27. Zara
27
Zara
D ropping my bag at my locker, I regretted not accepting Kenyon’s offer. I was exhausted and didn’t feel like coming in tonight. He confidently reminded me that fuckin’ the boss had its perks. I declined, but it didn’t sound half bad now. Especially after the Chinese food I had last night still had my stomach upset.
“Hey you,” I sang, answering his call.
“Wassup Babygirl?”
“Nothing, getting ready for work.”
“You get a boyfriend and suddenly don’t sound excited about work anymore,” he teased.
“What can I say? It’s easier to rest when you know somebody won’t let you fall.”
“Cute, how’s your stomach feeling?”
“I guess we’ll see when I’m twirling on the pole. I should’ve just stayed home with you.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I’m not home either.”
“And to think I could’ve been laying in bed with the thermostat on seventy-five in peace.”
“The day that thermostat reads seventy-five, you’re gonna have a problem,” Kenyon warned, “I gotta go. I’ll be home late.”
“Later than my shift?” I asked.
“Maybe. I love you.”
“I love you too,” I replied, slowly hanging up.
“Aww, aren’t y’all so cute,” Rajah sang, lying on the couch near my locker.
“Hush it,” I warned.
“I tell you what, you’re better than me. If I was fucking Keyes, the last thing I’d be doing is hitting that pole.”
“I’m regretting it, but I missed you.”
“Kind of?” Rajah exclaimed.
“Sorry, I took my frustration out on you.”
“If you’re really sorry, let’s do brunch this weekend since you missed my fuckin' birthday. Some sister you are.”
“Wow, I’ve been upgraded to sister!” My hand wiped away my fake tears. “First and foremost, I want to thank God! Without him, none of this would be possible!”
“Alright now!” Rajah chuckled, tossing a pillow at me. “Don’t make a big deal about it before I change my mind!”
Rajah told me all the drama at her birthday party while I changed into my costume. I wasn’t feeling my best, but there was money to be made. After my last performance on stage, I called it a night. Sticking around for table dances wasn’t on my priority list. Unfortunately, Kross was out, so I had to clear it up with Megan. When she said yes, I fled to my car before she changed her mind.
Brandy was home with Banana Girl, so I could spend the night with Kenyon. I was looking forward to cuddling with him, but when I got home, he wasn’t here.
Me: I’m home. Where are you?
Kenyon: Set the alarm. I don’t know what time I’ll be back.
Hauling myself to my feet, I showered, trying to figure out what Kenyon had to do at this hour. My mind wanted me to believe the worst, but my heart refused to accept the idea that Kenyon was with another woman. The constant battle made it hard for me to fall asleep.
Eventually, I did, but woke up to that familiar feeling of uneasiness. I blinked a few times, but the weight of the cold metal pressed against my forehead widened my eyes.
Kross was standing over me, his expression cold and unreadable, with a gun in his hand.
“W-what the hell!” I stammered, my voice shaking as my body froze. This wasn’t some nightmare I could wake up from. This was real.
"Start talking," Kross growled, his voice low and deadly. “Who sent you here?”
"What?" I blinked, still half-dazed and completely confused. "Kross, I?—"
“Don't fuckin’ play with me, Zara. I know who your mother is, and I’m not here for games.”
My heart dropped into my stomach hearing him call me Zara.
“Nobody sent me!” I whispered, panic clawing at my throat. “What are you talking about?”
He pressed harder, and I gasped, the cold metal digging into my forehead. “What was the plan? Make my brother fall in love, and then what,” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. “Finish what Shana started? Make us all pay because you had to move?”
All I knew was that my mom overheard something she wasn’t supposed to. My world was tilting on its axis, and there was more to it than that.
“You need to put that gun down,” I said, my voice trembling but trying to keep calm. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“So you’re telling me you just conveniently showed up here, in Kenyon’s life, with no idea who he is?” he wrapped his free hand around my throat like he was trying to put his gun through my forehead.
His grip on my neck made my eyes water. The nausea surged stronger, making my stomach churn. I tried to swallow it back down, but instead, I clawed at Kross’s hand before throwing myself over the side of the bed.
I coughed, trying to catch my breath as I wiped my mouth, my whole body shaking in fear. Kross stared as if he were searching for something. His brows furrowed, and the realization hit him first.
“Are you pregnant?” Kross stepped back, the gun still in his hand but not aimed at me anymore.
“No.” I immediately shook my head.
Then he laughed, not like something was funny but weird and twisted, talking to himself, “Of course, she’s fuckin’ pregnant! Goddamn it!” he said, almost like it was a fact I hadn’t even begun to consider.
Kross’s head hung, sure of it even if I wasn’t. It was likely the only thing forcing him to lower his gun.
“I-I don’t think so.”
“Get up,” he demanded, using his gun as an extension of his finger.
I hesitated with wide eyes because I didn't feel safe moving despite him telling me to do so.
“Now.” The clicking sound from his gun forced me up on my feet.
Kross directed me downstairs to the living room, where I was instructed to sit on the couch. He briefly called someone, telling them, ‘ We have a problem.’ That problem was this baby that may or may not be in my stomach. It seemed like the only thing keeping me alive right now, but considering tonight’s chain of events, a big part of me prayed I wasn’t because if I made it out alive, I was getting the fuck away from Kenyon Keyes.
“Can I at least have a blanket? It’s cold.”
“No.”
No explanation or emotion behind his response. I sucked my teeth, lowering my head onto my knees that had been drawn to my chest since I sat down.
“How long do I have to sit here?”
This time, he shot me a cold glare, warning me not to say anything else. I couldn’t help but ask questions because I was nervous as fuck to become anyone’s mother.
Kenyon and I hadn’t been the most careful, so the threat of pregnancy was real. My mind raced, and the words spilled out before I could stop them.
“How did you know?”
Kross ran a hand over his jaw like he weighed every word before speaking.
“Maturity,” he groaned like it killed him to answer my question. “Your costumes don’t fit the same. Getting up the pole isn’t as fluid. There’s a softness to your body now. Small changes that only a baby can bring.”
I swallowed hard, trying to process everything he said and every little detail I had overlooked.
“Keyes is inexperienced in paying attention to women beyond a nut,” he explained, finally looking at me, his eyes softer than before. “He sees what he wants to see. But you know the difference when you’ve lived a little longer and paid attention to women.”
His grip on the gun loosened, his face torn between shock and frustration. “He already lost one baby. I can’t take another from him, but this isn’t over.”