Chapter 6
Luke
I walked behind Hollis while we made our way to meet with Skyla.
She had been quiet since I picked her up and I knew it was due to a lack of sleep.
In order for anyone to get conversation out of Hollis bright and early in the morning, seven or more hours were required, and me showing up late last night after the game fucked all that up.
So now I wasn’t sure of what version Skyla would get today.
I stepped in front of her to get the door of the conference room, putting my hand on the small of her back. She jumped slightly out of my grasp.
I leaned in closer and whispered in her ear.
“Moves like that gon’ give us away, Holls. Act like I’ve touched you before, please,” I said as my lips grazed her skin.
“I would if I remembered what that was like,” she bit back harshly, letting me know we were getting feisty Holls. I silently thanked God that no one was in the room yet.
I decided to bite my tongue given the time and place while I pulled out her chair. It was the right call as Skyla came strolling in.
“Well, good morning. I love a punctual couple. And this must be Mrs. Deacon. Hi, I’m Skyla, it’s a pleasure to officially meet you.” She held out her hand which Hollis accepted as she stood to greet her.
“Good morning, it’s Hollis. I never officially took his name. Shall we get started?”
I smirked as I shook my head while Skyla did her best not to be taken aback.
“My apologies. I do remember now that your husband mentioned that. But yes, let’s get started. As I was telling your husband, the first stage, the probate process, should be quick and painlessly. If you guys make it that way—”
“Excuse me. I’m sorry to just cut you off, but what do you mean if we make it that way?” Hollis asked, jumping into the conversation with a tone that had me placing my hand on her knee under the table. That only made shit worse as she shot me a warning glare.
“Yes, Mr. Deacon left a list of requirements in order for you two to inherit the estate and the assets. If for any reason you don’t meet one of them, this slows the process or stops it altogether.
Let’s see… Of course I’ll need a copy of your marriage license, but also, bank accounts that list you both and any way to prove proper documentation of domestication will be needed.
That can be bills in your name, names on the deed.
The quicker you two get those documents in, the faster the process will be.
I want to stress this part though. Any sudden changes to anything major will make it look bad.
As I told your husband, Hollis, I don’t like messy things.
Mess takes too long to clean up. I want to be sure we’re on the same page when it comes to settling this quick and painless. ” Hollis nodded.
“Same page. Quick and painless.” She smiled while I was now thinking about ways to get her name on the house and the bank accounts.
“Perfect. Now, the trust fund is a different story. Unfortunately, once it’s signed over, your grandfather put a clause that it can’t be touched until the child is eighteen.
Meaning, yes, it goes to you two name wise and on a legal level, but it can’t be dissolved or withdrawn from. Are we good there too?”
I nodded while Hollis confirmed verbally.
“Yes. All good there too.”
“Okay, good. Then that’s all I have for you two today, unless you have any questions for me.” Hollis scooted back in her chair, letting me know we were done.
“Whenever you get everything for me just call and schedule an appointment,” Skyla said as Hollis already headed out of the door.
“She’s running late for work,” I lied, hoping to reassure her that we were good.
Whether she believed me or not, I didn’t know, especially since I turned to follow Hollis.
Once we were in my truck, Hollis let me have it.
“How the fuck are we going to pull this off, Luke? You adding my name to anything or me to you will drag this out or worse—
“I know, I’ma handle it. All I need you to do is to take this and start acting like a wife would and spend unnecessary money on stuff for the house. Also, we need to officially move you in the house. What are you doing right now?” I passed her my bank card.
“Again, with this. I don’t think I need to do all that. We just need to prove my residency on paper, not in person.” Hollis’s mouth was moving but she quietly tucked the card into her purse.
“The way Jimmy is playing with these extra ass rules, we don’t know that. Shit, Skyla might pop up one day waiting to discuss something and she’ll see you don’t live there. I’m—we’re not taking any chances. So pack what you need and keep your condo as your office until this is over.”
She kissed her teeth as she folded her arms over her chest, pushing her boobs up in her V-neck shirt, giving me a view of the small tattooed L and heart on her right one.
I cleared my throat, bringing her attention to where my gaze had fallen.
Of course she shifted, fighting to pull the shirt up as if it would erase the fact that I knew she still had me on her body.
“Don’t get too excited. The tattoo shop ran out of black ink when I went to get it covered by a snake wrapped around a thorned rose.” Hollis’s neck rolled, only making it harder for me not to laugh.
“Girl, just admit you wanted to keep me close to your heart so you don’t sound crazy as hell for that lie.” I chuckled louder. “Ol’ lying ass. The shop ran out of black ink.” I mocked her as we entered her parking garage.
“You’re getting too comfortable too damn fast. I ain’t moved in yet, nigga.
I can stay my ass right the fuck here and have my lawyer finish the filing process today and be divorced from you by midnight.
Don’t play with me,” she threatened as I parked in a visitor spot, ignoring her and getting out to open her door.
In true fashion of wanting to be far away from me, Hollis took off toward the elevator.
I jogged to keep up with her power walk.
Once we were alone on the elevator, I hemmed her ass against the wall as we rode up.
“Too comfortable, too fast. Hershey, naw. That just don’t make sense.
I can’t be too comfortable in a spot that’s been mine since the beginning of time.
Shit, still holding down the position with my first and last name, tough.
” I used my thumb to lightly graze the exposed tattoo, smirking as I watched her glare turn deadly as she swatted me away.
“It’s not your spot anymore. You gave it up when you didn’t fight for us.
And don’t fucking touch me. We’re definitely setting up some boundaries and rules in this shit for your safety because you gon’ make me fuck you up, Luke,” Hollis snarled as the doors came open on her floor.
We stayed there for a second longer until I snorted, stepping out of her way so she could get off first.
I walked further into her condo this time, taking in the space that my wife had made a home and immediately noticed the color pink had completely taken over. I knew it was her favorite color and that she had always wanted to decorate with all the shades in our home.
“Anyways, I’ma call my home girl Nas. She’s a lawyer and will have a way for us to prove this since we have no major, legal ways that say we’ve been married.”
She broke me out of my thoughts as she tossed a suitcase on her bed before going for her phone.
“Wait, Nas who? And can we trust her with this? We don’t need this getting out.”
“I just said she’s my home girl. Yes, we can trust her.
I trust her way more than you. Besides, you remember quiet little Nasira who used to come around back in the day.
She’s a lawyer now and ain’t so quiet anymore,” she said as the line began ringing.
A voice I vaguely remembered came on the line.
“Hey, Nas.”
“I swear you know when to call. I heard back from my colleague. I got the restraining order that Talisa Storm put on you revoked due to the reservations Bone made weeks ago. Please be careful next time.”
Hearing Talisa had a restraining order against Hollis had my brows dipping in as I squinted and my mouth curved up in confusion.
“I should have led with you’re on speaker and Luke is here with me.”
“Oh shit. Well, you know I’m not speaker friendly; so that’s on you. What can I do for y’all? Are you ready for the papers already?”
This time I spoke up.
“Naw we good.” My tone was firm and direct, letting both of them know where I stood.
“We need help with proving domestic living without the court knowing he added me to accounts and deeds in recent weeks.”
“Oh, that’s easy. That can be done by word of mouth from family and friends you trust enough…no, that love y’all enough to lie. Get written statements or sworn statements from everyone who's known y’all over the last ten years. Well, longer looks best.”
“Can you help with that?”
“Yes. I can notarize each statement. Just let me know when you have them. Anything else?”
I looked at Hollis who shook her head.
“No, Nas. That’s all. Thank you, girl, for both this and the restraining order.”
“Heffa, get off my line and stay out of trouble.”
“Are you sure we can trust her?”
Hollis kissed her teeth as she rolled her eyes.
“Yes. Don’t let her demeanor fool you. She’s a beast and loyal. Consider her family. I’m sure she’ll draft her own statement for us. I can’t believe you don’t remember her. She was always around like Johnni. Hm.”
We got quiet as Hollis continued to move around her room, throwing clothes into her suitcase.
“Oh yeah. I forgot after a while you were never around to meet anyone. It’s a miracle that you remember me enough to know we were once married.”
“We’re still married, Hershey, and I could never forget you.”
“And yet you did when you never called.” Without anything else to say, she headed out of the room, leaving me standing there, stuck on her and the fuck ups I made that cost me everything important.