Samir leaned over to grab the white plastic bag from in front of his door; the Chili's he'd just had delivered by Uber Eats. He didn't like their food but it was the only thing Nina wanted to eat, so he ordered it for her to put something on her stomach because she hadn't eaten since he picked her up yesterday afternoon, and it was now noon the next day.

He carried the bag and the drink back to his bedroom, using his elbow to close the door behind him.

Nina sat against the headboard of his bed in only his t-shirt and her underclothes, and the shirt didn't cover anything below her waist since she and Samir were just about the same size in the torso area. She only wore it because she loved the way his clothes smelled.

"I'm sorry for making you call out today." She mumbled; the very first thing she'd said since being picked up. He'd been worried sick because Nina was never the one to be quiet; especially for this long.

He wouldn't face any consequences for calling out today or yesterday because his manager knew that Samir was his best employee—as far as work ethic and attendance as well. He'd never missed a day since starting three years ago, so his manager figured there was a good excuse for his absence.

"That's okay. I would do anything for you. That's nothing." He signed to her before gently grabbing her face to tilt it in his direction.

"Do you want to talk now? We don't have to if you don't, but I'm here for you if you do." He continued to sign.

"I feel so comfortable with you. You know that?" She mumbled, leaning forward to kiss his strong jawline on the left side, and he kissed her cheek at the same time.

"How can I help fix it Tinkerbell? I want you to smile." He mumbled back, and Nina wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug.

"I hate telling you stuff about him now 'cause I know I won't leave. There's no point in even complaining about it.." She told him once she pulled away.

"I'm not here to judge you, Nina. I'm here to be here, for you. In whatever way you need me to be." He signed again, and a very small smile placed upon her lips while she lost his gaze at the same time.

"Take your time. It's okay." He rubbed her hand when he noticed that she was getting choked up, listening to her sigh quietly in response.

"I was 'bout to be on my way to you yesterday, and Tyler came back to the house to get his wallet.. I—I didn't have my pants on yet 'cause I was tryna get the tag off and he tried to take my panties off but I kinda pushed him away and told him I needed to go get my hair done." She began to explain.

"And he just kept saying he would make it quick. I didn't want to do anything at all though Mir—I didn't. I tried to tell him but h—," She paused to sigh, wiping away her tears that started to fall in her mouth.

"It hurt so bad 'cause I wasn't wet enough to take him. And I was crying.. but it didn't make him stop—,"

"He raped you?" Samir spoke up instead of signing with his hands as a mug replaced his expression.

"No. No, he wouldn't do that t—," She was cut off again.

"But he did do it Nina. He raped you. He did. Why wouldn't you tell me that when I was there?"

"What were you gonna do Samir? He wasn't even there anymore. I don't think he meant to. I never said no. And I'm his wife so h—,"

"So fuckin' nothing Nina. That doesn't give him the right to touch you just 'cause you put a fuckin' ring on. You were crying. He raped you. Say it. Stop telling yourself that he didn't. Say it Nina." He grabbed her face to lift her head up once her cries became audible, still frowning.

"Please stop S—,"

"No, you stop. You keep lying to yourself about him but he's not a good person Nina. He did rape you. Was that the first time? Huh? Did he do it before?" He asked, receiving his answer from her silence.

"I want you to stop. Please. I don't wanna talk about it anymore Samir." She reached up to wipe her face a few moments later in an attempt to get rid of her tears.

"You want me to stop, what, telling you the truth? Why do you do that Nina? He constantly hurts you and you cover it up for him every single, but for what? What will it take for you to finally start loving yourself enough to put you firs—,"

"Samir I said stop! I'm not playing with you. Quit fucking talking like you know me because you don't! You do not know me!" She stood up from the bed after raising her voice at him, but he still didn't back down.

"You don't know yourself Nina! You don't have to put up with that shit man. You hate yourself because they hate you but it doesn't have to be like that. If you didn't hate yourself, you would've left the first time he messed up with you, but no. You continue to take that shit like you need him. You don't."

"How would you know what I need? You've never been me. You are not married to him Sam—,"

"I don't have to be! You don't have to be married to him either Nina. I'm right here. I'm in your face right now. You know that he won't ever love you like you love him but you won't admit that, will you? He doesn't love you at all, matter of fact. He cheated on you and he just fucking raped you and you're still defending him!"

Samir's head turned from the impact of the back of her hand going across his face, and she tried to swing at him again but he grabbed both of her arms and pinned her against the wall to prevent her from moving.

"You don't fucking know me bro, stop talking like you do! Who do you think you are?! What do you think you'll do for me that hasn't been done already? You will end up just like them because I'm the problem! It's not Tyler, it's not my dad, it's me! Just leave me alone. Let me go Samir." She cried in his grip, trying her hardest to get out of it.

It took her practically screaming at him for him to realize the tone and language he was using with her, and his expression softened at what she said. He felt so bad for her because she deserved none of this. He wished he could fix her.

"Please don't say that. You don't mean that mama. Don't talk about yourself like that." He let her arms go to wrap her up in a hug, keeping her in his embrace no matter how hard she tried to push him away.

He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for making her cry, but he wasn't this time. Samir hated how she put herself last in every situation, especially in one like this where she was literally violated by someone who was supposed to love her. He hated that.

It made him so mad. He couldn't fathom how someone could do her like that. Nina was perfect to him; flaws and all. She was beautiful inside and out. How could anyone take advantage of her?

Samir's heart broke as she cried in his arms, but like last time, he didn't ask her to stop. It was becoming clear that she had no one to comfort her the way that he did, and he wanted her to know that he would always be there for her from this moment on.

He remained quiet as she let it all out, eventually crying herself to sleep. Even when she did, he kept her in his arms for another half hour. Then, he laid her underneath the covers and left a small kiss on her forehead.

"Sooo?" Samara looked over at him from the couch as soon as he walked towards the front of the apartment.

"Shut up." He grabbed the pair of black forces on the shoe rack near their door, then sat down next to her to put them on.

"You know I'm nosy. Was that the first official argument? Who made my sista cry? I couldn't make out what y'all were saying." She turned her whole body to face him, making him shake his head.

"That bitch ass nigga raped her. And she doesn't know any better, so she was trying to defend him. All the men in her life treat her bad, and the only one who didn't is dead." Samir's frustration got the best of him, so he stopped talking and used his hands to communicate.

"He's supposed to be her husband, Mara. He's not supposed to do shit like that to her. He's supposed to love her and take care of her, but all he does is hurt her. Every day. He treats her so bad but she loves him too much to see it. I hate that." He signed.

"Oh my god.. I feel so bad. Wait, what you 'bouta go do? You finna beat his ass? You gon' let her see that side of you?" Samara signed back.

"I don't give a fuck about that. There's a bruise on her waist because he was holding her too tight while he did it. He weak. That's a girl, man—that's his wife," He angrily signed, clasping his palms together.

"Ok I'm coming with you. I don't want nothing bad to happen. And after, we can go get flowers and I'll cook to help her feel better. Come on." Samara stood up from the couch and put her crocs on, and Samir stood up as well.

Before they left, he unlocked Nina's phone with her passcode and FaceTimed himself so that he could keep an eye on her while they were gone. Then, he and Samara cut a normally half hour drive in half, making it to Tyler and Nina's neighborhood within fifteen minutes.

He wasn't even sure if Tyler would be here since he worked second shift, but Samir just assumed that he called off because he'd been blowing up Nina's phone from different numbers since last night, up until an hour ago when Samir powered her phone off.

A Tesla and a Ram 1500 TRX truck was parked in the driveway, which pointed toward Tyler being home.

"Be safe Mir. I got you if his big ass beat you up though." Samara held up the small Glock 26 that was registered in her name, and all he did was kiss her cheek before getting out of his Trackhawk.

After making sure his license plates were off, he jogged up to their front door and knocked three times. Then, he took a step back because he wasn't about to do any talking. He was pissed off.

"Can I help y—," Tyler was cut off as Samir threw his left hand at his jaw with as much force as he could muster up. Tyler was a big man—6'0 and 210 pounds, but the power packed in Samir's punch knocked him clean off of his feet.

"Bitch ass nigga, what's wrong with you? Get up. I ain't no hoe." Samir held his hands up to show that he wouldn't hit him until he stood back up.

Tyler rushed him as soon as he was up, and Samir wrapped his arms around him to stop him from picking him up because he knew that Tyler would try to slam him against the ground.

"Watch out, quit holding me." Samir still held him with his right hand but pulled his left one back to hit him in his face again, forcing Tyler to release him.

Samir then used both of his fists to swing, and Tyler got him in his stomach one good time but couldn't keep up with Samir beyond that. Tyler was stronger than him but Samir was faster and he had more stamina, and unlike Tyler, he actually grew up fighting.

He could tell that Tyler was only big because of what he ate and the gym. He didn't know how to fight because he never lived a life like that, but that didn't make Samir show him mercy. Why should he? He didn't show Nina any.

"Next time you touch her I'ma kill you. I'm not no goofy, you can't hoe me and you not gon' hoe her." Samir busted him right in the middle of his face, knocking him unconscious while his face leaked blood.

"Mir c'mon. That's enough." Samara pushed him back, leading him towards the truck because people were now coming out of their houses to see what the commotion was.

Samir got back in the driver's seat and sped away once Samara was safely inside, and his loud exhaust pipe damn near broke the sound barrier as he drove out of the neighborhood.

Nina turned her body towards Samir's side of the bed, and she laid her face against his chest when he pulled her closer to him. She lifted her leg to be around his waist, about to drift back to sleep. Then, she smelled the scent of food and felt Samir kissing her face, and she realized it was time to get up.

She didn't say anything when she raised up to go to the bathroom, and for a moment, Samir thought she was still mad. But when she came back a few minutes later, she crawled back into his arms and lifted her head up to give him a kiss.

"Don't ever say something like that again. You hear me?" He fixed her bonnet over her forehead, and she slowly nodded her head while keeping her gaze on him.

"I'm so sorry for hitting you. I shouldn't have done that. I was upset but that didn't give me the right to do that to you. I'm sorry." She apologized with sincerity evident in her tone.

"It didn't hurt. It was weak." He smirked at her, and Nina's face broke out into a smile before following up with a laugh.

"You so beautiful to me Nina. Look at me." Her face rested in the palm of his hand as her laughter died down, and she refocused on him within seconds.

"You are never the problem, you wanna know how I know that? Because you always try. You give them the benefit of the doubt and you still love them no matter what they do to you. You always say that I'm too sweet for my own good, but that's you. You are the sweetest, and the prettiest," he paused to kiss her nose as tears welled up in her eyes again.

"And the kindest, and most thoughtful person I know. They take advantage of that and I'm sorry that I got mad at that and took it out on you. I'm sorry you had to go through that, and for what you went through when you were younger. You didn't deserve any of that Nina. And I'm sorry that I met you so late 'cause I would've treated you how you should've been treated from the start."

"What did I do to deserve you?" She spoke softly, holding his face as they shared a small kiss.

"You got back what you put out. I'm here because God knew that you needed somebody who'd love you the way that you love others." He told her, and Nina's lips separated a bit in shock at his words.

"I know you didn't mean it, but I'm not like them. I won't end up like them because I—I actually love you. They don't. I love you for you. And I know that you can't love me how I love you right now, but I still wanted you to know that." He laid his forehead against hers, listening to her quietly sniff.

"I've been scared to tell you because I thought I was moving too fast, or that it was too soon or something." Nina laughed through a small cry, and Samir matched her smile.

"I love you more. I appreciate you so much, I can't believe I have you. You are so sweet baby. Thank you." Nina expressed her gratitude while wrapping him up in another hug, and he kissed the side of her face before hugging her back.

Their lips then met in a kiss, and Samir's head tilted back from both of Nina's hands being wrapped around his neck as the kiss intensified. He groaned softly in her mouth after she sucked on his lips, showing the most attention to his bottom one.

He had to pull away from her once his dick hardened in his boxers, but it didn't do any good because she brought him in for a second kiss as soon as he tried to catch his breath. The next sound that came from him was a moan when he became overwhelmed with pleasure by her squeezing lightly on his neck.

"Stop doing that Mir. Close your eyes." She finally broke the kiss to reach up and cover his eyes with her hand, and a smile grew on his face.

It was almost impossible for him to kiss with his eyes closed. He wanted to watch her.

"I like looking at you ma. I'm in love with your face." He spoke against her lips that spread up into yet another smile.

"This is that trouble that I told you we'd get in. Look how deep we are and it's only been almost three weeks." Her hands left his neck to rub the bottom of his face; as obsessed with his as he was with hers.

"We talk all day everyday. It was inevitable." He shrugged, leaning forward to give her another surface kiss.

Samir then reached on the floor on his side of the bed, lifting up the bouquet of long stem red roses that were hiding there. Her face lit up with enthusiasm as he passed them to her before propping his head up in his hand.

"Mara cooking to make you feel better too. She made gumbo 'cause I told her it was your favorite." He told her.

"Awww, I haven't had it in sooo long. Y'all are the best, for real. Thank you Mir, I love them. And I love you." She mumbled, leaning over to kiss him yet again.

"I love you more Tinkerbell."

Make this a short story w/ no drama or long story w drama?