Page 36 of His Playground

“My mama was my person. And then she wasn’t. What if you all go away too?” The tears are streaming down her cheeks now.

“Oh, honey, no. That’s not ever going to happen,” I reply, pulling her against me. Jazzy’s tiny arms wrap around my neck, and I hold her tight. “I promise I’m not going anywhere, and your daddy…Carloisn’t ever going to leave you.”

Chapter Fifteen

Igo to check on Jazzy and find her in the hallway. On the floor, with her arms wrapped around Antonia.What the fuck?

Antonia’s eyes connect with mine as she says, “I promise I’m not going anywhere, and your daddy…Carloisn’t ever going to leave you.”

“What happened?” I ask.

“Nothing.” Jazzy pulls herself out of Antonia’s arms and wipes at her cheeks.

“Jazzy, what happened? Why are you upset?” I crouch down to her level.

“I just… I don’t want you guys to leave me too,” she says.

“Sweetheart, we aren’t going to leave you. I promise.” I pull her into my arms. “You’re mine, and I always look after what’s mine.”

“And Antonia? She’s yours too, right? So you’ll look after her too?” Jazzy asks.

“And Antonia,” I confirm.

“Okay,” Jazzy says before sprinting back towards the kitchen like nothing happened. “Oh, I forgot my drink from Aunt Charlotte. I’ll be back.”

“What’s going on?” I look to Antonia.

“Charlotte said something about us being her people, and Jazz got upset thinking that we were going to leave her like her mother did because her mom was her person.”

I’ve never wanted to kill a woman before, but fuck if Jazzy’s mother isn’t pissing me off more and more every day.

“She’s going to be okay with time. I think we…youjust need to keep reminding her and showing her that you’re not going to leave,” Antonia says.

“We,” I correct her.

“We.” Antonia smiles a little. “I should go back in there.”

“Think we should take her home?” I don’t want Jazzy to have to put on a happy face to please people. I’d much rather take her home and spend time with her.

“As much as I’d love to leave, I think we should stay. She loves your family, Carlo,” Antonia says.

“Our family,” I correct her again.

“Okay, let’s eat. I’m starving.” Charlotte walks up with Jazzy and Evie behind her.

I grab Jazzy and pick her up. “You good? Say the word and we can blow this joint. Go home and eat pizza while watching one of your princess movies.”

“I’m okay. I want to see what Tío E’s surprise is,” she says.

“Right, almost forgot about that.” I put her down and she runs off after Charlotte and Evie again. “Should I be concerned how quickly her moods change?” I ask Antonia.

She laughs. “She’s a girl. Just wait until she’s a teenager. You ain’t seen nothing yet, Daddy.”

My cock doesn’t just twitch. It hardens at hearing my wife call me that. I don’t even try to disguise the fact that I have to adjust myself.

“Oh my god, you liked that more than you should, you pervert,” she gasps.

“I don’t know. Maybe you should say it again, just to test the theory?”