SEDUCTIVE WHISPERS | THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GAME SERIES (BWBM)

FIFTY-TWO

D A K A R I

After pulling out two chairs out for Kaya and my mother to sit in, I stepped aside to allow them to carry out said action before taking a seat myself once I was sure they were comfortable.

"You look beautiful Kaya." My mother complimented my wife, and I couldn't find fault in her words because she was indeed stunning and the red dress she wore only added to her captivating beauty.

"Extremely." I mused in agreement, allowing my eyes to run over her a few times before they landed on hers, that showed me my act of taking in her shamelessly pleased her.

"Thank you—both of you." She voiced, and I nodded, shifting my gaze to the menu in front of me that I opened with a lift of my hands.

"I should be the one thanking you. Dakari told me you suggested this outing."

"I knew you was probably getting tired of being in the house all day." Kaya expressed, before glancing at me with a soft look, "And this was a team effort. He been talming bout how he wants to spend some time with you."

Even though I hadn't outrightly said this to her when we were planning, she wasn't wrong. I did want to spend some time with my mother.

"Really?"

"Yeah." I confirmed, making it known that everything my wife had said was the truth, and to further prove this I cleared my throat to ask, "I know I should have been asked but, how are you feeling about everything?"

When this question stood in the air, her eyes dug into mine clearly contemplating her answer before she glanced at Kaya briefly, but long enough for my wife to say,

"I can give y'all some privacy if yo—"

"No, it's fine." My mother assured her, lifting her hand to dismiss any move or thought Kaya had to excuse herself from the table, and this act appeared to have her sitting more relaxed in her seat as she like me, awaited my mother's response to my question that she soon provided after a moment of silence, "I have to admit I'm scared that when Joseph wakes from the coma he's in, he'll come for me—for you, both of you. Ion wanna be the reason your life gets destroyed."

"You won't, we'll protect you. If there is anything I can promise you it's that." I told her with high levels of certainty because I wasn't gonna let anything happen to her, not again.

"Thank you." She mumbled, looking down at her hands that were shaking slightly.

"What else is on your mind?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." She assured me but all that told me was that whatever was on her mind is something I indeed need to worry about. However, I wasn't gonna push her to speak because clearly she wasn't ready to, especially since she quickly changed the topic by saying this, "Uh, anyways I've been meaning to tell you this for a while but I'm proud of the man you've become. I love you."

When she released those three words, she gave me a look that said everything, she wanted me to return them. Honestly, this wordless request did not startle me because it had been a while since I said those words to her, and don't get me wrong I did love her with all my heart it was just hard to say it back, back then with all the things going on with Joseph.

Things that made me feel like I wasn't worthy enough to say those words back to her because in my mind, if I truly loved her she wouldn't have been in that situation for this long...and yes like I told Kaya I tried many times to get her out of it and every time she came in between us, but maybe if I had fought her on it a little more maybe I could have—

You did the best you could.

Kaya was right. I did the best I could.