Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2)(5)

Sounds harsh but the truth is I am more than positive Larissa’s dad comes around those nights and she doesn’t want me to know who he is. If it wasn’t for her secret of who Larissa’s daddy is, I am pretty sure she’d let me stay. But I get booted for a guy. At first I went to the Methodist church because they have a homeless shelter but when Cage found out I was going there because Tawny wasn’t letting me stay at home anymore he flipped.

Now, I go to his place instead. I tried to fight him on it just because of his crazy notion we’re going to get married but I need him. Even if he is possessive and insane at times, he takes care of me. No one else ever has. He likes knowing he has the ability to take care of someone.

When Cage’s grandmother passed away she left him everything she had saved and tucked inside her mattress. Cage had never even met the woman because his mom had run away from home when she was sixteen and never gone back. It had been a surprise when Cage received a check for over two hundred thousand dollars. The first thing Cage did with the money was buy his apartment. He figured it was a good investment and he wanted some security. The rest of the money he put in the bank and only draws the interest. He’s been trying to get me to move in with him ever since.

“Lowlow out,” Larissa demanded as she banged her small pudgy fist on the tray of her highchair. Lately she’d gone from calling me Mama to Lowlow. It infuriated Tawny when she called me Mama. I’d had to work on breaking her of that habit.

“Yes, I’ll get you out but first let’s wash the banana off your hands.”





Marcus





“When did Low leave,” Cage grumbled as he stepped out of the bedroom door an hour after Willow had left. I could smell the whiskey on his breath from across the room. How’d she sleep near that?

“About an hour ago.”

He nodded and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. I tried to appear as if I was focused on the screen of my lap top instead of curious about what he was going to say to her.

“Hey baby, why’d you leave without waking me?”

“Aw come on. You know I’d wake up for you.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you.”

“No, I shouldn’t have. I thought you were sleeping.”

“I want you to come back here tonight and please take the key. I keep leaving it out for you. I don’t like you having to stay with her and God help me if I find out you’re going back to that damn shelter.”

“I’ll come get you myself if you don’t get your ass over here tonight.”

“I got a game tonight. You want to come? I promise to leave with you after.”

“Okay fine. But come here. If you need rest so badly before class tomorrow then get your sexy ass over here and go to bed. I promise not to stink tonight.”

Cage chuckled and hung up the phone.

“That girl’s gonna drive me nuts, I swear.”

I glanced up from my computer screen. Cage was pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Did she get some coffee before she left?”

“Yeah, she did.”

He nodded and leaned back against the counter.

“She look upset or tired?”

She looked defeated but I didn’t want to tell him that. Not because I was worried about him but I didn’t think she’d want me to point out that observation.

“She seemed fine.”

I thought about the part of his phone conversation where he’d brought up a shelter. My insides cringed at the thoughts of Willow sleeping at a shelter.

“What did you mean about her going to a shelter?”

Cage cursed and shook his head, “That sister of hers is mean as hell. She’s basically kicked Low out. I didn’t know about it at first. I found out she was sleeping at a church in town that had some kind of homeless shelter. I was so f*cking furious I could’ve killed her sister with my bare hands.”

“Where does she live then?” I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like this answer but I needed to know.

“On the days she keeps her niece her sister lets her stay the night. The rest of the time she comes here. I tried to move her into the room you’re staying in several times but she refuses. Says she can’t handle my life style full time. The only reason I didn’t press it is because I’d end up losing her. She’d see what a chicken shit I really am and I’d lose her. I can’t lose her.”

The guy was really screwed up. How did he think he was really in love with Willow if he couldn’t even stop screwing every chick with a pair of long legs and fake tits in order to take care of her and keep her safe?

“I see,” I replied even though I didn’t.

Cage chuckled and sat his coffee cup down. “Naw, I doubt you see at all.”

I didn’t respond because he was right.





The knock on the door startled me even though I’d been anticipating it for hours. Ever since Cage told me to expect Willow around seven tonight, I’d been surprisingly anxious. I’d have Willow to myself. Even though I knew it wasn’t wise I was looking forward to it. She fascinated me.

“Hey Marcus,” she smiled up at me as I opened the door wide and stood back so she could step inside.

“Hey yourself.”