconds, the crowd is back at it as Nikki, who grew up as an acrobat and trapeze artist while my parents hid from the law on the carnival circuit, does a much fancier and sexier ride.

"I should have known you would be in the middle of all this." The deep baritone of Nebraska has me turning to look up into his dark onyx eyes. His flinty gaze shoots from me to my sister with a wry shake of his head.

"Blowing off a little steam." I shrug.

"Ahh." He nods, not believing me one bit.

"Looking gorgeous as ever, luv." Marcus' eyes eat me up from where he stands beside Nebraska.

"Thank you kindly, sir." Giving him a mock curtsey, I wink over to him. Another blond god in the midst of the mortals among us. Marcus Sommerland and my cousin tower over most of the men in the space with the exception of my other cousins and the Carrington brothers, who are hanging out on the other side of the club and Ulysses and Mathias, who I can see are at the edge of the crowd opposite watching Nikki — well, Mathias is. Ulysses is lasered on me.

"Humph." Turning back to the guys, pointedly ignoring him, I ask, "Do y'all want to go to the truck stop and eat when we're done here?"

"Ahh," Nebraska hedges.

"Oooooweee, getting into something, I see," Joi cuts in over my shoulder.

"Not that we'd let your little nosey tail know," Nebraska tells her dryly.

"Indeed." Marcus turns away before Joi can register his words. I hear them and see the look of unmitigated animosity on his face.

The hairs rise on the back of my neck. This is the first time I have ever seen him show any emotion aside from polite amiability. Joi better watch out where he is concerned. I wonder what she could have possibly done to upset the British aristocrat.

Before I can ask her, Nikki is finished with her ride. The men are at her side in seconds.

"Great job."

"You were majestic."

"Perfection."

We all say, surrounding her as other patrons cheer her on.

Seeing a free space, I hurry to get on the bull. Almost slipping on something wet on the floor, I wobble a little.

"Like hell," comes right before hard angry hands grab my waist.

"The fuck you think you doing?" This man has nearly folded his body in half so that he's eye level with me.

"Are you going to answer me, darling?" Ice-cold eyes slice through me before spreading with an unhinged light. "Who you trying to get killed? These motherfuckers daring to ogle what's mine or me when your cousins try to stop me from dragging your little fast ass out of here?" He's never been this mad. Not even when I burned the bed of his truck.

Pulling up to his full height, he catches me under my arm with a firm grip, dragging me close to his body.

"Aye," Nebraska calls in a tone that has my heart tripping. I already know if he and Ulysses get in a tussle, Bahir and his brothers won't be far behind than the other Love cousins who came to blow off steam after a long day at their perspective farms and ranches. Mathias glances our way and something in Ulysses' face has him turning back to Nikki with barely a glance our way.

"It's okay." I hold a hand up to my cousin, adding a shake of my head for good measure. I let him know everything is fine. His eyes narrow on the way Ulysses is holding me and I see a defiant clench of his jaw, but he nods, giving me a look to let me know he's here if I need him.

I hope against hope that I don't. At this point I'm not even sure whose safety I'm concerned for—my family or Ulysses, who seems in this moment far deadlier.

The crowd parts for us like the Red Sea did for Moses. He guides me over to a darkened corner of the club. Pivoting, he has me pressed into the wall.

"I asked you a question," he grounds out.

He fills my entire vision. His black Henley smells of crisp lime, honeysuckle, and spice.

"You lost the right to question me when you treated me badly yesterday." I push on his chest. He doesn't budge. I kick his ankle but he has on Gor-Tex boots and they only make my foot sting from the impact. Leaning in, I bite the fuck out of his chest. He grunts. I bite harder. Gripping the back of my head, he doesn't do what I expect and pulls my hair. Instead, he pushes me closer. His body presses in. I bite again, hoping I'm causing him pain. He pushes harder — so hard, I think he's going to break my nose — not to mention I can't breathe pressed this close. With no choice but to gasp for air, I release him.

Manacling my neck, he slams my head back against the wall. His hand tightens around my neck tightening with each word that follows. "You must want to get fucked in this club."

His dick is a hard, menacing promise. My swallow is trapped beneath the press of his fingers, his palm pressed against my throat.

"See." He gives a little shake. "You like to try a motherfucker. Your grandparents let you run around wild." He leans in, pressing a soft kiss against my forehead. "Shh." He pulls back when I try to squirm out of his grasp. "Shh, now. You've pushed me too fucking far." Another shake.

If anyone could see the emotion flitting across his face in this moment, they would jump him. He's come completely undone. "I got you now, wildcat. C'mon."

Releasing me, he gives me barely a second to take in a couple shaky breaths before he steps back, lacing his long fingers between mine.

Tugging me behind him, he weaves between the crowd, heading back over to his cousin. "Hey." Mathias turns just in time to catch the keys Ulysses tosses in his direction.

Like a chastened sinner, I follow him, stumbling to match his longer stride.

A loud smack resounds the exact same moment I feel a sting on my bottom.

"Oops," comes the drunken sneer from Jim-Bob Cooper, one of the Shelby Sugar foremen. "That ass was calling. I had to answer." His goofy laugh is cut off with a horrible crunching sound when Ulysses lays into him just then all hell breaks loose.