Page 12 of Out of Bounds (Atlanta Demon Series #4)

Eventually, I got tired of the back and forth and told Masai it was either him or me.

It all boiled down to her choosing me, which wasn’t a surprise, and we rocked that shit out until we graduated.

I ended up getting drafted to Philly for football, and Masai got into law school at Villanova University.

I went for what I wanted and needed, and haven’t looked back since then.

I was right about her being everything I thought she was.

She’d proven it time and time again over the last fourteen years of our lives.

Fucking up my relationship with her was a rookie-ass mistake.

It was one that I couldn’t go back and undo.

For now, I had to switch gears and focus on how to explain what was happening to our children.

Trying to get the kids to understand what I’d done without telling them exactly what I’d done was going to be the biggest feat yet.

After sitting outside for a minute, I finally shut off my truck and hopped out.

The whole trek up the driveway, my heart thundered in my chest. I didn’t know if Sai was going to let my ass in the crib, or if she was going to rock my shit like Deuce had done.

Regardless, I was prepared for both. Pressing the button on the Ring doorbell, I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my sweats and stood off to the side.

When the door was snatched open, my wife’s face came into view.

“What are you doing here?” she asked and folded her arms across her chest.

Momentarily, I was rendered speechless as my eyes did a quick scan of her pretty face. Masai’s eyes were puffy and red, like she had finished crying not too long ago. She had on one of her Victoria’s Secret pajama tops, and her hair was thrown up in a sloppy bun.

Apparently, I wasn’t responding fast enough because she snapped her fingers in my face, pulling me from my thoughts. “Kreed…” She gritted her teeth. “Why are you here?”

“I, uh… I came to talk to the kids.”

Sai rolled her eyes before walking away from the door. Like a love-struck fool, I shut the door and followed behind her. Without breaking her stride, she called over her shoulder. “The girls are in their rooms. I just put Kree down for a nap.”

Instead of responding, I continued to trail her through the house.

When we made it to the top floor, I stood by the stairs and watched her walk into the room.

She spun around and stared at me for a few seconds before slamming our bedroom door.

As cold as she was being, her beauty was undeniable.

The mere two minutes of being near her gave me a slight boost, being that I missed her so fucking much already.

Dropping my eyes to the floor, I sighed dejectedly. Eventually, my feet started to move in the direction of our children’s rooms. Sticking my head into Maddie Claire’s room first, I whistled, gaining her attention.

“Hey, Dad,” she mumbled somberly before sitting up in bed.

“Hey, baby.” I breathed. “Can I come in for a quick second?”

“Sure.” She waved me over.

Venturing further into her room, I sat at the foot of the bed. “You been doing okay?” I asked, knowing damn well she hadn’t. Maddie Claire’s eyes looked sad, almost like she knew what was going on between her mother and me.

“No, sir,” she finally whispered. “Are you and Mom getting a divorce?”

“Why’d you ask that, baby?”

“I overheard Nana telling one of the ladies from the church that you messed up, and now Mommy is going to leave you.”

Sucking in a deep breath, I pushed it out before addressing her. “Listen, baby. Daddy definitely messed up, and I did hurt your mom.”

“But you can make it better, right? Apologize and buy her some flowers, Daddy!” she said, sounding hopeful.

“If only it was that simple, baby.”

“But it is. When you forgot about Sophie’s recital, Mom was so mad. You bought her flowers. Remember, Daddy? She wasn’t mad after you bought her the flowers.”

“I know, Bug. But this time… Daddy really messed up.” Grabbing her hands, I held them in mine. “I’m going to be out of the house for a while. In my absence, I need you to take care of your mom and help her with the kids.”

“Dad…” she whined. “I don’t want another daddy.”

“Who said anything about another daddy, Maddie Claire?”

“When Amber’s mommy and daddy got a divorce, Amber got a new daddy.”

“I’m your only father, Bug. I’m not going anywhere. I won’t be living here, but I’ll still be around.”

“You promise?” she asked.

“Yes, Bug. Daddy will still be here. I’ll only be a call away. Anytime you need me, you pick up the phone and call me. I will drop everything and come to you.”

Maddie Claire’s bottom lip quivered as she blinked back her tears. “I don’t want you to not stay here, though.”

“I know, Bug.” Tugging her to me, I sat her across my lap and wrapped my arms around her. My baby lay her head on my chest and cried, and that shit fucked me up so bad. I had to fight back my own tears to show her everything was going to be fine, even though they were going to be different.

I came from a broken home, and I knew what the fuck it felt like to watch everybody around me get the chance to experience both of their parents under one roof.

It’s the reason I’d stayed so devoted to my wife and my marriage.

I never wanted my kids to feel that void that I’d felt for the majority of my life.

I did all this work only for me to turn around and do that same shit to them.

I was a fucked-up ass individual. Hurting Masai was one thing, but hurting my kids was something I promised myself I would never do. I held onto my baby until she’d cried herself to sleep. Once I was sure she wasn’t waking up, I tucked her in bed and slipped out of her room quietly.

I wasn’t equipped to have this conversation multiple times, so after wrangling the other three, I had them meet me downstairs in the living room.

After telling them I was moving out because I’d done something I shouldn’t have done and had to suffer the consequences, naturally, they had questions.

Charleigh Anne and Sophie took the news the same way Maddie Claire had.

Aurora was only four, so she couldn’t understand why I wasn’t staying.

I kept having to repeat that Daddy had made a bad choice and Mommy needed her space.

Once Aurora understood that I wasn’t going to be home at night anymore, she broke my heart even more when she asked who was going to Twitch with her.

She knew her mother hated that shit and that I was her only option.

After promising her that I would create an account and get on with her anytime she wanted, she shrugged it off.

I’d shed so many fucking tears today, I was to the point where I was emotionally tapped out. Once I’d gotten the girls back upstairs, I decided to go and try to have a conversation with Masai. Knocking on the door softly, I called out for her.

“Masai.”

“It’s open,” she murmured just loud enough for me to hear.

Pushing the door open, I stood there stoically, unsure of my next move.

It wasn’t until Masai picked Kree up that my feet started moving.

My baby boy held his arms out and reached for me.

The minute I had him in my grasp, I let out a sigh of contentment.

Kree was too young to be aware of the changes that were getting ready to take place in his life.

He was only a one year old, so I knew I didn’t have to explain anything to him because he wouldn’t comprehend.

Sitting on the bench at the foot of the bed, I peppered kisses along his little face. “I’ve missed you, big boy.”

Kree smiled at me, warming my chest.

Without taking my eyes off my son, I addressed my wife. “I’ve talked to the girls. For the most part, they understand that I won’t be living here anymore. Maddie Claire cried herself to sleep, and I’m certain when she wakes up, she’ll have more questions.”

“Okay…” Masai muttered.

“How we gon’ do this, Sai?”

“I don’t know.” Letting out an exasperated breath, she mumbled, “Never thought doing this was an option.”

“I fucked up, Sai.”

“Yeah.”

“I can’t miss spending time with my kids even though I fucked up.”

“I’m going back to work, Kreed,” she blurted out, making me turn and stare at her.

“When did you decide that?” I queried because I was under the impression that she preferred staying home with the kids.

She snorted. “When my husband decided to create another baby with another woman.”

“Okay, Masai. What we doing ’bout the kids?”

“School, and my mom is going to watch Kree.”

I didn’t come here to argue with her, so instead of opposing, I simply said, “Okay. And where do I fit in the equation?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to go back to work, Masai.”

“You didn’t have to break up our family, Kreed. But you did. So, we all have choices to make, and I’ve decided to go back to work.”

My wife had reached the point where sadness had turned into anger—it was evident in her tone and volume.

Her feelings were valid, and I couldn’t really do shit but take whatever she threw my way.

“Okay. You’re going back to work.” I huffed.

“Anymore life-altering events? Because with me not being in the house, we need to figure out a way for me to get the kids and see them whenever they need me. I’m not missing time with my kids, Masai. ”

“I never said you had to miss time with them. I’m simply saying that I’m going to finally do something for me.”

“And you can do that. I won’t fight you on it. I might be asking for too much, but you know how I am about my children. If you want to go back to work, Masai, do that. But if work starts to interfere with my children’s livelihood, that’s where we’re going to have an issue.”

“As if problems don’t already exist in their livelihood.”

“I’m not refuting that, Masai. I’m just trying to make sure that they’re good.”

“ Make sure they’re good .” She snorted after mocking me. “Like all of this isn’t your fault. YOU did this, Kreed!” she bellowed. “Had you kept your dick in your pants, we wouldn’t be in this predicament now, would we?”

“No, Sai.” I exhaled, trying my best to keep it cordial. “We wouldn’t.”

“Right. So don’t try and tell me shit about livelihood . These kids’ lives are changing because of your actions, not mine.”

“I’m not, and you’re right,” I conceded.

Keeping the peace at this point was essential.

I didn’t want to be at war with my wife, especially when seeing our kids was ultimately up to her.

Instead of trying to get her to understand where I was coming from, I pivoted and said, “I’m going to look for a house to rent.

The kids need their own space when they come visit. ”

“I’m filing for a divorce, Kreed.” The knife just kept going deeper and deeper the more she responded. Deuce told me she was filing, but hearing it come from her hit my soul a little differently.

Peeling my eyes from my baby boy, I glared at her.

The fury in her gaze told me to drop it.

Rising from the bench, I walked over to the side of the bed and passed Kree back to her.

“I’ll call the girls in a few days so I can spend some time with them.

My phone is on; they can call me anytime they want.

“I know you’re angry, Masai, and you have every right to be.

When you’re up for a conversation, I’m down to have it.

Shit ain’t what it seems, and I know my silence in the beginning didn’t put your mind at ease, but whenever you’re ready to hear the truth, I’m willing to give it to you.

” Leaning down, I placed a kiss on her forehead and let my lips linger.

Instead of pushing me away, Masai accepted the temporary moment of affection.

When I heard her soft sniffles, I pulled back and whispered into her ear, “I love you, Masai Dolla. It’s never been a question of how much because the love is limitless.

I ruined us, and I’m going to be the one to fix us.

I’m not letting you go—there will be no divorce.

“Take all the time you need, but know that when it’s all said and done, we will be together, and we’re going to be happy. You can bet on that,” I avowed before pecking her cheek.

Come hell or high water, I was getting my wife back. And I meant that shit. It might not be tomorrow—hell, it might not even be this year—but I was getting her back. There was no me without Masai, and I refused to let her just up and walk away.