Chapter 10 #2
“You are more than welcome to visit S3. I know it’s been a minute, and I’m not here to take that from you. But don’t get it twisted, I run this. Not you. Not your attitude. Not your little history with Seth. Me.”
I extended my arm toward the kitchen, calm and collected, but fully in control.
“Now go ahead. Dinner’s getting cold.”
“Pussy ass hoe!” Jo shouted, voice echoing all the way downstairs.
“Jo!” I hissed, eyes wide, trying to keep a handle on things before they spun out again.
She turned to me like I had disappointed her. “You don’t curse enough for me,” she said, pointing a long, acrylic nail my way. “That’s your husband’s baby mama and the only curse word you’ve said was ‘shit’ Nah. We gotta work on that, Stormi.”
She strutted toward the kitchen, but I reached out and pulled her back, wrapping her in a tight hug. I kissed her cheek, burying a soft laugh against her shoulder.
“I love you,” I said, honestly.
“I love you more,” she replied, her tone softening, just in time for the front door to open.
Seth and Rich walked in like they’d felt the chaos through the door.
“Can I join in?” Seth asked, wrapping his arms around both me and Jo.
Rich clapped his hands once. “Let me wash up so I can grab my godson,” he said, walking past us, his smile easy until he caught sight of Imani.
“Don’t forget it was one before him,” she called out as she stepped out of the kitchen, her voice all vinegar and no honey.
Rich didn’t break stride. “You the only one who forgets about him. Mouth not full of dick now, so you got time to talk, huh?”
The whole room went still for a moment, like the air got cut in half.
Seth’s face twisted with frustration. “Imani, what are you even doing here?”
She rolled her eyes so hard it looked like they’d get stuck. “To see my son, the one I haven’t laid eyes on in almost two months. Or is that news to you?”
Seth took a deep breath, jaw tight. I could feel his energy winding up to explode, so I placed my hand gently on his chest, grounding him. The room was already hot with tension, and S3 would be down any second. The last thing I wanted was for him to walk into another war zone.
“Imani,” I called out calmly, keeping my voice leveled, “how about I fix a couple plates for you and S3? You can eat together upstairs in his room, get some time alone with him.”
Her eyes cut to me like knives.
“Serena already fixing plates,” she replied with a dry laugh. “And I was already planning to do that. But thanks for the suggestion since, what was it? This is your house, right?” She smirked.
Before I could respond, Seth stepped forward, voice low but sharp.
“This is her house. And don’t get it twisted, I’ll throw your ass out before you even get to see S3. Say one more dumb thing.”
Right then, Serena walked out of the kitchen, holding two plates. But the look she gave Seth… it was off. Not her usual warmth. Not love. It was distant. Like she was conflicted. I’d never seen her look at him like that before. She didn’t say a word. Just handed the plates to Imani.
Right on cue, S3 came down the stairs, still drying his hands on his pajama shirt, his little feet thumping on the steps.
“Mommy Stormi, is it ready yet?” he asked, halfway down, eyes bright.
“Yes, baby,” I said with a soft smile, but my eyes didn’t leave Serena. Something in the air had shifted.
And I didn’t know why but I didn’t like it.
“Mommy?” S3 blinked as he reached the bottom of the stairs, his voice small but surprised. “What are you doing here?”
Imani crouched down and opened her arms like she was in a commercial. “Having dinner with my favorite person in the whole world,” she said, planting a kiss on his cheek.
S3 smiled politely but was a little confused and looked over at me.
“Stormi, are we still gonna watch the new Hulk movie tonight?”
I opened my mouth, then paused, looking between him and Imani. “Well... maybe you wanna watch it with your mommy instead?”
“Noooo!” he yelped, shaking his head fast like I’d suggested he eat broccoli for dessert. “She doesn’t like Hulk. She won’t even know what’s going on.”
I bit back a smile. Imani’s jaw tightened.
“Okay, okay,” I said gently, smoothing his shirt. “We can watch it later, promise. But for now, enjoy dinner with Mommy. She misses you.”
S3 gave a little nod and took the plate Serena had handed him, walking over to the couch with Imani trailing behind, still staring at me like she wished her eyes could cut skin.
Across the room, Jo covered her mouth with her hand, clearly hiding a grin.
Rich didn’t bother holding it in. He let out a low whistle like it was game point.
Seth was leaning on the wall with a smirk so smug I almost lost it.
“Well damn,” Rich muttered under his breath. “S3 said ‘new mommy’.”
Seth chuckled. “That’s what happens when you only show up when your calendar clears.”
Imani said nothing, but the way she gripped her plate let me know she heard every word.
But I wasn’t smug. I wasn’t even trying to one up her. That wasn’t the point. S3 chose me with his heart, not out of spite and that was something no smirk or slick comment could buy. I just gave her a quiet nod.
“I’ll take him off your hands,” Rich spoke, stepping up and scooping Shiloh from my arms with practiced ease.
I turned toward Seth, my body leaning into his naturally. “You hungry?” I asked, already knowing the answer, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
“Starving. What Mama cook?”
“Your wife cooked,” Serena cut in, her voice sharp as her stare. “Didn’t know she knew how to do that.”
My eyes shifted to her slow, heat rising in my chest.
“Is there a problem?” I asked, tone tight, the irritation lacing every syllable. I’d been swallowing her little digs since she came home and I was getting full.
“Not at all,” she said, sweetly.
“If you need me to cook more, I don’t mind,” I added, staying calm but checking her at the same time.
“That’s good to know, Stormi,” Serena said with a smirk. “Since you’re a wife now.”
Another shot fired.
I leaned close to Seth, voice low. “Get your mama,” I whispered with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes.
I tugged Jo’s hand and led her into the kitchen with me. We fixed the plates and joined everyone at the dining table. The energy was off, thick and cold. Rich had already taken his plate, Shiloh, and a few bottles to the guest house. Said he had the night shift.
Jo and I sat quietly. Seth, even quieter. Serena’s eyes kept bouncing around the table like she was daring somebody to break.
Something was wrong. And for whatever reason, I was catching strays all night.
I finally spoke up. “Anybody wanna share what the hell’s going on?”
Serena didn’t waste a second.
“Oh, you don’t know?” she asked, fork clinking against her plate. “Your husband’s out here terrorizing the city. I don’t even recognize my own son anymore.”
I looked at Seth. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak. I knew what he was capable of. Knew the life he lived… still lived. I didn’t need all the details. He handled business, so I held down the home. That’s how it worked. But hearing it from his mother’s mouth hit different.
“Ma, let it go,” Seth spoke up, trying to keep it respectful but his voice was already thin.
She leaned forward, clearly not done. “Stormi, let me ask you something.” She asked it like she’d been waiting for this moment.
“Do you really want your husband walking around playing God, taking innocent women’s lives over what their sons did? Wouldn’t you want God to handle Dre for what he did to you? Not Seth?”
I froze. Not because I didn’t have an answer. But because I had one, she wouldn’t like it.
“I was innocent,” I voiced slowly. “Your grandson was innocent.”
Her face tightened.
“Dre could’ve taken something from us we would never get back. So no,” I answered, rising from the table, “I don’t have sympathy for what’s happening out there.”
The room was silent as I turned to Jo. “Mind cleaning up the kitchen for me?”
She nodded without a word. I looked around the table, calm as always.
“If you’ll all excuse me, I’m going to bed.”
But of course, Serena couldn’t let it go.
“So that’s it?” she asked, her voice slicing through the air like a blade. “You’re not even gonna try to talk him down? You’re the wife, right?”
I turned back slowly, giving her a smile. “You’re right, Serena.”
I leaned into Seth, close enough for only him to hear. “Go crazy, baby,” I whispered against his ear, kissing lips that still tasted like everything that belonged to me. And without looking back, I walked out with an extra sway in my hips, head high.