Chapter 11 Skye
SKYE
“What’s going on with them?” I asked Nyx as I set my purse on the couch, my gaze drifting to the corner where Trace and Shade were huddled in conversation.
“Girl, I don’t know. Ocean just called Trace. He sounded like he was going off about something.”
“Really? I hope everything is—”
“Forget all that,” she said, nudging me. “Did you bring the test?”
“Oh...yeah.” I pulled it from my purse, and she snatched it. “Have you said anything to Shade yet?”
“No, and I don’t plan on saying anything until I know for sure. No point in getting all worked up when this could simply be stress or food poisoning.”
“Yeah, but it’s not,” I whispered.
“Whatever. Where’s your mom? I thought she would have been here by now.”
“Apparently she got stuck in traffic. I think there was a wreck or something.”
“Sounds about right.”
The doorbell rang, and Nyx went to answer it.
I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the extra energy that came along with my mother.
Okay, Skye, you can do this. Everything will be fine.
Except, when the door opened, it wasn’t my mother. It was Ocean, and he looked heated.
“Yo,” he snapped, shoving his way through the door. He didn’t even look my way. He walked straight to Trace and Shade. “What the fuck? You had one job.”
I wasn’t sure which one of them he was talking to, but whoever it was, he was pissed.
I nibbled on my bottom lip, desire vibrating beneath my skin. I couldn’t think straight.
“Seriously?” Nyx said, glaring at me.
“What?”
“I thought you decided you were going to let this thing with you and Ocean go.”
“I am.”
“It doesn’t look like it. You literally cooed when he walked past you.”
“I did not.”
“You definitely did.”
Trace lifted his hands as Ocean stood in front of him. “Hey, don’t look at me. Blame your big mouth ass brother.”
Shade shrugged. “Shit, I didn’t know it was supposed to be a secret. I heard Trace talking about it, and Nyx asked about it, so I told her.”
“What are y’all talking about?” I finally stepped in.
“Nothing,” Ocean said before shoving Shade and Trace toward the balcony. “Outside.”
The doorbell rang again, and my eyes snapped across the room, reminding me of what I was about to deal with.
I knew it was my mother.
This wasn’t how I planned for her to meet Ocean. Hell, she wasn’t supposed to meet him at all. If she caught even a hint that I was involved with him, she’d be all up in my business, digging where she didn’t belong.
I groaned just as Nyx opened the door.
The moment my mother stepped inside, the energy in the room shifted.
Her dark brown skin glowed effortlessly, framed by long, straight hair that fell full down her back, every strand in place.
She was dressed in a crisp cream suit, pressed like it had come straight from the cleaners.
As always, she was put together, polished, and ready to give her two cents where it wasn’t needed.
“Oh my God, I’m so glad you’re okay.” She yanked me into her arms, then stepped back to look me over. “Did anyone hurt you?”
“No, mama, I’m fine.”
“Well, what happened? Where were you?”
“It’s a long story.”
She gripped my hand and pulled me over to the couch. “Well, I’ve got nothing but time. I’ll be here for a while.”
“A while?” I blurted, my eyes widening.
“That’s right. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen my girls, and now that I’m here, I want to spend time with my grandson.”
I darted my gaze to Nyx who simply cleared her throat and tiptoed out of the living room.
I looked back at my mother. “Where are you staying?”
“Well, I had planned to stay at your place, but since you’re not there, I’m staying with your sister.”
I almost slipped and told her I’d be heading home today. But thankfully, the sensible part of my brain kicked in. A few minutes in my mother’s presence felt like a decade. I didn’t need that kind of aggravation right now.
Tilting my head, I quickly changed the subject. “Did you color your hair? It looks darker than usual.”
“I did,” she said with an appreciative grin. “You like it?”
“Yeah. It looks pretty good.”
“Thank you. Maxwell loves it too.”
“Maxwell? Who is Maxwell?”
“Oh, right. I haven’t told you about him.” Her grinned widened.
“No, you haven’t. But I thought you were seeing someone named Charles.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, honey, that’s been over for months. That man was unbearable.”
“Really? Why?”
“All he ever did was work. It was business meeting this, business meeting that. He was canceling dinner plans almost every week.” She pulled a stick of gum from her purse.
“Ironically, that’s how I bumped into Maxwell.
I was heading out of the restaurant after being stood up for the fifth damn time, and we sparked up a conversation.
We’ve been glued to each other ever since. He’s amazing.”
“How old is he?”
She rolled her eyes. “Relax, he’s not a youngin. He’s fifty-one.”
“Finally, you’re dating someone that’s the same age as you. I thought you would never stop trying to get your groove back.”
“Whatever, your father was my age.”
I frowned. “That doesn’t even count. You haven’t been involved with my father since I was a toddler, and we don’t even know where that man is.”
I couldn’t believe she brought him up. Neither of us had seen or heard from him since I started kindergarten, and he was drunk off his ass then. As far as I knew, he was passed out somewhere under a bridge or dead.
“Yeah, you’re right. But forget all that. We’ve gotten off topic. You still haven’t told me what happened that Nyx was so worried that she had to call around looking for you.”
I sighed.
I didn’t want to go into detail about everything that had gone down with Mecca. But her staying here for a while meant she was going to find out soon enough. Especially since she was staying with Leera.
Although we hadn’t talked, I knew my sister’s husband was well connected, which meant she knew every damn thing.
Anytime something happened, she would shoot me a text to see if I was okay.
Whenever I responded back to let her know that I was okay and asked how she was doing, I didn’t get a response back.
I took that as she was just trying to make sure I wasn’t dead, but that was as far as our communication would go.
I crossed one leg over the other and started filling her in. Granted, I left out a few parts, like my dumb ass begging Mecca to let me have his baby. Oh, and walking in on him fucking a stripper and still staying with him. She didn’t need to know all that.
“Wow! So you broke up with him after finding out he had a baby by someone else and he attacked you, then he kidnapped you?”
“Well, he didn’t exactly kidnap me. That was one of his bum ass friends that did all that. But—”
“Oh, please, I’m sure he had something to do with it. Have you told the police? Did his ass get arrested?”
“Relax, Mama. It’s already been handled. No police necessary.”
She jerked her head back. “No police? Then how did it get handled?”
As if he knew he was being talked about, Ocean entered the room, Trace and Shade behind him.
“And who are these fine young men?” My mother smiled as she stood up. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes landing on Shade. “Oh, I know exactly who you are. Nyx is such a lucky girl.” She looked back at me. “Your sister told me they were dating.”
“Yep, they are.” I rolled my eyes, feeling it coming in three, two—
“So which one of you handsome men belong to my daughter?”
My eyes closed in embarrassment.
“That would be this guy right here,” Shade said, slapping Ocean on the back.
“Oh, really?” My mother replied.
I didn’t even want to look up. My body flooded with heat.
I should’ve just let her stay at my place.
Why the hell did I have her meet me here?
“And you are?” my mother held out her hand.
“I’m Ocean.”
“Ocean, huh?” She grinned. “I love that name. I bet you have my daughter—”
As fast as I could, I snatched her hand from his, cutting her off before she could say something ridiculous. “Alright, well, I’m glad you two got to meet each other, and for the record, Ocean and I are just friends. He’s not mine and I’m not his.
“Mmhmm, Friends that have sex, I’m sure,” my mother blurted.
“Mama?”
“What? I’m just saying what I know is true. I can’t imagine you just being friends with this—”
“Can you stop, please? And why are you acting like this? You’re supposed to be giving me a hard time about my life choices and all that.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve come to realize life is too short. I shouldn’t be giving you a hard time. You and your sister aren’t the same, and that’s okay,” she said, leaving me confused.
I frowned. “You’re not my mother. Where have you taken her?”
She laughed and tugged on my cheek. “It’s me, baby. I’m just looking at things from a different perspective these days. Maxwell makes me see things in a better light.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Hmm...okay. I might have to meet this Maxwell guy.”
“Yes, you will. But first, let’s get back to your man.”
“Mama, I already told you—”
She waved me off and returned her attention to Ocean. “So, what do you do for a living?”
He smirked. “I own a club or two. One back home in Moreland, and the other one is here.”
“Oh, so you travel back and forth?”
“I do.”
“What about your family? Do they live here?”
“Just my brother.” He glanced over his shoulder at Shade.
“Wow, you two are brothers?” Again my mother’s eyes sparkled.
This was so weird. I’d never seen my mother act like this. Then again, maybe it was all the dollar signs she saw in the room. My mother was definitely blinded by those.
“That’s right,” Ocean said.
“I see. Well, thank you for looking after my daughter and making sure those assholes got what they deserved.”
“No problem at all. I’m not finished with one of them though. But I’m just waiting for the right time.”
“About that,” I said, easing toward him. “I’ve been thinking—”
“Oh, before I forget,” my mother interrupted, grabbing my hand, “I’m going to talk to your sister about us having a little get together at the house while I’m here.”
I frowned. “No. Don’t do that.”
“Why not? It’s time for you two to bury that nonsense, and you need to meet your nephew.”
“Leera’s not interested in listening to anything I have to say.”
“Just don’t bring up the past and—”
“But the past is the issue. She married the issue.”
My mother sighed. “Can’t you just let all that go and agree to disagree?”
“How am I supposed to let go of something her husband lied about?”
Again, my mother sighed.
I tilted my head, waiting for her to come up with an answer that made sense.
But I knew she couldn’t.
Nobody could.
“I’m pregnant!” Nyx blurted, rushing back into the room with the test still clutched in her hand.
“You’re what?” Shade asked, his full attention snapping to her.
She froze, pressing her hand to her mouth. “Shit. I didn’t mean to run out here like that. I just—”
“You’re pregnant?” Shade crossed the room in seconds, pulling her into his arms and lifting her off the floor.
Nyx nodded, smiling but searching his face. “Are you happy?”
I could tell she was holding her breath, waiting for his answer.
“Hell yeah, I’m happy,” he said, grinning wide. “We’re having a baby!”