When all else fails

Chapter 19

Carter POV
When I got back to the room I heard the shower running so I decided I should go join Nova. She was singing Jacquees Persian rugs. I never knew shawty could sing. I waited on her to finish singing until I announced my presence, by clapping.
"Why you jumping?" I asked laughing.
"How did you get in here?" She said hitting my chest and cutting off the shower.
"I told them you were my wife." I said nonchalantly. I mean she was gone be my wife soon, so it wasn't technically a lie.
"You told them I was your wife? And you said it like it was nothing." She said looking shocked. I don't know why. Who wouldn't claim her fine ass.
"Yes I did. You gone be my wife soon, so it's not that big of a deal."
"What do you mean soon?" She said looking confused. Causing me to laugh, because she knew I was gone marry her I don't even know why she playing.
"Just what I said soon." I said getting out the shower because I knew I wasn't going to get no type of play. She so damn selfish. I have needs too. I mentally laughed at that. I knew if I would've said that aloud I would've been on the ground guarding my face.
"Carter I need to tell you something." She said while biting the corner of her lip. So I knew she was nervous, but it seemed like lately she was telling me a lot. Like she was getting even more comfortable with me.
"Okay I'm all ears." I said sweetly hoping that there was still a small chance that I might get a reward later.
"Well you know what happened earlier?" She asked while looking at the ground.
"Yeah." I said trying to hide the annoyance in my voice. I hate when people don't get straight to the point.
"Well have you ever heard of queen N.O?" She asked leaving me confused wondering where she was going with this. "Well that's me." I couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't possibly have been Queen N.O that used to be apart of the biggest operations in Texas.
"You're not serious right now?" I asked
"I'm dead serious." She said. I knew she was because her answers were so short. "I broke a promise today. I said I would never pick up a gun. I couldn't bring myself to kill him, because so many old memories flooded back. I was a horrible person. Killing any and everybody who tried to fvck me over. I said I would never go back to that lifestyle, after I finished college. That's why I wanted you to quit so bad, because I knew what would happen if you didn't. I knew people would still be after you to try and get even. I was just hoping they wouldn't find out where we lived. We are going home tomorrow and I am going to do whatever I have to do, in order to make sure we are straight." She said while finally looking up at me. I couldn't believe this. I thought Nova was innocent, but it turns out her past is just as bad as mine. If not worse. I've heard stories about her that would have made me look bitch made. She was so innocent and sweet. I couldn't believe that Nova used to be this ruthless woman. I couldn't help but think what else she wasn't telling me.
"Carter. Are you going to say something?" She said snapping me out of my thoughts. "Please baby say something." She said with fear in her voice. She wasn't the same person and I knew she was being herself. The Nova I've grown to love.
"Why did you do it?" I finally managed to say.
"Well when I turned 18 my parents stopped supporting me and put me out of the house. I was on my own for about 2 weeks and I couldn't find a job. My friend Tej put me on. I fell in love with the life the money first. I knew if I worked my way up to the top I'd be making even more money. I took out whoever I needed to, so that I'd be the one handing out paychecks. I did it until I finished college and got a real job. No one knew what I looked like because I never showed my face. They only knew I had a tattoo on the bottom of my left foot. You'd know if you paid attention sometimes and stopped always staring at my ass." She said laughing and I joined her.
"I'm not always staring at your ass." I said holding my heart like I was hurt and then she threw the pillow at me.
"So you're fine with it?" She said looking at the ground. I lifted her head with my index finger and stared into her eyes. I hated when she looked at the ground. She was too pretty to be looking at the ground nervously.
"I didn't think it was possible but it made me love you even more." I said while kissing her neck. "Sing to me." I said in between kisses.
"I wanna turn up on. I wanna turn you on. I wanna lay with you. Jacquees come do what it do. When we fvcking I be catching chills. I'm licking on you I want you to feel. Can you feel it baby can you feel it babe. Can you feel me babe can you feel me baby." She said letting out a low moan. Then she stopped singing and pulled away. "Goodnight." She said laughing and getting in bed. I can't believe she just did that. Now I have a situation to take care of. I hate her I got in bed and poked her until she finally got annoyed and rolled over to face me.
"Yes how may I help you?" She said with a huge smile. Which made me laugh.
"Uhm yes I need to speak with Nova." I said mocking her tone.
"Oh let me check and see if she came in today. Hold on give me 2 seconds. It looks like you're out of luck. She didn't come in today. It looks like she's with her new man." She said laughing.
"She better not be I'm her man." I said laughing.
"Well maybe I can help you forget about her." She said biting my bottom lip and deepening the kiss.
"Dang you're better than her. What that mouth do though?" I asked while laughing.
"Get the hell off me Carter. You always get so close and then you say something stupid and ruin your chances. Oh and I'll tell you what this mouth does." She said changing her voice to sound seductive. "Not you." She said as I smacked my lips. She turned over and before I knew it I heard her light snores. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer to me. I smiled as I felt her snuggle into my chest. I just wanted to be able to hold her like this everyday for the rest of my life.
Nova POV
I woke up to the smell of French toast and bacon. So I knew Carter brought food back to the hotel. I was so happy, but I wanted pickles and Doritos for some reason. I looked at Carter who was just staring at me.
"What do you want big head?" I said while laughing.
"Give me kisses." He said causing me to laugh. When he leaned in I pushed his face and hopped out of bed and he chased me through the room. I got tired and gave up. And he tackled me into the couch and tried to kiss me, but I turned my face. He tickled me until I finally gave in.
"Wait Carter I'll give you kisses if you get me some Doritos." I said while panting.
"Okay give me a kiss and I'll go get them." He said while pecking my lips. Then he got up and said "sike!!"
"Fuck you Carter I'll go get my own Doritos." I said while grabbing my keys.
"Are you going to put on some clothes because you're not walking out in a sports bra and boy shorts." He said.
"I'm not maybe I'll catch a man who will go buy me Doritos." I said while rolling my eyes.
"Oh okay well good luck on that. Hopefully he knows how to fight because I will stump ole dude." Carter said with a straight face so I knew he was dead serious. I put my keys down and sat in his lap pressing my face into his neck.
"I love you Carti." I mumbled into the side of his neck. He smacked his lips
"I love you too." He said while lifting my head.
"Why'd you smack your lips?" I said laughing because I already knew the answer.
"Because your ass is bipolar as fuck. You was just saying fuck you and now you all under me talking about I love you." He said laughing. I looked up and kissed his lips. I swear this dude has me wrapped around his fingers.
"Carter! Carti! Cart! Carter?" I said in my toddler voice.
"What?" He said while smiling from ear to ear.
"What ya doing?" I asked while laughing.
"I'm trying to eat but you're in my way." He said
"Oh okay I'll move. Did you bring me food too?" I asked in the same tone.
"No I forgot."
"Really Carter?" I said while punching him in the chest. I guess I was really going to have to get those doritos.
"I'm just playing gosh. I swear you have the strength of a full grown man." He said while rubbing his chest.
"I'm sorry baby." I said while rubbing his chest.
"I swear you're bipolar you just punched tf out of me and now you're trying to kiss it and make it better."
"I'm not bipolar. And I'm about to go home. I want to lay in my bed and eat Doritos and pickles." I said while putting on a tank top and a pair of Nike tights and a pair of sandals. I brushed my hair into a quick ponytail and headed out the door. I was at my car before I felt a hand grab my arm. I turned around to face Carter. Who towered over me. I looked up and stared at his lips.
"What do you need Carter?" I asked becoming impatient. Like why are we just standing here.
"Are you sure you're ready to go back to the house?" He asked with a softened expression and a gloss to his eyes. Which made me melt. I knew I wasn't ready to go back. Everything happened in my bedroom.
"Yeah I'm cool." I lied through my teeth. I couldn't let him think I was weak and couldn't handle this.
"So we are lying now."
"I'm not lying."
"Yes you are Nova. I know you everytime you lie you look to the left and scrunch up your nose." I couldn't help but smile he knew me so well and we hadn't even been together that long. "Just go but do not go inside until I get there. Okay?" He asked waiting for a response. I simply shook my head and got into my car. I got in the car and plugged in the aux cord. I turned on me, u, & Hennessy by dej loaf. I pulled out and headed to the freeway. When I pulled up to my house I sat in the driveway waiting on Carter. I listened to 'Lay Your Head Back by Problem'. I've really been in my feelings lately. I needed Carter physically. Even though I've been playing hard to get, I wanted him just as bad as he wanted me. If not more. I wanted him to kiss me passionately and pull my hair. I wanted him to take me into his embrace and hold me tightly. I've never felt like this before. I longed for his touch, but I guess that's the hormones talking. Which reminds me my first appointment is next week and I forgot to tell Carter. Oh well I said to myself before I saw Carter's car pull up. I quickly shut the car off and jumped out of the car not wanting him to notice that I was dreading this. I grabbed my bag from the backseat before locking it. I walked to the front door where Carter was already standing he reached for my hand before he unlocked the door but I didn't grab hold of his hand.
"I'm good." I simply said because I was tired of him treating me like a child. I could handle it. I've seen things that were worse than this, but for some reason this felt like the worse. I thought i'd gotten away from that life but it showed up in my own home.
"You good ma?" Carter said snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah why?" I asked trying to hide my fear.
"Because I opened the door 5 minutes ago and you've just been standing here with fear in your eyes. Come on I got you." He said grabbing my hand and my bag out of the other. I loved him he always made me feel safe. I walked in and I was fine. It seemed like nothing happened, but something felt different.
"What did you do?"I asked Carter while I looked at my bedroom walls. He changed the color from a neutral blue to white. Making it feel empty. Erasing all of the memories we'd made in this room. I was pissed. I hated change and he knew it. Why would he do this.
"I got the walls painted. I wanted to give us a fresh start. I know white is your favorite color so... But if you don't like it we can change it." He said anxiously. I couldn't be mad at him. He had good intentions. He looked good as hell today in his Nike sweatshirt.
"Babe I think I'm going to quit my job." I said trying to get my mind off of his lips.
"I don't have a problem with it. I always told you I didn't want you working." He said while pulling me onto the bed.
"Well I'm not going to quit working I'm just going to find a new job something I love." I said looking him in the eye.
"How about you be a domestic specialist aka a housewife and full time mother." I looked at him like he had 2 heads what kind of sexist shit is that. He already sits at home, we don't need 2 people to do that. I quickly got out of bed and grabbed a few things and headed to the bathroom. I locked the door not wanting to be bothered. I took a long bath and washed my hair in the process. I got out and put on my heat bra, shorts and my heat crop top. I was a die hard fan, so this was game day ritual. I threw on some mascara and lipstick before putting my hair in a messy bun. I grabbed my purse and sandals before heading to the door.
"Where you going?" Carter asked looking up from his phone.
"My parents house." I said rolling my eyes, because sometimes he acts like my daddy. My mom always told me to never let a man keep tabs on me that and never let them know how much money you have. "Why do you need something?" I asked looking at the door because he was holding up my day.
"Nah I'm good. When you gone be back?"
"In a couple of hours. Why?" I asked trying to get him to get to the point.
"You look pretty. I'll miss you." He said going back to his phone.
"Baby what's wrong?" I said taking a seat in his lap.
"Did I do something wrong?" He asked.
"What do you mean Carti?" I asked with a softened expression.
"Well we haven't slept together in a while, and it seems like you're always mad at me." He said looking me directly in the eyes.
"I've been mad at you a lot but it's only because of the hormones. I want you do bad but every time we get do close and I decide against it." I said at this point I realized I was straddling him.