"I'm being bullied." Destiny blurts out. Well, that's one way to start breakfast. The family pauses with what they're doing and looks at Destiny. Destiny releases a deep breath, "I'm being bullied at school."

Everyone starts talking at the same time, mostly remarks of uproar, her brother threatening to go to the school and deal with it themselves.

"Can everyone let me finish?" Destiny pleads and her family is silent, calming down only because they must but it's evident that they are furious. Ms Carter's forehead is wrinkled with lines and a deep frown, clearly worried about her daughter.

"They torment me, they say all these terrible things to me all because I'm not skinny enough or pretty enough, and honestly I'm beginning to believe them." Destiny releases a quick, breath as the incoming tears begin to take over. Destiny tugs on the sleeves of her hoodie, stuffing them into the pockets.

"I don't want to go to school anymore knowing that they're going to be there ready in. It's hard to be the round academic achiever while your mind reminds you of all the things, you're not good at and all the things you're not. It's hard to be happy when all you hear is all the things you know you'll never be. It's mentally and psychically draining that's become impossible to do something as simple as getting out of bed. I know you will ask me why I didn't tell you sooner, but everyone is doing their own thing and I didn't want to burden anyone with this." Destiny rolls up the sleeves of her hoodie, revealing the cuts on her arm, and her mom gasps, her mouth flying up to her mouth. Mr. Carter clears his throat and looks up at the ceiling. My eyes widen. They did not talk about that. I told Destiny if she felt too self-conscious about it that she didn't have to show her family the cuts just yet, but she did, no words could express how proud I am of her.

I'm close to tears but they are proud tears, nonetheless. Her mom is dabbing her eyes with the sleeve of the cream coloured blouse she's wearing, and her brothers all look at her sympathetically and for the first time in thirty six hours, I see emotion on Mr Carter's face. One of pain and sadness by the weight of his daughter's words. "Daddy, I'm grateful for everything you do for us as a family, but we barely even see you, yet we all live under the same roof. You're more committed to your work than us. You're like here but you're not here at the same time. You're physically present but you don't live in the moment. We didn't need money, daddy we needed you. I just want back my dad who'd take me on daddy-daughter dates and help me with my homework bur most of all I don't wanna feel the way I feel right now."

It's silent as Destiny stands in front of her family, nobody saying anything except the tears rolling down all their faces. Destiny looks at the floor, picking at the skin of her nails. Then to my surprise, Mr Carter slowly rises onto his feet, his family watching as he walks around the kitchen table and stands in front of his daughter. He brings her into a hug, and it makes Destiny weep all over again. They rock together in their stance, and I am so relieved.

Destiny looks over her dad's shoulder, mouthing a 'thank you' to me. I smile and nods, glad to have brought this family closer to getting back to how they were.

...

"There's the lady of the moment,"

I looks at him over my shoulder, smiling, as I pack my clothes back into my bag, "what are you talking about?"

"You noticing all this shit, I'm her big brother. I'm supposed to see these things. Was I so busy that she felt like she couldn't speak to me?"

Damn. "Look, people who suffer with mental health issue don't necessarily reveal everything to the first person that asks them, and pity is the last thing they need. There are warning signs, but some aren't too obvious but when you do look closely, you will know." I say, putting in my clothes from the night before in my bag.

He rubs the back of his neck, "yeah, well I guess you're right, better late than never."

"No, but I am right, " I spin around to face him, "I see a lot of myself in her, you know. I would've given anything to have someone relate to what I went through. She at least has that now."

"I'm glad it was you and not someone else." He blows out a breath of relief. I laugh, "like who Jocelyn?"

He shudders like he's repulsed by the name I uttered, "especially her. To be honest, Destiny refused to speak to her whenever she called me, and she was around."

"Intuitive, I see." I go into his bathroom, grabbing my toiletries. "That she is." He says, watching me pack the rest of my stuff. There's a knock on the door and I look at him, I nod towards the door, and he sighs and reluctantly goes to the door and opens it.

Someone clears their throat, making me look at Devontae in question, "Kiana, uh, my dad wants to borrow you for a little bit." I'm sorry what? I'm in shock that his dad wants to speak to her after blatantly ignoring me and insulting me, "uh.... okay?"

I head towards the door and Te grabs hold of my arm, "are you sure you wanna do this?"

Honestly, I don't know but I do wanna know what Mr. Carter has to say, "I'm sure. If I'm not back in let's say - ten minutes come and get me." He nods and lets me go; I find Mr. Carter already waiting for me. I follow him down the stairs and we head to the back of the house using staring ahead at the large backyard which consists of a large pool the size of one you would see in the Olympics, a basketball court, a colourful flower, and vegetable garden, and more grass plains beyond the gardens with perfectly trimmed green grass. It must take an entire army to maintain this place.

"Your um wanted to see me...Mr. Carter?"

"Yes, I ─ uh..." He starts nervously and my brows raise in disbelief that Mr Carter of all people is nervous. "I - I believe I owe you an apology, Kiana."

Well, I'll be damned. "I'm sorry what?" I'm not hearing correctly, right?

"I gave you a hard time since you arrived and for no reason and you didn't deserve it," Mr says, still not looking at me. I don't say anything, folding my arms as he continues, "I called you out your name and labelled you without even trying to get to know you and for that I am extremely apologetic. My entire family loves you and you weren't even apart this family, yet you noticed my baby girl was going through so much and all she wanted was me as her father. I was so buried in my work that I even stopped being the man my family needed."

I can't help but also feel for him too, even though he doesn't deserve it, "you can make it up to them," I suggest.

"I don't even know where to start. Over the years I forgot how to be a father. And a husband." He mumbles, twisting his wedding band around his finger.

I bite her lip in thought, "just try and remember what you used to do for them. I remember Destiny mentioning that you used to go on ice cream dates?"

That sets off something in him and his ears perk up, "you might have given me an idea. Thank you, Kiana. Again, I apologise for the vile things I said to you. I hope you can forgive me." He turns his body to face me, smiling softly at me for the first time in the past three days.

I grin back, nodding. "Of course. New clean slate."

"Of course, you are dating my son after all." Mr. Carter smiles at me cheekily, making her face turn red. Jesus. "Would it be inappropriate for me to ask for a hug?"

Ah, too soon. "I think we can settle on a handshake." He nods understandably and he takes my hand in his, "thank you for making my son happy."

At the mention of Devontae, I look at French doors, seeing him ruffle his little sister hair and she frowns at him, but he ends of giving up giving her a hug, "I should thank you."

Mr. Carter arches a brow at her, "for what?"

"For bringing him into this world so he can be my apart of my own."

...

After the shocking yet much needed conversation with Devontae's dad, I went back up to his room to finish packing. The past weekend was a pleasant change compared to the chaos of college and work. However now it's time to go back and I don't want to leave.

Walking into the bedroom, I hear the shower running in bathroom. The door is closed but the water is loud enough for me to hear. I'm about to leave and give Devontae space to get ready so that we can be on our way but when I read the door, I stop in my tracks when I think back to what Destiny told me other night. "He's, my brother. He's harmless. I'm sure he's dying to ask you out anyway."

It's now or never.

I take a deep breath and stalk over to the en suite bathroom and carefully open the door. Once I'm in, I close it quietly behind me. The entire room and mirror are fogged by the hot steam. I can make out his silhouette, but I can't see him fully because the glass is all fogged up. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I realise what do I have to lose?

"Fuck it," I swear and begins stripping. I pull of my dress over my head and chuck it on the counter, this is followed by my underwear which I also chuck on the counter.

"Okay, you can do this, you can do this, you can do this." I repeat to myself. I'm gonna chicken out and I know it. I inhale one deep breath and push open the door to the shower. I close it and stands in the corner, my arms covering my boobs suddenly feeling a little less confident than before. Devontae has his back facing me with his head down, leaning against the tiled walled with his palms.

Taking two steps towards him, I run my hands up his back slowly then run them back down. I take another step and wrap my arms around his abdomen, feeling his defined stomach muscles. Devontae places his hand over mine and I lay my head on his back. "This is a pleasant surprise." He says, squeezing my hand with his. He turns around to face me and I'm feel like burying my head in the sand like an ostrich because wow...

I knew this man was sexy but seeing him soaking wet, did a number on me there, his bronzed skin with the droplets of water make me think to how exactly I got so lucky with a man with a good heart and good looks when I look like this.

"Stop that." He chastises me and I frown, "stop what?"

"You have that look on your face like you doubting yourself, stop it."

My lips roll into a thin line, guilt running through me, "I just. It's not easy when you have ten different voices echoing in your brain about how you're not good enough. It's like my own voice is drowned out by others and I can't get myself to -"

He shuts me up by crashing his lips on my own and I practically melt in his arms. His hands cup my face in the most delicate way possible, yet his lips move against mine with such urgency and passion, I feel my brain short circuit. I place my arms around his neck and pull him down lower. However, to my dismay, he pulls back, and I pout. His brushes his thumb across my bottom lip. His sight is zeroed in on my lip and I realise I must get it off my chest here and now, "look, Tae I'm not all that good at seizing opportunities but I know that if I don't seize this opportunity, I know I'll regret it forever."

He smirk at me, not taking his eyes off my face, "By 'this' you mean?"

"Us. Devontae. I'm talking about us." He grins widely, revealing the dimples I've grown so fond of. He grips me by the hand, pulling me to his body. My breasts brush against his chest and his hands glide down my back and grips my ass in both hands and I flush, cursing at how he manages to make me feel flustered. When his mouth meets mine, I let out a desperate sigh. The kiss starts sweet, testing the waters. Devontae tries to separate my lips, but I keep them sealed together, teasing him. He growls and pushes me against the wall, water cascading around us. "So, you teasing me, huh?"

I laugh against his mouth, and I feel his lips curve to a smile, "if you feel like teasing me, I hope you can take all this shit then." He lifts my leg and places it around his waist around and plunges his fingers into me unexpectedly that I gasp loudly, and he take the opportunity to enter my mouth with his tongue. He skilfully strokes me, moving his lips from my mouth to my necks, lapping the skin. He fingers me faster, small breathless moans coming from my lips. He adds a third finger, and my leg begins to slip off him, unable to stay upright. "Is that how you want it?" He asks me, snaking his hand under my thigh and raises it higher, his around hand working magic on my pussy that's getting wetter as he applies more pressure. "Yes, yes, yes." I repeat, his fingers doing wonderous things to my body.

I squints my eyes, feeling my orgasm coming on strong. Devontae pushes his fingers deeper within me and I feel myself going cross eyed and I cum - hard. I feel my arousal gushing down my legs and onto the shower floor, the water washing it down the drain. As I try to catch my breath, he brings my leg down to the floor and I wobble a little, laying my head against the shower wall, closing my eyes. My legs tremble as I try to get myself together because I know he's nowhere near being down. I open my eyes slightly to see Tae bringing his fingers up his mouth and sucks on them, his eyes never leaving mine, "you are nasty."

"But you love it." He then takes my hand and slides it between my breasts, down my stomach, and into my sensitive pussy again. My head rolls back onto the wall as he pushes both of my fingers in and out of me a couple of times and takes them out. He brings them up to my mouth, the fire behind his eyes as he waits for me expectantly has me horny all over again. I open my mouth, sucking my juice from my fingers. He reconnects our lips again, wrapping his arms around my waist, lifting me up like I weigh nothing and not like I weigh one hundred and thirty pounds. He wraps my legs around his waist, he puts his lips to my ear, "As much as I'd love to fuck you right now, I'm nowhere near being done with you."

I shudder at his voice, and he places me back onto the floor and kneeling before me, he stands up with my legs dangling over each shoulder and he dives right into it, tongue fucking me. "Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck." I groan, scrubbing my nails across his scalp. He blows on it and licks from my clit down my labia and plunges his tongue back into my pussy again. "Jesus, are you trying to kill me?" I breathe out and he simply laughs against me, the vibrations sending me into orbit.

My moans are not even mine anymore as he continues to ravish my body with his ungodly tongue. He blows on it again and begins swirling his tongue around in concentric circles. "Oh my God, I'm gonna - "

"Cum for me, baby."

I come, my orgasm coming in endless waves. My eyes roll into the back of my head as Devontae doesn't stop abusing my swollen clit. When my orgasm ends, I lie limp against the wall, breathing heavily. He gently removes my legs from his shoulders and slides down the wall and gently places me on my feet. I smile at him, hazily, already in post-orgasm heaven. With the time we spent in the shower, the water has run cold.

He shuts off the water, opening the door of the shower letting me come out first teetering on my wobbly legs and he grabs a towel and wraps my body with it and grabs a towel for himself. As I try to tie it, the towel falls to my feet, and I blow out a breath of frustration and bend over to pick it up. I hear Devontae hiss from behind me and I stand up straight immediately. "What?"

"If you gonna bend over in front of me, it's only gonna be when I'm pile driving you with your ass in the air." He smacks my ass and kisses me on the cheek, making me giggle like a high school girl. When he lifts me into his arms again, abandoning the towel I dropped and getting rid of the towel around his waist. He kisses me three times on the lips and pulls back grinning at me, I look at him up and down, stopping at his hardened dick, that's practically begging for my attention. "You gonna let me take care of that for ya?" I ask, biting my lip, reaching down grabbing his dick in my hand.

He groans, dropping his head into the crook of my neck, letting out puffs of short breaths and groans, "if you continue doing that, I'm gonna come in hand and I don't want you calling me a minute man up in these streets."

I let out a strong belly laugh, "I won't." He places a quick kiss in my lips, grabbing hold of his dick at the base, "lemme know if it's too painful." I nod. He runs the tip up and down my entrance, collecting moisture from pussy, I moan in expectance, but he doesn't put it in.

"I need words, mama."

"Yes." He pushes the tip in, and I hiss in discomfort. Devontae stops, "You, okay? You wanna stop?"

I shake my head furiously, ain't np way I'm backing out now when we've gotten this far. "No, no. Keep going." I exhale.

He pushes in slower than before, intertwining our hands together, kissing me as a distraction. Once he's all the way in, he starts stroking gently to not hurt me and to get me adjusted to the feeling. Once the dull ache and discomfort fade, my breathing becomes choppy and that gives Tae the go-ahead to increase his pace. The slapping of skin and our groans echo in the empty bathroom as he recklessly pounds into my wet pussy. His hands are everywhere. Gripping my waist, feeling on my stomach pudge, feeling my love handles and his eye contact makes it difficult for me to look away. When I think he couldn't go any faster he does, my breasts bouncing when he drives in and pulls back out. My hands come up to my breasts, teasing my nipples and his dark molten eyes drop down to them.

He lifts one leg and swivels his hips, and I swear I can see the gates of heaven. My nails dig into his back and shoulders surely leaving marks behind.

"Fuck, Kiana," He growls and with one high-pitched scream, I come for the third time. My walls squeeze everything out of him, and his head drops between the crook of my neck and shoulder. Our chest heaves, catching our breath, our bodies covered in a light layer of sweat. Devontae lifts his head from my neck and pulls out of me slowly, leaving me feeling empty. He places a feathery kiss on my forehead, his hands come up removing a couple of hairs that stuck to my face from the shower and the sweat.

"Wow." I breathe. He offers me a crooked smile, "so you my girl now, huh?"

"Did the sex not seal the deal?" I ask sarcastically and he arches a brow at me. "I'll fuck you again if you wanna gonna have that attitude." I simply grin at him devilishly and he shakes his head, "then you say I'm the nasty one."

...

𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲.

𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬.