Page 26 of Save Room for Us

“Okay.” I nodded.

I was exhausted from being here so long, so I decided to go ahead and take a nap in the room Asif explained was mine. Locking the door as instructed, I took my shoes off and lay down, drifting off only seconds later it seemed.

THE NEXT MORNING…

When I woke up, I hopped into the luxurious shower then brushed, flossed, and rinsed my teeth before checking on Taj. No one was here besides Asif, who got up from the table he was seated at once he saw me.

“Do you ever go home?” I asked, walking outside of the warehouse and noticing he was trailing me.

“I do, but you hadn’t left, so I wasn’t leaving.”

“Oh shit. I’m sorry. If I’d known you were gonna stay, I would’ve taken my ass home. I was just too tired.”

“You good, baby.” He ran his hand down his face, tiredness evident.

I felt bad as hell.

“You didn’t have to stay, Asif. I locked the door.”

“Ididhave to stay. I told you I was gon’ look out for you while you was here. No way would I leave you in this fucking warehouse alone. And I don’t trust nobody else to protect you, so it is what it is.” He pulled open my driver’s door for me, taking my workbag in the process.

“I see. Well, thank you.” I climbed inside as he put my bag into the back seat. “Go home and get some sleep.”

“I am.” He gave me a closed mouth smile before shutting the door.

Lord, why was he so handsome? I mean, his father was too, so I guess it made sense, but man. I’d never seen Prime young, but if he looked anything like Asif, which I was sure he did, then I didn’t blame Lisara for going through a seventh pregnancy just for him.

The drive home seemed to take forever, but when I finally made it to my mama’s house, I noticed a familiar Toyota 4Runner in the driveway. Shutting the engine down, I groaned, not wanting to go inside anymore, but I was too exhausted still and wanted to be with my baby.

Entering the home, I saw Cedric’s father, Gabriel, and his stepmother, Carly, on the couch, laughing while Sophie talked their ears off.

“Mommy!” She beamed like always, running to me.

“Hi, beautiful.” I squatted down to hug her extra tightly, Cedric’s family’s presence making me want to shield her even more.

“Where were you all night?” Carly quizzed as I rose to my feet, watching Sophie run back to her dolls.

“Right. No job will hire you, so it couldn’t have been work,” Gabriel added, looking just like an old version of his pitiful ass son.

“None of your business. You focus on Cedric and where he’s going, which isn’t far since he’s in a coma,” I shot back, knowing I was wrong for going that far. “Then again, you don’t care about what he does, either. That’s why you didn’t give a fuck when he beat me.”

Carly and Gabriel’s jaws dropped as they regarded me as if I were a monster.

“You know what? I cannot believe they still allow you to see this child knowing you’re a murderer,” Carly spat, lips tightened.

“I wish I was a murderer, but unfortunately, he lived.”

“You are disgusting. It doesn’t matter what he did. He didn’t deserve to be shot, Stazi.” Gabriel’s lids lowered in disdain.

Though I had said some foul things, his last comment bothered the hell out of me.

“Okay, y’all need to get the fuck out!” I snapped.

“What is going on?” My mother came into the living room, brows furrowed.

“This bitch and her husband are making comments that’s gonna get them both slapped or put right where their son is!”

Gabriel and Carly both shot up from their seats as if they were about to jump me.

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