“Jaseon, I don’t know why you think I won’t divorce you and leave you here with all of these damn children,” I heard the sweet voice ring out again as we made our way into the massive family room. “You out here throwing out compliments like I can’t get another nigga.”
“Girl, who’s going to want you with all these kids?” His eyes bucked as he gestured around the room. “Karlie is a brat, and your sons are menaces, even Jamir’s lil’ sneaky ass.”
He pointed to Jamir, and I remembered seeing him on vacation with JJ. The boy sat quietly as he pushed his glasses up on his face. He had to be the youngest of the crew because his face was puffier than his brother’s. Seeing them on vacation was one thing, but with them being all together in a quieter setting was something else. JJ and all his brothers had the same face. Even Karlie resembled them in a way.
“Don’t let that meek shit fool you,” their dad continued. “That boy is a damn maniac, just like the rest of them.”
Jamari walked over and pulled me into a hug, even though JJ had yet to let my hand go or say anything. “Shocked to see you without food in your face. How you been doing, Blossom?”
“You should know, nigga.” I jeered at him, catching him off guard when I punched him in the arm. “You’ve been following me!”
Rubbing his arm, he stood with his mouth wide open, looking back toward his mother for help. “Ma, you see how this girl just put her hands on me?”
“You probably deserve feet, too, Jamari.” She cut her eyes at him before walking toward us. She was gorgeous from the view on the porch, but up close, she looked stunning. I thought JJ’s father looked young, but she looked like she could be our age. She wasn’t that much taller than me, but she had curves that showed she was indeed a mother of five.
Looking from me to JJ to where he was holding my hand, she craned her neck and stared into my eyes. “Who the hell are you, and why are you in my house? I hope I don’t have to beat your ass like I did the last tramp that came in here with him.”
Taken aback, I snatched my hand from JJ. By the way his neck snapped to look at me, I could tell he wasn’t expecting it. All chatter in the room ceased as they looked from their mother to me.
“My name is Blossom Reid, and I’m nowhere near being anyone’s tramp. I’m a grown woman who’s about her business. I’m here because the son you raised kidnapped me and refuses to let me go home. He’s bombarded his way into my life and refuses to leave.” I crossed my arms as we both mugged each other. “Honestly, I’ve been wanting to meet you.”
“Is that right?” She arched her brow, stepping closer to me. “What the hell for?”
“I want to know how you sleep at night knowing you raised the meanest and most brash man I’ve ever met.” My heart thumped in my chest as I spoke, but neither she nor this family intimidated me. “He has zero respect for authority or anyone’s personal feelings and space. How do you feel knowing your son is insane? An absolute maniac, just as your husband said.”
The room was so quiet, you could hear ants pissing on grass. His mother said nothing as her hands dropped to her sides. Eyes still on me, a slow smile spread across her face before she pulled me into her tiny frame, which mirrored mine.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Blossom.” She smiled, pushing me back at arm’s length. “I’m Breonna McKnight, and I’ve heard so much about you.” She glanced over at JJ, beckoning him with her finger to bend down. Obliging, I saw a child who was at home and waiting for his mother’s welcoming words. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek before whispering something in his ear. He said nothing as he glanced at me before kissing his mother’s cheek and going over to do the same to his sister. It was then that I noticed she was in a cast and had bandages all over her.
“Oh my gosh! I promise, I’m not rude.” I felt like shit as I pushed Jamari out of the way. Careful not to bump into her, I took a seat next to her. “Karlie, are you okay? What happened?”
Again, the room grew quiet as everyone looked at me. Karlie shifted on the couch next to me, and I could tell she was in pain. Giving me a sympathetic look, she reached over and grabbed my hand.
“You don’t watch the news much, huh?” She chuckled humorlessly and was the only one who did. “There was a shooting at my center a few days ago…” I gasped in horror as tears filled her eyes. “A few people were killed, with many left injured. I’m okay, but the damage that’s been done…”
“Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry.” Tears ran down my cheeks as I pulled her into me for a hug, being as careful as I could. “If there is anything I can do, please let me know. I hate that so much, Karlie.” I wiped her tears as they fell. “Did they find out what happened?” I looked around the room at the ominous faces. Even Breonna looked like she was pissed and ready for war. “Who could have done that?”
“Your nigga…” Jamari was the first to speak, causing me to frown in confusion. “TJ was caught in 4K, airing the place out. Shit, he even killed JJ’s girl, Sheena.” I covered my mouth in shock and watched as he pushed off the wall. “I hope you’ve made peace with the fact that you’ll never see that nigga again. When Slash gets his hands on him, not even the devil in hell is going to recognize him.”
Jamari walked toward us and fluffed the pillow under Karlie’s cast-covered leg. When she hissed in pain, everyone in the room sprang into action to see what they could do to keep her comfortable, except their dad and JJ. He stood to the side, a sneer on his face that scared me the same way JJ’s did.
I shifted my eyes slowly until they landed on JJ. With his arms folded, he stared at me with dark eyes, and I shuddered at the seriousness that covered the usual lust in them. Looking back at Karlie and her bruises, there wasn’t anything I could say to plead TJ’s case—I wouldn’t even try at this point. I didn’t know the man they spoke of, and if he had done the things he was being accused of, he deserved his fate.
“Karlie is okay, and while I hate it for the other families involved, we have so much to be thankful for.” Breonna’s eyes misted over as she smiled slightly. “And now that JJ has brought a nice and wholesome girl over here, I?—”
“Wholesome?” Jax waltzed into the room, grinning. “Mama, let me tell you what I heard when I was over there earlier.”
“Jaxon!” I screeched, shooting up from the couch and lunging in his direction. “I’m going to break your neck!”
Me chasing an NFL running back through his parents’ mansion was comical, but I was glad it eased the tension of learning what TJ had done. I didn’t know what was going on with him, but I knew JJ was not going to let it slide. Any prayer for TJ would be a waste of God’s time because something told me I was sitting in a room full of cold-blooded killers. I didn’t miss the name drop for JJ earlier, and while it should’ve freaked me out, oddly enough, I was immediately ready to hump his face again.
Glancing over at JJ while he spoke to his father, I prayed that he made it through all the drama with TJ unscathed. I’d already made my choice weeks ago on the beach in the Virgin Islands, but seeing JJ with his family made me realize that while I was supposed to be having fun, I may have slipped and fallen for this man.
“Your girl seemsto be fitting right on in with the ladies.” Uncle Amir nodded toward the kitchen. I followed his eyes and couldn’t help the feeling in my chest that appeared as I watched her. “Let me find out.”
“Find out what?” I asked, not bothering to take my eyes off Blossom. I was mesmerized by the way she threw her head back and laughed at something Jamari was saying that I’m sure was stupid. By the frown on my mother’s face, I knew I was spot-on. “That I’m in love or something?”
Feeling my eyes on her, she looked around the room until hers were on me. Time seemed to stand still as everything around us disappeared as we stared at each other. She held it for as long as she could before she blushed and looked away. Givingmy attention back to the men, I said nothing as we continued to watch tonight’s college game.
