13. Khalil
I had finally gotten Kiy down to sleep in her crib after holding her for damn near three hours straight. Her having a cold was something I wasn’t prepared for, but I knew I had to get it together for her.
I hated that my baby was sick.
She just looked so miserable, but since I’d switched her from breast milk to organic formula, I figured it was what caused her immune system to weaken. As hard a decision as it was, I knew I had to do what was best for my baby.
Being a single father was hard as fuck. I’d never regret my daughter, but I often regretted who I had her with and slipping up with her ass.
I made the right choice to stop giving her Nia’s breast milk when I saw her Snapchat story with her tossing back shots and facing a blunt.
Nia wasn’t the type to pump and dump, because she barely remembered she had a fucking baby, so I knew it was time to stop giving her that tainted-ass titty milk.
I turned on her little music player, grabbed one of the baby monitors, then headed downstairs to clean her bottles and make Piper and myself a snack for the movie night I had planned. Nana was out with some old dude I wasn’t aware she was dating, and she told me she wouldn’t be back until morning.
That shocked the hell out of me.
My sixty-year-old grandmother was in these streets dating.
I was overprotective of my nana and didn’t like that she was spending the night away from me. What was worse was that she never told me she was even dating anybody exclusive enough to spend the night out.
I didn’t like it, but I made sure she shared her location with me, just in case I had to pull up on that old nigga.
As soon as I pulled the pizza from the oven, my alarm system sounded.
Already knowing who it was, I placed the pizza on top of the stove and went to answer.
When I opened the door, I couldn’t help but just stare at her for a minute.
Piper was pretty as fuck, and those long, braided extensions were doing something to me.
Without speaking, I pulled her to me and tossed my tongue in her mouth. Her kisses tasted like chocolate as my hand found her ass and squeezed.
I had to pull away before I devoured her right there in the entrance of the doorway. I pulled her inside, then shut and locked the door.
“I missed you,” I told her.
She smiled softly as she looked up at me. “Missed you too.”
“Come on. I made us pizza and set us up downstairs so we can watch a movie.” I held her by the waist and guided her toward the kitchen. I could feel the slight tension in her body as I held her.
“You a’ight?” I asked, looking down at her.
“Yeah . . . How’s Kiy?”
“She’s good for now. It took a minute, but I finally got her down. I’m hoping she doesn’t wake up any time soon.”
“Oh. And Nana?”
I chuckled. “Apparently, Stella got her groove back. She’s out on a date and told me she’s spending the night out.”
“Okay, Nana!” Piper exclaimed, snapping her fingers.
“You advocating for her is crazy.” I pulled two plates and cups from the cabinet, then plated a couple of slices.
“That’s a grown woman, mister. She can do whatever she wants.”
“And I’m gon’ do whatever I want to that nigga if he hurt my grandma.
” I was dead serious. “You mind pouring us some drinks?” She stood, went to the fridge, and grabbed the cranberry juice.
Something was off with her tonight. Her usual witty, sassy, playful demeanor was nonexistent.
The slight tension in her body when I touched her was a stark contrast from the month that we’d been seeing each other.
Any other time, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other, but tonight felt awkward with her.
“You sure you good?” I asked her, staring at her profile. She looked up at me with those big, pretty eyes and smiled.
“Why do you keep asking me that? I told you I’m good.”
“Because something seems off with you. Usually you’d be all over me, but I’m not getting the attention I crave from you when I see you.
” I smirked to keep from smiling hard like a broad.
Piper had no idea what she had done to me.
If she knew the weird ass shit I did when she wasn’t around me, she’d probably think I was a psycho.
The truth was, I was falling for her badly. I was trying to hold off on being too affectionate because I didn’t want to scare her off. But shorty already had a vice grip on me that I couldn’t explain.
“Aww, you want my attention, boobie?” she asked, smiling and walking up to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. She puckered her lips, and I smirked, leaning down and placing my lips on hers.
I slid my tongue in her mouth, and we engaged in a heated kiss.
I lifted her up by her ass and set her on the countertop.
My lips went from her lips to her neck, and before we knew it, our clothes disappeared.
I took my time, sucking each one of her nipples into my mouth. She grabbed a fistful of my hair as moans escaped her lips.
“Yesss, Khalil!” She groaned when I entered her. This was the first time I slipped into her without protection.
Here you go. Being fucking reckless again.
It wasn’t my intention, but at that moment, we weren’t thinking. Her tight, warm, and wet walls gripped my dick like a vice, and I found myself gripping her hips and slamming her down on my pole.
“Fuck, Mi Amor. Your shit so good, baby.”
“Mmm, I’m going to cum, baby,” she moaned in my ear, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. Her tongue slid over my earlobe as she sucked it, sending me into a deeper frenzy as I pounded her goodies with precision.
“Go ahead, baby. I’m right behind you,” I told her just as she exploded, digging her nails into my back as she often did. I knew my back had to have a mural of her fingernail markings on it. In my mind, she was staking her claim. It felt possessive, territorial, and painfully good.
Pull out, nigga!
My conscience screamed at me as I pulled out of her, dropping my load onto the kitchen floor. Our foreheads connected as we breathed heavily. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close and kissing along her jawline.
Once I got my bearings together, I lifted her from the countertop and took her upstairs to my bedroom to shower.
We showered in silence, just kissing and touching until we finally washed and got out.
Her energy was still a bit off, but she looked content as we dressed.
I checked on Kiy, then we headed downstairs, cleaned the floor, warmed up our pizza, and went into the basement to watch a movie.
We settled on watching John Wick and ate in silence. My phone rang on the table, and I picked it up, seeing Nia’s name on my screen. I sighed heavily and shook my head before answering.
“Yeah?”
“Heyyy, baby daddy! What you doing?” I could hear the slight slur in her voice and knew she was drinking.
“Nia, it’s ten o’clock at night. What is it that you want?”
“Why you ain’t come to the homecoming dance? Ya little hoodrat won’t let you outside?” She cackled, and I could hear her friends in the background laughing as well.
“Watch your fucking mouth, Nia. The only hoodrat I ever fucked with was you. Either say what you called for or get the fuck off my phone.”
“Why you treat me so bad, Lilo Baby? You know what? Never mind. I want my daughter for Halloween. I want to take her to my little cousin’s birthday party.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I have rights too, Khalil. You can’t keep me from her. I’m trying to do better.”
“You can’t ghost her for weeks, then magically want to spend a day with her.
That ain’t how this shit works, Niana. You’re not about to flaunt our daughter for a day then don’t see her for another three or four weeks.
Do you even know that she’s been sick for the past two days?
I called and texted you to let you know I was taking her to the doctor, and you never called me back or showed up.
Now that you’re feeling nice off that liquor, suddenly you remember you even have a baby. ”
“You don’t know how this shit feels, Khalil. You ain’t never had a baby—”
“I may not have pushed her the fuck out, but I damn sure have been taking care of her for the past four months!” I could feel myself getting annoyed and knew I had to end this conversation.
“As I said, if she’s feeling better by then, I’ll think about it.
” I hung up before she said something to take me out of the good mood I was in.
I could hear Piper scoff, and she sat up from lying in my lap.
“What’s wrong, Pipe?”
“Nothing, Khalil. Why do you keep asking me that?” I could hear the slight attitude in her voice.
“Because, again, you’re acting funny. What the fuck happened today?”
“Nothing. Just leave it alone.”
“Nah, fuck that.” I snatched the remote from the table and turned the TV off. “Tell me what’s going on with you. Start talking, shorty.”
She sighed as her head fell back against the couch.
“I’m not telling you this for you to go defending my honor.
I honestly shouldn’t have come here tonight with this heavy on my mind, but I knew you would question me anyway if I didn’t.
I was prepared to lie, though. Apparently, I’m not too good at doing that or hiding my emotions. ”
“Talk to me, baby.”
“Lamar said some stupid shit to me that made me question our relationship—”
“What the fuck did he say?” I asked, cutting her off.
I already had plans to rock his shit because I just knew he said some bullshit.
The nigga had been acting funny since I checked his ass, along with the crew, about coming at Piper.
That bullying shit was wack, and I made sure I expressed that when I addressed them the first time.
Whatever he said to her had her questioning us, and I didn’t like that shit.
“See. You’re already getting upset. It’s okay, Khalil. I know my insecurities and trust issues are something I have to deal with, but I’m trying for you. It’s why I still came over and didn’t run.”