Page 35 of Love's Free Will

“Not the married one, Egypt the one that be singing.” I confirmed and she nodded for me to continue. “Anyway, since she got back from Toronto, she’s been acting weird. She in the studio with me, yeah, but she ain’t there—it’s all business and work. Every time I try to get close to her, she shuts me down.”

Queenie hummed, tapping her nails against the counter. “Maybe she’s scared Royal.”

“Scared of what?” I asked, confused.

“Scared that you don’t really like her,” she said matter-of-factly. “And you just trying to keep smashing her.”

I frowned. “That don’t even make sense Ma.”

She gave me a knowing look. “Boy who you think you fooling? You got a reputation, Royal. You know damn well you do.” I didn’t argue because she wasn’t wrong. “You ain’t exactly known for settling down,” she continued. “You smash and dash.”

I scowled. “Man, don’t say it like that.”

She raised a brow. “Ain’t that what you do? Having sex with all these fast ass little girls then ghosting them? Do y’all kids still say ghosting? I don’t know chile--” she waved me off.

“Yeah Ma, we still say ghostin’.” I chuckled before I ran a hand down my face. She had a point. But Averi was different. She was the first woman I ever looked at and thought, ‘Damn, I want to keep her around.’

Queenie smirked, watching me closely. “You scared too. I can see it all in your eyes Royal Teegan.”

I scoffed. “Of what?”

“That she got you too open,” she said simply.

I looked away. She was right again. I had plenty of bitches in my life. Famous ones. Regular ones. But none of them feltlike this. None of them had me thinking about them when they weren’t around. None of them had me feeling like I had to prove myself.

“Maybe you right.”

Queenie sighed, reaching for my hand. “If you like her baby, then just tell her.”

I exhaled, shaking my head. “What if she don’t feel the same?”

My mama smiled, squeezing my hand. “Then you take that L and keep it pushing. But then again, my love, what if she does?”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed on the counter. I glanced at the screen, my stomach tightening.

Fulton County Prison.

I inhaled slowly, my jaw clenching. Queenie saw the name and immediately stood up, excusing herself to the bathroom. I waited until she was out of earshot before answering.

“Yo. What up doe?”

“Boy, you finally answer my damn call,” my pops Kingston Sr. said on the other end, his deep voice rough, but warm.

I smirked. “Man, you know I be busy. I been in the studio mostly, tryna finish this album.”

He let out a short laugh. “I know. I see you makin’ moves.”

“Always.”

He sighed. “How’s everybody?”

“King’s good,” I said. “Handling business, makin’ sure the bag straight.”

My pops hummed. “He ain’t answered my calls in a few days.”

I exhaled, rubbing the back of my neck. “You know how he is Pops. Always movin, always handlin shit.”

He was silent for a second. “I get it. Gotta get to the bag by any means.”

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