Ugh. She could already see that this night was going to be longer than expected. She had not yet decided if it was just going to feel that way or if
she would actually be given the extra task of dealing with whatever had Amiri looking as if his dog had died. Reading his face before she spoke, she
knew the odds were leaning in favor of the latter. With so much going on for her tonight with this event, she would not be able to handle his annoying
microaggressions tonight. In a probably futile attempt to start things off well, she was pleasant to him. Convincingly lying through her teeth and
telling him how good it was to see him. She could already feel the attitude rolling off of him lke some sort of strange heat that threatened to burn
through her patience faster than would be beneficial. Ugh.
He returned her greeting, the unamused look on his face spilling over into his voice. It was the same emptiness he’d been speaking to her with for
the past few weeks and she was growing tired of it...but she held her tongue, allowing him to continue and explain that the pleasure was all hers.
Ruka chuckled a bit feeling a familiar tingle in her throat that meant nothing good for the person on the receiving end of whatever came out. Her
perfect red lips pulled in in an effort to hold her tongue and not completely muff this night and her job as his event planner. She would give him a
chance. She would allow him to even himself out and get his life together before things went south between them...But things only got worse as he
commented on her event in a thinly veiled insult that was made plain in the expression on his face. That was it.
“It seems not everyone. Is there something you’d like to say...about anything?”
And they shall know I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance on them.
What was this? Fishing for hints? Details, maybe? Reasons why she had been the bane of Amiri's existence for the past weeks? Amiri smirked, his eyes
cutting sideways at Ruka, capturing her face. The look of annoyance was clear, the blood pooling in her cheeks underneath the milky surface of her
skin. The sign of annoyance that Amiri had become very familiar with in her time working with his company. He knew there was something obvious lying
behind her lips, perhaps...something that she wanted to say to him? And he reveled in it. She was annoyed. Wonderful. There was sinful
enjoyment...pleasure in ruining her evening...making her feel the same spite and anger he felt. It sat in his stomach, squirming and unsettled as it
lay there, waiting to be revealed. Did she really want to know what vexed him so? Not really. She only wanted to solve the issue so that she could
continue working out the possible kinks in the evening. Every kink meant a brewing problem and if he knew Ruka, which he did, she was in the business
of crisis control. Search and scratch out the issue before it brews into catastrophe. Well, she would be searching and scratching a little longer as
Amiri could not resist the look in her eyes when she made an effort to say EXACTLY what was on her mind.
"Now...why, I wonder, would I have anything to talk about with you?" He spat, sneering at her offer to add another job to her full agenda and
become his therapist as well. It was right for her to be curious, he guessed, as only weeks ago, he had been less than hesitant to defy Nema and ask
her to join him for drinks at CRAFT...which she quickly denied the invitation to. From drinks to aversion in a matter of weeks. Yes, very conspicuous.
She was right to wonder...even if it only meant solving a puzzle and continuing on with her evening. Which was why it was so satisfying to deny her
what she wanted....just as she had for him...years ago.
"Tell me Ruka..." His body turned towards her, his eyes boring into her. "...what would it even profit you to discover the reason behind my
displeasure with you?" With a snort, he looked away from her. "You do not care. You only care for yourself. Do not pretend with me..."
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero needs his theme music...
She wasn’t babying him tonight. She had no idea what was wrong with him. Maybe one of his conquests had proven as unclean as Ruka believed them all
to be, maybe something had gone wrong on a business deal, perhaps he was having trouble dealing with his family. Whatever the reason, it had nothing
to do with Ruka. She’d been nothing but polite to him in the past weeks, complying with his every request as usual and allowing him to speak out of
turn without consequence. She could only take so much. His tantrums had been going on for long enough and it was time for him to grow up and
at least pretend to be remotely professional. History or not, Ruka was in a professional environment and she would not allow Amiri to spend the night
making things as impossible for her as humanly possible.
He responded to her slowly, his words nothing compared to the look he was giving her. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her head falling to the side, as
that tickle in her throat became an itch. Quiet was safer for her until she figured out where he was going to take this. What exactly had had him so
upset with her for weeks now? How had they gone from one extreme to another so quickly? She still remembered his relentless attempts to get her to go
out with him for drinks after this meeting or do dinner with him after another. Now all of a sudden she was public enemy number one? It didn’t sit
well with her and there was obviously something wrong so what was it?
Tell me Ruka...And it began. An explanation that she could tell wouldn’t be pleasant, but would lead to what she needed to hear to get him
out of whatever rut he was in so that they could move on. To be quite honest, she had grown to enjoy his company before he became a new version of his
teenaged self. The Amiri that stood in front of her was the rude and unpleasant memory from her youth. Someone that was not tolerated in the past and
would no longer be tolerated in the present. She was done and as he finished, it became clear to Ruka just how “done” she was.
“Good. You do understand what is happening here, then. I would like to get back to my work and your attitude is preventing me from focusing not only
on this event, but yours as well when we are in office,” she paused, stepping closer to him and allowing her eyes to stare into his directly,
“Let’s drop pretense, shall we? Why don’t you tell me what the problem is Amiri and then I’ll decide if I care enough to
pretend with you...”
And they shall know I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance on them.
And there it was. The striking hiss of the snake. The stinging bite that Ruka's tongue was so very famous for. Her response was quick and
direct, "cut throat" if you will. The very thing that Amiri had grown from complete loathing to quiet respect for in their adulthood. He had grown to
enjoy Ruka's inability to be anything but forward, both professionally and personally. Although he had yet to reap the benefits from the latter.
Professionally, Ruka was a prize. She never failed to carry out any task placed before her and she would do it, with great fervor...no matter what.
But that evening, Amiri couldn't not favor her ambition. He only hated it, as he knew what it meant. Ruka Souen did the necessary at all
times...no matter what she destroyed along the way. And She had destroyed so much of Amiri, though he could not say he had not done the same for
her. It was a "cat and mouse" game. Chasing and running away. Capturing and attacking. An end of one game opening into the beginning of another. But
she had played too closely and too dangerously when it came to Evita. Perhaps it had not hurt as badly for Amiri when he could not see the thing he
had lost. When he was not close enough to reach out and grasp her, clasp her to him...hold her in his arms...yet, he could not. He had not known the
weight of losing Evita until she appeared before him, truly lost to him. And Ruka had been the blame for it all. Her quick, snakelike tongue had
bitten and poisoned that, too. Just as her words were biting at him now, the cold deadness of her unamused glare cutting into the dulled brown of his
eyes.
He smirked at her words, letting them sink in. His silence had affected her? Well. That was a surprise as nothing affected the almighty Ruka Souen. Or
so he had believed, but her words spoke the opposite, asking him to go ahead and stop the games so that she could continue on without him at her
life's work and he could continue on without her, the memory of what would have been his life's work sending stabbing pains through his heart.
"If it means you leaving my presence, perhaps you are right. Let us drop pretenses." His chin elevated as he looked down at her, his interest in
speaking to her far beyond her TRYING to care with him. He only wanted...he did not know what he wanted. He did not know what he thought he was
achieving through all of the anger he had held with her for weeks! He only knew that he...that Evita made him...hurt. He hurt again. He hurt
in a way that he had not felt since the very night she turned her back on him, refusing to look at him. He felt the sting of her rejection...and he
felt the burning anger that he had been forced to bury with the death of his father and his departure from Oregon. He...had not been allowed to
retaliate, only forgetting those things that he could no longer change...could not longer avenge. Everything was over...until Evita arrived. Now,
there was only a need to...share this hurt. Make Ruka hurt. Make her understand just how much she had ruined and destroyed.
But where to begin? I saw Evita. You ended us. Prepare for my swift revenge! No, not quite.
"You and I...have been through many things together, would you not agree? The dismantling of my car...the dismantling of your reign. I have memories
that will never fade...and memories that had begun to fade, but have recently been made very clear to me now..." His voice was cold, no where near as
sentimental as they were that day in Cipriani's. He narrowed his eyes at her, his teeth gritting against the emotion he felt threatening to pour from
him.
"...like, the memories of the future you consumed? My future..." Feeling his nose flare in bridled fury, he drew closer to Ruka, a grimace rippling
across his features.
"You took her from me. And even now that she is back, I will never, EVER have her...because of you."
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero needs his theme music...
She did not have the time nor the patience for his games today. She was working a multi-million dollar event and that required a great deal of her
attention and right now, she was giving most of it to someone she was beginning to think didn’t deserve it. She was done with his quiet tantrums,
done with his passive-aggressive demands, and completely done with the blatant disrespect he was spewing tonight. She would not stand for it and she
told him so in so many words. She was offering an olive branch, really. He obviously had a problem and she was willing to fix it; if only he would
tell her what it was. He wouldn’t, of course. Like everything else he was probably going to try to make her jump through hoop after hoop to get the
information she wanted. Little did he know, tonight was the one night she was not making those jumps. Despite what he thought, she did care. She was
simply out of patience.
It had been some time since she wanted to hit anyone, but as Amiri opened his mouth and began speaking to her the urge became quite intense. She could
feel her jaw clench a bit, as he agreed to drop the act and just say what was on his mind. If it means you leaving my presence...Ugh! Was
that really necessary? If he really wanted her gone, all he had to do was say so. With the way he was acting, part of her had hoped he would just tell
her to go away so that she wouldn’t have to endure the sulking he was doing now. But he had not. He’d volleyed her questions back to here and
opened up a discussion. So they were going to discuss whatever it was that had him behaving like the child she so despised in their youth.
Ruka listened as he began a slow and wordy explanation for his behavior. He was speaking in riddles and Ruka was sure her unamused annoyance showed
clear on her face. She did not ask him for some long winded walk down memory lane. She remembered their time together. His car, his success in the
impossible task of taking one of her minions, she remembered. What was the point of it all though? It was the past and it was over. They were no
longer those people and she had been under the impression that they had moved past the indiscretions of high school. Was she wrong? Obviously, because
he was now linking past and future in a strange and disjointed justification for the present.
“The point Amiri, please-,” her words and her resolve were unflinching as he drew closer to her, his anger apparent in the grimace that overtook
his features. What was it she’d done to elicit this reaction from him? She could see in his eyes the hate he was harboring for her and
while she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing it on her face, his expression hurt her a little...
He came to the point swiftly, his words beginning just as her ‘please’ ended. You took her from me. Her? What on earth... “Amiri, what
are you talking about? Who did I take from you?” Her confusion was genuine. As clear as their past was to her, she could not piece together what
might have been so important then to effect them now...or rather who...
And they shall know I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance on them.
Why had he not expected this? The blank stare on Ruka's face as he finally explained the reason behind all of his seemingly unjustified anger. The
slow confusion. But no realization. No shock. No hint of realization of what Amiri could have possibly been talking about or referencing to. In fewer
words, Ruka did not know. She did not have the slightest idea what Amiri was going on about and frankly...he felt like an idiot. Of course she did not
remember. The Ruka he had known was ruthless. She did not stop to make memories along the way, especially about people and things that meant nothing
to her. They were only stepping stones to an endgame. Stepping stones. Ha. Amiri was too kind. More like bugs. Insects, that clumsily skittered into
her path and were crushed underneath the weight of her ambitions. That was more like it. And Evita had fallen prey. Ruka had not stopped to collect
names along the way. She had only destroyed and left Evita to burn, smoldering in the ashes of Amiri's betrayal. There was nothing for Ruka to
remember. And he was a foolish idiot for even thinking that she would have.
Scoffing, he stared at Ruka for a moment, his face not nearly as clueless as her own. He knew that there were no recollections for her. There would be
no moment of clarity in her face. And he would not look for one now as it would make him seem even more desperate...and childish than he had at the
present moment. More and more, he realized how pointless saying anything to Ruka had been. No one's past had been thrust back in their face...no one
except for him. He could not have expected anyone to truly understand outside of himself. Why would Ruka have cared? She had not when she took Evita
from him in a ploy to ruin him. Why would she begin to care now? It had been a foolish assumption on his part. There was no one to share the pain of
seeing Evita again except for him. She had been his. His love. His life. And when she left him...it had been because of HIM. Not Ruka. Ruka was only
the device, he knew that. He had known that before the anger overwhelmed him and made him lash out at her. But she was not the entire blame. He had
played his part in Evita's leaving and he had continued to play his part in his torture in the reminder of his loosing her...forever.
"You..." He finally said, his brow furrowing as he tried to make words that made any sense as none of this had made any sense to Ruka in the first
place. His mouth closed again, failing at words as the more he made gaping, opening and closing fish faces at her, the more he knew she was moving
from fear to complete belief that he had lost his mind. He looked away from her as the confusion that had been on her face before now looked like
judgement at his irrational moodiness that had still gone unexplained.
"Of course you do not have any idea...what I am talking about." He finally pushed out, shaking his head as he backed away from her. Stupid. So very
stupid. He had been...the stupidest...mastool to even start this with her anyway! Sighing with irritation, he looked at Ruka again.
"You? Remember Evita? That is laughable." He still was not making sense, but he had to say it. He had to say this and walk away with the last dignity
he had left...and expect a call from Nema later concerning his behavior. Yes, it would be a fantastic night...
"She never meant anything to you anyway."
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero needs his theme music...
This was a rarity. Ruka Souen had no idea what someone was talking about. She was rarely clueless and the fact that Amiri had rendered her so only
added to her frustration. She had taken someone from him? What on earth was he talking about? And how was she preventing them from being together now
that she was “back”? Ruka had already told him that they could not be as long as they maintained a business relationship. The two of them were not
tied to one another, so she had absolutely no idea where any of this was coming from. They were friendly enough, but they were hardly in the kind of
relationship that kept him from “having” someone. It was her understanding that Amiri Ben Hassi could have what and whoever he wanted...
Amiri scoffed at her questions and quite possibly the obvious confusion on her face at his accusations.She watched, waited for the curtain to be
pulled back and the topic of conversation to become clear. Couldn’t he just be straight with her? A name, the situation, any clue that might help
jog her memory, because now she was genuinely interested in what had him so upset. It was an enigma wrapped in an inexplicable mystery that she now
had to solve. She was trying though. He’d given her enough to know she’d done whatever it was she had before they were reunited and that there was
a girl involved. With Amiri’s history though, how was she to know which girl specifically he was referring to?
He spoke finally...or tried to. All that left him was an unattached ‘you’. She watched his mouth open and close and felt the confusion on her face
slip to worry. Amiri was worrying her. He wasn’t making any sense and he was so upset about...something. She just wanted to understand what was
going on. She didn’t know if it was the look of disappointment on his face, their history together, or their status as friends in the present, but
Ruka was about to allow Amiri to see a side of her usually reserved for family.
“Amiri, love...-,” she wanted to apologize; apologize for not understanding what it was that seemed so important to him, but he interrupted her.
Of course you do not have any idea...what I am talking about. She sighed as he took a step back, shaking his head. This was different from
how he had been in the past weeks. Then she’d found herself annoyed with his foolishness. Now, she just...she felt bad...and she rarely allowed
herself to feel bad for others. “The only reason I do not understand is because you won’t tell me what’s going on, Amiri.” She was speaking,
but he didn’t seem to hear her, his word going on as he finally mentioned a name.
Evita...Evita...She sighed. She had no clue who this Evita was or what her connection was to her. Obviously it was Amiri, but she honestly
couldn’t even place a name to her face. There were so many she’d deemed unworthy of a memory back then...and as if he heard her thoughts, Amiri
echoed them. He wasn’t wrong. She hadn’t meant anything to her. Hell, he hadn’t meant anything to her when they were teenagers. They
were just schoolmates. Adversaries. Someone she had fun matching wits with every now and again. But now...things were different...She was at an end
with this whole thing though. She was trying her hardest to understand him, but he wasn’t giving her very much to work with. Heaving an exasperated
sigh she tried a final time.
“What is it you want from me?”
And they shall know I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance on them.
The growing confusion, hinted with worry on Ruka's face only made Amiri feel increasingly...ridiculous. There he stood, a full grown man. A
representation of the memory of his father. The face of a massive corporation...looking like the head of an ASS. Or rather the backside of one. He
could almost hear the voice of his reprimanding father. Shuma, Amiri. Shuma. Shame. That was what he felt at his stupidity. And the absolute
embarrassment of being whom he never wanted to be...a fool. A desperate, irrational fool for Evita. That part of his life was...over. Yes? It
should have been. It should have been locked away with the rest of the unrequited memories in his mind. The things he would never do now that he was
his father's protege. The behavior he had been displaying for weeks that had no place in his the new life he lived. All because of dredged up memories
from the past. Memories he could have done without...
And he knew, even in his embarrassment as Ruka called his name, her voice softer, foreign...more compassionate than it had ever been with him. He
did not mean his thoughts. He looked away from Ruka at the thought, her eyes pleading as she spoke. He could not do without the memories of his
old life. He missed them. He missed Evita. No matter how married she was. No matter how much of a unreachable thing she was now in her
happiness...so fulfilled. He did not know how he had lasted so long without thinking of her as he was now. How had he gone so long without calling her
name? Touching her soft skin? Seeing her smile? And now that every smile would never be because of him? There it was...the bittersweetness of it all.
Evita was no longer a figment to him...but she would never be his.
Amiri would not look at Ruka. Not while there was pity in her eyes. He did not need her pity. He could not bear to even...see someone who had moved
past the pain he would never stop feeling over Evita. She would never know, nor care how it felt to want something she could never have. Nothing was
out of Ruka's hands. That was very evident as Evita was clearly out of Amiri's. Ruka's hand was powerful...and she had dealt the fatal blow those
years ago. So fatal that the impact was still being felt now. But was it her fault? No...it was Amiri's. HIS own. His own clumsy, stupid fault...
What is it that you want from me? What did he want? The answer was very clear.
"Nothing. I need nothing from you." He muttered, his face still turned from her, his steps backing away before he turned towards entrance of the
ballroom. He did not need anything. Nothing would make THIS better. Nothing...so he took what he could give himself. Fresh air...and a moment to clear
his head.
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero needs his theme music...
Dev wasn’t going to lie she was a little star struck. Before even getting out of the car she could see a pool of people blinding celebrities with
flashbulbs and camera lights. She was forced to make things awkward once again as she couldn’t risk her father seeing a picture of her in
anybody’s newspaper. Of course she couldn’t mention that to Koi because that would lead to questions about why...but she really didn’t have to
explain. There were a few unavoidable shots of them getting out of the car and one or two before she asked Koi if they could skip the spotlight. He
was cool about it and they made a quick line for the ballroom. Perfect. Kind of...She was still in her nerves about his parents, despite him doing his
best to keep her mind off of it. Koi had been hilariously inappropriate since the end of their make out session, whispering the silliest things to her
on the red carpet about how she looked in “that dress” and the many different things he wanted to do after she took it off. He was making her
smile and she appreciated that, but she still wasn’t too confident about seeing his parents again.
An anxiety that only grew when they did finally enter the ballroom. The place was amazing. The overhead lights were off but there were
spotlights and candles on each of the tables that seemed to make the room glow. The chairs were draped in white, with the backs tied in this thick,
red satin ribbon and the centerpieces were vases like overgrown cocktail glass with beautiful long stemmed white lilies inside. “Oh my God,
kid...-,” She’d meant to play it cool, but she was awe struck. She may have never been to one of these things before, but his mom had outdone
herself with this one, she was sure. Koi’s hand met the small of her back and he began leading her across the ballroom. To his sister.
Devyn smiled her eyes catching Eri giving them two of them a small wave. As usual, she was absolutely adorable...and currently innocent.
Something she and Koi might change if he kept talking to her like an old creeper. But he would chill in front of his baby sister right? Of course he
would...
“Eri, sugar hi,” Dev smiled as she stood and the two of them hugged. She was getting love from the kids in the Kidd family. Would she be able to
say the same for their parents?
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
Here we go again... which was the pretty consistent thought running through Koi's head that evening, he and Devyn's black towncar pulling up
to the long queue of cars letting out at the red carpet of the front of the Astor. He'd watched Devyn's face as they'd gotten closer to the hotel and
there was this...nervous excitement there. It was kinda cute and Koi wished that he could've been feeling the same anticipation she was wearing. But
this was the fourteenth year the "Fumie and Shemar are happy as fuck and have the greatest kids in the world" show and Koi had BEEN tired of it. By
now, he knew just about how the evening would go. Pictures on the red carpet. His family's publicist beelining him into the hotel to avoid reporters
who knew the difference between fact and fiction and wanted "the real deal" on his family's drama. More fakeness as he greeted his parents' friends.
And then...sitting. A shit load of it. Sitting and watching. Sitting and eating. Sitting and politely clapping and then sitting and WAITING for the
entire thing to be over. That had been the agenda for the evening every year without fail and Koi did his part by going through the motions, without
complaint. Well...without a lot of complaining.
But this year...was going to be different. Right? It had to be...because his babe was with him. That automatically changed the game. Instead
of sitting at their family's table, pretending to care about anything anyone said that night and playing "Ruzzle" with Eri, they'd have Devyn that
night. Eri loved her company as Devyn was probably the sister that she would never have. And Koi...well, it was obvious why Koi wanted her there as
she was a very welcomed distraction. THAT DRESS was a very welcomed distraction. This year's gala would be one of the more memorable ones...which
meant that it would be one of the ones that he wouldn't mind remembering as the past couple of years...hadn't been. At all.
His assumption was proving to be right as they exited the car and a few photos into it, Devyn was asking to skip the photogs and head into the
ballroom. He didn't have any problems with that as forcing a smile when fifty people were shouting at him to "look over here!" or "turn this way!!!"
got old quick. They didn't need the spotlight. Not that night. He just wanted to get into the ballroom, sit down and get the shit started...so they
could get to the end of the night and really get shit started...
Oh my god, kid... Koi looked down at Devyn where she stood by his side, a smile on his face as he watched her mouth drop. He had to admit,
his Moms had done an amazing job. She did every year. No detail went untouched when she put on for Kidd's Kids. The room was as extravagant as it had
been in past years. The mood lighting was right and the tables looked like art. Koi chuckled as he watched the night pleasantly overwhelm Devyn, his
hand meeting her back as they walked to their reserved table, Eri already there, a small wave signaling them to her.
She stood as they approached the table, her lanky frame standing a little bit unsurely in her blue taffeta dress. Koi had to admit, nothing looked awkward about her that night. She smiled sweetly as she greeted Devyn, pushing her loose
curls back behind her shoulder before she wrapped Devyn in a tight hug. Koi had to admit, his mom had done a good job fighting her into those clothes
that night. Eri hated dresses and she hated cute. But when she conceded, it was worth the fight.
"Hey little babe." He gave his sister a quick side hug. "I have to say...you were definitely NOT this cute when I left the house..." With a laugh, he
dodged Eri's playful swat before she turned her back on him and faced Devyn, ignoring him in playful anger.
"Devyn...you'll sit by me?" Eri's little voice was barely audible over the music in the ballroom as she spoke to Devyn. Koi smiled again as he watched
them, his arm going around Eri's shoulders.
She didn’t know how, but little Eri seemed to get cuter and cuter each time Devyn saw her...and taller, her lanky frame standing as she and
Koi finally came to the table. Devyn took her ina and much like the ballroom she was perfect. Not a hair out of place and completely adorable. Of
course, Devyn wouldn’t say that to her. She knew how much Eri hated “cute”. But just because Devyn wouldn’t tease her, didn’t mean her
brother wouldn’t, his greeting following hers and expressing how she was much cuter now than when he’d seen her last. Probably true. Like Devyn
said, precious thing got cuter every time you laid fresh eyes on her.
Devyn smiled as she swatted at him and he dodged her. God, she loved them together...but that was neither here nor there as Eri turned back to her,
asking if she would sit by her. “Of course I will, sugar,” Duh. She certainly didn’t want to risk spending the night next to her pervert of a
father or her mother whom she was sure hated her completely. Nope. She would opt for the safe seat. The seat right between she and Koi and that was
the one she took, pulling her chair out as they all sat. Speaking of her parent, where were they? Dev took a quick look around, sure that they had to
be somewhere nearby. Part of her wanted to at least get the introductions over with as she’d gone over it in her mind almost a hundred times. She
would be very polite to Mrs. Kidd, a voice sweet enough to give somebody diabetes. And Shemar...she’d do what she could. To be real honest, she gave
not a blue fuck what Shemar Kidd thought of her because she didn’t really think too much of him. Not with the things she knew about him. Fumie she
respected. Shemar she would just try tolerate.
“Eri, where are the parentals? Mingling?”
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
Where were his parentals? The idea that Devyn was asking Eri where their parents were was laughable as that was an answer that neither she,
nor Koi knew how to answer. They never knew. Not just at the gala. But period. Their whole life had been full of that question until they finally
stopped asking for an answer. All they had to know is that Pops was probably off getting his dick wet and Moms was handling Kidd's Kids. And that
answer sufficed...in any situation...which included a fucking foundation gala. Koi smirked at Eri and shook his head as he sat in his seat on the
other side of Devyn, the eyes of the Kidd children quickly meeting in a silent exchange. "Who knows?" Was the answer they knew NOT to give,
but it was always the truth. It was sad though. Koi felt bad about the shit sometimes. He remembered a short period when things weren't like
this...when the rose colored glasses of a fucked up lie covered not only his eyes, but his mother's as well. He remembered family. He remembered when
they stuck closer than thieves. But Eri? Eri never knew that life. When she was born, things were on their way downhill, his mother's first of many
attempts to save what couldn't be fixed. Koi may have seen it change, but Eri was born into this shitbomb of a life.
"Yeah, they're mingling." Eri agreed, a voice coming from her that no ten year old should use. She smiled at Devyn, her eyes shifting to Koi's before
Devyn could see the change in her face. Koi already knew what that look meant. She didn't know where they were...and there was drama. Fucking
wonderful.
BUT TONIGHT...Koi wasn't about that life. His babes were here with him, looking like TWO million bucks, he added another million to the bank with his
sexy, swaggin' ass and he'd gotten enough bud to send he and Devyn into a very nice after party when this gala thing was over and done. All they
needed to do was survive it.
Well...all he needed to do was survive it. Devyn on the other hand had another agenda, her eyes going back to the crowd, searching for Koi's invisible
parents. She was really serious about this, huh? The desire to please was on her face from the second they stepped out of the limo. No matter what
creeper ass shit he whispered to her on their walk in, she barely let the worry lines etched in her forehead go. She was way too up in arms about
something that wasn't that important. Sure, she and his mom had had an unfortunate meeting, but that didn't determine shit about them. She was his
babe, no matter what. And his parents weren't in the equation that made that statement true. Turning to her, he watched her smile softly at something
Eri was saying, the two already launching into some "girl talk" shit, which probably had nothing to do with anything girly at all. Eri had gotten a
new interest in forensic biology, which was kind of unsettling...but fucking cool at the same time. Leaning over a bit, his fingertips brushed across
Devyn's thing, pushing away the fabric of the dressed she'd attempted to cover her exposed skin with.
"Stop looking worried..." He said, catching her attention from Eri's words. "You're too fine tonight for all that stress on your face, babe."
Chuckling, his rub grew firmer on her leg. He leaned towards her, his words whispered.
"Or...do we need to excuse ourselves for a second so I can HELP you relax?"
Was it such a ridiculous question? She knew how things were at the house, but Koi’d explained how important this night was. They may not have been
much of a family at home, but surely they faked it in public on Gala Night. They couldn’t be too far away from Eri could they? Maybe. Because Koi
and Eri grew eerily quiet and whether they knew it or not she caught that look. The glance they shared where they probably both thought the answer
that was true before Eri shared with Devyn a lie. Yeah, they’re mingling. No. They weren’t. But she wouldn’t press. Not with Eri...she
needed to relax anyway. Koi had been trying to calm her since she told him how nervous she was and he was probably right. Things would happen the way
they happened; there was no need for her to rush it she guessed. Besides, she was in very good company.
Eri spoke drawing her attention and she smiled listening to her ask if Devyn knew exactly how much stuff she could find her DNA in. She shook her head
no, partly because she was sure Eri was going to tell her something she didn’t know, but mostly to keep her mind busy. She allowed Eri to launch
into her new love for forensic biology and she tried to immerse herself in it with her. What it was, how police used it, how they could take DNA out
of hair and shit. She had very strange interests, but she was so passionate about everything she talked about that Devyn couldn’t see how anyone
could be thrown off by it. Add that to the fact that she was so ridiculously cute and Devyn could only smile as she spoke...but before long she found
herself drifting back to thoughts of where she was and who she would have to speak to soon.
She felt Koi move beside her, his hand sweeping her dress aside so that it could rest on her bare thigh. Eri paused to google some picture she wanted
to show Devyn in her phone and Koi took the chance to speak. Stop looking worried...Did she? She hadn’t noticed her smile slip as her
thoughts changed but it had. What could Koi really expect though. She told him how she felt about this night. He knew what she was going through. Her
biggest fear was being asked to fucking leave this “boring” event by the very person who’d pushed her son to ask her to come. This night had
potential for that. It was a thought that kept creeping from the recesses of her mind and it was probably responsible for putting that stressed ass
look on her face. The looked changed though as Koi told her how fine she was for the umteenth time that night...then went creeper on her.
She quickly turned to him, her eyes growing wide as the rub at her thigh grew firmer and moved a bit higher. She bit at her bottom lip, her hand
coming to his as she took it from her thigh and held it, her fingers falling between his. He knew better! “You have no chill tonight, do you?” She
laughed a little at his suggestion to help her relax. He couldn’t have been serious...Just like he hadn’t been with his comments on the way in. He
wanted to make her smile. He was just trying to distract her and it was working. Leaning in a bit closer to him she whispered, “I’ll
relax when it’s over,” she would. After this gala was over, success or not, she and Koi were getting a nice ass room in this place and
“relaxing” until the sun came up. Curfew be damned (as it usually was).
“Until then, try to keep talk of “relaxation” to a minimum. I’m sitting next to your baby sister.” Devyn smiled, closing the short distance
between them, a small kiss meeting his lips before Eri tapped her shoulder and again took her attention.
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
Feeling his smile falter as Devyn took his hand off of her thigh, Koi already knew what the evening was going to be like...a fucking Dikembe Mutombo
commercial. No, no no! Not today! Really, though. The repetition of the night was beginning to wear on him. Make a move. Get denied.
Rinse and repeat. All because of his parentals? It wasn't that serious! Koi understood. He did! He knew how important it was for her to make a
better impression than she'd made the night she'd met his Moms. Hell, if he'd met Athena dick out in the middle of her kitchen...he'd probably strike
the "Captain Morgan" pose and greet her ass. Yeah, Koi was a different person. But he still got it! Devyn wanted to erase Valentine's Night just as
much as he did, but being in "best behavior" mode was doing more annoying him than satisfying two people who had yet to show their face because of
some unseen drama Eri had hinted at. What the fuck was up now? Shemar had slept with a waitress already? Or maybe he'd slept with two? Both scenarios
were feasible since the shit had already happened before. Yet, Deyvn stayed pressed over this. "THIS" meaning the night that Koi honestly needed every
distraction in the world to avoid. Because THIS was a lie. Nothing about them meeting her would be genuine. She'd met the doting wife and mother of
two that just so happened to be philanthropic in all of her free time. And she'd meet the low down, dirty mother fucker father who was forced into
good behavior for the evening, but had it been any other day, would try to take her panties like the REAL creeper he was. All a lie. And all on the
"would not like" list of things he'd rather shit glass than deal with that evening. That's why she was here. A distraction from all things...a
gorgeous distraction, actually. Which is why Koi found her question so damn hilarious.
You have no chill tonight, do you? Uh, no! Of course he didn't. Did she remember what she was wearing? Did she get dressed in the dark? Did
she trip and FALL into her dress?! Nope, she didn't. She knew what she was doing. That high splitted, low cut shit that SHE was wearing? That was a
nigga's midnight "hnnng". So, no. There was no chill tonight. There would be no chill until she stopped playing games and let a nigga get her behind
a locked door. He was barely listening to her resistance anyway, his eyes imprinting every sexy peek of flesh he could take in. His smile returned as
she intertwined their fingers, the red painted on her lips distracting him even more...mostly because he was caught up in magnificently dirty thoughts
of how her red lips would look around his...
"You'll relax when it's over? Babe..." Koi repeated the words he'd gotten out of his dirty ass thoughts just in time to hear. When it was OVER?! Did
she not get that they had about three more hours of this shit?! The party didn't stop until speeches had been made, awards had been given and Fumie
was thanking the long list of people that served as sponsors and contributors. And just as he begun his explanation of his very thoughts, she
interrupted him, telling him to keep it to a minimum because...Eri? Goddammit! He loved his little babe. Really, he did. More than words... but for
the second time with Devyn, she was blocking his COCK! He tried to respond, but Eri had gotten Devyn's attention again, their conversation about all
things dead bodies and crime scenes starting up again. And that was how it was going to be that night? Volleying for her attention? It wasn't even a
fair battle with all the cute Eri was shooting off that night! She looked like a little doll, well...a doll that was interested in blood splatter. BUT
all the same, a doll! How could Koi compete with that? Frowning, he figured it out quickly as he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket, his fingers
quickly typing on the screen.
Quote:
Eri can't see text messages. Dress so tight around that ass I bet your not even wearin' panties.
Koi chuckled quietly as he sent his message. He was loosing the battle to "cute" but he was about to win the war. Sexy chumped cute...any day.
She knew he was annoyed with the way this night was going. Hell, she knew he’d be annoyed when she’d decided to go. She probably should have
warned him, not that it would have made much difference. She would still be here, rejecting his advances and denying any chance of them getting caught
in the middle of a less than parent friendly conversation. Like the one he was trying to have now about him helping her “relax”. He had to know
there was no way in hell she would fuck him at his mom’s event. After it, sure. For the most part, she was over what had happened between them
Valentine’s Day. The only feelings that lingered from that night were the ones she had for his mom. Guilt, shame, and an intense need to make amends
was all she allowed herself to remember and all of those feelings had to do with Fumie Kidd, not Koi. Although those feelings were effecting Koi as
they were the reason she wasn’t exactly open to him “relaxing” her...He’d be alright. They had maintained this non-sexual friendship for the
last month almost. A few more hours wasn’t going to kill him. Besides, there was Eri to think about.
Devyn kissed Koi quickly before her attention returned to his little sister and talk of dead people and the crazies killed them. Koi’s whining took
a backseat to his adorable little sister as per usual and even if Devyn wasn’t very interested in a technical video about what exactly was analyzed
when police did DNA testing, she watched as if she was; looking between the screen of Eri’s phone and the sparkle she got in her eyes when she was
into something. How the hell was she so cute!? Her cuteness was distracting, which was good for her because being distracted meant she didn’t have
to think about greeting his parents...or how much she would really love for him to help her relax. God, she hated her “best-behavior”!
Her phone vibrated against the table, a loud buzz alerting her to a text message. Athena. She said she’d text when she got here and she hadn’t.
Oops. Picking up her phone she looked at the pop-up message on the screen...it wasn’t Athena. A wide smile crept across her face and she did
everything she could not to look at Koi. He was horrible! He was right though. Eri couldn’t see text messages...and she wasn’t wearing any
underwear...A small giggle escaped her and Eri turned to her asking what was so funny. “Nothing, sugar. One of my friends is being an idiot-,” she
said, typing a reply to her “idiot friend”.
Quote:
Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Maybe if you CHILL OUT I’ll let you find out AFTER this is over...
Devyn bit her lip, finally looking over at Koi as she hit send on her text. She could play with him a little bit right? She was being good, not
playing dead.
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
Watching Devyn bite her lip and smile as she returned his text message was the icing on a cake that would definitely be a hell of a lot sweeter and
satisfying than anything they were serving at this uptight ass function. She was flirting back, huh? Good. "Let's be a good girl for Koi's Mommy and
Daddy" was a played out idea. Being good was overrated...especially when Koi couldn't have cared less what his parents thought about Devyn. He knew
what he thought...and that was all that mattered. They'd been through this before. Fuck what they think... When he'd said that to Devyn in
his kitchen, he'd meant any nosy ass wondering about their status or their business. He'd meant every letter of the statement and he still meant it
now, but Devyn had misunderstood him. He didn't just mean the student body of King's Prep. He'd meant everyone. Anyone. Any person that thought to
judge them and what they did. Yeah, THEY could fuck themselves...thrice over. And that shit didn't change because the people that gave him life
finally cared enough to have an opinion. Which they didn't. Well...his father did, but anything Shemar thought was irrelevant anyway. Nasty bastard.
The point was nothing would change them. Koi + Dev... That shit was eternal. So, she could drop the act...and slip into something a little
more comfortable. Like "Let's be a badd bitch for the Kidd." Yeah, that was more her style. Especially when they sexted their best friend in the
middle of his mother's...
"Really..." Koi's mutter broke the silence that he'd been holding as he waited for her text to hit his phone, that tell tale buzz of his phone in his
tux pocket alerting him of her message...only to read it and get rejected...again. This. Was some bullshit. Koi's lip curled, his eyes cutting to
Devyn's little smirk and he knew it. She was laughing internally.
FUCK AFTER...the only words Koi could think as he read her reply again, his annoyed expression settling on his face. She was holding this
"good girl" act. Not that Devyn wasn't..."good" in her own way. Koi knew his babe. She cared about her grades, was loyal to her friends...hell, she
even volunteered some weekends. She was a good person, he wouldn't deny her that. But one thing he knew? She was always bad for him. Except
right now...and the shit was bogus. The event. Her trying to make his parents happy. Her ignoring the shit out of him for riveting conversation with
"Eri the Science Girl". ALL of it. And the fuck if he was going down to all that emo cuteness Eri was spewing out that night.
Quote:
after? how about NOW. that girl scout act stopped being cute 10 secs ago. you can put your beret and sash back on when i'm eating your cookies
She was being so mean to him...but, it was so funny! She heard his muttered ‘really’ and the annoyance behind it and she did all she could not to
laugh at loud. She kept her attention on Eri who had moved on from blood spatter and DNA to a school project she was thinking about weaving her new
interest into. Devyn nodded as she told her more about it and tried to keep her from noticing that her attention was diverting. Koi was doing exactly
what he had been trying to do, distract her. Now though it was more than just from thoughts about greeting his parents, but also his little sister. He
had to know it was going to be like this tonight. It almost always was. Eri stole the show anytime she was in the mix. Koi had to know nothing about
tonight would be any different. Not that she completely ignored him when the three of them were together. Usually he got into whatever she and Eri
were into and it all worked out...tonight though, Koi was more interested in getting into something else. Something she wasn’t letting him into
until the night was over! But Koi wasn’t trying to hear anything about after. He was a JG Wentworth commercial and he wanted it now.
Being honest with herself, Devyn did too. She would have loved to spend a quick 20 minutes in a tucked away room letting Koi even her out and get rid
of some of her tension, but what if someone wondered where they were while they were gone? What if someone found them in the middle of what
he was asking for? They had a history of getting caught and she was sure it wouldn’t end tonight. Surely he could understand her hesitance to let
him “help her relax”. Nope. He didn’t at all. All he knew was what he wanted and that became super clear when he responded to her text. She felt
her mouth fall open before a smile wider than she meant for it to be took over. He was so fucking bad. How the hell was she supposed to keep
up this good girl thing with him being all…fine. Fuck it.
Quote:
Eating my cookies huh? Apparently this girl scout thing is more of a turn on than you’re saying...or are you still wondering whether I’m wearing
any panties?
She sent the text her eyes quickly cutting to Koi and then back to Eri, hopefully before she could notice...she wasn’t done though…
Quote:
I’m not btw
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
There was no denying it, Koi had been bodysnatched by an old ass creeper. The way his last message had read to Devyn? That fact wasn't as
unbelievable as it should have been. He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as her phone vibrated against the table, her attentions diverted away
from his little sister, once again. And it wouldn't be long before little sis' picked up on it, her eyes going "confused" as Devyn picked up her
phone, her jaw dropping so low it looked like she was giving the air head. That war that Koi had waged between sexy and cute? Yeah, sexy was
definitely pulling that "W". It wasn't a fair battle, though. Not with Koi's nasty ass diversion tactics. He was playing to win on this
battlefield...losers be warned. And Eri was going to be the loser that night, her curious eyes floating towards Devyn's cellphone screen.
"Mind yours..." Koi muttered loud enough for his kid sister to hear, nearly laughing out load as Eri jumped in her seat at the sound of his voice. A
scowl formed on her face that would've made any of his teachers, including Headmistress, jealous before she rolled her eyes at him and settled into a
pout that mirrored his all too well. He was sorry! Okay...he wasn't sorry. What?! All was fair in "Fucking and War". And Devyn made the war even more
futile for Eri and promising for Koi as he wasn't stopping until he and Devyn were somewhere with a "do not fucking disturb" on the door, her legs on
his shoulders and his tongue so deep in it, he could taste her thoughts. Like he'd said before, the thirst was real and all fatalities would be
counted as such along the way. No fucking mercy. By any means necessary...
Bzzzz! His cellphone buzzed in his hand, his smile returning as he unlocked his phone and...oh shit. Koi's eyebrow raised as he read
her message, her flirt a little more apparent than it had been in the previous texts. Daddy liked. Daddy liked a lot. Catching her eye for a
split second, he bit his lip against the smile that was attempting to break on his face. "Yes" to all answers above! Yes, she could girl scout salute
and pledge allegiance to this dick anytime she wanted and HELL yes, he wanted to know if she...
Bzzzz! Another message. I'm not btw. And with that simple answer, shit just got real. Even though she was avoiding looking his way,
his face turned in her direction, his eyes giving her a once over that he didn't even CARE if Eri saw...which she probably did as she was actively
wondering what this exchange was between her brother and Devyn. His eyes read a message that Eri wasn't old enough to translate yet, lucky for them.
Licking his lips, his eyes went back to his phone.
Quote:
oh shit. for real? i wanna believe you, but i need proof. let me see it...
He wasn’t playing fair! All this talk of him “eating her cookies” and helping her “relax” wasn’t even okay tonight! Sure, she had been
invited to this thing to add a little fun to the night for him, but she never meant to imply that fucking him during said event was one of the
methods. She was thinking shit talk about some of the other gala goers. Maybe she would act as a buffer between he and his parents; she had never
planned to take on Creeper Koi and his battle with Eri for her attention. She was literally caught in the middle of a fight Eri probably didn’t even
know was happening. She was quickly becoming aware though, as Devyn’s smile was much too much to ignore. Koi caught her before she could peek over
Devyn’s shoulder and read his last text. Thank God.
Eri jumped in her seat and Devyn laughed as the most adorable scowl directed at her brother appeared on her face. Devyn playfully swatted at Koi, the
back of her hand connecting with his chest as she told him, “Play nice,” she hadn’t turned from Eri though. “I’m sorry sugar. Your brother
knows I’m nervous and he’s trying to be funny.” She cut her eyes at him then, a playful side eye as Koi gave a little shrug and everyone eased
back into their seats, Eri holding her adorable pout. Koi obviously wasn’t stopping, and since Devyn couldn’t beat him, she was joining him.
Sending her reply texts, she tried turning her attention back to Eri but she couldn’t help secretly looking back to him as she waited for the
messages to hit. She wanted to see his face…that face.
She bit at her lip, holding a smile that she didn’t want Eri to see. She let her full attention fall back to Eri just as Koi licked his lips and his
fingers went to work on a reply. One that didn’t take long to come. Her phone hadn’t left her hand as she was sure Eri would have tried to snatch
it and figure out what was really going on. She turned it as it buzzed in her hand, reading the face for his message. Proof? How the hell was she
supposed to give him that here. She wasn’t. That was the point it seemed. He wanted to get her alone...not happening. Not before the night was
over...Of course, she wasn’t going to tell him that anymore. Mostly because there wasn’t a point to it, but kind of because she was having fun
with Creeper Koi.
Quote:
See it? From all that shit you were talking I was thinking you wanted to do more
than just see...
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
Koi : 1, Eri: 0. The smug smile on Koi's face said "read em and weep, Eri Kidd" as he grinned at her sister, their silent fight put to an end
by Devyn. Eh, give it tomorrow morning and Eri wouldn't be too mad about it. For the past couple of weeks, she'd had nonstop time with Devyn...which
just so happen to be HIS time as well. Them, whispering girly secrets and shit...while he looked on with the same sad, pouting face that his sister
now wore. This little exchange behind he and his babe #2 shouldn't have been too hard of a hit to their "Eri and Devyn" show. Devyn and Eri could get
back to sharing "Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood" later. Right now was all about Koi and Devyn...and the old man perv shit he was sexting her with. He
had to admit, had he given a fuck...he probably would've felt a little bad about the filth he was sending to Devyn's phone during his mother's gala.
Then again, he probably should've felt bad about the baggie full of dro he had stashed in his sock too, huh? Ha. Neither of those things were
happening that night. He regretted nothing. And he sure as fuck regretted nothing as his eyes connected with Devyn's again, her teeth nibbling at her
lips as she eyed him. There she was... His dirty mouthed bad girl that gave about as much of a fuck as he did. Fucks weren't available that
night. Well...not yet as he could tell from the smile she was hiding. That smile. The one that she put on when she saw the sex in his eyes? Yeah, that
one. And tonight? It looked extra devious, the red she wore making her lips look like sin that Koi couldn't wait to get into.
And then, she was texting again, her mind temporarily off of his sister for the moment...and on to other things...like his text. A challenge. In fewer
words, Koi was ready for a round of "show me yours...". Hey, it wasn't his fault! He'd keep thinking that until he felt like less of a creep and more
of an overly pent up...yeah, he'd just stick with "creep" because the text he'd just sent her had "nasty ass" written all over it. He wanted to
see it... Here. There. In the bathroom. In the kitchen that serviced the gala's ballroom. Under the table...whatever. Wherever. He was ready for
all the sexting to turn into something real. Just between the two of them. And whether his mother or father had shown their face wasn't really a
concern. His concern was obvious...and her next text made it even more obvious.
He chuckled at what she'd written. Talking shit? Nah. Talking shit meant that what he was saying was pumped up. Exaggerated. There was nothing
"exaggerated" about what he wanted. He meant what he wrote. He wanted to see her. He wanted to touch her like he hadn't been for the past month. He
wanted...he wanted for their last time...the last memory of them together...to NOT be what they'd left it as on Valentine's Night. He didn't want her
to remember...that as the last time he was inside of her. He was ready for a new memory...now.
Quote:
talking shit? get your mind right, hips. i'm talkin' truth. and i do want to do more than just "see it"
Sending the text message, he hesitated for a moment...a smirk hitting his lips as he picked up his phone and typed again.
The “good girl” in her was going bad, real quick. As demure as she had been trying to present herself since stepping out of that town
car, Koi was saying everything he could to get her to unwind. And she was letting him! She was encouraging his foolishness, knowing full well she
wanted to make a much better impression on his mother than she had previously. Koi on the other hand seemed hell bent on getting her naked before she
even had the chance...and the part of her that didn’t give a fuck about anything was ready to let him do that too. It’d been too
long...The last time the two of them had been together was...not exactly a pleasant memory and somehow the two of them had gone a month after
that without touching one another. She wanted him. Tonight especially. Unfortunately, for the two of them, this was a very public, very important Kidd
family affair that was not at all the appropriate place to start making new memories...no matter how enticing the “fuck me”look Koi was giving her
was.
She had to pull back. Especially now that Eri was on to them. One thing she would never do (again) was show Eri more than she was ready for. That
Christmas kiss and what she’d almost walked in on later the same night had been corruption enough in Devyn’s book. Eri was going to keep the
freaky shit Devyn was thinking about doing to Koi from becoming a reality and for that, she was thankful...Of course, Eri wasn’t going to stop the
texts he was sending...or change the effect they had on her. She chuckled as she read his reply. He wasn’t “talking shit”. Well that was obvious
as hell, especially as he confirmed he did want more than just to “see it”. Fuckkkkkk. Why was he doing this to her? And why the hell was
she cheesing so hard about it?! The kid was torturing her...and she liked it.
Her fingers were poised to send a reply when she got another message from him. Proof? HA! How the hell did he expect proof from her here? She
knew he was in his own little world, but here, in the real world, Devyn was sitting next to his 10 year old sister and waiting for his parents to join
them, which could happen at any time. Devyn knew as soon as she tried anything his mom was going to pop up out of nowhere to catch Koi with
his hand in Devyn’s cookie jar. It wasn’t happening. Not tonight. That didn’t mean he had to know it wasn’t though...
Quote:
I’m not avoiding. You just have to earn it. Quid pro quo kid...What you got for me?
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
Quid pro quo? Koi chuckled softly as he read Devyn's newest tease...er...text. She had jokes! An exchange of goods? Well, in pure "creeper" fashion,
he for fucking sure had a good that he didn't mind giving her...multiple times, if she wanted. And she probably did as his babe had a thing about
"rounds". Glimpsing at her out of the corner of his eye, his smile widened at her comment, a silent nod at the return challenge she gave him. Show
me yours and I'll show you mine... Oh for real? Was that they game they were agreeing on playing? Because Devyn knew, based off of experience
alone, what she was asking when she went toe-to-toe with the Kidd. He volleyed with the best of them. Memories, some pleasant and some not so much,
ran through his mind...and Koi read right through that flirty ass text. Devyn couldn't be serious. She knew how he played the dare game. She wasn't
REALLY pushing his hand. Not with his sister sitting right beside her and his parents lurking somewhere in the busy, buzzing ballroom. He was bold,
but he wasn't that damn crazy...although the longer they kept up this back and forth, the more that last statement was becoming questionable. But he'd
let her tease a little longer...before he finally called her bluff and started answering her teases with...how did that Elvis dude put it? Oh
yeah..."a little less conversation and a little more action."
"So you stealin' a nigga's words now...?" Koi leaned into her, his whispered words for her ears only. His lips curled into a soft smile as he lowered
them to her uncovered shoulder, a quick kiss brushing her skin before he fell back into his on space...leaving his hand that had crept back into her
lap. No worries though...he'd be good! Well...good-ish. He squeezed her thigh softly, his hand innocently resting...and his free hand
texting.
Quote:
for you? you already know what i have for you. you need a hint?
He pressed his lips together against the laughter that about to spill out because of his next text.
Quote:
THIS DICK. there's your hint. now stop playin' and let me get in between it
Nasty as fuck? Maybe. Koi would take that identifier tonight. But one thing he wasn't going to be? UNFUCKED. Cards were on the table and it was time
to either fold or raise the stakes, which he had no problem doing...as his innocently placed hand on Devyn's leg took the distraction of Devyn reading
the texts he'd sent her to slide closer to the inside of her thigh, his squeeze turning into a gentle rub. What? That move was fair game! He was just
rubbing her thigh. And Eri couldn't see under the table cloth covering Devyn's legs unless she literally got on her damned knees and crawled under the
table to see what was going on. Her nosy, cute ass. It wouldn't get far enough for Eri to even notice, truthfully as Devyn was being her own cock
block that eveni-
Koi! Hey honey! I had no idea you'd finally made it!
Or...the cock block would be his mom's voice. Great...
So you stealing a nigga’s words now? Why not? Both of them were a little out of their element. Koi was being much more inappropriate than
usual and Devyn was encouraging him...which wouldn’t have been too out of the ordinary if it weren’t for the fact she was sitting next to Eri and
waiting on edge to see his mother again. All thoughts of his mother were out of the window though as his hand fell to her thigh again and his lips met
her shoulder. A small giggle left her lips and she shrugged as he leaned back into his own space. She was stealing his words. Why shouldn’t she?
Here he was trying to steal her panties...or lack thereof.
She gave him the chance to text back. and the table was quiet for a second. Eri had given up on getting Devyn’s full attention for now and started a
game of Plants vs. Zombies. Devyn wouldn’t lie, she felt a little bad about pushing her out...She hadn’t meant to. It wasn’t even her fault! Koi
could be very persuasive...And in a completely, ENTIRELY different way than Eri could. As she’d said before, he wasn’t playing fair...but he also
wasn’t giving her the time to dwell on those feelings, his reply text coming almost as soon as she’d looked to his sister. Someone was worried he
was losing a battle with a 10-year-old...he wasn’t. And she didn’t need a hint about what he had for her. She wanted it…But just in case he
hadn’t been crass enough for the night, he went ahead and told her exactly what she was thinking about. She tried to keep the laugh in, but it
wasn’t possible. He was too much!
It was her turn to lean in, her hand taking his face just the right way to hide the freak ass bedroom kiss they were about to share. Teasing was done
and his hand was already in a position to start something he probably wasn’t even ready for. She kissed him, her tongue parting his lips just in
time to hear a voice say his name...to hear her voice say his name. Fuck! To say that Devyn pulled away would not do what she actually did
any justice. She was in her own space before Koi even knew what happened, his lips still pursed for a kiss that had so abruptly ended. Fuck!
How did she fix it? Should she stay seated? Should she stand? Had she fucked up her lipstick fucking around with Koi? FUCK! One thing she was
sure about; she had to say something...and she had to fix her face.
She allowed herself to smile as she did stand to greet his mother, “Mrs. Kidd, hi-,” Fuck! Why did she say that?! ‘Hi’ was what fell out on
Valentine’s day. She didn’t want to use ‘Hi’...but it was done now fuck it. “Thank you so much for inviting me tonight…” Devyn let her
words trail off. Not because she wanted to, but because her brain had stopped telling her how to make English happen. An assist from the kid would
have been nice...
I'm taking my time.
I'm doing it right.
Self-Love. Self-Care. Selfish.
If he wasn't sure of it before, Koi was sure of it now. His luck was shit. Of all the times, in all the conversations...his mother
had to interrupt THIS one. He had been ass hair close to Devyn finally stopping the "good girl" act and letting him give her fifteen minutes in the
bathroom outside the ballroom. He would've even let her take him into the ladies' room. Yeah, he was a gentleman like that. They had couches and shit
in their anyway, didn't they? Anyway, none of that shit was going down anytime soon now that his Moms had rolled up to the table, announcing her
presence mid-kiss. And that kiss? He knew THAT kiss. It would've been the start of something that he would be on the way to finishing as soon as he
found a way to get Devyn to leave Eri's side for fifteen minutes...tops. He wasn't on eating fast food...but he would've made that exception tonight.
Only...now he didn't have to, thanks to his to his mother...aka "the anti-sex" when it came to Devyn. Fumie sucked the "fuck" out of the entire
atmosphere. He had to remember to thank her later...
"Mom...heeeey." He said, his teeth clenched together in a forced smile as he greeted her. She, oblivious to his annoyance immediately ran her hand
affectionately over his curls, the way she use to when he was "little Kidd". He smirked as he turned to her, watching her walk over and give Eri's
hair the same caress. Eri barely looked up, her attention going to the game she was playing. Koi's smirk grew into a smile as he saw his sister lean,
ever so slightly, into their mother's hand. It was weird. Even though they barely saw their mom, barely spoke to her...her touch was something that
they didn't shrug away.
Devyn's movement beside Koi caught his eye, a quick laugh escaping him as she stood and formally greeted his mother. Wow...he half expected her to
curtsy in that motherfucker. The hell was Devyn doing? Fumie wasn't the fucking Queen of England. She was just...his mom. But...it was sweet that
Devyn was nervous enough to do the extreme for her. Without his mom seeing, Koi pulled the train on Devyn's dress softly, urging her to sit as all of
the formality was dumb unnecessary. Like he said before, he got it. Devyn wanted to be something other than "the girl that Fumie thought was fucking
her husband, but she was just fucking her son instead." And she was. She didn't have to push it. Koi knew exactly who she was and if she let her,
Fumie would too.
" Yeah, Devyn's been having an amazing time." He smiled, backing up Devyn's gratitude.
The show must go on. That was Fumie’s mantra for the night. Shemar was going to be an ass until he decided to change. That change wasn’t
coming tonight so the show had to go on. And it was. After picking herself up off of the kitchen floor she found Ruka to check in, found a restroom to
fix what Shemar had ruined, and set off to finding her children. She probably should have been looking for Zori to apologize but she wasn’t trying
to rock the boat with her husband anymore. She would steer clear until she knew where Shemar had gotten to…but he would get a proper apology from
her. Ugh! She cringed just thinking about all the shit Shemar had spewed to him...But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. Her son was here.
She spotted Eri at their table, where she’d left her, and two new arrivals. Koi and his date. She smiled at the thought of her son having a
date. Koi Kidd, being very much like his father, was not one for “dates” or “girlfriends”. This was the girl she’d caught, bottomless, in
her kitchen about a month ago and accused of sleeping with her husband...and yet, here she still was. With Koi...She was a rare breed, this one...she
had to be if she was with her son. And as much as he tried to deny it when Fumie “incorrectly” referred to Devyn as his girlfriend, that was
exactly what she was. Tonight was proof of that...and she couldn’t help thinking what a cute couple she and Koi made.
Well, before she starting that highly inappropriate kiss, anyway. That, Fumie could not allow. Not here, not when they had an image to present that
included “good boy” Koi. So she stopped it, her voice ringing out as she called her son’s name from a couple feet away. Devyn was in her seat so
fast Fumie honestly had to question whether she saw the kiss in the first place. She smiled, her lips pursing together to hold in a laugh. Was she
nervous? Fumie could understand if she was...a room full of stars and a night with her boyfriend’s parents? Yeah, she could see nerves. What she
wasn’t prepared for was the extremely overdone greeting that came next.
She couldn’t help it, a small chuckle left her. It mingled with Koi’s though so she didn’t feel too bad about it. She wasn’t laughing at her,
it was just...different. “Honey, you’re more than welcome,” Fumie began, her hand absent-mindedly caressing Eri’s curls again. “Koi
doesn’t tell me much about his love life, so I had to officially meet you somehow.” She laughed a little and Devyn laughed politely along with
her. Koi on the other hand was not amused. Her eyes had floated to her son following she and Devyn’s exchange and she was embarrassing him.
What? Because she’d suggested Devyn was his love life? She was! You’d think he’d want her to know she had a little status in his life...but
Fumie had promised to be good. She was making up for Valentine’s Day and if he wanted her to stop, she would.
“Devyn, honey, have a seat. Relax. I’ve got to get this thing kicked off but we’ll talk more later.” And they would. They had plenty of time
before the night was over for Devyn's opinion of Fumie to change and for a mother to fall back into her son’s good graces. For now, she had the
gala. Giving Eri a quick kiss to the cheek and running her hand over Koi’s curls once again, she passed the table, headed to the stage.
I was a heavy heart to carry but, he never let me down.
When he held me in his arms my feet never touched the ground.
![[*]](images/davis/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
From all that shit you were talking I was thinking you wanted to do more
than just see...
