*BENNETT*Each passing day since I met Maliyah,it feels as if I’m rediscovering a part of myself I didn’t know existed.Comforting someone had never been my thing.I don’t even know how to.But with Maliyah,I just have to.I keep saying everything that comes into my brain trying desperately to make her feel better.This is someone I shouldn’t give a fuck about.And again,thinking she might go up to her room and get all saddened again,I turned to face her and suggested.“Will you like to have dinner with me?”She was sitting on the sofa now and she stared at me with those beautiful eyes of hers and nodded.******************Maliyah and I at the dining room now,eating quietly.“How was work today?”“You find it real hard to stay quiet.”I let out.She shrugged.”Quiet is boring.”“You do not want to listen to me talk about work.Trust me,it will bore you out.”“Does it bore you?Your work I mean?”I glanced at her.”At first,yes.But I guess I got to like how challenging it was.I’m a very compe
*MALIYAH*I was so happy when Esme informed me that I could prepare dinner tonight.I had hurried off to the kitchen to get started.I opened the cabinets one after the other to see that they were fully stocked with different groceries.What could I cook for him?I’ve never been this excited to cook for someone.I recalled the dish I always loved eating with my parents.One of the numerous dishes my mom had taught me how to make.Creole Gumbo.Though this doesn’t measure up to what he had done to me but perhaps it could lessen how indebted I feel if he enjoys the meal.I got started,following the recipe I had always known and being extra cautious to make sure it comes out well.When it was almost ready,I had a taste and it was delicious.Feeling pleased with myself,I heard his voice in the hallway.I walked out of the kitchen,and towards the living room where he stood speaking with Esme.As soon as Esme saw me,she spun and walked passed me.“Esme just told me that you’re making dinner.”
*MALIYAH*I headed out of the hospital,dejectedly with a cheek that felt like it was on fire.As I stood outside the hospital,I was filled with so many thoughts.What could have…who could have done that to him?I didn’t do it so it meant someone else did.I recalled the watch incident.Someone clearly has it in for me.What could be their purpose?I mean,am I the target or is Ben the target?Afterall,what keeps happening causes more pain to him than to me.I mean,his favorite watch was destroyed and now this.But at the end,I’m meant to take the blame for it.I just can’t understand why this keeps happening.Thinking about how pained he looked at the dining room made me feel so terrible.He was practically struggling to breathe.He didn’t deserve that.And it felt so devastating that he was going to think I did it.What is going to happen now?Was he going to kick me out of his house?The thought of not seeing him again hurt more than it should.I couldn’t bear to leave the hospital.I
*MALIYAH*I placed my hand over my cheek and said.”It’s nothing.”“It’s something,obviously.It’s reddish,not in a good kind.”He snapped.Now he was pissed.“I…em…I bumped my face against something.”“You’re lying.I can see finger marks close to your ear.My grandmother did this,didn’t she?”I swallowed hard.This wouldn’t cause any issue,right?For someone like me to get slapped by Madam Valentina is nothing.I slowly nodded.”But it’s fine.I’m used to it.”He frowned.”Used to it?She…she used to hit you before?”“No…not me but the others.I always tried not to upset her.I guess that’s why she had chosen me for this job because I always got things done and she had nothing to complain about.I don’t know why I keep messing up now.”I let out,sadly.“Does she always have to be so physical?Fuck!”He thundered,startling me.Why was he getting angry?It was my face and I wasn’t angry at Madam Valentina.He pressed a button on the table and just seconds later,a nurse came running in.“Can I get an
*MALIYAH*He placed his hand over his mouth looking shocked.“Maliyah?Grace Orphanage…Mali..”He stuttered.I nodded.”Yes…that’s me.Oh Lonny!”I squealed and we both closed the distance between us,hugging each other tightly.“My God!How long has it been?You’ve grown so much.”He said,disengaging from me.I think the last time I saw him was when I got adopted so that should be almost ten years ago.“I can see you added a few inches.”He teased.I smacked him.”I’m a lot more taller now.”“You’re still called Maliyah,right?”“Yeah,my parents didn’t change my name but I use their last name now.”He shook his head still in disbelief.This felt surreal as well.Alonzo was one of the few older kids back then at the orphanage.Lonny is what we fondly call him.From what I can remember,he was about five or six years older than me.And many of us had been very fond of him back then because he was so nice.He was the big brother we never had and his presence at the orphanage had meant so much to us.“
*BENNETT*A knock sounded on my door.“Come in.”Drew walked in,looking tensed.”I just got a call from Esme.She said Sir Caleb is at the house.”I frowned.”At my house?”Drew nodded.”And he specifically said he had come to see your wife.”Fuck!I should have given Maliyah a heads up about him.If I should head home immediately,it would give him the proof that he wants.I have to act calm about this.“Tell Esme to let us know when he leaves.”“Yes,sir.”With that,he walked off.I brought out my cellphone and gave Maliyah a call but she didn’t pick up.So I sent her a text instead.Me:Do not say anything about the contract to him.She didn’t reply.The message was delivered but wasn’t read.Wasn’t she with her fucking cellphone?Just when will that uncle of mine get off my back?******************MALIYAH*I’m casually having coffee with Ben’s uncle.He seemed like a nice person.He has been telling me stories about how close he was to Ben’s father and how he was more like a father figure f
*BENNETT*Nodding,I walked passed Esme and headed for my study.I still felt so agitated and I badly needed something to calm my nerves.I searched through the drawers in my study and grabbed a pack of cigarette.I took out one of them and lit it up.As I took a drag, I felt my nerves becoming a bit calm.And I was starting to think rationally again.Was that me a while ago?Acting like a wild beast?Recalling how I raised my voice at her and how startled she had been made me winced.What went wrong with me?I don’t think I’ve ever been that upset.I still don’t like that she was like that with the gardener but was that enough to turn me into a angry mess?‘A jealous mess,perhaps.’My subconsciousness mocked.Jealous?Me?Of a gardener?I had no reason to be.‘She looked so happy with him. “My subconscious mind mocked again.I recalled watching them from my car,how she had been laughing and running around with him.Fuck!Was Firing him enough?I should have him jailed!“Jailed.”I murmur
*MALIYAH*That moment ended so quickly when he moved away from me creating a distance between us.“Esme told me you didn’t tell Caleb about the contract.”He looked so calm now as if he hadn’t almost kissed me few seconds ago.Thinking it was best not to dwell on those confusing feelings.I played along as he changed the topic.“Yeah.That man is odd.He said he was like a father figure to you but he sounded mean.”Bennett scoffed.”Father figure,my ass.He wants my company and he would do anything to ruin me.”I blinked.”Woah…that’s…”I don’t even know how to describe.They were relatives.Relatives always got along,right?“Anyway,thanks for covering up for me.”“You’re welcome.”I replied.***************When I got back to my bedroom,I sat on the bed reeling in that brief moment in his study.What did he give me that look?Or was I misinterpreting the look?I mean,look at me,there’s just no way he can be attracted to me.A part of me wanted him to be and another part didn’t want him to be
THREE MONTHS LATER…*MALIYAH*“He just got here.”I announced to the others and we quickly took out positions.As soon as Ben walked into the house,we turned on the lights and yelled.“SURPRISE!”“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!”We began to sing for him.I knew he won’t be overly thrilled but he tried his best to look thrilled.He had said before he’d prefer spending his birthday with just me.But I wanted him to be surrounded by other people,to know more people found him amazing.In attendance were Logan,Leah,Timothy,Miles,Simon,Madam Valentina,my mom and Aunt FeliciaI could his smile fade as he saw Madam Valentina and I quickly walked up to him,whispering and warning him not to chase her away.He had been talking into forgiving my mom but he won’t forgive his grandmother.He always says what his Grandma did was unforgivable but she was remorseful about it and I felt that was all that matters now.Not that things were back to the way they were with my mom,I was still pretty wary of her but she
*MALIYAH*I moved in with Ben that day because I just couldn’t spend another day away from him.The following day,I got to the office super late.It had been hard for Ben and I to go our separate ways to work this morning.He had dropped me off at the front of Mobilotech and it was another struggle to get down from his car.He had to walk me into the company’s lobby hand in hand and we eventually let go of each other,promising each other that we would close from work early.“Look who finally decided to show up.”Timothy teased when I walked into his office to submit some documents to him.“I’m sorry…I was stuck in traffic.”That made him laugh,because it was an obvious lie.“My God,look at you,you’re glowing.You two are so in love.I was watching from my window…he practically walked you into the company,I thought he might just start work here because of you.”I laughed.”I’m missing him already.Tim,can I close early today?”“No.”He chuckled.“Please…”“Maliyah,look at the time…you’re very
“You’re always in my head.”He said to me.I was going to go up in flames.“You’re in my blood.”I let out a shaky breath as he continued thrusting into me with the vibrator.“You’re in every one of my fucking veins.”Oh I needed him,I needed him right now.“Ben…Ben…wait…I need…I need your cock.”I panted,trying to control the movements of my hips to prevent myself from coming.“I want you inside of me when I come.”I murmured.He grinned at me.I gasped as the bulbous head slid from me.He knelt on the bed,positioning himself between my legs,nudging my legs wide with his powerful hair roughened thighs.I tried to catch my breath as I looked up at him,I tried to calm the thundering of my heart,the roar in my ears, but all I wanted was to feel his weight on me…in me.He was poised against me,I could feel him.One push and he’d be inside me.He leaned down over me, his legs opening me wider,his forearms resting next to my head as he looked straight down into my eyes.His jaw flexed before h
*MALIYAH*I tried to ease my tensed muscles,to calm the erratic breathing,the roaring of my blood,but only managed to gasp again as he rocked back and forth once more.“It’s okay.”He groaned.”Relax”I swallowed at the blunt pressure,squeezed my eyes shut and tried to do just that.I shifted my hips a little on the bed in a futile effort to ease his way, for a better angle,to help alleviate the feeling of fullness.“Easy.”He ground out.I was holding myself taut in anticipation of his next retreat and entry.I could feel it,but my muscles wound tighter,nerves strung taut.My body just wouldn’t cooperate.It felt as if he was breaking into me all over again.He moved completely out of me and I quickly held his hand.“No…please…don’t stop.I…I just…it’s been awhile since I…”I paused,not sure if I should talk about the men I had tried to be with in London.“I don’t want to hear about your sex experience with other men.”He informed me,calmly.“Does that make you love me less?”I asked,my heart
*BENNETT*“Kiss me,Ben…please.”She urged,pulling her face close to mine.I caressed her gently in my arms.She was warm and soft.I lowered my head and molded my lips to hers.Fuck!I ran my tongue over her lips and between them.I groaned at the shaft of heat that arrowed down right into my cock and tightened my balls.I dipped my tongue inside her mouth,once,twice, a third time before I pulled sharply back.God I had been avoiding kissing or touching her,because I knew that would wear off the tiny bit of resistant I had left.I took a deep breath in a futile effort to stem the rapid thud in my heart and fight the urge to kiss her again.But when she rubbed herself against me,I gave in again.I pressed my lips against hers.Maliyah nibbled along my bottom lip,used her tongue to taste the shape of my mouth.The soft,tentative moments caused a curl in my gut.I felt her soft breath fan out against my mouth as she pulled back and that sigh was my undoing.Before I had the time to think about
*MALIYAH*It’s a Saturday morning and I awoke without Ben in bed.I knew he wasn’t going to work today.Running my hand through my hair,I walked out of the bedroom and went in search for him.I found him at the gym.I leaned against the door as I watched him do some exercises.I nibbled my lower lip watching him do some pulls up.He was bare chested and his muscles bulged with his every movement.I squeezed my thighs together feeling hot and bothered.Oh God,I wanted him to touch me so bad.I stood there,watching until he was done.When he started to gulp down a bottle of water,I finally walked in,trying to keep my hands to myself.“I might just take you by force,Mr Graham.I don’t know how long I can resist this temptation.”I said to him.I could see he was trying hard not to smile.God,how much longer was he going to make me chase him?Not that I was tired of chasing him but I wish he could just give in a bit.He clearly was still very much attracted to me and he’s equally been trying
*MALIYAH*Things were pretty messy at the office that day.With so many calls,the news of him coming out was pretty scandalous,because it also had to do with a divorce.People were throwing shades,saying whatever they felt about the whole thing but Timothy was unbothered.I could tell he wasn’t fully unbothered though.He loved his family and it would make him happy if they accepted him.But he didn’t really care about what the public thought though.He felt people who didn’t know him personally had no right to judge him.Hell,he had even set up a date with Miles.Miles seemed to like him too but was still pretty hurt by Timothy’s rejection in high school so he was currently playing hard to get.I hope they could get back together soon.At the close of work,I walked out of the office,excited to go see Ben.I frowned seeing someone else at the receptionist stand.My mom.The receptionist had called earlier that she wanted to see me but I had specifically told her to send this woman away.
*MALIYAH*Since he might not come down for dinner,I’ll bring it up to him.I dished out the meals and headed upstairs with the tray.Getting to his bedroom,I walked in to finding him pulling on a sweatpants.“Jesus!”He seemed,startled.”Why are you still here?”“Let’s eat together and get some sleep.”I announced,setting down the tray.When I turned to face him,he was covering his bare chest with a robe.“You could’ve at least knocked.I could’ve been naked.”He lashed out.I laughed.”So?Well now that you mentioned it,I want to see all of you…I’ve missed seeing you.”I purred and started walking up to him.He walked back.”What is wrong with you?Where the hell is Timothy?I thought I heard the sound of a car.”“He knows I belong here.”“You don’t belong anywhere near me.Get out.”“I don’t want to.”I backed him against the wall.Oh how the tables had turned.He used to be the one chasing after me.Not that I mind being in this position right now.It’s actually quite fun.“Maliyah,go home.Stop
“I don’t care what happens to me now.I just want to be with him.”“Then don’t give up.Don’t give up on him.He needs someone.He needs love.He’s just scared to say he needs you.You have to show him that he doesn’t need to be scared,okay?”I nodded.”Thank you,Emily.I should have come see you sooner.”She hugged me,tightly.”Thanks for being alive,Maliyah.Drew will be so happy knowing you found your way back to Ben.”I sobbed into her arms.A sound came from the door and I lifted up my head to see a boy and a girl walking in,obviously returning from school.I wiped my cheeks as I stared at them.“Aiden has gotten so much bigger.”I cooed.“He’ll be thirteen in a few days.”“Mommy.”The little girl ran up to her and hugged her.“How was school,baby?”“It was fine.I learnt a poem.”“This is Ava.”Emily introduced.”I was pregnant with her when Drew…passed.”Oh.I hope Charlotte rots in hell.“Hello.”Aiden beamed at me,politely.“Aiden,this is Ben’s wife.”And then he frowned.”I thought she…”“It