“Would you care for company?”
“You’re a beautiful woman, but you’re hurt, and you’re tipsy. That’s a combination that I’m not going to take advantage of.”
The flicker in her orbs made Brazil aware that the rejection stung. He meant no harm and actually, some pussy would have been nice. It had been at least a month since he had any, but he was going to refrain from being a rebound fuck that Danyelle just might’ve regretted the next day.
“Ouch.” She chuckled.
“Don’t look at it like that. If I was a little younger, we’d already be out the door, but I try to grow with age. I haven’t always been a decent guy. I’ll give you my number, though, and you can hit me up sometime when you’re sober.”
Instantly, the light came back to Danyelle’s eyes. She pulled out her phone, and he gave her his number before paying both their tabs. He had actually turned down sex from a gorgeouswoman to go home and go to bed before ten p.m. Brazil didn’t even know who the hell he was anymore.
“Tighten up.” Tech faked a right while dribbling the basketball in his hand and swiftly moved around Mario. The older man and Block were kicking Mario and Mason’s asses in basketball. “Y’all young cats stay in the house on that game, and you got old men beating you in a young man’s sport.”
“Who old?” Block countered. “You gotta speak for yourself on that one.”
“Compared to them, you old, nigga.” Tech threw the ball and watched it glide through the net. “Game,” he announced before walking over to the bench to grab his water.
“We had to take it easy on you. I didn’t want you to pass out.” Mario trailed behind his father.
“Fuck outta here.” Tech chuckled while unscrewing the cap off his water. Sitting down on the bench, he surveyed his surroundings. Tech’s time was served with his head held high, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t wake up every day thanking God that he was finally free.
A group of scantily clad teens walked by. “Hey, Mario.” One of them grinned, and Block immediately recognized her as the girl he caught at his house giving Mario head.
Mario’s lips didn’t part, and he barely waved at the girl. Block shook his head. “Not you acting like you don’t know the girl when I caught her in my house doing shit she shouldn’t have been doing.”
Tech stared at his youngest son with raised brows.
“Mannn,” Mario drawled. “She wanted to do it. She practically begged. She worrisome as hell. I don’t have to keep talking to her just because she wanted to give me head.”
“Have you ever been tested for STDs?” Tech inquired before finishing off the bottle of water in his hand.
With a frown, Mario appeared confused by the question. “I use condoms. Block buys them for me, and I buy my own.”
“Newsflash, anything you can get in your genitals, you can get in your mouth. You ‘round here getting head like a grown man, you need to be educated on sex like a grown man. I’m taking you to get tested, and I hope you know that condoms aren’t one hundred percent. I can’t make you stop having sex, but you need to be responsible. A baby is what you don’t need. You also don’t need a STD or a charge.”
“What you mean a charge?” Mario’s brows snapped together.
“I was behind those walls with quite a few men that swore they had consensual sex but when it was convenient for the woman, she hollered rape. A hypocrite is something I’m not. I was for sure having sex when I was your age, but I’d be a bad-ass father, if I didn’t put you up on game. Sex can change your life forever in more than one way. Being careful about who you stick your dick in can literally save your life.” Tech looked over at Mason. “I’m talking to you, too.”
He knew that Symphony’s nephew didn’t have a father, and his mother was dead. Block was a positive male figure in the young man’s life, and Tech had no issue joining in. From what he knew, Mason was a good kid, and he wanted it to stay that way.
Mason was a year younger than Mario, and he wasn’t sexually active, yet, so he shifted uncomfortably on the bench and nodded. Tech was a grown man, and he had no problem admitting that he was avoiding Selena. She was still mad that he hadn’t seen her, and he didn’t have the energy to argue. For that reason, he let Block take Mario home, and he went hometo shower and prepare to cook dinner for Blossom. He hadn’t scared her off, and she had agreed to come to his place for dinner. He promised her that he wasn’t going to be on any creep shit and try to have sex with her.
After a shower, Tech smoked a blunt, sipped some cognac and walked into the kitchen. He had cooked a few times since being home, but he was hoping he hadn’t lost his touch. For Blossom, Tech was going to prepare lambchops, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and candied yams. A lot of things he did before going away, was like riding a bike. He might be a little rusty, but he hadn’t forgotten. The weed coupled with the alcohol had Tech feeling nice.
His phone rang, and Tech saw that Mario was calling. “What’s up, G?”
“You still acting funny I see. You really came home acting brand new, and I don’t like it.”
With a frown and shake of his head, Tech put the call on speaker and placed the phone on the counter. “Acting funny? Please explain to me how I’ve been acting funny.”
“You act like you can’t come seeme. I. know we aren’t together, and we probably won’t be together, but what hoe got you not wanting to hit your baby mama off?”
All Tech could do was shake his head. He had been gone for almost twelve years, and she still hadn’t matured. That was what he didn’t want. He was too old to be coming home to toxicity and drama. Her actions were showing him that he’d be a fool to stick dick to her. She was already tripping, and she hadn’t had it in damn near thirteen years.
“The fact that we haven’t been together in a long ass time makes this conversation dumb as fuck. I’m not answering any questions pertaining to my personal life. You are my son’s mother, and I respect you. I don’t want to have sex with you, andyou shouldn’t take that personal. All that should matter to you is that I take care of Mario.”
“Fuck you!” she snapped before ending the call and making him laugh.
