Page 47 of Out of Bounds (Atlanta Demon Series #4)

It’s funny looking back on everything that had occurred.

The times when I was sure we were done and I’d lost Masai weighed on me because I couldn’t imagine not having her in my life.

Those moments were now a distant memory of mistakes, regrets, and pain.

But life, love, and football all had a way of teaching me lessons that I don’t think I was ready for.

I will never forget how I felt when she told me she was carrying the next niggas’ baby.

The shit felt like the ground had been pulled from right under my ass.

The selfish part of me wanted to say fuck her and move on with my life, but I couldn’t.

I couldn’t do that after all of the shit I’d put her through.

With all of my mess and the choices I made, Masai chose me.

She chose me even when I didn’t deserve it.

And in return, I chose her, even with the fear, the questions, and the uncertainty of what our future looked like; I chose her.

And if I had to do it all over again, I’d still choose her.

That’s what unwavering love was—choosing each other over and over again, no matter the circumstances. .

I was at the top of my game when it came to football, but nothing compared to having her back in my life. Football had always been my escape, my passion, hell, my everything, but my biggest win to date had always been my wife and my family.

The love I had for this woman and my family was greater than any victory I’d had on the field.

It was a constant reminder of how lucky I was to be given a second chance.

I’m not perfect by far—neither of us is—but I’m humbled enough to know that every action carries a heavy consequence, and mine is my wife carrying another man’s baby.

Masai’s revelation put shit into perspective for me.

I really think it did it for everyone involved.

We decided to sit down as a couple and break the news to Lamar.

I needed him to know what the future looked like going forward.

This might have been his baby, but Masai was all mine.

This baby was going to be raised under my roof with the rest of our kids, and I was going to be responsible for his or her care.

As long as he understood how things would work over here, I didn’t have a problem letting him and Masai figure the rest out.

Therapy had been our saving grace. Having to sit in front of an unbiased party, talking through the hurt, shame, guilt, and defeat kept us close and sensible.

There were days I left wondering if it was helping or causing more harm, but week after week, we showed up, and the raw honesty of it all slowly began to sink in.

Therapy was teaching us how to communicate and how to stop running from the truth.

It taught us how to listen without getting defensive, and how every decision would directly impact the next course of our lives together.

We had to hold a mirror to our own image and look at things from each other’s eyes.

It helped us rebuild from the ground up, and I was internally grateful. .

Peering out into the backyard at my family, I smiled. My kids were stretched out on the sofa watching movies on the projector screen. This was my life. The thing I’d worked the hardest to get back, and I’d succeeded.

“You okay?” Masai asked, stepping beside me with a softness in her eyes.

“I am.” I nodded. “You good?” I asked and caressed her protruding belly. She was entering her ninth month of pregnancy with our baby girl, whom the three of us had decided to name Delancey.

“Tired.” She sighed. “Why you look like you got the weight of the world on your shoulders?”

“I’m taking it all in,” I assured her and followed it up with a kiss to her cheek. “Let’s go get you off your feet.” I grabbed her by the hand and walked her further into the yard. Sitting down on the sofa, I pulled her down next to me and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

With the sincerest voice ever, Masai gazed up at me and said, “I love you, Kreed.”

“I love you more, Sai.”

What once felt impossible now felt like home again. We’d fought through the heartbreak, and now, the walls had finally come down, allowing us to be free and in love. There were no more games left to be played. No more pushing the limits.

Everything that once felt Out of Bounds was finally in reach.

The End