“I’m sorry, babe,” I sobbed, clinging to his shirt. “If I wouldn’t have left, you could’ve handled it your way, and we’d be out of this mess.”
“Shh,” Marz cooed, picking me up and wrapping my legs around his waist. “This ain’t on you. Clearly that nigga thought it was safe to play, and I’ma make sure he knows that ain’t the case. This isn’t your fault at all.” As he wiped my tears, more fell. Laying against him, I hid my face in the crook of his neck. “Everything’s going to be fine, aight? I’ma take care of it. I need you to let me this time. Do you trust me, bae?”
“Yes,” I agreed with a sniffle.
“Are you going to listen to me?”
“Yes.”
“Then stop crying and know that everything’s gonna be alright.”
“Okay,” I surrendered as Marz placed a tender, searing kiss to my forehead. Cupping his cheeks, I kissed his lips. I didn’t give a damn about waiting for the paternity test or anything else for that matter. This man was my protector, my husband, my heart. Nothing or no one would change that.
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Marz
“I’m usually against violence,”Heir’s father, Jeremy, said. “But I don’t want this threat lingering over my daughter’s head.”
I’d taken her home this morning so she could pack a couple of bags, though I didn’t see her having to stay with me for long—unless it was by choice. I had people watching Jay’s house and Iman’s office. Now that we knew they were related, I was able to use Jay’s social media to track other family members.
He wasn’t connected to a lot of people online, but there was a flashy cousin who’d posted a photo with Iman in the background. I had Eze look into the location to get the address, and if Jay didn’t come home today, I’d be pulling up to that address tomorrow. I knew it was risky killing Jay knowing he was Iman’s son, but that’s where we were now. Iman wasn’t going to come out of hiding for nothing. Burying his son would be the reason.
“I give you my word that I’m going to handle this as quickly as possible,” I assured Jeremy. “This isn’t how I wanted our relationship to start but?—”
He waved me off with a smile. “You protecting my daughter and making sure she doesn’t get hurt is a better start than random get to know you conversations. Can I trust you to protect her heart and mind too? Her peace? Her reputation?”
“With my life.”
I didn’t feel the need to weigh the conversation down with a lot of words. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Heir or to keep her safe. The sound of her soft laugh had me looking toward the doorframe as she and her mom, Tiffany, entered the living room. I stood and grabbed her bags, then set them by the front door. Tiffany took my hand into hers and gave it a gentle tap.
“Keep my baby safe,” she demanded. “When you bring her back, I want her back just like I’m giving her to you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I agreed with a small chuckle. “I don’t really want to give her back, but I will so I can ask you and your husband for her properly.”
“I like the sound of that,” Tiffany replied as Jeremy wrapped his arm around her waist.
My phone vibrated, and I was pretty sure it was my alarm. I’d set one to remind me of when I needed to drop Heir off so I could meet Kiana. She’d finally sent me her doctor’s information and the day and time to meet. Getting my cheek swabbed was the only matter more pressing to me today than finding Iman and Jay. We said our goodbyes, then I checked outside before leading Heir to the car. I wasn’t worried about Jay coming after her, but his father was a different story. I wished I would have killed him the first day I went to his house. Now Heir wouldn’t be able to save him. Hell, she didn’t even want to.
“Oh, did you need to get your laptop, bae?” I asked as I pulled out of her parents’ driveway.
“No. I… quit this morning. I planned to when I was done with Iman’s account, and since I don’t have to worry about that anymore, I went ahead on and quit.”
“That’s good, Wifey. I’m proud of you for preparing to do what you really want to do with your life.”
She smiled as she looked over at me. “I’m nervous but excited. It’s going to feel weird going back to school at my age, but I know it’s going to be worth it.”
“You ’bout to get yo’ Jaleesa on huh?” I teased, making her laugh immediately. The amount of times she made me watchA Different WorldandThe Cosby Showat the safehouse had me never wanting to watch either again, but I would whenever she wanted to.
“A little,” Heir said through her laughter. “I definitely won’t be staying on campus though.”
“Oh, I already know that. I’ma try my hardest to keep you with me after this shit is over. I’ma keep my word to your mama though.”
“She’s going to eat that up. She loves old school, sentimental shit. As soon as you ask her if I can move in with you, she’s going to cry.”
“Nah, bae. I’m asking for their permission to marry you, not just have you live with me.”