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“Right back at ya,” Zeus says before he hangs up the phone. I set my cell down on the table, and the door toThe Clubhouseopens up, revealing a woman with familiar dreads and exposed arms that reveal her sleeve tattoos. Hell, at forty-seven, she’s still got it the way she did in her twenties.
“I was just talkin’ about you, young lady,” I say to Sunny, who cocks a brow and pulls the chair out across from me.
“I appreciate you calling me young, but honey, I haven’t been young in ten years. I’m interested in hearing who you were talking to, though.” Sunny smiles brightly like she always does, flashing those pearly whites of hers.
“Zeus called for his weekly check-in,” I inform her.
She nods. “Ah, how’s he doing? I haven’t heard you talk about him in a couple months.”
“He’s doing good, just tired. You know—”
“Same shit, different day.” There she goes finishing my damn sentences. Moments like this make me wonder why I ever let this bitch get away. I’d never compare women I slept with or the mothers of my kids, but Sunny and I . . . we had some special shit goin’ on. I was too much of a dog back in the day when we were dating. I didn’t treat her right, and I did her dirty. Why she even comes around after everything I did, I have no clue. It’s why I say she’s got such a good fuckin’ heart.
“Exactly. So, what brings you across town?”
I don’t miss the way Sunny takes a gulp, giving away the fact she needs something. But what is it she needs? I can’t wait to fuckin’ find out.
CHAPTERTWO
SUNNY
Here he sits with his arms crossed in front of his chest, rings on his fingers in a plain black hoodie under his cut. His beard goes down below his sternum, and he’s added gauges in his ears. My point is that he’s never looked hotter. He ages like fine fucking wine, and I’m having areallyhard time not licking my lips. That and drooling on the table.
He’s asked me what’s brought me all the way across town, and there’re two things. I’m debating on telling him about the latter, but I need to ask him the world’s biggest favor to me, and considering he owes me one for saving his life, I doubt he’ll say no. If he does, I’ll hold how I helped him over his head because I’m a bitch like that. Plus, I birthed one of his children. Octavia’s labor alone should grant me this favor. Thirty-eight hours and no fucking drugs.
“Our Santa bailed on us, and we need a new one. The kids are really looking forward to having a visit fromtheSanta Claus. You know?” I pout a bit at the end, appearing to be disappointed. If he can come up with the idea of volunteering himself, then I don’t have to ask and still have a favor up my sleeve.
“That’s fuckin’ shitty of him. Slimy motherfucker.”
I blink a couple times, surprised at the fact this is the only reaction I’m getting from him.
I clear my throat and look into his crystal blue eyes. When I look into them, they remind me of how clear the water is in the Caribbean. “Ice, would, I mean, could you be Santa for them? The kids . . . these kids go through so much more than anyone should have to go through, especially at their ages. They’re fighting cancer each and every day, and . . . I’d really appreciate if you could do this for me, too.”
He picks up his soda and finishes it off before setting the glass back down. “I can’t tell if you’re fuckin’ with me or not, sweetheart.”
I pop my head to the side and glare at him. “Do you seriously think I’d be screwing with you about this? This is for kids with cancer, asshole.” I grab a napkin from the table, ball it up, and chuck it at his forehead.
“Whoa, watch the money maker. My face is golden, baby.”
I roll my eyes and scoff, “I see you’re still a cocky shit.”
“Sorry, baby, but even sobriety won’t take that away from me.” He laughs, running his fingers through his salt and pepper hair. I’ve never been fond of men with the gray and black mixture, but Ice makes it look delicious.
“So, you’ll do it for the kids?” I question, my tone hopeful as hell. I mean, if he doesn’t do this, I might just reach across the table and slap him, tell him how he’s a conceited bastard, and then go beg one of his sons to do it. I know Breaker will, without a doubt. Heloveskids, even if he tries to make it seem like he doesn’t give a damn about them.
Ice straightens up a little bit more in his chair and looks right at me. “No, I’ll do it foryou.”
My heart shoots up into my throat as the reality of what he’s just said settles in. I’m stuck blinking at him, like some lovestruck teenager, wondering if this just happened or if I imagined it.
He clears his throat. “Look, you’ve done a lot for me, Sunny. Far more than I could ever deserve, and I know it. If you want me to dress up and pretend to be Santa for the next ten years, I will, ‘cause at the end of the day, you’re the reason I got my life back.”
My bottom lip trembles as emotion shoots through my system, and I wipe my finger under my eyes. I can’t help that I’m an emotional woman. I’ve always been this way. Empathizing with people has always been my strong suit, even if they might not deserve any empathy. I just . . . I’ve never been someone who can give up on people. Sure, they might treat you like shit at times, but everyone deserves a second chance, and sometimes even a third or a fourth. At the end of the day, Ice is my daughter’s father, and I’d do anything to help him because if he died, my baby girl would be heartbroken. She might act like she isn’t too close with him, and it’s mainly because he fucked up when she was a kid, but she adores him. He’s her daddy.
Ice reaches his hand across the table and grabs the one I’ve left sitting on top of the table. He rubs his thumb over the top of my hand in a sweet manner. “I still don’t know why you’ve done the shit for me that you have, but I’m grateful as fuck. I hope you know that.”
I nod my head, wiping away the stray tears. “I know you are.”
“Enlighten me if you will. Why did you help me?”
