Chapter 10 #3
“I’ll let it marinate. Give me your—” Before he could finish his sentence, Elyse went into the side pocket of her Prada bag and retrieved a glossy black business card with gold embossed font.
Taking slow strides toward her nephew, she held it up to him and smiled. Always two steps ahead, she searched his handsome face. She knew his father and mother, so she recognized every feature.
“It’s a good thing you’re married. Men like you need that. Be in touch.” Looking over her shoulder, Elyse smiled and waved at Coast and Iara. “Pleasure to meet you ladies. Enjoy your evening.”
“You a trip.” Mozzi took a peek at her business card before shaking his head.
“Get to know me, nephew. I might surprise you.” She touched his arm and leaned in to kiss his cheek before sashaying through the open door and letting herself out.
Mozzi closed the door behind her and tapped her card against his balled fist. Velvet Society was the name of her service. It provided her website, email, and cell phone number. Very professional.
“What are you thinking?” Coast asked, intercepting his thoughts.
“What are you thinking?” He fired back, swinging his head in her direction. “Some random family member of mine pops up offering to help me. Shit like that don’t happen every day.”
“You don’t trust her?”
“I don’t know her, Trouble.”
“But you have good instincts, Moses. What do they tell you about her?”
“That she’s an opportunist, but she’s in a position to help us.”
Iara stretched her arms and pushed away from Coast. She whined for her daddy, and he took her in his arms with little hesitation.
“And Shalice is tied in with all this? Bitch got the nerve to be trying to insert herself in our business when she’s already dirty.”
“Don’t sweat that shit.” Mozzi stepped forward and kissed her forehead. “I’ll put her down for a nap. Why don’t you go take a bath or something and try to relax.”
“You just don’t want me to sit here worrying.”
“Damn right. That’s my job.” He stole a kiss, and Coast simpered.
Mozzi moseyed away, bouncing Rara in his arms and talking to her sweetly as she tugged on his beard with her little fat fingers.
Coast couldn’t help but watch them as he settled on the couch with her, and she stood on his legs blowing strawberries, which made him titter sexily.
Seeing him in Daddy mode was one of the sexiest things ever, and she made up her mind in that moment to give him nothing but the best of her.
She hated feeling helpless and worthless, and she knew those feelings came from fear more than anything.
She’d be damned if she let postpartum fuck up her marriage.
“Inari!” Tiara was all smiles when the front door opened to the Jacobs home, and Inari stared out at her.
Racing inside, she threw her arms around her as Moose came up the porch steps, looking too fine.
Locs pulled back in a barrel style, a half-smile toyed at his lips when Inari hugged Tiara back.
He’d been rocking these black framed glasses lately, giving him a softer, more approachable look.
Inari kind of liked it. He’d been taking a few business classes at night and complained about his eyes when reading, so she suggested he go get his eyes checked.
“Hey, pretty girl!” She stroked some of the curls in her thick ponytail and glared at Moose when he graced the doorway.
Although he’d fucked up, a judge saw his side of things, and a visitation schedule had been put together for Tiara.
She took it all in stride. There were plenty of questions, which he and Tulla did their best to answer.
She was pissed, and Christian couldn’t deal with the judge’s decision or the fact that the little girl he’d been raising was not his.
Within a few weeks of Moose’s first visitation, he moved into a hotel.
From what Tiara told Moose, he and Tulla were going to counseling, but it didn’t seem to be working.
She said she often heard her mother crying, and she was clearing wine bottles like she was in a competition.
Moose couldn’t summon any empathy for her since she’d been so selfish.
During the court hearings, she kept an attitude too, even got called out in contempt once or twice.
All her antics only made him look less crazy in the eyes of the law.
“What are you doing here?” Inari asked, looking down into those warm teddy bear brown eyes and cupping her chin.
“We brought tacos over so we could eat and watch movies!” Tiara turned to Moose, holding a brown bag from Comfort Kitchen.
He had the nerve to step out of the house in a pair of gray sweats with a white t-shirt and a pair of gray, black, and white Nike Air Max BIA shoes.
“Is that so?” Inari rested a hand on her hip, and Dane slid up behind her.
“Did I hear something about tacos?” he asked, eyes wandering over Moose and Tiara.
“Yeah! When we’re done, can we play on the PlayStation?” Tiara rushed past Inari, and Dane grinned.
He liked Tiara. It was nice having a little kid around.
She was obsessed with him and everything he had going on.
When Moose would bring her by, she’d spend most of her time in Dane’s room watching him play games online with his friends, FaceTiming his homies and the girls he talked to and putting in her two cents.
For her to be only eight, she had a lot of insight and was very perceptive.
One day she was just around, and Dane felt like she’d always been there, like a little sister, only she was cool.
Inari held an arm up to block Moose from coming inside.
Annoyance lingered in her eyes, but she was also assessing him.
“You should have called first,” she said, trying to sound mean while her eyes lingered over his dick print, and he licked his lips.
She was dressed in tights with an orange graphic off the shoulder crop top and ankle socks. Hair parted to the side and hanging in a silk press, she was about to tie it up and slip her bonnet on her head for the night.
“Then it wouldn’t have been a surprise.” He rested a hand on her hip and leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Inari’s heart thudded happily against her will, and she sighed.
Moose was too persistent. Just when she thought he gave up, he would pop up at her house.
The first time she found him with Tiara, she was doing a grocery store run, and he was out with her, buying food for his house.
It was obvious she had him wrapped around her little finger when Inari saw all the junk food in the cart.
“And you probably wouldn’t have let me in.”
“You can’t keep doing this.”
“Why not? Besides, Titi wanted to see you.” Moose shrugged and stepped past her.
He was lowering all her defenses. Eyes closing in frustration, Inari’s irritation was always short lived around him.
Moose was so damn charming and funny. He knew how to make her laugh and instantly cheer her up after a bad day without even trying.
She hated it. Hated him sometimes for making her feel like that too.
The minute she met Tiara, the little girl may as well have hijacked her heart.
The irony wasn’t lost on her either that she was Tulla’s daughter.
She couldn’t hold that against such a sweetheart, though.
There wasn’t a mean bone in Tiara’s body.
She really saw the world in the most beautiful way.
It wasn’t lost on her that she behaved like an eight-year-old and dressed like one.
She liked dolls and spending time outside.
She’d even helped Inari repot some of her plants a few weeks ago.
“I’m on a diet, Moose.” Inari huffed from the doorway in her living room, where Dane and Tiara were already going through bags and unpacking contents.
There was salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, a queso sauce, and sour cream.
“Girl, you fine as hell. You lost enough weight. Cut that shit out.” Moose joined the kids at the table.
“Come on, Titi, let’s go grab drinks and wash our hands,” Dane suggested.
The two skipped out of the room, and it warmed Inari’s heart.
Seeing Dane with Tiara was something special.
She was so traumatized by being pregnant as a teenager that she never gave having more kids a second fucking thought.
Or she hadn’t met anyone worth considering it for.
She saw immediately that her son would make the best big brother.
“I know what you’re trying to do.”
“Enjoy some quality time with the muhfuckas who mean something to me?” Moose replied, digging his cell out of his pocket and placing it on the table.
“We were out walking Elan, and she said she was hungry. I suggested tacos, then she hit me with, ‘We should get tacos and go watch movies at Inari’s house.’” Moose mimicked his daughter in that little voice with all the attitude and sweetness.
One thing about Tiara, shorty was going to speak her mind. She got that honest. Inari couldn’t help it; she fell over laughing at his impression of his daughter. He was a true girl dad.
“Well, I have missed her and all the second-grade tea.” She padded into the room and observed the spread on her table.
Moose picked up the remote to the TV and immediately scrolled to Disney Plus. Inari plopped down on the couch as Tiara strolled in with paper plates and Dane behind her, carrying empty glasses and a pitcher of Kool-Aid.
“I was starving too. Good looking, Moose.” Dane set everything on the table.
“You should be. Have you even left your room to use the bathroom?” Inari questioned.
“Nah, I just piss out the window.” Dane shrugged.
“Is that why my flowers are dying on that side?” Inari sneered, watching him pick up a taco from the table and devour it in almost one bite.
“I’mma just take mine to go and get back to my game.” Dane grabbed three more tacos on a plate and a handful of tortilla chips with a scoop of guac on the side. “You can come up anytime, Titi.”
“Okay!” Tiara lowered herself to her knees and made herself a plate of three tacos with queso and chips on the side.