Page 47 of Grown Folks Confessions: Black Lush

I kept a knife in my socks—part of the reason I always wore boots—and I was pretty quick with the shit, too. If these muthafuckas tried anything, I’d slice their throats and block their path to Layla before they harmed a hair on her beautiful body.

Layla and I had unfinished business, and there were so many things I wanted to tell her that I hadn’t gotten a chance to yet. Like how we’d unknowingly both ended up attending a charity event organized by the Crowne family right after our marriage was annulled and I’d been so caught off guard to see her, I spent the entire night watching her from different corners in the room. I looked like a creep, but I hadn’t given a shit.

I also wanted to tell her that the day she won the competition, I flew into London and Nevaeh had hooked me up with a pass to the celebration party. I’d made her promise not to tell Layla because, at the time, I was trying to make it work with Audrea, but my heart was never in it with her. I had to end it because it wasn’t fair to either of us.

I spent that outdoor party watching Layla once again, consumed by her beauty and the look of pure joy on her face. She was glowing, and I hadn’t wanted to ruin her happiness, so I laid low and pretended like I was the eye candy on her arm like I was in Phoenix.

Last year, after I’d gotten some great press for my tattoo sprinter, I went to Theseus and Ivy’s place to tell them the news, only to find Layla there when I arrived. She excused herself so fast, the only interaction we’d had was when I briefly grabbed her hand, neither of us saying anything for several seconds. I had wanted to tell her all about it first. She wasalwayswho I wanted to tell first. Yet, I’d let her go years ago and ignored every part of me that wanted to chase after her and demand we figure shit out.

All of it summed up to the fact that we’d both been cowards and scared of how natural it felt to be married to one another, no matter how brief it was.

Layla had my heart.

I loved her with every part of me.

And looking into the emotionless eyes of her worthless parents, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was never letting Layla out of my sight again.

Her father took a step forward, to which I shielded her even more.

“Whatever else you gotta say, you say it right there on the sidewalk.”

Marvin laughed, looking to Layla’s mom whose name I didn’t even remember. I think it was Patricia or Pam, or—

“Patty, get a load of this pretty ass muthafucka,” Marvin bellowed. “Puffing out his gorilla chest like he’s King Kong or some shit.” He squinted his eyes at me, looking me up and down. “Hey, ain’t you that little nigga who used to always be sniffin’ around Layla’s skirt when y’all were younger? You a Hood, ain’t you?”

I stepped forward, making sure Layla was still behind me. “You already know the answer to that. And from what I heard, a few of my uncles had to help you out back in the day since you have a gambling problem.”

He chuckled. “Boy, you don’t know shit and neither do yo’ weak ass uncles.”

“Whatever business you think you have with Layla, you can talk to me about it.”

He laughed again, placing his hand over his stomach this time like I was hilarious as hell.

Which I was.

Just not now.

I leaned down to Layla when she tugged on my arm. “You okay?”

“They are the reason I needed Nevaeh as an investor,” she whispered. “My aunt left me thousands of dollars, and I made some investments that I thought were legit, but turned out, my father had a friend who was behind them. Then the remaining money was cleared from my bank account. I never even understood how that happened, but seeing my mother here now, it’s pretty obvious they worked together to steal from me.”

I clenched my jaw, my eyes going back to Marvin. He smirked and looked as if he’d already concluded he would get more money from her.

“Why are you here?” I asked.

“Not that it’s your damn business,” he snapped, “but Patty and I see that our daughter is what the young folks are calling a content creator and I know them apps is paying her good. If she gives us fifty thousand, we’ll be out of her hair.”

“I’m not giving you shit,” Layla spat.

“If you don’t, we’ll go to the media,” Patty interjected, stepping up beside Marvin. “I’m sure they will want to know what kind of a life their Netflix princess had growing up.”

I felt Layla’s fingers tense beneath my arms. “You will not threaten her,” I warned.

“Man, would you shut your busted Chico DeBarge lookin’ ass up,” Marvin grumbled. “You were amusing me at first. But now I’m tired of listening to yo’ bitch ass.”

As much as I wanted to punch this joker in the face, I hadn’t planned on acting on it just yet. But this muthafucka had other plans.

He was on the steps quick for an OG, his fist flying my way as I moved me and Layla from his path. He didn’t stop, though, so I had no choice but to leave Layla on the steps as I handled her father.

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