Chapter 248Eden"What do you mean you were pulled over?" I question Devante the next day. We're sitting in the shop, sharing our coffee before opening. It's something we used to do all the time, but haven't much since the shop got broken into. Last night, they finished the last of the work on it, and now we can do this again. This is normally my favorite time to spend with him. But this morning? He's pissed, more pissed than I've ever seen him. "For what?""For driving while Black," he spits out, obviously still very upset about what happened."Who did it?" I hope it wasn't a Laurel Springs officer, I desperately don't want it to be one of the people we've come to know as our friends."Some Calvert City asshole. I didn't get his name because he didn't end up giving me a ticket. Ransom showed up and intervened.""I'm so sorry that happened to you." I get up, going over to where he sits, making room for myself in his lap."It's not okay, but I'm used to it. I guess I'd been lull
Chapter 249EdenThis day has turned fucking shitty. Knowing Devante is upset over what happened last night. That he's retreating into himself, I hate it. I want him to come to me, but maybe that's going to happen later in our relationship. It's the catalyst as to why I'm not paying attention as I lock up the building and turn to head to my car.Normally I'm on high alert, paying attention to my surroundings, but this evening I'm into my feelings. Trying to figure out what the hell happened with Devante and how I can make it better. I don't notice the guy standing beside my car, not until we're almost face-to-face. "Mario," I gasp loudly."Surprised to see me, baby? Told ya you'd never be able to get fully away from me, or don't you remember that conversation."I do remember it. It was the night I left, only he didn't know I was leaving. He'd warned me what happened to people who crossed him. Some of them have never been found."Yeah, slightly," I manage to answer, trying to
Chapter 250Devante"Do you know where Eden is?" Cutter asks as we drive around Laurel Springs. "Haven't talked to her, after poker night I was fuckin' wiped and so was she. She came to the apartment last night, but was gone before I woke up. I slept like the dead.""Ro said the shop isn't open."As much as I don't want to be worried, I am. No one knows as well as I do how much she needs the shop to succeed. That's the one thing that stands out about everything we've discussed. When we'd both come here and we were talking about life. She'd left everything to make a go of it. For her not to have opened, something must be wrong. "We need to head over there." I hit Cutter on the shoulder. "Something's wrong.""Are you sure? I thought you two were in some sort of epic fight. Maybe she needed to go somewhere to clear her head.""No." I shake my head. "We weren't in an epic fight. I stormed off. Even if she's upset with me leaving, she's going to need to eat. A Whole Latte Love is h
Chapter 251Devante"If she's not at home, she has to be here." We pull back in front of A Whole Latte Love. "There's just no other place I can think of.""She wouldn't be at your apartment, would she?" Cutter asks, obviously trying to rack his brain."No, I have those security cameras. Nothing's gone off, and she knows the code. It would've alerted me that someone came in with the code. She's not there. Like I said, she left this morning.""But her cars not here, bro. There's no one parked in the back," he argues. "Call Rambo," I fire back at him. "Call Ransom and see if they can come track where her car may be. I'm telling you, she has to be in this vicinity. She has to be here." My voice is pleading this time, hoping God can hear how much I need for this to be true. I just found her, she can't be taken away from me before we even had the chance to figure out how to make this shit work. Cutter's already on his phone, and I'm thinking back to the man I was when I first moved
Chapter 252Eden"I promise," I tell Devante and Cutter. "I'm fine.""Let us take you to Laurel Springs Med to make sure of that," Cutter interrupts. "There could be injuries that you can't see."Devante refuses to make eye contact with me. I'm unsure of what's happening, but I have learned things about him. Like he doesn't want to ever appear vulnerable. I keep telling myself this is what's happening."You want me to drive?" Cutter whispers."No, I will," he answers back and I feel all the hope I had seep out of my bones. It's like whatever was holding me together is now making me fall apart. Cutter's mouth forms a tight line as he looks at his friend. "Are you sure?""I didn't stutter, did I?"Not wanting to see the two of them argue over me, I lift myself up into the back of the ambulance and try to keep the tears at bay. This has been one of the worst twelve hours of my life and all I wanna do is curl into myself and pretend like it never happened. Cutter joins me, off
Chapter 253EdenWe're quiet on the drive to what I presume to be Devante's apartment. After what I've been through, I'm not sure what to say, and he's probably taking his cue from me. I'm exhausted, beyond so. Ready to see how I'm going to be able to put this situation behind me. If there's even a way for me to do so.Even though I'd known Mario wasn't a good guy, I'd never been terrified of him. Scared yes, but there'd never been a point where I'd thought he would harm me in a way I wouldn't live through. The last twelve hours? They taught me how wrong I was.Who's to say I'm not wrong about Devante? The thought causes my chest to tighten, stomach to roll. Does this mean I'm a shitty judge of character, or just lucky?"You're thinking so hard over there, I can almost hear you," Devante whispers. "Why don't you tell me what's going on in that head of yours?""The same way you tried to tell me about your stop with the police? That's what started this whole situation." I cross my
Chapter 254DevanteWe're in the shower, washing off this shit show of a day, when Devante turns to me, desire and love written so plainly across his face."I came here looking for a change, never knowing I would fall in love with you," I start, my voice breaking as I try to talk out my feelings. "From the first moment I saw you, when we flirted, I knew you were something special. I'm only sorry it took me so long to act on it."Her mouth screws up before tears pool in her eyes and start pouring down her face, although it's hard to tell which are tears and which is the water from the shower. I know she's overwhelmed from the shock of her kidnapping added to our fight, but I have to tell her what's in my heart. I don't want to waste any more time on miscommunication and unspoken words with the woman who holds my heart."I didn't want love, never wanted to get married. I thought sharing your life with someone was dumb, because my dad left at such a young age. I'm learning how stupi
Chapter 255Devante"Happy Birthday!"Eden shrieks with laughter, holding a hand to her chest. "Y'all scared the hell outta me!"We've all gathered in Ryan and Whitney's back yard, enjoying the last of the summer days, lounging by the pool. The biggest thing going on today, though? Eden's birthday."You surprised?" I ask her as we have a seat beside each other, dangling our legs in the water. "Shocked is more like it. I can't believe you went to this trouble.""Wasn't just me," I defend. "Stella, Kels, and Alisa had a lot to do with it too. It was a group effort.""A family effort," Alisa yells as she stands at the grill, holding a plate for Menace to transfer the cooked hamburgers and hotdogs onto. "Yeah." I sling my arm around Eden's shoulders. "A family effort.""Who knew these people would end up being our family," she whispers.I laugh right along with her. "I wouldn't trade these people for any of the other friends I've ever had.""You're right." She tilts her head