Page 114 of Save Room for Us

“Asif, please.” Farrah looked at me, and I nodded to comply.

She took a now completely woke Sophie from me and walked back over to the bed so Cedric could see her up close. Nigga was too focused on me, however, that he couldn’t even enjoy the fact that his daughter was here.

“Tell that nigga to go, man,” he finally said, irritably bouncing Sophie on his lap as if she were a tiny ass baby or some shit.

“No. I won’t. He’s here for me and Sophie.”

Sucking his teeth, he begrudgingly dragged his attention away from me, landing it on Sophie.

“Hey, baby. Daddy missed you,” he said, making her stare into his eyes with no expression or emotion. His smile faded as he stared her down before saying, “She don’t look nothing like me.”

“Sif!” Sophie turned to look at me as she started to try to get down. He let her, too engrossed in answering his girl’s questions about his previous statement.

I grabbed her up just as Farrah asked, “What the hell are you even talking about?”

“That baby ain’t mine.” He shook his head, adjusting himself in his bed.

“Cedric, you are being really ridiculous right now.” Farrah snapped.

“I ain’t being nothing. I need a DNA test before I agree to take care of her. She don’t look shit like me, and she probably some other nigga’s.”

“If that’s why you need a fucking DNA test, nigga, then I suggest you leave the situation alone. You can simply get the fuck on with yo’ new baby and yo’ new bitch. I got Stazi and Sophie.” I spoke up, keeping shit real. “My woman was out of ya tax bracket anyway, nigga.”

If he didn’t wanna believe Sophie was his, that was cool as fuck with me. I didn’t need him taking care of shit anyway.

“Man, get this nigga up out my room!” he roared.

“Calm down, Cedric.” His girl put a hand on his shoulder that he snatched.

“Tell me to calm down again, Jacinta.” He glared at her, and she backed up some, eyes bouncing to me briefly, then back to the hospital floor. “Like I said, I want a DNA test.”

“Cedric—”

“Let me have the room right quick,” I announced, making everybody go silent.

Farrah nodded and took Sophie, then exited while I waited for Jacinta to do the same.

“I’m not leaving him,” she finally said.

“Look, I don’t wanna get disrespectful with you, love, so step yo’ ass out,please.” I opened the door for her.

She pondered for a minute like she was waiting on Cedric to take up for her, then grabbed her purse and stomped out. I let the door go behind her ass.

When I shut it, I listened to him shift uncomfortably and could almost hear the lump he swallowed as I started toward the bed.

“It’s an officer outside, nigga.” His voice shook as his eyes mushroomed back and forth.

“Officers answer to me, nigga. I can have that nigga come in here and do my dirty work for me with a simple fucking phone call.” I clasped my hands in front of me while allowing him to chew on that shit for a minute. “Now that you awake, we can talk man to man. Going forward, cease all contact with Anastazia. She not yours no more, and nothing she do is of any of yo’ fucking concern. If you decide to do what you want and go against what I’m telling you, I’m gon’ finish that little job that put you in this muthafucka.” I glanced around the room, then let my eyes land back on his ass.

“Fucking Leeci trying?—”

“Leeci ain’t got shit to do with this, cuz. I been plotting on yo’ baby mama since I seen her. And I gotta say, the hype is very fucking appropriate.” I nodded approvingly.

I could tell he was vexed by my comment, and rightfully so. No nigga wanted to know his girl was scoped out and successfully taken.

“I know Stazi. She may be entertaining you, but she not gon’ fuck with you, and she especially not gon’ fuck you.”

Shrugging, I said, “I’m not really the type of nigga to kiss and tell, so I’ll let you come to yo’ own conclusions as to whether she fucking me or not. But what I do know and now you will, too, is thatyounever gon’ fuck her again.”

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