SUGAR || Lori Harvey x Method Man

-Chapter Twenty-Four-

"Chey, Clifford loves you so much. This man is going to be so excited you're carrying his child."

"But what if... I don't want to keep it?" I sighed.

"Listen to me. Either way Cliff is going to understand. I know for a fact he would never be mad at you for not being ready to be a mother."

I wiped the tears from my eyes and pulled myself off the floor. "You're so right." If I was dealing with anybody else I would be worried, but it's Clifford. I know him, and I know he has me through anything.

Tati and I got ourselves together in the bathroom mirror before going back outside and meeting Clifford.

"Tati we're gonna take you to your house to get some stuff. I don't want you staying there by yourself until we get y'all new security system put in." He stated as we walked to the truck. It wasn't a question or suggestion, and Tati did not put up a fight.

"Babygirl?" Clifford pulled my chin up so that we were looking in eachothers eyes. "Everything okay?"

I nodded my head and looked away from him. I was bound to start crying again the longer I looked at him.

"You ain't looked me in my eyes all day. What's going on Chey?" He rubbed my cheek.

"Baby can we talk about it later? I just want to go home."

He kissed my forehead. "Aight." He opened my door and helped me in and then did the same for Tati.

Clifford rubbed my knee as he drove. This right here is why I loved him. Where most men would be upset, Clifford could tell I wasn't okay and that I needed his comfort. He was making me feel better without even knowing what he was doing, but in this moment I knew we would be okay.

———

As we pulled up to Tati and Reeks house Clifford furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "Y'all sit here. I need to check on something."

"What's wrong?" Tati asked unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Hold on Tati. I'll come back and get y'all." He said grabbing his pistol from under his seat.

I watched Clifford as he opened the slightly cracked door. Somebody had left the door open.

"I know I closed the door behind me this morning." Tati said under her breath. "Something is not-"

The sound of gunshots cut Tati off. Without thinking twice, I opened the glove compartment and grabbed the .22 Clifford kept in there, checked that it was loaded and went in the house.

Out the corner of my eye I could see someone leaving out the living room window. My heart started beating faster as I hid behind the wall in their kitchen. I was listening to see if there was any other movement, but all I could hear was my heart beat.

I made my way down the hall and my breath got caught in my throat.

"Chey," I could hear Clifford's moan. He was hurting.

"Baby where are you?" I tried to follow his voice.

"Here!" He said louder. I found him in the living room, sitting against the back of the couch.

"Ah fuck," Clifford winced holding the wound in his stomach.

"Baby," I froze. The blood seeping through Cliffords white button up made my stomach turn, but the look of agony on his face snapped me out of it. I ran over to him grabbing my phone out of my pocket and dialing 911. "Oh fuck fuck fuck!

"Hello 911, what's your emergency?" The operator answered the phone.

"We need help, please hurry! My boyfriend was shot in the stomach. There is a lot of blood..." I felt myself getting ready to pass out.