I opened my eyes and went for it.
What the hell, right?
I only had everything to lose.
“I need more from you.”
“What?Money?Is it the new house?Are they screwing youover, pushing upgrades?”
“No, not money.You, Darius.I need more ofyou.”
“Okay, so how do we manage that?”
I stared at my knees.
“Malia?How do we manage that?”
“I…you…”
I was having trouble speaking, mostly because I was soshocked he was giving in.
“I want more of you too, baby.It’s frustrating as fucktrying to fit everything into a night every few months.”
“I…really?”
Silence again, this loaded, like he was pissed.
I’d know why when he ground out, “You aren’t a booty call,woman.”
“I know,” I whispered.
“So how do we manage that?”
“I don’t know, but when I say I need more, I mean I needmore of the important stuff.Not that what we do when we’re together isn’timportant, but I need to know about you.Your life.What you spend your timedoing.Who you spend it with.And Darius, Liam is going to ask.One day, he’sgoing to ask.It’s a miracle he hasn’t asked yet.And we need to have thatfigured out.What we’re going to say when he asks about his father.And he’sgot a grandma and two aunties who live in the same town as him, and I thinkwe’re courting some serious future therapy for our son if we don’t let him haveall the things he’s entitled to.”
“I’ll tell you, but only if you promise me he’ll never knowwhat I am.”
That made me blink at my knees.
“Sorry?”
“You have to promise me.”
“Darius, I can’t make a promise without knowing what I’mpromising.”
“You’re going to have to think on that, babe.Because thisgoes no further until you can give me that.”
Fear was creeping into my veins.“What do you do?”
“Think about it, baby,” he said softly, carefully.“How do Iknow Lena’s ex was low-level?”
I turned my head sharply and said, “I’m tired.I don’t wantto talk about this now.We’ll figure out a way we can spend some time togetherand talk then.”
“You don’t want me to run away from real, you can’t either,sweetheart.I’m sorry, but it is what it is.I’ll give you time to think aboutit, but I sense shit is coming to a head, and I’ve taken advantage of yourdenial too long.You’re right.It’s time to get real.And I’ll make you apromise right now, when we do, whatever you decide, I’ll honor it.”
There was something wrong with his tone.
It sounded…
