Page 56 of When a Soul Cries

“You welcome.”

I grabbed my purse and paused before opening the door. “And Rome?”

“Yeah?”

I turned toward him. He was watching me, one arm resting loosely over the steering wheel. “Don’t make this weird.”

His lips slowly curved into that same cocky smile. “Too late.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t stop the tiny smile that came with it. “Goodnight.”

“Night, Sol.”

I stepped out and closed the door behind me. I could feel him watching me as I walked toward the house.

Then I saw it.

A white piece of paper was taped to my door.

My steps slowed as my stomach dropped. For a second, I just stared at it before I started walking faster. The closer I got, the more the words came into focus, and my heart started pounding.

Not again.

I snatched the paper off the door before I even finished reading it and folded it quickly, my fingers trembling around the edges. For a second, I stood there completely still.

Then I remembered Rome.

I glanced over my shoulder.

His car was still there.

Through the windshield, I could see him watching me. I couldn’t tell whether he’d seen the paper, and right then, I didn’t care. I unlocked the door and went inside.

Zari was on the couch, and Halo was asleep nearby. The second I saw my baby, some of the tightness in my chest loosened.

“There go Mama,” Zari whispered, smiling as she looked up at me.

I didn’t even answer. I dropped my purse and walked straight to Halo, touching the back of my hand to her forehead.

Cool.

Thank God.

My eyes closed for a second as relief moved through me. I bent down and kissed her forehead, breathing in that familiar baby smell that somehow made everything feel okay for half a second. “My baby,” I whispered.

Behind me, Zari shifted on the couch, and that was when I remembered the paper still clutched in my hand.

Too late.

“What’s that?”

My back stiffened. “Nothing.”

I moved toward my purse, trying to shove it inside.

“Sol.”

Something in Zari’s voice made me stop.