Page 78 of Love Sanctioned

I didn’t know what time I made it home, but the only thing I could think of was getting close to Syn. I did just that too. When I walked in the door, my eyes immediately landed on her. She was sitting in the corner of the sectional, eyes locked on the book in her hand.

“Thought I told you to go back to sleep?”

“You knew that wasn’t happening.”

I rounded the couch and found my way between her legs, allowing my head to rest on her stomach.

She began to rub my scalp. “You good?”

“Yeah, somebody beat me to it.” I answered the question she wanted to ask but wouldn’t. It wasn’t my place to tell her that somebody was her brother. If he wanted her to know, he’d tell her in his time.

“Welp, life goes on.”

The heat was in full effect and the city of Briar South was cooking everything under the sun, including my ass because I just had to be on this damn grill. After all that mess happened with Curr a few days ago, I just wanted peace and time to just be.

“Yo, that’s bullshit and you know it,” Junior said, just as the sound of a ball bouncing against the pavement filled the space. He was checking up with Killah on the court.

“Language, Junior.” Karsyn’s voice made me look at her. She looked so fucking good in that peach sundress that I just knew this needed to be over. She still wasn’t showing, but when we went to the doctor, they said she was fine, just carrying small. She was talking to Amethyst and Junnie over at the picnic tables.

“Sorry, Ma,” he yelled over to her while driving to the rim past Killah.

I shook my head, then moved to flip the steaks over when I heard my front gate opening. I looked up and my eyes landed on Kolton walking in carrying a brown bag which nine times out of ten had a bottle of wine inside. My eyes went from his hand to the look on his face. He looked like he was trapped in his thoughts, like something was weighing heavily on him.

“You good?” I asked when he was further in the yard.

He nodded, his eyes resting on me for all of five seconds before finding something in the distance.

“Did you tell her?”

I knew what he was asking and I shook my head. “Nope. That’s your story to tell if you decide to.”

He was quiet for a moment. “Bet.”

“Do you regret doing it?” My eyes glossed the space before they landed back on him.

“Nope. I wouldn’t change anything about that night. Especially not that.”

“Then stop wearing it. Death is a part of life, and as long as you didn’t make a decision you regret, then you’re fine. People die every day.” I shrugged indifferently.

He nodded. “You’re right. Now let me get over there before your wife gets on her shit.”

“You're right about that,” I dragged out, focusing my attention back on the food on the grill. This was the speed I summoned for my life, a pace different from what I was used to that required a grown man and not somebody trying to hold on to something he had outgrown. Watertown would always belong to me. Shit, it was my birthright, but I had to move differently if I wanted to protect what I deemed the most important.

The vibration of my phone interrupted my thoughts. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and glanced at the number. It wasn’t one that I recognized, but I answered anyway.

“Hello?” I answered, phone cuffed between my shoulder and ear.

“It’s Hondo. You got time to talk?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m extending my table,” he said, no question or explanation, which confused me instantly.

“To me?” I finally asked when I realized he wasn’t gonna finish his statement.

“I hit you up, didn’t I?” he asked, tone crisp.

“Invites without question marks cause confusion. I’ll think about it and discuss it with my brother.”