Chapter 16 Work It Out
WORK IT OUT
“So, tell me what we’re looking at here, Malcolm.” Giselle set a tray of coffee on the table.
She and Heavy were back at her place after dropping the kids off to spend some time with Remi. He sat in a wingback chair, one leg crossed over the other, stroking his beard while studying Malcolm calmly.
“Well, from what I was able to find out, Esti pulled a fast one. She did to him what he did to you. A signature here, initials there, and everything is suddenly in her name. She cleaned out accounts, removed his access, and left him high and dry.”
“Tuh. Stupid ass.” Giselle grabbed a coffee mug and brought it to her lips before plopping down beside her attorney.
“As for the matter of the children and custody, as soon as Heavy establishes his rights, Alonzo can kiss that bargaining chip goodbye. In the meantime, the restraining order protects all of you. He won’t be allowed anywhere near you, or he will be looking at jail time.
Once we get a court date, his rights will be terminated, and Heavy’s will be enforced. ”
“That’s great.” Giselle sighed, relieved as she lowered her mug into her lap. “What about Esti? I mean… is what she did even legal?”
“Well, I have spoken with some of my own legal team. It’s been brought to my attention that Alonzo made some shady dealings while you were married.
Money was exchanged or hidden in offshore accounts.
I’ve filed a motion to have both he and Esti’s finances audited.
This means any joint assets he shared with you. ”
“I also have some people looking into some things.” Heavy finally spoke before leaning forward. “My grandfather has some old contacts in Leawood that he put me in touch with. I got Alonzo’s name on their radar too, and they’re supposed to get back to me.”
“Thank you.” Giselle smiled in his direction.
Malcolm shuffled his papers together and placed them inside his open briefcase on the table. Removing his glasses, he gave her a warm smile. She’d known him a good portion of her life as her father’s trusted attorney, and she was honestly grateful he kept her on as a client after he died.
“Your father was a man who prepared for anything, Giselle. He paid my retainer in advance, so if anything ever happened to him you and your mother would be protected legally. I admired him not only as a man, but as a father, and I will always do right by you and his grandchildren.”
“I appreciate it, Malcolm. So much.”
He grabbed his briefcase and rose so Giselle could walk him to the door. Before stepping out onto her porch, he turned to her.
“I’ll be in touch, but try not to worry too much. I believe everything is going to work in your favor.”
“Thank you.”
She closed the door and locked up behind him. When she turned, Heavy stood in the doorway, studying her. Giselle took slow strides toward him and paused in front. He locked his arms around her, his hard chest meeting her soft breasts in the embrace.
“You hungry? I thought we could grab something to eat before we went to pick up the kids.”
“I’m starving. I would love some loaded fries.”
Heavy dipped low to peck her lips and give her ass a squeeze at the same time.
“I’ll be in the car. Grab some more clothes for the kids.”
“Do you plan on keeping us at your house forever?” Giselle snickered.
“It’s your home now, too. This house was only temporary.”
“And how do you figure that?” she teased, hands falling on her hips.
“Don’t play with me, princess. I’ll be in the car.”
Giselle packed more clothes for her and the twins and carried the large luggage bag to Heavy’s car on the curb.
He hopped out to place it in back and opened her door for her.
She didn’t know where he was taking her, but half an hour later, he parked in the lot of Laser Lounge.
She remembered this place as a staple in her summer visits as well.
“What are we doing here?”
“I thought you might need something to take your mind off all this other shit. Bev’s loaded fries are legit too.”
Ever since Alonzo showed up, she felt like she’d been tiptoeing on eggshells. She didn’t want to set him off because she knew she was to blame for all of this. The fact that he was still catering to her and her feelings left her speechless. Heavy truly was one of one.
“They are.” Giselle grinned and unbuckled her seat belt.
“I talked to Maisie and Crew, though. They’re meeting us here,” he told her, reaching for the blunt in the ashtray and sparking it.
“That’s fine with me.” Giselle kicked off her shoes, pulled the ponytail from her head, and ran her fingers through her kinky curls.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love our kids, but when you’re doing it alone…
it can be a lot. It’s nice being here and having this support system.
” She turned, pressing her back against her door and lifting her legs into Heavy’s lap.
He admired her bare feet as he puffed on the weed. She wasn’t the only one who needed an escape.
“I want to change their names,” Heavy announced, holding the blunt out for her. “To Sapien. No disrespect to the Knox name, but those are my kids, and they out here named Maynard after some bitch nigga.”
“That’s only right.” Giselle brought the blunt to her lips and pulled. “Can you promise me one thing?” She studied the blunt again before bringing it back for another drag. “You won’t ever try to take them from me or remove me as their mother? No matter what?”
Heavy gripped her calf and swung his attention in her direction.
“Never,” he vowed.
The bass from Crew’s car vibrated the lot before he pulled into the parking space beside Heavy and Giselle.
Maisie exhaled a cloud of smoke, and Giselle passed the blunt to Heavy before she sat up and draped herself across his lap in the driver’s seat.
He let the window down for her, and Giselle stuck her head out, leaving her ass and legs exposed to him for admiration.
She was dressed in some tight ass leggings with a distressed denim jacket over a white V-neck T-shirt.
“Dem boys in the hood, they sell anything for profit!” Maisie sang along.
“Five in the mornin’ on the corna clocking!” Giselle rapped along, waving her hand and popping her ass in Heavy’s face.
“If you don’t get yo’ hood ass out this car.” Heavy slapped her ass, and Giselle giggled.
He lowkey loved when she got turned up because she was usually more reserved, but still quick to go off if provoked.
This girl had many sides, and he was enjoying getting to know them all.
She pushed his door open and popped out while Maisie did the same, and the two of them rapped and danced in circles as Crew also shut off his car.
As soon as they stepped inside, Giselle and Maisie went right to the booths to grab a table so they could eat first. Crew and Heavy stopped at the entrance counter to pay for them and get gaming cards, then joined them after they’d already ordered half the damn menu.
“How are the kids feeling?” Maisie asked, sipping her strawberry lemonade through a straw beside Crew.
“Better. The fevers are gone. They both just have little coughs and sniffles,” Giselle answered.
“Well, when do we get to come and see Heavy’s big, beautiful house? Nigga, we been knowing you all this time and never got an invite,” Maisie scolded. “I thought you lived in that damn shop.”
Heavy flipped her the bird, and Maisie snickered. After a quick blessing over the food when it arrived, everyone dug in.
“We came to have some fun, right?” Giselle chewed on her fries and picked up her cup of strawberry soda for a sip. “How about some laser tag? Me and Heavy against you and Crew.”
“You do not want to go there, G. You know we competitive as hell.” Crew chuckled.
“Exactly. Let’s go.” She sipped until her cup was making that empty sound through her straw, and set it on the table.
“It’s only fun if we make a wager,” Crew announced.
“Okay, a hundred bucks says we take y’all out in the first round,” Giselle suggested.
“Pssh, bet that.” Crew slapped hands with her.
Once they’d stuffed their faces, it was time to ante up. Like a bunch of kids, the four of them checked in for laser tag and got busy. After round one, things got even more competitive, and when they decided to give the other kids a chance to play, they ducked off to the arcade games.
Crew and Maisie sat side by side in car racing games, while Heavy and Giselle opted to shoot hoops not far from them.
She remembered the tips Heavy gave her, and when she got her shots up, he stepped in behind her to distract her.
His big hands on her hips and his supple lips brushing against her neck left her shuddering, so when she tried to shoot her next basket, she missed.
“You’re cheating!”
“Mmm, hmm.” Heavy pecked along her neckline, cuffing her chin and turning her face toward his so he could steal a kiss.
“I was trying to get enough tickets to win that pink unicorn for Harlee,” she pouted when the timer went off and faced him with a playful scowl.
“Fuck it, I’ll buy it for her.”
“Aw, you’re such a sucka for that girl.” Giselle threw her arms around his neck.
“Her mama too.” His hands fell on her behind and drew her into him.
“Y’all ready to head out? We were thinking of stopping to grab some snacks and meeting Gem and Solo at the lake.”
“I’m down. What you think, babe?” Giselle faced Heavy, who now studied a message on his phone in his hand.
“Yeah. I need to stop and refuel anyway.” He seemed distracted while tapping at his screen, but after he sent the message, he slid the device into his pants pocket.
“Aight, bet. Let’s roll.” Crew clapped his hands together and grinned like a little kid.
“Let me grab some cotton candy for my babies. We’ll meet y’all outside.” Giselle stopped at the entrance counter with Heavy.