“Man, I’m on som—the fuck!”
The piercing pain of his skin prompted Tuck’s mouth to gape. His eyes ballooned at Champ, who continued jabbing the blade into the side of his abdomen.
“Arrgghh!” His scream wasn’t at full volume due to the pain spreading all over his body. Blood spurted from his wounds as Champ puncture what he knew were major organs. After so many stabs, Tuck fell to the ground. He panted in disbelief at all the blood seeping from his stomach.
Champ bent down, wearing a sinister smile. “Noble sends his regard, mufucka.”
Tuck’s eyes widened as he hurried out of the room. He had got caught slippin’ without warning. Noble had worked his way on the inside. He had reigned supreme, ensuring that Tuck knew his place, which was under his feet.
The agony racing through his body was too much to bear. Tuck drifted away. This was his ending and after all the hell he had caused, he knew exactly where his eternal home would be.
Epilogue
Three and a half years later…
Cali rolled her eyes at her ringing phone then exhaled a deep breath. For a brief moment, she contemplated answering the call. After a second, she reluctantly grabbed it and pressed the green button.
“Yeah,” she answered.
“Ew, why you sound so dry?” Enya asked.
“Because I’m in the middle of something. What you want?”
“Well, I was calling because I need a babysitter. Mama and Dad are on their vacation so I need you to keep Emilee for me.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I got shit to do. Take her with you or cancel your plans.”
“I can’t. I’m having an event with my sorority and I can’t mingle and watch my child at the same time.”
“That sounds like a problem that has nothing to do with me.” Cali grabbed her comb and played with her curls. “Tough shit.”
“You know what? You and Bria are some of the most deadbeat aunties I know.”
“The same could be said about your lowlife ass. Call her daddy and stop trying to keep him from being a father.”
After Kip’s infidelity was exposed, Enya divorced him shortly after. Her parents tried their best to talk her into staying with her husband but Enya had refused. Cali was proud of her for choosing herself but she didn’t like how she kept Kip from Emilee at times. He could only see his child on her terms and Cali didn’t think that was fair.
“I’m not keeping her from him. He can come over and see her but I’m not sending my child with him so he can have her around that bitch that he cheated on me with. They will not act like a family unit with my daughter.”
“Girl, grow up!” Cali snapped at her. “This isn’t about you anymore. He cheated and you left. That has nothing to do with him being in his daughter’s life. Don't nobody wanna sit in your face in order to be a father.”
Enya snorted a chuckle. “It’s no surprise you don't care about cheating, considering you did it for most of your first marriage. I’m praying you don't fumble this remix marriage you're in. I hope Rio don't think he’s got a new version of you because I see through you, Cali.”
“Yep, and I pray I don't end up bitter and filled with resentment like you are,” Cali joked then halted her laughs. “Hold on.” She stood in silence until reality hit her. “Uh, I gotta go. It’s too quiet around here. Find somebody else to babysit. Bye.”
Cali hurried out of the ensuite and walked into her closet. Her feet came to a sudden stop when she looked down at the mess her two-year-old had made with her makeup.
“Cairo!” she scolded, bending down to grabbed the blush from his hands. “What did you do?”
He looked at her with his doe eyes and pink mouth courtesy of the blush. “Huh?”
“Give me this,” she fussed, grabbing a makeup palette from his other hand. “You sitting up here messing up the most expensive makeup I have.”
Cairo clapped his hands, making an even bigger mess. Cali sighed then closed her eyes. Motherhood had been so hard and she was only two years in. What came naturally to other women was a struggle for Cali. Every day she felt like she was failing as a mom whenever Cairo would get into something and make a mess. Cali wasn’t negligent, though. All it took for her was to turn her head for a second for him to destroy something around the house.
