She looked like she was about to bolt and I could feel Sterling move to put Ami’s stroller directly behind me and in front of her so the woman couldn’t do anything crazy. Seeing as she was out of options she walked toward the officers who immediately cuffed her. When she walked out, everyone’s head turned and some people pulled their phones out to record.
“Not to be nosy but what does the summons say?” Billy had come over since the issue had been neutralized. When I turned around Coby had one arm on his wife’s hip while hiseyes were still looking around the rest of the tunnel. Everyone else had moved away without asking questions and despite our friendships I could appreciate that they wanted to give me privacy.
“It’s fine. I’m sure I’d have to be in your office at some point tomorrow.”
She smirked silently as I tore open the envelope and read the information inside.
“They’re trying to sue me for grandparent rights.” I was calm because I assumed this day would come once they realized I wasn’t going to agree to any of the stupid demands they’d made of me. I wasn’t reimbursing them for that woman’s funeral, hadn’t allowed them access to our daughter, and I for damn sure wasn’t giving them any money for emotional damages like they’d outlined in this motion.
“Are you okay?” Sterling now had Ami in her arms and my baby reached for me like she could tell I needed a hug. I took her and kissed her cheek, calming further when she rested her head on my shoulder.
“We’ve expected this. And I know that they don’t have a case. I’m more concerned about whoever got that lady to go through these measures to serve me.”
“You think somebody wants you to cut up?” Billy had put her agent hat back on and Parker was listening intently because I knew they would be trying to figure out together how his security got breached. Whoever did this was going to be sued until their great great great grandchildren were still paying off the debt. And that was if they didn’t end up in jail.
“With the way she has been slandering my name all this year I’m sure people are looking to draw a reaction out of me. I’ve ignored all of it.”
“But your new relationship and on-field success have people wanting to throw distractions into your life.”
I nodded because Coby knew the game because he’d lived it.
“Exactly, and I’m not letting them get the best of me. I refuse to. Which is why they keep poking me.” I glanced down and Ami’s eyes were fluttering and I wanted to get her to bed. Especially since I now needed to work out some frustrations with her mama.
“What are you going to do?” I knew Parker was about to have somebody’s job and a full-scale investigation would be launched so I was going to leave this where it was until I needed to make a move. I was grateful for the people I had around me: those I paid and those that paid me who were willing to step up and look out for me.
I pulled Ling closer to me and kissed the side of her face. I had everything in the world that mattered to me in my arms and nothing was going to shake me and put me at risk for losing them.
“I’m going to go home and let things happen like they’re supposed to. I’m not going to stress about this. Life is good, we will let it play out the way it needs to.”
Parker nodded and he reached back to take Tiana’s hand. “Cool. Franklin will escort you to your car so you don’t have any problems. Now if y’all will excuse me, I've got people to fire.”
“I can’t even ask if you’re okay.”
I kept my head in my hands not wanting to look up at the voice attempting to sympathize with me. I nodded my head but stayed silent. That peace lasted all but a few days before the media broke the story about Ami’s egg donor’s parents trying to come after me not just for grandparent rights, but custody. My inability to make a scene or even entertain their demands meantthat they ramped up their crazy just like their crazy ass daughter. They called child welfare to do a check on Ami saying that I wasn’t being a father to her and left her with a stranger. Never mind that this stranger had been there almost since the day she was born and we’d started the paperwork to begin the adoption. Billy hinted that this might have been what set them off because any legal filings with my name attached could be searched by their attorney.
I didn’t know what clown decided he was going to take on their case, but I was gonna be out for blood since these two assholes traumatized my girl and my daughter.
My fucking heart broke hearing Sterling cry on the phone and Ami be damn near inconsolable while a bunch of strangers combed through my house and asked her a bunch of questions. I’d been driven from the facility by one of Parker’s guards who had explicit instructions to keep me contained. No one trusted me to go there and act like I had sense and I didn’t blame them. As soon as I walked in the door and saw Sterling’s face I was ready to lose my shit. After a bunch of questions, they finally left but now I wanted them to pay.
“Is there anything we can do for you?”
I huffed at that voice knowing that nigga was doing his best even though he didn’t have the emotional depth to really handle this shit.
“I’m good, B.”
A chuckle from him forced me to raise my head finally and I watched him shake his. Bryan’s pretty-boy ass was sitting there with one leg crossed over his knee and his eyes studying me.
“My nigga, this ain’t even my seed and I’m not good watching that shit. You need to get this shit out. Nobody should threaten to take your kid from you. Especially not some people who haven’t been around her the entire time she’s been alive.”
“And what does that help?”
His brows dipped since my words clearly confused him? “What you mean?”
“I let it out and then do what? What does it change? What does it matter? There’s nothing that is going to make them less fucked up. Nothing that’s going to make them decent people. Nothing that’s going to undo the harm they’ve done to my girl and my daughter.”
“You trying to let this ride? I didn’t think you were happy with how they were acting.” Bryan was studying me again and like a good agent he was trying to meet my needs before I put voice to them.
I ran my hand over my curls and felt that they were damn near to my chin, which meant I needed more than an edge up, I needed a haircut.
