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Duke yelled out the window.

“I don’t know where he is. Leave me alone, Duke. I’m not in the mood for you.”

Jalisa’s hair was all over her head, and her eyes were bouncing around something crazy. It was a sad sight to see. I remember when she used to be the baddest shit walking through South Park.

“Uh oh, you high again. Shaking my fuckin head. What changed from the other day? You was just popping your shit about being sober.”

“I don’t want to talk to you, Duke! Caine, take your brother on somewhere! Don’t you have some bitches to penetrate! Antibiotics to get!”

I drove off from her before Duke could respond because I knew he didn’t have shit nice to say back. Life was already whooping Jalisa’s ass, and some of what led her to this could be apart of my fault too. When she approached me about Mirical potentially being my daughter and her being stressed out about it, I brushed her off even though she said I would be a much better father because as far as I'm concerned, Mirical is Duke’s daughter and that's my niece. Anything other than that getting out could drive a wedge in between me and the only man on earth I didn't want smoke with. I however can't lie and say I didn't think about if Mirical had been in my care, would she be in that hospital bed now. I know I for sure wouldn't have let her go to no party on a weekday like Duke did. Especially at that age, but it was his decision.

Mirical is his daughter, so we think.

Chapter 12

Kharti

Scrambling around the house, I grabbed everything I wanted to pack in my suitcase to take when I heard a car door shut.

“Fuck.” I paused, hoping I had just heard the neighbors coming home and not Caine.

Dragon had called and warned me that Caine and his crazy ass brother had shown up at his spot because they knew he came here. He somehow found it comical, but I didn't. Caine had told me numerous times that I better not fuck over, lie to, or deceive him in this marriage. I had done all three, and I was sure he was coming here to give me my eviction notice. So I was giving it to myself that way I didn’t get thrown out the door on my head.

I heard the lock twisting on the front door, then seconds later Caine was walk into the living room, eyes sweeping over the bags I’d packed spread across the floor. He said nothing at first, just reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and set them down on the coffee table in front of him.

I hadn't moved one step since he walked through the door and his eyes finally settled on mine.

“You leaving? What’s the reason?”

“I, um, Dragon texted me and told me that you visited him and.”

He started shaking his head, laughing almost.

“I see that nigga didn’t learn shit from that visit still contacting you.”

“Caine, I never wanted you to think I was doing something behind your back. I’m not sure what Dragon told you about me, or us, but none of it's true.”

I rambled as Caine pulled his shirt off, only losing eye contact when it was over his head.

“So, your father isn’t really sick? That’s interesting to know, because that’s what he said.”

“Oh.” I cursed under my breath, wondering why that dumb ass nigga didn’t tell me that was his excuse to Caine. At the same time, I didn’t give him time to say much because when he told me about Caine’s visit. I went off about him coming over in the first place and eventually hung up in his face.

“Caine, listen, Dragon.”

“Save it, Kharti.” Caine sat down on the arm of the sofa. His sculpted body usually got me in all types of feels any time his ass was shirtless, but right now all I felt was regret. I regretted ever getting involved with Dragon, and I regretted never telling Caine the truth in the beginning.

“Baby. Just listen to me. Dragon is a horrible person, and he’s trying to blackmail me for some shit. I didn’t tell you about it.”

“And why are you telling me now?” He squinted his eyes and raised his voice slightly.

“Kharti, you should’ve called me the moment you found out that nigga was outside our house, not go get in the car with him and keep it from me.”

“I wasn’t keeping anything from you. I planned on telling you when you came back.”

Caine shook his head, rubbing under his chin.

“I don’t believe that.”