Angel in the Courtyard [Book 2]

Chapter 99 - Khaleel

Warmth. I was being cradled by a whole lot of calming warmth. My eyes flickered to stare at the back of my girlfriend's golden locks. We were in bed together...at a hotel? That added up but nothing else did. My head had been throbbing since I got behind the wheel at Jackheights. Everything after was taken over by my adrenaline. It was like having an out-of-body experience. I wanted to stop, to breathe, and to tend to my aching ribs, but I couldn't.

By the time we reached downtown, my resolve faded and was replaced by crippling anxiety. I couldn't stop thinking about Kumar and how I might never see him again. I couldn't get the image of my father being armed out of my head. I couldn't stop hearing that gunshot go off in Reyhanna's aunt's condo. Then there were the fragmented memories I associated with my cousins. It was a lot to feel at once. I must have broken down. I must have cried for the first time since middle school.

I inched closer to Arisa and reached for her waist. The fear of abandonment had been replaced by a sense of security, and even though my body still ached, I felt like I could get through all because of her. I owed her so much. Not just for taking care of me but for choosing to stick around when I felt like she might be too afraid to. I couldn't tell her who Reyhanna really was, or how we actually met. I couldn't tell her that my old man was the kind of person that would use his own son to get a point across. Still, after meeting him herself, Arisa chose to stand up against him and that assured me that she was ready to fight for our relationship.

It was all I ever wanted her to do.

My fingers grazed against her soft skin, which sent a shock of electricity through my body. She had a t-shirt on, which was a bummer, but I didn't let that stop me from feeling more than I was supposed to. I heard her murmur in response to my touch. "Khaleel?"

I nuzzled my head into her hair. "Yeah, babe?"

"You must be feeling better," she commented, turning to face me. She looked so small and fragile in my arms, it was the cutest fucking thing, but I knew better than anyone what this girl was capable of. Her palm found my bare chest and her lips pecked them softly. I wished there was a way to be closer to her, but our limbs were already aggressively entangled. I felt Arisa bring her knee up and rest it on my hip. I aimed to touch her legs and caressed her bare skin.

"You commando down there?" I asked.

"Shut up," she glared. "I have my underwear on. And what is wrong with you? Is that really the first thing you want to say to me?"

I got a hold of her ass and beamed. I should have been more tired. I should have slept longer especially since I woke up at five in the morning to leave the condo, and yet I was okay. Not at a hundred percent but maybe around sixty-five.

"Don't be mad at an injured person," I teased my girlfriend. "What happened to the sweet girl who consoled me this morning?"

Arisa pouted. "I didn't just console you. You passed out by the door, I'm not sure if you remember or not. I had to carry you into bed and—"

"And undress me?" I grinned, moving on top of her. There was enough sunlight shining through the blinds for me to admire her adorable flustered expression.

"Sure," she sighed. "Make a joke out of everything that happened but that was really scary, Khaleel. I was this close to calling my mom and asking her to come and help."

I swallowed hard then leaned down to peck her forehead. "Thanks for being my rock," I said, wincing. My ribs were aching more than usual. Arisa noticed and began to gently rub my abs. "I'm sorry you have to deal with my shit. I didn't mean to involve you, but I didn't feel comfortable leaving you behind with my cousins around either."

Arisa forced me to rest beside her. "I get it. I really do. I still don't fully understand what's going on with you guys, but when you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here to listen. Until then, I need you to rest."

She checked my temperature with the back of her hands. "Are you hungry?" she asked, sitting up. I got a good view of her breasts through the see-through t-shirt she was wearing. "Do you want me to order you some food?"

"Uh—I'm okay," I said, trying to look away before I devoured her. It wouldn't be a nice way to thank her for all her kindness. Arisa was being her nurturing and caring self, while all I could do was think about sex. It was so fucked up. I hated myself for it.

"Well, it's almost five," she said. "And you look like you didn't sleep a wink last night. I'm guessing you didn't have breakfast either, so I'll order some room service for you."

"Did we nap through the afternoon?" I asked, scratching the back of my neck.

Arisa nodded. "It was for the best. I turned my phone off while you were sleeping too, but Khaleel. Tell me. Are we going incognito?"

"Astute as ever," I smiled. "This will blow over, or at least that's what Kumar said. You can let your mom know you're okay though...but you might also want to tell her that you won't be coming home for a few days."

"A few days?"

I got up and took her hands. "Sorry. It's the only way I can guarantee your safety."