Take it All (Blinded by Love) (36 page)

“Hungry baby?” Caleb asked, leaning back rubbing his face.

She looked at him and nodded, “Yeah, starving.”

“Em, make the call man.”

“I’m on it,” he said, sounding amused, as he reached into his jean pocket and pulled his cell phone out and dialed a number and placed it to his ear.

Lennox looked at Caleb with raised eyebrows, “Pizza?”

He grinned but Emerson’s voice talked over his, “Yo, I need two large pizzas, both pepperoni.”

“Are we staying in tonight?” she asked.

“That was the plan, unless you wanted to go do something?”

“Nope, just making sure before I go change,” she kissed his nose, “be right back.”

She stood up then grabbed her bags and walked down the hall, passing the bathroom as Reed emerged. “Want me to toss you over my shoulders and give ya a lift?” he smirked, teasing her.

She rolled her eyes, “I’m good, thanks.” She started to move towards Caleb’s room when Reed’s hand on her elbow stopped her and she turned to see him looking at her carefully.

“You’re good for him,” he said, letting her go and catching her off guard, “just thought you should know.”

She blinked, “You just met me,” she whispered, floored not knowing what else to say.

“Word,” he began, pausing while searching for his words, “but I’ve heard good things about you from Em, and I’ve seen a change in King; not the one we all want– not yet anyways.”

“Oh,” she said, knowing what change he was referring to.

“Just know, he really cares about you, regardless of what he does,” he said then turned and headed back to the living room.

Lennox stood in her spot a moment longer, wrapping her head around what had just happened, unable to shake the feeling that it wasn’t just Caleb who saw her as his ray of hope and saving grace but Reed and Emerson also. Shaking the thoughts that weighed her down, Lennox walked into Caleb’s room and tossed her bags on the bed. She gathered her hair into her hands and tied it back and unzipped her bag. As she dug through her clothes and pulled out her light pink camisole and her black capri’s and zip up sweater, she heard Caleb’s cell phone ringing.

“Caleb, your phone is ringing,” she called, pulling off her tee and putting her cami on.

“What?” he asked, walking into the room headed in her direction when she pointed to his cell phone on the nightstand that started ringing again. “Your phone, it’s ringing,” she said.

Caleb looked at his phone but chose to ignore it and walked over to Lennox instead, pulling her into his arms. She let out a small scream as he fell back on the bed pulling her down with him so she was on top, straddling his waist. “Aren’t you going to get that?” she grinned down at him, her hands flat against his chest.

“Nah, I’m good right here,” he smirked, lifting his hips up and grinding into her.

Feeling him between her legs she smirked, her hands slid up and over his shoulders as she bent down, dipping her head and claiming his lips with hers. Caleb’s hands curved around her back side and slid under her cami, his hands smoothing over her bare skin. Their lips moved together until she swiped her tongue over his bottom lip and they parted; her tongue sliding inside and finding his. Lennox’s body began to grind into him, feeling him through her jeans, her hands smoothing over his soft tussled hair. A groan vibrated over her lips and before she knew it, Caleb, grabbing her tightly, flipped her onto her back, a yelp that quickly turned into a moan sounded from her mouth as his hard groin pushed up against her middle. Caleb’s lips found the side of her neck and started kissing down to the crook of her neck and over her shoulder, pulling her straps to the side as his lips and tongue connected to her skin tasting her and locking it away in his memory.

“Missed you, baby,” he said into her skin, “you are the
only
good thing in my life, the only thing bright and pure; knowing I have you makes everything right.”

“I missed you too, Caleb,” she breathed out as her hands gently slid into his hair as her eyes fluttered shut, taking in the pleasure he was making her feel; not wanting to ever be away from it. She sighed, about to say something when the sound of his cell phone filled the room.

Ignoring it, his hand slid under the hem of her shirt and made circles until his thumb swiped the bottom of her right breast then cupped it in his hands, causing her to arch her back, pushing her body into his. His lips traveled back up and took control over hers; as his tongue slid against hers, the sound of his cell phone ringing again, caused him to groan and pull away from her.

Resting his head against hers, their heavy breathing filled the room as Lennox licked her bottom lip quickly before saying, “You should get that, someone obviously needs to talk to you.”

Caleb sighed, opening his eyes, “I don’t know who ‘cause I’m with the only person who matters,” he said, grinning down at her before he kissed her nose and pushed himself up, off the bed.

Walking around his bed, Caleb swiped his cell phone off his nightstand and looked at the screen; his face paling. Lennox, pushing up off the bed and straightening herself out, looked over to see the look on his face. “What’s going on?” she asked.

Caleb ignored her as his cell phone started to ring in his hands again, “Shit,” he hissed, running his hands over his hair as his body became ridged. He looked at Lennox with an uneven look and put a finger to his mouth, telling her to be quiet as he flipped his phone open. “Yo, man what’s up?” he answered as he turned away from her and walked into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him.

Lennox sat on the bed not liking the look Caleb had on his face and therefore having a bad feeling wash over her like a bucket of ice water. She heard the door unlock then fly open as Caleb came rushing into the room with his hand gripping his cell phone tightly. His face was pale and hard, his jaw clenched, as his eyes looked around the room erratically as if he was looking for something to hit. “Caleb, what is it?” she asked, jumping to her feet, worried.

His head jerked in her direction, startled as if he had forgot she was even there; his eyes were swimming with worry and anger. He didn’t say anything as his eyes darted away from her gaze as he threw his cell phone angrily on the bed as he hissed, “Fuck.”

Lennox jumped at his outburst, “Caleb what–”

He raised his hand to stop her and his eyes locked onto hers full of alarm, “Snake,” he said, not saying anymore as his face began to soften around his eyes.

“What about him?” she asked, her heart rate speeding up and her stomach clenching uneasily; knowing what he was going to say wasn’t going to be good.

His hand rested on his hip as his other ruffled through his hair, his eyes dropping from hers to the floor in front of him, “I lied,” he finally said.

Her heart slammed into her chest as her stomach twisted more, tightening, making the nausea roll. She swallowed, keeping her emotions in check. “Lied about what, Caleb?”

There was a chair in the corner of his room, one full of clean clothes he had yet to put away. He walked over to it, pushed the clothes on the floor and sat down; his elbows on his thighs and his head resting in his hands looking at the floor as he spoke quietly, “You asked if I owed Snake anything and I told you no; that was a lie...” he trailed off, looking up at her as his hands fell between his legs, “I owe him money... for coke.”

Another lie, Lennox thought, as she looked at him, having no idea what to say to him. She was stunned; she didn’t know what else to think other than he lied to her again. She pulled the elastic from her hair and let it fall over her shoulders, as she ran her hands through her hair a few times as she paced from the side of the bed to the door and back again, “How much, Caleb?”

“Lennox–”

She stopped and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him, “How. Much,” she asked tightly through gritted teeth.

He stood from his chair and pulled his smokes from his pocket and lit one up before he answered, “Two grand.”

“Two grand!” she exclaimed, still glaring at him before she started pacing again. “When does he want it?” Caleb took a drag of his smoke, watching her pace as she turned her head in his direction. “Well?”

“Ten thirty tonight. If I don’t get it to him, then he comes here and gets it himself.”

Lennox froze in her place, her body going numb at his words as she pictured the worst if he had to come get it. Her body shivered as she shook the thoughts away, “Okay, well pay him then,” she said.

“Not that easy, Lox,” he took his final drag then put his smokes on the dresser next to him, “can’t pay someone if you don’t have the money.”

“What do you mean you don’t have the money, you’re working– you sell that shit for Christ sakes– how can you
not
have the money. How did you get the coke you owe him for, Caleb?”

He didn’t say anything only looked away. “He gave it to me, told me to pay him when I could,” he told her running his hand through his hair roughly, “but he wants the money now.”

“Okay well, don’t you have money in your bank account, money from selling it, anything?” she asked her voice higher than normal as she started to panic.

Caleb didn’t say anything, only looked at her, his face guilt-ridden and ashamed. She ran her hands over her face trying to think but her mind was only on the fact that everything he made from selling and any money he had, he snorted it up his nose and now he was screwed. He couldn’t pay back his dealer who would likely make things a living hell, not just for him but for them. It may be his own fault for being in the mess he was in but she was his girlfriend and she loved him; she didn’t want to see anything bad happen to him, she wanted to help him regardless of how angry and upset she was with him.

She walked over to her bag and grabbed her sweater and started to pull it on, “What about your parents? Can you figure something out and ask to borrow money?” she asked, not looking at him as she zipped her sweater up then started rummaging through her purse.

“No– well maybe– they might.”

“What about Emerson, or Reed?”

“No, they won’t.”

Lennox nodded as she pulled out her wallet and counted what she had inside, “I got sixty, so only nineteen forty to go,” she said tossing the bills on the bed then putting her wallet back as she hooked her arm through her purse and started towards the door.

“Lennox, what’re you doing?” Caleb asked as he walked towards her, stopping as she turned in his direction and held her hands out for him to stop.

“Don’t; don’t even think about touching me right now, I’m so–”

“Mad, I know and baby–”

“No,” she hissed, cutting him off before she took a breath and collecting herself, “I’m not
mad
Caleb, I was a few minutes ago but now I’m just...” her voice cracked as she shook her head and looked away, opening the door, “disappointed.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat and left the room.

She walked swiftly into the living room, sniffling and gaining the attention of Emerson and Reed who looked up to see her and the tears in her eyes. Emerson jumped to his feet and looked from her to Caleb who followed a few paces behind, “What’s goin’ on?” he asked accusingly looking at him then Lennox.

“Nothing, Em,” Caleb said, blowing him off.

Lennox stopped and blinked the tears away. “No, Caleb, maybe you should tell them,” she challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Lox,” he challenged.

She shook her head having enough and looked at Emerson, who was then joined by Reed at his side, “We’re off to come up with two grand so Caleb can go pay back Snake, before ten thirty when he comes to collect it himself,” she said, the hurt and anger she felt at the situation evident in her voice, “Oh my bad, I mean nineteen forty now.”

Emerson and Reed both looked at Caleb with stony faces, their eyes narrowing at him, “King man, what the fuck,” Reed said outraged, “you racked up a bill with Snake you can’t afford to pay?”

Caleb shook his head, not wanting to hear it from them, then started to move towards Lennox when Emerson grabbed his arm roughly and turned him towards him. He looked at him with his jaw clenched and eyes hard as rock as his hands balled into fists at his sides. “Fix it.” He seethed then walked away into the kitchen, a loud crash sounding that made Lennox gasp and jump in her place.

Caleb turned from Reeds glare and motioned for Lennox to move out the door and followed behind her, “King man, you shouldn’t be getting her involved, it ain’t fair,” Reed called out after them.

Lennox stopped and looked over Caleb’s shoulder at Reed with a sad face, and said, “He’s not... it’s my choice.” She turned back and walked out the door and down the walk way to Caleb’s car.

Caleb hurried around and hopped into his car then started it before he pulled his seatbelt on. Lennox looked at the dashboard and the clock read eight forty five. “We got an hour and forty five minutes,” she said as she clicked her seatbelt into place as Caleb sped away from the curb.

“Need gas then we’ll hit my parents place,” he said as he turned off his street and headed to the gas station a few blocks away. “You got any money in your account?”