Page 68 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings

“What happened?” Nudging me away, he searched my face with concern.

“Nothing. It’s just… hard. You being here. I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

“Before you woke up, you were asking for Mommy,” I informed him.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, instant heartbreak breaking out across his face.

“I try to forget about that night, but it’s so hard.”

“Brie, you can’t drive yourself crazy with ‘what if.’ We’ve talked about this.” Daddy stroked my hair like he used to when I was a little girl.

“I know. Sometimes, it’s just… I can’t help but wonder if it was the accident that triggered the aneurysm.”

“The doctor’s all said it was inevitable,” he reminded me gently.

“But that night, that accident… she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up losing her life because some stupid ass person decided to have a shootout. I can’t not think about that regardless of what the doctors said.”

“I know. Come here.” Drawing me into his chest, he continued to stroke my hair when someone tapped on the ajar door.

“Staten.” I quickly wiped the tears off my face and hopped up off the bed. “What are you doing here?”

“Sol told me what was going on. I just wanted to make sure you were good. I know you were alone and everything when you got the news,” he said, his large presence now filling the room.

He was the last person I expected to just show up. When it came to being there for my daddy, the only person who really got it was Plum. She was my rock. She also had genuine love for my daddy and would come visit on her own too. It was hard trying to have relationships with people because I went through life since his diagnosis waiting on the other shoe to drop. At one point, I thought Sayer understood that, but he became resentful and jealous all the time. I’d let so many red flags slip when it came to him all because he was there for me.

“Who is this?” Daddy asked, cutting into my thoughts.

“Oh, Daddy, this is my boss, Staten. Staten, this is my father, Carlos Rhodes,” I introduced them.

“Kind of late for the boss to be checking on you,” Daddy observed, causing me to snicker and roll my eyes at his tone.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. This job is helping me take care of your bills too. So be nice,” I warned, knowing how overprotective he could be.

He never liked Sayer. To the point where when I would bring him for visits, it only agitated Daddy, whether he could remember him or not.

“Does Staten have a last name?”

“Marek,” he answered.

“Staten Marek,” Daddy repeated. “You related to Justus Marek?”

“He was my father.”

“Was?” Daddy quipped, narrowing his eyes curiously.

“He passed away recently,” Staten informed him.

“Oh. Condolences.”

“The doctors said they were running some tests. Let me go see if I can find someone to talk to us about what’s going on. I’ll be back.” I kissed his cheek and started toward the door with Staten not far behind me.

“This is the first time he’s been lucid in months,” I revealed when were alone in the hall.

“What you need me to do?” Staten offered.

Just like that. I hadn’t expected it, but it gave me a sense of calm, and the tension finally eased out of my shoulders. I envied people with siblings the older I got. At least they had someone to share the burden with. It only piled on to the guilt because it always seemed like I wasn’t doing enough. God forbid something did happen to him, I wouldn’t have any immediate family left.