“Sure.”
“I was hoping you’d stay and spend time with Ruby,” Mom says. “And get to know your niece. She’s the only one you have.” I know that means she’s hoping I’ll stay and take care of her while Devin sits on his ass and complains about his lack of money.
It’s not going to happen. Devin is not my responsibility, and neither is his daughter. If I open the door and start doing him favors, it will become expected that I take Ruby on as my responsibility, and it’s not an option.
“Let’s get you in the shower, Mom.” I take her wheelchair and start to push her out of the kitchen.
“Here, Mom. Take her in with you.” Devin tries to hand Ruby to my mother, but I quickly step in front of her and block him.
“She can’t hold her while in the shower. She needs to hold on to the rails for balance. It’s unsafe.” I try to keep my voice as level and steady as possible. I don’t want to make Ruby cry or upset Mom, but he’s not about to pass his child off so he can watch television.
“Well, you take her,” he says.
“I’m going in there to help our mother, Devin. How the hell do you expect me to hold a six-month-old while I do that?”
“Cori, stop cussing,” Mom admonishes.
“My language is the problem here?” When Mom doesn’t reply, I say, “You can give your daughter a bath. And do it now because she smells like shit.”
“Devin, get off your ass and take care of your child. You were supposed to bathe her hours ago.”
I cross my arms and dare him to refute Dad’s orders. He sighs and stomps to the bathroom we used to share.
Chapter 10
Dax
“What in the actual fuck?” Cori nearly thunders when she walks into her apartment and finds me sitting in the living room watching television with Finch at my feet. “They don’t allow dogs in here.”
She’s lying. Of course, they do. I should know since I own the complex.
“I saw your neighbor with three beagles.”
“Well,Idon’t allow dogs in my unit.” She eyes me up and down, but doesn’t seem too surprised to see me here. “What do you want? I’m tired, annoyed, and not in the mood for guests.” She looks through the mail in her hand and tosses it on the coffee table. She then puts Tupperware containers in her fridge.
She’s dressed the same as she was this morning. Her hair is still in two French braids, but they seem damp. She pulls out a bottle of wine from her oversized purse and pours only one glass.
“I want to see if you want to go do something.” When she doesn’t offer me wine, I look around her kitchen until I find a glass and pour my own. “Like, go for a walk. Or we can go back to my place. I’d take you to dinner, but it looks like you’ve already eaten.”
She arches an eyebrow but doesn’t say a word.
“Back to your place?” I nod. “That prison?”
“Hardly a prison, but if you don’t like that house, I have others.” I stand behind her and glide my fingertips down her bare arm. She tenses, but throws her head back and moans. I put my glass down, put both hands on her shoulders, and pull her into my chest. Perfect fucking fit. I run my lips along the base of her neck.
“No,” she says. “I got everything I wanted out of the weekend.”
My hand cups her pussy over her jeans. “But I didn’t get nearly enough.”
“You came here for sex?”
“Sex? Don’t sell yourself short. I came here for everything.” She steps out of my arms and refills her glass.
“What does everything mean to you, Mr. Hunt?”
I snatch her glass from her hand and drink from it. When she purses her lips and looks away, I take her chin and whisper, “You know what Donny Hathaway said. Everythang is everythang.”
“Who the hell is Donny Hathaway? You sound old as shit.”
