Kyleigh.
T-shirt, dark jeans, bare feet with pretty, pink-polished toes, like she’d had time to relax after I left. She wasn’t wearing makeup now, just her bare face, tired but still so pretty. Her eyes wandered over the crowd on her porch, then landed on me. Her little dog launched into a fit of high-pitched barking, like he actually scared somebody.
“Max… it’s okay, boy. Max… calm down. Max…Maximillian Al Ca-Bone Grindley!” she finally snapped.
That almost made me smile. Mr. Benton scooped up the noisy little mutt, and they vanished. I knew he probably hadn’t gone far. He loved Kyleigh and was protective of her. He didn’t have to worry about her… physically. My eyes met hers.
“Mr. Christopher, I believe I was very clear earlier. You are not welcome here,” she voiced calmly.
The cold in her voice was cutting, but shorty had me fucked up. Earlier was business, and I played by her icy little rules. But this shit was personal, and I wasn’t backing down to her attitude.
“You was clear about trees. I’m not here about trees,” I said.
She raised an eyebrow. “Then youdefinitelyshouldn’t be here.”
Zahara stepped up beside me. “Evening, Ms. Grindley. I’m Zahara Christopher. Tytus and Katelyn’s daughter. Jabali’s sister. I’m also an attorney licensed in the state of Louisiana.”
Kyleigh’s mouth tugged at one corner like she wanted to laugh. “Of course, you are. This town is so dramatic about?—”
“I’m not here for drama. I’m here to make sure this conversation doesn’t go left,” Zahara interjected.
“This conversation shouldn’t exist. I already told him I don’t know him. I don’t know y’all. And he has no rights to anything or anyone on this property,” Kyleigh answered.
The words hit me like a hammer. My hands curled into fists at my sides.
“Say that again,” I said quietly.
She didn’t blink. “You have no rights toanythingoranyoneon this property,” she repeated. “This is private property. You’re trespassing.”
I locked my eyes on her. “Really? So, I don’t have rights toAziza?” I growled.
She stilled, just stopped everything, even breathing. Then, in a soft lie that she didn’t even believe, she said, “No.”
“Then, what’s the significance of her name?”
She frowned. “Excuse me?”
“Aziza… Why you name her that?”
Her face didn’t give away much. Still, for a second, she looked like that anxious girl on the stage again. Then, her mouth curved into a cold little smile.
“Why does it matter to you? She’smydaughter and nothing about me concerns you.”
That wave of anger I was struggling to hold back threatened to submerge me again. “Kyleigh. You keep fucking with me, mama, and I?—”
“Jay,” Truth’s voice was quiet, but enough to pull me back. I swallowed hard, trying not to crash out on her ass.
“I’m not asking about you. I’m asking about her. Why that name?”
I wanted her to say the words, to admit the significance. Behind me, I could feel the whole family holding their breath. She studied me, long and slow, like she was trying to decide just how much she wanted to fuck with me tonight. Finally, she laughed once. It was an ugly sound.
“The significance is that it proves I was young and lovesick. Damn, Deon could’ve never imagined how well you would do your job.”
I took a step forward, but Truth and Braeden were there, preventing me from yoking her little mean ass up. She held my gaze and didn’t look away. “I took a boy’s middle name and twisted it, still a romantic, even though he had played me. I wanted her to have a little part of him because—” she stopped, shook her head. “It was stupid.Iwas stupid. I should’ve changed it once my senses returned. Any more questions?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, and her full lips twisted in disgust. Fury roared in my ears. Zahara’s hand clamped down on my forearm hard enough to bruise. It was the only thing that kept me from stepping into that doorway.
“So that’s confirmation on the record. You’re admitting that Jabali Christopher is the biological father of the minor child residing in this home?” Zahara queried, voice clipped.
