We are silent for a moment. I consider everything she said, looking at it through a new lens. I can’t say I will ever fully forgive her for abandoning me and my father.
Although I can get over her leaving me, it’s knowing what it did to Daddy that won’t allow me to forget. I caught him multiple times staring at her picture with tears in his eyes. The man never even dated after she left. She hurt him. But I understand a little more where her head was at.
“I understand you leaving,” I say, breaking the silence. “But why didn’t you want a relationship with me?”
Evelyn stops walking in the middle of the sidewalk. I stop with her. People move around us, but we don’t move.
“Broken people only create more broken people, Tiff. The best thing I could’ve done for you is not be involved in your life. I didn’t want my generational curses to become yours. You may hate my decision, but I’m glad I did it. You turned out to be a beautiful, independent, well-rounded woman and a damn good mother.” She cups my cheek, and I have to fight back my tears. I’ve wanted this relationship with her all my life. I’d actually given up on it, but I’m glad I didn’t shut her out the day she showed up at my office.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her in for a hug. Slowly, she places her arms on my back. For a few minutes, we stand on the sidewalk in the middle of the day, hugging. With my arms around her, I let years of anger, blame, and longing all washaway. Finally, I pull away. Her eyes are glossy, but she isn’t crying.
She fixes her dress and tosses her hair over her shoulder.
“Come on, dear.” She lifts her chin. “Let’s not make a scene in the middle of the walkway.”
She tucks her arm through mine, and we continue on our way.
I come to a stop when I spot Nico. He’s leaning against a silver two-door sports car looking down at his phone. He hasn’t spotted me yet. I watch as two women walk by him. They both stare at him before turning to each other and giggling. They are gorgeous, both blonde and young.
The one on the right turns around and walks up to him. Her tits are lifted so high in her two-piece bikini they are nearly tucked under her chin.
Ghost spots the women but doesn’t make a move toward them.
The bold blonde says something to Nico, tossing her hair over her shoulder. He doesn’t even look up from his phone. He says something to her that causes her face to fall. However, it doesn’t discourage her. She says something else, leaning even closer to him.
“Will you look at that,” Evelyn says with disgust coating her tone. “Some women are just classless. She takes my few bags from my hands. Poor Jake has most of them. “Go over there and put those hussies in their place.” She shoves me in their direction.
I was going to tell her it’s not that serious. But the bold blonde reaches out and places her hand on my man’s arm. Oh, hell no.
I walk over to them.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I hear Nico say to the woman as he removes her hand from him.
I slide in front of him. Both females look at me with their brows raised.
“Move along. He’s not interested.”
The bold one lives up to the nickname I gave her. She looks me up and down, her gaze narrowing.
“And who the fuck are you? His bodyguard?” Her friend chuckles as if that shit was funny.
“I’m his wife, and the mother of his child. And the one he’s going to have to bail out of jail once I finish beating your ass if you don’t move the fuck on.” I take a step toward blondie.
Nico snakes his arms around my waist, dropping a kiss behind my ear.
“Not worth your time.”
The two girls scoff and then walk off. Good, they are bold but not stupid. I spin around in his arms. He places a kiss on my lips.
“That was quite the possessive behavior, Mrs. Basille.”
I chuckle as I clasp my hands behind his neck. “I learned from the best.”
He grins. “Having you stake your claim like that has my dick hard.”
“Let me help you with that then.”
He bites his bottom lip.
