“Say the words,” he quoted. “Say it.”
“You’re the better twin,” I yelled.
Malcolm’s strong ass tightened his grip around my core, squeezing my arms before loosening. I pulled away from him, bolting from the bed as he laughed.
“You know I be lying, don’t you,” I said and joined in with the laughter.
“What happened in therapy?” he questioned.
I blocked the TV, leaning against the stand. “I need to ask you something,” I said.
“Yes, you are my best man,” he said.
I tossed an empty sports bottle at him. “I’m serious. Why do you keep connecting with Toni? It makes me uneasy.”
Malcolm sat up and we folded our arms, right over left at the same time.
“I want to learn about our family roots. We need to know about our history, including health concerns. When I meet with Toni, we talk about life and her childhood, nothing more. I do want to meet her family, but that’s it. Anissa Shaw-Jefferies is our momma. I will kill for that woman. Even though she is giving my wife the cold shoulder,” he said.
Mom and Jhae not talking impacted the entire family. The energy wasn’t the same. The holidays were a fucking mess with us trying to split our time. We missed Jhae’s energy, laughter, and her potato salad.
“Toni asks you for money?” I questioned.
Malcolm chuckled before he motioned his head no. “She won’t even allow me to pay for lunch. For the most part, she cries the entire time we are together. Toni is in nursing school. If she asked for money, I would give it to her, but I ain’t crazy. What makes you uneasy about knowing our bio mom?” Malcolm asked.
We sat in silence for several seconds.
“We shared a womb, Marquise. I’m not going to judge.”
“I don’t want you to connect with them and forget about me. I agreed to share you with Jhae. I don’t want you to bankroll their family because you’re generous. Toni represents the past. I want to move forward, but she is a memory that haunts me. I don’t want a relationship with her, and I need my decision to be okay,” I said.
Malcolm was slow to speak as he digested my words.
“Marquise, I share you. You don’t think that bothers me? You were all I had against Winston. But over time and with Dr. June, I realized you’ve got my back even if you create your own life. Erin is good people. She is doing me a solid right now. Jhae sent me those pictures, and my God,” Malcolm said, and my head jerked backward.
“Chilll out, you know my woman fine... but twins don’t mean we share everything, including Toni. And you know Jhae is the only woman who has unlimited access to my money. I’ll stop sweating you about Toni,” he continued, and we slapped hands.
“Baby, your energy is trash right now. What’s going on?” I asked, pausing our private game.
“Nothing,” she whispered.
It’s eleven in Toronto, meaning it was eight in L.A. Erin’s been quiet and distant, and it triggered me. I hit a video call to get a glimpse of her face. Those brown eyes appeared in the video.
“Erin, what’s going on with you?”
The light from the video game hit her face, displaying her glossy eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
My body went on alert as my shoulders tensed and my breathing grew heavy and weighted. A lazy smile appeared on her face before it faded. She turned off the TV, leaving the room pitch dark.
“Erin!”
“You need to calm down. The person you are ready to fight is yourself. I can’t do another damn road trip. It’s been eight days, Marquise,” she expressed.
After those words left her lips, my smile made a grand appearance. Women have told me before they missed me, but coming from Erin meant something different. My dick was semi-hard from her admission.
“Eight more days, baby,” I confirmed.
