Chapter 25 Mia
Isat in front of Eden’s crypt with tears streaming down my face. Bleu sat nestled in my arms with her head resting on my shoulders. As I stared at my baby’s nameplate, I was filled with so much anger and regret. I’d been sitting out here for an hour, not saying a word. She’d come to me last night.
At first, I wasn’t sure who was speaking to me, but the moment I looked into her face, I knew it was her.
She had my complexion and hair, but her daddy’s everything else.
His brown eyes, those thick eyebrows and full lashes that I was jealous of, his full lips and nose. Every part of her was Titan DeLuca.
I was sitting on a park bench alone, just staring out at the lake when I felt a presence behind me. Normally, I was on high alert, but this presence didn’t feel threatening.
“I like the lake too,” I heard behind me.
I turned to see my baby standing with my grandfather, who wore a smile on his face. She was older. Every time she visited me, she was a different age. It was like watching her grow up in my dreams. This time, she was about six.
“Hi, Mommy.”
Tears sprang to my eyes and my lips trembled as I looked at her.
“Hi, baby.”
She looked at my grandfather and he gave her a nod. Breaking away from him, she ran to me and threw her little arms around my neck, squeezing me tightly.
“I miss you,” I whispered.
“I know. But remember, I’m right here.” She pulled back and touched my heart. “Always.”
I smiled. “Are you being a good girl for your grandpa?”
She nodded. “He’s taking good care of me and I’m taking care of him.”
I pinched her cheeks. “I know you are.”
She looked at me, hand still pressed against my heart. “You feel sad and scared. What’s wrong?”
“Mommy’s got something very important she has to do. I have to take care of the people who took you from me.”
“Oh. Are you going to hurt them?”
I nodded. “I have to. They’ve hurt a lot of people before they took you from me and your daddy. I can’t let that go.”
“Will you be safe?”
“Yes. Your daddy, uncles, grandma, and grandpa are gonna be right there with me to make sure I come home.”
“But what if you don’t?”
I cupped her face. “Then I get to be with you. If that’s how it has to end, I’m okay with that.”
She smiled. “It can’t end like that, silly.”
“Why not?”
“Then who’s gonna watch my little brother?”
My eyes widened. “Little brother?”
“Yes.” She touched my stomach. “Not now, though. Grandpa and I are taking care of him until it’s time to send him to you and Daddy. He needs you, Mommy. You can’t come with me yet.”
I felt a hand on my shoulder as I stared at her. Looking up, my grandfather smiled at me.
“You’re gonna be fine, Mia. All of you will be.
Just stay focused and keep your eye on your target.
Don’t let anything distract you, baby girl.
You’re my granddaughter. My blood runs through you, and we always handle business.
Don’t worry about Eden. You’re doing this for her.
Your old man’s got her. Ain’t that right, baby girl? ”
Eden smiled. “Right, Grandpa.” She turned to me. “I gotta go. I’m going to visit Daddy, but I’ll see you again soon, okay?”
I nodded with tears in my eyes. “Okay. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek. I held her, not wanting to let her go. When we finally parted, she wiped my eyes and kissed my forehead before grabbing my grandfather’s hand. I watched as they walked into the distance and disappeared from view.
I blinked back the tears and took a deep breath.
“Hey, baby,” I said softly. “I have to go away for a little while, so I won’t be able to visit you. I promise, I’m coming back, though.” I reached out and touched her nameplate. “It’s crazy that I didn’t even get to know you, but I miss you like you were here.”
“She was here.”
I looked back to see my father standing behind me.
“She was here in you and she’s still here, baby.”
He walked over and took a seat beside me. Immediately, Bleu scrambled out of my arms and went over to him.
He chuckled. “Hey, Bleu Bleu.” He shook his head. “I gotta get me a woman. First it was the grandkids, now I have a granddog.”
I giggled. “Everybody just loves you, Daddy.”
“Cause your daddy is that nigga.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple. “You feeling okay, baby?”
“I’m fine. I just needed a little time with Eden before this meeting. I saw her last night.”
Daddy smiled. “She good?”
I nodded. “Grandpa is taking care of her. It’s so weird seeing her with actual features. She’s different every time she comes to me in a dream. Every bit of her daddy.”
He chuckled. “I mean, I’ve met Titan’s dad. He could be his twin. Them genes are strong as hell.”
“She told me I’m gonna have a son, Daddy.”
His head snapped in my direction. “You pregnant again?”
“No. She said not right now, but he’s coming.”
“How are you feeling about that?”
“You think she’s right?”
He smiled. “It’s been my experience that when the dead talk to you, you listen. They see more than we do. If baby girl said she’s gonna have a little brother, start picking baby boy names. Did she happen to tell you a name?”
“No, but I already know what I’d name him.”
“What?”
I smiled. “TJ. After his daddy. I hope my boy works his uncle's nerves just like my husband.”
Daddy laughed. “I see it already. He’s gonna cling to them. Especially to Deuce. That nigga is probably gonna tell that baby about the time he almost shot his daddy.”
“Right. Gonna start their beef all over again. I already know Jaeda’s son is gonna give Smoke hell for always coming for his daddy.”
“I hope he runs his ass crazy. He stays fucking with Quaid and can’t handle when Quaid gives it back.
The lil’ nigga be so quick and nonchalant with his shit, too.
” He shook his head. “I like him. Didn’t think I would, but that’s my boy.
I went from four boys to six. From six kids to twelve. I gotta run away at some point, man.”
“Daddy!” I exclaimed. “Why would you wanna run away from us?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Y’all won’t let me retire in peace. I’m trying to sit back, enjoy my grandbabies and my weed, and y’all ain’t giving me a break. It’s cool. Cause once this is over, I’m taking a nice solo vacation. Shit, might find me a woman wherever I go.”
I rolled my eyes. “Daddy, please. We all know the only woman you want is married. Don’t be a homewrecker.”
He chuckled. “I won’t. I’ve had to learn to let the women in my life be happy without me. I see your mama got herself a lil’ boyfriend.”
“His name is Bronx, and he’s nice.”
“She happy?”
“Very happy.”
“Good. It’s still up about her too, though. Nobody can say I don’t love my baby mama.”
“So much so, you went and got four of them.”
He playfully mushed my head. We sat in silence for a little while, and my thoughts began to drift.
This upcoming meeting was to talk strategy.
Jaeda and Quaid had been working overtime to get all the information they could on what JacQues had been up to while we’d been away.
There was only so much they could find from here.
The rest would have to be done when we got to Paris.
“We’re really getting ready to head back over there,” I said quietly.
“We are. We’re gonna end this shit once and for all.”
“I want blood, Daddy. The whole fucking bloodline and anybody tied to it. Friends, family, even the fucking dog. I want him to suffer.”
“Then that’s what we’re gonna make happen. We got you.” He reached out and touched Eden’s nameplate. “We’re getting justice for you, baby girl.”
We sat there for a few more minutes before saying our goodbyes and heading to Jaeda and Quaid’s for this meeting.
“Y’all love bringing that little mutt everywhere,” Smoke said, fucking with Bleu.
Currently, we were sitting in Jaeda and Quaid’s office, waiting for everyone else to get here. Bleu was minding her own business when my brother came in. As soon as she saw him, she let out a low growl. That was all the initiative he needed to start play-fighting with her.
“She’s not a mutt,” I defended. “And leave her alone before I let her bite your big ass.”
“I will bite her ass back.”
“Daddy, please get your son.”
“Smoke, leave that damn dog alone,” Daddy said.
“You just can’t help yourself,” Quaid said as he walked into the room and brought Jaeda a bottle of water. “You always have to start some shit with somebody, even the dog.”
“You’re lucky it’s not you. That’s a nice new monitor. It would be a shame if it ended up broken.”
Jaeda turned around in her chair. “Devin, if you break one of these monitors, I’m gonna break my foot off in your ass.”
Smoke laughed. “When are you dropping this baby? You’ve been so mean while you’ve been pregnant.”
“Aren’t you going through your third pregnancy?”
Last week during Sunday dinner, both Smoke and Steel announced that Romi and Neha were pregnant. This family was just growing by the minute. We knew it wouldn’t be long before Romi was pregnant again, but Steel’s was a surprise.
“Weren’t you there for the announcement?”
She threw a stress ball at his head. “You of all people know the effects it has on the hormones. My patience is very thin, so don’t fuck with me or my husband.”
“You heard my wife,” Quaid said, leaning in to kiss her lips. He gently rubbed her belly before stooping to kiss it.
“I hope your son comes out looking like me,” Smoke said.
Quaid threw a pencil at him. “God wouldn’t be so cruel.”
Smoke frowned. “I’m a handsome muthafucka, so fuck you. At least he wouldn’t be a baby Urkel with thick ass glasses. Neither of you can see. My boy will already have an identity crisis with his name. He’ll probably be blind as a bat too.”
Daddy slapped the back of his head. “Leave my kids alone, Smoke, damn. I swear Maceo wasn’t the only one dropped on his head as a baby.”