Page 123 of A Kingpin's Weakness
“You better. Because if it’s a girl, she’s gonna have you wrapped around her finger.”
“Already do,” I said, pulling her closer. “Just like her mama.”
“Do you see the belly?” I said with a grin, crouching in front of Stormi and lifting her dress just a little to get another look.
She rolled her eyes, but she was glowing. “You’ve seen it all morning.”
“I know, but damn. I can’t wait till you waddling around here, feet swollen, face fat, belly big.”
“Sir, what?” She stared at me like I was crazy.
I was. Crazy about her.
Stormi was five months now, and her bump was loud and proud. It felt like it grew overnight. Just a couple weeks ago, I was squinting, asking if that was the baby or just breakfast. Now I couldn’t keep my damn hands off her stomach. I rubbed it every chance I got, waiting on that first little kick like it was a million-dollar lottery ticket.
“He hiding from Daddy,” I muttered, placing both hands on the curve of her stomach and leaning in close. “Hey, baby, we about to find out what you are, you know that?”
I kissed her belly, and she ran her fingers through my waves.
“You’re so cute,” she said, pinching my cheeks, grinning at me like I was the one carrying the baby.
“Nah, you’re the cute one. Glowing and shit. I’m just the background dancer.”
“You act like you ain’t the one that got me here.”
“Proudly,” I said, standing back up and wrapping my arms around her waist. “And I plan on getting you there again, and again. Just not till you finish cookin’ this one.”
She laughed and leaned into my chest, and I swear nothing in the world felt better than her being right there. Carrying my child. Loving me without always saying it but showing me every day.
“Ready to find out if it’s Saint or Serenity?” She asked.
“Will Noah’s homeboy be there? Dre?” I asked, not even bothering to hide the way his name irritated my throat.
Stormi looked up from the mirror, where she was touching up her lip gloss. “I don’t know, why?”
“Something off about him. I don’t know what it is yet, but my gut ain’t sitting right.”
She paused, brows raised, before going back to glossing her lips. “Well, him and Noah been staying outta trouble, so that’s all I care about.”
“They stayin’ out of trouble or trouble just ain’t caught up to ‘em yet?”
She turned to face me, arms crossed, that same Stormi attitude I loved and hated at the same time showing up in her stance. “You know something I don’t?”
“Nah,” I said, jaw clenching slightly. “Just tryna get a read on him. Something about how he move, how he look at people.”
Her brow furrowed. “People?”
“You,” I said bluntly. “I caught him lookin’ at you more than once. Too long. Like he forgot I was standing right there.”
She rolled her eyes and walked over to me. “Seth, you think everybody be looking at me.”
“They do.”
I didn’t care how secure I was, how long we been together, when a man look at what’s mine like he trying to figure out how to touch it, my whole chest catch fire.
She smiled at me and held up her hand, flashing that ring like a warning sign. “I’m off the market.”
“Yeah, and I’m the damn market owner,” I muttered as she stepped close and kissed me.
