Chapter 8

"Damn." Jay bit his fist watching Candi walk down the stairs. He had to make a few calls letting his people know he was in town and that he brought someone with him. He also had a business meeting with some white boys from out west that he was thinking about partnering with for the legal weed business.

Blushing hard, Candi gave him a three-sixty view of her outfit. It was hot and humid outside so she put on a mini dress that hugged her curves like SKIMS. It stopped right above her knees and on her feet was a pair of designer heels that she couldn't part with on her love journey.

He could smell her before he saw her and loved the nutty vanilla scent that seemed to be a signature for her. "Do another spin for me."

Laughing, she gave in to his request. Her ass shook with each step she took. Candi was blessed in the body area. Face too. Hair, not so much. The wet and wavy quick weave she had in earlier had been discarded and replaced with her real hair, which was medium in length. To give herself a style, she parted her hair down the middle and slicked it all back into a low bun. It had been years since she relaxed her hair so her roots were curly while her ends were straight.

"You look fine as hell, too, Jayshun." Candi twirled her finger, teasing him to give her a spin.

Jeans, a designer tee, cowboy boots, and a hat made him look like the sexiest country boy she'd ever seen. Then he had the nerve to wear his jewelry and diamond grill. Jay was at home and in his element. Many didn't know he was a horse riding, country music listening, weed growing, street nigga.

"I want some boots too." Candi pouted.

Always wanting to touch her, Jay embraced her in his arms. "We'll get you laced tomorrow. Damn, you make me want to stay in." He groaned, gripping her ass in his big hands.

"We can stay in," Candi flirted. She was just as horny as he was. She had no idea why he seemed to hold out on nailing her to the cross. By the constant bulge in his pants and the way he seemed to keep his hands on her, she knew Jay was just as ready. Still, for reasons unknown to her, he hadn't made a solid move yet and she liked that.

Candi was so used to men leading with their dicks that Jay's patience meant so much to her.

She eagerly eyed his deep irises.

"You don't have to wait for me all the time. If you want a kiss, take the kiss."

"What about if I want something else?" Her tone lowered and so did her hands.

Walking her back, he pressed her back into the wall. "The more you wait, the better it'll be. If you need a release, I know other ways to empty you, Magic."

How was this man real? When he spoke, she wanted to tie her soul to him. Candi looked at him and saw her future in his eyes. He made her feel special and seen. When he spoke about his heart dancing, she understood because thoughts of him turned her beating organ into a Dancing with the Stars contestant.

"Let's just go to this little hoedown." Candi winked, holding her hand out for him to lock his fingers into hers.

When they walked outside, she wasn't expecting to see a four-wheeler where the car once was.

"Um, we going on that?" she asked, looking from the four-wheeler down to her dress and heels. "'Cause if so, I need to change my clothes."

"Nah, you good. It ain't that far and I want to show you off looking like this." Jay winked before helping her get on the four-wheeler.

Once he felt she was situated, he straddled the front. The bike purring under her felt amazing. Wanting to be closer to him, she sunk her front into his back, locking her arms around him. His spicy and sweet scent filled her nose.

The night air was just as humid and muggy. It tasted salty, reminding her they were close to the gulf. As they cruised down the road, the lights from the front of the bike were all that illuminated the street. There were no other cars on the road and it took a while for another house to come into view. If he wanted to kill her, he could and no one would know.

"You good?" he yelled over the loud ride.

"Yes!" she yelled back. Being on a four-wheeler wasn't new to her. Still, riding shotgun with him made it feel new. It unlocked a new memory and triggered her soul to smile.

So far, life with Jay trumped any life she had before him.

Another twenty or so minutes on the road and they were pulling up to what seemed like civilization. Music blared and there were other cars, motorcycles, and four-wheelers parked in the dirt near a house that looked more like a shack.

Couples walked up holding hands, and others were in friend groups or solo. It was a hole in the wall. She'd heard the stories about older people and she could see why people still frequented them. Candi didn't know what to expect, which made her a little nervous. The whole going out scene hadn't been her thing since leaving rehab.

Jay felt her tense up and he laughed a little under his breath. "Come on. My sister waiting for me."

"Is this a bring-your-own-bottle type of place?" Her question came from seeing people walking in with brown paper bags. "If so, where our shit at?"

"You drink?" His face scrunched in question.

"I mean, I can, but I don't. I might want to hit a little something tonight though," she revealed shyly, hoping he didn't read too much into her request.

"I'll see if my sister has any edibles. I feel better with that." He leaned down to kiss her lips and help her off the bike.

Candi cleared her throat and nodded. She appreciated him wanting to look out for her, but the thought of him treating her like a crackhead didn't make her feel good. It reminded her of Drama and how he wouldn't smoke around her anymore. He wouldn't even toss back a drink. Watching the people around her indulge responsibly reminded her of the times when she would be high out of her mind.

So many of her nights were a blur and she couldn't hardly ever recall what happened. The only person who made sure she was alert for sex was Drama. He wouldn't fuck her if he felt like she was too gone. Everyone else had their way with her. The only reminder they would leave was a sore pussy and money on the nightstand.

Stopping to clear things up, Jay faced her. "Look, I ain't judging you or feel like I need to babysit you. You don't know no one here and I think the good time high you're looking for will be better served in an edible. If you want to smoke, I'm cool with that. If I ain't passing it to you, don't take it, though. That goes for anything."

"Okay." Candi cheered up after his little speech. That was all she wanted, someone who trusted her judgment. "Thank you."

"Just bring your fine ass in here and act like you got some sense."

Wale's "Black Bonnie" blasted from the speakers as they walked into the seemingly spacious juke joint. From the outside, it looked small, but the inside was like a clown car. People were posted up on the walls, sitting at tables, and on the makeshift dance floor. There were also people of all ages just vibing and having a good time.

Jay hugged and slapped hands with so many people. Based on the smiles on their faces, they were happy to see their baby boy back in town. Candi could only smile and nod when he introduced her to his people.

"Juke!" a beautiful, brown-skinned girl yelled, running and jumping into his arms. She had long, blonde hair and rosy, red cheeks.

Without missing a beat, he hugged the woman back with the biggest smile on his face. "Meechie, baby."

"I missed you so much, Juke. I hope you stay for a long time." Meechie pouted, not wanting to get out of her big brother's arms.

Candi cleared her throat while shifting her weight from one side to the other.

Looking the dark beauty over, Meechie smiled, giving Candi a glimpse of her solid gold top and bottom grill. "Hey, girl!" she greeted once Jay put her back on her feet. "I'm his baby sister, Meechie."

Her face relaxed. "I'm Candi." She returned the welcome.

"My baby," Jay added, swooping her in his arms.

Squealing, Meechie hugged them both. "Y'all so damn cute. Come on, I got a little area over here."

They followed her, stopping every time someone recognized Jay. He hugged and planted kisses on the old lady's cheeks without any complaints. He was such a gentleman and ladies' man. Candi never knew how much she enjoyed a man who respected all women. Usually, she found herself wrapped up in rude, disrespectful men. Being close to Jay was like inhaling fresh air for the first time. So far, everything about his world was just what she needed.

"My nigga," a man, who was the spitting image of Jay, yelled, pulling Jay into a brotherly hug. "Man, why you ain"t tell me you were coming home? Meechie had to tell me." The man plastered a mean mug on his face.

"I called your crab ass. You don't never answer the fuckin' phone or call a nigga back. I'm the big brother. When I call, you 'posed to run to that hoe." Jay's laughter filled the makeshift section Meechie created for them.

"Who this, though?"

"Mine," Jay said simply. "This Candi. Candi, this is my little brother, Nard."

Nard kissed his teeth but acknowledged Candi. The way he saw it, his big brother always got the prettiest girls. He was no slacker himself, but he didn't get out of town too often to find something new. He and Jay could've been twins with the way they looked so similar and their close age. His lack of facial tattoos kept them from being mixed up.

"If he don't treat you right, I promise you I will," Nard flirted before blowing her a kiss.

Candi had to stop her face from warming. "I see being charmers must run in the family."

"Girl, wait until you meet my daddy. That nigga is worse than them." Meechie rolled her head in a circle.

"Like I said, though, nigga, she mine," Jay doubled down, making sure his brother knew to not even play when it came to his Magic.

"Nigga want to act brand-new 'cause he finally over Luna." Nard waved a bartender over. It seemed no one would let Jay live down his breakup with Luna. They seemed to forget the most important details: she was married and had moved on.

In the juke, they hired girls to take food orders as well as drinks. It was bring your bottle but the house provided juice and other mixers. That was how they made money. The girls made tips. It was a nice little way to make some quick cash after their normal nine-to-five jobs.

Nard's brown eyes landed on Candi. "What you drinking?"

"She good." Jay gave his brother a look that she didn't miss. "Meechie, you got some edibles?" His handsome face went to his sister.

"You know I do." Every time Meechie spoke, Candi couldn't help but look at her mouth.

Seeing a woman with a full gold grill was something she wasn't used to. It was weird but fit Meechie. It didn't take away from her girly look. She was dressed in jeans and sparkly cowboy boots. The top she wore barely covered her big breasts and sparkled to match her boots. Going into her Birkin bag, she pulled out a pink-packaged chocolate chip cookie. "I'm assuming this for you," she said, passing the bag to Candi.

Candi looked at Jay to make sure it was okay to have. He'd given her the don't take nothing from no one but me speech and she wanted to respect that. This was his world, so he knew it better than her. Like a proud father, he nodded.

"Let me know what you think, this is my special strain of weed oil." Meechie was so bubbly. She had to be high too.

"You grow weed?" Candi asked, sinking her teeth into the baked good. Flavors exploded on her tongue before a faint taste of weed appeared. "This good as hell, girl."

Meechie eyed Jay, wondering why his friend didn't know he grew weed on his land. She was the chemist behind the different strains, but he was the owner. "Thank you, boo. And yes, I grew that all on my own. You can say I got a green thumb."

"A flour thumb too," Candi joked about her baking things too. The cookie was perfect—crispy on the edges and buttery soft on the inside.

Nard laughed. "I know she ain"t already high." Pulling out his own weed, he stuffed it into a joint and fired it up. With his hand to his face, Candi took notice of his black-painted pinky finger.

"You a pimp or something?"

"Or something." He winked.

Jay shook his head. "Bring your ass here." He leaned against the wall with her posted in front of him. The waitress had brought them cups of ice and Meechie already had their liquor ready. Like her brothers, she poured herself a glass of Blanton—an expensive whisky they kept stocked up.

The bottle was cute, with a horse on the top like a little action figure. "What is that?" Candi asked. The effects of the weed were creeping up on her fast. The music was good and she was almost ready to show her stripper moves. Her body swayed to Future's "March Madness". The song took her back to her days of money falling over her while she popped pussy all over the stage.

"This the shit niggas with money drink." Jay hummed in her ear. Notes of caramel and aged wood filled her nose. "You fuckin' with a boss, Magic."

When he blew on her ear, she giggled. "Oh, really?" Candi loved when Jay talked his shit.

"Hell yea!" He lifted the bottle in the air. "Dirty soda in my Styrofoam," he rapped.

"Spend a day to get my mind blown," Nard joined in, blowing smoke from his mouth.

As the high started to overtake her, Candi bent over to make her ass clap to the beat. Hands on her knees, her juicy booty wobbled like a baby penguin. Like she used to do when she was on stage, she turned her head to look Jay dead in his eyes.

Eyes sitting low, he put his hands in the air and watched her ass move like water. "That's how you feeling?"

Nodding and licking her lips, she spread her legs a little and touched the floor. Slowly, she rolled her hips in a way that she was rolling her ass on Jay's dick—like she was riding his dick standing up. The thong she had on didn't stand a chance.

"You'on know what to do with that, bro." Nard slapped his shoulder.

"Yess!" Meechie hyped her up. "Fuck it up, Candi!"

Smiling even harder, Candi put her hands on her knees and popped like they did in the nineties. Her tongue wagged from her mouth. In her world, she was brought back down to Jay's world when his hand ran across her wet pussy. Between the high and his large hands massaging her dripping center through the fabric that barely covered her fat pussy, she was about to cream all over him.

The beat changed and Jay went crazy. "My savages, my savages, my savages… I'm always dressin' fresher than a mannequin." He flashed his teeth, chain, and watch. "They tried to infiltrate us."

Meechie ice grilled her brother. "I grew up in a ruthless ass environment."

Candi got in Jay's face. "I gotta cock it back, that's how my day went." She was with all the shit he was with.

Jay's face lit up. She could match his vibe and he loved that. "Fine as hell!" he yelled before sweeping her off her feet with his lips on hers. He didn't care about people seeing them. Jay was the type to love you in public and private. He was affectionate and it seemed to multiply with her.

He didn't know what it was, but he felt she was the one. His energy felt better when he thought of her. Jay was ready to stand on business and let her see that with him was the best place for her to be.

Sparkles caught her attention as a cake was walked out by two of the part-time bartenders. "Happy birthday to you," everyone started singing.

Candi was in shock until she saw the grin on Jay's face. "It's your birthday?" she asked in his ear.

"That shit was last month, May… but I didn't come home." He cocked his head to his sister and brother. "Y'all ain"t have to do all this."

"Nigga, you think we ain't gon' celebrate your day? We don't give a fuck if we ain"t see you until Christmas. Jesus was gon' have to share that day." Nard laughed.

"We love you, big brother." Meechie kissed his cheek. "Make a wish."

Jay never loosened his grip on Candi. "Make a wish with me, Magic."

"It's your birthday. No, Jayshun." Candi tried to take herself out of the spotlight. It seemed everyone in the place had their eyes on them.

"I'm 'bout to wish for your heart," he said in her ear so only she could hear it.

Her eyes darted to all the people watching them and she wanted to run away. They were staring at her like they'd heard what he said. Little did he know, but her heart was already his to claim. She was just too afraid to tell him that. She wasn't that high.

Candi heldonto Jay as he walked her in the house. They partied so hard. Now she was high, tired, and her feet hurt. Never in her life did she think she would have so much fun with country people. They loved on her, sung with her, and even the older ladies twerked with her. She couldn't wait to go back. In less than twenty-four hours, Alabama was turning into her favorite place on earth.

"Babe," she slurred, her head bobbing. "Babe?" she called again, feeling like he was ignoring her. "You mad I'm high?"

"No, baby. I'm just trying to make sure you don't trip on nothing. I ain't 100 percent sober."

"I know, that's why I ain"t want to ride on that shit with you. You could've killed me," she fussed for the millionth time. The whole ride home on the four-wheeler, she complained, screamed, and yelled.

Jay rendered a light laugh. "But did you die?"

"Shit, for all I know, I could be dead now. I mean, my version of heaven will include you." Candi was so high, she wasn't mindful of the things she said. Had she been of sound mind, she wouldn't have dared admit that to him. Her heart was fragile and although he was mending it piece by piece, she wasn't that comfortable expressing her love for him. She was ashamed to even love him already when she barely knew him. That was shit that only happened in movies.

"I'm in heaven with you?" His southern drawl gave her lust-filled chills.

"Mhm." Her head swayed as he walked her up the stairs. "You know they played that song tonight by Beyoncé?"

"Which one, Magic? They played damn near the whole Cowboy Carter album." Jay kicked the bedroom door open with his boot. He was barely making it and only found the strength to make sure Candi was good. He was ready to close his eyes. A time was had like always when he went back home. Sapphire City was cool but Bama would always be home. The genuine love he received was unmatched. Niggas in Sapphire City only fucked with him because of what he could do for them. Except for Banks, he hadn't met too many people who were real.

"The one when she says, baby, I've been waiting my whole life." Her face jutted in the air to push her words out. "For you and I, that's how I feel about you. Jayshun, I feel like I've been waiting for you to see the real me."

"You high, Magic. Let me wash you up and get you in the bed."

"I am high. I feel so good. Better than I've ever felt in my life but it ain"t got shit to do with that bomb-ass edible Meechie gave me." Candi giggled. "It's you, Jayshun. You make me feel something I can't even describe. Being high only gives me the courage to say it but it"s real. I'm gonna give you the best years of your life." She sang more song lyrics before a fit of giggles attacked her again.

Starting the shower, Jay allowed it to warm up before he started removing her clothes. "I fucks with it."

"Fuck me." Her demand was seductive and went straight to his dick.

"Not tonight. I want you fully aware when I fuck you so good—this dick gon' touch your heart."

"Jayshun," Candi moaned when he slipped her thong off. "Please." Her breathing was staggered and her skin tightened, needing his touch on her.

Her begging had him wanting to throw all his reservations out the window but he meant it when he said he wanted her fully aware of the dick he gave her when he finally gave it to her. That and she needed to sit with the shit she'd just revealed to him. If what she felt was real, and what he felt was true, he knew she was going to be the last woman on earth to experience his dick. Silencing her with a kiss, he directed her under the water where he bathed her before putting her in the bed. It took no time for her light snores to fill the room.

Like a creep, he watched her, snapping a few pictures. These moments he wanted to experience over and over again. The pictures would be for her when he showed her just how angelic she was.