The Viper and his Majesty by Tiana Laveen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

On the Eve of Awakening

South Inlet Park on Ocean Blvd, in Boca Raton, was a scenic, secluded beach off the beaten path that many didn’t seem to know about unless the secret was given away by a generous local. Majesty’s feet sank in the soft sand as she observed her man putting in work on her behalf. She couldn’t wipe the big smile on her face, even if she wanted to.

Viper placed a large white wicker picnic basket inside the bulky tent, then disappeared for a spell inside of it. Free National’s ‘Beauty & Essex,’ featuring Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra, played from his phone. She moved her body to the music, swaying back and forth, left to right. It was a definite bop. He re-emerged, focused as ever. She’d offered to help twice, but each time he refused her assistance. As she watched him, bare-footed, his well-built torso bare above loose white cargo shorts, she felt her pussy clench at the mere sight of his muscles flexing as he maneuvered about. His amazing physique was the result of a habit stemming from routine prison workouts, and somehow it didn’t bother her one bit.

She turned away, her hair blowing in the wind and her new Target bathing suit still wet from their romp in the ocean. He’d thought it silly that she didn’t want to get her hair wet and had made it his mission to terrorize her by threatening to dunk her under. So, they’d spent most of the time chasing one another back and forth and splashing water like children. The crazy man had even brought a water gun and blasted her with no warning. Although she’d cussed his ass out, she’d secretly loved it.

It’s been so long since I’ve been to the beach. This is nice.

It would be getting dark soon, and she loved this time of day when the air was sweeter, and the sky stretched in enchanting pastel hues.

“Come here,” he beckoned. “Lie down with me.”

Wrapping her thin white coverall around her shoulders, she crawled inside the tent.

“Oh, my goodness,” she gasped, placing her hands over her mouth. “This is so pretty!”

He’d lit two small tin can candles, and the basket was open, revealing two champagne glasses, a bottle of bubbly, chocolate covered strawberries, a veggie tray, cold cuts, and slices of rye bread. Viper popped the cork and poured them both a glass. He raised his glass in the air, a sexy smile on his face, and she followed suit.

“To many more days like this.” He gave her a peck on the lips, then they clinked their glasses together.

“Cheers!” The bubbly made her throat burn oh so good. Rich, a bit sweet, and of good quality. She lounged on her side, feeling comfortable.

“Romantic… That’s another way to describe you,” she said flirtatiously, then took another taste. Mmmm.

“Don’t tell anyone that. Might lose my street cred.” He winked, teasing her.

She sat up to kiss him and in that moment, she felt herself falling harder for the man. If I go any deeper, I’ll be in the land down under.

Neither of them had uttered the ‘love’ word. Yet, she recognized the signs. She hadn’t felt this type of connection with someone in a long time. She’d liked several men after the death of Troy’s father, even had strong feelings for a couple of them, but never as strong as what she was experiencing now. Viper slipped his tongue inside of her mouth, jarring her from her pondering, working it in and out, making her hot and bothered all over. She exhaled when he wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her to him with strength and possession. In a flash, she drained her glass and set it aside. He got on top of her, grinding between her legs in slow, hard gyrations, and kissing all over her neck. Their moans overlapped as they held one another, rubbing all over each other, and she craved his touch, his kiss, and that thick, long, big snake that was tucked away in his shorts, pressing against her.

Then… he stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Her heart was beating like a clock as she looked up into his gleaming eyes. She grabbed tight onto his wrists, not wanting him to move until he answered her. Her chest flooded with warmth, making her restless, and every damn inch of her craved him. She’d do anything to get him to keep going.

“Nothing is wrong.” He scooched away from her, then began to plate up food. She stared at him, confused.

“What’s going on, Viper? Why did you stop all of a sudden?”

“I just remembered that I don’t have any protection with me. I was just planning to bring you out here and have a nice time. Eat. Talk. Shit like that. Then I saw you in your bathing suit…” He grinned and shook his head. “Anyway, you want a lotta strawberries, baby, or just a few?”

“…Just a few.”

She bit her lower lip and smiled. Something about the way he spoke and looked while explaining himself made her feel special. It was in moments like these that she was gently reminded he wasn’t going to fit into her little box of expectations and disappointments. More than once they’d fallen asleep together on her couch, and he hadn’t tried to have sex with her. In fact, just the week prior, she’d woken up in her bed, with the sheets wrapped around her, and realized he’d actually carried her in and laid her down. When she got up and moving, she noticed a note on her dresser that read:

‘I’ve gone home. You were tired from all that studying for your exam and I didn’t want to wake you. I’ll call you later.’

He’d been truthful when he’d said sex wasn’t the only thing on his mind, and now, he had enough control to power through, regardless of how hot and bothered they were. She didn’t tolerate most birth control pills well, so couldn’t get on that. She was exploring other options. In the meantime, there was nothing to do about it.

The music kept playing, and the sounds of seagulls blended in with the ocean waves. There was plenty to appreciate.

He handed her a plate, then fixed himself one, and they sat practically on top of one another, talking, laughing, and eating.

“I love olives. The green ones.” She ate a couple.

“I like the black and the green ones. I used to hate ’em as a kid.” He handed her a bottle of water from the basket. “I hated most vegetables as a kid, though. I only willingly ate meat, cheese, potatoes, and rice for the longest time. I wasn’t really into candy, either. Not a big sweets eater. Now that I think about it, I was kind of a strange kid.” He chuckled. “My mother would have to hide vegetables in other food.”

“Troy is the same way! I have to sneak them in his food.”

“Yeah, I’ve kinda figured that out with the whole pizza party thing the other day. Speaking of parties, one day soon, I’m going to have some friends over and they’re going to cook. I want you to taste some good Cuban food. I’ve got a friend, she’s like the matriarch of our group, and she can cook her ass off, Majesty.” He sucked his fingers, then popped a slice of pineapple in his mouth. “I’m talkin’, the shit that my abuela used to make, like tostones, arroz con pollo, picadillo, masitas, ropa vieja! Mmmm! I’m gettin’ hungry just thinkin’ about it.” He chuckled then looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Why are you lookin’ at me like that?”

“I love how you speak, especially when you’re happy or passionate about something. I want to… I want to meet your friends.”

“Oh, really?!” He laughed. She playfully swatted his shoulder.

“I know, I know. I gave you grief about it, but you seem really close to these people. I’ve seen them from time to time, and I hardly know them. You said they’re like your family, so I’d like to try and get to know them.” She snuggled up to him and rubbed his arm. “If that’s all right with you?”

“Yeah. It’s cool with me.” He grinned at her, looking mischievous as ever with a twinkle in his gorgeous eyes. “Come ’ere…” He put his plate down and coaxed her down onto the blanket.

“What are you doing? I thought you said you didn’t have protection?”

Viper ignored her, and she soon found herself clutching the blanket beneath her as he pushed the crotch part of her swimming suit to the side and proceeded to flick his tongue against her pussy. Warm breaths tickled her sensitive skin, and her body bowed and waved, flowing like the tide.

“Shit…”

The sounds of his hungry lapping seemed to echo all around her, and he devoured her as though she was all the delicious foods he’d told her about earlier, and more.

“Stop running.” He grabbed her hips and yanked her back to his mouth. His muffled moans turned her on as he feasted upon her like a ravenous monster.

“Dominic… Dominic, I’m about to… I’m about TO…! Ugh!” He kept on sucking and licking with vigor as she exploded, her body falling apart like broken streamers. Her pussy pulsated and poured, her heart pounded, and her legs quaked. He held her calf in the air, keeping it steady as he wagged the tip of his tongue slower, then slower.

Pause.

She released her grip on the blanket while he slid up her body, stealing her breath away. She shuddered as he kissed all over her shoulders, then pulled the top of her swimming suit down, exposing her breasts. Wet heat surrounded her nipples as he took his time with her, making her yearn for him in ways that words could never describe.

“Are you sure you didn’t bring any condoms? Saran wrap? Tissues? Seaweed?” she teased and was met with rumbling laughter. Dropping a kiss on her breasts, he rolled off her and began to quickly throw things in the picnic basket.

“Come on, let’s go back to my place, baby, and we can finish what we started. You said Troy doesn’t come home for a few hours, so if we hurry, we should have enough time.”

She fixed her swimsuit, got to her feet, and dusted off her knees.

“Wait a minute.” She re-wound his words in her mind. “Go back to your place, Viper? Oh, I don’t think so! Hell, naw!”

“Why not?”

“You’ve got that werewolf in there now, that’s why! And he’s not Derek Hale from Teen Wolf, either. He’s not from the television or the movies. He’s a full-grown menace, and I’m not tryna be in his rolling credits. The Black person always gets killed first.”

He burst out laughing. “Stop being silly and exaggerating. He’s just an American German Shepherd.”

“Viper, I don’t give a good damn if it was a fuckin’ French poodle, oui, oui! With the way it was actin’, its breed doesn’t matter to me, only it’s bite, and last I checked, teeth are universal. He could be Scottish, British, West African, or a pigmy, I don’t give a shit. I’m not about to have that damn dog draggin’ me across the floor as his next Scooby snack!”

This made the man laugh all the harder.

“Majesty, stop.”

“I’m serious. Now, the last time I was in your house, he was growling and snappin’ at me. You expect me to be okay with that?”

“That’s because he’d never seen you before. I had it all under control.” He waved her off. “His bark is just loud, so it scared you.” He slipped his white wife-beater over his head.

“You know I like dogs, but I don’t care what you say. I don’t want to be around him. You take in the worst of the worst. When will you be finished with him so he can go back to his owner?” She gave him a disgusted look. She wanted that damn dog to vanish.

“Soon. And all the stuff you described is why I have him. He’s getting better.”

“Better ain’t good enough. I need him to be well or get gone.”

“Sometimes creatures can’t get better without a little help, Majesty. I’m not just going to give up on him. He’s already had enough of that.”

“But if you can’t fix him, then he’ll be a danger to society. Some dogs are a threat, and there isn’t anything that can be done about it. They just need to be put down.”

“I see it like this. If you break a dog’s spirit, then send them out into the world after that abuse, or whatever is making them act like that, and it’s never addressed, then we set them up for failure. They get blamed for what someone else did to them. How is that right?” He shrugged. “It’s kind of like breaking someone’s leg then being angry at them because they’re in pain and can’t walk. I give the dog a mental cast and emotional crutches, then show them how to walk again. On their own.”

She looked at the back of him as he kept cleaning up and working. I bet he’s talkin’ about himself. We’re no longer talking about that dog. Viper sees himself as that terrible German Shepherd. Maybe even as all the dogs he’s had under his care at one time or other. My God…

“Are you sure I can’t help you clean up?” she offered after an awkward silence.

“No, baby, I’ve got it. Don’t worry about the dog. I’ll put him outside while you’re over, okay?”

“All right.”

“Go back out the tent. I have to take these poles down.”

She made her way out the tent and waited as he disassembled it, the sounds of his toiling reminding her of windchimes. The whoosh of the wind and waves made her keenly aware of her surroundings and of how amazing and beautiful life and nature were. She looked over her shoulder at Viper who was now folding up the blanket, seemingly oblivious to her gaze. The sun had begun to set, and there was hardly anyone around. He looked so majestic at that moment. Strong. Giving. He was doing things that, in her mind, didn’t match his appearance. Saying things that she didn’t think she’d hear from a man like him. And the way he treated her and her son at times made her speechless. When she was too busy to get together, he was understanding. When Troy interrupted their alone time together, he welcomed her child with open arms, even inviting him to sit between them.

Every now and again, he’d open up to her… like when she’d asked about his childhood, and he’d answered. A part of her wished she’d hadn’t even gone there after he’d described some painfully sad situations that had happened. The pride in his heritage and culture was obvious, the love for his brothers and sisters in the Nation, yet he’d also expressed his struggles with the way things had been changing in his world. He no longer felt like he quite belonged, although he still felt protective of his LK family.

She never expected him to denounce his allegiance, but it was crucial to her that he keep a safe distance and protect himself at all costs. Obviously, he felt the same, or the man wouldn’t have moved away from Little Havana in the first place. But then again, Viper was reserved, and she always felt like he fed her in small increments, mere bite-sized pieces of who he really was, deep within his soul, and how he truly felt. He didn’t discuss emotions. He spoke about facts and events. He never looked sad when discussing horrific things, and he wasn’t faking or pretending to be strong. He was strong, hard on the outside and inside. And guarded. A tough man to figure out.

Yet, when they were together in the quiet of the night, just the two of them, sipping wine, their fingers intertwined, and nice music playing, he’d look at her and share a secret or two. He’d say atrocious things, vague confessions of sorts, as if he were speaking of regular days in his life. In truth, the more time passed, the more he trusted her. So in those moments, he’d spill his guts. That was a big deal. It was more than evident that Viper was a private person by nature. She respected that. In fact, she respected so much about him. More than he could ever know.

I’m falling in love with you, Viper, and I’m scared. I don’t want you to go back to the way you were, a way that I never saw, but I see the aftermath of it in your eyes. You’ve stepped away from that, but it’s left holes in your spirit. Yeah… love. I love this man.

She turned back towards the ocean and hugged herself.

She thought the words but couldn’t yet say them. The ‘L’ word was so hard to utter, for when she declared her feelings, there would be no way to take it all back. To renege.

About ten minutes later, they were in his car, heading home. She leaned back in the passenger’s seat and closed her eyes to the sounds of Lucky Daye’s, ‘Access Denied.’ Viper was chewing on a piece of spearmint gum, his long limbs stretched out and his head cocked to the side. He smelled like decadent cologne, the beach, and mint. I love how this motherfucker smells. Damn! A black Yankees cap and a pair of gold and black sunglasses made him even sexier as he thoughtfully stroked his beard with one hand and held the steering wheel with the other.

“If you keep lookin’ at me like that, Majesty, like you want something from over this way, I’m going to beat that pussy up when we get in here.”

“Oh, really?” She smirked. “Well, you aren’t threatenin’ me, mothafucka. Come on and bring it.”

“Bet.”

When he said the word, he pulled into his driveway. Before she knew it, he’d put the dogs away and was leading her inside, picking her up in his arms, and kissing her hard and slow as he carried her up the steps to his bedroom…

Q’s, ‘Garage Rooftop’played in high volume, making the walls practically vibrate with life and lust. Majesty sat naked on the edge of his bed that was dressed in gold and black sheets. His clothes also discarded, he drew the curtains shut, shrouding the room in almost complete darkness, then turned on a corner lamp on the lowest light setting. A stream of light crept through, enough to hug the curves of her soul, taste her energy, and touch her vibration. On the nightstand sat a handful of Magnum condoms and a bottle of lube.

She got under the sheets, covered to her waist. He salivated at the sight of her big, soft breasts, the dark nipples erect and begging to be sucked.

“You in love with me?” He picked up his gold lighter and lit a small amber and musk candle by his bed. The light flickered and danced before settling. Sliding into bed with her, he snuggled close, wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her near. She seemed guarded, stiff, scared, maybe of something beyond her control. “I asked you a question.” He went for one of his favorite spots on her body: that lovely, sweet smelling neck. As he kissed her, she shuddered and held him tight.

“What made you ask me that?” Her airy voice, tinged with an ever-so-slight Southern dialect that he loved, broke the barrier of her silence.

“Because you look like you’re in love with a motherfucker.” He sucked and licked along her collar bone, then went right back to her neck. Sneaking his hand between her hot thighs, he cradled her moist pussy. Her whimpers and coos sounded so sexy, they made his dick throb and lengthen with need. “And you feel like you’re in love with me.”

He kissed her then. Her body trembled as he kept stroking her pussy, faster and faster, working her clit into a frenzy. “Cum tell me the truth…”

“Ahhh!” She twisted in his arms, squirming as her pussy dripped juice on his feverishly fast digits. “Fuck!”

Her head fell back and her body shook hard. She seemed to have lost complete control of herself. He kept on pleasuring her until she quieted. A live recording of Jhené Aiko’s ‘Chilombo Medley’ serenaded them as he looked into her eyes and stroked her arms, then placed a gentle kiss against her succulent lips. He closed his eyes and felt her soft hands wrapping around his neck. Then, her warm breath caressed his ear.

“Yes…”

It was all she needed to say. All he needed to hear. Gently, he drew her down towards the end of the bed.

“Stand up and turn your back towards me.”

She did as he asked. After bringing the lube bottle on the bed, he slid the condom on his hard cock and bent her over, keeping his touch like a hundred rain drops against a leaf, making her bend. He melted into her, relishing the feel of her while caressing her back, her neck, and layering her soft, brown, beautiful skin with kisses. Intoxicated by every drop of woman that she was, he cupped her ass and gave it a little squeeze, then opened the bottle of lube and slathered his dick until it was practically dripping wet.

“Tonight, I’m going in deep, baby…”

“Ahhhh…” She jerked and shuddered when he entered her tight, juicy slit. Slow. Deep. So damn deep. He held onto her waist, moving in tune with the music. Taking his time.

“Damn, Majesty…” Her warm pussy felt like wet velvet gloves wrapped around his dick. Squeezing and loving it. “You’ve got some good pussy, baby… Shit.”

He reached around her with her one hand, cupped her pussy, and stroked her clit. Easy like.

“No importa, estoy aquí y no me voy a ir a ninguna parte, Majesty.”

He knew that she may not understand everything he said, but she’d feel his sentiment. The language needed no translation for his feelings for her poured out with each thrust. The shit he couldn’t say, he could show her in other ways for the rest of her days. He groaned and grunted as he went balls deep. Faster. Harder. Up until this point, he’d always used restraint. Tonight, she was going to feel all of him. Her screams of anguished ecstasy and aching delight shattered the space around them. Their moans intersected like crucifixes… like fingers intertwined… like twin flames… like double souls…

He sped the pace even more, sweat pouring down his body like a waterfall. There were no gaps, no space, no room for even a butterfly’s whisper to slip between their bodies. They were one. Skin on skin. Light tan and dark cinnamon combined. Connected. Linked like Eve to the serpent… Perhaps Viper had been her one true love. Perhaps she’d been designed for him, but because of his disobedience to the Creator, he was punished, cast out of Heaven, and had to watch her go away with Adam as the final stake in his black, now reptilian heart. A fallen, exiled angel.

She was his heaven. She was where he’d been but was never welcomed again. She was his—

“God!”

She cried out, her fists grabbing the sheets. Shaking, she started to fall but he caught her in time. Her thighs trickled with nectar. The golden apple had burst…

There it was, the liquor of the Immortals living between her thighs.

He stood her on her feet and caressed her stomach from behind as she turned her head to look up in his eyes. As he kissed her, he kept pumping within her, diving as deep as he could in harsh, fast jabs until her eyes sheened over. She pleaded for him to stop, begged him to keep on going, to love her hard, love her soft. To never let her beautiful ass go. Rearing back, he left only the tip of his hungry dick within her, throbbing with lust inside her addictive garden. And then he slammed into her over and over, making her scream. Loud clapping echoed throughout the bedroom, until he exploded within her.

Her fingers dug into his arm, nails dragging against his skin as she held on while he emptied himself into the condom. They remained connected. Still kissing. Still cumming.

Still telling her to step aside in their Garden of Eden… and yet, out of his same mouth, with that same forked tongue, he begged her to stay, to let him have her, what was always rightfully his, once and for all…