Page 65 of Falling for Autumn
“He’s my brother, Autumn. She was just a ho that I could leave in the past. I had no ties to her after learning Empiria wasn’t my kid.”
“You said that you two had been through some things.”
“We had been, and she was my ride-or-die, or so I thought. But at the end of the day, I could have still walked away from her if she had fucked some other nigga. Would it have hurt? Hell yeah. But it wouldn’t have been as devastating as the fact that she was with my brother.
“It was his actions that devastated me, Autumn. It was the fact that he lied to me, he betrayed me, and he would have kept that shit under wraps if I hadn’t insisted on having that DNA test.”
“Maybe you’re right. But have you ever considered what he said about being in a bad place because of the drugs?”
“Before the drugs, it was always about Kevin. It doesn’t matter whether he’s on drugs or off; Kevin doesn’t give a shit about what anyone wants or needs except for him. You andAuburn are my world. I don’t have room in that universe for meteorites and black holes. I’ve truly moved on and made peace with not having him in my life.”
“Are you concerned that your brother might create problems in our lives?”
“No. Baby, I was so consumed with family and giving them everything I thought they needed that I couldn’t step back when I needed to. He always pulled me into his shit. I don’t have room for his shit anymore, bae. My life is very fulfilling right now.”
I moved onto his lap and straddled him. Linking my arms behind his neck and locking my fingers together, I pressed my forehead against his.
“I just want you to be happy, baby. I don’t want to push you into anything that you’re not ready for.”
“You want my family to be whole, but trust me that I’m whole with you all.”
“I believe you.”
I pressed my lips against his softly, and he rubbed my back.
“I don’t know what I would do without you, Autumn. I’m sorry that I didn’t deal with this shit before bringing y’all into my life.”
“You’re okay.” I kissed his lips. “Thank you for staying calm and peaceful in that situation, especially around Auburn.”
“I’ll never put her in jeopardy of anything happening to her or in front of her. I need you to know that. Protecting Auburn with my life is the most important thing in the world to me, aside from protecting you. I love you, girl.”
“I love you more.”
I snuggled up with my man and relaxed. Some things were better left alone. His relationship with his brother was one of those. I firmly believed that if it were meant for their relationship to be mended, God would make sure that it happened. All I needed to do was stand firmly by his side.
Chapter 24
October
“Do you want some more tea?” I asked Auburn.
She nodded and held her cup up to me. “More pwease?” she asked in her cute baby voice.
I stood from the little chair that I had barely been perched on and grabbed the juice off the counter. I headed back to the breakfast nook and perched on the edge of the chair again before I poured us some juice.
She didn’t like tea, and Autumn swore she wasn’t a real southern baby. She said there was no way that she was a true southerner and didn’t like sweet, iced tea.
“You didn’t eat your cake, baby girl.” I pointed my fork at her strawberry shortcake.
Auburn wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “Yuckity.”
“You don’t like it?”
She pouted her bottom lip out and crossed her arms. “You’re going to be stubborn like your mama, pretty princess with a delicate palate.”
“Me not wike it, Daddy.”
I froze with my cake halfway to my mouth. I swear that my heart stopped beating. “What did you say, baby girl?”
