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“Talk to me,” he demanded gently.
“I just feel so stupid,” Denali admitted as her tears hit his chest. “I’m not fucked up about losing him because it wasn’t a loss. You’re ten times the man he will ever be, so I’m not messed up about that.”
“Then what is it?”
“I just… I feel like Blaze knew I would do whatever it took to keep peace between us for the sake of our kids and he took advantage of it. He knew he could do pretty much whatever and I would try to find a way to live with it because I didn’t want our kids to see us constantly at war. Now I feel like I failed them and it’s not even my fault. I wasted twelve years with that man. Twelve years trying to be a good woman and a good wife to someone who clearly never gave a fuck about me or our kids, because how could he love them and treat their mother this way? I tried to be so understanding and patient with him, and all this time, Blaze never had any pure intentions toward me. Twelve fucking years, Elite. How could I have been sostupid?”
“You’re not stupid. You were a good woman to a bad man. It happens, and I don’t want that to make you change your view of yourself or change the way you are with me. From this situation and what you’ve told me in the past, the nigga is a toxic, narcissistic, immature ass li’l boy in a man’s body. You’re loving, loyal, and faithful. Men like that prey on women like you. But the good thing is, you know the kind of nigga he really is, and you can make sure you never waste another day on his ass. Don’t get caught up in what you think you did wrong in the past, just focus on how great things are in the present and how much better they will be in the future. You can have your moment of sadness, confusion, and anger… but I need you to promise me that you won’t let this keep you down or change you.”
Sniffling, Denali wiped her face as he continued.
“I’m here, sweetheart. For any and everything you and the kids need. Stand on what you said—you ain’t lost shit when it comes to him, and I promise you, Amir and Kinzy haven’t either. I got y’all.”
Lifting her head, Denali stared into his eyes. “Thank you.”
“Always.”
“I can’t believe this shit came out on my birthday.”
“We can still turn up. Today is about celebrating you. Even if you want to just stay here. I can cook and we can invite your people over, or it can just be us and the kids. Whatever you wanna do.”
“I think I just want it to be us. My folks will want off with his head or they’ll be looking at me all pitiful.”
Denali smiled for the first time.
“Cool. Stay in here and I’ma get some stuff together with them. We will come and get you when we’re ready.”
Elite tried to get out of the bed, but she held him tightly.
“Okay, but can you just… stay in here and hold me for a while?”
Wrapping his arms back around her, Elite kissed her and massaged his scalp. Later, she’d put on a brave face for her kids and let them celebrate her life. For right now, she just wanted to lose herself in Elite’s embrace.
??????
Elite offered to meet Blaze with her, but Denali declined. He’d made it clear that he would sweep the floor with Blaze if he even looked at Denali the wrong way. While it was less about Denali trying to protect Blaze and more about keeping the peace, she told him she would take care of it anyway. She didn’t know how things were going to play out between her and Blaze, and she didn’t want him and Elite to be at war with each other too. Even after everything she’d learned and realized Blaze had dragged her through, Denali’s biggest concern was still her kids.
Now that wasn’t to say her father, Tim, wouldn’t turn up if he had to, but Tim was wiser and older and less reckless than men her age. Two weeks had passed since she and Blaze had last seen each other, and as soon as she saw him walking into the restaurant, her blood boiled just like it did that day. Blaze was handsome as hell, but his actions had made him ugly in her eyes. The longer she stared at his sandy brown, tattoo-covered skin and hazel eyes, the more she hated him.
“You good, princess?” Tim checked.
“I’m good. Just ready to get this over with.”
Blaze chuckled as he sat across from them. Not acknowledging either of them, he slumped down in his seat and tilted his head.
“I’m offering joint custody,” Denali started, not wasting any time or words. “You’ll pay child support. We will talk through a mediator, because I want nothing to do with you or your family, but I’m not going to keep Kinzy and Amir from you.”
Blaze shook his head and licked his lips as he sat up in his seat. “Nah. You can’t take this to court, and you for damn sure can’t put me on child support.”
“Why not? If you have enough money to take care of a wife,surelyyou have enough money to continue to take care of your kids.”
Releasing an irritated sigh, Blaze shook his head again. “I don’t take care of her; she takes care of me.”
“Excuse me?” Denali asked while her father chuckled.
“Clynisha is extremely wealthy. She married me to spite her father, but she didn’t know we would have to remain married. When I married her, you and I were on a break.”
“Yet you stayed with her after we got back together.”
