Prez hands me a needle and thread to sew my patch on my cut. “Your Pops would be real proud of you, son. I’d like to get to know Wylla Mae better now that she’s older, and I won’t have to go through Alexa to achieve it. Think she’d be open to that? I just don’t want Ruthie catching wind, feel me?”
“I’ll talk to her but can’t promise anything.”
“All I ask, brother. Let me know.” He fishes in his pocket for something and drops a set of keys in my pocket. “Keys to your office. Suspect you’ll want a pay raise with two kids on the way. Poor bastard.” Murder shakes his head. “You know I can get rid of Lynn if she’s a problem.”
My head jerks up. We don’t fuck with women or kids so I’m not sure what the fuck he’s meaning.
“Just saying I could move her to a new city. Fresh start with or without the kid. Your call. I kept Alexa close cause part of me couldn’t stand the thought of my kid out there and me not able to watch her grow up.”
“I’ll handle Lynn my own way.”
“Your call, but Wylla Mae won’t take kindly to Lynn in her face or you keeping her on the side.”
“You want to ask me if I’m still fucking Lynn just ask me. We been through this shit before with Alexa. You fuck Lynn?”
“Not my type. So, are you fucking her?”
“Not since I got with Wylla Mae.”
Murder nods. “Get that patch sewn on. Set something up with Wylla Mae. I want to make amends with my daughter.”
“Right.”
**
“He wants me to what cook dinner or something and invite him over so what he can ask me about all the things he missed out on?”
“Can’t say. Just promised I’d talk to you so I’m telling you he wants to get to know you now that he doesn’t have to go through Alexa to arrange a visit.”
“But he still doesn’t want anyone to know he’s my dad. Can’t you see how messed up that is, East?”
“Know he cares about you. Doesn’t make it right but he’s looking out for you. Offered to relocate Lynn so she wouldn’t be in your face. Wanted to know my plans. Asked me if I’m fucking her on the side.”
Her brows shoot up. “Relocate her? What’d you say?”
“Told him I’d handle shit my own way. I won’t cut my kid out my life, and I won’t take him from her unless she’s a shit mother. Not my style.”
“Of course not.” I can see the disappointment on her face.
“You want me to make her disappear? You gonna raise the kid with me?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t gotten that far in my thinking. I have finals this week and Lynn is the last person I want to think about.”
“No but it’s something we need to discuss.”
“You’re right, East. I told you I don’t know if I can accept another woman’s kid.”
“But you married me knowing.” I bend down and kiss the top of her head as she scrolls through her study notes on her laptop.
“Because I love you. I want to make it work, honey. I hate her. I hate the thought of her. The idea that her baby is yours is like having my insides torn out and hacked into pieces.”
“Baby.” I move around the front of the couch and take her computer, placing it on the coffee table. I go to my knees and drop my head on her shoulder. Fucking guts me to know I’ve hurt her so damn bad.
Her arms come around me, sweet lips at my ear. “We’ll make it work somehow.”
“You hungry?” I change the subject.
“I can eat. What do you have in mind?”