“I bet you do agree with her. Believe it or not, you got that tough girl personality honest, and you’re more like Di than you believe. My wife put up with a lot of mess from me, and I’m not proud of that. We were both young when we met and still young when she gave birth to Koda. Our relationship got rockier after him since she wanted me out of the streets, but I wasn’t ready.”
“When did you know she was worth putting above your lifestyle?”
“From the moment I laid eyes on her gorgeous ass. It was more so about being man enough to back up that love for her with actions. The first few years after Di had Koda, we weren’t together. I’ll never forget the time I showed up to his third birthday party that I paid for, and she’d called herself inviting her man. I beat that nigga’s ass so fucking bad, she dumped him that same day.”
“Dad!” Kennedy gripped her stomach, falling over in laughter as he chuckled.
“She had me fucked up, tough girl. That was where I drew the damn line. It took some time, but I got my family back and slowly transitioned out of the game.”
“How old were you?”
“Shit, that was so long ago, Kennedy. We had Koda at twenty-five, and we were off a few years. I took about two more to clean my hands before we reconciled. So, I believe about thirty or so.”
Kennedy’s heart plummeted to the pit of her gut. Her father gave her a stare of skepticism, tugging the peppered hair on his chin while his intuitiveness puzzled together the information she hadn’t divulged.
“Why are you in my business all of a sudden? Either you got a man who’s fucking up, or you’re dealing with a drug dealer again. Which is it?”
“When did I mess with a drug dealer?” she rebutted, playing dumb. Her dad wasn’t going for it.
“I was honest with you, Kenn. The least you can do is show me that same respect. How old were you when you started dealing with Ezekiel?”
Her shoulders sagged. “Eighteen.”
“He made the first move?”
If she confirmed that, she’d be lying straight through her teeth. “No. I was flirting with Zeke for a while before he gave in.”
Butch hunched forward, propping both elbows on his legs before he leered at her. She leaned back like she was a kid, and her dad was about to take off his belt to wear her ass out for being grown.
“What the hell made you do that, Kennedy?”
“I don’t know! He was always around and treated me like you and Koda did. Plus, he was cute. I was a girl with a crush who actually got to live it out. No one could have convinced me that he’d turn out a piece of shit.”
Butch shook his head. “They say that a girl’s first love is her dad, and her second is a nigga just like him. I guess, I can’t be too upset. It’s the past now. What about this new one?”
“With him, I didn’t fall for lies. I fell for the qualities I should’ve run from, but he carries himself in a way that’s so damn intriguing. I think we teach one another a lot, and I really want to figure him out.”
“How’s that going for you so far?”
“The only thing I figured out is, his reputation does him no justice. He’s fucking horrible.”
“But you caught feelings and can’t call it quits yet?”
“Pretty much. I want to hate him, but it’s hard to do that in his face, so here I am.”
“Yea, here your bull headed ass is. I can’t listen to you vent about that nigga breaking your heart while I’m sober. We’ll talk after my nightcap of scotch.”
She giggled when he sighed and stood up, massaging his temple. His gaze coasted to her door before his face lit up, and she didn’t have to wonder why.
“What are y’all up here going on about?” her mother inquired, entering the room with a soft smile.
Diane flung her silver hair that was laid to perfection over her shoulder before strutting to her husband in a nice fitting wrap dress with an apron around her slender waist. Her mother was the reason Kennedy never stepped out in anything less than her best. She couldn’t begin to imagine how money making Butch and prissy Diane used to break necks in their prime.
“Your daughter is stressing me the hell out,” her dad complained, grabbing his wife as soon as she neared him.
“Nothing new there. I’m about to start dinner. What do you two want to eat?”
“I’ll pass on dinner. I’m going out for fresh air and a few drinks. I’ll eat then,” Kennedy told them, and visible relief spread across her mom’s face.
