Page 39 of Royce
He nodded as he climbed out the bed and left the room.Finally, some peace and quiet.I let my head fall back for a minute with my eyes closing for the umpteenth time. I just needed a minute, and he was not trying to give it to me. I felt smothered. There was no other way to put it.
Twenty minutes later, Essence had finished eating and burping. I changed her diaper and got her comfortable before I slid down in bed and did the same. Besides dealing with Royce’s manipulative ass, I really was drained. Sleep was always a few steps behind. I swear it was only five minutes that had passed before I was dozing off.
However, I wasn’t able to enjoy it. The room door busted open and in walked Royce along with one of his people. They were carrying slacks of wood. They put them on the back wall and walked back out. They then returned with a bed frame.
Please get this man checked, Ms. Iris. He is not right in the head for real.
“Royce, what are you doing?” I questioned. I mean, I knew but hearing him say that shit was going to blow me.
“Moving a bed in here. You said respect you so that’s what I’m doing. Aye bro’, move that nightstand closer to her so I can set up shop.”
“No, Royce. I said in the bed or around me. This is not respecting my wishes.”
“First off, I ain’t agree to none of that shit. Second, the only compromising I can do is give you the bed. Not being around you is out the picture. My fuckin’ daughter in here and she ain’t left my side since she been born. It ain’t ‘bout to start now just cause you in yo’ feelings.”
He shut me down and instead of giving him more conversation to ignore, I kept quiet. He did give me the bed and that was the most I was going to get. It took him and his people no more than fifteen minutes to get it up. He was on the left of me looking me dead in my face like shit was sweet. Honestly, I couldn’t help but laugh. Obsessive wasn’t the word.
“Are you satisfied now?”
“Nowhere near it but it’ll do for now. Give me my daughter and get some sleep. I got her until you wake up. Heidi going to find you a heating pad and will be back soon.”
“I don’t need her doing shit for me,” I mumbled.
“She not doing it for you, she doing it for me. Smart ass. Now give her here. I’m ‘bout to watch the game, so I’ll handle her while you rest.”
Fuck her, and you, nigga. Six weeks, Klarity. Six fuckin’ weeks.
Picking up my baby, I kissed her fat cheeks before handing her to Royce. I couldn’t deny how he cared for her. She was loved by him and surprisingly, that was the only contentment I held. She was safe with him. If only I could convince myself that I’d be the same. He did scare me, but I believed he had good intentions as well.
Eleven
Royce
“Hewho finds a wife finds a good thing. However, a man without a wife is a man who can’t be trusted. Your time has run out, Royce. You do realize someone from the Atkins family has to sit at the table. After all, it is your table,” Lozano spoke up. He handled the purest of the purest white from Cuba.
Exactly, so why the fuck we discussing this shit.
The one thing I hated was a muthafucka nagging me ‘bout some shit I already knew. Not one person sitting at this table would be here if it wasn’t for Pops starting The Oath. This was made from Atkins blood. That alliance shit pissed me the fuck off with all that voting shit. I didn’t know what the fuck they thought this shit was, but it wasn’t that. I could promise you that.
I said nothing as I continued to answer the many notifications that went unanswered while I was with My Baby. I wasn’t listening to shit these niggas had to say. Pops could pull the plug right now and all these muthafuckas would have to find another table to sit at that paid them as hefty as we did. They could go to hell.
My Baby: No, he doesn’t. He’s two Royce. What the hell is he going to do with a horse? Stop doing shit.
Me: They got pony’s and shit too.
My Baby: I’m not repeating myself Royce. Y’all just bought him a fuckin’ Audemars watch, and he can’t even tell time. Stop, I mean it. When are you coming home? I really need to wash and get some sleep.
Me: Give me an hour and a half Mama, and I’ll be there.
My Baby: Okay.
“Royce now isn’t the time for your bullshit. Pay attention!” Pops yelled as he banged his fist on the table.
My eyes shut as I sighed deeply. He was salty as hell, and I really didn’t give a fuck. He knew who I had at the house and what was to come, yet he wanted to play stupid. This entire meeting could’ve been avoided if he gave them a rundown.
“Don’t yell at me, Pops. I’m a grown ass man,” I said unbothered.
“Then act like it. I worked too hard to grow this empire, and I’m not gon’ let you throw it away all ‘cause you don’t like the way these niggas handle business. My blood, sweat, and tears is in this. Don’t make me appoint somebody else.”
