13. Makari #2
They continued shouting questions and taking pictures which made me cringe with the idea of what headlines would be attached to them later. But there wasn't much I could do about it. Omiri's expression remained impassive like he was completely under control.
After he had Avi secured in her car seat, he leaned in the front and pointed behind him. “They’re gonna stand here with you. I’m about to get her portable crib so she has something to sleep in tonight.”
I nodded and his men flanked the Jeep. I was grateful that the windows were tinted so dark.
These idiots were disrespectful, still taking pictures, firing off questions and accusations.
Omiri eventually came striding out the house looking sexy and unbothered other than the scowl on his face and loaded Avi’s portable crib in the back before he was in the driver’s seat.
His guys ushered people out of the way so he could back out of the driveway.
I glanced at Avi then put my eyes on him.
"What the hell happened?"
"Somebody leaked details about us and we're a fucking news story."
"I don't want to be a news story and what do you mean somebody? Did you tell anyone? Your friend knows. Would he have…"
"Nah, this isn't him but I think I know how it got out."
"How?"
"My agent."
"Why the hell would your agent…" I paused. "Wait, the one you're firing?"
"Yeah, he mentioned people were whispering about me having a kid. I don't have a damn clue how that could happen but I'm sure he did this shit and that muthafucker is gonna see me."
"That's not gonna help anything and you're tied to him legally."
He cut his eyes at me in a way that said he didn't give a damn before he made it clear. "Raaj is handling the legal shit. The rest I'm gonna deal with."
I dropped back on the seat and stared out the window. "I knew this was going to happen. These people are so damn nosy. Why do they even care what I'm doing?"
He snorted. "You're the mother of my child, Kari. It's not really about you as much as it is about them making money off my name."
"Right, like I'm doing." I muttered, thinking about the headlines.
"Bruh, chill. Ain't nobody worried about that shit.
I'll say whatever I need to clear that up.
You don't want shit from me. Still haven’t even picked a new car yet.
They want a gotdamn story, I'll share screenshots of the texts we have of you refusing to spend my money.
" His tone was light and had me smiling and rolling my eyes.
"Buying a new car isn't a decision you take lightly. I have to take my time and make sure the car speaks to me."
"Did that raggedy ass Camry speak to you?"
"What did I tell you about talking trash about my baby?"
He chuckled and turned to look at me. "You mad?"
"Hell yeah I'm mad; that car was good to me."
"Fuck that car, Kari. I'm talking about what's out there about us."
"I'm pissed that people are so disrespectful and they have not given one thought to the things they're saying about me. Avi will eventually be old enough to read what they're saying about both of us."
When our eyes met I noticed the storm brewing in his. I had brought up his reckless lifestyle enough for him to assume that's where my mind was, and in a small way, he had the right to assume. I was worried about her ever thinking I had her as a money grab or to secure my future financially.
I sighed. "I don't ever want her to question who we are or whether or not she's loved.
So I'm pissed about that to the point where I want to pull up on everyone who played a role in putting our lives on display.
To every person who made a mean comment or lied about who or what we are, I want to personally chop them in the throat but I'm not upset with you.
You didn't do this, so I can't rightly be angry with you. "
He laughed dryly and I grinned. "I mean… I could but I'm not."
Omiri reached for his phone and unlocked the screen. "Say that one more time. I need that shit documented for future reference."
I burst out laughing at him pulling a me on me before I snatched his phone. "It doesn't hit the same when you do it."
He chuckled and glanced at me again as we approached the gate to the neighborhood in Chandler Heights where we brought Avi to the park a few weeks ago.
We pulled up to my dream home. I kid you not, everything about his house I had on my wish list. Brick, multiple car garage, entire front with windows that had to offer the absolute best natural light, multi-tiered design that was modern and still simple, making it look like a massive bungalow.
Nothing about this house made sense but it was so beautiful.
Omiri hit a button on his car and the garage opened.
The six-car garage was empty aside from the Range Rover identical to the one Omiri had.
We sat in silence for a minute and I watched Omiri staring at the Range. His energy shifted and I could see his fingers tightening on the steering wheel, so I placed my hand on his thigh.
"You okay?"
His gaze landed on me like he had completely forgotten I was there and my eyes drifted to the Range before they were back on him and it clicked.
"That's his?"
He raked a hand down his face and nodded. It clicked all at once. "Was this supposed to be his house?"
"Ours." He laughed dryly, shaking his head. "You win a Super Bowl, you buy a house for your parents. That's how shit goes. It's cliché as fuck but that's what you do. I don't fuck with my parents like that, so a week before I won my first ring, I dropped eight mil on this for me and Rion."
"A week before?"
He nodded with a cocky grin. "Wasn't no way in hell we were gonna lose to Dallas."
I rolled my eyes and smiled before I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed across the car and sat in his lap. He glanced in the rearview at Avi who was quiet. "She's fine."
I placed my hands on his face and he grinned. "Here you go with that shit again."
"What?"
He arched his brow and I shrugged. "We're about to talk about some heavy shit and I want you to feel safe."
"Bruh, the fuck I tell you about that being safe shit. I’m not a pussy."
I flashed him a smile. "Will you just let me have my moment?"
"Do your thing, big dawg."
I brushed my thumbs over his cheeks and he moved his hands up my thighs to my ass. "You said you didn't live here because it was just you and easier to live in the city."
"Yeah."
"But it's more about you not wanting to be here without your brother."
When his jaw locked tight, I leaned in and kissed him. "It's okay and we can go to your apartment if you want."
"Nah, we're good out here. No one knows about this house except Van, Ryland, and Raaj. The address isn't linked to my name because Raaj put the property under one of my LLCs. This is the best place to be right now. I don't want you stressing."
I grinned and kissed him again. "You sure?"
He gripped my ass and pulled me closer. "Yeah, I'm sure. If y'all are good, I'm good."
Omiri reached for the door, and once he had it open, I climbed out and he followed. While he collected mine and Avi's things, I unbuckled our baby girl and followed him into the house. He set our things up in his room and mumbled something about placing an order for whatever we needed.
We only viewed the bedroom which was fully furnished then the living room which was also furnished with a massive, L-shaped black sectional centered in the open area.
There was a two-sided fireplace with four double-seater armchairs that matched the sectional on the other side.
The fireplace was glass and extended to the ceilings that had to be at least thirty feet.
The house was beautiful yet also felt lifeless.
I sat on the sofa while Omiri sat below me with his back against it, watching Avi crawl around exploring the unfamiliar surroundings.
"So what's next?"
Omiri shifted and dug a wallet out of his pocket, removed a card, and held it over his head for me. I took it from his fingers and he grabbed Avi who crawled over to him. He playfully tossed her in the air, making my baby break out in a fit of laughter.
“What’s this for?”
“We might be here for a minute. Use that to get stuff. There damn sure isn’t any food and shit out here; so we can order something for tonight and I’ll get with my chef and let him know to stock up.”
He dropped his head back and brought Avi down enough to kiss her face before he tossed her in the air again. “And before you argue with me about it, the account you have is for Avi.”
I grinned and flipped the card between my fingers. “I wasn’t going to argue. You told me to accept the privilege of your life, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Ahh hell, I see I fucked up with that.”
“Indeed you did, sir, and there’s no going back.”
“You hear that, Avi, your mother is about to run up a tab. But she can get that though because she gave me you and you’re priceless, pretty girl.”
He kissed her face and her little laugh was so perfect.
“This is a Crescent Bank Black Card. You sure you want me to have a direct link to your bank account?”
“Man, give me my shit back.”
I lifted and pushed the card into the back pocket of my jeans. “Nope too late. Access granted.”
He smiled, shaking his head. “That’s cool. I blew up your spot, so this is on me. I’ll take that hit.”
Back to the reality of why we were here…
“So what now? Your season is starting and I have work.”
“My PR team is working on it. Van is drafting statements for both of us but I told her I wanted to holler at you about it before she sent anything out.”
I lifted and stretched out on my stomach, folding my arms before I dropped my chin on them. “What kind of statement?”
“Confirmation that Avi is mine and we’re co-parenting. I figured you didn’t want them, knowing I was knocking them walls down.”
I narrowed my eyes and he grinned but kept his focus on Avi.
“That’s not going to make them leave this alone.
” I knew how these things worked. Confirmation would only have them running with that angle and trying to find details to dispute that claim.
Neither of us would be able to show up in public without cameras in our faces so they could pick our lives apart.
“Nah, it won’t be, but we have to say something.” He turned and studied my face. “I’d rather them accept that we’re a family than let them run with you’re trying to hit my pockets or that Avi’s not mine. I’m not feeling that.”
“Yeah…” I sighed, turning my face to the side to rest my cheek on my arms.
“I know it’s fucked up, Kari, but they’ll get bored with it. We just gotta hold it down for a minute until they do.”
“The crazy part is I deal with this daily, fixing my clients’ problems and bad decisions, but I damn sure never expected to be the crisis.”
“You want Van to handle this for you? I know this is your shit but you’re on the other side now. She can work on a plan.”
“There’s not much she can do. I know how this works.
At this point, I have to be my client. Limited engagement with no direct comments or responses to what they’re saying about us.
Releasing basic information that says a lot but doesn’t really say shit at all then we go back to our boring lives flying under the radar, blah, blah, blah.
” I rattled off what I delivered to all my clients at one point or another.
“We’re about to live basic as fuck and bore their asses into moving on to the next story.”
I sighed. “I hate this.”
As rational as my mind was about this situation, I was conflicted with the impulse and need to defend myself. I didn’t sleep around. Not once had I had sex with any of my clients nor would I ever. I also wasn’t the type to trap a man with a baby. What happened between me and Omiri just happened.
It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t a money grab, but regardless of the truth, I couldn’t defend myself against stupid people who thrive on negativity.
They didn’t want the truth, they wanted the story , and the story was, Makari Phoenix pimped her coochie out to get her cut of a two hundred and forty million dollar contract.