Page 77 of Widow Mayker

My grin matched his because our red sweatpants and hoodies matched.

“Red looks good on you,” I told him, doing my best to avoid the print tinting his sweatpants. His moisturized dark skin and fresh lineup made it no better. Lewis was a certified fine-ass man.

He approached me and kissed my lips. “You look good, baby. Ready to get into some trouble?”

“With you? Yes.”

***

Our first stop was to shop, which was crazy because Lewis bought me an entire boutique’s worth of gifts. We weren’t shopping for clothes or jewelry, though. Navé’s birthday was in a few days, and Lewis brought me along to purchase her gifts—one-of-a-kind pieces of art painted by Gerrand. Gerrand was sought out for his intricate and bold artwork, showcasing the rawness and realness of Black love. Lewis and I toured Gerrand’s showroom, and while many were just here to look, Lewis selected five paintings to gift his mother.

He spent nearly two hours selecting the pieces he wanted, and I just held his hand and followed along, enjoying how he explained different paintings to me. I realized that Lewis was a lover of art. I should’ve known because his house was full of rare artwork. The gallery’s manager agreed to have the pieces delivered to Lewis’s house on the day of his mother’s birthday.

After leaving the gallery, we went to a bakery. For another hour, I sat beside him, tasting cakes until he found the perfect one for his mother. While I wasn’t the one being showered with special birthday gifts, Lewis’s attention to detail and the way he chose everything with intention, kicked me over the edge. This man loved his mother. He loved her to no end.

We did a few more things, to which was really a blur. I was in my head, thinking about the woman who gave birth to me. I wondered what it would have been like to shower her with the love that I now showered upon Margarite. Sadly, I wondered if we would have had a wonderful relationship. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why she didn’t protect me.

Lewis’s fingers touched my chin, jarring me out of my thoughts. I took his hand in mine and smiled despite my hectic thoughts.

“You’ve been quiet for the last thirty minutes, my baby. What’s wrong?”

“Remember when I told you about my parents?”

A snarl touched his face, but he nodded.

“Years after I was rescued, I learned that they were planning to sell me. Over the years, they’d done things like that to other girls who were my age.”

Lewis drew in a deep breath, pushed it out, then focused back on the road. By the set of his jaw, the way he gritted his teeth, then released, he was angry.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“I’m convinced you like to get me riled up,” he interjected. “Don’t ever apologize for confiding in me. That’s what the fuck I want you to do. I’m not a licensed therapist, but you can damn sure use me like one. I wanna hear everything that concerns you, and I wanna know everything you’re afraid of.” His emotions peeked out, causing his voice to grow hoarse. “I’m angry as fuck. There are so many times I wish to lay down my badge and become the nigga who doesn’t mind killin’ a muthafucka for doing some shit like that.”

“Oh.” I watched Lewis’s profile and realized he was serious. Knowing who I was connected to, I could never tell him the shit Antonias and the rest of my people were into. If he found out… Hopefully, he didn’t find out. After all, Lewis was the law.

He briefly glanced at me and asked, “How would you feel if I was that nigga?”

As I thought about an answer, Lewis pulled into a large circular driveway in front of a stately brick mini mansion. Several vehicles filled the driveway, and a few teenagers milled near the front door. Lewis touched my chin to remind me that he’d asked me a question.

“Would you like the politically correct reply or Shyah’s reply?”

He chuckled. “Shy’s reply. Please.”

“Even if it doesn’t align with your badge?”

“Even if, baby. Tell me ya raw thoughts.”

“If someone kidnapped me. Are you going to the police? Or are you going to do whatever…or kill whoever it takes to get me back?”

He smirked devilishly. Leaning over the seat, he seized my lips and wrapped his tongue around mine. After he’d thoroughly assaulted my lips, he pulled back slightly.

“I’m comin’ for you.” He kissed me. “Fuck the police.” Another gentle peck fell on my lips. “Fuck anybody who tries to stop me. Fuck anybody in my way.” We locked eyes. “I’ll bury whoever to get to you.”

I cupped his jaw and said, “That man, will always have my respect.”

Something in his eyes softened. We shared one last kiss before exiting his truck. He led me to the front door and introduced me to his younger cousins. As we entered the house, a smell I hadn’t smelled in years hit my nose.

“I know that ain’t what I think it is.” Lewis turned his nose up.