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I instantly started coughing and fanning the smoke from my face.

“Didn’t I ask you not to smoke when you know I’m getting in here? If Caine comes back, he’s going to wonder why I smell like this.”

“That nigga not coming back any time soon. He stay in the streets all day, leaving your prissy ass at home to play wife.”

“He doesn’t leave me here all day. Shit, he just left, and he’s coming back soon.” I spoke about some shit I didn’t actually know, but I wasn’t about to let this nigga think he was right about anything pertaining to me and my husband.

“I know he just left. I saw him going the opposite way down the street when I came this way. I started to flatten his ass just like I did that little nigga he ran with back in the day.”

“What are you talking about, Dragon?”

“Nothing.” He replied, and I shook my head.

“What is it that was so important that you had to come over here and talk to me?”

“Your case.”

He sparked the end of a cigar.

“What about my case? What case?”

“You know, the little hit and run situation where you killed that homeless man. Turns out he was a veteran who went crazy some years before. Got a loving family, just never went back home to them.” He talked about everything so casually, which made me uncomfortable. It was easier to think of him as a homeless man with no family, and no one missing him at all. That helped me sleep at night, knowing that I didn’t cause anyone to not get any sleep. Now he’s ruined that for me.

“Why did I need to know that, Dragon? I thought the situation was dead anyway.”

“Well, I thought it was too, but since the man had family, the detectives are being asked questions about why it hasn’t been solved yet, and I guess they want answers. You know Johnny that works on cars for everyone? Fixed a couple for your father?”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of him.”

“Well, he came to the trap and said that a couple of detectives came in his junkyard looking at car’s bumpers and shit. My guess is they're looking for an abandoned car that has evidence of a hit and run. They must think after a decade or so it could still be lingering around.”

I shifted in my seat, still trying to play it cool.

“Okay, even if they are looking, my car was gone with the wind years ago, right?” Dragon blew out smoke and then looked over at me.

“Yeah, it’s gone, I told you that. Look, I did everything I had to do to get you out of the clear. I’m not a rookie in that game either. I’ve had to get rid of a car from a hit and run situation before myself. All I’m doing here this morning is keeping you updated and giving you even more of a reason to help me get this money from Caine so that if you need a lawyer in the future, you can get a damn good one.”

“Let’s just hope that I never need a lawyer and that case goes back cold. I am still doing what you asked with Caine, and we are just waiting for a positive pregnancy test. Hasn’t shit changed since I saw you just days ago. I appreciate the update, but not the visit.”

“Alright, I hear you.” He sounded muffled from all the smoke coming from his lips.

Before he could say another word, I opened the car door and jumped out quickly, crossing the street. When I got on the porch, Dragon let the window down.

“Damn Butterfly, you sholl is getting thick. Definitely not a baby no more.” I looked over my shoulder and rolled my eyes. I definitely have to figure out what to do about him because he was becoming more of a nuisance to me than the thoughts constantly rolling through my head about Caine and this baby situation.

If only I could get rid of Dragon and have Caine’s baby my damn self. Maybe I should take some of Dragon’s advice and come up with a baby boy on my own. I just don't know how I will swing that.

Chapter 11

Caine

When I pulled up to South Hill apartments, I hopped out in front of Toya’s building and went straight to the door. I knocked a few times, and a couple of seconds later, she opened it.

“Hey, Caine. What’s going on?” She looked nervous as usual, like I was about to do something crazy to her ass. Gaining her trust was part of my reasoning of being over here because I can’t have the mother carrying my child scared of me. As crazy as it may sound in these circumstances, I want my son to be made with love. I feel like I wasn’t, or my brothers, which is why we are all fucked up in different ways.

I looked her up and down, and she looked rough as hell. Toya had on some pajama pants, a big T-shirt, gloves on, and a washcloth in her hand.

“You busy or something?”