Chapter 20 #3
“I want a bigger cut of the co-op. Fifteen percent for my sacrifice.”
“You must be snorting more than you’re selling if you think I’m going for that,” I replied.
“Seven percent and Tre fixes your mother’s permit issue so her daycare doesn’t get shut down. He’ll also put a call in to your grandmother’s nursing home,” Navie spoke up, before her hard work went down the drain.
K-Low’s gaze narrowed while scrubbing his beard, likely trying to figure out how the fuck Navie knew that. Shit, I was too.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded reluctantly. “We’re good,” he muttered.
“He needs to hear you say it,” Navie demanded, the room now watching and waiting for my response, because that would determine where the conversation went next.
“I’m cool, so let’s stay that way otherwise your queen might not be so safe.”
When he finally nodded, conceding, I wanted to wrap her in my arms and pull her out of his orbit. But she was too busy gloating. Stupid nigga didn’t realize the queen wasn’t in danger. She was the danger and had him eating out of the palm of her hand.
I waited until we were outside to ask, “Enjoyed yourself?”
“Of course,” she said, eyes dancing. “But watching you squirm is priceless. Have a little faith in me, Stink.”
“It wasn’t you I was worried about.”
“Damn, Tre, she might be colder than you,” June joked, as I leaned against the truck with Navie planted in front of me.
“I didn’t think he was gonna make it watching K-Low drool all over Blue .”
She waved it off because K-Low’s attention didn’t move her.
“You know you owe me, right?” Navie asked.
“I got you, as soon as we get home,” I flirted.
June’s eyes grew wide, and a hand covered his mouth, “Oh, this nigga is gone for real,” then he shook his head, “Plan the fune and organize the repast. Tre ain’t coming back.”
“As long as you don’t put my picture in those ugly ass clouds,” I joked.
June shook his head, “I can’t believe my man is gone like this. After all the bitches we ran through. This shit is crazy.”
“Oh really? You were runnin’ through ‘em like that?” Navie asked, craning her neck enough to glimpse my face.
“It’s time to go. I’ll hit y’all later,” My arm circled Navie’s shoulder, guiding her in the opposite direction of June’s loud ass mouth.
The adrenaline from her victory had her talking a mile a minute on the way to the crib. It was cute to see her so excited, but she was headed back to the bench.
“Admit it, I was right,” she demanded, shifting toward me.
“One way or another, K-Low was getting handled.”
“My way was less risky and messy.”
I delivered the words, she’d be wanting to hear, “You were right, Blue,” my hand falling on her thigh.
“Thank you.”
“You did so well, I might reward you for it.”
“Might?” she asked, looking over seductively.
Turning the music up, I drove us home, pulling up in front of the building. I tossed him the keys to the valet, pausing at loud voices coming from the lobby this time of night.
“You don’t know what I’m capable of!” A female voice yelled.
“It’s about to be occupying a police car, if you don’t get out of my lobby with this ghetto shit!” Rylo rebutted.
Navie opened her stride to match mine, rushing into the lobby to find out what the fuck was going on.
I was finally able to put a face to the monster Navie told me about.
“I wish you would,” she threatened, as I pushed through the class door, “I’ll put my foot up your ass, but you’d probably enjoy it.”
“Aye!” My voice ceased the argument.
Temporarily .
“Get your mother-in-law!” Rylo yelled, pointing at her high, exotic cheekbones. “The only reason I didn’t call the police is because this old hag looks just like you, but you better get her!”
My eyes narrowed on the myth that was Sloane until now. Navie wasn’t just as confused, her mouth slightly open, staring at her mother.
“I told Bobblehead I was your mother, and he wouldn’t let me upstairs!” Sloane yelled.
“What are you doing here?” Navie fussed, jerking Sloane’s body into her own.
“I’m here for you,” Sloane stated as a matter of fact.
“We got it from here, Rylo,” I assured him.
Sloane delivered a victorious smile before following Navie’s agitated footsteps to the elevator. She hugged herself on the short trip upstairs, glaring at Sloane.
“Why are you here?” Navie asked, before Sloane could get off the elevator.
“Well, it’s nice to see you too. Use that smart ass mouth to introduce me to your boyfriend,” Sloane said, rerouting the conversation.
“Treason Westbrook.” I walked forward, offering Sloane my hand.
“Confident and firm but not crushing. A solid grip, and you looked me dead in my eyes. A lot of men miss that part. Not bad, Vie.”
The cynicism in Sloan’s remark grated on Navie, who responded, “I don’t need your approval.”
“But you do need my help. We can discuss that later, but I’ve had a long day. Give me the key to your place. I’ll stay there for the night,” Sloane insisted.
“Blue lives here,” I replied.
“And you’re not staying,” Navie asserted in a clipped tone.
“ Blue ?” Sloane frowned at the nickname. “Why the hell did you move in? For the baby?”
Navie hesitated, blinking at Sloane’s insinuation. My eyes raked over Navie, looking for whatever clue Sloane saw that made her blurt that shit out.
“There is no baby, Sloane. Don’t start.”
“You sure about that?”
“You’ve been here five minutes. What makes you so sure?”
“A mother always knows, or whatever they say,” Sloane walked to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of wine -without asking- and poured herself a glass.
“You’d have to actually be a mother to know something.”
“One thing I know very well is when there’s a damn baby in the air,” Sloane rolled her eyes, gulping her wine, “Go ahead. Tell me how I’ve been a terrible mother.”
“I haven’t seen you, and you walk in here spewing shit you know nothing about because you’re my mom ,” Navie chuckled, motioning air quotes. “You don’t get the title without putting in the work.”
“You haven’t seen me by choice, but I put that aside to show up. That’s what mothers do.”
Navie scoffed, pacing, shaking her head. Each mention of mothering sent her into a rage.
“Ask yourself why. Children don’t wake up not wanting to see their mother.”
“You need a drink,” Sloane poured her a glass and slid it across the island.
A silent challenge, considering Navie claimed she wasn’t pregnant. Sloane could’ve just been fuckin’ her, but Navie didn’t back down, reaching for it.
Instead, I intercepted the glass, and Sloane snickered, taking another sip of her own, “Guess I’m not the only one who thinks you’re pregnant.”
“Don’t feed into her shit. I have an IUD. I’m not pregnant,” she replied firmly, turning her face to me.
That wasn’t a point I would argue. Not how we’d been fucking lately and not always responsibly, so I took control of the conversation.
“It’s late, and we both have shit to do tomorrow. You can take the guest room tonight. We’ll figure out the rest in the morning.”
“Are you crazy? She is not staying.”
“One night, Blue. That’s it,” I insisted, cupping her chin tenderly in my hand.
“You are getting out tomorrow,” Navie fussed, stomping down the hallway and slamming the door.
“Stop fuckin’ with her, or you leave now.”
Sloane smirked, looking me up and down, “You’re the protective type, I see.”
“To the furthest extinct.”
I walked to the hall closet, quietly grabbing a towel and washcloth for Sloane.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
My heart was in my throat walking down the hallway.
Suddenly, the walk felt much shorter, forcing me to pause at the doorway to sort all the questions in my head.
I caught a glimpse of Blue sitting on the bed, shoulders rounded in deep thought.
She was nervous as fuck, which did little to calm my own anxiety.
Leaning against the frame, I pushed down the knot in my chest to have an important conversation. One, I didn’t think Blue was ready to have.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she spoke up, perfecting her posture.
“Like what, Blue?”
“I’m not pregnant. This is what Sloane does. She says shit to piss people off. Me included,” Navie fussed, standing up, forcing eye contact, but it didn’t help her case. I could see the puddles forming. “You think I’m pregnant, don’t you?”
Scratching my head, I wasn’t sure what to believe.
“Iono, shit felt different this morning, and you never snore. Last night yo’ ass was calling the cows home.”
“Different how?”
“Just different,” I shrugged, “Wet as fuck.”
“So my pussy was dry before?”
I chuckled, sending her rage into overdrive.
“What the fuck is so funny? Did you trap me on purpose?”
“Why the fuck would I trap you to keep you here when you weren’t leaving anyway?” I fussed, in between undressing. I was tired as fuck before, but Sloane’s popping up took it to another level.
“Don’t act like it’s not above you to do some shit like this!”
“You’re not beating those pregnancy allegations right now. Chill the fuck out and keep your voice down. The last thing you want is Sloane to hear us arguing.”
She was back to pacing the floor, hands resting on her head, blowing out smoke.
“How can I chill if I’m pregnant, Treason? This changes everything! You don’t want kids! I don’t want kids! This was a temporary arrang-.”
I quickly cut her off, “Don’t do that. We’re way past that.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that neither of us wants kids, and now I’m pregnant. Maybe .”
“Come here.”
“No, Treason.”
“Blue,” I said calmly, summoning her closer.
Her stubborn ass hesitated, then marched between my legs, refusing to look at me. Usually, I would’ve checked that shit, but nothing about tonight was normal.
“You want me to go grab a test?”
She bit the corner of her lip while I stroked the back of her thighs.
“I wanna go to bed.”
Reclining against the pillows, I opened my arms and she climbed over my body, lying on my chest, like a newborn.
“We’ll figure it out,” was all I could say. I didn’t know how to feel on the subject, but one of us needed to remain level-headed.
“If I’m pregnant, I’m suing. That IUD did not do its job, and you better take my case.”
I watched Navie fidget, trying to release the tension wound in her muscles. My hand rested on her back, wanting to soothe or say something that would make it better, but I couldn’t.
Kids were never part of the plan. I’d worked too hard to build and maintain control of my life for a child to snatch the reins controlling me. I rested my head beside hers, letting her warmth anchor me even as my mind raced, praying I could handle whatever came next.
She hasn’t even pissed on the stick yet, and this kid is already running the show.