Inevitably Love. (Complicated #2)

Chapter 26

Twenty-Six

I cried on my way home. Boo-hoo’d with snot tears and all. How did I get into this shit? It was so bad, I nearly ran into the back of a UPS shipping truck when getting off at my exit from the Palisades Interstate Parkway . It was because I’d reached for my phone to text Lex when hit with an idea on how to approach this debacle. I saw it was dead and tossed it onto the passenger seat. When my attention returned to the road, I had a single second to respond. That shit scared me to death—had me shaking all the way home. I drove the whole way with a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.

What a way to end a story!

The tears wouldn’t stop. I hated feeling weak. Hated feeling helpless. I even hated how Sunny’s gorgeous face would come to mind when I’d think to tell Ebonee’s sick ass to go to hell and take out a second mortgage there. I hated not being able to share this dilemma with anyone. Sundryia would beat her ass, and Rayna would jump in. God only knew what Ishaan would do. His dumb ass was the cause of this chaos to begin with. Why couldn’t he have just asked for my number that night in HAYDAR ’s lobby? Why couldn’t he have just asked for my name and invited me to the Panther event like a normal guy? Why didn’t he have a shitload of condoms in his Vegas suite?

The sun had fully set by the time I made it to the house. When I pulled into the circular driveway, the sight of my mother’s car parked along the curve had my stomach flipping. I’d forgotten she was visiting Sunny today after work. I was in no mood to deal with Monica Washington today. I could have easily navigated Dr. Patterson. She knew how to give people their space. Monica would require face time. Still, I was grateful for Ishaan being away at a card game night with his famous friends. It was hosted by a major record label owner . Or did he own a sports agency? A PR firm? I couldn’t keep up with his associates but would be content knowing he wasn’t home to find me like this. I couldn’t deal.

I hopped out of the car then went around it to retrieve my work bag and breast pump bag from the backseat. On my way toward the house, I wiped my face and tried to practice my breathing. It was something I did to put myself into a calmer headspace. I knew how to hide my pain—until becoming pregnant. That’s when I learned I was capable of crying in response to fear.

Inside, the house was lit up and smelled of food—useless food for me. I had no damn appetite. After dumping my things down in the master suite on the main floor, I washed my hands then took off for my baby. I struggled so badly to get into mommy mode. It would have likely been easy to do if Monica wasn’t here.

When I crossed inside the nursery, I could hear the calming tunes of the ocean. Sunny enjoyed those sounds. It helped her wind down. She loved music, too, especially the classical genre. She’d calm so easily and would fuss when the music was cut off before she was ready. My mother looked to had just begun folding a load of Sunny’s clothes.

And there she was, on her paternal grandmother’s shoulder, performing the long, hard blinks. My baby was on her way out, which was perfect for me. She would be awake in about three hours for her final bottle feeding and then down until around six in the morning. She wasn’t an unreasonable infant at all.

“It’s okay, Mom,” I whispered. “I can do that. I know you have to go.”

My mother turned to me. “Oh, hey!” she whispered back. Then her head whipped to Sunny being rocked in the chair by Dr. Patterson.

In return, Dr. Patterson winked then placed her index finger at her mouth. I nodded and backed out of the room. If Sunny heard my voice, she’d want my attention, blowing her chances of this precursor to bedtime.

I explained to my mother at the door, “I have another load left in the laundry room I’d planned on knocking out tonight.”

Ishaan and I were headed to Vegas for the weekend once I was done with work. I had a lot to take care of before closing my eyes for the night. Mom nodded and I grabbed one of the handheld monitors from its stand near the door then we headed into the hallway. Once outside the nursery, I closed the door.

“Whew,” mom sighed. “I can’t remember how I did that by myself when you were a baby!” We began down the hall. “But I did have my mom to call for advice. My aunt, Janice, came over a lot when I was still healing from the C-section— oh! My cousin, Mavis, and my girl, Tokyo, from my first job ever hung over at my place a lot, too. I guess I just answered my question. Even if it wasn’t consistent, I definitely had help with you. I’m just grateful you let me come by. Happy Dr. Patterson is here with you all the time, because, Hayden, you ain’t got no friends like that.”

She yawned, before continuing, “I know you got Letisha. And that Sundryia. I see Rayna’s coming around now. But your cousins live in other states. And Ishaan.” She tittered to herself. “That man works around the clock. I had to fuss at him last week, thinking he could just hop off a plane from Vegas, wash his hands, and take care of an infant. That man’s crazy! I hope he listened. Well, shoot. Y’all young people never do!”

The sound of the door closing behind us had me peering over my shoulder. Dr. Patterson’s expression was one of concern.

“Are you okay, dear?”

“Who? Me?” My mother sighed again and shook her head. “I’m tired is all. I guess I’m getting old. Glad I have you around to help me out.”

“No,” Dr. Patterson sauntered our way. “I was speaking to Hayden.”

For the first time since her diatribe about being so damn tired and her having help with me when I was a baby, my mother looked at me. “Oh! Hayden! What’s wrong?” Her attention went from me to Dr. Patterson.

I was hanging on by a thread when I pulled in a breath and decided on a sweet tone. “I’m fine. Just been a long day.” My throat croaked on that last word. Dr. Patterson’s chin lifted, and her eyes widened.

She was reading me. “Okay,” she sang, keeping her composure. “Hayden’s going to go freshen up for dinner while Sunny’s sleeping. She’ll be up, you know, in a few hours. Monica, you’re going to need help getting all that food to the car.” She turned over her shoulder and called out, “Mehki!” Then she turned back toward us. “Let’s get everything gathered so he can walk you out, Monica.”

We continued to the stairway and trekked downstairs. I made sure the monitor was on.

Midway down the staircase, Dr. Patterson shouted again, this time louder, “Mehki!”

We made it into the kitchen where she began bagging food for my mother. I didn’t want to throw my mother on her, so, I didn’t take Dr. Patterson’s out.

“I’m so grateful for this, Nancy.” My mother leaned against the island. “Between my back and fallen arch, I don’t have time to cook anymore, especially now that I’m by myself. I’m just cooking to waste it.”

“No worries, dear. Ms. Green’s happy to prepare a little extra until you get back on your feet,” Dr. Patterson replied as she made quick work of it. “You’ll heal soon. Just keep doing your therapy.”

I didn’t speak. So much was bouncing through my mind. So much shit I had to do before Sunny awakened. That’s when I remembered I’d left my phone in the car. Damn! I’d been that damn pre-occupied! Oh, well . I was home now. Sunny was my 911 recipient. Then I thought of her father. Shit! I’d have to go back out there to get it soon. Right now, I needed a moment alone to just breathe.

“Oh, there you are,” Dr. Patterson hissed. “I called you almost five minutes ago.”

Mehki came huffing through the kitchen. His mood was off from the time I’d laid eyes on him. It was all in his body language.

“It hasn’t been five minutes, Nanu. What’s up?”

“What’s up? Don’t you see Hayden in here? Do you not greet the room first?”

His eyes closed and squeezed. I could see his nostrils flaring, too. “Nanu, you called me down here—shouting my name. I come— I’m here —and you’re on me about not speaking to Hayden?”

Her voice was gravely calm when she posed, “Excuse me?”

Mehki rolled his eyes again. I’d never seen him so temperamental in all the months I’d been living here.

His eyes rolled over to me. “Hi, Hayden.”

“Hi, Mehki,” I weakly returned, taken by his aura.

“It’s Ms. Hayden to you! You know what you’re going to do, Mr. Attitude?” Dr. Patterson pointed to the paper bags filled with stored food. “You’re going to help Ms. Washington to her car with these, and you’re going to come back and explain to Hayden and me your nasty disposition, which will be followed by a sincere apology! Do you understand me, Mr. Patterson?”

This was uncomfortable, and so quickly. Even my mother’s eyes were wild with shock.

Mehki’s whole face opened wildly. “Help her to her car?”

“Yes!”

“Nanu, I’m not her do-boy! All I do nowadays, it seems, is run, lift, pickup, or deliver something for her—” He pointed to me. “—or the baby! It’s like… Dang! I ain’t decide on none of this! Nobody asked if I wanted another housemate. Who said Hayden had to move in with her baby? Why couldn’t she just stay at her place? She got a whole house in Paterson!” His chords strained, and he screeched, “I ain’t got nothing to do with this, Nanu! I’m respectful. I speak. I even play with the baby! I check on Sunny like every day! And now you want me to be a slave for her grandmother, too?”

“ Wha —” Dr. Patterson’s head whipped back so fast. “What are you talking about, young man? That baby’s your sister, not an orphan!”

I’d had enough and was beyond embarrassed. No way I wanted my mother witnessing this. The Pattersons weren’t dysfunctional. This was a moment they needed privacy for.

“No. No. No,” my voice was baseless— powerless —as I reached for the bags. “I’ll take them. I’ll walk my mother?—”

“No, she’s not,” Mehki replied to his grandmother, completely ignoring me. His long arm extended toward the front entrance of the kitchen, referring to my baby. “But that ain’t even Poppy’s real daughter!”

Dr. Patterson slapped the marble countertop. “And where did you get that unfounded, offensive fodder from, Mehki?” she barked.

I’d never heard the good doctor yelp. And I couldn’t move. Why would Mehki say that?

“Poppy told me!” Mehki returned. “He told me last year when we were flying back from the West Coast. I asked him if the baby was his and he told me ‘no.’”

I gasped, body trembling. “He told you ‘no’?”

Mehki looked at me and chirped, “Yeah!”

“Under what context did he provide that information, Mehki? That sounds ridiculous!” Dr. Patterson tried reasoning with him. “Why would he ask Hayden to move in with him and propose to her?”

My mother’s head whipped to face me. That wasn’t something I’d been sharing with most people. Ishaan didn’t get down on one knee and propose. He basically presented a ring, shopped for another one, and said ‘let’s have another baby.’

Is that why he wants another baby?

Did Ishaan want another baby because he thought Sunny wasn’t his? I knew Ishaan was into me exclusively. I could just feel it. How long it would last, I didn’t know. But a woman knows when her man switches up on her. This man had not so far.

But he told his son Sunny isn’t his baby?

“Think about it, Nanu!” His palm rested over his chest. “Poppy was caught up with my mom, who was wildin’ out so much, I came into the world. And it wasn’t through him. It’s what Poppy do! It’s why he don’t date! He fall in love with the wild chicks and is even willing to take on a baby that ain’t his.”

The first tear fell from my face.

Suddenly, I needed my phone to search for the email. Shit! It was dead and in the car. I didn’t bring my work-issued laptop home tonight, thinking I wouldn’t need it. When Ishaan’s office computer came to mind, I was instantly disappointed. It was password-protected.

Damn!

How can I find that fucking seven-month-old email?

“I know you did not just—” Dr. Patterson’s petite frame yanked so fast as she pivoted. “Where’s my damn phone? I can’t believe your conduct tonight, young man!”

Breaking and grabbing the bags, I addressed my mother, “Mommy, please. Come on!”

After letting myself inside, I slammed the door. “Ma!” I shouted, heart pounding, hot blood rushing through my veins. “Hayden!” I was between two ways I would lay his ass out. One was in the gym where he could land safely, and the other was where he stood after he told me how he’d lost his fucking mind! “Mehki, get ya ass down here!”

I was fucking hot as I shouldered out of my suit jacket. My mother called me in the middle of a game where I had ten stacks on the table. Her voice was hoarse, peppered with pain. She kept saying she had never seen Ki so angry in her life. She described him as rude and in possible crisis. That little nigga’s ass would be the textbook definition of traumatized when I was done with him.

The first to appear was Hayden from the master suite. She toed into the foyer wearing a head scarf, my robe, and baggy, red eyes. She’d been crying.

“Come here, Washington,” I sighed, meeting her in the middle of the foyer.

She burst into tears when I pulled her to my chest. Hayden fucking sobbed. “Why didn’t you tell me you saw the results? Why would you tell your son I wasn’t carry…” She had no lung capacity as the side of her fist banged my chest. “…carrying your baby?” Hayden’s wails tore at something in my damn chest.

“Hayden!” my mother cooed as she approached us.

My girl cried into my chest, “I would have never moved…in!”

Mom looked at me in the way she did when she was disappointed. I’d seen this look a lot over the years, mostly when Mandy and I fought. It was a crack in her strong veneer. It was the way her eyes communicated, I told you so.

Mehki’s drops down the stairs couldn’t be confused.

“You got the document?” I asked my mother.

She handed me an opened envelope from her back pocket.

I turned and found Mehki slowly strolling toward us. “Man, get your ass over here now!” When he was in my peripheral, I took Hayden by the chin. “I need you to see this. Look.”

I brought the torn envelope to her line of vision. Hayden sniffled, still trembling, and wiped her glistening face. I managed to remove the documents from the envelope with her still against me. For the first time, I attempted to read the wordy verbiage. I flipped over to the second then the third page. That’s where I saw numbers. There were two tables of numbers with coded readings I didn’t understand. Then my eyes locked in on the bottom where I saw the words “Probability of Paternity.” The value was ninety-nine point six percent. I pivoted with her in my arms to point to the coveted box.

With glassy eyes, she peered up to me after a few seconds of staring. “You’d read them all this time?”

I shook my head.

My mother stepped closer to us. “I read them, sweetheart. I read them just before you came in here last August so upset about the fight you had with Monica.” She flicked her wrists into the air expressively. “I checked the mail that day as I typically do. Blame my age. When I saw correspondence with my name on it, I simply opened and tended to it. It wasn’t until then I was able to figure out what I was reading,” she snorted mirthfully.

“That’s when I remembered Ishaan arranged to have the results addressed to me. I’d totally forgotten about it until I realized they were DNA results with yours and my son’s names on them. This had to be maybe thirty minutes before you came bustling through here.” She pointed to the front doors. “I called Ishaan after I’d talked to you that evening out in my garden. I told him about my blunder and asked if he wanted to know the results to which he said ‘no.’” She shrugged. “He was more concerned with getting home to you than knowing the context of those papers.”

“I actually told her to hold off on telling me until I got home. But then…”

She bit her trembling bottom lip, nose still red from anger. Hayden sounded so weakened when she whispered, “Crackers and banana peppers,” referring to our impromptu romp in the pantry.

I nodded then turned to my son. “Here. You deserve to read it yourself. But the results are at the bottom. The percentage to the right.”

As he read, all we could hear were Hayden’s whimpers.

When Mehki was done, he mumbled, “This ain’t what you told me.”

I felt Hayden’s attention on me when I asked, “What did I tell you?”

“When we were on the plane, pulling off from MEHKI , I asked you if you read the results. Munchie was there!”

I thought back to that day. Hayden had my ass so damn stressed out. I was dealing with more than I wanted to share with my son at the time, including my agreement with Ebonee. “I never answered you,” I responded out loud. Shit. So embarrassed, I couldn’t even look my son in the eye when talking about my complicated shit. Fuck! I pinched the bridge of my nose between my eyes, now understanding.

“Look, Ki,” I exhaled. “I can see how that lack of an answer misled you. It was hard speaking on the topic because I knew I’d made some missteps. Hayden and I were beefin’ at the time, and you know how it is when you’re beefin’ with your old lady. You don’t want to admit it, but you’re low key fucked up and raw as hell. I should have been honest with you in the moment, but I wasn’t.”

Twisting his mouth around, Mehki nodded.

“Does this resolve everyone’s insecurities about my granddaughter now?” my mother held both palms in the air, glancing around at all three of our asses towering her.

She was, rightfully, our referee.

Sniffling, Hayden whispered, “Yes.”

When our attention shifted to Mehki, his face dropped toward the floor.

“Ki, I get this is a first for you. This is the first girl I’m bringing around since your mom. This is my first time giving you a sibling. And my girl is living with us. Given your situation, I get it’s hard. Giving your age, your behavior over the last few months has been unacceptable. Your grace period of adjusting to Hayden being here is fuckin’ done. You can’t just be nice to Sunny. You have to love and protect her mother, too. If something happened to me, wiping me away, and I learned in my wake you ain’t taking care of my lady, I’m coming back to whoop ya ass like I’m about to do tonight?—”

“But, Poppy!” his hand shot up defensively.

“Poppy, my ass! You spazzed out on Nanu, about my girl, in front of her mother. I’m taking it to your ass tonight. I work too damn hard to make sure everyone currently under this roof is safe, happy, and with resources to get along! All four of you! Your ass’ll be leaving in a few months. Don’t make it a cold, cold world when you do, Ki!”

My baby boy’s hung face turned red when he blinked hard. “Sorry, Nanu. I was just so frustrated—childish, I guess. You know I don’t play around with you like that,” he grumbled, sniffling.

“No, you don’t, baby. Next time you collect things in your heart like that, try talking to me about it privately. You know I’m always going to help you process things. You know better.” As tender a tone as she’d attempted, I could tell my mother was hurt.

Then Ki looked Hayden directly in the eyes. “Hayden, you’re cool.” He went quiet for a second. “Even Jessica said it. I broke up with her because of it. But you’re cool. I’m sorry for taking my issues out on you. I’mma do better.”

Crying all over again, Hayden shook her head and swiped her wet cheek again. “Okay. I’m sorry, Ki. I really am. I never meant to bring strife your way.”

Be sorry after I whoop his ass …

“You.” I pointed to Ki. “Give Nanu those papers and wait for me in the gym!” Then I cupped Hayden’s little shoulders. “And you. Follow me. I’ve got another piece of discovery for ya scary ass.” As Ki took off, I winked at my mother. “Good night, Dr. Patterson. I do apologize for my son’s behavior tonight.”

My mother’s head kept whipping between the back of a somberly sauntering Mehki and me. “You—” She hesitated then whispered, “You’re not about to physically discipline my baby. Are you?”

“Am I Sergeant’s son?” When she gasped, I bade, “Good night, Dr. Patterson.”

I gently pushed my distrusting fiancée toward our bedroom, a few feet away.

As many times as I’d seen Hayden cry since knowing her, I could tell she wasn’t a crier. It tore my heart to know all but one of those tear sessions were because of me. Shit . Even the one last August after her fight with Monica. She was pregnant and emotional as hell. All because of me .

So, as I’m watching her sitting on the bed reading the reports and autopsy on Mandy’s death as I feed Sunny her final bottle of the night, I’m uneasy. I pulled the paperwork from one of my safes here in my closet. I had every piece of reporting my lawyers could find on Mandy and Terry’s accident saved digitally and printed. I did it mostly for Ki. I knew him losing his mother the way he did could be conflicting, and needed backup.

Her fingers with long pink nails swiped down her red nose. “Kenny lied,” were the first words she spoke since reading. Rob had no fucking clue of what happened to Mandy. I didn’t know the guy when it all went down. Whatever he believed, he learned from someone familiar with the players. “They sent you her autopsy?” I nodded, pacing with my princess. “Why?”

“We shared a home address at the time—my parents’.”

“And you were questioned about her murder?”

I nodded. “Lots of people know that, hence the speculations.”

“Why?”

“Because I was in Canada at the time of the murder, but over three hours away on an assignment.”

“So, they automatically assumed?” she trilled.

I shrugged with my head. “We were together and struggled relationship-wise, Boo-baby,” I explained quietly while watching Sunny’s heavy lids struggle to remain open. “I just so happened to be in the same country. Of course, I’d be the first to be questioned.”

“So, her and this Terrance Williams— Terry guy—were out there rendezvousing and, randomly, their 330i BMW got shot up.” She sniffled. “That’s so…”

“Mandy,” I answered for her. “Mandy was a troubled girl. I told you.”

She straightened her spine and murmured, “You did.” Her eyes bounced all around. The plethora of information Hayden just read had her mind take flight. “This shit is horrible. I remember what you told me about this guy. You brought him into your home. Had him at your family’s table for dinner. Got him a job, and he thanks you by sleeping with the mother of your child?” She shook her head, appearing angry as hell. “Terry was bad news from the day you met him.” Hayden began thumbing through the papers. “Where’s Terry now? He didn’t die that day. At least, I don’t recall reading that.”

“Last I knew, somewhere in a long-term care facility.”

“For what?”

I kissed Sunny’s little hand. “Severe head injury. Locked-in Syndrome, or some shit like that.”

“Serves his ass right,” she mumbled. “And they never found out who shot at the BMW ?” I shook my head. Then the room grew silent. “But why are you sharing this with me?”

“First, so you can see why I blew up the way I did at the restaurant with you and Rob Whitter. I’ve never lied about my trust issues. Also, because I know more about you than you think I do,” I shared softly. “I know your fears and doubts and it fucks with me that you still don’t trust me. I don’t care that it’s not been a year yet since we’ve been getting to know each other.”

“You knew I’d been struggling with this? How?”

“I got a call from A.D.J., who’d received a call from Maaz. He said Sundryia’s been worried about you. When I asked why, he said it was around the Mandy’s death thing.”

Hayden gasped, mouth agape. “Sundryia ratted me out? Not the thug! ”

I needed her grounded and rooted. “Hayden.” Her eyes snapped to me as Sunny was finishing the last of the sweet milk her mother recently produced for her. “You still don’t trust me. I want more with you and yet you doubt my ability to be transparent.”

“You want another baby. That’s the ‘more’ you want.”

“I want your trust, your fidelity, and your lifelong partnership. I get it. Traditionally, babies follow that.”

“Traditionally?” A fresh round of tears sprouted from her eyes, and she croaked, “You haven’t even formally proposed. I’m fucking in love with you—admit it to you and stand behind that—and now I’m being accused of not doing enough?”

I chuckled quietly, glancing down at my sleeping beauty. The sweet breastmilk was done, and Sunny was out like a light. I removed the bottle, still gently bouncing her, and whispered, “Sunny-boo, your mommy thinks she’s the only one in love. She thinks her feelings for me are stronger than my passion has been for her. The silly woman forgot I was the first to kill my pride and tell her I was falling for her the first time your granny, Monica, visited our home. She’s been so protective of her heart, she’s too blind to see I exposed mine to her first.” I arranged my doll over my shoulder, preparing to burp her. “Don’t be a silly girl like her, baby.”

My eyes were fixed on Hayden as I patted Sunny’s tiny back. “When a man chases you down and wants to share his personal space with you, maybe you should stop and measure him. Don’t ever take him at face value. But Ari, baby, daddy will be here to teach you how to recognize love and responsibility expressed by a man. I’ll do that so you don’t wrongfully think you fell in love first. Because when the right man presents himself, love will inevitably follow. Possibly for him sooner than for you.”

I paced over to Hayden on the bed, handing Sunny over so she could finish with the burping.

“Ishaan,” she cried as I ambled away.

“I’m going to put out yet another fire. I have to discipline my ornery son.”

Once I made it to the door, she called out again, “You’re not going to hurt him, are you?”

“I am.”

“Ishaan, Mehki is a senior in high school. Hitting him can place you both in a dangerous mental space.”

“Maybe I’ll whoop his ass or beat his body up. But the day that boy decides to swing back will be the day he’ll really know how his old man earns money for a living.”

I closed the door behind me.

I flicked off the bathroom lights in the steamy bathroom. I’d just finished a hot shower at the late hour. Damn . I was fucking exhausted. Putting out fires all damn day, even in my own home, drained me. Sauntering over to Sunny’s crib, I felt indescribable peace knowing she was resting safely. Mehki should be, too, or well on his way after a shower. That was if he made it to the shower after the treacherous HIIT circuit I’d just put his ass through.

My mother and Hayden were right. I couldn’t bring myself to whoop his ass. Perhaps if I’d caught him in the act, my reaction would have brought me to slapping the shit out of my son. But after seeing Hayden’s response to the cause of Mandy’s death, my anger had lessened. On my way to the gym, I came up with the workout of ol’ boy’s life. He’d be hurting in the morning.

I kissed Sunny’s soft cheek, and whispered, “Love you, Sunny-boo.”

Then I trekked over to the bed and climbed in. As soon as I settled into the pillows, the mattress shifted as did the comforter. Hayden scooted close, draping her leg over me and her arm around my torso. The best feeling in the world to close my eyes to at night.

Yeah, we had a lot of work to do. There were so many things unsaid between us. Nonetheless, my confidence was in us taking it one day at a time. For me, Hayden was a first. Even with me having been a father for eighteen years now, our child was a first. She didn’t trust me completely, but I knew my lady trusted me enough to grow with me.

I’d marry her, I knew. Hayden would be my wife, and I’d give her more babies. I felt it. Could see it. But the fun with Hayden was in the journey, and not the destination. She was a wonderland of unplanned experiences. She was complicated as fuck, and so was I. Yet our ‘in between time’ thrilled me. Chasing her got me off in an inexplicable way. Our story was a billet-doux for the world to read but for us to enjoy.

Me and my boo-baby …

I brought her soft hand to my mouth for a kiss. Seconds after that, I was out.

“Give me the fucking gun!” Terry demands.

“Why, T?”

“So I can make sure the motherfucker’s dead. I’m gonna put one in his head,” he squeals while panting.

“He’s dead! That’s it. Now, if you know anything about Ishaan, you know he planned his visit here and ain’t alone,” Mandy warns him as though I’ve already died. Like I don’t even fucking matter. “We need to go before his backup pops up!”

Then I hear shuffling and stomping. The sound grows distant. I don’t know where the strength comes from, but I’m able to roll over onto my side and stand. My whole body’s fucking tingling. I see the blood on the floor. It isn’t all Terry’s. Taking my time, I listen and limp to the front door of the cottage. It’s open, arctic air blowing snow through. Outside is nearly gray in the late morning hour. The snow is pouring.

Next, I feel myself in the armored Tahoe . I’m racing behind their BMW 330i . My body’s still shaking from losing blood. My head’s spinning from the betrayal. We’d been miles in at high speed. And for him to have her driving in these snowy conditions with this speed confirmed what I felt. These two deserve each other. With one hand on the steering wheel, the other was clamped around a pistol.

This is it. It’s over between me and this girl. I’d let Mandy make a fucking fool out of me since we met. At this point, it ain’t Mandy. I’m the goddamn sucker, who forgives all her fuckups. I press even further down on the accelerator and I’m starting to gain on the two. As soon as I see a shot of Terry’s head and am confident I can take it, a roaring motor zips past me on the left.

It’s a black Audi Q5 with a mean fucking engine. Before I can decide to slow down or make it my new target, I hear shots ring out. I count six. The 330i swerves, careening off the road. I leap up in my seat and decide to slow down. It slips on fresh snow, somehow taking flight. Mandy and Terry are in the air gliding like an aircraft taking off. Then ? —

PLOW!

The 330i shoots into the air, flips, and plunges back down, landing on its roof.

The Audi Q5 stops bluntly in the middle of the road, forcing me to do the same. I’m clutching my heat, prepared to blast off. The passenger door opens, and a light-skinned nigga with a black skully gets out. He shows no physical signs of being armed. Still, my attention goes between him and the Audi. He’s not alone. The driver still hasn’t revealed themselves yet.

His gloved hands are in the air as he approached me. “Patterson!” he shouts, walking my way, a curl of smoky vapor leaving his mouth. “A.D. Jacobs!”

Shit…

But he’s not Jacobs. I’d met the man recently. Still, I now know what this is about. So, I place the gun in the passenger seat and open the door. When I’m on my feet, he waves me over. Closing the door, I obey. As soon as I walk, I’m reminded of my wound. That bitch shot me.

“You good?”

“Lightheaded, but I’ll live if I can get some help soon.”

“We’ll take care of you. Someone wants a few words with you.” That’s when I detect an accent. Southern California. He motions for me to follow him. “And I’m Crack, by the way. Petey Crack.” He offers a nod.

I return it but didn’t feel the need to give him my name seeing he knows who I am. I now know Jacobs sent him. Azmir Divine Jacobs is a businessman blowing up in corporate. He has several clubs in Southern California, and was expanding his portfolio. He sought me out a few months ago for an executive role in the entertainment wing of his conglomerate. I’ve had my hands full in security and didn’t get his vision at all.

We made it to the Audi and Petey tapped the rear window behind the passenger seat. A curl of real smoke from a cigar flows into our faces. I back out of it, needing to breathe and see. Once it dissipates, I see a familiar face inside. I’ve only met him once but remember him well.

Azmir Divine Jacobs.

He smiles. “I like your work, Patterson. You get a lead, follow instructions, and act accordingly.”

“You moved too slow on the final hit, though.” Petey snickers.

That’s when I got it. This was another one of Jacobs’ ‘tests’—the biggest so far.

I’d gotten word from my superior at the security agency employing me of a special assignment. He said a client requested the elimination of a known individual. Once I accepted the job and learned of the target, I prepared. I’d already been working in Canada. The client requesting the hit had provided explicit instructions on transportation and of where the target was. I knew I was coming for Terry today. What I didn’t know was I’d find Mandy with him.

The calculating motherfucker…

Jacobs peered my way. “I’d like for you to consider my offer.”

“You never made one.” I grunted, feeling the pain from my wound. “You only told me you’re looking at me.”

He nodded. “I have been, and I just did. I’ve been looking into you for over a year. Saw your old lady didn’t match your speed. Thought I’d throw you a bonus. Hope I didn’t step on your toes.”

I turn to look at the 330i and see it on its head and smoking. They’re dead. I can’t see them surviving that damage. My first thought is, I didn’t need help with Mandy. But in this instance, under his presence, I know Jacobs has just given me a job—a job he couldn’t offer if I continued with Mandy in my life. It wouldn’t have been an easy walk away, considering Mehki. There aren’t men I know built like me. Most don’t see beyond what’s in front of them. Jacobs has just demonstrated having a vision beyond what most can perceive.

I’ll live without Mandy. I’ll teach her son to as well.

When I don’t speak, Petey instructs, “Drop the Tahoe off where you got it.” He tosses his chin toward the vehicle they’d arranged for me out here when I stepped off the helicopter. “That ‘copter is hot and running for you. I’ll put in a call for medical to meet you there, so don’t bleed out on the way. I see you’re bleeding. Our guys’ll go back to the cabin and take care of any of your blood if it’s there. Rest easy tonight, king.” He steps off for the driver’s side. “Welcome to Divine’s world.”

Jacobs smiles again. “Indeed.” Then he rolls his window up.

As they take off in one direction, I go in the opposite. Driving in pain from the gunshot wound, I feel a thousand pounds lighter.