Page 96 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“When Kira told me about you and her…” He draws a sharpbreath through his nose, rubs his mouth. “I was pissed.I kept thinking, him? Of all people, him? The guy who got everything that wassupposed to be mine?”

I don’t correct him. At times I’ve felt the same way, eventhough I know it’s not actually true, a kind of survivor’s remorse.

“Believe me,” he goes on, “Mama has told me a million timesI’m wrong. Everyone told me at some point, and I know it’s true.”

“You do?” I ask, my voice gruff with skepticism.

“It’s easier to blame you than to see in you all I couldhave been and had,” he says, a muscle clenching along his jaw. “And know I gotnobody to blame but me.” He looks me in the eyes. “So I’m sorry. It’s overdueby years, but I’m sorry.”

“I appreciate that,” I tell him, nodding. “In a short time,I’ve come to care about your sister a lot. Scratch that. I’m in love with her.”

His stare is glued to my face.

“I hope one day we’ll be related,” I say with a wry smile,ignoring the surprise flashing across his expression. “And I want a betterrelationship with you, so I need to tell you something from jump.”

“All right,” he says. “Yeah,”

I pause, give it a second to make sure he’s looking rightinto the sobriety of my eyes. “If you ever disrespect Takira again like you didlast week,” I say quietly, “I’ll fuck you up.”

“She’s my sister,” he says, not with anger, but just as astatement of fact.

“If you treat her like it, we won’t have a problem.”

For a moment, tension coils between us again, and I’m notsure he won’t punch me the way he did that coach, but then he cracks a widesmile.

“My man,” he says, patting me on the back. “Better you thanme. She’s a handful to protect.”

I release a laugh, surprised andrelieved by his comment. “I know, but I got it.”

He nods and looks back into the gym. “Well, I’m staying for the dinner. You?”

“Nah. I fly out tomorrow. Gonna goback to the hotel and get some rest.”

“So you ain’t leaving here andgoing by my mama’s house to see my sister?”

I can’t stop the smile that spreads over my face. “I mightmake one stop before I turn in, yeah.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Takira

“Mama, I got this,” I tell her, loading thedishwasher. “You can go on up.”

“You sure?” she asks.

“Daddy went upstairs like an hour ago.” I laugh. “Go be withyour man.”

“Your daddy hasn’t washed a dish in forty years.” Hands onhips, she rolls her eyes up to the ceiling. “You know that man leave thekitchen still chewing.”

I nod, grinning and clearing the table of the dinner dishes.

“Ain’t heard from Cliff,” Mamasays. “You suppose he all right?”

I freeze, my hand hovering over the stack of plates. I camethis week because I love my brother, and if he needs me, I want to be here.That doesn’t mean I’m not still pissedfor how he handled our conversation last week.

“I’m sure he’s fine.” I give her a reassuring smile. “Myronwould have called if something bad had gone down.”

“Or Naz would have told you, I’m sure.”