“Whatever.”
I flicked him off as I stormed off.
When I got to my car, I got down on the cold ground, looking under the car frame until I spotted the small tracker attached close to the front right tire. I threw it so far across thepark that I almost hit a jogger running in that direction, and I had to quickly jump in my passenger seat and take off.
I pulled out my phone once I got on the road and then dialed Crew’s number because I needed to talk to him asap. There was no more waiting patiently for him.
“Come on, Crew. Answer, please.”
I leaned back, waiting for his voicemail so I was caught off guard once the line picked up and he spoke.
“Hello?”
“Crew, where have you been? I’ve been calling you. Why did you send me that text and then ghost me?”
In the split moment of silence before his response, I heard a baby crying in the background.
“Because I’m at the hospital, Bria. My daughter was born yesterday.”
“Oh, I, I didn’t realize the birth was happening this soon,”
“Yeah, me either. She wasn’t supposed to come this early, but she is here and beautiful, I might add.”
I could hear the pride in his voice, and he sounded so happy. That, however, hit me in the chest in a way I couldn’t explain. I guess it was jealousy.
“I’m sure she is, Crew. Her father is extremely handsome. I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you, gorgeous. But I’m sorry I been MIA.”
“No, no, that’s okay, I understand your reasoning.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying not to show an ounce of jealousy because I genuinely had no right to.
“I hope I get to see you again soon, Crew.”
“Of course you will. I’ll call you when I leave here and get some free time. I promise it will be yours.”
“Okay, talk to you soon.”
I hung up, pulled off, and drove in silence the entire way back to my place.
Somehow, that phone call made me feel like I was slipping right back into the same position I’d been in with Marcus, and I can’t let this happen again. Crew was going to have to tell me very soon whether what we have is something we are building on, or if this fling between us was just meant to be fun while it lasted.
I want honesty, and this time more than I want the man.
Chapter 5
Crew
Ciara and I were posted up in the NICU as I held my baby against my chest, ignoring the pain in my hand. The same hands that I had committed a murder with earlier, and the same chest that carried the stress of it, were now holding her tightly with love I didn’t think I could give. I could see right now that my whole life had just shifted.I'm not just the Slim Reaper anymore, I'm someone’s daddy and I want to take that job even more serious.
She is so pretty it felt like something was tugging at my heart just by looking at her. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that she was mine. Soft dark hair, already curling at the ends. She had tiny light brown eyes and every time they cracked open, my throat tightened up like it was closing. She was looking at me like she recognized me, like she knew my face, my voice, my energy. And maybe she did. Maybe this is what soul ties are really about. After all, she is a part of me. I made her. I helped create this beauty.
A nurses came into the NICU and told us that P had asked for the baby. A nurse then eased my daughter from my arms and into the bassinet like she was made of glass, and that’s exactly how I wanted her to be treated.
Ciara and I followed behind my daughter the whole way to her mama’s room, and the second we walked in, Pernelle broke down crying hard as fuck. The kind of cry that comes from relief and pain, all mixed together in one.
“Here is your stunning little princess.” The nurse sang cheerfully as we stood back and watched her hand the baby over to Pernelle. Once in her arms, Pernelle then moved the covers back to expose my daughter’s entire face, and she instantly rubbed her nose against hers.
“Oh, how I missed you, pretty girl.”
