Page 9 of Out of Bounds (Atlanta Demon Series #4)

The phones were ringing off the hook. Whoever it was calling had been alternating between my cell phone and the house phone. When I had had enough of the noise, I powered my phone off and turned the ringer off the house phone.

I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. I didn’t feel like pretending that everything was all good. Nothing about what I’d found out, nor was the way my heart ached felt good. My husband had an outside child. That was the most unfathomable thing I’d ever experienced.

If Kreed had just cheated, I probably would’ve been able to forgive him for that moment of weakness.

But a child—a child was the ultimate betrayal.

A child wasn’t a moment of weakness, it was a forever thing.

An outside baby would be a constant reminder of his infidelity if I continued my marriage to him.

The shared birthdays, school events, child support—shit, the fucking co-parenting.

It would all be a constant visual for my husband cheating on me and producing a child with someone other than me.

His child wasn’t something I could heal from and leave in the past. His son changed the foundation that we built.

It altered the picture-perfect persona that we had.

I could forgive the cheating, but a baby was unforgivable.

As much as I loved that man and never saw us splitting, this wasn’t something I could get over.

I was hurt and rightfully so. My tears were valid, and I was going to allow myself to sit in this discomfort until it was time for me to pick myself up and move on with my life.

Because at some point, I would—I had to.

I had five kids to take care of. Life didn’t stop moving when Kreed cheated and had an outside baby.

My children were confused, but they still needed the structured lives I’ve given them.

The baby was a big part, but more than anything, like I told him, I was hurt because I thought we were good.

His stepping out proved that we weren’t.

Clearly, he wasn’t feeling fulfilled with me.

I mean, he went and found ease in someone else.

That was evident enough that I was no longer doing what he needed to be “good.”

Regardless, I was going to be okay. I’d been Masai Dolla, the wife of Kreed Dolla, for far too long. Maybe I’d gotten too comfortable in my position. Perhaps it was time for me to step out of my husband’s shadow and be Masai.

The banging on the front door jarred me from my thoughts.

When I leaned up and peered out of the blinds, I blew out a deep breath.

I’d told Kreed to leave his key and was praying that he hadn’t decided to double back.

Untucking my foot, I stood and meandered to the front door.

When I pulled it open, Jream and Koya were standing there staring at me with sympathy dancing in their eyes.

“Your mom called!” Koya blurted out.

Sighing dejectedly, I blink my eyes repeatedly. “What did she say?”

“The kids have been trying to call you. Neither you nor Kreed has answered the phone. Maddie Claire said her dad did something to make you cry,” Jream rattled off.

“I need to call my kids,” I mumbled and walked back to the living room. Koya and Jream eventually shut the front door after welcoming themselves inside the house.

“What’s going on, Masai?” Jream quizzed.

“Give me a second…” I dialed my mom’s number and ran my finger across my eyebrow.

My mom picked up the call in a huff. “Masai, are you okay? What’s going on with you and Kreed?”

“Mom, can I talk to Maddie?” I croaked out, feeling myself on the verge of crying again. I had to get myself together. The last thing I needed was for my baby to get upset.

“Yeah, I’ll get her.”

I heard shuffling in the background before my baby’s sweet voice sounded on the other end of the phone. “Mommy…” she said in a concerned tone. “Are you okay?”

I cleared my throat. “Hey, baby. I’m okay. Just tired.”

“Dad said you didn’t feel good.”

I rolled my eyes at that lie. Rather than telling the truth, I carried on. “I don’t. But I’ll be okay.”

“When are you coming to get us?”

“I, um… In a few days. I don’t want you guys to get sick.”

“Mommy, are you sure you’re okay?” she queried. “You don’t sound sick. Daddy said he was going to fix it.”

Pulling the phone down from my ear, I held it over my heart as silent tears seeped out of my eyes. I didn’t know how the hell I was going to reassure my children that all was well and that Mommy was only under the weather instead of sulking from a broken heart that their father caused.

Sensing that I needed help, Koya took the phone out of my hands.

“Maddie Claire, it’s Auntie Koya. Me and Auntie Jream are here with your mom.

I’ll have her call you back when she’s feeling better.

” Koya gave me a sympathetic smile before adding, “Yes, baby girl… I promise. She loves you more. Okay. Bye-bye.” Once she ended the call, she handed the phone back to me.

“Thank you…”

“You know I got you. Wanna talk about it?” she asked.

“No…” I shook my head. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“You shouldn’t be,” Jream spoke up.

Tonguing my cheek, I huffed. “He has a baby with a bitch that he was cheating on me with.”

“Excuse me?” Koya squeaked.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “My husband was cheating on me and now has a baby with the woman.”

“I’mma beat his fucking ass!” Jream retorted.

“No sense.” Swiping away my tears, I tsked. “Koya, remember the girl from the bathroom?”

Koya eyed me suspiciously. “You mean the one who was ‘just a fan’?”

“That’s the one. Kree and I were in Publix after his doctor’s appointment when she approached me.”

“Okay. Can I play devil’s advocate for a second?” Jream pondered. “How do we know it’s his baby?”

“Figured you might say that.” Instead of telling them how I knew, I decided to show them. Going to the messages ole girl had sent me, I handed her the phone. “His name is Kreed. He’s six months old. When she approached me the first time, she was pregnant.”

Koya and Jream took turns swiping through the proof I’d received. Much like me, they gasped after reading every message she’d sent. When the two of them were done with their perusal, they sported looks of shock.

“It’s been going on that long?”

“That long, Koya. He’s been hiding it for that long. And there’s no telling when he would’ve come clean.”

“That is so messed up, Masai. I am so sorry,” Jream mewled.

“Yeah, friend. I’m so sorry. This is so messed up.”

“As am I. I feel like my life is over. I want to hate him sooo bad…” I drawled. “Like, so fucking bad. But I love Kreed. I’ve loved that man more than I’ve loved me. Jream, you know. You’ve been with us for years. You know the things I’ve sacrificed for him and this family.

“I gave up my career because he sold me this dream. A fucking facade. And I believed it. When everybody was in my ear telling me not to quit the law firm, I let that man convince me that being home with the kids full-time was where I needed to be. And don’t get me wrong…

I don’t regret it not one bit because I truly believe no one can raise my kids like I can.

“But I had dreams. I had goals, and I gave them up to be his wife.” Cradling my head in my hands, I sobbed.

I had really put my life on hold for this man, and he’d done the one thing he promised he wouldn’t do.

That shit hurt so fucking bad. I believed him, had faith in him, and trusted that he wouldn’t hurt me.

I did all that, only for him to turn around and do the very thing he swore he wouldn’t.

“Where is he?” Jream asked.

“Hell if I know. I put him out. His key and the garage opener is over there.” I tossed my head to the counter where Kreed had placed his things.

“Have you thought about what you’re going to tell the kids?”

“No, Koya. You gotta a PR script for shit like this?” I chuckled bitterly. “’Cause I need all the help I can get right now.”

“There’s no script for this, friend. But you’ve gotta let them know something. They’re going to have questions.”

“And to which I feel like the answers should come from him. Fuck! They’re going to hate me,” I cried out.

“No, babe, they won’t,” Koya tried to reassure me, but it was of no use.

My kids adored their father, and my kicking him out was going to upset them. Even if I had a valid reason to do what I did, they wouldn’t understand that. All they would see is that I’m the reason he’s not here anymore.

“I’m going to ask you what I would ask anybody that’s in a crisis. What do you need from me?” Koya asked with sincere eyes.

“A divorce attorney,” I uttered, using the sleeve of my robe to wipe my eyes. “A damn good one.”

“Is reconciliation off the table?” Jream quizzed.

“Like… are you certain you want to split, and I’m not asking because I’m on his side, Sai.

I’m asking because I’m on your side. I don’t want you to rush and make a decision because you’re hurting.

I want you to look at things from every angle and be sure that walking away is the right thing to do for you. ”

“Jream, he has another baby. A child. I’m not raising another bitch’s kid. That is absolutely where I draw the line.”

“Well, in that case, like Koya said… What do you need from me?”

“Just be here. That’s all I need.”

“And I can do that,” she conferred. “Wanna do something that’ll take your mind off things?”

“Something like what?”

“We can fuck his shit up. Or… We can go get drunk.”

“As much as I want to spiral, I don’t want my kids to walk into a mess. I am, however, down for a few drinks.”

“Then it’s settled.” She hopped up from the couch. “Let’s go get fucked up!”

“Nooooo…” Koya drawled. “We’re not going anywhere. The last thing we need is to be photographed out.I can DoorDash some liquor, and we can hang here.”

“No fun.” I pouted, knowing everything she said was right. “I’m not even in the mood to be around a bunch of people.”

“Exactly. I’ll order a bunch of stuff for us to enjoy here.”