Page 51 of I Need It

Oh shit.

Christian tilted his head slightly. “Maybe you should ask your sister. We have to go.”

“Okay. It was nice meeting you, I guess.”

“Nice meeting you too.”

After I got inside the vehicle, I lowered my face to my hands and released a few tears. My heart was hurting for Christian. I quickly wiped them as he got in. He glanced at me as he pressed the button to crank the engine. Since Avery came over and introduced himself to Christian, I expected him to say something… anything to address what he knew I now knew.

While I knew he didn’t know my cousin and who I was talking about earlier before we got here, I now realized it had triggered him. He’d thought about his biological father. That couldn’t be easy to get over or let go. Had that been my dad, it would have destroyed me inside. Just knowing my dad was capable of that sort of thing would be hard to digest.

I slid my hand to his as he turned out of the parking lot, heading to Highway 90, and he gripped it tightly. I bit my bottom lip, trying to keep my tears under submission, but it was to no avail. They fell down my cheeks anyway. I patted them with my hand as best I could.

After a few minutes, Christian released my hand. “I can’t talk about it right now, Mya, but I will. I won’t leave the story one-sided.”

“Whenever you’re ready. I just feel for you.”

He slid his hand down his face and nodded. I wasn’t sure when he would be ready, but I hoped it would be soon. The Christian I’d been seeing for the past twenty-four hours wasn’t the man I was falling in love with. I needed him back, and I was sure he needed him back too.

CHAPTER 19

CHRISTIAN

Ionly stayed at Mya’s place an hour when I took her home. Being that sensitive around her wasn’t on my to-do list. I hated that she was seeing me so vulnerable about a nigga I didn’t give a shit about anymore. The problem was that what he did still soured on my stomach like rice dressing at a cookout. Although Amelia was just a little girl when it happened, I knew exactly who she was when I saw her. Her face hadn’t changed much.

Even if I wouldn’t have recognized her, there was no way Avery would have gotten by me. If he was older, he and Jakari would have been able to pass for twins. Seeing that she recognized me only made things worse. When I came out of the restroom and saw her and Mya talking outside, I knew she was filling her in on how she knew who I was.

When Mya mentioned the shit that happened to her cousin on our way there, I never thought in a million years it was the same girl. I just didn’t want to hear about it because it reminded me of the shit Avery had done. It was bad enough Jakari had the shit at the forefront of my mind. Seeing Mya cry because of what had gone down hurt me even further.

I would have never revealed what Avery had done if she didn’t ask. Now, I didn’t have a choice. Her wheels had to be turning. Had Syn not enlightened everyone about the things he’d done, we probably still wouldn’t know. He was a good dad. I couldn’t take that from him. I couldn’t be associated with a child molester though. No way in hell.

I’d been home almost a week and hadn’t gone to see about Mya. I had to ask God to forgive me for lying to her, telling her I was busy. I didn’t do shit Tuesday, Thursday, or yesterday. However, I needed time to get my shit together before going back to Houston. Sunday was approaching quickly, and I still wasn’t ready.

We’d talked and texted every day, but our conversations weren’t as light as they normally were. It was because this bullshit was hanging over us like a fucking dark cloud. She hadn’t pressured me to talk yet, but I knew she would eventually. Thankfully, she wasn’t really all that close to her cousin. If she were, it would be hard as hell to continue the way we were. While those despicable crimes were the sins of my father, I felt embarrassed and guilty because he was associated with me.

After sitting on the couch with a beer, my phone rang. I slightly rolled my eyes because I didn’t feel like talking to anybody. I’d been avoiding Jakari something fierce. When I picked it up and saw Uncle Kenny’s number, I was caught off guard. He rarely called me. “Hello?”

“Hey, Christian. You busy, man?”

“No, sir.”

“Listen, I know you got your own shit going on, and I’ve been trying to give you your space, but have you talked to KJ?”

“Not since yesterday. Something going on?”

“I don’t know. When I talked to him yesterday, he said he was going to Beaumont to get some jeans for the rodeo coming up next weekend. I haven’t heard from him since, and it’s driving me crazy. He hasn’t been home, and Karima hasn’t talked to him either. Something is up, and I feel like Karima knows more than what she’s saying.”

“Let me call him, Unc. I’ll let you know what I find out.”

I ended the call and called KJ immediately. He answered on the first ring. “What’s up, nigga?”

“Where the fuck you at? You got Uncle Kenny calling me sounding all worried and shit about your ass.”

“I’m planning a surprise party for him. You know it’s hard to lie to his ass when I’m in the act of doing something. I’ll text him and let him know I been laid up with an old fling or some shit.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be doing that shit to Unc. He legit worried if he called me.”

“Yeah. He’s called a couple of times today. Okay, let me holla back. I’m getting this buckle designed. His party gon’ be in three weeks. Make sure you and Mya there.”

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