Page 49 of Ony If It’s You

Chapter Twenty-Eight

J avyous

Sleep was not happening for a nigga last night, so I snuck out of bed and went down to the living room with my laptop so I could finish up some shit that I had been working on.

Having my mother and Lani’s grandmother staying at the spot reminded me just how much we needed more space.

This townhouse was cool for what it was, but we had a bigger family than I anticipated so we needed more space.

Ms. Cheryl had found me a spot in Chandler Heights that I knew my girl and kids would fuck with, so now I was having that mothafucka furnished. Picking out furniture and shit was hard as a mothafucka too. The shit was really for fucking females.

“You’re up early,” I heard from behind me.

Turning a little, I saw my mother as she entered the kitchen and went straight to the coffee shit. Kehlani loved that shit, she even had one that made them sweet ass alcoholic drinks.

“Couldn’t sleep,” I admitted before giving my attention back to my computer screen. “How’d you sleep?”

“Better than I have in a long time,” she answered as she joined me on the couch. “Thank you for at least listening to me.”

“No doubt.” I nodded, refusing to look at her. “We got a lot of shit to work on, but it ain’t gon’ happen overnight, aight? Just because I let you crash here last night doesn’t mean I let the shit go, I still need to process everything.”

“I know. I’m just glad you’re at least willing to work on us. W-will I get to be a part of the twins and the baby’s life while we work through this?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” I frowned finally looking her way.

“I don’t know, I don’t want to cross boundaries and make you uncomfortable.”

“Bruh, I’ve known you my entire life, so I’m not uncomfortable, just pissed off to be real. Kehlani and the kids love you though so imagine me not allowing you to be around.”

“Right.” She laughed awkwardly putting us back in this weird space.

“You think my girl would like this?” I turned my computer to face her for her opinion. She was a woman; she was better at this shit than I was.

“It’s beautiful, definitely screams Kehlani. It’s too big for this small space though.” Her hand circled, indicating our current living room.

“Yeah, I know.” I eyed the furniture set as I ran my hand across my fresh fade. “I bought her a house.”

“Javyous,” she whispered with big ass smile on her face. “Wow, you’ve really grown up. I know you’re a grown man and all, but just a year ago you were shacking up with two hussies and now you’re buying your wife a house? I’m so proud of you.”

Smirking I glanced her way.

“Is it because I’ve grown or because I’m not with the hussies anymore?”

“Both,” she answered with a wide smile on her face and I laughed.

“Word, we gon’ need the space though. With my son coming and y’all staying at the crib from time to time, this townhouse ain’t nowhere near big enough.”

“Son? It’s a boy?”

Just as she answered the question there was a knock at the door. I frowned at how hard and loud it was but didn’t think much of it as I stood to answer it.

“I mean we don’t know officially, but I know what I make.” I answered her question as I pulled the door open to find the last mothafucka that I wanted to see standing there. “Fuck is you doing at my crib?”

“Where is Phyllis?” he asked, blatantly ignoring my question. I was going to let him get off with his little attitude before he tried to enter my shit without consent.

“Naw, step back.” I gave him a light shove.

“Oh, I can’t come in?”

“Naw you can’t, mothafucka,” I spat.

“Whatever, get my woman.” He waved me off like I was some fucking errand boy.

“You ain’t got no mothafuckin’ woman in here, my nigga, and I don’t know who the fuck you think you talking to and waving off like that but yo’ ass better fucking recognize.”

“And if I don’t?” he asked, stepping to me but sure to leave enough space to keep shit respectable, but me, I ain’t give a fuck so I eliminated all that shit.

“And if you don’t you gon’ fuck around and find yourself on the receiving end of this ass whooping.”

“Is everything okay, baby?” Kehlani asked from behind me before I felt her soft hands on my back.

I looked over my shoulder at her briefly before I nodded and answered, “Yeah, baby, step back for me.”

“Javy—”

“Back, baby,” I repeated, cutting her off. I only felt her hands on me for a few more seconds before the disconnect. My father chuckled at the gesture like something was funny. “Training her up well I see.”

“My patience with you is nonexistent so you don’t even have one more mothafuckin’ time to say some flaw shit out ya’ mouth to me… matter fact you need to bounce before you really piss me off.”

“I’m not going nowhere without?—”

WHAM!

A fist to his mouth silenced his sentence and sent him crashing backward onto his ass. I heard my girl and mama yelp, but I ain’t have time to worry about that. Instead, I stepped out the door and kneeled down to pull my pops up by the front of his shirt.

“I told yo’ ass to bounce before you pissed me off, but you ain’t listen now yo’ ass got a broken fucking jaw.

Get yo’ ass up and scram before I give you the ass whooping you really deserve.

I don’t exist to you anymore and my mothafuckin’ mama don’t exist to yo’ ass no more, you got me?

” His bitch ass didn’t answer me verbally, just nodded. “Good, now bounce.”

A light shove sent him back onto the ground again before he shot to his feet and darted off. His best bet would be to heed my fucking warning because if not he was going to find himself with a well whipped ass no doubt.

After closing the door, I turned to face my wife and mother who both were sporting worried expressions. I waved Lani over and waited for her to melt into my side.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Peachy, you slept aight?”

She nodded so I leaned down to kiss her lips.

“Go get my bag and shit ready. I got to head to the gym.”

Today was the day of the charity event so I needed to get there early and shit. I also needed to holla at Pres and see why the fuck he’d never told me about him and my mother. Nique’s ass was going to have a field day with this shit as well.

“Okay, baby,” she said before leaving me alone with my mother.

“You not going back there,” I said, breaking the silence that surrounded us.

“I have to, h-he will go to the police, JV, I can’t be away from you and my grands for the rest of my life.”

“And you won’t,” I replied and pulled her into a hug. “Haven’t I always looked out for you?”

“Yes.”

“Aight then, this shit ain’t no different. I’m gon’ put you up in a hotel or some shit until I move out of here, then you can have this spot.”

“JV, I don’t know, he—your father?—”

I cut her off. “I already said what I said, aight? And in the event that you decide to go back to him because you’re grown you won’t be around my kids. I hate to put it like that, but that nigga won’t ever have the luxury of being around mine.”

“O-okay. What will I do about my clothes?” she asked.

“I’ll get all that, but in the meantime I’m going to have Ms. Cheryl bring you some stuff by here to hold you over.”

She nodded.

I eyed her for a few more minutes before finally walking away so I could go upstairs and get ready. I needed to clear my mind before I got to TKO and was flooded with cameras and fans. I would hate to take my shit out on one of them when they were innocent as fuck.

“Javyous, this was amazing. How are you feeling?” one of the reporters asked me.

“Aww man, I feel good,” I admitted as I swiped down my face with the towel that was thrown across my shoulder. “Tonight truly was amazing. I’ve never been a part of anything like this. I truly do hope that this is something that can be made to happen at least annually.”

He nodded, impressed. “Wow, that would be awesome. What can we expect from you next?”

“Shit—my fault, I have a fight coming up with La’Key Daniels in a few months, so you guys can for sure be on the lookout for that.”

La’Key was a big boxer from the south and his people had reached out to Ray about getting us together. I hadn’t really fought many fights in my new division, so I was stoked to actually be doing that, plus it would be for the belt.

“Wow the previous champion, that’s going to be something.”

“Facts.” My girl and the twins were approaching so I needed wrap this shit up.

“Alright I see the family is here, I won’t hold you, JV,” the reporter said as he reached for a handshake. “There you have it folks the next time we see JV will be in the ring with?—”

“Another easy opponent,” I heard from across the room. My eyes quickly shot in that direction and I noticed a nigga I’d never seen with an entourage of niggas behind him. They’d also grabbed the attention of some of the other fans that had hung around a little later.

“Who the fuck is that?” my cousin leaned in and asked.

“Hell if I know,” I answered him with a frown. I didn’t know who buddy was or his angle, but I did know that he was clearly on bullshit and this wasn’t the place or time for it.

“How you doing?” He smiled at the reporter and extended a hand. “Levi Graham.”

Levi Graham.

The only Levi Graham that I was familiar with was the MMA fighter. I didn’t know what he looked like or anything, but I did know the name. What was he doing here though?

“What’s good, my mans?” When he stretched his hand in my direction I looked down at it then back at him. He chuckled and turned his attention to Lani who was standing directly beside me. “Nice to see you again, beautiful.”

When he reached for her hand, I shoved him back roughly then stepped in front of her.

“I don’t know what ya’ fucking plans are tonight, my man, but if it’s not to get your ass beat then don’t fucking touch my girl.”

“Javyous.” I heard Kehlani behind me and felt her tugging my arm, but I wasn’t tryna hear that and I didn’t give a fuck about the cameras rolling. I didn’t play that disrespect shit.

“It’s a little too late for that my man , ain’t that right, beautiful?”