Page 108 of Love's Most Wanted

“She know she yo’ new beard? Or you still prancing around this muthafucka acting like you straight?” I snapped, cutting Kabrina off and causing Aunt Bell, Aunt Rosette, Sharon, and a few men nearby to gasp.

“Unique! What are you talking about?” Kabrina exclaimed.

“I have no idea, but I have never in my life met this young man.” Devante stood ten toes on his bullshit, eyeing me as if he was tough.

Again, that set my ass off, and next thing I knew, I’d shoved the fuck out him, making him fall into the dirt on his ass.

“Unique!” Kabrina screamed as I got ready to charge on that nigga. His wife jumped in front of me as his baby girl screamed, and that was what caused me to snap out of this shit.

As badly as I wanted to stomp a mud puddle in that nigga, I wasn’t about to do it in front of his daughter. She was young as fuck but not young enough to ever forget her father getting his ass handed to him.

Same time, I knew I couldn’t stay here and mingle in the same circle as this nigga, so I made an about face and started back for the car.

I turned back to look over my shoulder once more to be sure I wasn’t seeing shit and that was actually my father. But as Sharon helped him to his feet, mouth moving, probably cursing my name, I got another look at the nigga, and it was definitely him. His knowing eyes landing on me only confirmed the shit further.

I wasn’t in my whip for ten seconds before a fuming Kabrina was banging on the passenger side window for me to unlock the door and let her in.

“Baby, I’m sorry,” I said, only now seeing how embarrassed she probably was at my behavior. “I can’t stay though. Maybe I can take ya people out to eat or something this coming week.” I started my car, but she pressed the button to turn my shit back off.

“I want you to tell me what just happened, and I don’t wanna wait until we get home.” She was turned in her seat, arms folded, dark hair still clipped up. Her light face was flushed, making her look angry but innocent and me feel like shit even more.

Her hazel eyes had darkened a bit, signaling that she was pissed off, and rightfully fucking so. I peered down to take a breather before I said anything, catching sight of the family reunion shirt I had the nerve to be wearing while acting an ass.

Running my hand down my mouth and beard, I caught her eyes and said, “Remember what I told you ’bout my biological father?”

“Of course. That he was gay and that he left you guys once your mother found out and wanted a divorce.”

I nodded, glad she remembered enough to where I wouldn’t have to go over the shit again. If I had to, I might just hop the fuck out and deck that bitch ass nigga.

“I didn’t tell you that he moved on, got married and shit around the same time my mama got pregnant with Banks.”

“Okay but…” She stopped talking and her eyes widened. “Are you saying Sharon’s husband is your father?”

“I am.” I nodded. “Fuck.” I grumbled.

“I knew something about his son was familiar—his demeanor—but couldn’t see why.” She looked down for a second then back up. “The shape of the eyes too. You guys look like your mother, but your eyes are the shape of his.” She turned in her seat to sit straight, so I started the car. “This is crazy.”

“If you wanna stay, love, we can. I promise I won’t act up. I’ll keep it chill.”

“No. I wouldn’t ask you to do something like that. Is this the first time you’ve seen him since?”

“Yep.” I pulled off. “My brother saw him a few years ago, and he pretty much said he didn’t regret abandoning us and changing his name.”

She shook her head and replied, “I remember as a child Aunt Bell said Sharon’s husband came out of nowhere, and she always thought it was suspicious and mighty convenient that he had no siblings and his parents were dead.”

I chuckled. “He doesn’t have any siblings, but my grandparents are very much alive as you might’ve seen at Banks’ party.”

“Oh my gosh!” She covered her mouth, probably recalling meeting them.

“Aye, keep this to yourself for right now, baby. I wanna tell my brothers first.” I placed a hand on her exposed thigh, caressing the soft skin of it.

“I will.” She put her hand on top of mine, making me flip mine over to grasp hers. “I’m sorry about all of this, baby.”

“Not your fault, love. You ain’t even know.” I drove onto the freeway, not knowing what to feel.

I felt fucked up for letting that nigga see that I even cared. I felt like shit for acting how I did in front of Kabrina’s people. And I felt sick all over again, like I had years ago, seeing that nigga move on like it was nothing—like we weren’t shit to that nigga. He was the living version of the statement you could always make more kids.

The fact that he’d been a father to me for eight years, then was able to just stop was crazy. Nigga was around me constantly from birth and just left like it was nothing. I could barely go two weeks without FaceTiming my fucking nieces and nephews, yet this nigga was able to abandon six kids and not even send a fucking letter.