26. Khalil
The Next Morning
I woke up this morning with my dick gliding down Piper’s warm throat and a dope-ass breakfast spread.
After we ate dinner last night, Piper began her research on the Wellingtons.
I honestly didn’t need her to get any dirt on them.
I just wanted to tell my story before Anais had a chance to tell her lies.
But being the dope-ass investigative journalist/editor that my wife was, she wanted me to have leverage just in case this shit didn’t go in my favor.
Imagine my surprise when she pulled up photos of Anais and fucking Lamar Brown.
My ex-best friend.
I hadn’t seen that bum since we graduated college.
Last I heard, he had gotten drafted with the Sacramento Golds but was now working at a bank because he tore his ACL during a game.
The fact that they looked like they were in love in those photos made me feel a way. Not because I still had feelings for her, but the dates on the pictures were from back in 2023 up until now.
Right after we got together.
She was plastered all over his page, and them motherfuckas looked happy as shit together.
I was about to fuck myself tremendously marrying her ass.
The shit made me think it was a set-up because that nigga and I didn’t end on good terms. He made it clear that he was jealous of me and even plotted to go after Piper while we were together, putting doubt in her mind when she was already vulnerable and had trust issues I tried relentlessly to erase.
I didn’t think it was a coincidence that he ended up fucking with Anais. Her ass stayed in social circles she shouldn’t have been in, and being that he was still friends with Jalen and Keith, who played for the Dallas Seagals, I knew he frequented a lot of basketball games and parties.
The shit was wicked how obsessed this nigga was to try to one-up me.
“I have a friend who knows Brandy Lemon. I could get her to contact her and set up the interview for tomorrow.”
“You gon’ have to tell me how you keep making all this shit happen and who all you know. That halftime performance is still blowing me.”
She giggled. “I know Aaron Newman. We went to SVSU together after I left True. He’s like my male bestie, and when I found out that he was the VP of the Vipers, I stored that information in my bag until I finally needed it. He was able to squeeze me in to do the performance.”
“That’s crazy. So you had ample opportunity to come for me, but you chose to stay away?” I didn’t mean to bring it up, but the shit still stung. Yeah, we were in a good place, but that pain was still there.
I could see her smile fade and face grow solemn. She slowly closed her laptop and gave me those sad-ass eyes. “You said you forgave me.”
“I do, Pipe. But the memories are still there. I’m not trying to make you sad and shit, but you had access to me, even after I changed my number, and you still didn’t reach out. It’s always been a thought after you left if you even loved me for real.”
She sat up and faced me. “I did and still do. I tell you I love you every day that I’m allowed to be in your presence because I know I may not have told you enough or expressed it enough all those years ago.
I fucked up. I realize that, but I married you to let you know that I was with you.
I know it’s not enough to make you believe me, but I’m here now, and if you need validation every day, then I’m willing to do it, because you need to know how much you mean to me.
How if you tell me you don’t want to do this with me anymore, I’ll probably have to go to the insane asylum. ”
I looked at her and could tell her ass was serious.
“Come here,” I said, pulling her onto my lap.
I kissed her lips and rubbed her fat ass.
“I’m sorry. I did say that I forgive you, so I shouldn’t keep making you feel bad about shit that happened a long time ago.
I promise not to bring up the past since we’re starting over on a clean slate.
Even if ya ass say something that may trigger a memory, I won’t say shit to make you feel bad about it. You hear me?”
She nodded with a soft smile on her face.
I opened the nightstand and pulled out the ring box from Tiffany’s.
I opened it, and her beautiful eyes sparkled at the fat-ass diamond that sat inside.
She squealed and held her hand out to me.
Her excitement turned the somber mood back to our happy bubble.
I took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger.
She grabbed my face, kissing me all over until her soft lips landed on mine.
Just when I was about to deepen the kiss and get in her guts, the alarm on the front gate sounded, and I knew it was my moms bringing Kiy home.
“Is that PGK?”
“It is.”
“Should I stay in the room?”
“Not for long. This meeting was bound to happen, and since you’re about to become a permanent fixture in our lives, I think it’s time y’all get reacquainted.”
“Oh my God.” She let out a hefty breath. “Okay. I’ll be ready.”
“You’re good, baby. Let me talk to her real quick, and I’ll call you down.”
Piper nodded and slid off my lap as I slipped on my pajama pants and a shirt, then headed down to greet her at the door.
“I got it, Don,” I told him, seeing that he was already en route to the door. He nodded and walked away while I opened the door just as Kiy made her way up the steps.
“Hey, Dad!” she exclaimed, rushing up to me and tossing her arms around my waist.
“Hey, baby girl.”
“Whose car is that?” she asked, looking at Piper’s 2024 AMG Roadster. “I like it!”
Clearly, my daughter had a fascination with cars.
I smiled. “Let’s get inside. I want to talk to you.”
“Mm. I know what that means,” Moms said, walking up with my pops in tow. She planted a kiss on my cheek. “Hey, baby boy.”
“Hey, beautiful.”
“You look . . . refreshed.”
I chuckled. “I’m just happy to finally have time for the beautiful ladies and beautiful young lady in my life.”
“Mmhmm. Once you’re done with my g-baby, you make sure she comes down so we can have a little chat.”
“You got it. What up, Pops?”
He smiled wide. “Can’t call it, champ. Me and your moms just wanted to kick it with you for a bit before I head to Tennessee.”
“What’s in Tennessee?”
“Golfing trip with the original champions.” We both chuckled as they made their way toward the family room in the back. I took Kiy by her hand and led her into the living room. We both took a seat, and I leaned forward, placing my elbows on my knees.
“You okay, Dad? Did I do something wrong?”
I frowned. “Nah, why you ask that?”
“You’ve been wanting to talk a lot lately.”
I laughed. “Well, there has been a lot to talk about. You remember me telling you about Piper?”
She nodded. “The lady you married.”
“Yeah, . . . that’s her car out front.”
“She’s here? Right now?”
“She is, and she’d like to talk to you. Like I told you before, though, it’s no pressure. You can move at your own pace with this, but I really love her and want her in my life.”
“Is she moving in here?”
“No, . . . but I’m hoping eventually. She won’t move in here until you’re comfortable with it.”
Kiy played with the zipper on her bag, not speaking.
“Talk to me, baby girl. How you feeling?”
“Nervous, I guess.”
“Why are you nervous?”
“Because when you started dating that fake body lady, she just came in like she ran everything. Like this was her house, and I don’t want another one of her around here. You say she’s my stepmom, but if she’s anything like that last lady, I don’t ever want her around.”
“I guarantee you that she’s nothing like Anais. She’s up there right now, nervous to meet you too. She hasn’t seen you since you were a baby, so both of you are feeling nervous about meeting each other. I’ll tell you one thing, though. She loved you more than anything. Probably more than me.”
“If she loved me, then why did she leave us?”
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
She nodded. “Okay. Should I go up?”
“Nah. I’m going to tell her to come down.” I kissed her forehead. “Thank you for hearing her out, but if you ain’t feeling it, I’ll let you walk away. Cool?”
“Yeah.”
“A’ight.” I stood, walked over to the intercom, and called Piper down. It only took her a few minutes before the elevator dinged, and she came walking around the corner. I could see Kiy staring at her as Piper entered with a smile on her face and misty eyes.
“Hello, Kiyanne,” Piper greeted, coming closer to us.
“Hi.”
“Your dad wanted me to come and speak to you. If that’s okay.”
Kiy nodded again. “It’s cool.”
“You got the floor, baby girl.”
Kiy looked to me then back to Piper. For a moment, she didn’t speak, then looked at Piper before she spoke. “My dad said you loved us a lot, so why did you leave us if you loved us so much?”
Piper took a seat on the ottoman in front of her.
“There’s no real explanation or anything to justify my actions, pretty girl.
When your brain hasn’t fully transitioned from childhood to adulthood, you tend to make some mistakes and bad decisions.
Leaving you and your dad was one of those mistakes and bad decisions for me.
A lot of bad things happened before I made the split-second decision to leave.
Me and your biological mom didn’t see eye to eye, and it caused things to spiral out of control.
“Since I couldn’t control my emotions, I ran away from the only good things in my life besides my mom, and I can’t express how deeply sorry I am.
But I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance to make it right with you too.
” Tears slipped down Piper’s cheeks, and a soft cry slipped from her lips.
I grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it before massaging it to soothe her.