Page 22 of Mia

“When I got here two weeks ago. I can get in anywhere you are, mamas. Also, you can’t be sleeping that hard, love. I’m just gonna blame it on the baby, you didn’t even hear me come in the room. I sat here for a good hour watching you sleep.” He smiled. “You had on those yellow pajama shorts I love. My baby was just poking out. I almost climbed in bed with you, but I didn’t wanna blow my cover.”

“You just admitted to breaking in my fucking house. You are insane, Titan!”

I stared blankly at her. “You say that like it’s a problem.”

“It is!”

“Are you not my wife?”

“Nigga!”

“Answer the question. Are you not my wife?”

I huffed. “Yes.”

“Are you not carrying my baby?”

“Yes.”

“And didn’t I say I can be anywhere my wife is? That’s your problem. You take this marriage as a muthafucking joke and I ain’t playing withcho’ goofy ass.” He put a finger to my forehead and mushed me. “See if I don’t turn up on you in this bitch about mine… mine meaning you.”

As he turned to grab my food from the microwave, I stared at him, a combination of pissed off and turned on. This man didn’t pay me any mind as he mixed the bowl together and handed it to me. He copped a squat in front of me, lifting my oversized sweater, he pulled the elastic band of my leggings down, allowing my small bump to take shape.

“Morning, daddy’s baby,” he said, kissing my belly. “Your mama got us fucked up.”

I kissed my teeth. “Whatever.”

I tried to hide my smile as he loved on my belly, completely ignoring me. He spoke to his child like it would understand what he was saying. There was so much love and softness in his tone. I could tell he really wanted this baby. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad being parents with him. I can’t say that I ever wanted children before, but the more I bonded with this baby, the more motherhood grew on me.

This was different from my nieces and nephews. I could love on them and give them back to their parents. This baby had to come home with me, and I had to care for it. Titan was ready, but then again, he’d always voiced that he wanted kids at some point. I just didn’t think it would be with me.

Clearly, he wasn’t letting either of us go anywhere. He was crazy enough to come find me if I tried to leave, and it didn’t help that he had the two smartest people I knew on his side. How had my only sister become a traitor? Titan would probably tie me up in a room somewhere, and my dumb ass would get excited about it.

Fighting meant we got to make up and damn did I love to make up. That was that toxic shit. We’d been at it so long that I barely knew how to function in a healthy manner. That didn’t mean I didn’t want to try… I needed to try.

I set the bowl down, not even taking a bite of the food.

“Titan,” I said softly, peering down at him.

“What’s up?”

I beckoned him to his feet. Standing to his full height, he towered over me, resting both hands on either side of the counter. I swallowed hard as I looked up at him. I’d always had the hardest time expressing my feelings to him because it always felt like it would break something in me to feel it… really feel it. It was so easy for my brothers and Jaeda to express their love to their spouses.

That was the crazy part. I remembered when Deuce, Maceo, and Smoke claimed they had no love for these hos, now they were the main ones screaming about their wives every chance they got. They worship Salima, Shar, and Romi and vice versa. Jaeda was head over heels for Quaid and it was effortlessly returned.

It wasn’t like that for me. Did I love my husband? Yes. Did I feel like I could easily say that or show it? Telling Titan I loved him gave him the power to hurt me in ways I couldn’t fathom. No nigga could ever say they got one up on me. The one man who thought he could get away with putting his hands on me is six feet deep. I didn’t want to be my mother with my father, blindly loving a man who was still in love with someone he couldn’t even have. And I couldn’t see myself settling with having a piece of any man for the sake of being in love.

“Mia?” Titan said, snapping his fingers in my face.

I blinked a few times, bringing myself out of my thoughts. He was looking at me curiously.

“Hmm?”

“You called my name like you had something to say,” he noted.

“Oh, um… nothing. I just… I just wanted to tell you that I—” I swallowed hard. “I love you.”

He stood there for a moment before crossing his arms. “Why is that so hard for you to say?”