Page 69 of A Toxic Redemption

"Why are you even thinking about looking for a house when my father has a whole property that's never been lived in?" I asked as I eyed her. "Why not live there for the time being and maybe build or buy something later? Easy fix, baby."

After the custody hearing, I asked Ceaser about the properties that were supposedly in my name. He took me by the house one day, and the shit was massive. It had seven bedrooms, six baths, a pool, a ball court, and an ass load of other shit. There wasn't any furniture or appliances, but that was an easy fix. On one of our many nights talking, I told Lucky about the crib with hopes that she would move in with me.

"Do you think moving in with him is a good idea, Devyn?" Lori frowned as she walked back over to the food spread and fixed her something else. "You mentioned early on about how he was shot. Then he already has a child, which means he has a baby mama. Just because you let him knock you up—"

"Wait a minute." Lucky glared at her friend. I remained quiet and let her handle it because I was going to hurt her feelings if I spoke. "What are you getting at, Lori? This is my man, not some random nigga I'm fucking. Surely, if he and I decided to move in together and raise our baby as a family, it wouldn't be a problem, right? I mean, if there is an issue, then tell me."

"There's no issue, Devyn." She rolled her eyes as she turned to us, "I just want you to think before you do it if he's not committed—"

"Oh, I see what this is about." I chuckled and nodded toward my cousin, who was seemingly pissed and annoyed. "You're jealous that she has a nigga that is making moves for her and doing for her while you fucked up any chance you had because you wanted to have a loose pussy."

"Excuse me!" she screeched. "That's a lie! Neither Devyn nor Kira has anything I want for me to be jealous. What? Being a street nigga's baby mama is a prize?"

"Lori, I love you, but I'm seconds away from beating your ass." Luck peered at her friend through slanted eyes. "I get it. Bino and you are over, but whose fault is that? All you had to do was be considerate of what he had going on and be understanding and allow him space."

"Oh, but when you were caught with Monty—"

"She wasn't in there fucking him," Bino chimed in. "Dee knew what Khalil had going on, but he was being a dick to her for no reason. She knew she wanted her nigga, and she got the fuck out of there. You," he looked at Lori in disgust, "acted on some shit you've been wanting to do. Do you know how hard it is to understand that your mother hates your cousin to the point that she wants him dead?" Lori gasped as he pointed to me and covered her mouth in shock. "Do you know how it feels to beef with a nigga you see as a brother because he wants to kill your mother because she's caused him and his family over twenty years of pain?"

"Bino—"

"Shut the fuck up, Lori!" he jumped from his seat and roared. "That's why I could never make you my girl. You could never just shut the fuck up. You want to always be right and have the last word. You think just because you're in school and have one little degree that you can handle a nigga fucked up, and it's not happening. Instead of you having my back and giving me space like I asked you to, you fucked another nigga. I told you I lovedyou, Lori, and I wouldn't play you, and what the fuck did you do?"

Silence.

"What the fuck did you do?"

"I'm sorry," she cried as she placed her food on the counter. She tried to reach out to him, but he stepped back. "Bino, please. I just thought—"

"You didn't think." He chuckled as he shook his head at her. "And that is the problem. Look, we don’t have shit else to talk about, and after this trip, I don’t want to deal with you. Devyn and Kira are your people, so I know you'll be around, but stay the fuck from around me, shorty."

I knew he was feeling that girl more than he let on, but damn. She really fucked up with my boy, and it's unfortunate. One thing about my boy that I know for a fact is when he's done, he's done. She stared at him for a few minutes before leaving us to finish eating. I was going to leave well enough alone because that's Luck's friend. Fucking with my girl will have her buried in these woods, though.

"Come on," I pulled Luck up from the table and grabbed her plate. "I'm ready for Karaoke."

"Let me find out you want to serenade my cousin," Kira joked as she wobbled her fat ass into the living room, "Luck, you got this boy going from Future to Luther. I love this for your friend."

"Man, Kira, shut your wide load ass up," I snapped on her and caused her eyes to widen before they turned to slits, "You always got something to say."

"Wait until Dee gains a little more," Jake chimed in as he helped Kira onto the couch. Bino was setting up the Karaoke shit on the TV. We've been drinking since we got here this morning, so this shit is about to be lit. "Let's see if you call her wide."

"Oh, I'm sure I will be called much worse." We shared a laugh just as Lori came back into the living room, moping like a sad-ass puppy. We didn't pay her ass no mind. "You know that nigga handles me crazy at times."

"That's nothing compared to what I do with that pussy," I whispered in her ear and kissed her neck. "Let me take you upstairs and eat your pussy really quick."

"That sounds good." She bit her bottom lip and eyed me. "Come on."

"Sit y'all asses down." Bino chuckled right as I lifted her from the couch. "I've been waiting to get this shit popping all day. Nigga, she can put your knees to your ears later."

"Bitch," I jumped at him as the others burst into laughter, "you got me fucked up." I looked around the room and mugged them all. "And fuck y'all for laughing. "Who's up first?"

"Lori, you pulled the short straw earlier," Kira voiced. "You're first."

"Cool," is all she said as she grabbed the mic and fumbled with the stereo. "Let's do this shit."

As soon as the music blared through the speakers, we nodded our heads to the beat. I was confused as to why Kira's eyes were wide with her mouth ajar, and Devyn glared at Lori as if she wanted to knock her head off.

"You put your trust in a nigga stupid hoe how you figure—"

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