Chapter 31
Juniper Weaver
“I don’t think I can do this.” I rested my head back against the head rest.
My last few days had been a complete blur.
I didn’t know if I was coming or going. Between Kojo and his rude ass mama blowing up my phone demanding I talk to them about the stupid ass wedding, they were getting on my nerves.
I blocked Margret after the first time she called my phone talking crazy.
As far as I was concerned, there wasn’t going to be a wedding.
Kojo’s new fond interest in being Ryver’s dad and other little things that he was doing and none of them were sitting right with me.
The more I thought I came to the conclusion that him using Frankee’s company wasn’t a coincidence–Beauville wasn’t that small.
What his purpose was, I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t trust him or his motives.
He was up to something, but Kojo was the least of my worries.
He was more of a nuisance than anything.
Faheem Banks was what had my mind about to explode.
Ever since we came back into contact with each other, my world had been flipped upside down.
I haven't been able to function properly since. Faheem literally was on my mind all day. I hated that I loved him as deeply as I did, and I couldn’t even figure out why.
I had every reason to hate him, but my heart refused to.
His dumb ass had the nerve to kiss me, and I was done for.
That single kiss fully reignited my love for him.
My resistance was non-existent. The walls I’d built to protect myself from Faheem crumbled with one kiss when I should have been moving on with my life after learning about Mixie’s involvement with me being robbed.
I don’t know why I was shocked Faheem was protecting Mixie; he always did.
At minimum, I deserved to fuck Mixie up off the strength of her putting my life in jeopardy.
I didn’t care what Faheem said. I was gonna beat her ass when I got the chance.
I didn’t care if it took ten more years, I wasn’t resting until my fist and her face knew each other.
Fuck how Faheem felt, I prayed he was there to see.
I had to be a dummy. In the back of my mind, I kept telling myself Faheem was going to change.
He would put me first, but every time, he went out his way to prove me fucking wrong.
Even still, I was trying to be the bigger person.
I didn’t show up to our counseling session, I didn’t feel like faking the funk.
I was still in my feelings, but my guilt was eating at me.
At this point we were going to be married forever because Faheem rescheduled our session before this one.
In my anger, I told myself I wasn’t going to tell Faheem about Ryver.
I wanted to hurt his fucking feelings like he did mine.
I even toyed with the idea of going along with Kojo’s dumb ass idea.
Quickly, I changed my mind. I didn’t want to deal with Kojo more than I had to.
Too bad guilt was eating my ass up. I had already let so much time pass, I couldn’t keep my secret any longer.
That led me to calling Frankee, of course she was all for me telling Faheem.
She even called him to set us up with him.
She didn’t tell him I was with him. I was shocked when we pulled up to my favorite car wash, and Frankee told me Faheem owned it.
I can’t lie, I was proud to see Faheem stepping out of the streets to have a legit business.
He’d mentioned it a few times, and I'd encouraged him to start trying different things out, but he didn’t seem that motivated.
I loved that he stepped out of his comfort zone and made a profitable business.
Frankee, Ryver, and I had been sitting outside Double O’s.
Apparently, Faheem was waiting on us, but my scary ass couldn't get out of the car. I don’t know why I cared how Faheem was going to react.
I kind of wanted to see him angry, it probably would give me some type of satisfaction, but the rational side of me knew better.
That was the one that had me stuck in this car.
”At least he won’t be mad at you alone. He gonna cuss my ass out too.” Frankee snickered, looking out the window.
“Okay, but he’s gonna eventually forgive you. You're his sister,” I groaned, throwing my head back and closing my eyes. I was hoping when I opened them I would be far away from Faheem.
Smacking her lips at me, I could feel Frankee’s hard stare. I imagined her rolling her eyes at me. “And the nigga is basically obsessed with you. Not only are you still his wife, y’all have a baby. He might be mad, but he ain’t finna hate you. The slim chance that he does, fuck him.”
”It’s just that easy, huh?” I snickered, peeking out at Frankee’s goofy smile.
“Mhm-hm, I mean I ain’t saying don’t apologize because what you did is fucked up. But the nigga ain’t innocent either. You ain’t gotta kiss his ass if he don’t wanna accept your apology.”
This was why I found it easy being friends with Frankee, she always told me the truth.
She didn’t pick sides when it came to her brother and me.
She even found a way to give me the courage I needed at times I felt less confident.
Every day Ryver looked more and more like Faheem.
Every face she made mirrored Faheem's. I really didn’t have any other option but to come clean before.
I wanted to tell Faheem first before we ran into each other or someone saw me with Ryver
“And once I have this baby, we gonna pull up on Mixie’s trifling ass.
I been letting that ho make it ‘cause of my nephew, but she ain’t getting a pass for that shit.
” Frankee continued speaking about her setting the robbery up.
I’d told her about it the other day, and she was pissed to say the least.
Blowing out a deep breath, I opened my eyes. “I hear you, baby Tyson.” I giggled looking back at a sleeping Ryver. ”But, I think you should take Ryver in there and gauge his reaction first, then I’ll come in.”
“I don’t think I’m going to have to do any of that,” Frankee said, tapping on my shoulder then nodding out the front windshield.
Faheem leisurely walked towards Frankee’s Jeep. She was pulled in backwards so we were facing the entrance of the car wash. My breath caught in my throat, seeing Faheem.
“He’s gonna kill me,” I whined, turning my head away from the driver side window where he was coming up to.
Tap! Tap!
My heart beat out my chest hearing Faheem’s knuckles rattle against the window. At least I could hide behind Framkee’s tinted windows.
Frankee cracked her window. “Brother,” she calmly greeted him.
“Roll yo window down,” Faheem demanded. “What the fuck you on?” he questioned with a slight frown.
Frankee gave me a side eye then turned back to Faheem. “I’m tryna see what you finna get into.”
“Who is that?” Faheem ignored her, trying to see who I was.
“Juniper, she wanted to talk to you.” I hit Frankee in the arm. I wasn’t ready for her to tell him I was here.
“So, why she ain’t speakin’ to a nigga?” Frankee lowered the window halfway down, revealing Faheem’s cocky smirking face.
“Hey,” I dryly greeted him more so because my nerves were out of control. Butterflies danced in my belly, and my palms were sweating.
Giving me a glare, Faheem let out an un-amused chuckle then he turned his attention back to Frankee. “Majesty back there knocked out? What you do to my niece?”
I assumed Faheem didn’t have a clear view of Ryver because her carseat was rear facing, and he just guessed she was his niece.
I felt my heart leap out my chest when Frankee elbowed me discreetly.
Facing her, I tried to find my voice, but nothing came out, and Faheem eyed us both suspiciously.
The three of us sat in an awkward silence, my eyes bouncing between watching Ryver–who had woken up and was chewing on her fingers in the rear view mirror–and Faheem’s burning gaze.
“What the fuck y’all got goin’ on with them weird ass looks y’all keep givin’ each other? Matter fact.” Faheem stopped talking mid-sentence walking around to my side of the car.
I swallowed deeply then slowly lowered my car window. Briefly, I looked at Faheem before averting my eyes to the sky. I felt myself wanting to cry out of nervousness. “Why you lookin’ like you about to cry, man?” Faheem asked me with concern in his voice.
Nervously, Frankee cleared her throat. “Uhh… That’s not Majesty.”
Faheem frowned at Frankee cutting his eyes in her direction then trying to get a better look behind me at Ryver.
Bringing his focus back to me, his eyes roamed my face, then dropped down to my fidgeting hands, back to my face where I finally gave him the eye contact he was seeking.
"That's what we on, Juni?” The icy, monotone voice Faheem spoke in scared the hell out of me. “You really gave another nigga a baby?”
Frankee snickered at Faheem. He actually looked like his feelings were hurt about me having a baby with someone else. “Juniper, just tell him,” Frankee sympathetically said, looking over at me.
“Tell me what?” Faheem’s face balled up into a terrifying scowl.
“Faheem…” I cautiously said, feeling as if I was about to hyperventilate.
“Stop sayin’ my mutha fuckin’ name. What you got to tell me?” His tone was hostile, and anger rolled off his body.
“My daughter’s name is Ryver…”
On cue, hearing her name, Ryver started clapping like she always did whenever her name was called.
“Maaa.” Ryver started squirming in her carseat.
She hated being in her carseat. She was too nosey for her own good.
I wanted to die when I heard the backseat window being rolled down.
I cursed myself for not putting the lock on the windows when I knew Ryver liked to play with the windows.
“Hiii…” I heard her little voice say as Faheem stepped back to her window.