Page 19

Chapter Seventeen

Shayna

The testing center was cold, quiet, and smelled sterile.

Liberty was holding my hand, her little fingers tight in mine as we stood in the lobby.

Her eyes were big, curious, darting around at everything.

The floor, the people, the buzzing light overhead.

But they stopped when she saw Kilo sitting in the corner with Mel.

I stopped breathing for a second and my stomach flipped.

I didn’t expect her to be here. Liberty let go of my hand and started walking toward him without hesitation.

“Hey, Kilo,” she smiled.

He stood as soon as she got close, his face softening just enough to kneel and meet her halfway. “Hey, mama.”

She threw her arms around his neck and held on. It wasn’t long, maybe a few seconds, but it was enough to stab me in the chest. He hugged her like he meant it. Like she belonged there.

When they pulled apart, her gaze flicked over to Mel. “Hi.”

Mel gave her a small smile. “Hey, sweetheart.”

Kilo stood again, his arm protectively around Liberty’s shoulder. “Liberty, this is Mel…my fiancée.”

Liberty’s head tilted slightly. “Does that mean she’s gonna be my step mama?”

“Yeah. It does,” Kilo confidently confirmed.

Mel blinked like she hadn’t expected that question. But she kept it together and smiled softly.

Liberty’s smile stretched wide. “Cool! Are you having a baby?”

Mel chuckled softly. “I am.”

“A boy or girl?”

“Boy.”

Liberty gasped. “I always wanted a baby brother.”

Kilo looked down at her with something unreadable in his eyes.

He wasn’t smiling, but there was a calmness there, like he was taking all this in and still trying to piece it together.

I was still frozen near the front, watching the whole interaction with my heart on fire.

Mel’s eyes cut to me next. The look on her face let me know she was holding her tongue for Liberty’s sake and nothing else.

Kilo finally turned his gaze on me. His jaw clenched. “Aye, come here.” His voice was firm and demanding.

The way he said it wasn’t loud, but it was full of warning. The kind that made people sit up straight and think twice.

I walked over slow, setting my purse on the chair beside Mel. She didn’t speak. Neither did I. The nurse came out and called our names, causing me to silently sigh because I didn’t want to be in the same area with this woman for too long.

Kilo looked down at Liberty. “You ready, baby girl?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

He held her hand, then gave Mel one more look. “You coming?”

Mel nodded and followed.

I trailed behind, eyes burning into the back of her head. So much for not wanting to be around her ass.

***

The room was small and bright. The nurse explained everything clearly so we would know what to expect.

Kilo had his arm on the back of Liberty’s chair the entire time.

He had the nurse bring in another chair for Mel to sit in.

She was seated along the opposite wall with hands on her stomach, watching it all unfold.

Liberty followed instructions with ease, squirmed a little at the swab but laughed when it tickled her cheek.

“She’s a tough one.” the nurse smiled.

Kilo smirked. “Yeah…she is.”

Once the samples were collected, the nurse excused herself, leaving us in silence.

Kilo finally turned to me. That cold calm was gone now, only to be replaced with that sharp edge I used to be addicted to.

“I better not regret doing this shit,” he said low.

I squared my shoulders. “I didn’t come here to lie, Kilo.”

“No? But had you not kept the shit to yourself, we wouldn’t be here now, would we?”

Liberty’s eyes shifted between us. I looked down at her and softened my tone.

“She just wanted to meet her father. That’s all.”

“She got him,” Kilo said. “But don’t play like you brought her here just for that. You think I ain’t peep how you moved?”

“We’re not doing this in front of her.” Mel interrupted.

Kilo looked at her, then back at me.

He stepped close, towering like always, and dropped his voice until it was just for me.

“Don’t play with me, Shayna. I don’t care what you thought was gone come from this outside of me building a relationship with my daughter, but don’t play wit’ me, shorty. I’ain never been that nigga.”

I stiffened. “I’ain come back for nothing other than that.”

“Good,” he said. “Keep it that way.”

Liberty tugged on his hand. “Are we done?”

He nodded and crouched again to her level. “Yeah. You did good, mama.”

She beamed. “Can we get ice cream?”

Kilo smiled faintly. “We’ll see.”

Mel touched his arm. “We should get going.”

Kilo looked at me one more time. “You’ll hear from me when the results come in.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“Can I go with Kilo and Mel, Mommy?”

I looked at her, then up to Kilo. His bore into mine and I saw the danger that was housed within them.

“Uhm, maybe another time. How about we go get ice cream?” I offered.

“It’s cool. I’ll take her. Just follow us there.”

Liberty’s eyes lit up before she gave me a quick hug before slipping her hand into his.

The three of them walked off like they were one big happy family while I stood behind…alone.

***

I sat in my car, parked in the parking lot of the ice cream shop.

I didn’t even get out right away. I needed a minute to myself.

I could see them through the window… Kilo, Liberty, and Mel, sitting at one of the round tables inside like they’d done this shit a hundred times before.

Like it was normal. Like that was her family.

Liberty was grinning, talking Kilo’s ear off, waving her spoon like she was giving a full rundown of her life story.

He leaned back, listening, a small smirk playing on his lips like he couldn’t believe how much she reminded him of himself.

Mel sat beside them, cool and calm, belly full and round, gently smiling as Liberty showed her something on her phone.

That was supposed to be me.

I should’ve been the one on the other side of that glass.

Laughing with my man. Watching our daughter talk his head off.

Being the woman by his side, not on the outside looking in like some damn stranger.

But I did this… I kept Liberty from him.

I let my parents’ shame me into silence, let my pride hold me hostage.

I didn’t want him to think I was just like every other chick he’d messed with back then.

I didn’t want to be a burden while he was locked up.

And now, watching them? It was like the entire world moved on without me.

My daughter found the piece of her she’d been missing all her life…

and she found it in them. I watched as they finished up.

Kilo helped Liberty throw her cup away. Mel rubbed her back.

Liberty leaned into her like it was nothing, like she already trusted her.

When they walked out together, I had to turn away for a second. My eyes burned. I hated how soft Kilo’s hand looked on Liberty’s shoulder. Hated how easy it all seemed.

That should’ve been my life.

***

The ride back home was silent, except for Liberty in the backseat humming to herself, legs swinging as she scrolled through her phone. She was on cloud nine.

“Did you have fun today?” I asked, forcing my voice to stay light.

She nodded fast. “Uh-huh. Daddy bought me the biggest sundae. And Mel said I could help her pick out baby stuff if it’s okay with you.”

I gripped the steering wheel. “She said that?”

“Yeah,” she smiled. “She’s really pretty. And she smells good… like something sweet.”

I couldn’t even be mad at her for it. She was nine. This was the first time she got to be around her father. Of course she’d be excited. Of course, she’d cling to the first woman her father trusted.

“I’m glad you liked her,” I said softly.

“I did,” she smiled. “And I liked the way Daddy looked at me. It felt… normal.”

That broke something in me. I blinked fast and kept driving. I hated she felt like she wasn’t normal or that she was deprived of her father’s love and affection because of my choices.

***

By the time we got home, the sky was fading into the sunset. Liberty headed straight for the room with her iPad. I didn’t even have a chance to kick off my shoes before I saw Sean standing in the kitchen, arms crossed, a half-eaten sandwich in his hand.

He looked me over once. “So?”

I closed the door behind me. “So what?”

“You meet with him?”

I walked past him and dropped my keys in the dish. “Yeah.”

He followed me into the kitchen. “And?”

I turned to face him. “And he brought Mel… his fiancée.”

Sean frowned. “He brought her?”

“Yeah. Introduced her to Liberty. She was nice… too nice.”

Sean chewed slow, eyes narrowing. “After the shit you pulled? That sounds calculated.”

“Maybe. Or maybe he just wanted to show me he’s not stupid,” I said. “He watched everything I did like he was waiting for me to slip.”

“He say anything else?”

I paused. “Not directly. But he said I better not make him regret doing it.”

Sean tossed his sandwich on the plate. “That nigga might know something.”

I shook my head. “He might suspect something, but I’on think he knows it was you.”

He stepped in closer, voice low. “Then keep it that way.”

I snatched my arm away. “Don’t talk to me like I owe you some shit.”

“You do owe me,” he snapped. “You owe me for nine years of helping raise that girl. For making sure you never had to worry about shit. For keeping your little secret tucked so tight even Kilo’s own mama ain’t sniff it out.”

I stared at him. “That was your choice. You didn’t do it for free, and you damn sure didn’t do it for love.”

He smirked. “Don’t get brand new now. I said what I said. You keep him calm. You keep Liberty out of the crossfire. I’ll handle the rest.”

I gritted my teeth. “You’re gonna get yourself killed.”

“No,” he said calmly. “I’m gone get us paid. You just make sure your baby daddy don’t figure that shit out.”

He grabbed his keys and headed for the door like he hadn’t just thrown a damn grenade in the middle of our lives.

And the worst part? I didn’t even know how to stop him.