Page 115 of Intercept My Heart

“I’m not abandoning you, but I don’t want to die because you won’t let go. I mean, come on, Harper. Money has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be with you. Why are you pushing the issue? Why would you want to marry someone who doesn’t love you back?” Her questions sent me into a rage. Before I could stop myself, I smacked her across the face.

“Watch your mouth. You don’t know anything about me or Money. He loves me. He’s just confused right now because that bitch decided to come back and ruin our lives. Once I get her out of the picture, he will remember how much he loves me and wants to have a family with me,” I spat, feeling my body shiver with anger. Nothing seemed to be going right for me, and I hated the feeling of not being in control.

“He loves her, Harper. Even if we successfully got rid of her, it would only prolong the inevitable. Do you honestly think that he would get over something like that? The best thing you can do is bow out gracefully and take him up on his offer to help you start over. You could use this as an opportunity to build your platform and snag a few extra deals on your way out.”

“No! I’m not giving up on him. He needs to see things my way. He doesn’t love her the way that he loves me. He only thinks he does because of those kids,” I vented, hitting myself in the head to calm my nerves.

My thoughts were beginning to loop, and I could not seem to find a moment of peace. My father had been pressing me about taking my medicine, but now wasn’t the time. The medicine would only slow me down, and I needed to be fully alert for what we had planned next.

“I’m not doing this. It isn’t worth my life or yours. However, you are grown enough to make your own decisions. Right now, my family needs me, and I need them.”

“What if I give you $500,000. Would you do it then?”

“Where are you going to get that kind of money? I know you make a decent pay with content, but not enough to pay that type of money out.”

“You don’t know how much money I have. Money has never made me pay any bills, so I have been able to stack my coins for a long time. Once we get married, I’ll have access to even more money. All I need is for you to trust me. I can’t do this without you. You’re the only person that I can trust.” Porschea had always been a sucker. I’d been manipulating her since we were teenagers, and she still didn’t see it. She wanted my love and affection so badly that she was willing to do and sacrifice anything to have it.

For years, I preyed on her weakness, hoping it would benefit me one day. Now, the time had come, and I couldn’t afford for her to have cold feet.

“Think about what that money could do for you and your family. You wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. You could even pack up and move if you wanted to. I promise I will never ask you for another favor if you do this for me,” I pleaded.

“Aren’t you tired of this? For the last fourteen years, all you have done is plot and scheme to get this man to love you. You have done some of the most horrific things, and you don’t seem remotely fazed by it. Do you have any feelings at all, or have youalways been this coldhearted bitch?” I flinched at the harshness of her words, but she was right.

The day I set my sights on Money Sutton was the day everything changed for me.

“Do we have a deal or not? If you don’t want the money, then I’ll have no choice but to find someone else who does,” I warned, calling her bluff. At the end of the day, I had no one else, but she didn’t need to know that.

“Fine, but I want thirty thousand upfront,” she demanded.

“Done. I’ll give you the rest as soon as the job is complete.” Holding my hand out, I waited for her to shake in agreement. I was one step closer to having everything that I’d always wanted, and I could hardly contain my excitement. Only a few more days, and it would all be over.

“Mmmm,this tastes even better than I thought it would.” I moaned before dipping my spoon into the plastic container. Cash, Moolah, and I decided to stop and get ice cream before heading home. The brownie batter sundae was calling my name, and it tasted like heaven on my tongue.

“Yeah, the girl at the counter loaded us up. I think she wanted me,” Moolah announced.

“Naw, she wanted me. She slid me her number when she handed me the bag.” Cash held up the napkin with her number scribbled on it with hearts next to it.

“And you better crumble it up and toss it out. How old is she? Sixteen? No way.” I shook my head vehemently. My sons were growing up, and I despised every moment of it. Every time I turned around, a new girl was trying to flirt with them.

“Come on, Mom. Our birthdays are coming up, and we’ll be thirteen. I know you see this chin hair growing.” Moolah leaned over the middle console to show me the little fuzz on his chin. My chest grew tight at the thought of my boys becoming men. One moment, they were little babies who needed my help with any and everything, and now they were wearing cologne and talking to girls.

“Boy, get out of my face with that little lint. You are still my babies. Why can’t you wait until you’re eighteen to date?” My lip was poked out, but I realized this only worked on their father.

“I promise you have nothing to worry about on my end. I’m too focused on my career to worry about a girl. Once I get to the NFL, there’ll be too many to choose from, so I would be a fool to fall in love now,” Moolah proclaimed.

“Is that your way of saying you’re gonna be a player?”

“I’m being realistic, Mama. Your son is gonna be a star one day, and I want to keep my options open,” he reasoned, sounding like some of the players I’d worked with.

“What about you, Cash? Do you share the same sentiments as your brother?”

“Naw, I don’t. To be honest, I want to play the game I love, make good money, and then settle down with a wife and kids. I don’t want the limelight and the popularity. I’ll save all of that for my twin.” It amazed me how different the two of them were. It didn’t take away from either of them because they were equally incredible. However, the older they became, the more I noticed their distinct differences.

“Well, I’m okay with how you choose to live your lives, as long as you aren’t breaking hearts and making many babies everywhere. Whenever you decide to find love, make sure it is with someone who values you and wants to be with you for the right reasons.” I schooled them. We had these kinds of talks before, but I wanted to drill the message home.

“I hear you, Mama. I definitely don’t want that.”

“Me either. I don’t want any kids until I’m old like you,” Moolah quipped.

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