Page 115 of Love me Like XO

“I wa?—”

“You want me to tell you that I really don’t give a fuck about yo’ feelings, thoughts, or any of that shit if it means you leaving me. If so, then that’s it. I’m telling you that I don’t give one fuck because you belong to me, your future, what’s gone come of you and everything else belongs to fucking me and vice versa.”

I couldn’t help but laugh because he was so serious. So pissed because at this point he believed I was trying to leave him.

“The fuck is so funny. How you in here tryna break up with me on date night and then you fuck around and bust up laughing? What part of the game is this?”

“Fool, I wasn’t trying to break up with you. I’m not going nowhere, I wore metal bracelets over you, shit, and I’m willing to do that all over again. Does that sound like somebody who’s trying to break up with you?”

“Nah, but you had a nigga sca?—”

“I’m pregnant Malik, damn. Carrying a gut full of you around here and you think I’m tryna break up with you.” I chuckled aloud and to myself. “You in here thinking I’m leaving you an?—”

“You carrying my baby?”

“According to the home test Em forced me to take this morning, yes.” I nodded my head up and down feeling like a child in his gaze. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Beautiful and carrying my a gut full of me.”

“Will you please stop saying that it sounds weird.”

Within seconds he was standing before me with his arm out for me to accept. Course I accepted it, and he pulled me up intohis embrace. “Swear I love yo’ ass and now the baby we’re ‘bout to have.”

I couldn’t help but smile, because I swear he was all I needed in this life and the next. Love was love and this nigga right here was just that. “I love you too, baby.”

He pecked my lips. “You believe me when I tell you that this, is just the beginning for us?”

I nodded. “With everything in me.”

“Good.”

Chapter 21

Your indication that time stands still for no man…. Sometime later.

EMPRESS

In true honesty I know I had twins, but I hated these fucking duo strollers with everything in me. I swear if I could, I would’ve put one twin on my back and the other on my chest when I went out, but it wasn’t possible and both of my sons were pleasantly plump. Zero’s sons didn’t miss a meal for shit. Hell, if I even acted like I was going to miss it they’d show their asses. They were indeed miniature versions of their father, from the stubbornness to the expressions their little faces contoured into sometimes. They were him through and through, and every time I said that to him, he had the nerve to remind me that we could try again and get a daughter. He had me oh so messed up with that one. It shut me up every time though, because once these twins got off my breast they’d be just mine again. Hell, my body would be just mine again and I was looking forward to that moment.

I pushed the stroller through Target’s baby section while Zero was somewhere with the cart. By these babies growing the way they did I was always buying new clothes and miscellaneous shit. We were supposed to be on the way to my grandmother’shouse for Sunday dinner, but diapers were needed and then I ended up here. Not to mention the fact that my very pregnant sister called and requested I bring her ice cream.

“You don’t like it baby boy?” I asked Aimer who lay blowing bubbles while his brother was on the other side asleep.

“Your daddy talks shit about yellows and browns but I love them.” I often found myself babbling to my sons. At this age they had no choice but to listen to me.

“Empress, is that you?”

When I looked up from my baby’s face, I was looking directly at Dionne and my ex best friend. She had the sourest expression while his face looked broken. She was one of those bitches that I didn’t see it at first, but her ass had been jealous from jump. It was all in her face, and had I not been with my sons and in a different headspace I would’ve whooped her ass like I promised her I’d do every time I saw her. Bitch got a pass, because not only was I in another space, but I was somebody’s mama.

“Uh, hey,” he stammered stepping forward and leaving her ass in the section she was in.

“Sup.” I reached down to pick up two of the jean shorts for my boys.

“You had twins, huh?” He didn’t know what to say, but in order to talk to me he’s ask the obvious.

I nodded. Of course her bitch ass didn’t speak, probably too afraid I was gonna fuck her up.

“That’s what’s up, I’m happy for you. They look just lik?—”