One Night Only (Complete)

i love you, bitch

"Make a left here, it's the second building." You looked out toward your apartment building as the car approached. It felt like ages since you'd been home, but you didn't miss it. You'd spent the last three weeks there alone and sad, torturing yourself with old memories. Anaya was the one who'd snapped you out of your funk and brought you back to your senses, renewing your interest in being a part of society. And now Erik.. Erik's presence was like sage, cleaning out all the bad air and replacing it with a fresh new energy. You felt refreshed when you were with him. There was something organic about your connection to him as though your meeting and mutual attraction was inevitable, or fated if you will. Smiling inwardly, you reach out to point Erik to your favorite parking space, but stop short noting a familiar white camry in the spot. A flurry of mostly unidentifiable emotions rises within you, but the emotions that you manage to pull out are annoyance and frustration. Erik finds another spot to park and turns to you, noting your change in temperament.

"What's wrong," he asks, shrewd eyes searching yours. As you look into his dark brown eyes, for the first time you're deeply and truly irritated by the thought of your ex man.

"I'm really over that nigga," you murmer softly, eyes focused on Erik with awe. Every part of you was singing with the realization that reinforced itself. You knew before, but you hadn't been tested. This was a new test and this time, you were acing it. "That's his car in my space.. I really don't know why he's here."

Erik's eyes lower and dart to the Camry, then he's out of the car leaving you and the shopping bags behind. You hop out to scurry after, catching up to him at the building entrance and he steps aside to let you lead the way. You lead him to the elevator and press 4 taking you up to your floor. There's no sign of Amont and you're surprised. Your eyes float to Erik and his jaw is tensed. The darkness you'd witnessed in the bedroom when he was in his dominant flow was back along with the chill in your spine, but this time it was amplified. The nondescript story of his keloids flashed to the forefront of your mind as you remembered he'd killed for them. The threat behind his eyes was completely real and that Camry had triggered it.

"Maybe he knew someone else in the building, afterall he basically admitted to me when I left him that he got around. It's possible that he cheated with someone in my building, I wouldn't put it past him," you offer. Afterall, it really didn't matter now what Amont did or with who as long as he wasn't bothering you. Maybe he'd stop calling soon too. You hoped. You unlock your apartment door and head to your kitchen. Erik follows you inside, still on alert. You pull out two glasses and a bottle of your red wine, setting them on the counter in hopes of calming him down. You pour and hand him his glass, moving it to his lips. He sips. Then you move behind him to rub out the tension in his muscular forearms and shoulders. It takes a minute for him to visibly relax. You continue to soothe him, massaging his broad back through his shirt.

"Erik, it's okay! Even if he IS in the building, he meant for me to see him. That's why he used my spot because he wants me to feel jealous, but the jokes on him. I've moved on to better things and I have no intention of going backwards." Your fingers drag to play in his beard, finding rest on the sides of his face. His eyes to soften as his pupils dilate. "Erik, we don't have much more time together. Don't let him ruin what we do have.. because I'm not," you smile. He bends to place a gentle kiss on your lips before backing slowly out of your door, no doubt to retrieve your many bags. He'd charged hastily to the building's entrance as though he expected Amont to be there waiting. You don't even want to think of what he could have done had Amont actually been there. That look in his eye was something terrifying. Talk about a jealous streak...

You dip into the bathroom to check out your reflection. You look rough, like all your life you had to fight.. and you look tired, but happy nonetheless. You pull out your phone and text Anaya. She texts back immediately.