Page 51 of Only for Me

Tiana: I have to go. Love you.

I glanced at my baby who was already dozing. “Avi, your Tee Tee ain’t shit.”

My baby huffed right on cue and I grinned. “Exactly, girl, you get it.”

I lifted my glass and enjoyed a little more of my wine. “But I had fun with you so I’m not complaining. My night was perfect and you’re two blinks from sleep. Let me get our last photoshoot in before I get you down for the night.”

I placed my glass on the table and lifted Avi from her bouncer, soothingly patting her back while I lifted my phone to grab a few more pictures. I never posted anything online but I had enough in my phone to create a minute by minute timeline of my baby’s life. I snapped several selfies of us together, kissing her face while she snuggled up next to me sucking on her fingers.

“Thanks for hanging with me tonight, little bestie.” My baby was already out, milk drunk and content. I carried her down the hall into her room where I carefully lowered Avi into her crib. I smothered her face with kisses before turning on the monitorand heading back to the kitchen where I grabbed my wine glass. I topped it off one last time before I made my way into the living room, setting my glass on the end table.

After I cleaned up our spa station, tossed the fuzzy blanket on the sofa, and grabbed the remote, I snuggled up in the corner and found a movie to watch which I was sure would be watching me within a matter of minutes.

Hourslater I woke to a loud crash which sounded like it was right outside my door. I jerked up from the sofa and swung my head around, blinking several times before I grabbed my phone and checked the time. It was after three in the morning which pushed me into panic mode.

Things were quiet for a minute then I heard a car door slamming which had me quickly lifting from the sofa and rushing down the hallway to my room. I yanked the drawer on my night stand open, grabbed my taser, and stopped by Avi’s room to make sure she was good before heading toward the front of the house, pulling up the cameras.

I narrowed my eyes on the screen then frowned at the massive body stumbling clumsily up my driveway.

“What the fuck…” I mumbled and focused on Omiri’s Range which was now attached to the bumper of my Camry, letting me know what the crashing sound was. He had a bottle in hand which he lifted above his head long enough to finish what was left and tossed it on the lawn. He paused for a minute and jerked a hand down his face, turned back toward the driveway where he fumbled, trying unsuccessfully to open the driver’s door. He turned and almost fell on his ass. After another attempt he righted himself and leaned against the side.

He’s drunk…

And supposed to be out of town…

After tossing the taser on the sofa, I stomped to the door, shoved my feet into my Tasman UGGs and turned the bolt lock then yanked my door open. The amount of anger that flashed through me was dangerous for both of us because I was going to fucking kill this man and Avi would no longer have her father in her life.

Not that he deserved to be in it in the first place after this royal fuck up.

A few weeks of playing devoted father and he was back on the bullshit...

“I fucked up.” I had the camera app up so his voice carried and I frowned at the screen, watching him bend his arms over his head while he paced unsteadily across the yard. “I fucked up so bad…”

I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or himself, or just shouting his sins into the darkness, so I stood in the doorway watching him.

“It should have been me. I should have been the one they got that night. It should have beenme.”

He dropped his arms and balled his fists. One of them slammed back against the side of the truck. “If I had never called you to come get me things wouldn’t be so messed up. You would be here.”

There was something in his voice that extended beyond just a drunk rant. He sounded raw and emotional which had me heading his way. Something wasn’t right about this situation orhim.

Before I could get to Omiri, he pushed away from his Range and yanked at the door again. This time he managed to get it open. I panicked, watching him stumble while trying to get back behind the steering wheel.

“Damnit,” I mumbled, moving as fast as I could in his direction.

No matter how pissed I was, there was no way in hell I would let this man risk his life again. With as drunk as he currently was, I had not a damn clue how he’d made it here in the first place and the only thing damaged was my car.

I managed to grab ahold of his sweatshirt and yanked him away from the truck. He lost his balance and almost fell on me but I was able to dodge him and he landed on the ground.

He cursed under his breath then swung his eyes up to me when I stopped in front of him. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Trying to make sure you don’t kill yourself. Get up.”

“Nah, I’m good. Go in the house.” He frowned at me. “And why the hell don’t you have on any clothes?”

Is he fucking for real?

“I have on clothes. Get up, Omiri.”