Kayla showered quickly, letting the hot water soothe her sore muscles. She barely had the energy to lotion up, her body aching in the best way possible. Instead, she slipped under the comforter, completely bare, too tired to even think about putting on clothes.

Her eyes fluttered shut almost instantly, her body sinking into the mattress, but just as she was drifting off, she felt the bed dip. Warm, rough hands slid up her thigh, and a deep chuckle rumbled against her ear.

"Now, what I look like leavin' you uncovered like this?" Tank's voice was thick with amusement, but there was an underlying hunger there too. His fingers traced lazy circles along her hip, his body heat radiating against her back.

"Mmm," Kayla whined sleepily, too drained to fight him. "Tank, please... I need sleep."

Tank exhaled, brushing a kiss against her shoulder. "I know, baby. I ain't gon' mess with you. Just makin' sure you comfortable."

Kayla hummed as Tank pulled the covers up over her, tucking her in before settling in beside her. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close so her back was flush against his chest. His breathing evened out, but his grip on her never loosened.

Kayla smiled sleepily. She had never felt so cared for, so claimed.

As exhaustion finally won, she fell into a deep sleep, wrapped in the safety of Tank's arms.

As Kayla slept peacefully in Decatur, back in Richmond her stepdad Vince and her mama Martha were still out there, hunting for her like a bounty. Her little sister Janay couldn't understand why Kayla always got all the attention—even after all this time, three months into the search, Kayla was still the hot topic around their house.

Martha paced the living room, her eyes blazing with worry and anger. "I can't believe that little bitch closed her bank account," she spat, puffing on her cigarette with a venomous glare. "She ran off and left us in the lurch, and now—now we're still lookin' for her!"

Vince, his voice low and dangerous with that heavy possessive tone of his, snarled, "I ain't gonna let her get away with this. She's mine and I'm gonna drag her little black ass back to Richmond if I gotta hunt her down myself."

Janay, ever the confused child, piped up, "Mama, she don't want to be found. She don't wanna come home."

"Shut up, Janay," Martha snapped, her tone harsh. "Until you have children of your own, you wouldn't know how it feels to worry! Your sister—our daughter—ran away, and I can't stand it!"

Janay rolled her eyes, her 17-year-old mind unable to grasp the full weight of their anguish. Across the room, 14-year-old Adonis shuffled his feet, his voice small but earnest, "I just hope she's okay wherever she is."

Vince's eyes narrowed as he glared at the silent family. "I'm tellin' y'all, when I find her, I'm draggin' her back to Richmond. No more runnin', no more excuses." His tone left no room for negotiation.

Martha's fury simmered as she exhaled smoke into the stale air. "I just can't believe she'd do this to us. To our family."

Vince sat back on the couch, rubbing his jaw in frustration. "She ain't gone too far. Somebody's helpin' her. She ain't got the brains to just up and disappear like that."

Martha sucked her teeth, her nerves shot as she flicked ashes into a glass ashtray. "I still don't understand why she would just up and leave. Like we did somethin' so wrong."

Janay scoffed, crossing her arms. "Maybe 'cause y'all did."

Martha's eyes cut to her youngest daughter. "You better watch your damn mouth, Janay."

Janay didn't back down, though. She knew better than to push too hard, but she also wasn't blind. "Kayla been wanting to leave for a long time. You knew that. But you let dad treat her any kinda way. Now she finally gone, and y'all mad?"

Vince slammed his hand on the armrest, making both Martha and Adonis jump. "Watch how you talk to your mama, girl."

Janay stared at him, her lip curling in disgust. She wanted to say more, to scream at him, to tell him she knew exactly why Kayla ran. But she bit her tongue. She wasn't about to be his next target.

Adonis shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe we should just let her go," he muttered. "She don't wanna be here, so why are we trying make her?"

Martha shook her head, her lips pursed tight. "She's my daughter, and she belong with her family."

Vince leaned forward, his dark eyes full of something sinister. "She belongs to me."

The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. Janay's stomach twisted, and for the first time, she felt real fear for her sister. Wherever Kayla was, she prayed she stayed hidden. Because if Vince ever found her... he wouldn't let her go again.

Tanya and her best friend Dina sat inside her modern craftsman house that was situated to the far left of her parent's house. Dina and Tanya have been best friends since they could remember.

Tanya and Dina once had a plan that Darling and Tank would get married. Then Dina and Tanya would be sisters-in-laws but no one knew what happened or why Tank and Darling broke up.

Dina rolled her eyes, sipping on her wine as she sat curled up on Tanya's couch. "I just don't see what he sees in her. Darling and Tank were solid. She was supposed to be the one."

Tanya leaned back, crossing her legs. "Darling might've been the plan, but Kayla is the reality. Tank ain't just foolin' around with her, Dina. That man is gone over that girl. I ain't never seen him like this before."

Dina sucked her teeth, shaking her head. "Chile, please. That lil' brown-skinned girl ain't got nothin' on my sister."

Tanya smirked knowingly. "You always been a lil' color-struck, Dina."

Dina sat up. "Ain't got nothin' to do with that. Darling is classy, she got a degree, she comes from a good home. Kayla? She look like she been through some things, Tanya."

Tanya gave her best friend a hard look. "And you don't think that's why Tank wants her? He don't need no perfect girl, he need a woman that's gonna ride for him, that's gonna love him for him. Darling might be beautiful, but she don't move Tank like Kayla do."

Dina let out a deep sigh. "All I'm saying is, it should be my sister."

Tanya softened a bit. "I know. But you need to let that dream go, 'cause Tank already chose."

Dina pursed her lips, her nails tapping against the wine glass. "We'll see about that."

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Dina, don't start."

"I'm just sayin'," Dina shrugged. "Men switch up all the time. All Tank and Darling need is a lil' push in the right direction. And I don't see this lil' fling lastin' much longer."

Tanya sighed, swirling the wine in her glass. "See, this is why I ain't say nothin' at first. You always tryna play puppet master. But lemme tell you somethin', Dina—Tank ain't that guy. He's stubborn, and if you push too hard, he'll dig his heels in more. If he find out you tryna stir up mess, it's gon' backfire. Badly."

Dina smirked. "That's if he finds out."

Tanya sucked her teeth, shaking her head. "You bein' messy. And what about Darling? She even want him back?"

"Of course she does," Dina admitted.

Tanya sighed, already knowing this was about to be a disaster. Dina was determined, and when she got an idea in her head, she wouldn't let it go. Tanya just hoped she wouldn't make a fool of herself trying to bring something back that had already died.

Dina folded her arms, watching as Kayla smiled and laughed with Miss Sherri while handing over the fresh-picked vegetables. She hated to admit it, but the girl looked comfortable, like she belonged. And that irritated Dina to no end.

Tanya stepped out onto the porch, noticing Dina's glare. She sighed, already knowing what was on her best friend's mind. "You gonna burn a hole through that girl with your eyes."

Dina sucked her teeth. "I don't see what Tank sees in her."

Tanya smirked. "That's 'cause you don't wanna see it. Look at her—she fits right in. She be helping out around here, cooking, cleaning, takin' care of the land. Mama already likes her, and you know how hard it is for a woman to get Miss Sherri's approval. Hell, she even got Daddy eating her food."

Dina rolled her eyes. "She ain't all that."

Tanya chuckled. "Dina, just let it go. Tank done moved on. Darling had her chance."

Dina turned to face Tanya fully, her expression firm. "That's what you think. You forget how close Darling and Tank used to be? How much history they got?" She shook her head. "This lil' fling ain't built to last. He just caught up in some newness, that's all."

Tanya gave her a pointed look. "Dina, don't do nothin' stupid."

Dina smirked, flipping her long, sleek ponytail over her shoulder. "I'm not gonna do nothin' crazy. I just think it's time for a lil' reunion, that's all."

Tanya sighed, shaking her head. Dina was up to something, and she had a feeling it was about to stir up a whole lot of drama.

Kayla hummed softly to herself as she massaged the greens with her hands, making sure they were thoroughly cleaned. The aroma of smoked turkey already simmering in the pot filled the kitchen, mixing with the scent of honey cornbread baking in the oven. She loved cooking for Tank. It made her feel good to know that when he got home, a hot meal would be waiting for him, just the way he liked it.

She glanced at the clock. He should be pulling up soon. A little thrill ran through her at the thought of seeing him. Tank had only been gone a day, but she missed him like he'd been gone a week. And she knew the moment he stepped through that door, he was going to devour both her food and her body like he was starved for both.

She pressed her thighs together, already feeling the heat between them. She didn't know what had gotten into Tank, but ever since that first night, he had been on a mission. He took her every chance he got—on the bed, on the couch, out in the barn, even against the wooden walls out on the land. He had her in ways she never imagined, and she took every inch of him, no matter how deep, how rough, how slow. And the way he touched her, held her, kissed her—she knew this was more than just sex for him.

What she didn't know was that Tank had a plan.

Kayla thought this was just the start of their love story, but in Tank's mind, this was already endgame. She was his, and soon enough, she was going to carry his seed, whether she knew it or not.

As she finished rinsing the greens, she heard the familiar deep rumble of Tank's truck pulling up outside. A little shiver ran down her spine. She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and smirked to herself.

Her man was home. And she already knew what kind of night she was in for.

Kayla knew what time it was as she stood in the kitchen, barely clothed in her house shorts and tank top with no bra. The moment Tank stepped inside, his eyes locked on her, dark and hungry, taking in every inch of her soft, brown skin. He was still dressed in his work gear—dark jeans, a fitted t-shirt stretched over his muscular chest, and his boots tracking in a bit of dust from the road. He looked tired but determined, his jaw set like a man on a mission.

He dropped his duffel bag by the door, his keys clinking against the counter as he closed the distance between them. Kayla didn't move, just watched him, her heart thumping, her thighs pressing together in anticipation. The heat in his eyes made her breath hitch.

"Come 'ere," Tank murmured, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine.

Kayla didn't hesitate. She walked right into his chest, his arms wrapping around her instantly. The familiar scent of his cologne mixed with the faint trace of diesel from the road, a scent that always made her weak.

"You miss me, lil' bit?" he asked, gripping her chin between his fingers, making her look up at him.

"You know I did," she whispered, her lips already parting, inviting him in.

Tank smirked, his dimples flashing for half a second before he crushed his mouth against hers, claiming her like he hadn't just been gone for a day but for weeks. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him, making her feel exactly what he'd been holding back on the road.

Kayla moaned into his mouth, her body melting as his hands slid down, gripping the back of her shorts, pulling them up just enough to feel the roundness of her cheeks.

"Food ready?" he mumbled against her lips.

"Almost," she gasped as he sucked on her neck.

"Good," he said, flipping her around. "'Cause I'm eatin' you first."

Kayla barely had time to process his words before she felt his hands tugging at her shorts, sliding them down her thighs, his mouth already hot on her skin.

Dinner could wait. Tank was starving, and she was the only thing on his menu.