“You got one in the bag now?” he asked, hiking a brow.
“Yeah.” She stuck her hand in the side pocket and retrieved one identical to the one he was holding.
Kong reached for the drawer where he knew they kept plastic wrap and sandwich bags and snatched one out of the box. He dropped the binky into it and took the other one from Coast before washing it under warm water at the faucet.
“You’re being weird,” she observed, cradling Rara as she rested her head against her shoulder.
She strolled out of the kitchen, and Kong shoved the original binky from Neo’s mouth in his pants pocket and strolled toward the door with the other one in hand. By the time he reached Darcy and Ayla, Emeric was hovering over them, and Kong didn’t like the cold, detached glare in his eyes. The fuck was wrong with this nigga? Darcy still had food on her plate and had just swallowed a bite when Kong approached.
“Y’all straight?” he queried, handing Ayla Neo’s binky but studying Emeric.
His dark eyes were fixated on his wife as she used her napkin to dab at the corners of her mouth and clear her throat.
“Yeah, thank you for washing that off, Kong. Emeric here isn’t feeling well, though, so we’re gonna go.”
“Let me wrap that plate up for you to go,” Ayla offered, rising to her feet slowly with Neo still cradled safely in her arms. “Mama’s gotta keep her strength up too.”
“Thank you. That’s sweet, but?—”
“I won’t take no for an answer. It won’t take but a minute.” She turned, handing Kong little Neo and side eyeing Emeric as he pinched at the bridge of his nose like he was annoyed.
She took Darcy’s plate to the kitchen and washed her hands. After grabbing a few to go boxes, Ayla placed the food from her plate into one container and topped it off. So Emeric didn’t pitch a fit like a bitch, which he seemed like the type to do, she made him one too and put them both in reusable grocery bags that she knew she could find in a nearby drawer. Kong joined her moments later, still holding Neo in his arms. Ayla paused, taking him in holding a baby. Tears stung her eyes. She wished more than anything that he had the chance to do this with their son.
“What’s wrong with that man?” she asked, looking past him to where Darcy and Emeric seemed to be having a heated argument.
He was trying to be discreet, but it was obvious he was ticked off.
“I don’t know.” Kong sighed and peered down at Neo sleeping in his arms.
“She doesn’t feel safe with him. I can see it on her face. She’s walking through a mine field all day, every day,” Ayla concluded, placing a hand on her hip and reaching for Neo’s little curled up fist. “He shouldn’t be in that kind of environment.”
Kong’s eyes drifted into hers, and Ayla smiled.
“Thanks for the hospitality, Kong.” Emeric’s thick, raspy voice broke into the moment.
Darcy came up behind him, eyes filled with tears as she sniffled.
“Yes, we really appreciate it. I had a good time,” Darcy whispered as Kong turned to hand her Neo.
The party carried on for a few more hours. Desiree recruited Dane and his friends to help clean up. She had a crew for that, but the minute she mentioned paying them, they all jumped at the opportunity. Moose, Inari, and Mozzi were all gathered on one side of the pool, with just their legs hanging in the water while having a smoke session. Inari tossed back tequila like it was about to go out of business.
Once most of the clean-up was done, a lot of people started to clear out. Dane and his friends laughed, joked, and continued to swim on the opposite side of the pool. Tiara, Kara, and Kyro all hovered near Audiemar stretched out on a big lounge chair under a string of lantern lights. He was holding his iPad, and they were giving him instructions on how to play some game they were all familiar with. Kong and Ayla decided it was gettinglate, and it was time to go. He couldn’t stop kissing or touching her, so he was ready to get showered and in bed.
“Bro, real shit, you need to come through and do your thang on the property, so we know how to move.” Mozzi took a pull of the blunt.
Coast came over from the table where she sat with Kong and Ayla was right behind her.Her drooping eyes and the fact that her daughter was sleeping soundly in her arms indicated that she was also ready for bed. Mozzi, on the other hand, was only getting more faded by the second.
“I’ll come by this week with Prez and do measurements,” Kong assured him, draping his arm around Ayla’s waist. “How much of an addition you trying to do to your house?”
“At least four more bedrooms.”
“Four!” Coast exclaimed. “Moses, the hell we gon’ do with four extra rooms? I ain’t cleaning that shit.”
“You gon’ clean it ’cause you don’t want me hiring no bad bitch to come up in there and do it.”
“I will shoot your fucking balls off,” Coast threatened, and Moose reached for his nuts in his shorts.
“Gahdamn, Coast! You can’t just be saying shit like that in the presence of men,” Moose voiced.
