Page 120 of Save Room for Us

“Okay, fine. You wanna be rude and mean, I can be that way too, Stazi.” She folded her arms. “I’m going to have Cedric’s family report that your mother is allowing you to take Sophie overnight when you are not supposed to. You are only allowed to see her supervised by your mother.” Even though what she was saying bothered me, I wasn’t gonna let her on to the fact, so I stayed quiet. “Also, as a heads up, we will be filing a paternity suit, because we are pretty sure Sophie isn’t his.”

“So you’re reporting that I keep Sophie overnight whilst also petitioning the fact that she’s his? Y’all are a little confused, don’t you think? If she’s not his baby, then why does it matter if I keep her overnight? Hell, why does it matter what I do with her period, Jacinta?”

“Because shecouldbe his daughter, even though we don’t believe she is, so we want to take all precautions and measures in case she is.”

“In case she is.” I laughed. “Iwishthat nigga wasn’t her father, but he knows better than anybody that she is because, unfortunately, I was drugged during the process. However, I was very much awake when he damaged my birth control that onetime or how he policed my moves after raping me to be sure I didn’t abort her. Don’t really know when I would’ve had the time to get pregnant by someone else.”

“You are such a liar, Stazi, and it’s sickening.”

Opening the door a bit, I said, “Jacinta, you may think Cedric is the perfect man he’s pretending to be, but I will warn you now that he is going to ruin your life just like he did mine. He’s going to take everything from you, including your body, your self-esteem, your family, and your freedom. I don’t plan to stand here and convince you of anything because you will find out for yourself soon enough that everything I’ve said about that nigga is true.”

I stepped down onto the porch to lock the door, just as she said, “He probably did stuff to you because he didn’t love you. He loves me, Stazi, so he would never think of doing the despicable shit you claim he’s done to you.”

Whipping around to face her, I frowned, taking her in for a moment. With me, I played dumb for my family and the people around, but Jacinta seemed to actually believe the shit she was saying. I was wrong about her being so thirsty for love that she was trying to believe falsehoods, because looking at her now, it was clear she was either brainwashed or Cedric was putting on a real good show.

I only wished one of his exes would’ve shown me all this shit when I wasn’t as attached and hadn’t combined my life with his. I would’ve been gone with no question, assuming he’d allow it. There was a time, though, a sweet spot where Cedric liked me, but he wasn’t possessive and probably would’ve written me off had I cut him loose.

“I can’t believe a woman, one who has seen the outcome of battered women in the hospital right alongside me, would say something like that. You better pray that what you’re saying is true, because speaking as someone with experience of the manyou’re defending, you’re gonna have to fight tooth and nail to get away from him with your life intact.” I walked off to my car and noticed Jacinta didn’t say anything.

As I got in, starting it, she was still quiet but had snapped out of her trance enough to jog lightly to her car in order to get from behind me so I could leave.

As much as I despised her stupid ass, I would somehow feel responsible if something happened to her. I guess because she wouldn’t even know Cedric if it weren’t for me.

The sun coming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Asif’s penthouse was way too bright, waking me up. I glanced over to see Sophie was knocked out next to me, so I sat up slowly, hoping I could get myself together before she woke up.

Hurrying, I rushed as best as I could with how achy I was from last night’s sex session, and hopped into the shower. After lathering up a couple times, I listened for Sophie before brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash. I loved this big ass bathroom, especially because Asif had basically let me have it, opting to use one of his other four bathrooms unless we were showering together.

I loved that he was like that, always willing to make me comfortable or us comfortable, like by sleeping on the couch when Sophie wanted to be in the bed with me. He never complained, either, even when I knew he wanted to cuddle or do more in the bed.

It was sometimes crazy to think how much younger he was than Cedric because the latter acted like a child a lot of thetimes, always complaining that all I cared about was Sophie and not him anymore, while Asif was understanding and even sometimes complimentary of how good of a mother I was.

One could assume it was because Asif’s mother abandoned him, but so did Cedric’s, yet they couldn’t be more different.

As I went back into the room, now in a fluffy robe and feeling refreshed, I saw three bank bags stuffed with so much cash they could barely close. Atop them was a red rose and a small white card. How I didn’t see it sitting on the dresser located under the mounted TV, I didn’t know.

Picking the card up, I saw it read,Enjoy the day, baby.P.S. If you not in the mood to drive let me know.

Rushing to my iPhone, I dialed Asif promptly.

“What you got planned?” he answered, and I could hear the very famous LA traffic in his background, letting me know he was driving.

“Nothing yet. I just found the money. What is it for?”

“Did you read the card?” He chuckled slightly. I loved his voice. He evensoundedsexy.

“I did, but this is like fifty grand or more. What am I gonna do with that in a day?”

“I’m sure you can figure it out, love. Go shopping, take Princess Sophie shopping, or ya mama or sister, whatever you wanna do. It’s yours. Make sure my baby get her some brunch though.”

My baby.

“But why?” We shared a snicker, but I was serious. I was new to this and didn’t know how to react properly.

For as long as I had been dating, I was always the more accomplished one and, therefore, always had more money. I’d never dated a man that had more than me or enough to do something like this. While Cedric wasn’t broke, he definitely didn’t make enough on his contract jobs to throw some moneyat me and tell me to go shopping. The most he’d been able to do, when he was that kind of man to me, was buy flowers, take me to dinner, or buy me a pair of shoes, which had been enough for me.

“’Cause you mine, and that’s what I make money for, love, to spend on the people I love. I can’t take the shit with me when I go, and I don’t need all of it for one person. And the way you rode dick last night didn’t hurt either.”

I laughed, staring at the money like it would hop off the dresser and bite me.

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