Page 2 of Karrington

“That’s not the point. The point is: There is a woman waiting to marry you after she finishes her master’s degree. Even if she wasn’t, I’m not going to be with a career criminal. We’re done.”

“I would choose you,” Karrington muttered, closing the space between them. “If you asked me to, I would choose you. And I’d keep you safe. I promise, Luna Ray.”

She allowed him to take her hands into his. “I shouldn’t have to ask you to choose me. Between me and your family, there shouldn’t be a choice.”

His thumbs caressed her hands. “I’m sorry. I just… Being with you made me feel normal. I wanted to have a normal life, a normal relationship with you. It was never my intention to withhold the truth from you. It just… happened. I kept telling myself I’d tell you who I am, and the right time never came.”

Luna Ray licked her lips as her head hung. “I want marriage and babies, Kare Bear. You’re saying you’d choose me, but would you really?” Her eyes lifted to his. “Knowing what that would cost you—us. Can you stand here and honestly tell me you’d choose me, be an art professor somewhere, and live a normal life?”

Their eyes remained locked, and Karrington didn’t realize how much time had passed until she chuckled softly and released his hands.

“Goodbye, Karrington,” she muttered, briskly heading toward the door, ignoring him calling her name.

1

Karrington

Six Years Later

She was justas beautiful as I remembered. Time had aged her beautifully. Her face was rounder, body fuller, hair longer. It didn’t matter how many times I scolded myself for staring at Luna Ray, I couldn’t help it. The only ties we had were her connections to some of my friends as their business coach. Even with that, we never saw each other. Tonight was the first time I’d seen Luna Ray in six years… and she was here with her husband.

Using that term to describe any man other than me felt foreign.

It made bile rise in my chest and throat.

It had taken all the strength I had not to approach their table. I loved her too much to cause a scene. To make her have to explain to her husband who I was. How I should have been in his place across from her. How I should have been the father of their son. Instead, I tried to focus my attention on my father even though Luna Ray’s presence was haunting me with each minute that passed.

“Are you coming to Mass tomorrow?” Pops asked. Though he and Ma were practicing Catholics, and the only Black ones I knew, I attended a nondenominational church when I felt led to. My relationship with God had become a personal thing within the walls of my home after attempts of joining churches soured because of members finding out who my family was.

“Yeah, I can.” I agreed before taking a sip of my dessert wine. Usually I didn’t drink the sweet stuff, but he wanted coffee with dessert, so I indulged.

“Have you given any more thought to our last conversation?”

My head shook as I rolled my tongue over my cheek. My mind took me back to last weekend, when we sat in this same restaurant, same table, and Pops shared a truth with me that changed everything.

“I have, but my answer hasn’t changed.”

His head shook slowly as he wiped invisible crumbs from the corners of his mouth. “I get why you feel the way you do, Son—”

“Do you?” I seethed, sitting up in my seat. I took great pride in remaining calm and logical, but when it came to my family and those I loved, my emotions would try to take over. Luna Ray had been at the top of that list for the last six years. “Because you were able to marry the woman you loved. I wasn’t. She’s actually sitting over there with her husband right now.”

Pops looked in their direction, eyes widening at the sight before him.

“Look…” He swallowed hard and tore his eyes away from them. “I won’t apologize for sticking to tradition, but I will apologize that you were hurt over things ending with Lulu. I knew who my wife was going to be, so I didn’t allow myself to fall for anyone else. I waited for her, and I don’t regret it at all. Maybe if you would have done the same thing, the breakup wouldn’t have been so hard on you.”

All I did was stare at him. I respected him too much to respond the way I wanted to. Truth was, he was right. I knew from the age of ten two things: I would be groomed to take over the family business, and my wife would be chosen for me. Before Luna Ray, I was careful to keep my emotions out of my relationships. Only one other woman had access to my heart, but I ended things before I fell in love with her. But Luna Ray? She was the one I was willing to risk it all for—in that moment of truth at least.

Three days after we broke up, I was forced to admit that I wouldn’t have chosen her and the normal life I thought we could have. It would have been too dangerous and too heartbreaking for me to have forced us both to say goodbye to our families for something as fickle as romantic love. I tried to convince myself I could be just as happy with another woman, and eventually my wife, but six years had passed, and no one had topped Luna Ray yet.

That truth was the reason I couldn’t wait to take my father’s place. A lot of things would change within the Lowe Mafia, and arranged marriages was at the top of my motherfucking list. Pops knew that, and though he understood where I was coming from, he’d been trying to urge me away from taking on such a huge risk.

“If you try to make the changes you plan to make, you’re going to be a walking target,” he continued, softening his tone. “I know you’re my enforcer and protector, but it would kill me if I retired and was unable to protect you. You’re my son, and I love you, Karrington. I urge you to reconsider. The power you will have as the boss… it can change a lot of things… but this…”

His head shook as he sat back in his seat.

My heart dropped and mouth dried. I didn’t need to look in the direction of her table to know she was coming to ours. In fact, I didn’twantto look at her. I didn’t want my eyes to betrayme by watering or showing her the love that I still felt for her. Still, I slowly turned my head to look at her.

Absolutely beautiful. The hippy frame, honey brown skin, slanted eyes, pouty lips—absolutelybeautiful. Clutching her purse in front of her, Luna Ray looked from my father to me. Her head dipped as she smiled softly.

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