Coffee and Cream

Target On The Back

                                                                                             EMRYS

The moment I saw her, my blood boiled. Darcelle was wearing that cropped hoodie, the one with the dragon design that hugged her curves just right, showing off her toned stomach. And those shorts... God, they were short. Too short. The floral embroidery didn't help either, drawing my eyes exactly where they shouldn't be. But what pissed me off the most? She was with Mal.

Everyone knew Mal was crazy about her. What the hell was she doing with him at my sleepover? It wasn't just the casual hanging out; they looked too friendly, like something had already happened between them. The way he was glued to her side, grinning like he'd already won, made me sick. I was fine with her and Nathan—that friendship I could handle—but Mal? It felt like a slap in the face.

Why was she even here? I'd seen her in her work uniform just a couple of hours ago, couldn't she have gone home and rested? Or was this some messed-up ploy to get me jealous? As if seeing her with Mal wasn't bad enough, I left the kitchen and noticed they were both missing. My gut told me something was up, so I pulled up the cameras on my phone. And there they were—in the hot tub. Darcelle was in nothing but her underwear, while Mal was closing in on her like a predator.

Yeah, not happening. Not on my watch.

When she got out of the hot tub, dripping wet, her body looked so damn good, it made sense why Mal was all over her. Her curves were dangerous, and she knew it. But the next morning, it got worse. Over breakfast, prepared by Isabelle, I overheard Mal asking her out. Seriously? I couldn't take it anymore. I knocked a vase off the table and it shattered, but I played it off as an accident.

I asked Darcelle to help me clean up, and she did, knowing damn well she had no choice. Once we were alone, I didn't even have to say it. She knew. I told her to call an Uber and leave. If she didn't, I'd call it myself. I made it clear—stay away from Mal until she was gone. Like the obedient girl she is, she waits in the red room for me.

When I finally got her alone, I kissed her hard, biting her bottom lip. I asked if she was free tonight to spend the night with me, and of course, she said yes. I couldn't help myself; I sucked on her tits for a while, savoring her, before letting her go. There'd be time later. For now, I had guests to deal with. But she was mine, and I wasn't letting her forget that.

*******

I texted Darcelle earlier, but she didn't respond. No big deal, I thought at first. Then I tried calling, and she didn't pick up. Now that was unusual. Darcelle always answered when I called—she knew better. I started wondering if maybe she was mad about earlier, but nothing had seemed off between us. Still, the silence was unsettling.

Realizing I wasn't going to have her to myself tonight, I called up Topher to see what he and the boys were up to. They were at the park playing night basketball. Sounded like a good distraction. I grabbed my keys, picked one of my Lambos, and headed there. A few games in, I was winning, of course—me and Topher on the same team always cleaned up. After we wrapped up the last match, we all sat down to catch our breath.

The conversation drifted. Justin was cracking jokes about The Weeknd's new album, saying the man probably got into relationships just to fuel his music. Donnie laughed, adding that even if The Weeknd broke hearts, the women should feel honored to inspire such good songs. Justin jumped in with Taylor Swift as another example, but Donnie wasn't having it—he swore up and down that The Weeknd's music was in a different league.

I wiped my face with my towel, smiling and shaking my head, letting their banter fill the space in my mind. But then Topher's voice cut through the chatter. "Yo! Mal's finally on a date with the love of his life!" he screamed, all pumped up. That single sentence hit me like a wrecking ball.

Everything around me blurred. The voices, the laughter, even the sounds of the city—they all faded into the background. Was that why Darcelle hadn't been available tonight? My grip tightened around my towel. There was no way she'd defy me like that. She wouldn't. Maybe Mal had a crush on someone else, and that's who the date was with. I refused to believe it was her, but I had to confirm.

"Who's the love of Mal's life?" I asked, my voice deceptively calm. But I already knew the answer.

"Who else? He's only got eyes for Darcelle," Topher answered, confirming the gut punch I had dreaded.

I smiled, forcing the expression as if nothing was wrong. "Good for him. I like a man who goes after what he wants."

Topher, oblivious to the rage brewing inside me, laughed and called me out. "Yeah, you cockblocked him at your party, bro. You acted like a hater." I chuckled and played along. "What can I say? I wasn't going to let Mal make a weak-assed move to get her. I respect the hustle, but he's got to work harder for someone like Darcelle."

The boys continued talking about how Mal might actually have a chance with her. Topher, in all his oblivious wisdom, said he thought Darcelle liked Mal too, but she was just playing it cool. He even had the nerve to joke that Mal must be a good kisser. Inside, I was boiling. But outside? I wore my mask well. Not a single crack.

When Topher asked if I was down for another game, I told him no. I needed to hit the mall. The boys teased me about trying to scoop up the new kicks before them, and I rolled with it. "What can I say? Early bird gets the worm." They laughed and called me cocky, but I didn't care. My mind was somewhere else entirely.

I left, got into my car, and injected my usual dose of black tar. It hit quick, heightening my senses and sharpening my focus. I drove like a demon, weaving in and out of traffic, my mind racing as fast as the car. I didn't even have to think twice about where I was going. Darcelle's apartment.

I parked far enough away so my car wouldn't stand out. Not everyone rolled around in cars like mine, and I wasn't about to blow my cover. I found a spot where I could see her place without being seen myself. Then, like clockwork, Mal's car pulled up in front of her building. I clenched my jaw, watching every damn move he made. I didn't just need to know if she was defying me—I needed to see it with my own eyes.

They were laughing and smiling like they'd just had the best time of their lives. It made my blood boil. What the hell had they been talking about that had her so happy? Then I saw Mal lean in. I held my breath. But she swerved, stepping out of the car, leaving him hanging. Relief washed over me, but it was shortlived.

Mal didn't leave. He got out too, following her to her door. They talked for a moment, and then he did something that pushed me over the edge—he took her hand and pulled her in for a hug. And she let him.

I clenched my fists, watching him stand there like some lovesick puppy, waving at her until she disappeared inside. Only after her door shut did he finally get back in his car and drive off.

But I wasn't done. Not yet. I got into my car and followed him, trailing just far enough behind to make sure I wasn't seen. Mal thought he was playing the game. But he didn't know the rules. Not like I did.