AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She rose and opened her arms like she was going to hug me, but I spun away from her. Her hand brushed my shoulder instead.
“You may not understand what it was like for the twins in a town like this, but I was there. I knew. My boys are black men living in a world that judges them so harshly. Logan could lose members of the board from having a child out of wedlock. I know that seems old fashioned, but these men are like that. This is our world.” Even though her words were said softly, they still cut like a knife.
“We could adopt the baby,” I suggested. My body trembled. I felt like I was in danger even though I was in my own home.
“And have people question the child’s parentage? It wouldn’t look a thing like you,” she scoffed.
“Logan won’t care about what other people think.”
She gave me a pitying look. “Logan has been raised from a young age, groomed to take over this company with his brother and run it in their father’s stead. They have been born just so our line would continue on. They know exactly what is expected of them. It’s groomed from the beginning. If you truly think that he doesn’t care about what people think or how people perceive him, you are naiver than I thought.” She shook her head, clicking her tongue at me.
I had heard enough. “Get out.” I pointed towards the door.
She held her hands up in defeat. “I’m just thinking about you, child.”
“I said, get the fuck out of my home,” I snapped.
As she walked by me, she hissed her last words. “You will regret this, Hana Lee. I don’t have to fight dirty often, but don’t let these wrinkles fool you. I came from nothing, fought to build everything I have, and I will stop at nothing to see my future lineage go on un-besmirched.” With that, she swept out of our apartment as dramatic as she came in.
I stood there, holding an arm around my stomach for what felt like eons after. That future I’d imagined where me and the men I loved could live freely looked a lot murkier now. I was fucked.
Resolved not to dump this upon the guys when poor Jojo needed to focus on getting home to his family, I decided to keep this bitch’s visit to myself until after we returned from the trip. Not much Logan could do about his fucked up family anyway, and we needed to focus on getting Joseph through this difficult time.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Joseph
I was able to get everything set in place for our trip to see my parents. Hana almost bit my head off when I had woken her up, but I had a to-go cup of coffee in my hand. I’d packed for her as well. It wasn’t hard to take everything my woman needed.
Logan kissed us both goodbye before heading over to the shop. He wanted to check in with my manager and then he would head over to AiCart for his first meeting of the day. I should feel bad about taking Hana away from him in his time of need, but I needed her more.
After my parents had kicked me out, rather than try to reconcile, they instead packed and sold the house to avoid judgement. They moved out west as far as they could to be away from me. I was so lucky to have had known the Lees.
I met Logan and Luke in college. We all played on the football team and partied together as team members often did but kept our ties peripheral. I knew Luke was trouble the moment I’d set eyes on him. He was always saying something derogatory toward me. Sometimes it was borderline racist. All the time it was homophobic. I hated him. So, of course I hated Logan since they were brothers. I figured their intolerance was a family thing.
But there was one night. One drunken night. Where Logan opened up to me. He told me all about his family’s expectations of him. That his mother never loved him. His brother was the golden boy, but a terrible person. I listened to him, riveted by his pain. I’d never seen someone look like they were about to break. That was Logan when I met him.
Hana blew back into my life and turned my world upside down. I hadn’t even thought about love until I saw her again. My baby girl. I’d watched her grow up. It should be wrong to want her, but I couldn’t help it. She’s everything light that’s kept me here on Earth. I needed to protect that light from Logan’s darkness.
A soft snore pulled my thoughts away from the past. I looked over at Hana’s sleeping face and couldn’t help the small smile that lit on mine. Her neck was bent at an old angle as it leaned against the airplane window, and drool was trailing down her shoulder. This woman wrecked me. She was perfection wrapped in golden light. I wanted to bask in her goodness. I wanted to fall to my feet and worship at her altar. All things Hana was what I lived for. I needed her with me, always.
The seat belt light pinged and I knew we were getting ready to descend.
I shook Hana lightly. “Baby girl, wake up. We’re landing.”
“Huh?” Hana blinked her eyes open. She looked at me and then down at her shoulder and my arm. Her face turned pink and she briskly ran her sleeve over her mouth.
“So gross,” I said, giving her a smile so she knew I was kidding.
“What? You bought me extra pillows because you said you were sick of waking up covered in drool. If I remember correctly, right after that you compared me to a dog.” Hana grumbled.
“No, I didn’t. My exact words were,if I wanted a dog, I would’ve gone to the pound.” I smirked, knowing this was going to make her flip.
Hana’s eyes widened. I was right. “That is basically calling me a dog!” she shrieked.
“It isn’t, stop being so dramatic.” I was poking her buttons. It was fun seeing her turn different shades of red and pink.
“I’m dramatic? I’m being DRAMATIC!” She elbowed me in the side. It didn’t hurt, but I grunted like it did. I didn’t want to hurt my baby girl’s feelings. I could tell she was cranky.
