Page 2 of A Toxic Redemption

"Girl, you are worried about the wrong shit." Lucky frowned as she looked her over. "I just saved your hot pussy ass life, and you're worried about if I'm giving mine to him?" She shook her head as she looked down at Kaine, who was trying his hardest to get up from the ground. "Shouldn't you be more worried about this half-dead looking one right here?"

"Say, Loon," Jake interrupted before Mia could start her shit. She had that look in her eyes, and I knew it was coming. "I know you want nothing more than to kill them both, but she's right," he pointed to Lucky, who was in an intense stare-off with Mia. "You need to go over there and get to know your kid. Anything else can wait."

"No." Mia shook her head profusely. "I'm getting my son, and we are leaving! It was a mistake coming here."

"If you feel like you can take him away from a grandmother who went almost three years without seeing him, go ahead." I smirked as I folded my arms and looked her over. Mia looked like shit now that I've taken a good look at her. "Not to mention, I have a Glock .19 that will stop you before you even take a step in their direction. Matter of fact," I glared over at Kaine, who was now on his feet. He held his side in pain as he looked at me as menacingly as he could, "Get your nigga and get the fuck on. When I want you to see KJ, I'll give you a call."

"Nigga, this is my mama's shit," Kaine gritted. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You are." Bino upped his Glock in Kaine's direction. "Take your hoe and get the fuck on while you're still able to do it willingly. You're his brother, not mine. I will blow your fuckin' head off your shoulders nigga."

As bad as I wanted to beat his ass and send him and his bitch to hell, Luck and Jake were right. This wasn't the time orthe place to do what I really wanted, which was to kill them. I couldn't do it in front of my mother and certainly not in front of my son.

"Come on, Khalil." Luck nudged me. "Your mother threatened to beat my ass if I didn't eat, and I don't want any problems with her."

"Go ahead, son." My father patted my back. "I will make sure they leave, and I will get Mia's information. At the end of the day, KJ is still her son, and you guys will need to talk."

I looked at Mia and Kaine once more before I reluctantly walked away. I knew that sooner or later, I would have to sit and have a talk with them both, but the longer I stayed in their presence, the more I was inclined to gut them.

"What are you doing here anyway, shorty?" I asked Lucky as we made our way over to the patio where the others were seated. "Your pussy is good as a muhfucka, but not enough for you to be poppin' up at a nigga's house."

"Kira is my cousin, and she invited me," she spoke as she placed her hand on my arm to stop my movements. "I could leave if you'd like. Plus, this makes me a little uncomfortable. For what it's worth, I didn't know this was your mother's house until she introduced herself to me. I already feel bad about imposing on an intimate moment."

"Luck." I chuckled as I hovered over her. "You beat my ass in a bathroom at a restaurant and fucked the shit out of me with no shame. That was before leaving me alone in a hotel room with forty dollars on the dresser like I was a worthless prostitute. Not only that," I held my hand up to stop her from speaking, "you fucked the shit out of me in the backseat of my truck in front of another woman and left me after saying to act like I don't know you if I ran across you again. But this," I motioned around the backyard and noticed my mother's eyes on us, "makes youuncomfortable? Would you feel better if I took you in the bathroom and fucked the shit out of you?"

I bit my lip as my eyes roamed her body.

"I really don't mind." Grabbing her by the waist, I pulled her closer to me as I whispered in her ear, "I miss the way that pussy grips the fuck out of my dick, anyway. Say the word, and I'll take you inside and drill the fuck out of you while you spit up all over a nigga. What do you want to do?"

"I-I want you—"

"Khalil, unhand this girl and go over there and get to know your son." Ma came over to us with her cock blocking ass. "Plus, Bino tells me this is the young lady that whooped your tail and robbed you at the wing spot." Luck's face, draining its color, was comical as hell. "Come on, baby, and tell us how my son had you fucked up."

Shaking my head, I followed behind my mother as she looped her arms in Luck's as we made our way to where the others were gathered. I took a chance and glanced behind me and was relieved to know Kaine and Mia were gone. I don't know how I would handle the situation, but now that I have my son in my life, I have to be careful with how I move. Regardless, they were going to pay for the shit they did to me. Instead of worrying about that, I pulled a seat up beside my boy, my son, and listened to him go on and on about how his new nana made the best noodles and cheese he's ever had in his life.

The alleged father cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child. Based on the analysis, the probability of paternity is 99.99999999%.

I slowly blinked as I held the DNA test results in my hands. It's been two weeks since Mia showed up at my mother's house, claiming that KJ was my son. Yes, he resembled my father and me, but I had to be sure before I became too attached. Knowing that KJ is my son swells my heart and breaks it all at the same time. While I'm happy as hell that he is mine, I'm also enraged at the fact that I missed over two years of his life.

"Khalil, I have been calling your name for five minutes. Are you okay, son?"

I looked over my shoulder as my mother entered the kitchen. Since the day of my party, KJ and I have been crashing with my mother. She didn't want him out of her sight, and neither did I. Plus, with all the women I deal with knowing where I lay my head, I didn't want to chance any of them popping up on me while he was there. So, this is the only sensible place at the moment.

"I'm good, mama." I stood from my spot at the kitchen table. "The results came in. Here." I handed her the piece of paper and watched her closely.

Mama initially felt a way when I told her I wanted a DNA test. She had grown attached to my son just like me and would have been just as crushed if KJ hadn't been my son. Yeah, it would still have been possible for him to be her grandson through Kaine, but she knows that would cause even more confusion with me and that nigga.

"How does this make you feel, baby?" she asked as she placed the paper on the island beside me. "Where do we go from here?"

"I'm going to do what it takes to make sure my boy has the best life possible." I shrugged as I went to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water. "He will never grow up not knowing what it feels like not to have his father around."

I haven't spoken to Ceaser since the day of the barbecue. With everything that went down, I wasn't in the headspace totalk to him either. That's another conversation that needs to be added to the list. I made a mental note to hit that nigga up so we can get that out the way.

"Have you spoken to Mia or Kaine?" My mother snapped me from my thoughts. "I'm not trying to rush you or anything, but you guys need to have a conversation. I haven't seen Kaine since the day you guys fought, and that's the same amount of time Mia has seen KJ. She needs to be able to access her child, Khalil."

"I know, mama." I grabbed my keys from the counter. It was damn near noon, and I had a few moves to make. "Do you mind watching KJ for a minute? I need to go holler at Jake and Bino. I won't be gone long."

"Boy, get the hell out of here." She waved me off as she followed me to the front door. Once we approached, we both whistled at the brisk air. The weather in Willow Springs was crazy as hell these days, and today it was sunny but cool as fuck. "You know I don't mind keeping him. Just be safe."