Page 32 of Kobalt

“Telling her to go on the street and sell some pussy wasn’t no harm? Yeah, nigga. I heard that foul shit you said the last time she called you. She had ya punk ass on speaker phone, and she didn’t know I’d come home. I’ve been waiting to whup yo’ ass for that shit!”

I raised my fist back as Kaimera shouted “No!” and ran down the steps. “It’s not worth it. He wants you to hit him so you can catch a charge or he can sue you, Kobe. Don’t do it, baby.”

Edward’s eyes turned to Kaimera, and he sneered at her.

“Eyes on me, nigga!”

That was my mistake. I knew better than to let my opponent see my weakness. That was the only good lesson I recalled him teaching me when I was young. He’d been teaching me how to fight, and he’d told me never let my opponent see my weakness. A smirk covered Edward’s face, and he muttered, “Ain’t this a pretty, sexy li’l thang. Bet she tastes real sweet, huh, Son?”

She wasn’t indecent. The iris blue sleep shorts she wore hugged her petite frame and highlighted her sexy curves, but she was covered. That shit didn’t matter. I didn’t like regular niggas looking at her, let alone him.

I couldn’t help it. I hit him in the mouth and in the stomach. When he was on the floor, cowered in a ball, I kicked him several times before I snatched him up and threw him out of the house.

“Kobe! Kobe! Stop!” Kaimera screamed repeatedly. Her tiny hands trying to pull me away were no match for my strength combined with my pain and anger.

Edward stumbled, trying to get off the ground.

“Baby, he’s going to try to use this to sue you and get more money. Can’t you see?” she pleaded in a tone low enough for my ears only.

“I don’t give a shit. I’ll plead self-defense based on the fact that the nigga broke in and tried to rob us.”

Edward stood and wiped his pants off as he staggered sideways.

“Nigga, leave and don’t step foot on my property or within my vicinity again. Leave now before I put a bullet in ya ass.”

Edward hobbled toward his car and hopped in. I stood in the doorway shaking with anger until I could no longer see his car.

Kaimera wrapped her arms around me and held me close. “I’m so sorry, baby, that he keeps hurting you.”

I squeezed her hard against me as I tried to push the pain away, but I couldn’t.

“That shit hurt, Kai. That nigga never gave a fuck about Nia and me after he walked out. He never looked back. Now I’ve seen him twice within a month’s time, and that nigga is only around to beg me to do something for some other li’l nigga?”

“Baby, it’s not that kid’s fault. I need you to breathe and think about our blessings. We have each other, we have love, a wonderful family, beautiful friends, wealth, and you have all this property. He must be miserable and desperate to come to you like that. I guarantee that man is suffering for what he took your family through.

“I love you because you have a beautiful heart, you’re strong, you’re compassionate, and generous. If you don’t do anything for that kid, it’s fine. But I know you; you’ve always helped people who were suffering if you could. Just let me love on you tonight.”

I allowed her to lead me back into the den where we relaxed. She massaged my shoulders and continued speaking comforting words to me. I wondered if I would ever heal from the broken heart my father delivered to me all those years ago; that was the most painful blow I’d ever suffered.

1ST WEEK OF OCTOBER

There was something unexpectedly calming about riding horses. Ever since the first time I rode, I became addicted, and I often found myself riding Shadow when I wasn’t working, cooking, or drawing.

As much as Kobalt calmed my nerves, soothed my anxieties, and took care of my body and heart, Shadow had become the peace that I needed too. With the unresolved anxiety that always had my shoulders tense and stomach in knots, whenever I was on him, I was able to release all of that.

Being in sync with his big body and at one with the world had allowed me to stop looking over my shoulder every moment of the day. I had just returned from a ride and cooling Shadow down, and I was about to remove his reins when I heard footsteps behind me.

A concerned smile rested on my lips as I led Shadow into his stall. The caretaker was down at the orchard with some of the other workers. I had just passed them up not long ago, so I knew it wasn’t them, and the construction crew had taken off earlier this afternoon once they’d finished for the day. Kobalt had left not long ago, heading into town for a meeting with the realtor about the farm down the road. He must have forgotten something and returned to get it.

“That was fast. Did you forget something?” I called out over my shoulder.

“You can run, but you can’t hide.”

Tension flooded my body, and my heart slammed against my chest. I spun around and spotted one of the construction workers stepping into the barn.

“Can I help you with something?” I asked, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

I didn’t want to say that Kobalt wasn’t here, but I needed to stall because I didn’t feel like his intentions were pure. He wore acid wash baggy jeans, a concrete-gray T-shirt, and the steel-toed boots the other men wore.