“Henry, you need to talk to him before I knock some sense into him. You know he had some whore in here last night?”
Henry looked at his wife. “Marketta. I got it.”
“You better,” she hissed, walking away. “Embarrassing me.”
“Son, you and I, outside.”
Khalif drew a breath, walked out of the side door he’d recently entered, and started toward the open space leading toward the lake. Henry joined him and drew in a breath of his own.
“If that were my brother, I think I would have killed him,” Henry admitted. “Two punches to the face were generous. But regardless, I’m still disappointed. You two are twins. What the fuck? Sharing a woman? Come on.”
“If he would’ve come to me like the real nigga he tells everyone he is and kept it a buck, this would be a lot different. I didn’t love her, and I was trying to find ways to get out of this every day. But I never disrespected her. I never spoke ill of that nigga. But this is where we are. I take all of it. It’s on me. I should’ve stopped worrying about everyone else and focused on me. This mess is my fault. If Khalil wants Shenae, he can have her. But that life that both of them are accustomed to living isn’t on me anymore. If y’all don’t need it, I’m not doing it.”
Henry nodded, understanding how his son came to this conclusion to begin with. Khalif had truly taken care of his whole family and didn’t ask them for a thing. Everyone had a breaking point. Even the strongest.
“I understand. Who was that woman you ran off with? Is she really a stripper?”
Khalif huffed and shook his head. “Law student. She’s a law student. I didn’t pay her. She didn’t ask me for shit other than how I was doing.”
“So what was all of this? Sex to make yourself feel better? A distraction? What? Because I can’t market a stripper on your arm. That doesn’t get you endorsements.”
Khalif turned and looked at his father with confusion. “You haven’t heard a word I said, huh? That’s what I am, a walkin’ check.”
“Son, you’re the face of the NFL defensive players. You are a walking check. Every woman you step out with. Shenae fit the image. Not some stripper, flashing pussy to become a paralegal.”
Khalif clasped his hands together, no longer in the mood to go back and forth. No longer in the business of the blatant disrespect of a woman he’d mentally, emotionally, and spiritually claimed as his. Sure, it seemed crazy, but he’d rather be crazy than invisible in a room full of people who were supposed to love him.
“You know what, you’re right. I am the face of the defensive line. I’m also in control of my shit. Down to who represents me. I think it’s about time you and Mom enjoy retirement, and you leave my business to me. Just like I’ve told Mom and Brielle since they bust in here disrespecting the fuck out of my guests, y’all can go. I’ll be around when I’m ready.”
Khalif walked away back into the house, up the stairs, and into the bedroom that hours ago, was filled with beautiful moans. He removed his branded workout gear and stepped into the shower. In the bed, he grabbed the pillows with her lingering perfume and finally went to sleep.
That was until the touch he was craving pulled him from his slumber with a new need…find the woman who’d turned his world on its axis.
eleven
. . .
“Sooo didhe fold you like laundry?” Syn asked, as Aurora closed her car door with her hip and locked it. “I haven’t heard from you in like two days.”
“You know, considering showing up to a wedding we really weren’t invited to was some messy-ass shit, I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”
“Not you got an attitude with me, but your walk is a bit sideways,” Synia pointed out, halting Aurora midstride. “Mmhmm. So give me the tea before we get inside.”
Aurora crossed her arms and looked around at the parking lot starting to fill. “What do you want to know?”
“Bitch, everything. The way that man snatched you up and whisked you out of there like you were the reason he was calling the wedding off. And I might say, doing it exactly when it was supposed to start is diabolical.”
“We got burgers because clearly he’d been drinking. Went to his lake house, talked, made dinner, and I left.”
Synia gave her a deadpan expression. “How did you end up in his bed on your back?”
“Who said I was on my back?” Aurora snipped. “Conversation, I guess. Maybe a tear or two. Comfortability. But that’s over.”
“Said who? I’m seeing Rodney tonight when I leave and if I’m seeing Rod, you can still see big daddy Khalif,” Synia said, rolling her hips and sticking her tongue out. “And don’t lie, he ended your little drought with ease.”
“Syn, please leave me alone. I’m serious. Whatever you’re doing with Rod is great, but Khalif and I are – weren’t anything. One night, that’s it. He has things to do, and I do too.”
“And why can’t y’all be more than a night? Huh?” Synia studied her before gasping slightly. “Aurora Wilson is scared.”
