“I’m very clear about what we’re doing. That’s my wife in there. She’s about to carry my name and have my kids. I’m already two behind.”
“The fuck you mean two behind?”
“You got Avi and Orion. I’m trying to build a legacy too.”
Omiri chuckled, lifting his beer. “I’m just surprised she’s the one who locked you down. She’s not your type, fam.”
“You’re my family, O, so I hope like hell you’re not surprised it’s her because she’s deaf.”
“The fuck her ears got to do with anything? I’m just saying she’s down to earth, chill, and not them typical build-a-bitches you stay fucking on. I like her better than I like you. Don’t put no ignorant shit on me like that.” He grilled the fuck out of me like he was ready to swing.
“My bad.”
“Yeah, your fucking bad, fam, but I get it. I don’t play about Kari even a little bit, and if you’re in this like you say you are, then I know you don’t play about yours either. I’ma let you slide with that.”
I chuckled and tossed my chin. “She’s different though. I can’t explain why it works but I feel it. That’s my future right there. It couldn’t be anyone but her and seeing how she’s been holding me down through all this bullshit I’m dealing with only further confirms everything I’ve been feeling. She ain’t never fucking leaving.”
Omiri grinned lazily. “She know that?”
“Yeah, she knows.”
“Aight then.” He tipped his beer to me and I did the same. “Congrats on your grown man shit. Never thought I’d see the day but here we are. Now what’s the deal with your dad?”
“There is no deal. I need him to sign over his parental rights for Rylee and then he can do whatever the hell he wants.”
“You don’t want to know him?’
“Why the fuck would I? He has two kids. If he doesn’t want to know both of us, then he can’t get a damn thing from me.”
“I respect that. They’re gonna be good with you. Both of them.” He glanced at Somee and nodded his approval.
And they would. There wasn’t anything in life either Rylee or Somee would want for that I wouldn’t move heaven and earth to make happen. I put that on my life and dared anyone to ever try to prove I wouldn’t.
Chapter 20
Somee
“Let me see,” I signed and wiggled my fingers demanding Marlee’s phone. We are on the sofa in the living room, with Marlee on my right and Makari on my left. I was barely squeezed between them since they were both damn near on my lap. That may or may not have been due to the four bottles of wine we shared and our need to scoot in as close as possible so we could see the tiny screen of Marlee’s phone.
Well maybe it wasn’t that tiny and my eyes just weren’t cooperating enough to focus.
Marlee handed over the device and I squinted at the screen but gave up on any hope of getting a good look at the person in question. Instead of torturing myself, I opened Skroll, navigated to the search field, typed Taven McClain, and rolled my eyes when I noticed his handle: TavMacs_.
Okay, so strike one. He thinks he’s macking women, which screams player.
When I tapped his profile and all the pictures loaded, Marlee grabbed the phone. “Damn, girl,” I signed with a grin.
She smiled big as hell and tapped a picture of him sitting in a chair, legs stretched in front of himself, spread wide. He wasslouched just enough to look relaxed, shirtless and wearing thin lounge pants that were very intentional with what he was trying to highlight.
“Fine, right?”Makari signed and I nodded.
“Yes but a H-O-E.”
“How do you know?”Marlee signed.
“T-A-V-M-A-C-S and you know what the S is there for. He M-A-C-K-S.”
She smiled lazily and shrugged.“The man is fine, fine. That’s understandable.”