Luca (The Eisenberg Effect #1)

by Grey Huffington

Everything will work itself out – even if it doesn’t look like it right now.

For once, I was giving myself the apology I desperately needed and it had nothing to do with words. Changed behavior was the only apology I was accepting, now, from myself or anyone else. I deserved that. I owed it to the future me.

“You’re not letting me, Ever. I’m demanding. Now, get in the truck. You’ve done enough, love. Your hardship ends here. It’s time to relax,”

“That nigga not stopping shit for you, Ever. I’ve just been waiting on you to make the call. You don’t owe me anything. Get on your feet. Don’t rush into getting a place to stay. Stack your money at my place. You can stay as long as you’d like. It’s big enough for us all. That’s eight thousand dollars. I’ve already gotten Emorey into my

mother’s school, so don’t worry about that. I can take her once she wakes up. She can do a half-day today. “That’ll give you time to get Essence prepared for tomorrow. You’ve already filled out the necessary paperwork. We can stop by once Emorey is at school to finalize things. Look in the glove compartment. There’s a printout from one of my brother’s good friends who owns a cash car lot. Find one you think you’ll

love that’s within your budget, and we can pick it up tomorrow when the girls are away.” “Lyric.” I couldn’t gather anything else. That was all I had. That was all that would come out. “I have to pay you back. I pro...

“Right at five hundred. Laike’s treat, not mine. He’s funding the trip since

he got us out here. So, don’t hold back. Everything is on his tab and his pockets aren’t shallow. Have the time of your life because I plan

to.”

“Okaaaaaay! I see you!” she chanted. “Just make sure you never

turn down a man’s offer to give you free money while you’re in front of me.”

“Ever, there’s a lot that I’ve never told you. Not because I didn’t want to, but because telling you one thing would require me to tell you why that thing is or how it came to be. Luca is one of those things. My past relationship, one of those things.

“I lost two men I loved that night. Though Luca didn’t physically leave me until he was sentenced, I knew it was coming and no matter how strong he wanted me to be, I couldn’t prepare myself not to see him for so long. I felt like it was my fault, too. That’s why I understand and have never judged your situation at all. I know what love feels like, and I know what redemption feels like too. I want that for

you, so I’ve stayed out of the way until you was ready for it.”

“Luca pulled up while he was outside dragging me like a dog. He’d never fought me so hard. We’d had little fights, but never on that level. I should’ve left then, though, when the little fights began. I thought it was just how relationships worked, but I know better now. If a nigga has to put his hands on me, he can’t have me. That’s it.”

“Right. Nothing serious. I’m not even looking to have sex right now. I just want to give my little coochie a break. She gets me caught up. I can’t trust her.” “Okay then, good coochie. Must be nice,” Lyric sang.

No matter his profession, I wanted him to know what it looked and felt like to grow up in a Black neighborhood. That was a box he had to check or he couldn’t check for me. It was simple.

“Ma’am, what are you doing?” I chuckled. “I’m about to lay the hell out as soon as he gets in. I want to have my bed prepared.” “If you’re back here then where the heck will I sleep?” “Shit, either on top of me or in the front seat. You can sleep sitting up. I can’t to save my life. I have to be laying down.”

“Good morning to you, too, Laike.”

“Yeah, all that,” he calmly, collectively responded. “Yes. We’ve made it.” “Aight. They’ll release him around nine.” “Nine? I thought it was eight?” “Na. I told you that so you’d be there on time. I know how you like to get your beauty rest and shit.”

“Because that’s what big brothers do, Lyric. Just pull yourself together, love. Have that nigga to call me when he touches down. Get some rest.”

I was so accustomed to the strong-willed and fierce woman

that had become my best friend from a distance that it was hard recognizing Lyric, the little sister, but since I’d gotten home from work, she’d been right in front of me. I could see that her brothers were her safe places. With them, she could peel back her layers of protection and remove the shields. In their worlds, she could be vulnerable. She could be the softest version of herself, and the thought of having someone be to her what she was for me made me utterly satisfied.

Every day that I’d spent behind the wall was a necessary part of my journey that I didn’t regret. I’d do it again and then once more if it still meant protecting my gem. It was whatever when it came to Lyric. Always

was and always would be. She was the only person I’d lose my cool over, and I’d done exactly that the night I shot her ex down in the middle of the pavement like the dog he was.

“Document each expense, Lyric. I got you as soon as I get home.” “Luca, I’m offended, but I won’t turn down any money.”

What’s the meaning of Luca? I typed. “Bringer of light,”

And for the first time, I wasn’t opposed to the idea of Lyric leaving us alone.

Luca was a drug that I’d rapidly become addicted to in only a four-hour timespan. I wanted to be the center of his attention even if it was only for a minute or two. Solidarity with my narcotic of choice didn’t seem like too much to crave.

I held my breath, waiting for him to continue. I’d reprogrammed my cell number in my head just so that I could be prepared for this moment. Because from the obvious chemistry that we shared, him asking for my contact information had to be next. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered me and gone into the house. Right? I questioned myself. I watched as he extended his free hand until it was underneath my chin. He, then, lifted slightly until

our skin touched. I couldn’t bear the task of looking into his brown eyes, so I closed mine. He lifted my chin slightly and demanded my attention with his words. “Look at me,” he challenged, ever so softly. I obliged, parting my eyelids to see his handsome face. It was faultless. He was flawless, physically. From his kissable lips to his large arms that I wanted him to pick me up with and spin me around as if I, too, had been waiting for his return all these years.

“You should keep your head up.” Luca pored over my features and said to me, “Yo...

As astonishing as the man that was just before me was, he didn’t see me. He saw my pain and that within itself said so much about my trauma. At that moment, I made it a priority to let go of whatever hurt Dewayne had put on me because it would only keep my head down and shoulders slumped.

“Well, now that you’re around family you can expect to spend more time without them. And, I don’t want you feeling guilty about it either. Allow your village to help.” “I know.” “So, is that a yes?” I could hear the excitement in her voice. “Yes.” “Good. Okay. I’ll let you go now. Don’t be calling all day every day, either. Give yourself time to breathe.”

“Ever, baby let your hair down or get your pussy sucked for once. Tell Cedric to bring his ass to Channing

if he really wants to show you how much of a good time he is.”

Ever. I wanted my name to fall from no other man’s lips after it had come from his. It belonged there.

Ever’s beauty was unhinged. It was the kind that one remembered seeing in the early 2000s videos,

back when everything on a woman’s body was real and not up for questioning. She was the girl next door type of pretty, the one whose mother never let her come outside to play with the neighborhood kids because they’d turn her into a hot girl. But ultimately, she ends up with a block boy, anyway. That’s how Ever’s epilogue would end her story with me being her love interest, but I was far from a fucking block boy. I was more of a sit at the head of the table and call the shots type of nigga. The type

that didn’t have to get his hands dirty because he had a hundred niggas willing to. One that paid niggas not to throw their lives away while giving the feds a few years of mine. Her story woul...

Whenever I got a hold of Ever, she was in trouble, but before I conquered her body, I wanted to conquer her mind. It was the true treasure, and I was after it. All else would follow.

“Nigga you played no fucking games on the pad, I see.” “You deserved that. I had to make sure I set you up nicely to give your ass a reason to stay in that bitch.”

“As long as niggas keep their hands to themselves, you ain’t got to worry.”

Any nigga who’d crossed her path was right for attempting to hold her ass down. She was a treasure, but whoever that nigga was had

better made plans to scoot his bitch ass out of the way. Because now that she was in my line of vision, I wouldn’t stop until she was rocking my last name and sporting marks from a few of my seeds growing in her womb. She already had two. That was a great head start for me. “You trying to be a stepdaddy, nigga?” Yeah, I thought but didn’t have to verbalize. Laike already knew what was up with me. If I wanted you, I wanted everything that came with you. And when you became mine,

what was once yours was now both of ours – k...

“Then good, ‘cause I haven’t planned one. I knew better than to organize a gathering for the Grinch.”

“You like her, huh, Luca?” Lyric smiled. “Mind your business.” “She’s good for you, so I don’t mind.”

“What’s her deal?” “She’s fragile, fresh out of a relationship with a man who should’ve never gotten the time of day, but that’s the past.” “Sure the fuck is as long as I got something to say about it.”

“Noooo. Nooooo. No. The girls are fine, and James is on alert. Dewayne shows up and he’d better hope the police can get to him in time after James puts one of those bullets in his ass.”