DANTE [] BOOK 1

Chapter Three

I sat on the counter, playing with my phone. The coffee shop was closed for the day and the only thing keeping me from leaving was Khanyisa, he'd left without letting me know and now I had to wait for his ass to come back before locking up.

"About goddamn time, where the hell were ---," I couldn't finish my sentence because I was suddenly overcome with shock, it wasn't Khanyisa who'd walked in, "Naledi, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were closed."

She was about to turn and leave but I jumped off the counter and ran to hold her by the arm, stopping her from leaving.

"I didn't think I would see you again."

Her eyes avoided mine, "I didn't think I would see you again too."

For a while the world seemed to have stopped moving. My hand left her arm and without asking for permission I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to me, hugging her like my life depended on it. She didn't hug me back but she didn't pull away from me either, she just stood there, in my arms and I couldn't believe that it was really happening.

"Dante I ---," I let her go as she spoke, "I just wanted to tell you that I, I don't know I just, I'm sorry for acting like I didn't know you."

"It's fine Naledi."

"Yes it is."

I gave her a 'what the fuck?' look. I hadn't meant that it was fine, why the hell was she agreeing with me?

"Why though, why would you do something like that?"

"Because I've been trying to forget."

"Luvuyo," I stated matter-of-factly.

"It fucked me up Dante."

"It fucked me up too Naledi but I didn't go running away and out of the city and leaving the one person I claimed to love behind."

"Cause the person you loved wasn't a murderer," she sighed, running her fingers through her hair, "I ran because the person I loved was a murderer. _You_ murdered him Dante."

"For you!"

"For me?"

"Bloody yes Naledi," I stepped away from her. She was unbelievable. How could she not still believe that I did it for her. Even after five years she believed I intended to kill Luvuyo. What would intentionally killing him do for me, give me a hard ass erect dick?

"It was for your own ego, it was so you could feel better for putting me in such a fucked up position in the first place!"

"If that's how you feel then why did you tell the police that it was an accident, a bloody mistake, that I was defending you from a bloody rapist."

"Because I loved you," her voice broke, "I didn't want you to go to jail Dante, I just couldn't let you."

I stared blankly at her, "You left me."

"I needed to heal."

"Who said I didn't, who said we couldn't have done it together Naledi, you didn't give us a chance."

"You killed a man with your own bloody fists infront of me, how was I suppose to heal _with_ you after that. Are you crazy Dante?"

It took all the strength in me not to slap the hell out of her. I had never done it before but at that moment I wanted to do it so bad. Why was she here if she wasn't willing to take my side, to say something like, 'I want us to get back together.' What did she want from me?

"Sandile," I said stepping towards her, "It's him isn't it?"

"What about him?"

"You think he's perfect," my eyes were on hers, "You think he loves you, well he isn't half the man I am Naledi, he ain't shit!"

"Atleast he doesn't secretly jerk off to watching other people having sex! You're a fuckin' weirdo!"

"Oh shit," Khanyisa's voice echoed in the silence that had followed after Naledi had said what she'd said. I hadn't heard him come in so I wasn't sure how much he'd heard.

"I guess I'm interrupting."

"What do you think," my voice was harsh but I hoped he'd understand considering the fact that Naledi was being a total bitch.

"Don't try to take it out on him, this is all on you Dante and deep down I know you know it too."

"I'll excuse myself," Khanyisa spoke, awkwardly making his way past us.

"Naledi," I spoke after he'd gone, "I still love you."

"No you don't Dante."

"Trust me, I do."

A stray tear fell from her eye and before she could, I stepped forward and with my fingers gently falling on her skin, I wiped it off.

"I know things ended up in a fucked up way. I know I'm not a perfect guy Naledi but before Luvuyo happened we had a good thing going on. I'm happy to see you again, I want to give us a try. Please give us a chance."

She let out a shaky breath, "Dante I ---"

My lips shut her up. I couldn't let her finish. I had a feeling she would say no so I hoped the kiss would remind her of what she was missing on. God, her lips were so soft and as she suddenly kissed me back I pulled her closer to me, hands grabbing her ass and causing her to moan inside my mouth. It's the only response I needed. The reassurance that I had her back. The joy that ran in my veins was reason enough to get my dick hard and as bad as it sounded, I couldn't wait to fuck Naledi Nzimande again. It's all that I needed, it's all that I suddenly breathed for.