Page 93 of Heavy Is The Crown

But whatever. If she wanted to keep that door shut, that was her business.

For now.

**********

The tension between them still lingered as they drove through Midtown Skyline District, weaving through the luxury shopping plazas and upscale stores that lined the bustling streets.

Kaliyah sat in the backseat, wide-eyed at everything, her little hands gripping her seatbelt.

Krys had decided that today was about her. No business, no drama, just fun. That meant spoiling Kaliyah rotten.

At the first boutique, Krys let Kaliyah pick whatever she wanted. Designer sneakers? Done. A cute little bag? Absolutely. A handful of Barbie dolls with outfits to match? Of course!

Kaliyah’s eyes lit up with each gift, her excitement genuine, but the whole time, Kenyatta was watching.

At first, it was amusing watching his daughter warm up to this whole princess treatment like she’d been born for it. But as the day went on, something began to trouble him.

They sat outside a small pâtisserie, Kaliyah happily munching on a strawberry macaron while Krys sipped on a matcha latte.

Kenyatta wasn’t eating; he was thinking and watching Kaliyah smile up at Krys like she hung the damn moon, laughing at something Krys whispered conspiratorially in her ear.

It was cute and at the same time terrifying. If this was just a game, an act, and/or if Krys was going to eventually walk away, then his daughter was about to experience a kind of hurt that he couldn’t protect her from.

He exhaled slowly, turning to Krys, his voice lower than before. “Aye… listen. About all this…” He gestured slightly, keeping his voice casual. “You do know she’s a child, right?”

Krys blinked, caught off guard. “Obviously.”

“Nah.” Kenyatta shook his head. “I mean, she’s a kid. She believes shit. She’s already looking at you like you matter, and if this is just some temporary thing…I need you to chill.”

Krys stilled. Her heart did something stupid, something she immediately shut down. She knew exactly what he was saying. The issue this time was that this wasn’t a game anymore. Not to her. Not to him. Not to Kaliyah. Hell, Kaliyah wasn’t even aware that she had been part of a game. Innocent in all of this. So, she knew exactly what Kenyatta was getting at.

Krys let out a slow breath, then smiled at Kaliyah, brushing a hand over her hair.

“She’s fine, Yatta,” Krys said smoothly, but her voice had lost that teasing edge.

Kenyatta’s jaw flexed. “Yeah, well, I don’t want her getting too comfortable if—”

Krys cut him off. “If nothing else…” She turned to him, her voice soft, serious. “Kaliyah just gained a new auntie; that’s all. She got a new cousin in my niece Mia…and it’s all good. Okay?”

Kenyatta narrowed his eyes slightly, searching her face, trying to read her, trying to see if she was just talking shit or if she meant that.

His mind was a fucking mess. This whole situation…He was supposed to be playing a role, nothing more, nothing less.

But now his daughter was looking at Krys like she was family. Krys was talking like she wasn’t going anywhere. Now he had to figure out what the hell that meant.

Kaliyah had lost a lot of people in her little life. Not through death, but through disappointment. People, family, friends came and went, never truly committing to being in her life long-term. And Kenyatta himself was just now trying to be the consistent parent she needed.

So, what did it look like having Krys in the picture? Someone Kaliyah already adored and already claimed? What happened if it ended? What happened if Krys disappeared? Would Kaliyah just be another little girl hurt by the weight of people’s selfishness?

He couldn’t let that happen to his baby. Which meant he had to start asking himself the real question. Was he playing with fire? Or had he already jumped into the flames?

But her statement…

It settled something in him. He wanted to feel assured that Krys wasn’t going anywhere. He wanted to let himself believe that. And for the first time in years, having a feeling like that didn’t scare him.

It felt right.

**********

---