Page 33 of Love Me Now: Baltimore & Madelyn

“She’s good for now. I’m about to run back to Bell Estates. Genesis good wit’ you?”

Heir playfully smacked her teeth. “Yes, he is.”

Chuckling, I replied, “Just makin’ sure. You need anything from the house?”

She thought for a second, then said, “Yes, my book bag. It’s on my bed.”

“Okay, I’ll send it back with Jahdi. That’s cool?”

She nodded. “Thanks, Cooley.”

“It’s nothing.” Heir was an extension of Maddie, and I’d known her since she was four. I’d give my life for her just like I would her mama. In my eyes, she was now my daughter. Hopefully, she would one day see me as a father figure.

“No… I mean, thanks for everything. Including being there for my mama. Will you promise me that you’ll never break her heart?”

Thiswas what a mama and daughter bond was supposed to be like. A daughter’s protectiveness over her mother was a testament to the deep love and admiration she had for her mother.

“Do you believe that people can keep their promises?” I asked her.

“Yes. My mom has never broken a promise.”

I made note of the fact that she didn’t mention her brother or her daddy. That shit was fucked up. I put her concerns on my back, though, and carrying them would be nothing.

“I promise that neither of you will ever have a care in the world, and that your hearts are safe with me.” Maddie’s heart was connected to her daughter’s heart. Hurting one would hurt the other. I would never do that.

Heir’s eyes misted over, but she blinked the moisture away. “Thank you, Cooley.”

I offered her a small smile. “Get some rest, aight. Jahdi will bring some things for you and Genesis. If he gets outta hand—”

She smacked her teeth again, then laughed. “I got him,” she assured me. “You just make sure the Wicked Black Witch hasn’t put Toast in the toaster. I’ve been keeping her in my room since the witch has been there just to keep Toast safe.”

I burst out laughing because that sounded like some shit Mrs. March would do.

“I can’t let her do shit to that dog. Maddie would lose her mind.”

“Exactly,” Heir seconded. I was still laughing when I got on the elevator to go back to the lobby.

A little while later, I arrived at Seven Bell Estates.

As I walked through the house to make sure everything was in its place, I prayed over the place where my family laid their heads. I wasn’t sure if Maddie would ever give up this place. Renovations were ongoing, and this was where all her memories were. If she decided to stay here, then I was moving the fuck in. Hell, our memories began inside her bedroom and merged onto the patio. Therefore, I had memories here too, shit.

Finding everything in place, I headed to Maddie’s room to pack her a duffle bag. Once I was done, I retrieved Heir’s bookbag, then headed to Genesis’s room to get him a bag together. Finally, Mrs. March appeared at Genesis’s door.

“My daughter isn’t an opportunity for you to dig your claws into her wealth,” she said.

Frowning, I turned to her and said, “I thought Maddie told you to leave.”

“You have her feeling emboldened. Trust me, she doesn’t want me to go anywhere. Who’s gon’ be here to pick up the pieces when you discover she’s not what you want.”

Chuckling, I replied, “Standin’ here wastin’ my energy on you is the last thing I wanna do. However, since Maddie is no longer my boss and she’s now my woman, I won’t stand here and let you be reckless at the mouth when it comes to her. Matter fact, when it comes to her or the children.”

She chuckled. “So now all of a sudden, you’re this great guy? Where the hell were you when Duval made that baby on her? Huh? Where were you when he was putting his hands on her?”

I bit my back teeth to keep my anger under control. Mrs. March knew how to get under my fucking skin.

“Mrs. March… Don’t ever mistake me for a fuck nigga, aight?”

She gasped.