Page 56

Kennedy

Recommendation: Listen to “Never” by Boyz II Men

Everyone was staring at me like I was the one who made her bleed.

As if I shoved a knife into her. Honestly, I wasn’t even paying her any attention, I was focused on Landon.

How he was so attentive with her, paying her attention and showing her love in front of his family.

It was no doubt that there was love shared between the two of them.

At first, I thought this was a phase, and he was only doing this to make me jealous.

That he would end whatever he had with her and then be back onto me.

The more time passed, the more he ignored my calls and paid me no attention.

I realized that he wasn’t making me jealous, he didn’t care about what I had going on.

Landon had cut me off cold turkey. He didn’t need to do the back and forth with me because he was done.

I guess he had always been done with me.

I’ve made every excuse as to why we couldn’t be together, when he was willing to risk his relationship with his brother to be with me.

Make me happy.

“Your father never told me you were slow, Ken.” Menace’s low voice pulled me out of my head, reminding me that everyone was still staring at me.

“This is actually your fucking fault… forbidding us to be together. We could have been happy; I wouldn’t have to marry Alex.”

Stevie had come from the back holding their baby in her arms, a blanket over his head, as she stood beside her husband. “I did that shit to avoid this… feelings get involved and bitches act stupid.”

“Oh, he’s pissed,” I heard Zoya whisper.

“You’re fucking damaged… never fucking healed after what happened to you. Ken, you been to that therapist yet?”

“No, I don’t nee?—”

“Then stay the fuck away from my brother. Nigga has his own fucking set of shit he needs to work on, and he doesn’t need to be going back and forth with someone who hasn’t put herself first to heal…

don’t want that for my boy. He deserves to be happy, not trying to fucking fix you, which he has done in the past, right? ”

I felt defeated and exposed because he was calling me out in front of everyone. My chest tightened because he wasn’t wrong. Menace had sent me a therapist months ago, and I ignored it. I didn’t need to sit and relive everything I had been through with a stranger.

I’ve put all the things done to me in the back of my mind, because they were better there. “It was never because of that. You never wanted him to be with a fucking hooker… be honest, Menace. I work for Case House, and I was never good enough for your precious Don.”

Navy’s parents looked confused. “No worries, we sell pussy for a living,” Stevie informed them.

Her father nodded. “Cool… pussy sell like that?”

“You’d be surprised at the amount of money men will drop for pussy,” Zoya replied, and stood up from the table.

Menace was staring directly into my eyes, and I received chills in my spine. It wasn’t often that he held eye contact, and now I understood. It was cold, menacing, and eerie. How could he be so cold, but married to such a warm and bubbly woman like Stevie?

Stevie struggled slightly with the swaddle on the baby. “Can I show you a way that I used to do it?” Navy’s mother offered.

“Please,” Stevie smiled, excited to get some tips on motherhood.

She carefully took the baby, and they went to the back, so she could show her the proper way.

“You don’t know me and you will never know me, but I’ve never been bothered by what you do.

The rule, at first, was to avoid you ending up hurt.

I know my brother, and commitment wasn’t his thing…

broken hearts and fucked pussies is what he left in his trail of destruction.

I didn’t want that for you. The more I watched; I realized that you’re fucking broken and it may be you leaving him with a broken heart and a wet dick. ”

Stevie and Navy’s mother came from the back, and she had the baby properly swaddled. “Thank you, Avril. Can you please keep us updated on Navy.”

“I will, Stevie. Thank you for this dinner… it was great meeting you all. Menace we’re good… no hugs.” She laughed, respecting his boundaries.

“Good meeting you both,” Menace replied, his eyes still on me.

They both left to head to the hospital with their daughter, and I remained here. Feeling like a teen who had been caught sneaking back into the house. “If you don’t want to marry Alex, who is making you? You don’t have to marry him,” Kora decided to finally speak.

“Who is going to take care of me? I have to look out for me, and marrying Alex makes sure that I am taken care of.”

“Menace has set up a fund for you out of respect for your father. Has reminded you that you didn’t need to work at Case House. Kennedy, you are sabotaging yourself at this point. Painting a picture that doesn’t exist. We’re family,” Zoya added.

Stevie rubbed his shoulder, and he took her hand and kissed the back, staring into her eyes. It was like they communicated without sharing words, just through looking into each other’s eyes.

“You are not my fucking family… y’all keep stressing that and it’s not fucking true. I don’t want the pity money, or to be looked at as the whore that you took in, licked her wounds, and saved her.”

“You said I ate your pussy, Kennedy?”

“What?”

“Menace, what the fuck?” Zoya said, as she held her laugh in and leaned on the counter. “It’s a saying… nothing more.”

He stood up. “We’re not family, heard you… I don’t wish nobody well, so ain’t about to start. You know how to keep your mouth shut. If something gets back to me that you been running that mouth,” he grabbed my jaw gently, “I’m gonna pull it from your fucking face and leave you with your father.”

“Maverick!” Kora gasped.

He stared down at me, his jaw tight. “She knows the rules. Knows when to shut that mouth. She made it real clear… we’re not family.

Don’t expect me to treat her like we are.

She doesn’t get the same respect, the same protection…

not anymore.” He roughly released my chin from his hands, sending my head jerking away.

Kora and Zoya sat at the other end of the table, while Stevie stood beside her husband. He took his son from Stevie, grabbed her hand and they headed toward the elevator.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Zoya questioned and was serious about the question she asked.

“You heard him… we’re not family. Don’t need to explain myself to either of you. You welcomed her with open arms, but you turned your nose down at me.”

Kora checked her phone as she pushed out from the table and walked over toward where her purse sat on the buffet.

“Tonight has been a night, and I’m not gonna sit here and prove how much I’ve been there for you.

When you come to your senses, you know where to find me.

As for Maverick, I don’t know how you’ll fix it. ”

I sat there, listening to her heels on the wooden floor, while Zoya remained seated. “He’s in love. Let him have this happiness, Ken.”

Me and Zoya had always been close, and I loved her because she was so honest. Always down to give you the real, even if you didn’t want to hear it.

“I deserve happiness, too,” my voice cracked.

She came around the table and put her arms around me.

“I agree. But you both cannot have it together. Menace is a lot of things, but he wasn’t wrong.

You would destroy Landon. He would destroy himself trying to fix you, and that isn’t what love is about.

It should be easy, feel good, not be a struggle. ”

Tears fell as I looked up at her. “I do love him, Zoy.”

“Part of loving someone is letting them go, even if that means you can never have them that way again. Don is much like Menace when it comes to forgiveness… you can’t just say sorry and think he’ll let you back in.”

I fucked up so bad.

“I know.”

“Go to therapy. Stop trying to fix it yourself and actually get the help we all know you need. What happened to you was horrible, and nobody can fix themselves without help.”

“Only if you go, too.”

She laughed. “I’m worried about you… get the help. Do you need a ride home, or did you drive?”

“Alex got me a new car,” I groaned, knowing what came with me asking for a new car.

Since he sold the Sonics, things had been better. He wasn’t as tense as he was before. I asked why he sold the company; however, he never explained his reason. Who randomly sells a team?

“Money isn’t everything, Ken.” She felt the need to remind me. “I have money, and it doesn’t make you happier. It only shows just how unhappy you are.”

“Will you have these talks with Navy?”

Zoya laughed. “I like Navy. I’m not picking sides, but I am telling you that you’re wrong. I like who my brother is with her. I want to see their love develop, and if that hurts you, I’m fine with you distancing yourself.”

I smiled, knowing that I had done damage when it came to the Caselli’s and I didn’t think I could fix what I did, or what I said. Don probably hated me, and he had every reason to. Zoya walked me out and stayed behind to clean up the mess after dinner.

Valet had my truck already waiting for me, and I climbed inside and headed home. Wherever home was.