📍Bottom Lane, Warwick Avenue
Azar's Residence
Saturday
2:05 A.M.

JODIE

I'm jolted awake by the sudden feel of my phone vibrating beside me. I blink against the darkness, my heart pounding from the disturbance.

My room is silent except for the soft hum of the fan, and for a moment, I think I imagined it. Then it buzzes again, the screen casting a faint glow in the dimly lit space. I reach for it, squinting at the name on the screen.

Dario.

My stomach clenches. A million thoughts race through my mind, none of them making sense.

Why is he calling me at this hour?

Him tek this thing fi a habit now?

My fingers hover over the answer button, hesitating. Contemplating whether I should answer. Then I hiss my teeth and turn my head on the pillow, closing my eyes.

The ringing stops.

Then goes off again. Seriously?

Mi not even ago answer him eno. Him see di time?

I stare at the screen for a while, then pick it up.

“Hello?” My voice is thick with sleep.

“Come outside.”

I sit up immediately. “Wah?”

“Come outside, mi deh a di gate.” His voice is low, gruff. Different. There’s something in his tone that makes my skin prickle. A tension I can't explain.

“Dario, yuh mad?” I whisper, glancing at my door as if my mother could hear us through the phone. I know she's sleeping but still. “Mi cyaan just——”

“Jodz.” He cuts me off, voice firm. “Please nuh.”

Something in the way he says it makes my stomach twist. I don’t know what this is, what’s happening, but I find myself swinging my legs over the bed, standing before I can stop myself.

“Give mi a second,” I murmur, spinning in circles. Like the sleep turn mi inna eediat eno.

When I get back to my sensible self, I tiptoe to the window, pulling the curtain back just enough to peek outside. His car is parked just beyond the gate, the headlights off. My heart skips a beat.

Turning on my heels, I don’t think, I just move, grabbing the first oversized t-shirt I find, slipping it over the soso thong I'm wearing, before easing my way out of the house as quietly as possible.

The night air feels cool against my heated skin as I make my way toward the car. My heart is in my throat, pounding with every step. I don’t know why I’m doing this. Why I feel like I have to do this. But my feet carry me through the gate regardless.

I reach the passenger side and open the door, sliding inside. The scent of him——clean, masculine, familiar——fills the space, wrapping around me like a warm blanket.

When he doesn't acknowledge me, my eyes drift to his face, noting the tension in his jaws, then to his hands. He’s gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles flexing. It's like he's warring with himself.

His eyes finally flick to me, dark and unreadable.

I shift in my seat, suddenly feeling exposed under his gaze. “Dario…awah?”

He exhales sharply through his nostrils, rubbing his palm over his mouth before looking at me again. “Mi nuh know.”

Den hear ya!

I frown. “Wah yuh mean yuh nuh know?”

He shakes his head, laughing under his breath, but it’s humorless. Frustrated. “Mi mean seh mi nuh know wah di fuck mi a do, Jodz.” His grip tightens on the wheel. “Yuh know wah, mi shouldn’t call yuh out yah, star. Mi shouldn't even deh yah right now. Mi shouldn’t want deh yasso a look inna yuh fucking pretty yeye dem, like mi n'ave nuh sense. And stop look pon mi so tuh, badman.”

Heat flares in my chest, spreading lower. His words shouldn’t affect me like this. But they do.

“Den why yuh call mi?” My voice is barely above a whisper.

His eyes lock onto mine, intense, heated. “Because mi cyaa stop fucking think ‘bout yuh. A dat yuh waa mi say?”

Whew!

A breath catches in my throat. The air between us thickens, suffocating, charged with something I can't find the right words for right now.

I watch as his fingers flex on the steering wheel, like he’s physically restraining himself.

I swallow hard. “Dario…”

“Mi fight it, yuh fuck...” He lets out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Mi a fight it whole night, bredda. A try fi convince miself seh mi a eediat. Mi tell miself fi leave yuh alone.” His voice dips lower. “But mi cyaa——Jah know.”

My chest rises and falls too fast, too hard. My entire body is reacting to him, to the raw desire in his voice. To the way his eyes keep dropping to my lips, my thighs, like he’s seconds away from giving in.

Oh I wish he would.

“Tell mi fi leave,” he murmurs, leaning slightly toward me. “Tell mi fi stop pree yuh certain way cah mi know mi nuh supposed to a do it, yo.”

I part my lips, but nothing comes out. Because I can’t tell him that. Because the way he’s looking at me, the way my body is responding, I don’t want him to stop. Not when I longed for him to finally start reciprocating.

His breath is shallow, his eyes searching mine. “Yuh nuh understand wah yuh a do to mi, badman.”

Is it the same thing you've been doing to me all these years?

“Mi cyaa tell yuh dat,” I whisper, voice shaky, betraying everything I’m trying to hold back. “Because I don't want you to.”

His entire body tenses. “Fuck.”

And then suddenly, he moves. His hand cups the back of my neck, pulling me toward him, his lips crashing onto mine.

The second our mouths connect, something inside me snaps. I gasp against him, fisting his shirt, dragging him closer. He groans, deep and guttural, his grip tightening as he devours me, as if he’s been starving for this.

I've imagined this moment for years...and that has not done it justice.

The heat between us is instant, burning, uncontrollable. His hands roam, gripping my waist, pulling me onto his lap. The feel of him—hard and ready beneath me—makes me moan into his mouth, my body trembling with need.

“Jodie,” he breathes, his lips moving to my jaw, my neck, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. “Please tell mi fi stop. Cah if yuh nuh tell mi...mi naggo stop.”

No, I don’t want you to stop either.

“Den nuh stop.”

His breath on my neck makes me shudder, his fingers digging into my hips.

Easing back at my words, he pulls my head to face him.

His eyes search mine, giving me one last chance to pull away.

I don’t.

His mouth finds mine again, this time more demanding than before. I feel a jolt in my belly bottom, immediately going wet.

His hand moves, sliding up, fingers pressing into my skin, his other hand slipping below my ass, cupping the cheek, his movement claiming, possessive. I gasp against his lips, and he groans, deep and guttural, like he’s losing control.

The seatbelt thingie presses into my knee as I twist to get closer. My fingers find his hair, gripping, pulling, desperate for more.

Dario breaks away, breathing heavily, his forehead resting against mine. "Fuck, Jodz..."

"Please don’t stop." I rock my hips back and forth, grinding on him, loving the feel of his dick underneath me.

The fact that I'm only wearing a thong makes me feel everything. The only thing left for him to do is to shift it to the side and slip his dick in.

Damn.

I lean forward, moaning softly in his ear.

My clit is throbbing mercilessly at this point, the sensation sending shivers up my spine.

His hand tightens on my thigh to steady me, his free hand bringing my face back to face him, his lips teasingly brushing mine. "If mi go any further, mi might end up fuck yuh."

So?

A that mi want.

He chuckles lowly. "Maybe when di liquor nuh buss in a mi head so."

Wait, did I say that out loud!?

Jesus Christ!

My cheeks heat up, and I look away.

He chuckles again, the sound so low it vibrates through my skin. "Wah yuh do, embarrassed?"

Yes! I shake my head but keep my gaze through the window.

My mind rolls back over his words.

Again, wait, pause! Did he say liquor?

So he's drunk?

Really?

Then again, that would explain all of this madness.

I mean, I should've known.

A sober Dario wouldn't dare...!

This man has seen me in so many compromising positions over the years and has never bat an eyelash at me, much less put words to me...so to come this close to fucking me? 

My heart sinks.

A bigger wave of embarrassment washes over me, and I crawl off of his lap.

“A wah do yuh?”

“Noth'n. Mi a come go back inside before Mommy or Josh wake." I try to push the feeling away.

"Suh quick?"

"A sleep mi did a sleep eno and yuh wake mi. Mi swear think a sum'n do you."

"Mi just did waa deh 'round yuh likkle bit." He tugs at his crotch, I'm guessing to ease the strain of his erection. "Why yuh move? Come back come siddung yasso nuh?"

I bite down on my lip. While that's a lovely offer, I know better than to take advantage of his drunkeness.

"You're drunk, Dario," I say, opening the door, feeling his eyes piercing through me. Once I'm outside, I sigh, dipping my head to peek inside. "Go home and sleep it off. You'll be back to normal in the morning."

Well, technically in a few hours since it's already morning.

Stepping back, I softly push the car door shut.

He leans over, rolling the passenger window down. "Yo, Jah know? Nuh diss mi suh. Fawud and bill yasso likkle nuh, badman."

"Good night, Dario. Get home safe."

Before he can respond, I fix my crumpled blouse and walk back to the gate, before jogging up to the verandah and going inside.

It takes a few minutes before I hear the engine start and then the car pull off.

My heart sinks lower.

Sigh.

.                .                  .

I feel like I barely got two hours of sleep.

Rolling over with a groan, I pick up my phone from the pillow beside me, unplugging it from the charger.

I glance at the screen to check the time. 6:00 A.M.

My eyes are burning from sleep deprivation, but I roll over and get up. Affi mek sure mi uniform dem wash before rain start, the weather thingie on my phone said there's a ninety percent chance of rain today.

I sigh. If anything mi come back come lay dung after mi done.

I head to the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth. I barely step two feet back inside my room before a strong male voice hollers my name from the living room.

“Jodie! Come ya deh!”

Wait! A Daddy dat?

My heart starts racing immediately. A wah him a do yah? Him nuffi deh a country a work?

I step out into the hallway, pulling the hem of the nightie between my legs. I'd taken a cold shower when I got back inside this morning, because mi couldn't go a mi bed so hot and flustered. Plus, mi drawz did well stain up wid pussy juice ——all because of dirty, confusing, haunted Dario. Sigh.

My eyes find Daddy's immediately as I reach the living room. He's sprawled out on the couch, face serious, phone in his hand.

“Daddy?” I try to keep the surprise out of my voice.

“Nuh come 'Daddy' mi, my girl. Weh yuh did deh last night?”

I swallow hard. “Mi did inside. Wah yuh mean?”

That's a lie.

Not really. He asked me where I was. He didn't specify the time frame.

Daddy narrows his eyes. “Jodie, mi look like fool to yuh? Mi hear di gate open inna di before day. Mi hear when di car drive off tuh.”

So a from last night him come?

I feel my throat tighten. “Mi just go check Leah fi a minute. Mi did have sum'n fi her and she come pick it up 'cause she did really need it.”

“Leah?”

I nod, for fear of opening my mouth to speak. Cah yuh know yawh tell like pon di gyal...

“Inna boh 2 o'clock a night?” His eyes narrow. “Then a wah Leah coulda waa from yuh so das she couldn't wait 'til day light?”

I don't get the chance to speak. Thank God because I hadn't thought out the lie that far.

Daddy leans forward. “Yo, yuh think mi born yesterday? Jodie, mine yawh get too careless eno.” He points a gun finger at me. “Mi a warn yuh! Mi tell yuh fi stay outta certain mix-up, but yuh nawh listen when mi talk...! Ago tell yuh madda say –—”

My fists tighten. “Daddy, mi nuh mix-up inna noth'n!”

Wah di hell him a talk 'bout?

I almost roll my eyes when he slaps the armrest. He has a temper. I got mine from him. “Oh really? So how mi hear seh yuh a link up back wid da yute deh?”

“Which yute that?” I know exactly who he's referring to, but I play oblivious.

“Weh him name deh son...um...Scarpio bomboclaat son, man! Wah the fucking bwoy name again? Um...Dario! Why di fuck tha' name deh so hard fi memba!?”

I almost giggle at him struggling to remember his name. The fact that Dario spent so much time here, over the years, yet he can't remember his name is ridiculous. A good too. A run wid news and not even have his facts straight. Bet say a smaddy a carry mi name to him!

He speaks again, bringing my attention back to him when he says, “People tell mi say all hours a night him come a mi rass yard tuh!”

My blood runs cold.

Wah mi juss seh!?

See how people nuff and can chat!?

I shift on my feet. “Jesus, mek people wikid and lie so!?”

How much time dem see the poor bwoy come ya suh?

Daddy pauses and looks at me. He chuckles dryly. “So ano him yuh go to since night, Jodie?”

“Ano fi him di white bimma mi see park up a mi gate?”

Well...

I don't answer. Just hold my head down. Makes no sense I deny it when he already knows.

“Baby girl, mi nuh waa yuh 'round dem bwoy bwoy deh eno. Ano meddle mi waa meddle inna yuh business...because mi know yawh tun big woman now. But...mi know how man like him tan, Jodie. Dem nuh waa nobody. Anyweh dem can get a one fuck a desso dem ago hitch up.

“Til dem tired a the gyal and cut. Inna my time ano likkle gyal mi see mad out cause a that. People good good gyal pickney tuh! Plus, not only that, from a man a parr wid Lester dem a trouble him a study, baby girl. An mi nuh wah yuh get tie up inna noth'n yuh cyaan manage.”

Can bet a dat Grandpa did tell Mommy too, yet she still end up mek yuh breed har.

My heart beats hard, but I hold my ground. “Mi know wah mi a do.”

I can see the disappointment in his eyes, but he masks it, shaking his head, lips pressed tight. “Mi hope so. 'Cause mi nuh waa affi pick up back di cap weh mi puddung how long, if a bwoy hurt mi bloodclaat pickney inna any way, shape or form.”

I know what that means.

Daddy used to be a part of that life too. He and Dario's father, Scarpio, used to be in the same circle, around Lester ——who was also Scar's older brother. That's how Dario and I became friends so young. When Scarpio was killed, my father put away the gun and changed over a new leaf.

He's now a mason. One of the baddest from Warwick.

And to think he'd have to pick it back up because I can't control who I'm in love with...sigh.

I get what he's saying though. Regardless, I don't like his tone. He doesn't usually talk to me like this though, as I'm his little princess, so I know he's pissed.

“Scar a did mi bonified bredren, eno, so mi wouldn't waa affi inna nuh fuckry wid him so——”

“Daddy, seriously?” I cut him off, hating where this is going. “Mi and Dario a just fren, noth'n more!”

Yuh did memba say uno a only "fren" when yuh ready fi skin out yuh pussy gi' him this morning?

I bawl my fists feeling my temper flare. “Mi literally nuh do noth'n more than go outside to the bwoy, cah him did waa tell mi sum'n, and a that yawh gwaan so fa?”

“Patsy say——"

Mi did just know, man...!

“Patsy chat too much!” I hiss. “Why she a watch mi!?”

“She think mi a likkle pickney?”

Why shi nuh go watch her underage granddaughter who dem ketch pon video a suck hood?

Hate the likkle old crawses woman yussi!

“Jodie ——”

“Mi nuh waa hear noth'n else, Daddy. Because instead yuh ask mi if mi and di bwoy inna noth'n, yawh follow wah people say and a come a accuse mi...!”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turn my back before he can see the tears in my eyes.

I quickly swat at my cheeks when I spot Josh as he pops up at the doorway. His face twists into a frown when he sees mine.

“Yuh alright, Itta?”

Itta is his nickname for me. Before he could speak properly, he used to find it hard saying 'sister', so he called me "Itta" instead. The name stuck with him as he got older.

I don't mind it. I actually find it cute.

Blinking back the tears, I nod, but his eyes go wide when I step to the side and he sees the person behind me.

“Daddy!” he shouts, pushing past me and over to his father, hugging him. “A when yuh come?”

Daddy immediately relaxes, his eyes briefly fleeting to me and I pout. “Last night. It did late so mi never waa wake uno.”

Mhm...but yuh did have time fi a watch mi through window tho.

Burying my emotions, I leave them to each other, going to the laundry room to prep for washing.

Might as well mi just tackle that now and get it over with.