Page 52 of Before I Say I Don't
I looked him dead in the eye, my seriousness matching the weight of our conversation.
“Look, I don’t run to women with stories.”
Kamira was an exception.
“But you? You better figure out how to stop leading a double life, because the longer you wait, the harder it’s gonna be for both of y’all. And one of ’em’s gonna get you buried.”
Viangelo rubbed the back of his neck, then shrugged. “It’s complicated.”
I shook my head, a hint of frustration creeping into my tone.
“No, it’s really quite simple. There’s a child involved; focus on that. As for what happens with you and Kamira afterward? That’s the consequence of your own choices and the part you earned.”
He exhaled, like the weight was still there but heavier now. “You ever… messed up like this?”
A faint smile played at my lips, the kind that tasted like victory before the fight even started.
“You mean, got a baby on somebody Ilove? Hell nah! I don’t make promises I can’t keep. And I don’t hand people ammo, then get mad when they shoot.”
His posture shifted as he leaned back, studying me intently, silently weighing the balance between whether it was safe to trust me or if I was the wrong one to cross.
I opened the car door. “You asked for straightforward advice… I’ve laid it out for you. Now what you choose to do with it… that’s on you.”
Viangelo nodded, thoughtfully. “Preciate it, homie.”
With one foot firm on the pavement, he called out, “We good, right?”
I glanced back. “Why wouldn’t we be? As long as you remember I’m not one of your boys who’ll clap for anything youdo; I’m just the one who sees it all. I’ll holla at you later. Enjoy yo’ trip.”
Viangelo had just handed me the smoking gun and didn’t even know it.
As I headed to the crib, I let the silence stretch, giving myself space to think. Kamira’s reaction crossed my mind. Althoughshewas the one who suggested I go meet up with Viangelo, I still wondered if she would truly thank me or would she cut me out for being the one to break her world open with the information I had? That was the gamble. All I knew was that timing mattered. If I dropped it too soon, it would look like sabotage—like I purposely came back into her life to wedge myself between them. If I held on to that info too long, it would appear as betrayal—like I sat on the truth while she continued planning her vows.
Either way, one thing was clear. Viangelo was already guilty; all I had to do was wait for the right time to read the verdict out loud… which would probably be that day.
Chapter Twelve
KAMIRA
Istood before my closet, like it was a witness stand. A black dress hung over my arm and the stiletto heels beside me gleamed on the plush rug. A nervous flutter twisted in my stomach. Soon after, guilt crept in, reminding me of all that I should be prioritizing.
This is wrong. Just stay home. Be the good fiancée.
With a heavy sigh, I placed the dress on the bed, staring at it as if it held the answers to my conflicted heart.
I hit Danica’s name before I could talk myself out of it—she picked up on the first ring.
“Alright, little sister—what’s going on? Your spirit’s loud!”
I exhaled. “You busy?”
“For you? Never. Is this about the pop-up ‘boys trip’ your fiancé announced at breakfast?”
I sat on the bed and answered, “No.”
“Mmm. Okay. And this tone means there’s more.”
“Roman asked me to come over after work,” I announced, my heart fluttering with anticipation. “He… said he has a surprise.”
