Page 74 of Jaeda

They all laughed at my expense. I had to laugh, too, because when my glasses fell off in the struggle, I had to rely on my other senses. I couldn’t see shit.

“Nice to know you won’t have a problem defending my daughter,” Mr. Dillinger said.

“Of course not. Not that she needs my help.”

He chuckled. “She doesn’t. My baby has hands all her own. Don’t let that pretty face fool you.”

“I haven’t seen her in action besides playing around with her little brother, but from what I did see, I’d never want any smoke with her.”

“Because that means you have smoke with us,” Deuce said. “Like I said, we good till we ain’t good.”

“I respect that.”

“So you really like my baby?” Mr. Dillinger asked. “Even after she planned to kill your ass, you still like her?”

I nodded. “I more than like her, sir. I admire her. I’m enamored with her. I am in complete awe of how beautiful she isinside and out. I’ve never felt more compatible with a woman in my life. Jaeda Janelle is going to be my wife.”

They all looked at me with serious faces, aside from Kerrion, who was grinning because he heard me say that to his mother.

“Wife, huh?” Mr. Dillinger said, pulling from his blunt. “You know you need my blessing for that, right?”

“With all due respect, sir, I don’t. Would it be nice? Yes. Is it required? No. I treat and will continue to treat your daughter with nothing but love, care, and respect. Even if none of you never like me, nothing about that will ever change. Your acceptance of me is a you problem.”

His sons all looked at him, waiting for a response. I needed him to understand, just like his sons, that he didn’t pump fear into my heart. Not now. Not ever.

He smirked. “Touché, lil’ nigga. Touché.”

He reached in his pocket and pulled out another blunt, handing it to me. I got the feeling that this was their type of peace offering. I took it and the accompanying lighter before putting it to my lips and lighting it.

“I might like you,” he said as I took a pull from the potent substance. “We’ll see.” He turned to Kerrion. “Now you. It’s later. What’s up with Donna?”

The smile slowly dropped from his face. “It’s nothing serious. Well, it is serious, but not a relationship serious.”

“You talking in circles, son.”

“I want to have a baby,” he blurted out.

None of them seemed surprised.

“I’ve known Donna for about a year now,” Kerrion continued. “Outside of sex, she’s cool people. I can kick it with her, and there’s no pressure to make shit more than what it is. She doesn’t want a relationship or to get married, and honestly, I’m about over that shit too. But I want a kid, and so does she.”

Mr. Dillinger shook his head. “You’re digging yourself into a hole, son. Kids change shit. Who’s to say y’all have a baby and one of you won’t change your mind about not wanting more? Things could get real messy, real quick.”

“Trust me, I know. We’ve had this conversation.”

“Is she already pregnant?”

“No. We’re going through the steps to make sure everything is good with both of us. I’ve had my sperm count tested. She has an appointment next week with her gynecologist. We’ve already had a lawyer drawn up a fifty-fifty custody agreement, and it will be finalized once the baby is born. All our ducks are in a row to protect ourselves. I just wanted her to spend some time around the family and get to know y’all first.”

Mr. Dillinger sighed. “I respect that. She seems like a nice girl. While I wish you had children with a woman you loved and saw a future with, I get it.”

“I do love Donna. I’m not in love with her, and she’s not in love with me, but we have mad love for each other. Just . . . don’t say shit to anybody yet. We’ll announce it when she’s actually pregnant.”

His father nodded. “Well, I hope it works out. You know I love my grandbabies. The only thing better than being a father is being those kids Pop Pop.” He turned to me. “You want kids? Marriage?”

“Yes, sir. It was a little lonely being an only child, so I want at least two with my wife.”

“I’m glad you said that. Don’t be out here getting my baby girl pregnant?—”

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