Page 23 of Girl, We Go Together
“Already did,” I said, finally admitting to the robbery.
He laughed hard as hell through the phone. While standing to grab a T-shirt off the chair, I put the phone to my shoulder so I could hold it with my ear before continuing.
“Fresh brought it on himself. The man stole from you and thought I wouldn’t react. Now he sees how I play.”
I could feel Omari grinning through the phone. I made the second move, and now it was on Fresh. Omari didn’t respond right away, and that silence told me that under the laughter, he was worried. He never liked war, but I was bred for it. I lived for the back and forth. If anything, the confirmation made me feel lighter. The move had landed. The balance was shifting. AndFresh had already shown that he wanted smoke. I honestly was ready for whatever came next.
“Keep your ears open. And don’t say my name in this. Not even once. I’ll let him know exactly who was responsible for robbing him when I’m ready,” I said before hanging up.
After the line went dead, I stood there for a second, just listening to the house breathe around me. Just listening to how lightly Cayla snored. It was my day to pick OJ up, and I was looking forward to it. I didn’t want to wake Cay, so instead I shot her a text, letting her know that I would be back and that I was going to pick up OJ. I wondered if she would stick around, even after she healed up. Time was flying, and in no time, she would be back at the doctor for her follow-up. I wondered if, with her clean bill of health, she would give me my walking papers as well. Before leaving the room, I stared at her for a bit. She was sprawled across the bed with her mouth slightly open. I had put shit down the night before. The drool gliding down her lip was proof of that. I had to literally pull myself away from staring at her beautiful ass. Quietly, I climbed the stairs to grab some clothes. After changing, I hit the door to go and get my boy.
Chapter 8
Cayla
Iwoke up to an empty bed. The other side of the mattress was still warm, but Orion was gone. I yawned and stretched at the same time while grabbing my phone. His text was waiting for me to open it:
Went to pick up OJ. Be back soon.
That was about thirty minutes ago. I couldn’t remember how far Shenell’s apartment was because we had run errands before dropping OJ off last time. But I knew it was close, which didn’t sit too well with me. For their coparenting to be effective, I guess it was for the best. I took a deep breath, put on some suitable pajamas, and headed for the kitchen. I had been moving around better, and I think the pain meds had everything to do with that. However, I could help out around the house, so I started to.
Cooking had been my little way of making myself feel useful here. I was trying to show him that I wasn’t just another woman passing through. I laid out eggs, bacon, and pancake mix, humming low as I moved around his kitchen. I made sure to pull this meal out in particular because the last time OJ was over, he told me that he loved my fluffy pancakes. The front door opened, and in came Orion’s voice, deep and commanding.
“Slow down, lil man.”
Before I could even wipe my hands, OJ shot through the kitchen doorway. His smile was big, and his little sneakers were squeaking across the floor with every step. He ran right up to me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Caylaaa!” His laugh was pure joy as he squeezed me tight. “You feel like a big pillow.”
I froze for a second and then forced a chuckle while I ruffled his hair.
“Well, good morning to you, too.”
He pulled back just enough to look up at me, then blurted out without hesitation, “Cay Cay, I don’t think you fat and ugly like Mommy said.”
My heart stopped. The words were too sharp, too familiar, like they’d been waiting in the air for me to hear them. Bitches always pulled the fat card when it came to me. It’s like the word ugly was attached to the back end of the word fat. My face card ate the fuck down, though. Still, once I put on the extra pounds, I heard both too damn often. I blinked, opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first.
OJ just grinned while swinging his arms. “I think you’re pretty. And you smell good too.”
I felt like crouching down so we could be eye to eye to have a conversation like this, but the sudden throb in my calf forbade that. Instead, I pulled out a nearby chair so I could be closer to his level. All while fighting the sting in my chest.
“That wasn’t very kind of her to say,” I whispered, more to myself than him. Then, I managed a smile and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for saying I’m pretty.”
He beamed like he’d given me the world. Honestly, his compliment is what softened the blow of the statement he said just before. He smiled again before giving me another hug. That’s when Orion stepped into the kitchen with his keys still in his hand.
“You're already eating up all the hugs, huh?” he teased his son, but I caught the quick flick of his eyes at me. Like he knew OJ might’ve said too much.
I stood from my seat and turned back to the stove. While flipping the bacon, I hid the ache in my chest behind my smile. Orion’s heavy steps carried him into the kitchen. His presence filled the room the way it always did.
“You already got her wrapped around your finger?”
Orion chuckled while shaking his head at his son. Then his gaze landed on me, and for a second, it softened. I flipped the bacon onto a paper towel, pretending I didn’t feel his eyes tracing me.
“If you keep cooking breakfast like this every morning, Cayla,” he said before briefly pausing, “I’ma start getting used to it.”
I glanced at him, trying not to let the compliment show too much on my face. When his head tilted to the side, I instantly smirked.
“Don’t get spoiled.”
