Page 14

Cruz

I frowned, seeing a text from an unknown number pop up on my phone, and damn near choked when I clicked on it out of curiosity. Immediately, an image of Raya sitting in front of a mirror with her legs cocked open filled the screen.

“This crazy ass bitch,” I mumbled, shaking my head even as I took in her fat, bald pussy.

There was no denying her shit looked good and felt even better, but the fact that I hadn’t given her my number had me less than enthused to be hearing from her.

Especially knowing that she was doing this shit while her husband was laid up in the hospital.

It was the talk of the underworld how that nigga had gotten ambushed by some Italians and was now in a coma, but that shit obviously didn’t mean anything to his wife.

Shit was crazy as hell and one of the main reasons why I wouldn’t dare put a ring on a hoe’s finger.

I didn’t think every woman was that scandalous because Maasai had found a real one in Avery, but what they had was rare and not easily obtained, and considering my track record, not for me .

As if to further drive that idea home, the sound of kids laughing brought my attention to the beach where Keyani’s thick ass was trailing behind the twins.

From my spot on my balcony, I could see her clearly with her face all twisted up in irritation.

She yelled for them to come back as she rifled through the huge bag on her shoulder, but their bad asses weren’t listening.

She hadn’t lied when she said they were a handful, I’d found that out firsthand the day before.

Keeping them busy on the beach had been easy, especially since I only had to deal with Kari, but later on during bowling had been a completely different story.

They’d taken our bet more seriously than I’d bargained for because while I was distracted by Keyani’s fine ass, they were dusting me.

Thinking back on it, I was sure she’d worn the yellow, form-fitting sundress to help them out because they wouldn’t have won otherwise, unless they were some fucking ringers.

I was more salty about them actually winning than having to come up off the money, but I’d played it cool like I’d let them win and spent the rest of the night listening to them brag about the shit.

I didn’t even mind though because I realized I kinda liked their bad asses, which was why I’d opted out of the yacht ride everybody was going on today.

Giving them a swim lesson was one thing, but I’d fucked around and hung out with them, collecting sea shells afterward, got on Kani’s head about his mama, and spent time with them bowling, so I knew they’d fuck around and gravitate to me on the damn boat.

It wasn’t like I’d have anywhere to run to avoid them on the open seas, and I knew I wouldn’t have done that anyway.

I was clearly more invested in them than I cared to admit, and I needed to take a big step back considering my issues with their mama.

At least that’s what I was thinking until I saw her traipsing down the beach in the knit cover up she had on.

Just that fast, I changed my mind and hit up Maasai to hold the yacht up for me.

I took a quick shower and threw on a tan t-shirt, with tan and dark-brown Gucci swim trunks and Gucci slides.

Knowing we’d be out in the sun, I added a matching bucket hat over my braids and a pair of buffs and was out the door.

As I made my way to the dock, Avery’s sister was switching there at the same time, and she smiled big when she noticed me.

I’d only ever been around shorty a handful of times, most of them being in the last few days, and she’d aggravated me each one of them muthafuckas.

It was obvious she was trying to use Avery’s wedding as a way to find her own man, but she was barking up the wrong tree fucking with me.

I’d paid her dust every time she tried to spark up a conversation, but she still wasn’t catching the hint though.

“Heeeyyyy, Cruz!” she gushed, rushing in her expensive heels to walk alongside me.

I mustered up a weak greeting and moved a little faster, but she kept up easily.

“Can you hold this for me?” Somehow, her bag was already in my hand before I could object and I started to drop that shit, but Avery and Maasai appeared at the back of the yacht.

“Hurry y’all asses up! Y’all got my baby waiting for y’all slow asses in this damn heat!” Maasai’s face was tight even as a horrified Avery tried to elbow him discreetly.

“We’re literally right here, and it’s not even that hot!

” Gabriella huffed back, adding the last part low enough so only I could hear, with her scary ass.

Unlike his wife, Maasai didn’t give a fuck about shorty’s feelings and hadn’t hesitated to put her in her place whenever she’d said something out of pocket, which had been often on this trip.

I waved his ass off since we were already nearing the boarding platform, but the sight of Keyani looking down at us had my steps slowing.

Something flashed across her face so fast that I barely caught it before she disappeared out of sight.

I sucked my teeth, already knowing what her ass was thinking, seeing the two of us walking together and her bag balled up in my hand, but just as quickly as I felt a way, I shook that shit off. Fuck her feelings!

“Just come on y’all, we’re already twenty minutes behind,” Avery spoke up, bringing me out of my thoughts while giving us a an annoyed look before pulling Maasai away.

I finally reached the platform and stepped on, completely forgetting about Gabriella’s ass until she called my name to help her up too. Clenching my jaw, I reached back for her with my free hand, and once she seemed steady enough on her feet, I shook myself free of her grasp.

“Thanks, Cruz.”

“Yep,” I tossed out, feet already pivoting away from her before she could try and spark up a conversation, but I slowed down seeing the jet skis parked nearby. I quickly checked them out, glad that Maasai had chosen them as an add-on because they’d definitely make the trip more fun.

“Oooh, jet skis!” Gabriella came up beside me, running her hand along the length of the one closest to us. “I can’t drive, but I’d love it if you took me on a ride.” Her tone dropped seductively, and she looked up at me through her long, false lashes.

“Hey, Cruz!”

“Cruz is here?” I heard my youngins before I saw them and couldn’t help smiling at their excitement to see a nigga.

That shit wasn’t supposed to move me the way it did, but I was already growing attached to their bad asses.

Like clockwork, Keyani appeared, yelling for them to get back from the edge.

“Ugh, she needs to get those bad ass kids! I hope they’re not coming on every excursion, ’cause I did not sign up for that shit.

” Gabriella turned up her nose and looked at me expectantly like I would agree with her or something, but I was instantly offended by her calling them the same shit I’d been calling them since we’d met.

Instead of cursing her out like I wanted to though, I shoved her bag back into her arms. “They were probably hoping the same thing about you not coming, but here you are in that aggressive ass pink dress,” I said, leaving her standing there looking stupid.

She was still sputtering like a fool as I made my way through the lower level and upstairs where everyone else was.

“’Bout time you got here, nigga. You and big sis was bouta get left.” AJ walked up as soon as I reached the landing, with his wife Janessa tucked under his arm and a big ass grin on his face. I dapped him up just as we took off, further proving what he’d said.

“Shiiit, I would’ve just chilled on the beach with a blunt,” I lied, scanning the deck for Keyani. The truth was for as much as I’d tried to deny it, I ’bout would’ve turned into Aqua-mane from the Montgomery brawl and swam to this bitch if they’d pulled off on me.

“Oh damn, you got that shit on you? I definitely forgot mine tryna rush.” He shot his wife a look, and she sucked her teeth.

“Boy, don’t look at me like that. We would’ve been in the same boat as him and Gabby messing around with you.

” They started bickering, and I crept off, not wanting to hear that shit.

As I passed Armand and Ms. Eva, I paused long enough to give them a proper greeting, kissing her cheek before I continued on to find Keyani.

The other guests were scattered around, but there was no sign of her or my youngins, and I surmised that she was hiding somewhere.

When I reached the next level, I faintly heard kids laughing, and a slow grin spread over my face.

I found the trio by the pool and immediately clocked Keyani rolling her eyes once the kids spotted me.

“Don’t run!” she yelled at their backs as they raced to where I was. They slowed to a fast-paced walk before stopping in front of me and firing off questions.

“Can you help us swim today?”

“No! Can you take us on the jet skis?”

“Absolutely not! Y’all ain’t getting on those things!” Keyani shut that shit right down, but they didn’t seem fazed, almost like they expected her to say no before moving on to the next thing.

“Well, can we play the game downstairs? They got a PlayStation and a Nintendo Switch! We can bet money too!”

“I don’t wanna play that, Kani!” Kari’s little eyebrows pressed together, making her look just like her mama when she was mad. I hadn’t really noticed it before, but she was Keyani’s twin while Kani favored their bitch ass daddy more. Thankfully, he hadn’t inherited his bitch tendencies too though.

“So! You can play with Mama!” They argued back and forth, and I was surprised I wasn’t immediately annoyed by that shit. I glanced over at Keyani, who still hadn’t moved as she watched us with her hands on her hip and an accusatory mug on her face.