Page 8 of Dominated By Love

“I don’t need the whole weekend. I told you I’ll figure it out,” I expressed.

“Grab what you need for the weekend. Then we’ll go from there. I’m pretty sure you heard me say you weren’t staying here.”

“KD, let me take care of myself for a change.”

“I don’t need you to take care of yourself or figure it out. I need you to go in that house and get what you need for the weekend.”

“We arenotdoing this,” I countered.

“Sage, the meter is running. It’s four in the morning. I would love to get some sleep, but I’m not staying here.”

“OK, so go back to your hotel or wherever you came from. Thank you for coming. Send me the bill. I’m sorry to be a burden on you once again.”

“Princess, you know how much I hate repeating myself. I only do that for you. Go get your shit and come on.”

“You’re such a . . . ugh!” I groaned in frustration because I knew he wasn’t going to give in.

What part of ‘I’m not your problem’ didn’t he understand? Apparently, none of it. All I wanted to do was fall in bed and cry myself back to sleep, but no! Leave it to Klever Davis to make an issue of me staying in my own home. This was still my home no matter how temporarily. I wasn’t running away from home just because the man I shared it with was a major bitch.

What was I saying? I knew I didn’t have long before I had to vacate the premises. I just needed some sense of normalcy right now. Sleeping alone was normal for me since Jaylen was always on the road. I just wanted to pretend that everything was OK for a little longer.

“Sage, get out of your head and go in the house.”

“OK, damn.” I huffed, shoving the door open and climbing out.

“Please don’t make me have to come in there and get you, Princess. I’m already having a hard time talking myself down from killing that nigga for playing with you.”

My breathing shuddered with excitement at his words. Maybe Ididneedhim right now. Feeling that way didn’t make it right. After the last time, I promised that it was the last time. No matter how good or how right it felt to be with him, I was not letting him touch me again. But damn, I needed him to.

I couldn’t remember the last time Jaylen and I had sex. It had been over a month, maybe two. He was away for weeks at a time, and when he was home, we were both busy. I had my studio stuff and he had . . . a whole other woman apparently. That was why he had so many meetings and workouts this year.

I was a fool to never question him. I figured if he were cheating, there would be more blatant signs. I felt so stupid.What the hell was I going to tell my son?Sighing, I shook my head as I let myself into the house. Each step I took felt heavier as I trudged up to the door. Flashbacks of the first time KD asked if I needed him played through my mind louder than the regret sitting at the pit of my stomach.

Ten Years Ago . . .

It had been storming for hours, but I still managed to navigate my way home. For two and a half hours, I drove through thunder, lightning, and torrential rain. School wasn’t out for winter for a few more weeks, but I needed to get the inevitable out of the way.

When I finally pulled up at home, I wasn’t surprised to find that my dad wasn’t home. Actually, I was relieved that no one was home. That would give me time to get my thoughts together. After letting myself in, I dropped my bags on the floor, kicking off my wet shoes and socks before trudging to the living room. My hands literally shook as I opened the refrigerator. I didn’t see anything good, but I didn’t have an appetite anyway. When I closed it back, I almost jumped out of my skin when I found a pair of dark eyes staring back at me.

“Jesus, KD, you scared me.”

It wasn’t alarming that he was at our house when no one else seemed to be there. KD practically lived with us. His parents were never home, so neither was he.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, knitting his brows.

“Nothing. I just didn’t know anyone was here.” I moved to walk past him to my bedroom, but he grabbed my forearm.

“Why are you crying, Sage?” he asked.

“I’m not?—”

“What happened?” He interrupted my second attempt at lying.

“Clearly, I don’t want to talk about it. So just drop it.”

“Do you need me to call Bash?”

“Please, don’t. I said it’s nothing.”