Page 72 of Another Constant

I held my hand up to stop him right there. “Please stop. You have absolutely no reason to come here or even come this way. I mean unless you bought a dog and wanna buy some accessories.”

“I miss you, Harlem. I fucked up and thought we’d be able to sweep things under the rug. I thought we could get past this and you’d love me past my shortcomings.”

I shook my head, about to speak, but a voice that wasn’t my own spoke up. I didn’t even hear him come in but then again I wasn’t listening for it.

“That’s fucked up, on your part at least. Thing is I’ma need you to stop coming here.” Kinga’s voice sounded so damn uninterested that I smirked.

“Excuse me, who are you?” Zax turned to Kinga with irritation in his voice.

“Zax, you should leave. I told you I have moved on and it’s not appropriate for you to come around.” I was trying to save Zax’s ass because the expression Kinga sported was impatience.

“I came in here to pou?—”

“You came in here to get fucked up, and baby mama is too nice, so I’ma give it to you straight. The next time you come in here and ain’t buying shit, I’ma knock your fucking head off your shoulders. ’Cause after a while you gotta get over this. You gotta realize that you fucked up and that right there ain’t no business for you. She ain’t never looking your way again.” He pointed down to Zax with his free hand. He then turned to me, softening his stare. “Go ahead back there and feed my baby while I walk him out.”

I tilted my head to the side, about to give some lip, but decided against it when he blinked aggressively, extended the Styrofoam food container, and tossed his head in the direction of my office.

I did as he asked, deciding not to challenge him. By the time he made it into my office about five minutes later, he had his phone to his ear. I didn’t know who he was talking to but he seemed pretty into the conversation.

“Bet. I’ma meet you out there. Get this shit out of the way,” he said to whoever was on the line. Then seconds later he said bet again and dropped his phone into his lap. Those heavy eyes were on me like a hawk.

“You look good than a motherfucker. Got fools risking their lives to be in your face. He ain’t gonna do that no more.” He rubbed his hands together and took a seat on the couch near the dog enclosure. “I think I'll buy him from you, so we can keep him around the house.” He picked up the puppy I had been doting over.

“Thank you.” I dug into my food, watching him play with the small puppy. “You know we have dinner with my brother and mother tonight at my place even though you refuse to let me go back. I figured I should break the news to them now even though we have an appointment on Monday.”

He laughed. “I know. You're making it seem like I hold you hostage.”

“You ain’t?” I asked, just to mess with him.

He gave me a hilarious look before nodding. “Sure and I lure you in with pastries and shit.”

I cackled. “And you do, amongst other things.”

“Man, gone ahead with that shit. I gotta go handle something before tonight but I’ll meet you there. If you need something I’ll sto—” Banging on my office door interrupted what he was saying.

On his feet, Kinga put the puppy in the pen and rushed to the door. When he swung it open, I was shocked to see my mother’s baby father with a scowl on his face that turned into shock. He wasn’t expecting Kinga to open the door; he was expecting me.

“The fuck you banging on her fucking door for? You lost your fucking mind or something?”

“It was you! You put my son in the hospital and tried to kill him!” His voice carried but Kinga yoked him up quickly.

“Damn sure did and I see you didn’t learn your lesson by way of what he went through. So let me personally teach you this shit. You see her behind me?” he asked, hoisting that man up like he was a Walmart grocery bag.

It took everything in me not to laugh.

“Mhmm.” Joseph couldn’t even find his words.

“She is off limits to you and your fucking son. If I see either one of y’all around her, I’ma personally pay for both of y’all to be buried in the same casket. You got that?”

“Mhmm,” he moaned, like a straight bitch.

“Nah, bitch, use your words,” Kinga demanded and I was soaked at the sight. Something about seeing him yoke Joseph up had me ready to go home… with him.

“I understand. We…won’t bother her anymore.”

Kinga then dropped Joseph and looked at me. “Now you heard him say that shit. If you see him or his pussy ass son again, I’m killing both of them. No more passes.”

I nodded, attempting to hide the amusement in my being. He looked so angry and I was thinking about something totally different.

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