“Pretty much,” she quipped. “I gotta get back to my table. Good luck getting drafted.” She stuck both thumbs up and backed off.
He had her mixed up with another bitch. What did he honestly think was going to happen after he humiliated her?Karma wasted no time spinning the block on him with Leah. By the time Ayla returned to the table, the staff was coming over to start clearing plates. Kong had his phone to his ear as he rose from his chair. Ayla couldn’t say for sure because he was a few feet away, but the distance suddenly felt like more than space. She slung her crossbody bag across her chest while Inari and Coast stood with Kyro and Kara.
“What took you so long?” Inari wondered.
“Take one guess.” Ayla spotted Qassen over her shoulder moving to a table in the far back where his grandparents and mother were seated.
A blaze of fire smoldered in her sister’s stare, and as soon as she looked like she was about to move in his direction, Ayla reached for her arm.
“Don’t!” she hissed. “He’s not worth it.”
“What’s not worth it?” Coast asked, picking up one of the last brown butter madeleines off a plate. “Who is that?”
“Her no-good ass ex,” Inari growled. “You need to let me go upper cut his ass or something.”
“For what?”
“Well, what did he say?” Inari slipped out of her grip.
“Oh, listen to this, the girl… Leah, the baby she’s carrying isn’t his. I don’t know how he found out but looks like that bitch was playing him for that NBA money.”
“Get the fuck out of here! See, that’s what the fuck he get. Okay, so I don’t need to fuck him up. Life is doing that just fine. The hell did he want with you?”
“He apologized, but I ain’t falling for that shit. I don’t have time for a lying, manipulative nigga like that in my life.” Ayla rebutted.
“That’s right,” Inari agreed, bobbing her head. “Let’s get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”
When their group reached the parking lot, Coast thought she was going to slip into Kong’s car and ride back to the house. Mozzi wasn’t in the mood for her shit. His pain level was increasing, so he wanted to go home and take a nap before the meeting took place later. With nothing else pressing to get to, he thought that was the best move considering the events of the night prior. He damn sure wasn’t about to lay down without her nearby.
“Trouble, you get in that car, and I’m fucking you up! Bring yo’ ass!” he ordered, stopping at his car door and pulling on the handle.
“You don’t run shit, Moses!”
Ever since she heard Audiemar call him that, she’d been on his ass with it. She knew it irked his entire soul, and she did it anyway.
“I’mma run my foot in yo’ ass if you don’t come on!”
An irritated scowl stretched over her face, and she said her goodbyes before stomping over to his car. Ayla eased into her seat once she got Kyro and Kara situated in back, and Kong waited behind the wheel, his cell phone still propped against his ear.
“Yeah. I’ll be there in a few. I got you.” His tone was gentle with whoever he was speaking to.
She remained curious as he started the car without so much as a glance her way. The whole ride to the park was filled with tension as thick as fog. Since he didn’t seem to want to engage in small talk, she looked out her window and enjoyed the view. Kong found a space to park and shut his car off, but Ayla realized they were a couple of blocks from the park.
“Is everything okay?”
“I gotta go take care of a few things. You can take the car back to the house. One of the guards is going to give me a ride where Ineed to go,” Kong reported. “Pace is going to stay here with y’all. If you see anything, or something feels off, let him know.”
“And where are you going?” she prodded, somehow figuring she already knew the answer to that question.
“To the hospital to check on Nay. She called and asked to see me. Shit is complicated?—”
“No explanation needed.” Ayla unbuckled her seat belt.
“What about you and your situation back there?”
“What about it?” she shot back as she lowered both feet to the ground. “If you want to know something, Kong, all you have to do is ask. I don’t have anything to lie about.”
Swiping his hand down his face and beard, he avoided her staring at him over her shoulder. He didn’t want to get into this right now. His head was already fucked up having to compensate Nay. Seeing Ayla with another man didn’t sit well, and a familiar feeling he hadn’t felt in a while recurred. Jealousy. He respected that she was a virgin, but even thinking about another nigga touching or kissing her left him squeezing the steering wheel until his knuckles were ready to pop.
