Page 48 of Meraux Mafia: No Ordinary Love

“No need. You guys can meet me here after work. Have a good day. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Gianni waved into the camera before I disconnected the call. “Why did you do that?”

“Ignoring the inevitable won’t make it go away, Lo. She’s important to you, so that makes her important to me. I can make time. Finish getting ready for work so you can let them know you’re moving.”

“You’ve never had a real job. That’s not how it works.”

“It does when you’re not returning and don’t need them to reference shit.”

“What will you do all day while I’m at work?”

“Getting shit to pack up your apartment.”

“You know how to ruin a good time.”

“There will be plenty of other good times,” Gianni joked, playfully mushing me in the head. “Plus, if you look anything like your mom at her age, I might have to keep you around.”

“You’re so annoying.”

“You want me to drop you off?” Gianni offered.

“Sure, that's the least you can do for flipping my day upside down.”

Gianni leaned down and kissed my cheek while I prepared for work. While dropping me off, he called to delegate all the tasks he would now miss spending the day here. Honestly, I don't think they cared that he would be gone as long as he was with me.

The day went quicker than I anticipated, setting up movers for Hailo’s stuff and finishing up a few work tasks. Before I knew it, I walked out to pick Hailo up for dinner with Sadie.

I pulled up in front of the building and got out of the car once people began making their escape for the day. Solana texted me asking if I was ignoring her when she was the one who switched sides in front of the family. I respected her relationship with Kyerra, but when it came down to it, I expected her to have my back the way I always did when she needed me.

I looked up just in time to watch Hailo strolling out of the building, smiling entirely too hard at another nigga who gripped her shoulder.

“Who was that nigga grinning at you like that?”

“Don’t cause a scene, Gianni,” Hailo insisted, but it wasn’t the usual tone that made my dick twitch. Opening the car door, Hailo slipped inside.

“Why are you grinning at that nigga like that?”

“He’s cute. You don’t grin at cute women?” Hailo was laughing, but I knew she didn’t mean that shit. It was her way of asking if I was entertaining other women. None of this was real in her mind, and Hailo didn’t feel qualified to question it, but she did in her roundabout way.

“You want me to fuck you up.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she replied confidently, not even giving me eye contact when she responded. I wasn’t Marcel, and that much Hailo knew.

“I wouldn’t, but don’t think you can play with me because of it,” I warned, my voice calm yet stern. “You better tell him and any other nigga you’re married, or it won’t be no talking next time.”

“There’s no ring on my finger,” she didn’t hesitate to flash her left hand like that meant anything to me.

“We’re gonna change that shit asap.”

“I was only joking. Besides, it won’t stop men from looking at me like a ring won’t stop thirsty women from throwing their pussy at you. If anything, it’ll make it worse.”

That was one thing we agreed on. Women didn’t give a fuck. A wedding band created an illusion that I was a nigga worth keeping. That I was a great husband and would undoubtedly treat them the same.

“I’m not worried about them,” I assured her.

“Hmm, sure,” Hailo mumbled as she plugged Sadie’s address into the GPS as I pulled out of the parking lot. “Promise you’ll be on your best behavior today.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

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