5. Han’some Valentine
“I fucking hate this bitch,” I vented with flared nostrils and an erratic pulse. Removing the phone from my ear, I ended the call because Tana’s voicemail came on again. Instead of throwing the phone across the room, I tightened my grip on it, wishing it was Tana’s neck.
All a nigga wanted to do was check on his daughter, and she was making things difficult for no reason.
It had only been a day since her live, and I’d gone to purchase a seashell nightlight for my baby so she wouldn’t have to sleep in the dark.
Alayshia walked closer with a shake of her head and an empathetic expression.
As my manager, she knew everything that was going on behind the scenes of my life.
I wasn’t even trying to start trouble right now; I genuinely just wanted to lay eyes on my baby to make sure she was good and give her the nightlight.
Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes because I regretted the day I ever thought fucking with Fontana was a good idea. “I know you have a lot going on, but you cannot have any more public spats with Fontana. It’s tainting your image,” she advised.
I knew her advice came from a genuine place, but I wasn’t trying to hear that positivity bullshit right now. I needed a real solution to my problem, or else things were going to get worse—online and in real life.
“Lay, with all due respect, I’m going to need you to stop talking unless you’re suggesting a solution on how to help me.
When it comes to my daughter, it’s fuck this career and an image.
I want to be in my daughter’s life, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
” I ran a hand down my face then slid deeper into the couch.
We were in my living room, going over my schedule for the week, but I couldn’t even think clearly right now.
I was worried about my daughter, and nobody seemed to notice how bad this battle with her mama was impacting me.
I knew my image might suggest there was nothing I cared about in this world, but my daughter was my world.
Without her, life wasn’t even worth living, because she was all the family I had.
Lay sighed before she sat beside me. “I’ll go drop the light off for you and talk to Fontana about allowing you to see Skye, but I think it might be time for you to take things to court. I can start looking for lawyers if that’s something you want to do.”
I tapped my fingers on the couch, considering the option. The last thing I wanted was to get the system involved in this, but Fontana had me between a rock and a hard place. If this was the only way to ensure I got to see my daughter the way I wanted, then I would have to do it.
“I feel like this way you can protect yourself, and you have proof of her lifestyle. Not saying yours is much better . . .” Her voice trailed off because we both knew I could get a little wild.
“What if I got married and cut off all bullshit?” I blurted before my mind fully processed what I was saying.
Lay slowly turned to look at me. “Married? Huh?”
I licked my dry lips and leaned forward to rest my elbows on my knees. “What if I clean up my online image by getting married and settling into a calmer lifestyle? Would that strengthen my case for custody of Nyari?”
Although she was still looking at me as if I’d grown a second head, she nodded slowly. “I mean, yeah, that would help, but you’ve never been a one-woman kind of man. And you think you’re just going to find a wife by tomorrow?”
I rubbed my hands together while my mind raced a mile a minute. “Don’t worry about all of that. Just find me the best family lawyer there is. I am going to do whatever it takes to see my baby how I want to.”
I paced the living room trying to think about how I could bring the conversation up to Koi.
She was on her way over to style me for a brand event tonight.
I didn’t have time to waste, and I knew she wanted to take that job with Galaxy.
By marrying me, we could both get what we wanted.
I was desperate, and it wasn’t like she wasn’t a great option.
Her beautiful face appeared in my mind, and I was smiling before I could control myself.
Koi was a delicious, mocha complexion with soft facial features.
I could see her bouncy, luxurious weave framing her face.
Her large, almond-shaped eyes had a way of drawing me in, even though that wasn’t her intent when she looked at me.
She loved to wear lash extensions, but they were never over-the-top or too much for her.
I was dying to hold her oval face in my hands while I kissed her full lips or down the length of her slender nose.
Her lips were always glossy and looked soft as fuck.
My dick got hard just imagining what they tasted like.
I loved that she was tall and curvy. She commanded any room she walked into because her confidence came from within.
Her style was very eclectic, and I loved that she always wore some kind of print with every outfit, whether it be her clothes, shoes, purse, or accessories; she always found a way to incorporate print into her outfits.
In any crowd, I’d be able to spot that girl.
“What are you over there smiling at, boy?” I heard her ask from behind me.
I spun around quickly to find her standing there with her cow print purse hanging limply by her side.
I didn’t even try to wipe my smile away as I shook my head.
“Nothing . . . You look pretty,” I complimented her.
My eyes outlined her silhouette in the jean romper she wore.
Koi always looked good enough to fucking eat.
She squinted at me, and I knew that meant she was suspicious. “Thank you . . . Are you ready to get dressed?”
“We have a little time before I need to. I was wondering if I could talk to you about something.”
She set her purse on the couch and nodded. “Uh, yeah. Sure.”
Even though I was nervous as hell, I still smiled at her. “Aight, come on. I got you some wings because I know you probably haven’t eaten yet.”
After years of working together, I knew how Koi operated. Between working for me and finishing her medical degree, she often forgot to eat. More than once, I had to order her food after hearing her stomach growling while she was dressing me.
“Oh, perfect. I’m starving,” she said from behind me. “And just so you know, I did have a smoothie this morning.”
I mugged her over my shoulder to find her rubbing her stomach. “It’s almost six, Adora.” She snapped her lips together because her argument wasn’t good for anything. “Better stop starving your damn self all the time before you faint.”
“I’ll be fine,” she assured me. When we got to the kitchen, she bumped me out of the way the second she smelled her wings.
I chuckled and took up a stance against the counter.
My eyes tracked her from the sink to wash her hands, to the fridge for a cherry Pepsi, and to the island to finally sit in front of her plate.
She looked so content that, for a minute, all I could do was watch her. Lay hadn’t lied about the kind of man I was, but I needed Koi to agree to this. Since I figured there was no point in beating around the bush, I got straight to the point.
Digging in my pocket, I removed the box, which held the two-carat tear drop diamond ring I’d gone out to purchase.
With my heart in my throat, I slid the box across the island so that it was beside her tray.
Her eyes slowly drifted from her food to the ring box.
Her eyes darted to my face before she started to choke on her food.
She popped open her soda to wash down the remnants of her food. After a few coughs, she returned her watery eyes to me. “Han’some, what is this?”
Leaning on the counter, I kept steady eye contact with her. “Will you marry me, Koi Adora Morgan?”
She waved me off with a shake of her head. “You can’t be serious.”
“Open the box, and tell me if I’m serious or not,” I countered.
I patiently waited for her to clean her fingers off before picking up the box and popping the top on it.
She gasped, seeing the ring sparkling back at her.
“I want to take Fontana to court for custody of Nyari, and cleaning up my image will work in my favor. I also know this will benefit you because you could take the job with Galaxy.”
For a minute, she didn’t say anything. She just sat there, staring at the ring with her chest heaving up and down. Finally, she looked at me, and I could see the wheels in her mind spinning. “Okay . . .” she whispered hesitantly, almost like she was shocked by her answer too.
“Okay?” I repeated, trying to tamper down my excitement.
She licked sauce away from her lips and nodded.
“I want to take the job, and I also support what you’re trying to do, but Han’some, if we get married, you have to take it seriously.
I know we’re not in love, but there needs to be a level of mutual respect between us.
I am not Fontana, so things she would let you get away with, I will not tolerate. ”
I nodded excitedly. “Of course. Respect . . . I can give you that.” I could barely contain my joy, thinking about being able to gain custody of Skye.
It was going on nearly a week since I’d seen her, and Adora agreeing was the only reason I wasn’t losing my mind.
“Try it on,” I suggested because she was still sitting there, staring at the ring like it would disappear if she blinked. “I promise it’s a real diamond.”
A smile spread across her face before her laughter filled the air. “Shit, it better be. I know you got it,” she teased.
I waited for her to climb off her stool and go to the sink to wash her hands.
After drying them off, she came to stand beside me.
She darted her eyes to the ring and wiggled her fingers in front of me.
Reaching for the box, I pulled the ring out then turned to face her.
She couldn’t stay still while waiting. She stopped breathing when I slid the ring on her finger.
“Breathe, baby,” I coached her because she stood there like a statue in shock.
Slowly, she lifted her eyes to mine. “Are we really doing this?”
I tightened my grip on her hand and pulled her body flush against mine. “I’m the furthest from perfect, but I promise, if you got me, I got you too.”