Page 145 of Tainted

“Considering I woke up to a gun on my forehead, I was hoping to have a few minutes to myself!” she slammed the bathroom door shut in my face, leaving me to wait with Kross.

“You put a fuckin’ gun to her head?”

“Don’t go soft on me like you don’t know how this works.”

“Then what stopped you?”

“Your fuckin’ baby. One good look at her, and I knew she was pregnant. I don’t even think she knew until I said something.”

“What are you, some kinda baby whisperer?”

“I pay attention, unlike you. Skipping your ass around in La-La Land fucking without a care in the world.” When I didn’t reply, Kross stared wordlessly before asking, “You good?”

“I don’t fuckin’ know.”

“We’ll figure it out, but either way it goes, you’ll be aite Kenyon. I promise you that.”

If it wasn’t okay, then it wasn’t the end, but how much more bullshit would I have to endure to get there. Kross and I sat quietly until the door opened, and Zara stepped out in my t-shirt. I didn’t need to hear the words to know the result, but she uttered them anyway.

“I’m pregnant.”

Twenty-four hours ago, those words would’ve elicited a different response, but right now, I only felt confusion while Zara stared at the floor.

“I-I, um. I need to lay down,” she said, trying to relax the tense lines on her face.

I nodded, and she hesitated a moment before gliding upstairs.

“Is it yours?” Kross asked a few minutes after she disappeared.

“Chill, Kross. For real.”

“Somebody has to ask the hard questions.”

“I don’t need you to ask shit on my behalf. I got it.”

“We have a problem that I can’t solve because she’s pregnant, so tell me, what’s next?”

“I’m not taking John’s word for shit. I don’t trust him, and you shouldn’t either. What did Unc say to you?”

“John told him Zara came into the precinct asking for him. John called Unc and told him their old problem resurfaced. Shana used to work as John’s assistant in the day. She overheard some shit she wasn’t supposed to, so he called Pops and Unc to take care of it, only they didn’t get a chance to. Shana disappeared.”

“Zara said a cop picked her up from Utopia for questioning. Pull the footage from the parking lot, and we’ll go from there.”

“Questioning about what?”

“An argument with Makori.”

A lecture bubbled on his face but instead focused on the bigger issue.

“Fine, but if it turns out he’s not lying,” Kross’s statement remained open-ended.

“Then I do what I have to do, but until I say so, no more fuckin’ secrets, Kross.”

“I know you don’t want to consider that she’s playing you, but for now, we have to. Pregnant or not, keep her close. I’ll hit you in the morning.”

Kross stared briefly, debating on staying because he didn’t trust me to keep it together. I wasn’t sure if he thought I’d run off with Zara or kill her myself, but he finally left. I climbed the stairs to find Zara curled in the middle of the bed with her head buried in the blanket.

I sat against the wall, watching her sleep, replaying every conversation, smile, and intimate moment. It felt like a cruel joke that God would give me Zara and another baby under these circumstances.

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