Page 47 of Taming a Menace

“I’m not letting you in, Keywan.”

“I don’t want to come in. I just want to walk you to the door. I want you to know that you’re safe with me. You’re safe around me. Don’t be afraid of me, Moon. You don’t have to be. Let me show you better than I can tell you.”

“What do you want me to say, Key? Part of me has been wishing and praying that everything I’ve seen in your file is a mistake. I’ve been holding out hope that you’ve just been misjudged or misunderstood, but what I saw tonight confirmed it. What am I supposed to do with this information? I can treatyou if that’s what you want, but I don’t see anything other than that for us.”

“Help me, Moon. I told you I’m going to take my therapy serious. I need you to help me figure out why I blank out like that. I can apologize a thousand times for losing my temper, and I will if I have to. I saw red when that man had his hands on you. I don’t even know what happened after he pulled the gun out. I just knew I had to protect you.”

“At what cost? Your life? His? What price were you willing to pay to protect me?”

“Whatever it took.”

“You can’t live your life like that, Keywan.” She sighed.

“Tell me about it. That’s why they sent me to you. I want to change. I just don’t know how.”

She nodded. “I hear you.”

“Don’t cut Key off because of what Keywan did. He’s in therapy trying to get the help he needs.”

“First of all, I never turned Key on in the first place, so I can’t cut him off.”

“You were in the process of doing it. Don’t back pedal, Moon. Let me in. You already know all the reasons not to fuck with me. Now let me show you why you should.” I smirked.

“Whatever. It’s late. Good night, Key,” she said, unlocking the door and pushing it open.

“Good night, Moon. I’ll let you know when I make it home.”

I’d spent the last couple of days preparing for what I would say when I saw Moon again. I knew she was in her head about what happened at the club. I couldn’t blame her for that. Some part of me was relieved that she’d gotten a chance to see the side of methat she’d read about in her so-called files. I wanted her to know what she was up against. I wanted her to be able to actually try to help me. I wanted to be better for her.

I still had a tiny bit of hope that I could change. Plus, I wanted her to know the whole me so that she wouldn’t be blindsided down the line once I made her fall in love. The rest of me wanted her to forget everything that happened that night at the club, including seeing me if she had to.

I pushed through the doors of the clinic. The lobby was empty just the way I liked it. I didn’t need anyone trying to have small talk with me while I waited to get my head shrunk. I wasn’t in the mood to chit chat. After signing myself in, I sat down and put my backpack next to me.

I’d made my baby some chicken parmesan with linguine. For dessert, I made some miniature cheesecakes since my mom had been talking about how bad she was craving cheesecake.

“Mr. Glover.”

I didn’t have to wait long before someone called my name. It wasn’t Iyla this time. I drew my brows together wondering what I was in for. I felt like the thing I had been dreading was coming to fruition right before my eyes.

After Friday night, Iyla probably realized that I was too much for her to handle. I couldn’t blame her for not wanting anything to do with me. I just hoped that it didn’t mean I was being released from their services altogether. I needed this to work. Finishing therapy in that designated timeframe was the main thing that stood between me and my freedom.

Deep down, I was excited by the idea of someone other than Iyla being my therapist. That meant that I could pursue her without having to hide it. All those things ran through my mind as I stood from my seat and followed the petite brunette down the hall.

I expected her to veer off somewhere, but instead she walked me straight to Iyla’s office door. A sense of relief washed over me when she knocked on the door and waited for Iyla to answer it. She didn’t even realize it, but she’d just shown me something useful. Whether I would use it to my advantage was left to be determined. I heard my baby’s sweet voice giving us permission to enter right before the girl opened the door.

“Step right in, Mr. Glover. You have a good day now.”

“Thank you. You too,” I said as I bypassed the girl to walk into Iyla’s office.

She closed the door behind me before Iyla spoke.

“Mr. Glover, come on in and have a seat wherever you feel most comfortable.”

I didn’t bother fighting the urge to get as close to her as possible. The couch was nice, but the best seats in the house were right in front of my girl.

“How are you doing today, Ms. Iyla?” I asked as I took my seat.

“Pretty good.”