Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ROCK STEADY
A couple of weeks later…
Moose sat in his suite at his shop, finishing up a client’s sleeve when he heard the bell above the entrance door go off.
Glancing up from his work, he peeped the surveillance camera over his shoulder and spotted Tiara with Christian standing in the lobby.
Frowning, Moose turned off his needle and stood.
“Hold tight for a minute,” he told his client. “What’s up?” Moose greeted Christian.
“Hey, Moose!” Tiara greeted him. “I’m hungry.”
“Go check the fridge. It’s some snacks in there.” He nodded over his shoulder.
“Okay.” Tiara gave Christian a hug before pulling back and looking up at him. “Thank you for picking me up.”
“I will always be there if you need me, Titi.” He reached out and plucked her chin with somberness behind his eyes.
Tiara stopped long enough to give Moose a quick hug before skipping down the hall to the break room.
“What you doing here?” He scowled at the prosecutor. “Thought you was in the wind.”
“The school called when Tulla didn’t pick her up.”
“The fuck you mean she ain’t pick her up?”
Christian shrugged. “I called her cell, the house, and her office. Tulla is gone.”
“How? The fuck is going on?”
“All I know is internal affairs got involved. Once they heard she had a baby by you, they started investigating every case she ever had. Discovered tampered evidence, false statements, and a slew of other shit she swept under the rug.”
“The fuck?” Moose muttered. “So, she’s just gone?”
“Until they find her.” Christian went into his pocket for a set of keys and handed them to Moose. “Looks like you just been awarded sole primary custody. The house has been seized, but I talked them into giving you a day to go get anything Tiara might need or want. You have until Thursday.”
Moose stared down at the key in his hand. Never in a million years did he see shit playing out like this. Christian could tell the news shook him as he looked around his shop.
“Take care of her. I might not be her biological father, but she will always hold a spot in my heart as my daughter. I just want her to be good.”
Speechless, Moose bobbed his head before looking up at him.
“No doubt. A muhfucka gotta come through a whole army to get to her.”
“If she ever needs anything… I’m sure you know how to find me.” Christian turned to go, and Moose hoped it never came to that as he watched him exit.
Swiping his beard, he took a breath after Christian was gone. His mind spinning, he fished his cell phone from his pocket and texted Inari.
Moose: I need you.
Baby: On my way!
Turning on his heel, he went to check on Tiara in the break room.
She grabbed one of the chicken salad sandwiches with a bag of plain Ruffles to eat.
With her backpack beside her in a chair, she kicked her legs and took a bite of her sandwich.
She sat there for a moment looking at it.
Moose lingered in the doorway because he’d never seen her this sad.
As much as he hated Tulla, she wasn’t a bad mother. Tiara adored her.
“What’s up, kid? How you feeling?” He pulled out an empty chair and sat down beside her.
She shrugged but didn’t look up as she shoved a chip in her mouth and chewed slowly.
“Daddy, I mean Christian…” she corrected herself.
“Hey.” Moose reached for her little hand, and her warm chestnut eyes pierced his. “That’s okay if you call him that. For eight years, that’s who you thought he was to you. Me and you, we’re just getting started on our relationship.”
“I know he’s not my daddy. I just have to get used to it. I’m sad about my mama, though. Does that make you mad?” she questioned.
“Why would that make me mad?” Moose checked with her.
“Because you and Mama don’t like each other,” Tiara voiced.
His daughter was observant, perceptive, and very subtle when she needed to be. He appreciated those qualities in her at such a young age.
“That has nothing to do with you.” Moose shook his head.
“How do you not like each other but made me?” Tiara tilted her head, resting it against her hand as she studied Moose and awaited an answer.
“Believe it or not, we was cool once upon a time.” He dragged his hand down his beard and played with a few hairs before chuckling.
“A lot has happened. Your mama kept things from me. She lied, and that’s not something your daddy can accept.
But I know you love her and she loves you.
I wouldn’t take that from you. You get to feel however you want to feel about her. ”
“I’m going to miss her,” Tiara admitted. “Do you think she’ll ever come back?”
“I don’t know,” Moose told her. “I want you to know that you got me, though. I’m not going anywhere. We got this whole big old, crazy family too.”
“True.”
“Tomorrow we can swing by the house and grab whatever you want to take with you. You can redecorate your room at our place however you want. How does that sound?”
“Can I get glitter paint and a big mirror on the wall so I can dance?” Her eyes grew wide, and Moose smiled.
“Whatever you want,” he assured her. “I gotta finish up with my client. Tonight, there’s an event for Ayla, so most of the kids are going to Bee’s house. You cool with that?”
“I like Bee. She’s nice, and she always has the best snacks at her house.”
“Okay, well hold tight. Inari’s going to be here soon. If you need anything, just come find me. If you got homework, you can go ahead and handle that.” He pushed his chair from the table and strolled back down the hall to his suite.
He still had artists working, but they had their doors closed.
Trini moved on a few weeks ago when she saw that she wasn’t going to get anywhere with Moose.
Since he’d dropped that monkey off his back, there was no reason for them to spend any time together outside of the shop.
Moose was focused, and his priorities had shifted significantly.
Not being on the same page was one thing, but now Trini no longer held any kind of power over him if they weren’t running to the same vice to escape life.
Instead of sticking around, she thought it was best if she moved on, and Moose didn’t argue with her when she told him she was leaving.
He simply posted for a new artist and kept it moving.
He applied the finishing touches on his client when Inari arrived. Out of breath, she dropped her purse on the counter, and he looked her over in the sexy two-piece business suit. She looked good as hell in her professional attire.
“I’m here. What’s wrong?”
“Hey, Inari,” Tiara greeted her, and Inari spun to face her with surprise.
“Hey, sweetie. What are you doing here?” she asked, pulling her into a hug and kneeling to kiss her little cheek like she always did.
“I get to live with Moose now. All the time.”
Inari’s attention immediately swung to her man. He stopped in the middle of shading and shrugged.
“What happened?”
“I’ll tell you in a minute. Let me finish up here and give these post care instructions.”
“Okay, I could use something to drink. Why don’t you come tell me all about your day at school?” Inari left her briefcase and purse in Moose’s suite and followed Tiara to the break area.
Moose walked his boy to the front so they could take care of his payment, and as he was leaving, a messenger let himself inside, gripping a big yellow business envelope.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
Inari slid up behind him at the counter, arms tucked over her chest as she looked the messenger up and down too.
“I’m looking for Morgan Blackmoor.”
“That’s me.”
He handed him his tablet to sign off on the letter before releasing it to him.
“Have a nice day.”
“What’s that?” Inari asked, coming up behind Moose as he tore the envelope open and yanked the papers out. “Birth certificate, social security card, and medical and dental records for Tiara,” he informed her. There was also a separate handwritten letter.
Take care of our girl. Tell her I love her.
Tulla.
“Wait, so she’s really gone?”
“Her husband brought Tiara by when Tulla didn’t pick her up from school. She’s being indicted on all kinds of shit.”
“So, she ran?”
“Looks like it.”
“Does Tiara know?” Inari questioned.
“Yeah, we talked about it. She’s sad. I mean, at the end of the day, no matter what I think about Tulla—”
“She’s still her mother,” Inari finished for him. “That poor baby.”
“But we got her, right?” Moose checked with her, stuffing everything back into the envelope and leaving it on the counter.
“Of course.” Inari stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Moose did the same and yanked her closer, sealing the space between them.
He couldn’t tell no other man what to do, but having a woman like Jane Blackmoor in his life had versed Moose long ago on what the strength of a woman really looked like.
It wasn’t the bitch always wanting you to break bread and spend money but not bringing shit to the table or trying to flip it.
It came in the form of a woman who was busy, usually had her own motion, and wanted a partner.
Inari fit that bill. She was everything and more.
“Just tell me what I need to do. I’ll make Dane step up too. He’s got a car, so he can do drop-offs and pick-ups. She’s going to be just fine.”
“That’s why I fuck witchu.” Dipping his head low, Moose kissed her glossy lips, and Inari moaned into his mouth when their tongues met in slow swipes.
“Can you do me a favor, though? I texted Bee, since she’s keeping all the kids anyway.
Can you drop her off over there? I got one more client, and it might take the rest of my day, at least up until it’s time to hit Ayla’s event. ”
“Yeah. I was going home to pack a bag so I could come spend the night at your place tonight anyway. You need me to grab your suit when I drop my stuff off?”
“Fa sho. Good looking out. I’ll meet you at the studio.”
“Okay.” Inari gave him one last soft peck and nudged away. “Titi, get your stuff so we can go, baby.”