Page 85 of Only for Me
"Fuck that car, Kari. I'm talking about what's out there about us."
"I'm pissed that people are so disrespectful and they have not given one thought to the things they're saying about me. Avi will eventually be old enough to read what they're saying about both of us."
When our eyes met I noticed the storm brewing in his. I had brought up his reckless lifestyle enough for him to assume that's where my mind was, and in a small way, he had the right to assume. I was worried about her ever thinking I had her as a money grab or to secure my future financially.
I sighed. "I don't ever want her to question who we are or whether or not she's loved. So I'm pissed about that to the point where I want to pull up on everyone who played a role in putting our lives on display. To every person who made a mean comment or lied about who or what we are, I want to personally chop them in the throat but I'm not upset with you. You didn't do this, so I can't rightly be angry with you."
He laughed dryly and I grinned. "I mean… I could but I'm not."
Omiri reached for his phone and unlocked the screen. "Say that one more time. I need that shit documented for future reference."
I burst out laughing at him pulling ameon me before I snatched his phone. "It doesn't hit the same when you do it."
He chuckled and glanced at me again as we approached the gate to the neighborhood in Chandler Heights where we brought Avi to the park a few weeks ago. We pulled up to my dream home. I kid you not, everything about his house I had on my wish list. Brick, multiple car garage, entire front with windows that had to offer the absolute best natural light, multi-tiered design that was modern and still simple, making it look like a massive bungalow. Nothing about this house made sense but it was so beautiful. Omiri hit a button on his car and the garage opened. The six-car garage was empty aside from the Range Rover identical to the one Omiri had.
We sat in silence for a minute and I watched Omiri staring at the Range. His energy shifted and I could see his fingers tightening on the steering wheel, so I placed my hand on his thigh.
"You okay?"
His gaze landed on me like he had completely forgotten I was there and my eyes drifted to the Range before they were back on him and it clicked.
"That's his?"
He raked a hand down his face and nodded. It clicked all at once. "Was this supposed to be his house?"
"Ours." He laughed dryly, shaking his head. "You win a Super Bowl, you buy a house for your parents. That's how shit goes. It's cliché as fuck but that's what you do. I don't fuck with my parents like that, so a week before I won my first ring, I dropped eight mil on this for me and Rion."
"A week before?"
He nodded with a cocky grin. "Wasn't no way in hell we were gonna lose to Dallas."
I rolled my eyes and smiled before I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed across the car and sat in his lap. He glanced in the rearview at Avi who was quiet. "She's fine."
I placed my hands on his face and he grinned. "Here you go with that shit again."
"What?"
He arched his brow and I shrugged. "We're about to talk about some heavy shit and I want you to feel safe."
"Bruh, the fuck I tell you about that being safe shit. I’m not a pussy."
I flashed him a smile. "Will you just let me have my moment?"
"Do your thing, big dawg."
I brushed my thumbs over his cheeks and he moved his hands up my thighs to my ass. "You said you didn't live here because it was just you and easier to live in the city."
"Yeah."
"But it's more about you not wanting to be here without your brother."
When his jaw locked tight, I leaned in and kissed him. "It's okay and we can go to your apartment if you want."
"Nah, we're good out here. No one knows about this house except Van, Ryland, and Raaj. The address isn't linked to my name because Raaj put the property under one of my LLCs. This is the best place to be right now. I don't want you stressing."
I grinned and kissed him again. "You sure?"
He gripped my ass and pulled me closer. "Yeah, I'm sure. If y'all are good, I'm good."
