“I know that, Ledge,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry.” My words shocked her, and her lips parted in surprise too. “I fucked up and allowed this girl into our lives. I was immature because I didn’t know where we stood, and I needed a reaction from you. I didn’t know she was this fucking psychotic. Hell, I haven’t touched her ass in months.”
“I’m not about to do this with you right now, Ledge. It’s not the time. And that’s your fucking problem. Bad timing,” she concluded, both arms tucking across her chest.
“What you saying, Chevy?”
“I’m saying let’s get our kids back and focus on that. I can’t deal with you and all the back-and-forth. We are toxic! No fucking good for each other. It’s time we both accept that for what it is.”
Even though I was driving, I took the time to take her in. Her tone was serious and strong. She had thought about this, which meant she was with the shit. I never actually thought shit between us would end. How could it? We had children together. But knowing Chevy, that wouldn’t matter. She wasn’t the bitter kind to keep me away from my seeds, and I wasn’t a deadbeat. I never had a fucking father, so I made a vow that if I ever had kids, they would know me.
“Just like that, you giving up on us?” My low tone must have shown hurt because empathy appeared behind her big, round brown eyes.
“Ledge, what is it we are really giving up? Great sex? There’s no intimacy anymore. Your job is and always will come first, and I just can’t deal with that. I shouldn’t have to, and neither should the kids. We wouldn’t even be in this position right now if your little trusty side bitch did her fucking job and stayed in her lane. You fucking kill people for a living, and you can’t take care of that bitch!!” I could see that her frustration had mounted up.
I couldn’t do anything but eat that shit. I had no argument for her. I continued to drive until we reached our destination. It was dark, and I couldn’t see shit surrounding the abandoned bridge. Chevy sloped forward in her seat and scoped the area carefully too. I killed the lights and went for my pistol in my waistband.
“You see anything?” I queried, checking my mirrors for movement.
“No. Where the fuck is this crazy ass bitch?” she mumbled under her breath.
Suddenly, my phone rang, and it was Kitana.
“I see you’ve arrived. You got my money?” she sang into the phone like some deranged ass lunatic.
“I want proof my children are still alive first,” Chevy yelled loud enough for her to hear.
“OK, sure.” She snickered and the camera was suddenly visible on her phone.
She turned it away from her, and I could see my babies sitting at a small table together eating and talking like everything was normal. My heart thudded crazily, and I watched Chevy clutch her chest. Fear lit up her soft, chestnut eyes.
“Now, show me the money since we are doing show and tell,” Kitana demanded.
I reached into the back seat for the duffel bags and unzipped them both. Aiming the camera at them, I showed off the many bands tucked away in the bags.
“Looks good. Ledge, do the honors and come up and get your children. There’s a tower to your left. You can find us on the top floor. If that bitch follows you up, your kids will be missing a mother. Bring the money, and you get these rugrats back safe and sound.”
I ended the call, and Chevy and I locked eyes across the middle console of my car. I hit the button to lift it, and we both glanced inside. I grabbed a Glock and held it out to her by the barrel. She was reluctant, but snatched it from my hand. I watched her take the safety off, check the clip, and reload the magazine within seconds. Shit would have been sexy had we not been in the middle of this bullshit.
“If you don’t come walking out in five minutes, I’m coming in,” she insisted.
I knew she was serious and with the shit if she needed to be. I admired the fuck out of my baby mama. She really didn’t know the half of it. I had a hard time telling people how I felt, and that was because love had never been shown to me other than from my grandmother. And even she had to hit me with doses of that tough shit, which I grew to appreciate. Giving Chevy a nod, I retreated from the car calmly. I took even strides toward the tower, quietly letting myself inside.
It was dark, the only light coming from the windows above reflecting the streetlights outside. There was broken glass on the ground scattered along the gravel lot. The smell of pine trees smothered me. I found the spiral staircase and went right in my waistband while ascending. The sound of water dripping, accompanied by a mildew scent caught my attention as I continued to climb until I reached the top floor. The hardwoods creaked underneath my heavy foot as I stepped through thedoorway of the only room on this level. It was small and dimly lit with a yellow light dangling above.
“Drop the gun.” Kitana’s voice drew my attention across the room.
My kids were seated at a table together, and she had her gun aimed at me. She had lost her fucking mind. With the duffel in hand, I tossed it a few feet in front of me, and it fell in the center of the room.
“Take your fucking money and give me my kids,” I ordered, barely batting a fucking eye.
With her arm in the air, weapon still fixed on me, she took a few steps toward the bag. Keeping her eyes glued to me, she knelt and unzipped it. After moving some of the cash around, she seemed satisfied, so she zipped it back up and brought the strap to her shoulder as she brought herself to her feet.
“You did good,” she muttered. “Thanks for cooperating. Okay, little bad ass kids, come over here to your daddy.” Kitana smugly grinned, putting some space between us.
Laiyah and Landyn leapt from their chairs and raced toward me.
“Daddy!” they squealed.
