STOP! In The Fangs of Love

The Stranger With the Hungry Eyes

Simone’s POV

I swear I was two seconds away from losin my fuckin s**t at work! All these customers laughin, talkin too damn loud, an they bad ass kids screamin was workin my nerve. My head was already bangin from that hang over, my body all sore, an on top a that, my nails was lookin like I just boxed Mike Tyson in his prime.

But you know me. I just smiled through all the bullshit. Fake smiles pay bills.

By the time my shift ended, I felt like I was floatin. Mostly cause I was tired as hell, but I was still tryna block out last night. I ain’t even tell nobody. Who the f**k was I gone tell? The cops? Please.

On the way home, my phone lit up with a text. Stacy name popped up readin:

‘Pull up on me 2nite boo 😘 🎉🍸🔥’

I stared at that text for a minute, driving like a pro. Yeah, I know, I shouldn’t be doin that but s**t, I’m still kickin, an I ain’t kill nobody yet, so. Normally, I wouldn’t an even been talkin to this b***h, but after Semaj, I was just fuckin with her to piss that b***h off.

And truthfully? I ain’t feel like goin home. I ain’t wanna see Reggie ugly ass or my mama passed out on the couch again. Plus… my body needed to feel somethin else. Not pain or no hands I didn’t ask for. Just… somethin.

“f**k it.” I whispered to myself, hittin her back with a quick “Bet.”

I needed somethin to get my mind off the bruises I was coverin up with my long sleeves an makeup. She shot me her ETA an I made my way.

When I pulled up, it was in one of them big ass houses on the nicer side of town. I wasn’t expectin that. I wonder who the f**k she knew that lived out here. I mean, the grass was that kinda grass that was cut sharp enough to slice yo ankles. This def not the type of spot I was used to.

Music was rattlin the windows with the bass hittin like it was tryna claim my body. When I stepped inside, the air was thick with hookah smoke, liquor, perfume, an under all that? Somethin sweet. Kinda like burnt sugar. Weird, but whatever.

I was low key expectin to see some caucasians, but was pleasantly surprised to see a well blended crowd. They filled the living room, drip was crazy in here. Lace fronts were melted, fades was sharp, an chains glistenin. It felt like the type of party you had to know somebody to even get in.

I was feelin out of place. I was still dressed in what I wore to work. I was def the worst dressed here.

“Yaaass, you made it, b***h!” Stacy yelled over the music, grabbin my arm like we was besties.

“We got drinks in the kitchen, shots on deck, an some fine-ass men who already askin bout yo ass.”

I laughed, rollin my eyes.

“b***h, stop the cap.”

But she wasn’t lyin. It was some fine ass mothafuckas in here an I was def catching some eyes. That’s when I seen his fine Puerto Rican lookin ass.

Tall, caramel skinned, an dressed in all black. His hair was long, hangin just past his shoulders. Yeah. I was gone have to climb that tonight. He wasn’t loud like the other dudes either. He wasn’t dripped out like them all but just wore a simple chain.

Just leanin against the wall, watchin everything like he owned it. That’s s**t was so sexy to me. An when his eyes found mine? b***h… my knees damn near gave out on me.

It was the way he was lookin at me… it was too direct. Too intentional. Like I was the only person he saw.

“Who’s that?” I asked Stacy, tryin to play it cool.

She smirked at me knowingly.

“Ohhh, that’s Roman. Don’t nobody know too much about him, but trust, he the type you don’t forget.”

I made a face at her. The f**k she mean? Did they f**k already? I was lowkey jealous, but the way he lookin at me, I might get to have a lil fun too. I shook my head, laughin it off.

“Girl, he look like trouble.”

“Yeah,” Stacy sipped her drink, eyes still on me.

“But maybe that’s the kinda trouble you need right now.”

Before I could clap back, he started walkin towards me.

Oh, s**t!

Every stride he took was mesmerizin. And when he stopped in front of me, smilin all slow like he already knew the answer to a question I ain’t even heard yet, my breath caught in my throat.

“Simone,” he said, voice all low an rich.

Wait a minute . He just said my name. He ain’t askin it, he sayin it. I blinked.

“Uh… you know me?”

He tilted his head slightly, lips curlin like he was amused.

“I know your name just like you know mine.” His Spanish accent was sending tingles to my lower reagent.

My eyes darted to Stacy, but she just shrugged her shoulders, smilin like she knew somethin I didn’t.

“You always this bold?” I asked, tryna get some control back.

His chuckle was deep an smooth.

“Only when I see somethin worth walkin across the room for.”

My cheeks warmed, but I rolled my eyes like I wasn’t fazed.

“You a smooth talker too, huh?”

He leaned in just enough for me to catch a hint of his cologne. Ooo s**t, im def gone need this man between my legs tonight.

“Only when it works.”

“Mmhm.” I teased.

“So what, you just be standin around at parties pickin out women like it’s a menu?”

Roman smirked, eyes never leavin mine.

“Maybe, but you’re the only thing I’m hungry for tonight.”

The way he said it made my stomach twist, but in a good way. Before I could even think of somethin slick to say, he reached for my hand.

“Dance with me.”

He wasn’t askin, baby he was tellin! That s**t was so fuckin sexy! This man is about to be in for a whole treat tonight cause…

Next thing I knew, we was in the middle of the floor. Music loud, bass hittin, people all around us but the way Roman held onto me, I swear it felt like we was the only two in the house. He wasn’t touchin me all nasty like most these mothafuckas do at the club. His hand on my waist was firm, an steady, like he been waitin his whole life to put it there.

“You move like you already know me,” I teased, flippin around, facin him as I swayed my hips an pressed my breast into his chest.

“Maybe I do.” His lips brushed close to my ear, my skin broke out in goosebumps.

“Boy, please,” I laughed, but it came out shaky.

“Nothing about me is boy, princesa.” His Spanish accent caressing my ears before he pulled back just enough to look me dead in the eyes.

By the time the song changed, we was pressed close, breathin each other in. He swiftly spun me around until my ass was pressin into him. We immediately moved in sync. By the way he was keeping up with me while I was grindin my ass into him, I just knew he was gone wear me out tonight.

When the crowd shifted, he leaned down into my ear.

“You shouldn’t have come here tonight,” he said, his thumb grazin the skin above my hips, drivin me crazy.

“But I’m glad you did.”

Something in my chest fluttered, an I hated it. I knew damn well I didn’t need to be tied into anotha mothafucka. I should be keepin my guard up, but instead, I let him keep holdin me like he owned my ass an continued to grind into him.