Standing in a trance, Kong watched the fire burn, heart aching, breathing sharp. His stomach knotted, and a flash of Ayla’s face in his memory damn near broke him down. How had he let this happen?
“Come on, bro. Ain’t shit we can do here.” Moose pulled him away from the scene with a hand on his shoulder, and they traveled back to their cars.
Relentless, Kong yanked the door open to his truck and paused. This shit was far from over, but he was going to need Mozzi’s help and Inari’s.
“We’ll find her,” Moose insisted.
“I want that bitch nigga, Danilo, in my face within the next twenty-four hours. Brim, put the word out.” Kong hopped into his driver’s seat and slammed the door shut.
He started his car and backed out, yanking the wheel and pulling off in the direction he’d come from. Moose sighed, shaking his head and watching him disappear. It was a sad night.
“You think I need to track him?” Brim questioned.
“Nah. I know where he’s heading. I’m going to the same place. After the day we had, we need something good. I’m going to check out my niece.” Moose pulled his helmet over his head. “You should come too. I know you want to see Mozzi in daddy mode.”
Coast had been moved to a more comfortable room, but Mozzi had no intention of allowing either of them to stay there too long. After the events from yesterday, she was sleeping, so he was on a small couch nearby doing skin-to-skin with his baby girl. Iara slept peacefully against him, but he couldn’t stop watching her. Every time she brought her little fist to her mouth and sucked on it, it warmed his heart. His baby girl was the prettiest thing in the world, aside from her mama.
A light tap on the door annoyed him. That was another reason he was ready to get the hell out of there. He was tiredof the staff coming in every damn hour like something had changed. Coast couldn’t get any good rest around there with that shit. This was the first time she’d been able to sleep since pushing Iara out. When he saw that it was Inari and not some nurse, Mozzi chucked his chin at her in greeting.
“Sup, Nari?”
“Hey.” She smiled, but it didn’t show in her eyes.
Something much more somber rested there instead as she let herself into the room with a balloon that read ‘It’s a Girl,’ a bouquet of Coast’s favorite pink and white roses, and a gift bag. Mozzi hadn’t spoken to his brothers or seen the news, so he had no idea what was happening. His focus had been on Coast and Iara all night.
“How is she?” Inari set the balloon and flowers on the table beside the door along with the gift bag, and the door closed behind her.
Mozzi kicked his legs over the couch, cradling his baby in his arms as he sat up with her. She made some little newborn noises and shifted against his chest but remained sleeping.
“Tired, but good.”
“Look at her.” Inari smiled through tears when she laid eyes on Iara.
“You want to hold her?”
Blinking quickly, she looked up at Mozzi before nodding. Inari walked over to the sink to wash and dry her hands, and Mozzi handed Iara over to her. With the little bundle in her arms, some of Inari’s troubles faded as she soaked in her adorable sleeping face. She looked just like Coast, if that was at all possible at one day old.
“She’s beautiful,” Inari whispered, sniffling, but never taking her eyes off Iara.
“You good?” Mozzi checked with her, brow wrinkling in concern.
“Have you talked to your brothers or seen the news?” Inari rocked with Iara in her arms and lifted her eyes to Mozzi’s.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
“Nah. It was a long night dealing with these two. My phone died, and I put it on the charger, but I haven’t checked it. What’s up? Something happen?”
“Moses,” Coast grumbled, eyes scanning the couch where she remembered falling asleep and watching Mozzi with Iara.
Not seeing them there sent her into instant panic, and she shot up in the hospital bed. When she spotted him at the foot of her bed, she released a relieved sigh.
“Nari. When did you get here?”
“Just now,” she answered, walking closer to Coast. “You did good, mommy. Congratulations.”
Somehow, she managed a warm smile, but Coast frowned when she placed Iara in her arms.
“Is anybody else with you?” Coast cradled her baby girl, and she stirred, moving her little lips like she did when she was hungry.
