Page 50 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings

“What if I give her what she wants?”

“Then what? Turn around and divorce her and co-parent? Doesn’t that seem a little cruel to you? And what about the baby? That child deserves a loving two-parent home, Ivo.”

“I’ll love this baby regardless, Emerald, because it’s going to be yours and mine anyway.”

“That means you’ll also have a tie to Jordan for the rest of your life regardless of a divorce,” I pointed out.

This didn’t make sense. Telling the truth might hurt, but I felt like in the long run that was the best option, and we would just deal with the fallout later.

“I kind of feel like I owe her. We went through so much trying to have kids, and I know it took its toll on her. I feel like it’s even more selfish to leave and go back on my promise to her.”

“So, I’m just supposed to sit around her pretending that we’re not sneaking around behind her back and preparing to break her heart when this is all over? That’s fucked up.” I jumped to my feet and held the sheet against my chest to keep me covered.

I had to be as crazy as he was to even be considering this, but I loved him too, and I wanted us to have a chance.

I also knew that karma was real, and I didn’t want to be responsible for anyone’s heartbreak.

Jordan wasn’t a bad person, and that made it even more shitty of me to be going behind her back like this.

“Then give me time to figure out another solution. Can you do that?” he asked, coming up behind me as I stood at my dresser, staring at my reflection.

His strong arms slid around me, pulling me into him, and he rested his chin on my shoulder.

“I got a new place for you and Sapphire. It’s bigger, three bedrooms, a balcony, and garage. There’s also a brand-new Audi waiting for you to drive.”

“Why would you do all that?” I asked, spinning to face him.

“I told you I love you. I don’t want you to have to worry about that type of shit. Focus on trying to find another job, if that’s what you want. If not, I can take care of you, Em, ain’t no issue with that for me.”

“So, I get to be your little kept side chick, is that it?”

“You taking this all wrong.”

“Am I?” I questioned, drawing my brows together.

“Fuck yeah! I just told you I’m in love with you and you’re the woman I want to be with, and you still questioning every fucking thing! Do you want to be with me?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“I’m making it that fucking simple. Answer the question.”

“For so long I always wondered if you were the one that got away. The reason I could never make shit work with anyone else. Being with you has become something I thought would never happen, but here we are. I can’t stand here and lie and say that I don’t want to give us a chance, but I’m scared,” I confessed.

It was more than fear. Ivo was a sign of hope for me.

He made me feel like things might just work out because he said so.

This man represented a time in my life where my future was brighter than ever.

So many times I wondered what we would be now if I hadn’t been scared and allowed him to be there for me.

If I didn’t let my parents get in my head about him and the dangers of his family.

I learned a long time ago the world was a dangerous place no matter how you spun it.

You could go out in a blaze of gunfire or get hit by a bus crossing the street. Either way, you couldn’t avoid living.

“I know, but you don’t have to be. I ain’t going nowhere, Em.

I just need you to believe that for me, mama.

I promise we end game.” Cupping both of my cheeks, he pulled me into him for another kiss.

“I gotta head out though. Here.” He went into his pocket and retrieved a keyring with two keys on it and handed them to me.

“I’ll text you the address. If you need help moving anything, let me know and I can get some of my boys to help.

I gotta go, but I’ll check in with you in the morning, aight? ”

Smiling, I clutched the keys in my hand and nodded.

“Okay.”

Ivo finished dressing, and I slipped into a pair of tights and a t-shirt to walk him out.

We’d spent the last hour pleasuring each other, and I’d tuned out the rest of the world.

Now it was back to reality. When I flung the door open to my apartment and found Sapphire on the other side ready to let himself in, I nearly pissed on myself when I saw that he wasn’t alone.

Not only was Blaine with him, but so was our punk ass mama.

Immediately, my stomach tanked as Ivo came up behind me protectively.

“What are you doing here?” My harsh tone was intended for Rashida, but everyone was looking past me, probably wondering the same thing about Ivo.

“She came to the school while I was at practice,” my brother answered. “Said she wanted to talk to us.”

“We don’t have anything to say to her. Get in here.” I stepped aside so that he could enter, and Blaine strolled in behind him with his hands in the pockets of his sweats.

He and Ivo immediately sized one another up, and I stopped the train there.

Placing my arm in the doorway so that Rashida couldn’t enter, I looked her up and down.

She’d spared no expense on the YSL ensemble with the matching heels and belt.

Her pixie cut crowned her slim face and accented her slim nose.

The red matte lipstick highlighted the golden tint in her slanted eyes too.

Sapphire shared the same skin tone as Rashida but was the spitting image of our father with his signature hazel eyes.

“You’re being ridiculous, Emerald.”

“Am I? I told you we don’t need anything from you and I don’t want you around Sapphire.” I aimed a finger in her face.

“Em, it’s okay. I want to talk to her,” my brother chimed in from behind me as he dropped his backpack on the couch.

I shot a glance at him over my shoulder first before turning back to a very smug Rashida.

Lowering my arm, I allowed her to pass, critiquing our little apartment the whole way.

I slammed the door shut behind her and turned with my hands on my hips.

There wasn’t a soul in this world that I resented more than her.

Every time I look at her it was a reminder of what we’d lost. Our daddy might have embezzled and lost our business, but if it weren’t for her constant nagging and belittling after that happened, maybe he wouldn’t have killed himself.

She was a toxin wherever she went, and I didn’t want her spreading that shit to Sapphire.

“Ivo Marek,” she declared. “It has been a long time. I’m surprised to find you here though.” Now the bitch was being messy.

“It’s none of your business why he’s here. He was just leaving as a matter of fact.”

Swiping his beard and pinching the corners of his mouth, Ivo side eyed Blaine, who was still canvassing him, then greeted my little brother with a nod.

“Later, Emerald.” He strolled to the door and let himself out.

I knew he was also going to have questions when this was all said and done. Already, Rashida was giving me a headache. Pinching my forehead, I took a breath before giving her my attention again.

“Don’t be mad, Em. I don’t need you getting all worked up about this, okay. I wanted to talk to her.” Sapphire sat down beside his backpack.

“Why? She’s basically ignored our existence since Daddy died, Sap. Why would you want to give her your time? I don’t trust her, and I don’t want you buying into her bullshit.”

“You want to paint me as the unstable one?” Rashida countered, lowering herself into a recliner chair near the windows in the corner. “You don’t even have custody of your own daughter. How is Jury by the way?”

I lunged for her. Luckily, Blaine was there to hold me back because I was ready to rock her ass for that little slick shit!

It was one thing to come for me, but nobody talked about my daughter.

I missed her every single day and only got to talk to her twice a month due to a fucking court order her raggedy ass daddy put in place.

I had visitation, but it was far from regular and not seeing her or spending time with her hurt like hell.

Rashida knew full well that was a sore spot for me, but she didn’t care.

She never even took the time to be a grandparent to Jury.

“Get the fuck out of my house!”

“You mean this box you call home? Is this any way for a fifteen-year-old boy to live?” Rashida soaked in the rest of our empty apartment.

We didn’t have shit, but it was ours, and she wasn’t about to make me feel bad about doing the best I could for us. She damn sure wasn’t willing.

“We doing aight, Ma. Emerald makes sure I ain’t going without anything, and I’m doing real good in school.”

“You can always do better, Sapphire. It’s how your father and I raised you.”

“Don’t put that on him! He doesn’t have to be anything like Daddy. Obviously, the man was more fucked up than any of us knew!” I marched over to the table beside the door and snatched up the letter from the insurance company.

When I ripped it open, I quickly skimmed the contents. My stomach now felt hollow before nausea brewed, making me sick. This irritable rumbling in my belly took over like I had to throw up, and the letter rattled like a leaf in the wind in my hand.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rashida ran her fingers through the back of her hair.

“You tell me, mother. Looks like you got some mail!”I marched over and tossed the letter in her face.

Grabbing the paper, she brought it closer to read slowly. Lips moving as she skimmed the words, her eyes grew with each one. When she dropped her hand in her lap and gaped guiltily at me, I had all the clarity I needed.

“This doesn’t mean anything.”

“It doesn’t mean anything? What it means is that you are a low down, lying ass bitch!” I accused, aiming my finger at her once again.

“Em.” Sapphire jumped up and placed himself as a barrier between us.