Page 54 of Chef
I think she might be asking Joe. That is until she looks at all of us, Sage, Justice and Damian all standing in a semi circle.
Joe smiles gently, “You probably don’t wanna know, sweet Loyal.” Something darkens Joe’s gaze, but then quick as a flash it's gone, replaced by her bright smile.
But I saw it. So did Justice. He moves closer to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She sighs into the touch and then busies herself again.
“So, what we gon’ do bout dis one?” Damian says, shrugging his big fucking shoulder, Nathaniel still slung over it.
I glance at Sage who has a big fucking smile on her face. “Put him in the pine box. I’ll drop the seats in the God Mobile if you wanna bring him with you?” She asks Damian who just grins down at her.
“Aye aye, captain!” He gives her a two fingered salute then moves toward the box I was trapped in.
He shrugs and unceremoniously tosses Nathaniel into the box. He slams the lid on and then kicks it for good measure.
“Here, lemme help you, brother.”
It’s the first thing I’ve heard Justice say since Nathaniel taunted him and I know it’s taking him a lot to act like the words didn’t cut him deep. Joe watches him with careful eyes over her shoulder, before throwing me a sad smile when she catches me watching.
“Takoda?”
My eyes meet my woman’s and I know she needs me without her saying a word. She’ll never have to ask for what she needs because I’ll know. Holding my arms out for her she moves toward me before leaning in and letting me hold her weight. I may be battered and bruised, but I’m her strength when she needs it.
“In the backseat. I’ll drive, you just take care of each other,” Loyal murmurs.
Sage lets me go long enough for me to pull my sore body into the backseat, then slides in next to me. She loops her arm in mine, then rests her head on my shoulder. That’s not good enough for me so I move my arm, making sure I snake it behind her head, then pull her in close. Her body plastered to my right side as I rest my head on hers.
Joe slides into the front seat next to Loyal, twisting to look back at me and Sage, and then through the back window to the SUV behind us. She grins and waves, then turns to the front.
“Justice and Damian are ready.”
Loyal nods, putting the car in drive and slowly turning the SUV in a tight circle. Joe’s window slides down and she tosses something out before the window smoothly slides up.
“What was -”
A flash lights up like a fucking fireball before the naked bodies catch alight.
“What the hell?” a voice yells hysterically from the back, causing the girls to scream.
Instinct kicks in and I spin in place, punching the unknown man. Hard. He slumps down in the trunk and I turn to the girls.
“Who the hell is that? And what the fuck did you throw out the window?” I’m yelling now too and I think that my adrenaline must be dropping. I’ve been running on high since Sage found me, and now I think my body has decided enough is enough.
“Ohh, I forgot he was back there,” Joe whispers.
“Takoda, look at me.” I turn to Sage, her dark eyes holding mine and everything starts to feel a little better. A little less urgent. A little more calm.
Taking a deep breath, I try again. “Who. The. Fuck. Is. Back. There.”
“Camel toe man,” Joe concedes. Then screws her face up as she tries not to laugh.
It doesn't work. A giggle slips out of Loyal first, then it catches. Joe starts snorting and then Sage loses it completely and starts cackling beside me.
I close my eyes, and let my head drop back onto my shoulders. Let them laugh it out. I’m on my way home after three days and all I really want to do is shower, let Sage tend to my wounds, and sleep. But something still niggles at me.
“Joe? What did you throw out the window?”
A snort sounds out. “Oh, just a little something Elio threw together.”
Of course it was. “You know what? I don’t want to know. Just, please get me home.” There’s silence for a beat too long before Sage decides to answer.
