“I’m interested in the people around Tariq Horton,” she said.
“Well, be interested from a distance,” I replied. “I’m late.”
Then I turned and walked toward my car before she could ask another damn thing.
Pulling onto the block where the baby shower was being held, I saw that the whole street was blocked off. There were security guards at both ends, black trucks lined up along the curb, and a checkpoint set up at the entrance to the long driveway leading to the property. After what happened at my pop-up, I understood and appreciated the extra security.
A guard checked my name at the gate, then waved me through. The venue itself was a mansion that had been converted into an event space, but from the outside, it still looked like somebody’s rich auntie lived there.
As I drove up the long driveway, I saw even more security spread out around the front of the mansion. There were men at the door, near the side entrance, and just standing around keeping their heads on a swivel.
Reek was also out there waiting on me. He was at the bottom of the steps, with his coat open, revealing his three diamond chains. His hands were in his pockets, looking like he belonged in a GQ magazineandon a wanted poster at the same time. He spotted my car before I even parked, and when I got out, his eyes stayed on me in a way that made my stomach do somersaults.
I had on a soft, fitted dress in a warm cream color that hugged my bump and fell off my shoulders. The material was smooth and stretchy enough to show every curve the baby had given me, and the slit up one leg gave it sex appeal. My hair was curled and pinned back on one side. My face wasbeat. I was supposed to feel beautiful, but my pregnancy had made my body fuller, softer, and more unfamiliar in ways that changed depending on the day. Some days I felt cute. Other days I feltenormous and out of place in my own skin. Today was one of those days I felt enormous.
But Reek was standing there staring at me with this pleased smirk on his face like I was the finest woman he’d ever seen. As I walked up to him, all I could think about was the fact that he had spent the last few days texting me apologies about Kam. I had ignored every last message because I was still pissed. I hadn’t known Kam long, but I missed his company. Reek was an asshole for getting rid of Kam when he wasn’t willing to replace what Kam brought to my life.
I had tried to call Kam to apologize for whatever my crazy baby’s father may have done or said, but I was blocked, since each call went to voicemail. I had even tried to contact him on social media, but I was blocked there too.
By the time I reached Reek, my feelings were all over the place.
Reek’s eyes dragged over me one more time before he said, “You look beautiful.”
I laughed a little because hearing that from him while I felt this swollen was almost ridiculous. “I feel huge and not that attractive.”
That offended him. His expression tightened up like I had said something reckless. “You’re carrying my child.”
I folded my arms over my stomach, suddenly self-conscious all over again. “I know that.”
“So, you’ve never been more beautiful to me.”
I playfully rolled my eyes, trying to fight the urge to grin all in this niggas face.
Before I could say anything slick to the blushing, he added, “You’re still a bad bitch. Stop talking crazy.”
I laughed, “There you go with that again.”
“I mean it.”
I changed the subject before I started feeling too much. “Agent Mallory cornered me in the parking garage when I was on my way here.”
Reek’s glare went from flirtation to rage. “About what?”
“You. My relationship to you. The baby. She was fishing.”
He muttered a curse under his breath and glanced toward the street. “Yeah, Langford called the other day. He saw photos of your pop up. Me and you were in the background, so he knows that’s my baby. Now he really thinks there is more to Sienna’s disappearance.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m not going to hide my shorty because of that fake ass relationship I had with his opp-ass daughter.”
“Mallory got nothing from me.”
His eyes came back to mine. “I didn’t think she did. I’ll handle it, though.”
He held his hand out for me, and after a second, I let him help me up the steps.
The second we got inside, both of us stopped in our tracks. The decorator had done her thing. The mansion looked beautiful. Soft blue, cream, and gold were everywhere, but not in a childish way, in a rich, polished way. The entry had huge balloon installations framing the doorway, and the front hall was lined with florals and candles in glass hurricanes. Every room we could see had been transformed. But the biggest surprise, for the guests, was that instead of doing some dramatic reveal later, the whole shower was already decorated with “It’s a Boy” in decals and signage everywhere. And my baby’s name, Cairo Zaire, was in gold script over the main dessert table, little acrylic signs, custom napkins, and on the favors.
