Page 218 of Own It

Placing his free hand on top of mine, he caressed it and nodded. “But I also know your attachment to him and how he probably took advantage of that in order to sleep with you. I really like you, Kasia, and am willing to work with you on that.”

“I appreciate that, Darron, but that’s false. I wanted to have sex with him, and I did it more than once. While you and I aren’t in a relationship, I do owe you honesty, so that is why I am telling you. However, it wasn’t just sex. I love him, and I see a change in him that I want to explore.”

“Just like the past, right?”

“No.” I shook my head. “In the past, I took his word for face value when I should’ve paid attention to his actions. His actions have shown me he is changing, not what his mouth says.”

Taking his hands from mine, he scoffed. “I don’t get women like you who swear they want a good man then leave a good man for someone like . . . him.”

“I don’t get it either.” I agreed and could see the surprise on his face. “You are a very good man, and you deserve better.”

“So do you.”

“I do, and I can see Josias is gonna do better. Even if he wasn’t and I didn’t want him, I would still choose to end things.”

“Wow.” Darron hiked his brows. “So you ain’t feeling me regardless.”

“I am, just not in the way you deserve right now. You’re ready for something very serious and a quick progression. I’m not. Not even with him.”

“Aight. Well, if he fuck up again, you better come looking for me.”

“I will.” I smiled as he stood.

I did the same, embracing him and thankful he wasn’t some psycho readying to stalk and murder me since I didn’t want him.

As he left, I took a deep breath, then grabbed my purse and phone so I could go to Josias’s where Divine already was.

Me: I did it. Promise me if Josias fucks up you will help me ruin his life.

Day: I wouldn’t be Daylin Conrad if I didn’t.

THIRTY

rakim

COUPLE WEEKS LATER . . .

“You sure you wanna be here for this shit?” Josias queried as he, Ayan, and I sat in my den awaiting our father’s arrival.

“Fuck is that supposed to mean?” Ayan frowned, surveying Josias as the latter sucked his teeth.

“What it sound like, Yan? You been having this sick muthafucka’s back this whole time. Hard to believe you wanna be on the right side of shit at the moment.” Josias shrugged.

“I tried to be on the nigga’s good side before I learned he killed my fucking brother and my mama. If you don’t see the difference in the shit he’s done in the past and that, I’m wondering if yo’ ass need to be here, nigga.” Ayan shot back just as my doorbell sounded.

“Y’all can bicker like some bitches later, aight? Who need to be in attendance and who don’t, don’t even fucking matter no more, ’cause the nigga here.” I stared down at my phone, eyeing Nate on my porch, in good spirits.

Today was his last day on Earth, and the only way I was able to cajole him into coming over to my crib was under the guise of me getting back into boxing. The muthafucka was excited about it, immediately wanting to meet up and discuss how I would make my entrance back into that world.

Ayan may not have been on my level, but he was held in high regard in the boxing world and had yet to lose, so I didn’t get my father’s obsession with me returning to boxing in particular. Only reason I could come up with was that I was better than Ayan, and therefore, he preferred I continue the Godfrey boxing legacy over him, if he had to choose.

Ayan and Josias shot small, immature, brotherly insults back and forth and under their breaths as I bypassed them to go answer the door.

I felt more comfortable taking Nate out on my own home grounds because I was doing the killing, and I trusted myself more. I would’ve preferred to have his ass at the warehouse, but my father was no dummy—nigga would’ve immediately sniffed out my murderous plans had I asked him to drop by an abandoned warehouse out the way. He and I weren’t even remotely close enough for that shit.

“What’s up, Son?” Nate beamed as soon as I answered the door.

“What’s good?” I bobbed my head, trying to remain cool and collected until I got him into the den, even though a nigga wanted to wring his fucking neck on sight.