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Page 44 of Out of Bounds (Atlanta Demon Series #4)

“You can come in,” Masai said from the other side.

When I pushed the door open, she was sitting in the middle of the bed in her robe, thumbing through a stack of pictures. Her hair was pushed back from her face with a pink headband, and her eyes were misty.

“We made a lot of memories together over the years. When we divorced, my plan was to get rid of all of these, but something told me to keep them. So, I bought this keepsake box and stored them here.” Pausing, Masai smiled at a picture of us in college.

“Over the past few days, I’ve been going through them, wondering if I had missed any signs.

We looked happy ,” she whispered that last part.

“I can’t pinpoint a time when we’d never been happy. ”

“That’s because there wasn’t a time. We’ve never not been happy, Masai.”

She held up our wedding photo and smiled. “We were babies when we got married. I remember my dad asking me if I was sure that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you and offering to sneak me out of the chapel if I changed my mind.” She tittered.

“That sounds just like yo’ fuck-ass daddy.” Ambling over to the bed, I sat on the side and swiped a picture up. “Remember when I took this?” I asked and held it out to her.

She snorted. “I was six months pregnant with Sophie, and I was so mad because I felt ugly as hell.”

“And I took it to remind you how beautiful you were. You’ve always been the prettiest girl to me.”

“I was fat as fuck!” She laughed. “My nose had spread so fast.”

“And I would’ve still picked you.” Swiping my tongue across my bottom lip, I sighed. “Sai, I know you prolly don’t want shit to do with me, but I can’t just move on like we never meant anything. I’ve been trying to give you space.”

“Space…” she mused. “When have you tried to give me any space? You’re always here, Kreed. Right here, every time I turn around. You give me everything but space.”

“That should tell you something. I want us back, Masai. I don’t know what I gotta do to prove to you that I’m so sorry for fucking up and that I won’t ever do that shit again.

But, baby, I can’t leave you alone, and I refuse to let you go be happy with a nigga that ain’t me.

We ain’t do all of that…” I pointed at the stack of pictures. “For us to just let this be the end.”

Masai sighed. “I’m so confused. I’ve been trying to make sense of everything for a few months now.

I want to take you back, but then I think about the betrayal, and it still hurts.

Kreed, I’ve never loved anyone the way that I love you.

And I thought moving on would somehow make those feelings go away, but it didn’t.

If anything, it reminded me of the reasons I fell for you to begin with.

I just don’t know if we could ever go back to where we were. ”

“We can, though, Sai.”

She held her hand up and shook her head. “I don’t think we can.”

I couldn’t lie. Hearing that shit out loud broke my fucking heart. I needed Masai more than I needed the fucking air in my lungs. I couldn’t accept that we were over. Something in me kept saying to try. “Masai…”

Dropping her head, she shook it. “We can’t go back. Can’t erase history, Kreed. It doesn’t work like that. I’m not saying that we can’t try and mend things, but I don’t think it would ever be like it was.”

“What you saying, Sai?” I queried, sitting up.

“I’m saying…” She cleared her throat. “We can try. It won’t be an overnight thing, but I wholeheartedly think it’s worth giving it a shot.”

“Are you sure?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I know I love you, and I know I’ve tried to get over you.

I also know that I miss you—I miss us. I miss who and what we were.

But I also love the space I’m in. If we give this another shot, it won’t be like it was.

There are things that I have now that I refuse to give up. ”

“Things like what?”

“My career, being number one. While I love being a stay-at-home mom and caretaker for this family, I can’t be put back in that shell. I spent years in school to earn my degree—a degree that I hadn’t used in years. I’m not quitting my job.”

“That’s fair.”

“Right.” She tongued her cheek. “Another thing: while I enjoyed my tenure as president of the women’s organization, I don’t want to step back into that role.

I’m perfectly okay with attending events when my schedule permits, but I don’t want my entire identity wrapped up in you.

I enjoy my independence; I enjoy being able to say no—being able to choose when I want to be present for something.

I love my job. It gives me a sense of purpose outside of those kids and you.

Simply put, my life no longer revolves around you. ”

“I’m okay with that.”

“You really don’t have a choice.” She laughed slightly. “It won’t be an overnight thing, but we can start small and see what happens.”

“I heard your demands, and I have a few of my own.”

“Really?” She cocked her head to the side.

“Nothing major.” I laughed. “You gotta get rid of that nigga. If we gonna work on us, you can’t do it and still be fucking off with Lamar. I’m not feeling that shit.”

“Done.”

“Cool. The last thing is therapy. I think we should give it a shot.”

“Since when have you wanted to do therapy?” she asked incredulously.

“Since it was suggested to me.” I shrugged. “I’on know if it’ll help, but I’m not against trying the shit out.”

“Therapy is cool with me.”

“Aight then.” I clasped my hands together. “So, we really ’bout to do this?”

“I think so.” She exhaled through a small smile. “I don’t want to tell the kids because I don’t want them to get their hopes up.”

“I understand that too.”

“And we’re going to remain in separate houses.”

“Now, hold on now. I ain’t say allat.”

“Kreed…” she groaned, and I felt my dick stiffen at the husk in her voice.

“I’m fucking with ya. That’s fine with me, Sai. I’ll take whatever you’re offering. I’m at your mercy right now.”

“You are.”

“Believe me, I’on have no complaints.”

Getting serious, Masai said, “Kreed, you don’t get any more passes.

Me choosing to forgive you and work this out is more for me than it is for you.

If we reconcile and you cheat on me again, there will be no more chances.

At that point, it’ll be my fault for even taking you back after the first time.

“You get no more chances to fuck up. I really want you to understand how thin the line you have to walk on is. At the first sign of trouble, I’m going to bow out. I will not make it a habit of forgiving bad behavior. I don’t do it with my kids, and I’m not going to do it with you.

“I’m not dealing with any bitter baby mama drama.

She is your problem, not mine. If I allow you back in, that means I’m accepting you with all of your baggage, but me dealing with her outside of anything having to do with KJ is a no-go for me.

When he is in my care, he will be treated just like I birthed him.

Any interactions I have with her will be concerning him.

The next time she even thinks about stepping to me as a woman.

” She made air quotes with her fingers. “I’mma beat the fuck out of her. ”

I held my hand up in protest. “I’on deal with her unless it’s ’bout KJ. Hell, and if it wasn’t for you suggesting that I keep it cordial with her for his sake, I wouldn’t even do that. I’d let my lawyers handle it as they had been. I’on see her being an issue for us.”

“It better stay that way.”

“What’s next?” I asked.

“What’s next…” she repeated before saying. “You gotta win me back. Give me a reason to let you back in. And believe me, it won’t be easy.” She shrugged.

“I’m already knowing. And guess what… I’m ready to put in the work.”

“You better because I’m worth it.”

“That you are, my baby. That you fucking are!” Biting down on my bottom lip, I stared at her.

This was the love of my fucking life—my heart, my best friend, my every fucking thing.

Hurting Masai was me hurting myself as well as my kids.

I never meant to put us in this situation.

I never thought we wouldn’t ever be together because I’d never thought to cheat on her.

I would’ve begged Masai for another chance for the rest of my life if that’s what it took to get her to finally agree.

I’m so thankful that she was even willing to try and work shit out with me.

When I lost her, I lost myself, and as much as it fucked with me, I’m happy that she found herself in the midst of our storm.

Our dark days were far from over, but I was confident that we would get it right.

And trust me, when I get her back, I’m never coming up off of her.

More than anything, I will prove to my wife just how much she means to me.

Masai was going to feel all this love and not regret giving my ass another shot.

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