Page 4 of Out of Bounds
“What’s up, Sai?” he asked once the call connected.
“Hey. I’m outside.”
“On the way,” Kreed confirmed before ending the call.
Before I could throw my truck in park, he was exiting the front door and jogging down the steps to greet us. I shut the truck off, unhooked my seat belt, and tossed my phone in my purse.
Opening the driver-side door, Kreed leaned in and pecked me on the lips. “Missed you.”
Lowering my eyes, I stared at him lustfully. His locs were pulled back in a low ponytail, and the white wife beater he wore looked like it was painted on. The gold necklace with my name on it rested a little below his collarbone. After a few seconds of staring, I finally pushed out. “I missed you too.”
One quick glance in the back seat had him chuckling. “Somebody had a good time.”
“She did.” I giggled. Maddie Claire had fallen asleep on the ride back to the house and was currently leaning against the window with her mouth gaped open. “That cinnamon roll did the trick.”
“I see.” He jested. Kreed rounded the truck and pulled the door open before leaning in and grabbing Maddie Claire up. Once he had her in his arms, he carried her up the driveway. While he did that, I slid out of the truck and started collecting the shopping bags.
“Give me those,” Kreed ordered and took the bags out of my hands after coming back outside.
“I could’ve brought it in.”
“I’m right here, Sai.”
“Okay. Where are the kids?” I asked when we entered the house, and a bunch of noise didn’t greet me.
“The girls are in the theater room watching movies. I just got Kree down for a nap.”
Glancing down at my watch, I groaned. “Bae…” It was almost five in the evening, and if Kreed had just put the baby down, his ass was going to be up for the rest of the night.
“He was cranky, Sai. Ya moms said his lil’ ass hadn’t had a nap all afternoon.”
“I wish you would’ve just kept him up. I’m not gonna get any sleep tonight.” I pouted.
“I got him if he wakes up.”
“I’m going to remember that.”
“I know yo’ ass will.” He chuckled. “Yo’ moms cooked, so everyone has had dinner. She put you and Maddie Claire a plate up and told me to have you give her a call later.”
“I already know what she wants, and I’m not going.”
My father had decided that he was coming into town and claimed he wanted to see me. After years of him running in and out of my life, I cut him off three years ago. I was okay with not seeing him. My mom, on the other hand, kept trying to force us together, and I wasn’t feeling it.
“Aye…” Kreed held his hands up, palm side out in surrender. “I tried to tell her you wasn’t budging.”
“She should already know that shit.” I frowned and kicked my shoes off. Plopping down on the bench in front of my bed, I lay back and covered my eyes with my arm. “I don’t want to play nice with him.”
“And you don’t have to,” my husband confirmed. “That nigga do this shit every few years, and if you not fucking with it, then that’s what it is, Sai. If youdodecide to go see him, my kids won’t be involved.”
“I know…” I sighed. Kreed never stood in the way ofmyand my father’s relationship, but the kids were where he drew the line. The fact that my father only came around when it was convenient for him was enough for Kreed to lay the law down. Kids had a tendency to get attached, and with the shit I dealt with when I was growing up, we were determined not to subject our kids to that same treatment.
“You can spend all the time you want to with him, but my kidswill notbe around, and I don’t care how much yo’ moms fuss about it.”
“Did you tell her that?”
“I sure the fuck did.”
“Well then… there’s nothing else to be said.” I shrugged.
