Page 108 of 10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace

“Is anyone ever ready to be a wife or a mother?”

“No, but you kind of have to get ready or know that you are… marriage isn’t some game, Stevie.”

“Skyler, I know that. Has any of this ever been a game to me? I’m not a virgin anymore, so you can’t tell me what to do like I don’t have experience.”

“Just because you riding dick doesn’t mean you know everything, Stevie.”

We both had a brief stare down before we laughed, and she fell into me. “This feels right. Maverick needs me, and I need him, too. Sky, I promise I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel good about it.”

She held her hand out. “That is all I needed to hear. If this is what you wanna do, then I’m going to be right there behind you.”

Zoya rounded the corner with her work bag. “Hey Stevie and Skyler,” she came over and kissed our cheeks before flinging her bag onto the table and plopping on the opposite couch. “Tequila and honey and hold the lime,” she told her sister, who went right into making her drink.

“Long day.”

“The longest damn day in history, and the day isn’t even over. I had court all morning and cleared my afternoon to be here, but sheesh. I’m not even supposed to say anything, but because she’s not my client yet, I can say it. Gerald’s parole officer is suing the city and has retained the firm to represent her.”

Skyler snorted. “Was she not fucking him in return for letting him slide all over the damn country and out the country?”

Zoya accepted the drink from her sister and took it back. “She was. They fired her because she had another parolee that she was doing the same thing with. Claims she hasn’t slept with anyone and has only done her job. Gerald is sitting behind bars because of her… fuck you meannn.”

Skyler laughed and I was trying to figure out the joke. “Just be honest with yourself, you miss that man.”

“I do miss running into him.”

Kora snickered. “From what you told me about him, I think he and Maverick would get along.”

Zoya sucked her teeth. “Too bad I don’t really care about impressing my brother. He told me to get the fuck out of his life.”

“House, Zoy,” I corrected.

“It’s the same thing.” She shrugged.

“No one is saying that he isn’t wrong though. You just have to both be willing to sit down and talk it out.”

Zoya laughed. “Yeah, I’m not doing that. I love you for him because I haven’t seen that side of him… ever. I’m not about to pretend like me and Menace aren’t like oil and water.”

“Will you at least come to our ceremony? It would mean a lot to him if you were there.” I gave up the argument of wanting them both to fix things.

It would have to take them both to want to fix their relationship, and neither of them were in the space to do that. “He never invited me.”

“She’s inviting you,” Skyler added.

“Zoy, we have to be there for him. Maverick has always been there for us, no matter how he has felt. You told him that you wished he would die, and he showed up to your law school graduation with flowers and a brand-new car for you. He’s not always right and he doesn’t show us his feelings, but he does love us.”

“And you kiss his ass because you are his favorite.”

Kora leaned forward and pointed her freshly manicured nail at her younger sister. “No, I stick up for him because I know shit you have no idea about. I know the sacrifices that man has made and the trauma he has been through. Is he always right? No, but he fucking has come through for us when the rest of those Eatons could give a fuck about us. I remember when Mommy and Daddy died, you don’t remember much or maybe you don’tcare to, but I remember. You are always complaining about him changing our names without our permission but don’t know shit about his reasons. Neither you nor Landon know shit but always got your fucking lips poked out. That confidence and big fucking personality you have is because that man showed you how to show up and never look weak to people.”

I sniffled and everyone, including Estella, turned to look at me. “You not being yelled at. The hell are you crying about?”

“I just really love that man… I’m sorry.” I wiped my tears. “And he took my virginity.”

“Stevie!” Skyler shoved me.

“What? We’re all friends here, right?”

Zoya and Kora both looked at me and laughed. “Oh wow, you were really sent special for Menace.”

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