In This Moment (The Things Unseen Book 1)

by K. Lashaun

All skinfolk ain’t kinfolk.

After grabbing two fistfuls of my ass, he groaned and pulled back long enough to say, “That mu'fucka got some weight on it."

"I’m a long way from that now, obviously. But that little boy who was bathing in gas station bathrooms and stealing chips out of the grocery story is still in me somewhere. That fear he felt is still there. So, I hustle to appease him. Is it healthy?" I punctuated the question with a shrug. "Probably not. But is it profitable?" Another shrug. "Damn right. He’s the reason I am who I am today."

“All I ask is that you relax. Give yourself permission to be in this moment and not overthink it. Trust me enough to take care of you, and not take advantage of you and this agreement we’re in. That’s it."

“I can get drunk off the taste of you."

“All I need is a name." What? "If you want him to get acquainted with the word no, all I need is a name."

“Don’t be sorry. Lean on me. Give yourself permission to fall. I’ll catch you; I promise.”

“Break, Garryn. Break down, fall apart… do all that shit so I can spend the rest of tonight putting you back together.”

Tired of having my dream just out of my grasp no matter how hard I worked. Tired of allowing myself to be treated as less than by a client I despised for money. Tired of being the safety net and punching bag for my brother because like me, he had no one else. Tired of not knowing whether I’d get the phone call one day that Onyx had finally decided to end it and take his life. Tired of pretending my mother’s words and indifference were no big deal when in reality, it devastated me.

“How do I explain how I feel without scaring you off? Explain that something inside of me recognizes something inside of you? That your spirit feels familiar. That I know the wall you hide behind wasn’t to keep me out. That rather than tearing it down, I’d like nothing more than to join you inside of it, so you won’t always be alone.

“I don’t need you to be anything other than what you are right now. You as you are right now is more than enough. Will always be more than enough.”

I was happy. He made me happy. I couldn’t remember the last time I genuinely felt that. Pure happiness and contentment.

“I know, baby. You’re not mean. Just guarded. I’m cool with that as long as you keep letting me in. Fuck everybody else.”

Hakeem’s gape was curious as he watched us walk past. “Where you going?” He asked, swinging his gaze between my flushed face and Verse’s strong back. “To eat her pussy.” Hakeem’s low chuckles rang out as I smacked him soundly in the middle of his back. “Oh my God. Verse!”

Your safety is my main concern, he stated before teasing, If you’re still mad when you get off, I’ll let you take it out on my dick later.

But your intentions won’t always matter when your actions say otherwise.

“You saw me at a time when I felt invisible. You made me feel important when I felt insignificant. I’ll love you forever for so many things, but most of all for showing me what unconditional truly means.”