Page 101 of Rock Chick Bonus Tracks

“We’ve been divorced awhile,” he reminded her.

“When things got serious with Demetri, I told you when they were going to meet him.”

“You did. They were a lot younger then. And you didn’t ask me if I was all right with it. You told me it was going to happen.”

“And that makes a difference?”

“To me it does.”

“Obviously.”

Fuck, he was so damned tired of this shit.

“Yvonne, why am I standing here talking to you when I should be dealing with the chicken I got upstairs?”

“Because I’m not happy you didn’t offer me the same courtesy as I did you.”

He felt her, so he looked over his shoulder and up the stairs.

Shirleen was standing on the landing. Not curiosity. His woman had his back.

He lifted his chin to her.

She crossed her arms in front of her.

“Is she in there?” Yvonne’s voice was pitched higher.

He returned his attention to her and forced her back by stepping out.

He closed the door behind him.

“Right, this conversation needs to be had,” Moses began. “You could have called me with your concerns, but instead, you wanted to create a situation. To address this situation, yes. I’m seeing someone. Yes, it’s serious. No, it isn’t any of your business. No, you don’t have any right to be pissed at me because I didn’t warn you I was going to introduce her and her boys to our girls. You know me. I’ve dated. I’ve seen other women. I haven’t introduced any of them to Judith and Alice because they weren’t in my life in that way, so I didn’t make them a part of my daughters’ lives. I’m not that kind of man, I’m definitely not that kind of father. You know that too. So I don’t owe you any explanations. And when it’ll have no bearing on your life, I don’t owe you any notice that I’m going to share something with our girls.”

“I think we have differing opinions on that,” she retorted.

“I don’t give a fuck what you think.”

Her head snapped back like she was avoiding a blow.

Moses kept at her.

“Since you’re here, it gives me the opportunity to tell you, now that I’ve addressed this latest situation, I’m no longer going to get involved in any more. We share two beautiful, smart, sweet daughters. That’s it. They’re nearly all grown. There’ll be some conversations we’ll have to have, I’m sure. But other than those, you live your life, I live mine, and I’m done.”

“You can’t?—”

“I can, Yvonne. Test me,” he warned. “You stay here, pounding on my door, you won’t be talking to me next. You’ll be explaining to an officer of the law why you’re pounding on my door after I told you I’m done talking and you need to go home. Now, I’ll be sure to make that clear. I’m done talking. You need to go home. This continues, I’ll get a restraining order.”

She gasped.

“I’m not jokin’. Seriously. Test me. But just to say, this test, it’s on you whether you pass or fail.”

On that, he turned, walked in, closed the door and locked it.

He did the last part with eyes to Shirleen, who had jumped back when he opened the door.

“You couldn’t stop yourself, could you?” he asked, feeling his lips twitch.

“I had to have my man’s back.”

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