Page 122 of Meraux Mafia: No Ordinary Love

“Nah, you didn’t, but I’m not letting you use me to get back at him, especially when he doesn’t give a fuck.”

My words hit her like a punch to the gut, confirming what I knew. I was stuck in the past, craving the sweet girl I had fallen for years ago, but she was gone.

“Now you have a conscience all of a sudden! Don’t put this all on me!”

It wasn’t shit else for me to say. We were both wrong, but only one of us owned that. Kyerra wanted to be a victim in a situation she created. I was tired of being a pawn in everybody’s game. That shit stopped tonight as I walked out of her house.

“Can Mack take us to get pasta again?” Cam asked, hopping on the couch so I could put her shoes on.

I should be used to it by now. That’s how often she asked, and each time the mention of his name made my heart to flutter.

Whenever Tyson came to Paradise’s Dream, I held my breath, thinking he would stumble inside too. He never did. I missed Mack so much, more than I should’ve. It was insane the mark he’d left on my life in such a short amount of time. It didn’t help that Cam asked about him every other day, making it impossible to forget about Macklen Meraux if I tried.

“I don’t know.”

“Can I call him and ask?” Camdyn asked, slithering off the couch like hot lava. I didn’t know where she got all this energy from, considering she didn’t sleep great last night. I was dragging and needed some of hers to make it through the rest of the day.

“Not right now. Go grab your jacket so we can go.”

“Then when?” She asked, disappointed because I gave her the same answer every time she asked.

“Later. Now go!” I playfully tapped her butt, and she giggled, taking off down the hallway. My phone vibrated as soon as I turned my back. Groaning at Tamia’s name, I wanted to ignore it, but my heart made me answer, “Hello.”

“Well, hey, stranger,” she replied, sucking her teeth at the fact I had been ignoring her. Weeks passed, and I had nothing to say after coming home and cursing her out. Tamia knew the dynamic between Marcus and me. She should’ve never let him come into my house and take my child- father or not.

“What do you want, Tamia?”

“I said I was sorry. How long are you going to stay mad at me?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll let you know when I'm done.”

“I said I was sorry. Besides, Mack handled it.” The melodic tone she used to say his name revealed that that’s why she was calling. “I heard about how he rolled up on Marcus. Why didn’t you tell me you were fucking with a Meraux?”

“Because I’m not.”

“Hmmm, I vividly remember babysitting because you worked his birthday party. You mysteriously stayed out all night instead of coming home. Then Mack and his goons rolled up on Marcus, pistol whipped him, and snatched Camdyn up.”

“What?” I chuckled at her exaggerated version of the truth. “There were no goons, and he didn’t pistol whip Marcus,” I paused because I honestly couldn’t be sure. Mack sent us to the car. Marcus hadn’t bothered me and only called Camdyn’s tablet to speak to her. “Well, I don’t think he did, but there were no goons. Where did you get that from?”

“The streets talk. Everybody’s wondering if y’all are fucking around.”

“Mack is my friend.”

“Hmmm. The only male friends I have sleepovers with are the ones I’m fucking.”

“If you called for an exclusive, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but nothing is going on.”

“I miss Cam,” Tamia revealed because she hadn’t seen her either. “Who’s been keeping my baby?”

Prince put me on the midday shift to get Camdyn from school as long as I agreed to work late on Saturdays when the club was the busiest. Thanks to Mack's money, I could afford a sitter on Saturdays and still cover the bills because the midday shift didn’t have shit on the late-night tips.

For somebody who walked around claiming he was the biggest boss, Prince damn sure acted like he couldn’t run his club without me.

“I’ve been managing. I have to go. Is it anything else?”

“I’m sorry, Sky. You can’t hold a mistake against me forever. We’re sisters. Tell Cam I love her.”

“I will.” Hanging up the phone, I grabbed Cam’s bookbag and ensured she had her iPad charger and snacks for the ride.

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