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“You didn’t have to do that for me.”
“Not everything is about you, Gianni,” I joked, hoping to lighten the mood. Still, he remained stoic, “I did that for me. I didn’t want it like that. You’re my brother. It doesn’t matter if I had her first. I should’ve never gone back.”
“I appreciate you stopping by. I know it was hard as fuck for you to admit that.”
“Not as hard as you think, motherfucka. I can admit when I’m wrong. It doesn’t happen often, so I don’t have to.”
“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.”
“We have business to handle, and it’s money to make. So we good or what?”
Gianni finally cracked a smile. It was heavy, but that gave me hope along with his words. “This shit runs deeper than that. We’re family, and despite doing dumb shit a lot. I know what’s in your heart. We’re good. Now, Lo, that’s a different story. She doesn’t play about me, so good luck.”
“Damn, you’re not going to help me out?”
“Shit, I can’t even help you with that one.”
“I can’t just buy her something,” Gi chuckled, shaking his head no. He picked up the phone and called Hailo to come down. “What are you doing?”
“Apologizing ain’t easy for you nigga. Might as well do it now while you got the balls.”
After a few moments, Hailo appeared in the doorway, still wearing the look of contempt from earlier. “Come here, Pretty Lady.” On command, she walked across the room, resting on the arm of the chair where Gi was seated. “Ty needs to talk to you.”
She turned to me, lips quirked and brows raised. “He doesn’t need to talk to me about anything.”
“Please. For me,” he insisted, looking up at her, gripping her thigh. She didn’t want to. It was clear, but for Gi, she was willing.
“What do you want to talk to me about?”
“I let some bullshit come between Gi and me. I own that, but he’s family, and you are too. I don’t want no smoke with my brother’s wife.” I admitted because, despite being cousins, it ran deeper than that.
“How bad did that hurt?” Hailo asked as Gianni sat confused, but I chuckled at her referencing the conversation we shared at Mack’s birthday party.
“Not as much as being at odds with my brother over some bullshit.” I hated myself for forgetting that, but I’d never let it happen again.
“We’re good, Pretty Lady, so I need you to be too. Take it easy on him,” Gianni coaxed, using his puppy dog eyes to sway the anger in her chest.
“Fine, I guess I can work on letting it go but don’t let it happen again. Gi is forgiving. I’m not, and even his sad face won’t be able to save your ass next time,” Hailo quipped, hopping off the arm of the chair.
“You deal with that every day?” I asked, using my thumb to point toward the door Hailo had just shut.
“I heard you!” She yelled, causing us both to chuckle.
“Love you too, Lo.”
“She ain’t as tough as she acts. Just give her some time.”
“Maybe not to you because you’re fucking her.”
“Yeah, just remember I am fucking her, and I’ll kill behind her, too,” Gianni warned. Usually, I would’ve fired back with a zinger, but given our conversation, I let him have it. It felt good to no longer be at odds with my brother.
Chapter Fifteen
“I like this house. Can I come over here again?” Cam asked, playing with her toys on Mack’s old bedroom floor.
I was apprehensive about leaving Cam. She struggled in new places sometimes, so we agreed to get dressed here so I could have time to help her get acclimated. She had me looking like a liar because she had been a ball of energy since we arrived.
“We’re here now.”
