Session 33

Chapter seventy six

four months later

The smell hit me first—bacon, buttery pancakes, something sweet like syrup.Homemade. My stomach growled loud enough to wake the dead. I cracked one eye open, blinking against the thin sunlight creeping through the blinds.

Angel’s side of the bed was empty. That wasn’t normal. She would usually wait for the alarm to go off.If she was cooking, she was happy. Or maybe it was because I had eaten her pussy so good last night I’d damn near given myself lockjaw and she felt I deserved it. I smirked to myself. That celibacy shit? Trash. But I was glad I’d done it because it made sex feel different—bette now. Or maybe it was just that sex with Angel hit different.

I sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes before getting up and heading to the bathroom. I took a piss, brushed my teeth, then threw on some sweats. Ekon’s little giggles floated up the stairs, mixed with Angel’s laugh. That sound? It had me smiling before I even made it out the door.

I followed the noise down the stairs, the hardwood cold against my bare feet. When I hit the doorway to the kitchen, I stopped in my tracks.

Angel was at the stove, flipping pancakes like she was auditioning for some Food Network special. She was wearing one of my old T-shirts—it was hanging off her shoulders, barely brushing the tops of her thighs. Her legs were bare, smooth, thick, and when she shifted her weight, her ass jiggled just enough to have me locked in place, watching.

Ekon was in his high chair,banging his spoon on the tray like it was a drum set. He was grinning like the happiest kid in the world. The sight of them together made my chest ache in a good way, like my heart was finally in the right place.

I stayed in the doorway for a second, soaking it all in.

This was my family. My life. And I wasn’t fucking it up again. Every misstep, every bad decision, every time I’d hurt Angel, every time I’d hurt myself—it all felt worth it just to get to this moment. I didn’t think I deserved this for years. And now that I had it? Nothing was taking it from me.

Angel must’ve felt my eyes on her because she turned, catching me staring. Her lips curved into that soft smile that always messed me up, her eyes still a little sleepy but warm, like she didn’t hate me for all the shit I’d put her through.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice soft and light.

“Morning,” I replied, stepping into the kitchen.

I didn’t even think. I walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. She smelled like vanilla, butter, and syrup, and I wanted to bury my face in her neck and forget about the rest of the world.

“You cooking for me, baby?” I teased, pressing my lips to the side of her neck.

“Maybe,” she said, laughing softly. “But only if you get to Ekon before he throws that spoon.”

I turned just in time to see Ekon winding up like a damn pitcher, ready to launch his spoon in our direction. I scooped him out of the high chair, and he squealed, throwing his little arms around my neck.

“Daddy!” he shouted.

“Hey, little man. You ready to eat?” I asked, balancing him on my hip.

“Yeah!” he said, grinning.

Angel set a plate of pancakes and eggs on the table, sitting down with us as we ate. She cut Ekon’s pancakes into tiny squares while I helped him with his juice. We were in sync. Exactly where we were supposed to be.

The rest of the day moved like that—easy, smooth, like the universe was finally cutting us a fuckingbreak.

We dropped him off at daycare. He didn’t even look back, he ran straight to the toys.

“That boy ain’t got no loyalty,” I joked, shaking my head as we walked back to the car.

Angel laughed.

We went to counseling, sitting on Dr. Reed’s couch. I still went to Bailey, but only alone.

"It sounds like you’re both committed to making this work. Small steps, day by day.”

That's all i needed to hear. Wewalked out of that office hand in hand.

We hit the grocery store next, bickering over what to buy, Angel pushing the cart while I grabbed random shit off the shelves just to mess with her. Even arguing with her over cereal made me happy.

Lunch was at Angel’s favorite soul food spot—fried catfish, collard greens, and cornbread so good it practically melted in your mouth.

WE picked up Ekon.

Back at home the smell of roasted chicken still clung to the air as the day wound down. Ekon was laid on the sofa, knocked out, Angel had was humming while cleaning up toys and I was thinking about what I was going to do to her when we put Ekon to bed.

Then Silas ass came walking in, duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He hadn’t knocked or rang the door bell. Just used his key.

He brushed past me. “I’m here to see my son,” he said, dropping the bag with a loud thud right in the middle on the floor.

“What are you doing here, and with your duffle bag?” Angel asked.

He flopped down on the couch like he was at home, stretching out like he was home. “What does it look like I’m doing? I came to see Ekon,” he said, dead serious. Then, without even waiting for a response, he added, “I’m taking the guest room tonight.”

“Excuse me? You asking or telling us ? ” she asked.

Silas gave her a lazy shrug, pulling out his phone. “I said what I said,” he muttered, scrolling through his texts like we weren’t standing there.

“Alright. “What’s really going on? You’re too subdue.”

He sighed, shifting Ekon on his lap. “That girl is annoying the hell out of me,” he bitched about Charmaine, rubbing his temple. “She’s always there. Breathing my air. Asking me dumb-ass questions like, ‘What are we doing?’” He mimicked her voice, rolling his eyes dramatically. He threw his arms up like he was about to fight the air.

I smirked. “That’s called a relationship, idiot.”

Silas shot me a look of disgust. “If that’s what a relationship is, I’m out,” he said, standing, picking up Ekon. “ I’m putting my son to bed. Leave me alone.”

Angel busted out laughing. Silas, ignored her completely, heading straight for the stairs.

“That fool is a fool,” she said, shaking her head.

“Always has been,” I agreed.

The house eventually quieted down. Angel and I went to bed, her body pressed against mine, her scent filling my senses. I was on the edge of sleep when I heard something—an almost imperceptible sound. A creak in the hallway. I dismissed it as Silas moving around.

But then, my bedroom door creaked open.

My eyes snapped open, and I froze when I saw him.

Solomon.

He stood there, shadowed in the doorway, with a gun in his hand.