“Oh, so she’s the only one you see?” Coast rested a hand on her hip, faking attitude.
“We see you all the time, Auntie Coast.” Kara giggled.
Kyro moved toward them, his Switch in his hand as he focused on the screen, barely even blinking. Nayelli and Kong simultaneously got out on opposite sides of the car.
“Need some help?” Kong cleared his throat and offered.
“Sure do!” Coast adjusted the strap to her Hermes bag on her shoulder.
She turned, no shame in her waddle as she made her way to the front door. Although she and Mozzi were back at his house, Coast felt like the estate was a second home. The two of them still spent the night from time to time. Audiemar didn’t mind since he was practically living alone. Moose would sleep over when he made his way from the tattoo shop too, and Phoebe was always a frequent visitor. She’d been a lot more pleasant to deal with since Kong and Nayelli got married. Kyro and Kara trailed Coast to the door.
“Is my mother here?” Nayelli asked.
“I’m not sure. We just got back.” Ayla turned back to the trunk.
“I’ll go inside and check. Nice to see you, Ayla.” With a smile, Nayelli sauntered behind Coast and the kids.
Although she’d been nicer, Nayelli had developed that same superiority persona from before. It was just a lot more subtle. She didn’t offer to lift one bag before excusing herself like a pampered princess. The cold air blew Kong’s cologne in Ayla’s direction. Versace. She used to love that scent, especially blended with his natural manly aroma. Now it left her stomach flipping, and not in a good way.
In his black trenchcoat and his black leather gloves on his hands, he reached into the trunk to grab one of the boxes of seafood. Ayla gagged, battling with her breakfast in her stomach before covering her mouth and turning away from him to hide her uneasiness. Leaning against the car, she took a breath, praying the wave of nausea would pass.
“Are you okay?” Kong asked, arms full as his brows bunched together.
“I’m f-fine,” she assured him. “I haven’t eaten since earlier, but thank you for helping.” She straightened up against the car but Kong continued to study her curiously.
He’d made it a point not to come around as much, hoping he would be able to wean himself from being in her presence. He’d gone from thinking about her every hour to every other hour, but she was still the first thing on his mind in the morning and the last at night. He would never admit to anybody that he had also created a whole social media presence so he could stalkPalate Pleasures. It was the only thing he could do to see her or hear her voice, which he was missing daily. He had to bite his tongue a lot reading all the comments that would post. Niggas was thirsty as fuck out here and said anything. It took everything in him not to hit Mozzi so he could get IP addresses and start running up on motherfuckers. Often, he had to remind himself that Ayla didn’t belong to him, no matter what he felt.
The kids were doing okay, but they made it obvious on more than one occasion that they missed the estate and Ayla’scooking. The weekends weren’t enough for them. Studying her in the denim jeans hugging her waist, Kong noticed a few extra pounds, but nothing major. The weight honestly only made her sexier as her black V-neck sweater hugged her breasts but draped over her middle with her peacoat flapping open in the wind. She’d been rocking her hair down in a silk press style with a middle part, but today it was covered by a gray beanie, and her resident thin framed glasses shielded her eyes. She gripped a green reusable bag in her hand and reached for another.
“Go inside. I got it,” Kong insisted, tightening his grip on the box in his hand and nodding toward the house.
“No. I got it. This is my job. I don’t need you doing anything for me,” Ayla sniped, sending both of his brows spiking from her tone.
She was always so sweet natured, rarely irritated, and he’d never seen her mad. Snatching another bag from the back of the truck, she turned to stomp away but slipped on some ice instead. Ayla and the bags in her hands went flying, and she landed right on her ass in a pile of snow.
“Yo!” Kong threw his head back and chortled.
Shaking his head, he set his box back on the edge of the truck and ambled over to her. When he held his hand out to her, Ayla only glared at it at first. Both pissed off and embarrassed, she eventually placed her palm against his, allowing him to pull her to her feet. When he did, she bumped right into his hard torso and was forced to look into his eyes. Kong rested a hand on her waist.
“You need to be careful.”
Ayla reached to swipe the snow off her butt and looked down at herself. She was a mess both inside and out. There was that damn whiff of cologne ready to take her out. Kong watched her turn green this time, his face crinkling in concern.
“You sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah. I just need to get inside and rest for a minute. Been a busy day.” She eased out of his strong arms and picked up her bags off the ground.
Making sure to watch her step, Ayla trekked down the sidewalk to the front doors, leaving Kong staring after her. She was stubborn, for good reason, and he didn’t want to complicate things any further. It was also the holiday season, time for family, togetherness, and all that other forgiving shit Jane used to talk about. It became her favorite time of year, even as Kong and his brothers got older. Turning back to the SUV, he grabbed the box he’d originally decided to take inside first and headed toward the house. For the sake of the kids, he would have to find a way to make this work.
Coast changed like she was next up on the runway when she got back to the house. Her doctor’s appointment was in thirty minutes, and she’d been dilly dallying with Ayla like she didn’t have shit to do. After slipping into tights and a maroon sweater dress, she snatched up her purse and keys off the dresser in Mozzi’s bedroom and hustled downstairs. Ayla blew in, flustered as hell and stomping with grocery bags in her hand.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I fell!” she snapped. “And Kong was right there?—”
“Oh, shit!” Giggling, Coast covered her mouth and hid a smile.
The tight expression and her cinched brows suggested to Coast that Ayla was pissed.
