White Lines III (23 page)

He inched closer. “It was nothing.”

“Go home.”

Born reached for her and she backed away. “I am home,” he said. “This is my home. Wherever you are. That's home.”

He moved another inch forward. Jada could have sworn that her heartbeat was pounding audibly.

“I love you,” Born said, his lips inches from hers. “I don't love her.”

Jada felt so torn between her heart, and her pride.

Born rubbed his nose through her hair and inhaled deeply. He had missed her so much. Being alone with her now, it was taking all of his willpower to restrain himself. He pulled her chin upward toward him. When their lips touched, he kissed her slowly, deeply.

Kissing Born after so long was so magical that Jada felt like she was floating on air. After a few moments, she pulled away.

“Born…” she whispered. “I'm tired.”

“So let's go upstairs,” he pleaded. “Jada, I miss you.” Born was growing visibly frustrated. Everything that meant the most to him was slipping through his grasp. Earlier, he hadn't been sure who or what he wanted. But when Jada left his hospital room, it had started to become clear to him that she was the only one his heart longed for. Hearing now that she had been attacked, that someone was trying to bring her harm, Born wanted nothing more than to forget about the past few weeks and months, pull Jada into his arms, and never let her go. “Jada, let me protect you. Let me prove to you that I love you, and only you. I made a mistake. You made a mistake, too. But I'm never leaving you again. I don't care what Sheldon has to say about it, or how Anisa feels about it. All I care about is you. Me and you.”

She felt her heart give in. She was just too weak to fight anymore. She stared back at him, wanting nothing more than to fall into his arms and let him take away the pain. “Come upstairs,” she said, softly.

Born followed her into the darkness of her home's upper level. Jada didn't bother to switch on any lights. She didn't want to awaken Ava or Sheldon. She ushered him into her bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Born stood watching her, so grateful to be alone with her. He stepped closer to her, and stroked her face with his left hand, his right trapped in the sling. “I missed you so much,” he said, gently.

“I missed you, too,” she said.

Born pulled her close with his good arm, grateful to hold her again. “I'm sorry,” he said. “I love you, Jada.”

Everything else slipped away. At that second, she forgot about Sheldon and Anisa and everything else. There was only Born right then, and she focused only on those three words coming out of his mouth. Her heart pounded like a drumbeat.

He led her to the bed, and they gently stripped each other out of their clothes. Their skin touching for the first time in months, Jada was breathless. Carefully, he laid her down. Born kissed her slowly, touched her tenderly. His lips traveled her body like an explorer traversing familiar territory. Having been abstinent during their separation, Jada's body responded to him in quivers and quakes. She felt intoxicated by him. Born spread her legs apart, and buried his mouth in the folds of her wetness. Born licked her, sucked her, devoured her until she wiggled away from him, her body too sensitive to his touch.

“Don't run from me,” he demanded. Born sat up on his knees and pulled Jada back toward him, dragging her down the length of the bed with his one strong arm. She moaned in surrender, and he dove in again, licking and sucking her so expertly that in no time she climaxed and trembled uncontrollably. It took all of her restraint not to call out his name at the top of her lungs as he entered her. Instead, she cried softly, stuck somewhere between ecstasy and heartache. Born wiped her tears, and whispered in her ear, “I love you.” He illustrated it with lovemaking so intense that both of them sweated like Olympic athletes. They rocked together, silently locked in a dance so familiar, so exquisite and beautiful, that night melted into morning before they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Jada didn't sleep for very long. She didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time Sheldon had awakened to find Born in her bed. She left Born sleeping, and slipped downstairs to make breakfast as usual.

She put on a pot of coffee. While it brewed, she thought about the night before. Born had given all of himself to her. He had been gentle, laying with her in the pauses between their lovemaking, stroking her face, her skin, rubbing her feet, playing with her hair. They had talked about their transgressions. She replayed parts of their conversation now, while staring out the kitchen window.

“I started staying over there to be close to Ethan,” he explained about his relationship with Anisa.

“That was an excuse.”

“No, it really wasn't. I wasn't even thinking about Anisa like that.”

“So what happened?” Jada had been mad at herself for asking the question. After all, she knew what wound up happening. The thought made her nauseous.

“I kept trying to get with you, and you kept shutting me down. So I was over there a lot. I was lonely. One night, I came in twisted after a party, and … I made a mistake.”

“And you kept making the mistake after that night, right?” She was so mad at him that she had to keep reminding herself to keep her voice down.

Born didn't know what to say to that. She was right. He had continued screwing Anisa as a way to keep his mind off of Jada. But he knew that it would be futile to try and convince her of that now.

“I cut it off,” he told her, truthfully. “After you left the hospital, Anisa and I took Ethan home and I told her the truth. I told her that I love you. I'm gonna always love you.” He frowned a little. “I'm not gonna front like she's cool with that. Her feelings got involved. You know what I'm saying? But I never lied to her or gave her any reason to think that I was done with you for good. I know I was wrong. But I never pretended to love her.”

Jada absorbed what he was saying. She knew him well enough to know that he was being truthful. She couldn't help thinking of Sunny then. She remembered Sunny's stories about Dorian and Raquel; how Raquel refused to move on and Dorian had somewhat liked that. She knew that, like Raquel, Anisa would always make herself available to Born. As long as she was alive, she would hold a vacancy in her heart for him in case he ever returned to fill it. Jada wasn't sure that she was equipped to deal with always having to wonder if he would go running back to her.

Born seemed to read her mind. “I don't love her,” he said again. “Jada, look at me.”

She did, her eyes full of sadness and longing.

“I only love you.” He had stared at her intently. “Marry me,” he said. “For real. Be my wife.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“'Cause it is. We don't even have to plan it. We can go to city hall and do it, just me and you.”

“You're serious?” She had sat up in bed and looked at him. Born sat up, too, and they sat face to face in the moonlit room.

“I'm serious.” He squeezed her nose playfully. “Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

“You promise to honor and cherish me till death do we part?”

Jada's smile had been bright enough to light up the room. “I do.”

Jada snapped back to the present when she heard footsteps on the stairs. It was Ava.

“Good morning,” Jada said, smiling casually. She held up the coffeepot. “Want some?”

Ava frowned. “No. Thanks.” She sat down at the kitchen table. “Umm … why's Born asleep in your bed?”

Jada's eyes widened in surprise. “You went in there?”

Ava looked at Jada like she was crazy. “Yes, I went in there. He's snoring like a trucker.” Ava watched Jada pour cream in her coffee.

“I know,” Jada said. “He's exhausted.”

“What are you gonna say to Sheldon when he sees Born naked in your bed?”

Jada nearly dropped the coffee mug. “You saw him naked?” She had pulled the covers up over him before she came downstairs, but she knew that Born tossed and turned in his sleep. The thought of Ava seeing Born's pony made her claws come out.

“Relax. His johnson was hidden. But I saw enough skin poking out from under the covers to know that he didn't have no clothes on.” Ava tossed a balled-up napkin at her sister.

Jada leaned against the counter and sipped her coffee. “Don't be peeking at my baby.”

Ava shook her head. “What are you gonna say to Sheldon?” she asked again.

Jada looked worried. “I really don't know, Ava.”

They were interrupted by more footsteps on the stairs. Sheldon stepped into the room. “Good morning,” he said. He greeted both his mother and his aunt with kisses on the cheek.

“Good morning. You hungry?” Jada asked, rubbing Sheldon affectionately on his head.

“Yup! Starving!” Born said, entering the room, unexpectedly. “Good morning, everybody.” Rubbing his belly, he smiled at everyone present.

An awkward silence filled the room. Born tried to make light of it. He walked over to Ava and nudged her, teasingly. “What's up?”

Ava laughed and punched him playfully on his good arm. “Good morning, Mr. Graham.”

Born walked over to Jada and kissed her softly on the cheek. “Good morning, beautiful.”

She smiled, awkwardly. “Good morning.” Her heart raced as she looked at Sheldon to see what he would say or do. He took two steps back, staring at Born, unsmiling. Jada's smile faded as she noticed that Sheldon's chest was heaving. He was puffed up with rage.

Born held his hand out for a five. “Good morning, young man.”

Sheldon left Born hanging, and continued to glare at him.

“I said good morning,” Born repeated.

“FUCK YOU!” Sheldon yelled at the top of his lungs. His voice was so loud that it reverberated off the walls.

Jada gasped. Ava stood to her feet.

“Sheldon!” Jada yelled.

Sheldon backed up some more. He felt the control he'd once had slipping away. How could his mother allow Born back into their lives after Sheldon had tried to kill himself? This wasn't part of the plan.

“We don't need you!” He looked at his mother, desperately. “What's he doing here? Tell him to get out,” he demanded.

Born stared at Sheldon as if he were watching a volcano erupt from a safe distance. He looked fascinated by what he was witnessing, but disturbed by it at the same time. He stood speechlessly for several moments as Sheldon huffed and puffed, his chest heaving with each breath he took.

A thousand thoughts were battling in Born's head. This little boy—Jamari's son—was terrorizing his mother. He had singlehandedly destroyed all of the work that Jada and Born had done to repair their relationship. Born knew that the kid had mental problems, that he had a lot working against him. But in this moment, all he wanted to do was wring Sheldon's scrawny little neck.

Before he even realized what he was doing, he lunged at Sheldon. Vaguely, as if it were happening at a slow, warped pace, he was aware that Jada's hands had flown up to cover her mouth as if she was in shock. Sheldon's eyes widened in terror as he watched Born barreling down on him.

Born snatched Sheldon by the collar of his shirt, and flung him down to the floor with such force that Ava cried out as if she herself had been thrown down. Sheldon kicked wildly at Born while he was down there. Only able to fight with his one good arm, Born stomped him, causing the kid to fold himself over in pain. Born grabbed Sheldon's collar again and dragged him back to his feet. With his good free hand he gripped the young boy's face tightly and backed him up against the wall. Sheldon's cheeks caved in under the pressure of Born's strong grip, forcing his lips into a fishlike pucker. He looked absolutely terrified as he locked eyes with Born and saw the fury within them.

“You little fuckin' brat!” Born spoke through clenched teeth and he was so close to Sheldon that he could smell the morning on the young man's breath. “You walk around here like this is your world and everybody has to ask your permission to live in it. Let me tell you something.” Born leaned in even closer so that their noses were practically touching.
“I'M THE MAN IN THIS MUTHAFUCKIN' HOUSE!”

“Born…” Jada's voice cracked as she called out to him. She wanted to calm him down before he went too far. But at the same time, she was so happy to see Born taking charge of the situation. Secretly, she was more turned on than ever hearing Born declare himself king of this castle.

Born ignored her halfhearted plea. He tightened his grip on Sheldon's face. “The next time you raise your voice to me or your mother, I'm gonna kick your little punk ass. The next time I hear you curse, I'm gonna
drown
your monkey ass just like you did to that puppy you had.”

“Born.” This time Jada's voice didn't crack.

“Nah,” Born said. “This little boy thinks he's grown, Jada! So I'm gonna talk to him like he's grown.” He turned back to Sheldon, who was still pinned against the wall in Born's strong grip. “It's a wrap,” he said. “Your little reign of terror around here is over. I'm here now. I'm not leaving. So you gotta deal with that. Your father is dead. Guess what? So is mine. Get the fuck over it.”

“Born, calm down,” Ava said, in her hostage negotiator voice. “Calm down.”

A tear slid down Sheldon's face, but Born was unmoved by it. He was still inches away from Sheldon's face. “Your mother made some mistakes, and she's spent years trying to make that shit up to you. But your whiny ass is too busy playing the fuckin' victim, taking pills, bullying kids, killing dogs and shit. That shit stops
TODAY
! I'm not playing with you, either.”

Born stepped back from Sheldon at last and mushed him hard, causing his head to collide with the wall behind him. Sheldon was full on crying now, and Jada felt a tug of sympathy for him. Still, she didn't move or say a word. It was refreshing having Born take charge this way. For the first time in years, Sheldon was not the one with the upper hand. He sniffled and sobbed softly as Born stood ready for whatever he might try to do.