Page 60 of Only if You Catch Me
“Damn you good over there?”
“Kastian,” I croaked. “That much money on a ring is crazy.”
“You not fucking with a broke nigga, baby. I got this. I made more than two times that in commissions last month.”
I really wasn’t with Kastian for the money, and I’d rather have him than material things. But if he was insistent upon spoiling me, then I was going to stop protesting it. Nothing would take away the ache in my heart, but I would let him attempt to make me feel better. It seemed that giving gifts was his love language. That’s why I planned to stock up on thinking of you cards. I never wanted him to feel unsupported or unloved during his bid. He was as fly, charming, and sweet as he was when he was on the streets, and I was going to keep loving him and being there for him just like I would if he was on the streets. I didn’t look twice at other men. Kastian was it for me.
Even if he got twenty years, he would be it for me. Yes, it would be hard. Hell, if I thought about it for too long, I’d cry. But I couldn’t fold on him. I wasn’t ready for my time with him to be up. The things we could do together were very limited, but he was still alive and still on earth. I could see him, talk to him, smell him, and kiss him. That would have to do and honestly, I’d rather have him in jail than for him to be dead.
“I’m going to leave it alone because you’re going to do what you want to do. Thank you. It’s beautiful, and I love you.”
“I love you too. Stop leaving out of the house and forgetting your gun too. If a fuck nigga catches you slipping, let him have the ring. It can be replaced, but if you can get to your shit, put a hole in that nigga for even trying you.”
Those were things I didn’t want to think about, but it was life. I wanted men to think I was married, so they’d stay out of my face, but if I should happen to be in a bad area, or out alone at night, I probably wouldn’t even wear the ring. I’d seen niggas rob people for less than the ring I had on my finger. The first fifteen minutes went by way too fast, but Kastian called right back, and we talked for another fifteen minutes. When that call ended, I sent him an email. It sucked, but this was our new normal. I didn’t like it, but I was going to have to make it work.
The next day, I didn’t wake up in the best mood. My breasts were super sore, and I was overly emotional. I missed Kastian so much. Standing in his bathroom, I sobbed until my throat hurt. Staying home and not going into the office crossed my mind more than once, but I was determined to go to work. Two weeks before my due date, I was going to stop working, and I wasn’t going back until my baby was at least six months old. I wasn’t depending on the money that Kastian left me either. In order for me to miss six and a half months of work, I needed to work hard and put money to the side as if I didn’t have the million.
After I was dressed and ready for the day, I drove to my favorite coffee shop to get an iced coffee, bagel with cream cheese, and a blueberry muffin. They had the best bagels, muffins, and pastries. As I was checking out, it dawned on methat I needed fruit too. Glancing at my watch, I figured I had just enough time to go to the grocery store across the street and grab some apples, oranges, strawberries, and grapes. There was a mini fridge in my office that I could keep the fruit in.
When my head lifted from checking the time, I took a step back because someone was dangerously close to being in my personal space. When I realized who it was, my lip curled with disgust. David was eyeing me with equal hatred adorning his face. His eyes roamed the length of my frame, and it made my skin crawl. I doubted he was ogling me lustfully, however. My heartrate increased just a tad when his gaze stopped on my ring.
David looked at me with pure anger flashing in his orbs. “Engaged already? That was fast.”
“Got a baby on the way already?” I frowned. “You were faster.”
“My baby was already born. Just because you didn’t want to have kids with me doesn’t mean the next woman didn’t. But fuck all that. Yo’ nigga has money,” David changed the subject. “Even if his bitch ass is in the Feds, I’m sure he didn’t leave you high and dry. I haven’t forgotten that money you owe me.”
Drawing back, I eyed him like he’d lost his mind. “Do you have brain damage? Are you slow? You’re the one that owes me money, dummy. Please get out of my face. Don’t think it’s sweet because Kastian is in jail. His reach is still long. One phone call, and you’ll be missing some teeth.”
The mention of Kastian made David’s jaw muscles flex. “I don’t give a fuck about that bitch ass nigga,” he seethed. He played tough, but after a brief stare down, he turned and walked off.
I doubted I would ever get my money back from him, but it didn’t even really matter. If I never saw David again it would be too soon. I wanted him to go on with his life. I mean, he already had, but I wanted him to not even acknowledge me when he sawme. It would be cool with me if he acted as if I didn’t exist. The house was his. Even though in a court of law, I was entitled to some of the money if he ever sold the house, I didn’t want it. I didn’t want anything from him except the money that I gave him to give to Kastian. Honestly, he didn’t even have to give that back. I had gotten that money back more than tenfold. All I wanted was David out of my life.
Work was extremely busy. By the time I got a moment to myself to use the restroom, eat some fruit, and drink some water, it was after three pm. I had been working nonstop for hours. Between returning phone calls, replying to emails, listing houses, and answering questions from the realtors on the team, time went by super-fast.
I ordered a salad from the deli across the street. I needed some fuel to work for about another hour, and I was done for the day. Since being pregnant, I tried to leave work every day between four and five. I liked being home early. That meant I could get everything done and go to bed earlier. Sleep was my best friend these days. If it was anything under $1,000, I’d probably choose a nap over money.
I had been ignoring my calls if they weren’t Kastian. But when Tesha called, I answered. “Hey, boo.”
“I hope you’re sitting down.”
The heaviness lacing her tone made me sit straight up as if doing so would make me hear better. I wasn’t sure I had the mental capacity to handle bad news. However, my curiosity was piqued. “Yes, I’m sitting down. Why what’s wrong?”
“Ryder’s cousin just called me. He was found in his car around five this morning. Someone shot him ten times and put a dead rat on his body. He told on so many people, the police will have their work cut out for them trying to figure out who did it.”
My eyes widened with shock, even though I wasn’t sure why I was surprised. I knew how people felt about snitches and fromwhat I understood, he’d snitched on a lot of people. “Are you okay?” Ryder wasn’t one of my favorite people, but I knew there was a time when Tesha loved him.
“I’m fine. It sucks, but I’m not surprised. I just wish Ryder would have done things way differently. I think I’m still in shock.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I’m sure quite a few other people wished that too.”
CHAPTER 26
PERSIA
Seven months later….
I knew I had to get all of the tears out before I got my makeup done. I had a photographer set to arrive in the next ten minutes, and I was in the bathroom bawling my eyes out. Despite being pregnant and being an emotional mess, I hadn’t spent a lot of my pregnancy crying but this day, I had been crying off and on since I woke up. I was the same way at my gender reveal. These special moments were the times that I missed Kastian the most. He was set to go to trial in three days, and I was scared out of my mind. The past seven months had been hard. I couldn’t imagine doing seven years or more. But I didn’t really have a choice.
