Priest (The Richards Book 1)

by Bre Shadae

Everybody dealt with grief differently but this didn’t have shit to do with that.

“Death does make you reevaluate everything,” I admitted sinking into the couch next to him. Out of everything he said that is what hit the hardest. “I just realized I hadn’t done shit. Like I’m going to be twenty-five years old in two years and I haven’t really had any experiences. No real relationships. My sister had a baby at seventeen but it was like I had one at fifteen because I was always the one watching and keeping up with him. My mom told me all the time that I was living my life for others and she made me promise to change. She wanted me to take risks. I guess this was my first failed mission.” I laughed awkwardly and he returned one much more genuine than my own.

I had to remember we were acting like we hadn’t met each other. When I faced him I knew he was coming for the jugular.

For him to even set this up and go through the trouble had to show that he was a good guy.

I pushed my keycard in the door and reminded myself that was a contention that I didn’t have to fight with. Just enjoy myself and get back to the goals tomorrow. All those wonderful things that I told him about that I wanted to accomplish. That I would accomplish. Man that conversation was everything.

He revealed his diamond fangs in his mouth that was so sexy when his lips parted. I never really liked those and the first time we met he didn’t have them in but on that second day? Whew shit! It elevated his edge, not that he didn’t already have one but it was something about him being able to rest in each part of his personality with so much ease. Yet here I was an awkward mess about to dissolve within myself at any moment. He went for a kiss and I at least had enough sense to turn my head. I was already lost with just a touch. Memories flooded my mind in high definition. The last thing I needed was his lips on me. I stepped away. The confidence in his face didn’t shake. He drug his tongue across his full lips and gave me an amused look. I had to get out of here while my panties were still intact.

Next thing I knew he woke me up, frantic. He told me something was going on with his family and he had to leave in an emergency. He made me promise not to leave, told me he would rebook my flight

asleep at the wheel and flipped her car into a ditch.

For the first time in a while the majority of my family was going to be in the same place. As much as that made me happy it made me nervous. We were fiery together. All I could do was hope for the best. I loved my family but I had other plans that were much more pressing.

She wouldn’t have to lift another finger if she didn’t want to.

had me in the post and he pushed me in the chest so hard I almost went into my bag and aired this bitch out.

“She’ll be two in September. Our um… our daughter.”

“No I’m sorry.”

“Communication is something I prioritize heavily. Especially when it comes to my woman. I want to hear everything. I want to hear you. Fully. I need you to hear me that same way. I missed so much and I want to be filled in on every detail you feel is important.

“That’s it.” I rolled my eyes trying to nullify the fact that my heart warmed when he called Jasmine wonderful.

“It’s my turn baby.” His gentle, deliberate ways absorbed my attitude quickly and all I could feel was close to him. How good it felt to be in his space. “This shit may sound crazy, but all I did was build my life until I ran into you again. Every day I went to work I thought about you. Thought about the shit I wanted you to have. The things I wanted us to do together. Something told me I was gone

run into you again and when I did I wanted to be ready. I’m fucking proud of you, Satisa. I’m proud of you for what you did and how strong you have been but it never should have happened. You never should have had to do this alone. I know this been rough on you but I got that now. I got y’all from this point forward. I swear I do.”

Tears came to my eyes quicker than I could stop them. The thing that penetrated my heart the most was him saying he was proud of me. I don’t remember the last time I heard anyone say that to me. Once I realized I ...

“No, don’t do that. That’s exactly where you should be. Where you belong. I wanted you to be there when I came back. I swear to God I didn’t want you to leave.” He bent his head down and I came halfway to meet him. His lips sent fireworks through my system. I didn’t realize how starved I was. I wanted to regain control of myself. The thoughts warred in my head until ...

“You really think I’m worried about that shit? Bring them pretty muthafuckas back here.” He licked his lips and stepped forward. I don’t know how I ended up in his arms again. Like a magnet it pulled me to him and we connected again.

When I looked at Jasmine I had no question of paternity. She had so many of my features, but who she really looked like was my sister Pria. Her little butter pecan color and freckles stretched across her nose came from her mother but all her other features came from my side of the family. It was something just watching her move. She was so busy and as soon as I squeezed her little cheeks she had me in the palm of her hand. While Satisa was sleeping Benji told me everything. Told me how tough they had it and how the only good thing he had was at her house. Satisa had been trying to open her shop and finally got the space. Benji overheard all her stresses and he talked about how he just wanted to help her. I saw that look in his eyes. The same look I had when I saw my mother going through shit with my dad. As a kid you just want to make a difference. My purpose was to take them out of that. I felt that without question. This house would be a good first step. I thought my sister up as her name flashed across my cell phone screen. I swiped to take the FaceTime call. “Don’t you know you supposed to text before you just FaceTime somebody chump.”

The nigga she was with for four years left her high and dry thinking she wouldn’t recover. By the time she had regained her motor skills he was marrying someone else. That shit was hard on her. She may not have said it but I could tell.

“Don’t be. I’m never going to tell you not to cry when you feel the need to.” “No I look a mess.” “You are beautiful. Even with the tears. Don’t try to hold that back. Crying is a natural release. You’ve had so much on you.”

“You got it out and I heard you. That’s the last time I will hear talk about yourself in a negative light. You are not fucking awkward. You just don’t lay up with a bunch of niggas. You ain’t a hoe and clearly that is something any fucking man would appreciate. And trust me I ain’t giving any other man an opportunity to treat you better than I will. Vocalizing my feelings to you may not be something you are able to accept right now but I don’t mind that either because love shows you. I will show you both that you deserve the world. Whatever you want you

I just don’t know how he understood what was going on with me but he had called it all out correctly. I was in a state of relief and pleasure and it was all colliding breaking me down and building me up at once. The thought that a man I fantasized about daily was here in front of me essentially being the answer to my struggles was surreal. I busted my ass for years and would for more if that’s what it called for but the fact that he was saying I no longer had to was too much. The fact that someone was in my life that had my back and I no longer had to worry about it. I was overwhelmed with happiness and him

“I ain’t playing either Satisa. I belong to you and you belong to me. That’s how we rockin’.” He dove in headfirst. I heard him and when you were around a man like Priest the last thing on your mind was anybody else.

His business acumen was top tier and he even spoke about going back to school to enhance that skillset. He led the way in making sure everything was set exactly the way I wanted and being here without him was so foreign.

“There you go with that shit! No ma’am we gone believe this is everything we been praying for. Do I have to recite Ciara’s prayer in here? This is happening because you ain’t put nothing but good out here for years. It’s time for you to reap the benefits,” Lesha chimed in.

“Your cousin right?” He asked. I loved how he was so engaged. He leaned up to listen to me so I didn’t have to speak so loud and I could tell he was drinking in every word.

It don’t take a man much time to realize what we want. I knew that night.

“I knew beneath that it was something different about you. When I saw you being you. Completely in your element and free from all worry you were so beautiful. So free. That’s where I want you all the time. I want to give you that freedom every day to be yourself completely. Keeping you smiling will be everything because that muthafucka light up the room. I know you and I know you do everything in your power for everyone else and now it’s time for me to do everything in my power for you. And I ain’t treating you like you mine. You are mine and I ain’t just talking. I love you and I plan to make all that perfectly clear through my actions. Everyday.”

He had this determination about him that made it feel so good standing next to him.

The fact that he didn’t over sex the moment and allowed my body to make its own decision. It made me want to surrender to him. We had a little more time here so whether I laid in his arms or we took it to the next level was completely up to me. The fact that he was good either way felt absolutely amazing.

My mother was my rock in so many ways and I shared so many similarities with her right down to the way she let those she loved take advantage of her until the day she left earth.

My body needed this release.

I was having a moment with my mother and it was okay. I didn’t need to be ashamed about anything I was feeling. The loss of my mother had gutted me and I thought not thinking about it and staying busy would replace her but it did nothing to heal this hole in my heart. I had to deal with this and face it head on. I had to feel it.

I breathed in and out to try to control my heart rate. Living without my mother was ...

I needed to heal for the next level of life.

I knew that I was going to be okay without her.

“Fuck!” I said not believing it. “What you know him?” “It’s Satisa’s fucking cousin man.” I felt the heaviness of that immediately. I didn’t regret a damn thing that I did. Even if you asked me right now I would say that I would do it again. I just knew the type of complication that this was going to bring.

“You heard her.” Priest spoke smoothly but his intent couldn’t be missed. China never let anyone silence her but this time she left out the door. That within itself was strange.

She smiled under the moonlight as I looked at her. She was the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on the first time we crossed paths.