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“Promise?”

“Yeah, baby. I promise.”

I stayed beside her while they brought us back. A nurse helped her get comfortable, then checked her arm while I held her other hand.

Dream watched everything she did.

“Is it gonna hurt?”

“We're going to be gentle,” the nurse said. “Tell me if something hurts.”

I kept my eyes on Dream's face. Every time her mouth tightened, I leaned closer so she could look at me.

They gave her something for the pain and told me she would need X-rays. I nodded at everything, being fully present with her.

I think I was going to have to tell my brothers I couldn’t take on this much responsibility right now. They had wives to help hold down their houses. I was doing this shit alone.

My phone vibrated with a text from Prime.

I'm here. Everybody's good.

I sent him the hospital name and told him we were waiting on X-rays.

“Daddy?”

I put the phone down.

“What's up, baby?”

“Can you stay right here?”

“I'm staying.”

I pulled the chair against the side of her bed and sat down without letting go of her hand.

16

Melody

Despite the last interview not going well, Aubrey had another lined up for me.

Thank God. My prospects were looking grim and I had nowhere else to turn. After seeing my son with that bruise on his face, I was determined now more than ever to rescue him from his father.

Aubrey and her family were already out of the house, leaving me by myself. It was weird to be in here alone. I had gone from living alone, watching over my back every other second, to then living with Justice and his family. And now with her.

The way I couch surfed, you would’ve never known that once upon a time I lived in a million dollar home with two luxury cars parked in the garage.

Roman took my life along with my children away. And I needed him to pay for that. I hopped in the shower and thought maybe there was a way I could actually pull off killing him. I could shoot him and make it look like a robbery.

But that wasn’t me. With all these cameras all over the city I’d def get caught. And I’d be the prime suspect. All it takes is a little digging to find out his ex-convict ex-wife was in the same city and bam, I’m back in prison. And Keenan suffers even more.

Once I was out of the shower, I got dressed. I wore the same wrap dress that I wore for Rita’s interview. My stomach was twisting in knots. It had been like this for days and I was annoyed. Was this nerves? My body needed to get over it. We had work to do.

Aubrey called as I was opening the front door.

“You on your way?”

“I'm about to leave now,” I replied. My belly churned.