I don’t know why that bothers me so much. When his brother asked who I was that night in Cali, I was hurt. He’s been coming to see me almost as long as I’ve been here, we’d been talking on the phone practically every day. I thought I meant enough for his family to know he had a girlfriend or whatever I was in New York.
He tilts his head at me. “How do you know I haven’t?”
I mirror his stance, tipping my head to the opposite side. “Am I wrong?”
He shakes my head. Those golden eyes become more appraising than ever. Reaching for my hand, he goes to turn for the entrance back inside.
I tug my arm back. “What are you doing?”
“You want to meet my family. I’m taking you to meet them,” he says, a grin on his lips.
“For what? I’m nothing to you. There’s no need. Not anymore.”
He turns on me and grabs the back of my neck, pulling me into him so fast I’m stunned. Our lips are pressed together as he inhales. Then he starts to devour my lips.
The taste of beer and barbeque ribs assaults my mouth. I whimper as he deepens the kiss and my belly tightens. I can’t help clinging to his T-shirt. I want to growl when he breaks the kiss. I’m not in the mood for him to play with me the way he did earlier.
“I think it’s time I make something clear for you. I don’t have to be fucking you for you to belong to me. You need this wall, I’m allowing it, but when you learn to trust me again, all bets are off. Forget the bullshit that was said to you, Roni. You could never be nothing to me,” he says against my mouth before nipping my bottom lip and tugging it.
I reach to lace my hand in the back of his hair and tug his head back. His eyes light up. I almost lose my train of thought at the sight.
I nip at his chin. “You’re not allowing shit, John. If I have to go to California and work for you, fine. Maybe we can be friends. As for your family, they don’t need to know me.”
He gives me a crooked smile that’s both sexy and mischievous. “You’re going to need to know my family, baby. I now own a subsidiary of my father’s firm, Black and Lock. We’ll do what Dad has always kept in the shadows. From time to time, you will have to work with my family.”
I purse my lips and tighten my jaw. Releasing my hold on him, I take a step away. The victorious look on his face makes me want to slap him. I’m not going in there to meet his family.
“Maybe some other time,” I say.
He snorts. “What? You think all those white folks are going to make you feel out of place,” he says with humor in his voice and eyes.
My mind goes back to my earlier thoughts. I look over John in his black T-shirt, khaki cargo shorts, and Jordans. A few of his brothers dressed similar to him.
“So, what? You all think you’re woke or something. Y’all date Black girls to prove a point?”
“I thought we weren’t dating,” he says with that stupid smirk.
I flip him the finger.
“I love women. I’ve never stopped to think about what color the one I want might be. My brothers have been the same way. We like what we like. You assumed that my family and friends were all a bunch of white folks.”
Okay, he’s right. I did. I shrug. “Still don’t want to meet them.”
“Ouch. That hurts.”
I look past John to see the brother I met in Cali with his hand over his chest as he mock winces. He must be the one that spoke. The other five brothers are all spread out posted against the house watching us. The four Black women and the small white lady with red hair inch out of the doors next, followed by a man that has to be John’s dad. They all look like him.
I suck in a deep breath. I’m cornered. I don’t realize I’ve taken on a defensive stance until the little redhead speaks.
“You can relax, love. We’re not into laying boots to our boy’s lasses.” She pauses and frowns. “Well, the last one he brought around almost did get my boot to her ass.”
My lips twitch. I think I like her already. John moves possessively close, but he doesn’t touch me. As if having a mind of its own, my body leans toward him. I only catch it because the woman’s eyes follow the motion.
“Ma, Dad, guys, I want you to meet Roni. My—”
“New employee. Looks like I’ll be coming to LA to work with you guys,” I say dryly.
John scoffs. “Yeah, she and her little brother will be working for me.”
My heart swells when he refers to Torque as my little brother. He gets it when it comes to the two of us. Others have questioned my and Torque’s relationship a time or two. Especially when we moved away from here together. Not Nate or the other bosses. Mostly the trainees that don’t know how to mind their fucking business.
“Am I missing some shit here?” One of the two redhaired men says.
“I was going to tell you guys when this is all over, Brax.” John sighs. “You know I’ve been wanting to do a little something of my own for a while. After talking to Dad, I realized this doesn’t have to be something completely away from the family. The lease for one of the tenants in the Black and Lock building has expired and they’re not renewing. I’m going to take the space and run my team there.”
The biggest dude of them all— outside of the dad—gives a low whistle. God they are all fine as fuck. This one has a man bun, which normally isn’t my thing, but it works on him. So does the beard.
“That feels like… why wouldn’t you talk to us about it?” The brother that now has his arms wrapped around the short nerdy looking chick with the baby says.
“Come on, Wyatt. It’s not like I’m going anywhere. I’ll be in the office with you guys still. Think of it as Black and Lock expanding,” John says.
The Wyatt guy grimaces. He looks a little hurt. Bun guy moves forward with his gaze locked on me.
“Noah,” he says holding his hand out to me.
“Yeah, okay,” I say, staring down at his hand.
He gives a full belly laugh. “Yeah, I like you already. Welcome to the family.”
With that, he turns and wraps an arm around the waist of the tall chick with the strong nose. She’s pretty, but that nose does make a statement on her face. She looks over her shoulder at me as Noah tugs her away.
The little woman moves forward. “I’m Cassidy Black. John’s mum. Ye can call me, Cass,” she says as she locks eyes with me. “We take care of our own. Ye’ll learn that in time. We won’t pressure ye. We have plenty of time to get to know ye and for ye to get to know us.”
She turns to everyone that remains watching us. “Ye think ye fuckers never seen a skirt before. Leave John and his bird be. Let’s go. Off with the lot of youse.”
His dad is the last one standing as John’s mother ushers the others away. He gives a nod. “Joe Black. John’s father. It’s nice to finally meet you, Roni. I’ve heard a lot about you from John and Nate. I look forward to have you on the team.”
He gives one more nod and turns to places an arm around his wife’s shoulders and leads her away. I’m left standing with my mouth hanging open. I’m so focused on the door they all retreated through; I jump when John wraps his arms around my waist from behind.