Page 18 of Mia

“Well, hello to you too,” Silas said, standing to hug her.

He opened his arms, and she glared at him.

“I know you better hug me, woman.”

She kissed her teeth as she fell into his arms, and he rocked her side to side. The other guys followed suit, each taking a moment to rub her stomach and congratulate her. She muttered thank you as she turned to me.

“Can I help you, mamas?” I asked.

“I want ice cream.”

I smirked. “Is that how you ask?”

She frowned. “Your child wants ice cream, so I shouldn’t have to ask.”

I chuckled as I stood to my feet. Towering over her, I gently wrapped my hand around her throat.

“Ask me nicely and you can have whatever you want⁠—”

She opened her mouth to say what I knew was some bullshit. Immediately, I clarified my statement.

“Within reason.”

She kissed her teeth. “Can you please go get me some chocolate ice cream?”

“Much better.” I leaned in and pecked her lips. “I’ll be back, and you better be here.”

She rolled her eyes. “Where else am I gonna go since you called in the cavalry?”

“Exactly.” I pecked her lips again. “I love your mean ass.”

She was quiet, but when I gave her that look, a small smile spread across her lips. She slipped her arms around my waist and kissed me again.

“I love you too.”

“Go on upstairs. When I get back, I’ll rub your feet.”

She smiled brighter as she walked past me. I gave her ass a hefty slap. My baby was already starting to thicken her up. I watched her ass jiggle as she walked away into the house. Behind me, my niggas murmured a bunch of comments among themselves.

“Y’all got some shit to say?” I asked, turning to them.

They laughed and shook their heads in protest. I knew they were just as over our shit as Quaid was. My boy wasn’t shy about letting me know when he was sick of hearing about Mia. While he loved her like a sister, he always said that we weren’t ready for each other.

At this point, we had no choice but to be ready.

We were married and having a baby. Those were two things I didn’t take lightly. Did I expect to end up married at my age? Hell nah. I thought I had at least until thirty before I was ready to settle down. I for damn sure didn’t expect to be married to Mia James Dillinger. I would have bet my last dollar it would have been anybody but her.

Growing up in the life we did, we’d always been enemies who happened to work for the same side. I can admit, as a chap, I fucked with her on some petty shit. Like the rest of the guys we trained with, I thought she was there because of who her mother and grandfather was. I’m grown enough to admit that I was wrong.

Mia was a beast.

She excelled in training, not because she wanted this shit more than any of us, but because it was in her. Maddie and Senior created something great. She was cold and calculated. In hand-to-hand combat, she was quick and meticulous, watching her opponent’s moves. Baby was also one of the best sharpshooters I’d ever seen. Those kill shots were always on point.

She deserved to be in the organization.

We were just too bullheaded to see it. By the time I stopped fucking with her about it, the damage was already done. She hated me and never let me forget that shit. We were forever exchanging insults with each other. While she meant hers, I was mostly playing around to get a rise out of her.

I had it bad for her, but I couldn’t let her know that.