Page 3 of So I Know it's Real

“Cowboy is...my daughter’s father! This isn’t the way I wanted to tell you, but I had no choice but to call him. I had to save my baby.”

My chest caved in like the Grim Reaper snatched my soul. Though my gun remained on Cowboy, his face became distorted when the room spun. I didn’t know if I was hearing shit or if this bitch just broke my heart, but I pressed my back against a wall to keep from hitting the floor.

Kehlani claimed to be a virgin when we met, so I thought I was the only man that smelled her pussy, let alone fucked it.Though an eighteen-year-old virgin was unheard of, the soft-spoken beauty never gave me a reason to doubt her. Hell, her loyalty made me try to be faithful. I didn’t succeed, but I was never sloppy enough to get another bitch pregnant.

“Aye, my nigga.” Cowboy shifted in my direction. “I understand you’re hurt or whatever, but we don’t have time for you—”

“Shut the fuck up!” I groaned, smacking him with the butt of the gun.

Reckless was an understatement for my actions, but I didn’t have time to consider the consequences. Any judge I faced had to respect my position when they learned the facts. Otherwise, they could kiss my ass, too.

“Stop, Destin! Please! Don’t do this!”

“Don’t do what? Beat his ass? You should beg me not to kill both of y’all, bitch.”

I started pacing back and forth, damn near stomping a hole into the tile floor.

“Bad enough you cheated on me with an enemy. You fucked him raw? What the fuck were you thinking, Kehlani?”

“I wasn’t! Please, calm down before you get yourself locked up.”

Unable to control myself, I rushed over and balled her hospital gown into my hands. Tears burned my eyelids when I closed them, refusing to look at her.

“Destin...baby. I’m so sorry.”

“I did everything you asked of me, Kehlani. You had me at your baby shower, wearing a Burberry button-down like shit was sweet.”

“No! I didn’t know.” She argued. “I promise. I was unsure, but the blood test confirmed it. If I had it my way, I wouldn’t have said anything.”

I stared at her like she was someone I hadn’t loved for years. “Are you fucking serious? Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

The cadence of heavy footsteps encouraged me to stand upright, but I knew good posture wouldn’t convince anyone we were good.

“Durk! What the fuck? What’s going on?” Shiloh groaned.

“I don’t know. Ask Kehlani and her baby daddy.”

Mama Jo dropped her purse on the floor. “Oh, hell no. Bitch, I know you didn’t try to trap my baby!”

Two officers ran into the room as things grew more intense. I dropped my gun next to Cowboy when they instructed me to empty my hands and face the wall. My chin touched my chest when they cuffed me then escorted me toward the exit. I wasn’t ashamed of my actions, more so embarrassed to be in a situation where bullshit was happening behind my back.

“Wait.” Kehlani sobbed into her hands. “Please, don’t leave me, Destin. Where am I supposed to go with our baby?”

“Bitch, please. That’s you and—” I kicked Cowboy’s limp body. “This nigga’s baby. Y’all better figure it out.”

Six Years Later

Clover

Potential

“Clover! We need you in the west hall. Someone peed in the hallway near Ms. Shine’s class. She’s having a fit.”

Johnson’s words competed with the static from my walkie-talkie, but the notice was clear. Considering the routine was the same every day, it wasn’t hard to decipher. If I wasn’t cleaning up behind my twins, the students at Silk Hills Academy made sure I had something to tidy up. No matter how hectic my day got, I kept my complaints buried under my non-slip boots since nagging would not change my circumstances.

“Hey, Ms. Clover!”

I rolled my eyes at the familiar voice as I reached the utility closet. “What’s going on, Reggie? Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

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