Hello

Welcome back, I know it's been a long while, but I'm back. I'm not deserting this book.

hehehehe

"Are you sure?" Zane asked as I wiped off my makeup.

"Yes, Genevieve said someone had to take my mother's place."

Zane sighed. "I just don't think–"

"Zane, do you still love her?" I asked aggressively.

"No, A'raya, don't start."

I nodded. "It just seems like you're defending her."

"Because she's not smart. I was with her."

I scoffed. "She lied about everything, Zane, the only thing she ain't lying about is her psychotic love for you."

Zane sighed. "Ok."

I narrowed my eyes and looked at him. "Say it confidently."

Zane furrowed his brows. "Are you...ok?"

I sighed.

Jealousy is not a good look.

"Nevermind."

"You're jealous," Zane smirked.

"No, you're defending her and looking suspicious. I already told you I'm going to fuck a bitch up if she comes near my man. It ain't jealous. It's a warning."

Zane laughed. "Ok, love, calm down. I just mean that Genevieve is a typical spoiled air-headed brat."

I sighed. "Ok, but you have to understand that your IQ is so much higher than a regular person,"

"I don't think you're dumb. In fact, I'm surprised. You like math, but you're in college for liberal arts."

I smiled. "I love math, but I can't do it as a job, and I won't be a math teacher to them, disrespectful little kids."

Zane shook his head. "Genevieve spent her time shopping, on the phone, and in the pool. That's what I consider dumb. Plus, the average IQ is eighty-five to a hundred and fifteen; I'm only past that by five points."

"Damn, boy. My IQ was one-ten, and even then, I struggled. It's only because I was so good at math." I slipped on my onesie.

Zane pulled me onto his lap, chuckling. "You're smart, love, real smart."

I smiled. "Thank Mr. one-twenty." He rolled his eyes. "Speaking of which, I need your help with something Leslie wrote."

"What?"

I sighed. "She said that after we find all evidence, crime scenes, and murderers, we should find her daughter and that the person who knows where her daughter is now....is Vanessa's purest snowflake."

Zane furrowed his brows. "Vanessa has something pure?"

I shook my head. "I don't know, baby."

Zane nodded. "Give me some time; I'll find out."

"Ok," I kissed his cheek.

He played with my zipper. "Take this off, love–"

I laughed. "No, no, no. Not again."

Zane scoffed. "I thought you said you were a nymphomaniac."

"Well, now, I'm sleepy."

"Goodnight, sleepy."

I give out a fake laugh. "You're not funny, Zane. Go to sleep."

✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧

"Genevieve, I need you to come over," Zane said over the phone.

He sighed, looking at me wearily. "Y–y–yes, I want to talk about our l–love."

I furrowed my brows and sat up. Nola and Maggie laughed behind me as Zane moved a few steps back.

He gulped. "Just get here–yea, A'raya doesn't have a s–say in shit. It's my house, and I want..." he took a look at my face and gulped. "I want you here."

I scoffed, shaking my head.

"Now?" Zane almost squeaked. "O–ok. Bye." he cut the phone off and smiled sheepishly at me as Maggie and Nola were laughing their ass off.

"I can't, bro; oh my God, my stomach, it hurts." Nola held her injured stomach but continued to laugh.

"I can't do this...he's scared of you? Ah!" Maggie banged her hand against the desk.

"Ok, it's not that funny now," Nola said.

"Love," Zane said hesitantly.

I crossed my arms. "Oh? I'm 'love' now."

"Yes," he wrapped his arms around me. "You're my one and only love."

"And what's Genevieve?" I asked.

Zane rolled his eyes. "I was just playing my part."

I laughed. "Ok, baby."

He kissed my cheek. "Give me a kiss."

"Alright, now, it's time to stop." Maggie pursed her lips.

"Yea, time to talk about what we're doing and when we're doing it." Nola picked up her portfolio. "So, this is gonna be difficult, but Zane, you'll have to butter her up."

"Oh, sure, we got butter in the fridge."

Maggie and I laughed as Nola glared. "Your manz got jokes. You know what I mean, ugly."

Zane gasped. "Ugly?!"

"She calls everyone ugly? Get with the program." Maggie giggled evilly.

"Weren't yall just fighting?" Nola asked.

I shook my head. "Just ignore it."

Nola sighed. "Zane, you need to make her think you want her again. A'raya, you need to snoop through herself while Mr. Macho Man distracts her. You can't be this successful as a serial killer and not have a plan. You need to find out everything. Go through her phone, and Zane gets her to confess something. You need to make this work."

"For JJ and Leslie," Maggie said.

"For JJ and Leslie."

"Oh, and I'll stay over and help A'raya." Maggie volunteered.

I nodded. "Ok."

"I would help, but Moses got me on a curfew ever since I was stabbed. I can't say I'm not finally proud he's acting his age."

"Ooohhh." Maggie and I teased as Zane rolled his eyes and opened the fridge.

"Shut up," Nola grumbled. "Get to work."

"Ok, Ms. Portfolio."

"Oh yea, I have to tell you something, guys." Maggie giggled.

"What?" I asked.

"Remember Langston?"

Nola laughed. "The sophomore caillou you liked back in twenty-twenty-two."

"Oh my gosh, he's not bald!" Maggie exclaimed.

"Ok, so what?" I asked.

"Well, I met him at McDonald's, and we hit it off. He doesn't know I used to like him, though."

"Yeah we know. He wouldn't wanna know those fantasies."

"Oh, so you all wanna roleplay as piggies?" Zane asked, laughing.

I fake a laugh. "Somebody wanna sleep on the couch."

Zane stops laughing. "Wha–? Love, you know I was just joking. Why are you so mean for?"

"Mhm." I rolled my eyes.

I'm not happy about this plan; I'm not happy at all. I'm going to have to act like the other one.

Oh, that bitch is lucky.

✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧

I lay in our bed, just in thought. I couldn't sleep. Zane was behind me, his hand wrapped around my waist and his head resting on my neck.

"Zane," I feel myself crying for no reason.

"Yes, love?" I sniffed as Zane shuffled his sleepiness away. "Why are you crying?"

I shook my head. "I don't know, baby, I think it's just hormones. I want you to talk to me."

"About what?" He asked, wiping my tears from behind me. 

"Tell me about your time in the Air Force and Navy seals." I felt Zane tense, and I turned around, cuddling into his chest and looking at him. "I just...My brother Jericho was traumatized by his time, and Atlas had the fear aspect part of his brain removed. He has no fear and is, therefore, not traumatized by anything. What about you?"

He nodded. "I..." he chuckled softly. "I knew what I was getting into. I didn't make friends, and I didn't talk to anyone. I just followed commands. So I witnessed death, and though it was gruesome...I didn't know anyone to feel that pain you have when you lose someone."

"So you're not traumatized?"

"I was; I remembered seeing shrapnel tear a man's head straight and land in my hand like a ball. I can't unsee it, but I stopped having nightmares a while ago. It doesn't affect me anymore."

I smiled. "You're so special." I kissed his cheek.

"A'raya, what's going on?"

"I don't know, I'm scared. I'm scared I'm going to lose everything. And I miss my dad, but I can't see him until he is safe. King is still sick, but he refuses to call Lucky because he wants to overcome his fear. Nola is hurt, JJ is dead, I can't." I sobbed. "I don't want to lose my children, Zane." I sobbed. "I don't want to lose you; I won't be able to handle it. Now I have to pretend to be the other woman while you're with a potential killer. I'm worried, and I'm jealous, and I'm scared, so scared."

"Hey, stop." Zane sat up. "Breathe, love. I'm going to be fine, and you're going to be fine." He touched my stomach. "You see, you're growing more every day," he put my hand on my tiny bump, and his hand went over mine. "The babies are growing; they are alive. A'raya, I'm alive, and it's gonna stay that way."

I sniffed, wiping my tears. "I love you."

"I love you more."

Hello

I hope you enjoyed this.

Though, I feel like it's been so long since they've had sex, so ill hit yall up in chapter 24